Learning to Walk

the end/beginning

Today was my last exam at ICC.  In fact it was my last academic assignment (unless I need to do any resits).  It was on Old Testament Theology and the questions I answered were:

• To what extent can the theme of the Old Testament be expressed in terms of 'relationship with God'?
• What is meant by the biblical concept of a 'covenant' and how is it used in the Old Testament?
• "The election of Israel was not the rejection of the nations."  Discuss.

I felt that my answer for the last question was my best, the middle question was OK, and I scrambled something together for the first (which I did last) and for which I didn't just want to say the same as in the other two, although I think I could have.  I was writing right to the wire and I hope I have done enough - but it was tricky to revise for with so many biblical references needed and so I feel that it could have gone either way, especially if the ones I think I did OK in I didn't...

So that is more or less it.  We get the results next week and, all being well, graduate on the 12th July.  So, what happens next?  Well, I am happy to say that I have a job which I can't wait to get going with.  From the 1st July I will be the Assistant Pastor at St Silas.  To some extent it is a continuation of the part-time role that I have been in this year - coordinating the Small Groups - but I will also be involved in more regular preaching, pastoral work, outreach and some work with the youth.  It has been a great honour to serve God and the congregation at St Silas over the past ten months, and it is a real privilege to be asked to step into this role.

I am a little nervous, a little scared, but really excited too...

rolling...

Things are really starting to roll now and today I handed in my research project (I'm thinking it might inspire a book at some point) and completed my final interview with a Muslim person so I can start - and hopefully finish - writing that up tomorrow.  I have also made good strides through the second assignment for the Islam course which is entitled, "'Islam is an Arabized reflection of Judaism.'  What evidence do you find to either support or refute this assertion?"  I am really enjoying this course and have found both the time spent meeting with three Muslims (plus extended family and mosque members) and also the work for the assignment incredibly interesting.

In other areas things are also rolling on.  Of particular note is the fact that the panel I attended decided to subject another panel to me, and so I am going to be off to that before too long (quite soon hopefully, watch this space...)  There may also be light at the end of the job tunnel and, as with everything of much (OK, not much!) interest, you'll read it here first.

Or second.

Or perhaps even third.

application lottery

I picked YKW up from work yesterday and we drove to an area on the outskirts of the city where she was putting in applications for another 3 jobs.  I think that takes the number of positions she's applied for to 19.  But there is a problem, namely that there is incredibly high demand for a not incredibly high number of jobs.  She asked how many had applied for yesterday's 3 jobs and was told that last year it was in excess of 300!

This is really tough as it means that some very good teachers - and, apparently, (and without any hint of bias) she is a very good teacher - are not going to get jobs.  It might even be said that it becomes something of a lottery because with so many applications to sort through (at the same time as running schools) there is a high chance that even if you are the best candidate you might find yourself overlooked.

At this time of year it would be good if those of us who pray could remember to lift teachers before the Lord, asking that amidst the confusion and uncertainty they would be able to continue serving the young people entrusted to their care.

volunteers

I have really enjoyed my job since I came into it last August and it has helped me to become even more aware of the hard work that some of the volunteers at our church put in.  With that in mind I have decided that whenever a new pair of leaders come onto the team of Small Group Leaders we will have them over for dinner by way of a "thank you."  Last week we had 4 new leaders over for dinner and tonight we have another 2 coming over.  I will be cooking roast beef with all the trimmings.

I love to cook, and I love to cook nice things and have always thought that there is something about a roast that makes a house smell like a home.  I am just slightly worried that I will start to get a bit of a name for being a 'one trick pony' - it's just that roast beef is so nice!  But perhaps I will have to change the menu next time.

where the what

As YKW comes towards the end of her probation year and I close in on graduation we are needing to give serious prayer and thought to what comes next.  I should probably phrase that better as being 'where comes next' as we are pretty sure that we have heard God speak to us in terms of what it is (at least for now) that we are to be doing, so it is more a question of where the what will take place.

We certainly have hopes for that, and find some encouragement that those hopes may be realised.  I have also been encouraged that we both have something to offer in our different areas, whilst at the same time being aware that there will always be more lessons for us learn.  But that is healthy I think, and I would be more concerned if one or both of us thought we had it all figured out.

So for now we will seek on.

