December 2009
2 posts
Itchy neck
My neck has been sooo itchy today. Not under my chin - but further down. Is there something wrong with my collars?
Kneading hope
Just came across the phrase ‘kneading hope’ in a book about ministry and thought this was a wonderful illustration of what a minister does. Also works also a pretty cool pun!
October 2009
1 post
Light, darkness and dust
Finally the lights are back on in the church. Not all of them, but the ones in the office. For the past few weeks we’ve been relient on uplighters, desk lamps and natural light. I’ve realised that I’m quite sensitive and need well lit areas. I find darkness and gloominess well gloomy. Maybe I just don’t do ‘atmospheric’ lighting - well not certainly not in...
September 2009
13 posts
More spiders expected this autumn →
Good news for boys of all ages!
Get over yourself!
Think of other people - show compassion.
Put yourself in other people’s shoes and be love.
Give out and love other people.
Listen to other people - but talk at yourself.
Cry, if you must.
Pray because you must.
You are not the centre of the world, and neither are your problems
The uplifting effects of an orange
I’m not entirely sure why - but I’ve noticed that eating an orange tends to improve my mood. I’m not saying that it lifts me up from the depths of despair (mainly because thankfully I’m rarely in that place) - but if I’ve had a bit of a tough couple of hours, eating an orange has just made me feel a bit better. Maybe there’s something about removing and...
All green now!
I’ve changed the layout of this site to be mostly green - I hope you like it! (you know who you are!!)
Open House London - thank you!
Just had a wonderful day out in London. I love this city and I love the people who run Open House - so many wonderful buildings all open free of charge for Londoners (oh and other people too) to visit. Marlbrough House was amazing - so much to see and learn too. I have so much to thank Open House for. It’s given me the platform for 2 of the best days of my life - roll on 2010!
Where's my Thames gone? →
How the new Tube map has removed the Thames. There’s a great line here about how people will now be unable to tell whether they are in the badlands or the cradle of civilisation. I think it should be obvious which is which!
“Knock knock.”
“Who’s there?” said the man within...”
– Reddit Andrews III in “Glory Road: The Journeys of 10 African Americans into Reformed Christianity
Don't waste Your Life - Lecrae →
This one has the lyrics so you can rap-a-long with it! I seriously think this is one of the most important songs I’ve ever heard.
Don't Waste Your Life - Lecrae →
Every now and again I wonder....
….what kind of an ungracious Pharisee was I? Looking back on my life, even that as a Christian I realise I had such a bad understanding of grace. I THANK GOD every day for that grace that was showed to me. What an incredible thing to be forgiven, and what a joy to keep on learning new depths of that forgiveness every day!
April 2009
2 posts
Romans 3 - A greek taster....
apolytrosis - redemption
hilasterion - propitiation
endeixis - demonstration
Romans 3:24 - 26
“…. redemption of sinners, a propitiation of God’s wrath and a demonstration of his justice” BST Romans - John Stott (1994)
WatchRockin with Ribz on the roof! on Vimeo (via Vimeo)
October 2008
1 post
My connection with Christ
Is Spiritual - established by God though the Holy Spirit (1 John 4:13)
Is Incarnational - because Jesus became a man, like us (1 Cor 6:17)
Is Covenental - it has a legal basis (1 Cor 15:22)
Is Vital - like a vine and its branches (John 15:1-17)
Is Intimate - like a man and his wife (Eph 5: 31-32)
And Is Corporate - the whole church is joined in Christ (1 Cor 12: 12-27)
It is from these...
September 2008
2 posts
20:20 vision from the book of Job
“Surely he will have no respite from his craving; he cannot save himself by his treasure”
Yup - our money or our possessions can’t save us. Insight from Job 20v20…
August 2008
8 posts
Worshipping God alone
Why worship God alone? Of course, God alone is worthy is my worship. God demands it of himself. In the past this has made me cringe a bit. Society tends to think of people demanding attention or ‘worship’ as being arrogant, or self centered. So to hear of God saying that he should have ALL our worship may seem arrogant. But God deserves it, for his own sake - but also for ours too. The...
Why do Christian Ministers Fail? →
Good article from Mal Fletcher regarding sad news from Australia. Seems like yesterday my good friend was telling me about this great song and this singer. What can I learn from all this….?
Last day....
It’s my last day at Defra tomorrow. Technically I will return from my career break in a year’s time. God knows. But right now I feel like I’m not coming back. I’ve been a professional economist since 2001. I first studied economics seriously for my GCSEs - back in 1993. I’ve only ever wanted to do economics. But before then I wanted to serve God. I thank God for the...
