Saturday, September 23, 2006
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
So, I put up loads of pictures for you all last week and promised that a blog entry or update was on its way. Finally I have time to sit down and write something to you. Probably too much time. I have recently started some relief work at Hosford House - the homeless project of East Belfast Mission. Tonight is my first night as their night man - basically I stay awake all night and do security - in as much as I need to through the night, it should be fairly quiet. So as long as it remains quiet, I have lots of time to update - I hope you have lots of time to read.
Firstly, I should update you on what's happening with the whole call to ministry and studying for that purpose. I had applied to Queens University this year to study Theology there as part of my ministry training and for long time now have been in limbo as to whether or not I had been accepted onto the course. I now know for certain that I am not going to be able to start my studies this year. Instead I have to go and spend the next year studying what is known as an A level so that I will meet the standard required for entry to the University. It's a shame because any other university in the United Kingdom would probably be able to accept me as I am, but not Queens - theology there is an oversubscribed course. If you had have asked me 6 months ago if this was the route I would like to take I would have given you a resounding no and told you that I did not want to tread water for a year by doing this A Level. But now, actually finding myself having to pursue the alternative route, I am okay with it. Yes it is another year out of my life before reaching the goal that I am aiming for (ordination), but -and there is always a big hairy butt!!!!!!!!! - this extra year will be advantageous in many ways. Firstly, I will continue to look after Eva and we will continue to bond and be cool with each other just like we are now. This will also have financial advantages in that we will not be paying someone to look after her every day. Secondly, this year will give me a lot of space to move through the candidating procedure for those who want to be ministers in the Methodist Church in Ireland. This is a year long process that I was initially hoping to marry with my fist year at university. It will be good to have the space to think and reflect along that journey and prepare myself for the training that will follow. Finally, I have also been building up a good number of preaching engagements and contacts here since coming home and I want to be able to build further upon that. The A level will also be a good foundation and grounding for re-entry into academia. So I am settled with not getting in this year - it's not how Margaret and I thought it would work out, but that's okay. We remain in God's hands in terms of call and direction and believe that he is right in the middle of all this. It's all good!
As I said, I have been preaching a lot, especially in the last month it seems. After the guys left Northern Ireland to return to Florida at the beginning of August, I had about a week and then there were about four weeks after that where I seemed to have a lot of things on - preaching at church services and delivering training events for gap year volunteers. Coming up I have some more church services as well as some school fellowship meetings and a couple of weekend retreats. I have also been asked to speak at Mannafest (Northern Ireland's big Christian Youth event held once a month). Please keep Margaret and I in your prayers as I/we fulfill these dates. I long to be true to what I believe God wants to say through me and so would covet your prayers for boldness and self discipline in study.
Speaking of study, I have been reading an amazing book at the recommendation of Rich Edwards. It's called The Irresistable Revolution by a guy called Shane Claiborne, and it has spoken a lot to me. I am reluctant to say what it is speaking to me just yet because I want to finish it and give it to Margaret to read. I don't want to say to much because I want her to read it and then for us to see what god might be saying to us together through it. Personally though, I have found it extremely moving and potentially life altering. I recommend it to anyone who reds this and is interested in the Christian world view. It is by no means typical, and is thoroughly enjoyable.
Eva rocks. Nothing more needs said. However, out of decency I will say some things for those of you who are missing the things that are happening in her life. We have just bought her first shoes this week and she is walking around everywhere in them. She finds it very funny to stamp her foot on the ground now because it makes such a cool noise. She is also starting to recognize more and more words and showing signs of understanding what we say. We will ask her simple questions like 'Is it time to eat?' Or, 'Is it time to go to bed?', and she will answer the question with a yes or a no. She is realizing her loudness potential with alarming frequency these days, especially when she is in the stroller or in a cart at the supermarket - we will be pushing her along and she will just start singing loudly to herself. She is terrorizing the life out of Brandy, our small dog. She has taken to coming up behind Brandy and grabbing her tail and not letting go. In fairness to Brandy, she has remained patient with her on most occasions, but we do have to keep and eye on her. The last 15 months have flown by so fast, I dread to think how fast her childhood will disappear. But right now in this moment, I am loving it. I am loving being home with her and spending time with her. Eva rocks.