The journey continues...

researching

I have set about my research project this week and, so far, I am really enjoying it.  It is a required part of doing a Block Placement (which I have done this term) and, alongside a 5000 word placement report, makes up a significant part of my grade.

I am doing my project on discipleship, especially that of new believers although I may make it slightly broader.  So far I've been working through scriptural evidence and I am then planning to look at a number of approaches taken by a range of churches in Glasgow.  I also hope to give some consideration to historical methods although my limiting factor is going to be the 4000 words I have to write it up (I have written 4000+ words of notes so far - just on the biblical side!)

As I find myself back in the library after an extended time that has been much more practical I need to be careful not only to discipline myself in my study but also not to take on too much which could distract me from my study, work, and stop me from resting.  This is sometimes easier said than done as I like to be doing things, especially if it can divert me away from another hour stuck in a book.  But in the end it only eats into 'down' time, something which our Lord recognised was so important when he said to the twelve; "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

Tonight's rest will be a trip to the gym which, despite not sounding all that restful, will be a great way of refreshing myself ready for the challenges of tomorrow.

still hurting

I am still hurting from Saturday's game, to the extent that I think I may go to the gym and do some CV work rather than getting battered again at rugby training tonight.  I remember seeing a film once following the senior England team in which the physio explained that what an international forward goes through can only be equated to a controlled car crash every weekend.  Of course we are nowhere near the level of a full international, but the physicality, especially with the current weather conditions, is incredibly high.

Thankfully the scrapes on my face are beginning to fade now, although they made for some interesting looks in the hospital yesterday.  The hospital visiting continues to challenge me.  It also saddens and encourages me: saddens because some of the people and relatives are hurting so far beyond anything that my body is going through after what seems like a fairly trivial (in comparison) game of rugby; encourages me because amongst the pain and suffering there are genuine stories of hope.  Yesterday afternoon an elderly lady asked me to pray with her.  Then, as I came to leave, the lady in the bed next to her leant over and said; "I prayed with you too."  What a great story; two people, with every right to feel that things are a bit unfair, trusting in Christ and knowing that their hope is in Him.  I left feeling incredibly encouraged.

the last 8 days

In the last 8 days we have travelled down to London where we spent a very enjoyable Christmas with YKW's family.  Then, on Thursday, we travelled up to my parents.  We will be flying back up to Glasgow on Wednesday.

London was great; amongst other things we had an early Christmas present of afternoon tea at a very posh hotel, we visited 'The First Emperor: China's Terracotta Army' at The British Museum, and we had a meal at one of the loveliest steak restaurants that I have been to in the UK.  Since coming up here we have done some shopping in the sales, we've had all 3 brothers with all 3 female companions plus Mum and Dad in the same place for the first time in ages, and today it's my grandparent's 57th wedding anniversary for which I cooked a meal.

So a pretty full schedule and I'm looking forward to a couple more days relaxing and beginning to get my head back into gear for the work that I need to get on with as soon as we hit the ground in Glasgow.  But it will be good to get back and there's lots to look forward to getting on with.

up all night

I was up all night on Friday, but unfortunately not with the many people who are really starting to get into the Christmas mood (apparently Friday was the big night for office parties.)  Instead I found myself kneeling over the toilet being violently ill.  It is the first time since I was a child that I have been so ill and it was horrid.  It was even more upsetting because I had really been looking forward to this weekend - as it was everything on Saturday had to be cancelled but I did make it out for the carol service last night.  After the service I thought I was better so went home and had a proper dinner but, whilst dinner stayed down, I am feeling pretty rough again this morning.  However, I need to get back in the swing of thing as I have a meeting with two of our group leaders this afternoon and am visiting another group tomorrow night.

results day

Today was results day and so, after the initial disappointment of finding out that 2 of my results won't be in until next term, I nervously made my way to the Christology feedback, and... I aced it.  I got 17 which is a really good mark (20 is the highest but you can't figure out a percentage just by multiplying by 5 - I'm not quite sure how it all works really!)  In my children's work I only got 14, which is below my average but is fairly respectable for my first time doing a class in this area.  The lecturer told me that I wrote very well which was not only nice but has got me thinking about the book again...

Then tonight we had the Small Group Pastors over for dinner.  I cooked roast beef and (almost) all the trimmings for the 8 of us.  It was a great evening of spending time together socially and putting our heads together over this area of church life which we all believe is so vital.