The one with the Teabag

I am very blessed.  Yes, I know it.  You see, most mornings one of my sons will bring a cup of tea up to me in bed.  Some mornings I might even get two!  Life is good.

The other morning however, it was not so good.  My alarm had gone off, and been put on snooze, and there I lay, drifting in and out of sleep, waiting to hear the familiar 'chink' as a cup is placed on my bedside table.  It seemed a long time coming this particular morning, but it did arrive.  I slowly sat up, picked up the new Starbucks mug that had appeared, and with a content sigh, I took the first sip.  MMmmmmm ......

BUT - the MMmmmm soon turned into Ewwwwwww.  Something was wrong.

It was still hot.  It looked the right colour.  It was in the right mug (yes, that does make a difference!) - So - what was the problem?

It just didn't hit the spot!  Something was different.  Somehow, something seemed missing.  And then it dawned on me ....

Caffeine!  Or rather, the lack of it!

Somehow, the teabags must have been mixed up in the cupboard and the teabag my son had used was void of caffeine.

Not so good first thing in the morning! Thankfully, I still had time to have a 'proper' tea before leaving the house.

Later on that morning, I met with a friend (yes, you guessed it, for tea!), and I shared my early morning experience with her.  After laughing at how I can make such a big thing out of tea, she explained that she wouldn't have known the difference.  This got me thinking ...

How did I know with such assurance?  After all, it was early in the morning and I was still very sleepy and decaf tea doesn't really taste that different to regular tea.

But ... I knew.

The one with the Sat-Nav

I finished my Tall Vanilla Latte (skinny, sugar free and extra hot) and made my way to the car. Today I would be catching up with a friend I hadn't seen in a couple of years. I was looking forward to it. It had been too long! All the details had been arranged via Twitter, and the postcode of her new address had been put into the Sat-Nav in advance. Music - check. Glasses - check. Engine running - check. Sat-Nav on - check. Ready! I was on my way!

However, as I left the carpark, and entered the roundabout, it became obvious that the journey would be a little more challenging than I had anticipated. I looked at the Sat-Nav to see where I should be exiting, only to see a blank screen! Panic! As I drove around the roundabout for a second time, the screen came back on - but with no directions. Not much help! What was a girl to do? No option but to drive round again and hope that the satellites were found and the directions given! This I did, but to no avail. Three times around a the roundabout, and the Sat-Nav had still not told me which exit to take. Getting dizzy!

I had to make a quick decision: drive around again and again in hope that it would work, or, try and make it on my own. Whilst the first option sounded tempting (and fun!) I was already on a pretty tight schedule if I was to arrive when expected. So ...

I did what I should have done right at the beginning of the journey - engage my brain! I knew this roundabout well, and surely should be able to work out which exit to take. The problem was, I wasn't entirely sure of the direction of the destination.  I began to eliminate the exits I knew wouldn't take me to my destination.  This helped. 

And then, well, I just went for it.  I exited the roundabout and headed for the motorway.  I figured I could always stop at the services and have a look at google maps if I still had no idea where to go.  Or, I could even swallow my pride and give my friend a call, admit I was lost without my Sat-Nav and ask her for directions.  It wouldn't be the end of the world.

Guess what?  Just as I entered the motorway, the Sat-Nav kicked in!  Yes, it had finally found the required satellites, and had the directions at the ready.  Phew!

I was pleased that I could now relax a little and let the Sat-Nav guide me, although I did give myself a little pack on the back for being prepared to try it on my own.  I had somewhere to get to, and I hadn't let unreliable technology stop me.

As I continued my journey, I reflected on this experience, and wondered how often we do something similar in our relationship with God.  Let's take worship as a destination for example.  We key in a heavenly destination on our internal Sat-Nav, and get ready to set off.  We head to the roundabout, and as we do, we focus our heart and mind on the things of God: how awesome he is and worthy of our worship. And then, as we enter the roundabout - nothing.  No emotional satellites are found.  We are not 'feeling' the warm and fuzzies we expect as we worship.  So, we go round again.  And again.  And again.  Nothing.  And yet, our destination hasn't changed.  God is still there and worthy of all our praise and worship.  So, what do we do?  Do we continue going round, in the hope that we will suddenly 'feel' right?  Or do we focus on the destination, trust in the Truth, exit and go for it?

We cannot rely purely on our feelings.  Just like technology, they can fail us.  They can be unreliable.  They can let us down.

We can, however, rely on the Truth.  Always.

Are you currently going round the roundabout, waiting for your internal Sat-Nav to work?  Are you focusing on the screen, instead of your destination?