So much more has happened but I think I will leave it for now. I know that a lot of the people that come to this blog are only here for the piccies and not the words. I am on night duty again on Sunday night. Maybe I will write some more stuff then.
Blessings
Firstly, I should update you on what's happening with the whole call to ministry and studying for that purpose. I had applied to Queens University this year to study Theology there as part of my ministry training and for long time now have been in limbo as to whether or not I had been accepted onto the course. I now know for certain that I am not going to be able to start my studies this year. Instead I have to go and spend the next year studying what is known as an A level so that I will meet the standard required for entry to the University. It's a shame because any other university in the United Kingdom would probably be able to accept me as I am, but not Queens - theology there is an oversubscribed course. If you had have asked me 6 months ago if this was the route I would like to take I would have given you a resounding no and told you that I did not want to tread water for a year by doing this A Level. But now, actually finding myself having to pursue the alternative route, I am okay with it. Yes it is another year out of my life before reaching the goal that I am aiming for (ordination), but -and there is always a big hairy butt!!!!!!!!! - this extra year will be advantageous in many ways. Firstly, I will continue to look after Eva and we will continue to bond and be cool with each other just like we are now. This will also have financial advantages in that we will not be paying someone to look after her every day. Secondly, this year will give me a lot of space to move through the candidating procedure for those who want to be ministers in the Methodist Church in Ireland. This is a year long process that I was initially hoping to marry with my fist year at university. It will be good to have the space to think and reflect along that journey and prepare myself for the training that will follow. Finally, I have also been building up a good number of preaching engagements and contacts here since coming home and I want to be able to build further upon that. The A level will also be a good foundation and grounding for re-entry into academia. So I am settled with not getting in this year - it's not how Margaret and I thought it would work out, but that's okay. We remain in God's hands in terms of call and direction and believe that he is right in the middle of all this. It's all good!
As I said, I have been preaching a lot, especially in the last month it seems. After the guys left Northern Ireland to return to Florida at the beginning of August, I had about a week and then there were about four weeks after that where I seemed to have a lot of things on - preaching at church services and delivering training events for gap year volunteers. Coming up I have some more church services as well as some school fellowship meetings and a couple of weekend retreats. I have also been asked to speak at Mannafest (Northern Ireland's big Christian Youth event held once a month). Please keep Margaret and I in your prayers as I/we fulfill these dates. I long to be true to what I believe God wants to say through me and so would covet your prayers for boldness and self discipline in study.
Speaking of study, I have been reading an amazing book at the recommendation of Rich Edwards. It's called The Irresistable Revolution by a guy called Shane Claiborne, and it has spoken a lot to me. I am reluctant to say what it is speaking to me just yet because I want to finish it and give it to Margaret to read. I don't want to say to much because I want her to read it and then for us to see what god might be saying to us together through it. Personally though, I have found it extremely moving and potentially life altering. I recommend it to anyone who reds this and is interested in the Christian world view. It is by no means typical, and is thoroughly enjoyable.
Eva rocks. Nothing more needs said. However, out of decency I will say some things for those of you who are missing the things that are happening in her life. We have just bought her first shoes this week and she is walking around everywhere in them. She finds it very funny to stamp her foot on the ground now because it makes such a cool noise. She is also starting to recognize more and more words and showing signs of understanding what we say. We will ask her simple questions like 'Is it time to eat?' Or, 'Is it time to go to bed?', and she will answer the question with a yes or a no. She is realizing her loudness potential with alarming frequency these days, especially when she is in the stroller or in a cart at the supermarket - we will be pushing her along and she will just start singing loudly to herself. She is terrorizing the life out of Brandy, our small dog. She has taken to coming up behind Brandy and grabbing her tail and not letting go. In fairness to Brandy, she has remained patient with her on most occasions, but we do have to keep and eye on her. The last 15 months have flown by so fast, I dread to think how fast her childhood will disappear. But right now in this moment, I am loving it. I am loving being home with her and spending time with her. Eva rocks.
So much more has happened but I think I will leave it for now. I know that a lot of the people that come to this blog are only here for the piccies and not the words. I am on night duty again on Sunday night. Maybe I will write some more stuff then.
Blessings
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