Learning to Walk

guess who's back?

It's been a while, over ten months in fact, but the time has come to reignite Learning to Walk and get back in the blogging zone!

Lots has happened in that time, some of which will no doubt come out over the next few months.  In terms of blogging direction I'll be offering my take on events in the life of the church and faith in general, I'll be keeping you updated as to the progress of Glasgow Hawks in the Scottish Premier Divison 1 and, although this will be of little interest to many, there'll no-doubt be some stuff about me too!

So here goes, I'm still learning to walk.  Lets see where it leads...

over and out

As those of you who visit even slightly regularly will have noticed I have been totally quiet on the blogging front lately; a combination of time, boundaries and not having that much to say have led to this and so, after two-and-a-half years, almost 600 posts, and more 'hits' than I could ever have imagined, I think that the time has come to stop blogging.

Thanks to those who have read and commented.  I will endeavour to find out how to remove the page in a weeks time.

Over and out.

P.s.  I am still learning to walk!

new direction

One of the reasons that I have not been so busy on the blog of late is the fact that I am having to do a lot of thinking about boundaries and their affect on blogging.

What do I mean by this?  Well, simply, that in the past I have blogged about day-to-day events; college, friendships, conversations etc.  But now, no longer a student but someone serving in a local church - meeting with people and interacting with a variety of situations and circumstances, it would be wrong of me to take inspiration for blog posts from much of what I do because, in many cases at least, it should remain private.  This is so important because I want people to know that when they talk to me - asking for advice or anything else - that they won't be reading about it a few hours later on the blog, tabloid stylee.  An added dimension to all of this is the 'blurring of lines' between 'what is work and what isn't?'

So that might explain something of the quietness of late, or, at least, the lack of 'meaty' content.  It will return.  I have a few thoughts on new direction.  But for now you might have to make do with purely personal or non-descript stuff like our very lovely new dog or the nuns pageant parade!

missing post...

I wrote a post yesterday morning but for some reason it didn't publish!  Very bizarre, and 24 hours mean that it's now out of date anyway.

I am not blogging as regularly at the moment, and to be honest I am missing it.  There are a number of reasons for this, time being a pretty major one, thinking about what I should and shouldn't say is another.

But I will be back soon, just maybe not this week as with sermons for both the morning and evening to prepare for, a new computer to buy, a number of meetings, various bits of admin and two games of rugby I don't think there'll be much free time!

no comment

No comment.

(But I wish I could sometimes.)

not alone

It looks like I am not the only Take That fan in the Scottish Episcopal Church.  I wonder if this fan has ever managed to drop some lyrics into a sermon!

blogging from india

Following in the style of GV I am going to put a big shout out for a friend of mine who has just started blogging, rather than sneaking him onto the side column unannounced.

He is an ICC graduate currently out in India.  It is well worth reading if you have time, and even more worth praying for him and others like him.

bond, bauer or...bourne?

A debate got going here a few months ago, along the lines of who was the hardest of the hard.  I seem to remember that most people, myself included, went for Jack Bauer when it comes to the toughest good guy going.  But I think that after this, I may be forced to revise my opinion.

techno-aaaaargh

I have been continuing my thinking, discussion, reading and searching based on my previous post.  And then, about 2 hours ago, I sat down and wrote a pretty long piece following on from it.  I ran the typepad spell check, clicked 'save changes' and the whole thing stopped responding.  I lost it all.  No, the blog lost it all, I still have my thoughts, my research etc, and perhaps that is how it was meant to be.  A useful exercise for me.

But just incase anyone is interested in it, here are the texts that I primarily drew from and for the discussions, well, you'll need inside my head at various times over the last few years; 1 Corinthians 5 & 6, and this article which I found earlier today.  Anyhows, read them if you want, don't if you don't, and please excuse the spelling mistakes in this post - I am not running spell check again today!

in God's corner

This morning was All Age and with the rest of the team away on holiday YKW and I both played a part in the service.  It was YKW's first 'up front' experience at church and she was brilliant - a real natural.  The service was all about David and how, in his fight with Goliath, it was because he was fighting out of God's corner that he was successful.  So often I find that I am inviting God into areas of my life when in fact it should be that I am wearing God's 'colours' in every area.  The one message that we hoped people would leave with is that it is us in God's corner, us with the privilege of being invited to share with him, and not the other way around.  As one of my close friends at church would say, "the Holy Spirit is the senior partner."

One of the great things about All Age is that it is such a team effort.  As well as the two of us there was the excellent band (with this bass guitarist), a fantastic drama (written by this gifted man), a talented tech team (including this guy), and for the ice breaker at the start of the service we had a (smaller than life size) Goliath who endured 5 members of the congregation trying to hit him with sponge balls.  A great team effort which I pray will have left us all with some food for thought and challenges as we attempt to walk with the Lord in the coming week.