Can I encourage you to take your eyes off of the screen and fix them firmly on where you need to go.  Trust in the Truth and pull off the roundabout.  You may find that unless you do, you will be going round that roundabout forever!

What if we take the wrong exit?  Well, is this really such a problem?  Isn't it better to set off, discover a wrong turning, and put it right, than to keep going round and round and never getting anywhere at all?

I once heard a great analogy that I have often considered in these situations -

It is much easier to change the direction of a car once it is moving, than to try to position it perfectly whilst it is stationary.  I would rather set off and allow God to alter the direction, than to try to lift the car into place myself!

How about you? 

Sometimes when we do put our trust in the Truth, rather than our feelings, we find that somewhere, further along the road they kick in - just like the Sat-Nav on my journey.

I had a great afternoon catching up with my friend.  Would I have ever got there if I had waited for the sat-nav to work on that roundabout?  I doubt it.  What a shame that would have been.

Don't put all your trust in your 'feeling' sat-nav, you never know what it is you will miss out on!  Instead -

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. (Proverbs 3:5,6)

Focus on the destination, and make it happen!

The one with the Duck Song

WARNING: Interacting with this post will get into your head and stay there - for a very long time!
Waddle Waddle!!

Last year one of my boys introduced me to Bryant Oden's genius Duck Song.  I say genius because for a short and simple song (with video) first uploaded in 2009 - it has already had a whopping 59,924,170 hits!!  That is some achievement.

What is the appeal?  Well, watch the link below and you will see for yourself .....

 
Cute and catchy eh?  Now, I challenge you to watch it again without singing along - it just can't be done!!

So - that is it, there is no going back!  The Duck Song is well and truly inside your head - and for that I do apologise a little.  However, my hope is, that in sharing this song with you, it will find its way not only into your head, but also you thoughts, your mind and your heart.  You see, I believe this simple (if not annoying!) song has a lot to teach us.  Really?  I invite you to read on ...

The story begins with the duck walking up to a lemonade stand and asking ... got any grapes?

However, to his dismay, he soon discovers there are no grapes on offer .... and he waddles away ... till the very next day ...

Our duck friend doesn't seem to learn from this, as the following day, he walks back up to lemonade stand, and again asks ... got any grapes?

Once again, the duck is to learn that the lemonade stand has no grapes to offer, and he waddles away ... till the very next day ...

Despite being very bright in colour, it would seem that Mr Duck lacks a certain amount of intelligence, and visits the same lemonade stand a total of five times, each time asking for grapes.  Why would he do this?

My guess is that such was his desire for grapes that he would do whatever was needed in order to get some.  He had his heart and mind fixed on grapes and nothing else seemed to matter, including continued knock-backs. 

Silly duck.  We wouldn't have been so daft right?

The one with the Big Lunch invite

On June 5th people everywhere ignored the cold and rainy weather and took part in The Big Lunch.

'The Big Lunch is a very simple idea from the Eden Project. The aim is to get as many people as possible across the whole of the UK to have lunch with their neighbours in a simple act of community, friendship and fun.' 

As I love the idea of communities getting together I worked hard at organising and running a Big Lunch for Wessex.  I signed up on The Big Lunch website, had the promotional merchandise sent to me, and explained to the rest of the church what it was all about.  Lots of people thought it was a good idea, and many offered to help in different ways.  I loved that so many people were coming together as part of this community initiative. 

Just over a week before the big event, a team of people from Wessex gathered together to post around 300 Big Lunch leaflets through the doors of the houses in the local community.  After all, The Big Lunch is about communities, and although the church has its own community of believers, this event was for everyone - especially those who reside in the locality of the church. 

Leaflets were also given out to members of various groups within Wessex, including Twinkling Stars Toddler Group and Youth. 

So - many people received invitations to attend this amazing event - that included a free lunch, craft, bouncy castle, music and much more.  So much to get excited about.  What an opportunity! 

Sunday 5th soon arrived and people bustled about preparing for the Big Lunch.  The bouncy castle was put in place, people arrived with plates of food, and the Welcome Team were ready to welcome the crowds of visitors we were expecting. 

We were ready!!

But ... hardly anyone came.

It is true.  Whilst a lot of our regular congregation attended, and a few of them brought friends - the footfall from all the advertising and leaflet drops amounted to ONE FAMILY.  The 300 + leaflets that were delivered and handed out must have soon found their way to the bin. 

The one family that did turn up came through an invitation to twenty or so parents / carers at Twinkling Stars Toddler Group.  No one came from the leaflet drop. 