Poking holes in the darkness - Being Light →
Great blog posting from Jam. This encourages me to be light in my final week in the office.
Single in Christ: A Name Better Than Sons and... →
Just when you’re all comfortable with your Christian walk, Piper comes along and BANG hits you right between the eyes with a really challenging message. THIS is the kind of message unmarried people need to hear….
2 tags
Delivered
From Psalm 116:
“For You, O Lord, have delivered
my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before the Lord
in the land of the living”
It’s good for me to remember what I’ve been delivered from and to know what I’m now delivered to.
July 2008
6 posts
Proof that drummers are athletes →
A few months ago I found proof that drumming makes you intellient - now I have the proof that drumming keeps you fit. (though i may be the exception that proves the rule…)
Why we're all Soggy Bottom Boys.... →
It’s been a bit wet in the UK over tha past year you might say.
Surely we can change
Where there is pain Let us bring grace Where there is suffering Bring serenity For those afraid Let us be brave Where there is misery Let us bring them relief And surely we can change Surely we can change
Everything
Absolutely miserable weather today in London. Raining all day. Was throughly miserable too at work for most of it, and had to wait ages for the bus home. But praise God for ipods. I thought to myself ‘I don’t want to be miserable - I want to be happy in what God has given me’. So I stuck on some music (read - blast my eardrums). And this is the song I heard:
With rain, with sun...
The end of an era →
The end had to come. Given the recent departure of Stew Smith I can’t say I’m too surprised. But what a musical legacy they will leave behind. Must make sure I see them by the end of next year.
Post-Charismatic →
Well it was inevitable that someone would write a book like this. I’ve not read it (yet). I certainly wouldn’t describe myself as a Post-Charismatic, but from this book blurb I really think Rob McAlpine could be onto something here….
Rob
June 2008
11 posts
Slavoj Zizek: Rumsfeld and the bees| The Guardian →
Where are all the bees? What we don’t know we don’t know; and what we don’t know we know.
Knowing God
I’ve just finished reading “Knowing God”. Was prompted to read this by Alan Purser, and I’m so glad that I did. I took my time over it, and probably would’ve finished it a lot sooner if it weren’t for bouts of laziness. Some really excellent chapters in it. 2 that stood out for me were on the Wisdom of God, and These Inward Trials. I think they really taught me...
“The best measure of a spiritual life is not its ecstasies but its obedience”
– Oswald Chambers.
(Truth is, this is so much easier to write than it is to live out. God give me grace.)
Joy through gritted teeth
I was at a funeral today. I’d only met the gentleman a couple of times, but he was the Dad of some people I know from church. In many ways he sounded similar to my own Dad - except this man has now passed now. And yet, because he was a Christian we know there is a hope. It’s not a wishy washy hope - it’s a cast iron certainty hope - that this man is with the Lord. It’s a...
“I swear that I’ve never in my life been hugged by so many adults that I...”
– Jason Pierce from Spiritualized on his visits to an evangelical church to hear its gospel choir.
http://music.guardian.co.uk/rock/story/0„2281593,00.html
20 years on....
I managed to freak myself out last weekend whilst watching the football. Alan Hansen et al (see what I’ve done there…) were discussing Marco Van Basten’s wonder volley for Holland in the final of Euro 88. Euro 88!! That was 20 years ago! I remember that like it was yesterday - it was a Saturday afternoon, I’d just finished primary school and there was a school fete which I...
“In ministry performance matters, but grace matters more”
– Mark Labberton
A year on...
Almost a year now since I had the ‘conversation’ with the guy who is now my Pastor. Seems a good time to reflect on the 4 points to consider that he mentioned that evening on the pier over Lake Galilee.
Ability
Affinity
Opportunity
Character
My thinking will remain personal for now. Needless to say an awful lot has happened over the last 12 months. I should be reminding myself...
Young, restless, reformed... me? →
Excerpt from Young, Restless and Reformed. I came across this link whilst doing a search on Louie Giglio and Reformed. Anyway it’s part of my ongoing search to figure out where I fit in. Of course, I need to remember that it’s not about me - it’s all about God.
May 2008
18 posts
Marathon cheats - someone should make a film of... →
Crazy story of the marathon from the 1904 Olympics. This is so funny - I’m surprised no one has made a film of this yet. If I only could write a screenplay…
Keeping it real - real church →
Neat little article about what makes ‘real’ church
Case of mistaken identity
Every now and then I have a humbling day when I realise that I’m not quite who I think I am or that I’ve gotten ahead of myself and suddenly feel a bit lost or confused. It is frustrating when you don’t feel like you know yourself.