The following week at Twinkling Stars, I thanked the lady for turning up with her family.  She said she had really enjoyed it, which was great to hear.  We chatted about the weather on the day, the food, the craft her daughter enjoyed, and then she said something that got me thinking ...

She said ...'It must have been really disheartening for you that no-one else came from Twinkling Stars?'

For a short time I was unable to answer.  I had to process what had been said, and my reaction to it.

You see, I could have followed her lead down the road to disappointment and disheartenment, and wallowed in self-pity at all the work I had put in, and the lack of response and commitment to it.

But - nothing could be further than the truth. 

Because, the simple fact of the matter was that it had been GREAT to see that one family there.  Sure, it would have been nice to see a few others at The Big Lunch, but I experienced just as much joy and encouragement to see the one, than I think I would have done to see the crowds.

As I shared this thought with the lady, I could sense that she was genuinely touched that I felt that way.  She did matter.  She did make a difference.  And her attendance at the Big Lunch had made my day.

Sadly, I think society can often make us feel invisible and insignificant.  We can feel as though we blend into a bigger and brighter background; that our individual colour doesn't really show amongst the vibrancy of colours on the palette. 

But, this isn't how Jesus views us.  He sees and celebrates our individuality.  We matter to him.  He loves us!

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?  And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’  (Luke 15:3-6)

Jesus cares about the one lost sheep so much so that he leaves the other sheep to search for it.  If that individual sheep didn't matter, he wouldn't have left the others to find it.

Although this verse speaks about how we have all been 'lost' - wandering around on our own without God - it also demonstrates the importance placed on our lives as individuals.  We are each loved by God.  We are not insignificant and we do not blend into the background. 

We all need reminding of this at times. 

If you are feeling 'lost' - then know that there is a God who loves you and is looking for you right now.  

If you are feeling lonely - know that there is a God who has promised never to leave you.

And if you are feeling insignificant - know that God loved you so much that he sent his Son to die for you!

We should never just feel part of the crowd - and we should never see others that way either.  We must always remember how important people are to God, and treat them accordingly.  We should love as we are loved.

The one with the old Hard-Drive

A few months ago the unthinkable happened and I was forced to re-think a lot of the way I do life.  Yes, it really was that drastic and the event's aftermath took me by surprise just as much as the event itself.

You see, one afternoon in April, I sat down at my laptop to prepare a talk for the following week at Youth, and as I checked out the relevance of a particular youtube clip - it happened.  At first I thought it was just a glitch, but time and effort proved otherwise.  My Mac hard drive had died.

Now, of course, all sensible people keep back-ups of all data don't they?   But I have never been that sensible!  Everything was lost;  itunes library, documents, photos - the lot.  A small part of my life had gone!

Originally I thought that I could live without all the information.  I would simply purchase a new hard drive and start to build the data up again - and this time I would back everything up.  However, as time passed I realised just how much had been lost on the original hard drive that I would really appreciate having back.

So, the broken hard drive was shipped off to the experts to rebuild and recover the lost data.  Several weeks and a lot of money later, almost all of the contents of my old hard drive returned.  As I browsed the files, I felt comforted that my life would shortly be restored.  All was about to return to how it had once been.

And so it began; file after file copied across.  I originally thought that this would be a quick and simple process.  I was wrong!  It would take a lot longer than I expected.  I had accumulated a lot of data in the short time I had had my Mac.

As the old files transferred, I had to find each one a new home on the new hard drive.  This process was not only time consuming but it also highlighted the amount of files that I had kept that I no longer really needed.  Sure, a lot of them were useful, and I would maybe open them again in the future - but some of them - well - were quite literally a waste of space!  And there I had sat, transferring them across to my new hard drive.

Why?  I paused the file transfers, made myself a cup of tea, and thought about the complete file transfer, and as I did, I realised a couple of things:

Firstly, it was far easier to copy everything across.  I didn't have to click on all files individually, but could save a lot of time and effort by transferring a complete folder.

Secondly, although a lot of the files being transferred were old, and would probably never be opened again - there was a certain amount of comfort in knowing all my past work and effort would be there - just in case. 

So, ease and comfort led the way, and I continued with the file transfers.  That is, until I began to see how quickly the new hard drive was filling up.  I hadn't realised quite how much I had on my old drive!  If I copied everything across, the new hard drive wouldn't be much use in the future.  Not unless the purpose of it was simply to store the same as it always had.

I wonder how much of our life today is simply a store for the past?  Do we save so much that we leave very little room for new experiences, attitudes, thoughts, dreams, hopes?

Do we hold on to the things in our lives that may have been useful once, but now serve no purpose?

Do we continue to store incomplete or corrupt files, that will not only take up 'space' in our lives, but may also have a negative effect on our future development?


Do we wake up each morning and pick up everything from the day, week, month, year before, simply because it has become a habit and is easier than focusing on new things?

Do we cling on to the past, because it has become a comfort for us - disappointments, rubbish and all?

Of course, some of our past is still important, and can have a positive influence on our future.  But what of the parts of our life that stop us moving forward?  God says - 'See I am doing a new thing!'  (Isaiah 43:19) God doesn't want us to dwell on our past.  He wants us to move forward.  He wants to do a new thing in our lives.  He wants to make a new way for us, not go over old ground.

I want God to be doing new things in my life.  I want to see him move in new and exciting ways.  I know I need to let go of some of my 'ease and comfort' of the past to allow room for the new.  This will take effort, and may even be a little uncomfortable at times, but it is the right thing to do.  I don't want to keep going over the same things.  I don't want to become stale.  I want to move forward into the new things God has in store for me.

What about you?

Are you ready for new things in your life - or are you going to continue to transfer all your old files over because of ease and comfort?  Is this really what you want?

Can I encourage you to join me in the new?!  Let's have a closer look at our file transfers and see what needs deleting.  Get excited, let go of the old, and see what God will do!

'Forget about what's happened;
   don't keep going over old history.
Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new.
   It's bursting out! Don't you see it?
There it is! I'm making a road through the desert,
   rivers in the badlands.'  

Isaiah 43:18-19 (The Message)

Bring it on!!

The one with the toilet queue

Last week I met up with two very good friends whom I hadn't seen in a while.  The sun joined us as we walked around Christchurch to find a good coffee shop to sit and catch up properly in.  Christchurch is lovely, but it doesn't have a Starbucks!  So, after much deliberation, we decided to enter Neros, as at least they serve Chai Tea Latte.  The three of us chatted merrily, filling each other in on several month's worth of life.  Much needed and thoroughly enjoyed - thank you ladies!

Following much sipping and chatting I could no longer ignore nature's call to pay the 'ladies room' a visit.  So I made my way upstairs to the balcony and joined the queue for the toilet, and there I waited for a very long time!!  A long queue?  Surprisingly, no!  When I got there an older couple were discussing the toilets,  and as I sat down on a leather chair to wait, I overheard the lady telling her husband that the lady's room was obviously out of order, as it had been locked for a very long time.  I continued to sit patiently, albeit slightly frustrated, as I was missing out on important conversational time.  After a while, one of the toilets became free and the queue decreased by one.  Again, I waited, and just as the toilet door opened, another lady joined the queue (actually - she pushed in front of me!)
Not wanting to miss my slot - I jumped up and casually told her that only one toilet was available as the other one was locked and obviously out of order.  To my surprise, the lady responded with a firm 'well, we shall see about that' and walked over to the toilet door.  Well, guess what?  It wasn't locked at all!  It was just a little difficult to open!  I had been waiting ages for nothing - all because I overheard something in someone's conversation!

Yes, I felt silly.  I felt a little embarrassed.  I also felt cheated!  I could have been downstairs with my friends instead of waiting on the balcony.  And yet, I really had no one else to blame but myself.  I had overheard that the toilet must be out of order, and hadn't thought to check for myself.  Would you have done the same?

When I finally rejoined my friends, I told them of my mistake, and as I did, I began to wonder whether I fall prey to the same mistake in other areas of life.  How often have I simply taken someone else's word for something and not thought to check or work it out for myself?  Sadly, the answer is far too often!

Maybe I am not the only one?  As a child, negative words from teachers, or responsible adults, may have stopped you believing you can do something.  When a Careers Adviser told me that I wouldn't get into teaching, I believed her.  I had no reason not to, she was the expert after all.  Disheartened, I chose a different college course and considered an alternative career path. As it happened, my college tutor saw something different in me and encouraged me to apply for a teaching degree.  Had I not been encouraged to rethink my abilities, I would never have thought it possible that I would be accepted to study teaching.  The words of the Careers Adviser several years earlier had stuck in my mind and I absolutely believed them.

You can't achieve those grades

You can't win that race

You wont succeed in that career

You will never get married
You can't do that because you are too young
You can't do that because you are a women (yes, I went there!)

God will never use you

You are not good enough to be a Christian

Perhaps you have had something similar spoken to you, that you just accepted?  If it is something you really want, can I encourage you to check it out for yourself.  You do not need to believe everything that has ever been said about you.  Sometimes other people do not get it right and do not know best.


Let's look at it another way.  What if you had been told that chocolate tasted horrible when you were younger, and took their word for it, and therefore never tried any.  Can you imagine what you would be missing out on?!!  We all know that wouldn't really happen though!  It would be crazy to accept someone else's opinion on the taste of chocolate, right?  We are smart enough to try it for ourselves and reserve judgement until then?


And yet, many accept other peoples opinions on something far more important and life changing than chocolate.  I did when I was younger.  I was told God wasn't real and I believed it.  That is, until something happened that nudged me to work it out for myself.  And when I did, I realised how foolish I had been to accept someone else's opinion on the reality of God. I am not saying that everything became clear straight away, but I started on a journey to discover God for myself.  Maybe one day I will share that journey here.

In the Psalms we are told to 'Taste and see that the Lord is good' (34:8).  Just as with the taste of chocolate, we can never gain a realistic and true understanding of God unless we find out for ourselves.  It is something far too important to merely accept the words of other people.  We have to 'taste' and 'see' for ourselves.  In all honesty, I was a little afraid when I began to 'taste' God for myself - but now, over twenty years later I know it was the bravest, and the most awesome life-changing thing I have ever done.  I really did 'taste and see that the LORD IS GOOD'.

If you are still living under the shadow of other peoples' words and opinions, whether it's regarding your abilities, character, options, or, more importantly, regarding the reality and goodness of God - please can I encourage you to begin to work it out for yourself. Your life is too important not to.

Don't wait pointlessly in the queue like I did at Neros -  Get up, walk to the door and check it out for yourself!  You could be missing out on something amazing if you don't.

Part Two - The one with the Facebook 'game'

As promised, this post will complete my experience and thoughts on the 'game' recently circulated around Facebook.  If you have no idea what I am talking about, you obviously missed my previous blog - so - go and check it out and then come back :)

On to part two - the receiving of compliments!

Now, right at the beginning of this post, I need to highlight that this part of the game can seem as though you are just fishing for compliments, and to a certain extent this is true.  However, even if this is the case, is it really such a problem?  If compliments received encourage and build up (not puff up) then there is a place for them in all our lives.

Let's be honest, most of us do like to be complimented.  Right?
And for those people who do not find it easy to receive compliments in person, the fact that the compliments are given with a computer in between somehow makes it easier.  'You are really good at .....' is not immediately met with the 'no, I'm not' type response that is often the case face to face.  These conversations can be awkward, embarrassing, and let's face it - annoying!  If compliments are given honestly and appropriately, there is nothing worse than the recipient continually denying any truth in it.  People - if someone says something nice to you - accept it!  Say 'thank you'.  This isn't big headed or arrogant, but polite.  Anyway ... I digress!

Back to my Facebook experience .....

Having spent quite some time encouraging other people, with a degree of trepidation I inserted my secret number in several inboxes ... and with both curiosity and fear I waited for a response.

In all honesty, the responses were met with a mix of emotions.  I received kind, thoughtful, sweet, loving and encouraging words, for which I am thankful.  However, as I considered the responses I noticed the absence of one particular word - often received in the past during similar 'games'  - and that word was 'cool'. 

Yes, that is right, I used to be 'cool' - at least to some people.  But, it seems that age has finally caught up with me and I no longer fit neatly into the cool compartment.

As I pondered this seemingly depressing revelation, I noticed that in the absence of 'cool' I saw a different word begin to emerge.  A word that even a few years ago I would have ignored for the sake of hearing 'cool'.  The word?

Inspirational.

Upon reflection - I am happy.  If I live my life in such a way that inspires others, (even without being cool!!) then surely this is a good thing?  I guess it depends on the nature of the inspiration.


I hope that I inspire people to see the good in others.

I hope that I inspire people to see the good in themselves.

I hope that I inspire people to become all they were created to be.

I hope that I inspire people to see a good God, who loves unconditionally, and forgives intentionally.

I hope that I inspire people to consider how Jesus can be a part of their own lives.

I hope that I inspire people to continue on in their journey, loving others and serving God.

And I hope that I can now inspire other people to seek to be an inspiration - to be inspirational is a greater achievement and has a more significant impact on others than being 'cool!'

Live and love inspirationally!







You may also like to read the first part in this series :)

The one with the running achievement

Thanks to a great deal with Late Rooms I find myself writing this blog whilst sitting in the lounge of a rather nice hotel.  After a great night's sleep, and a delicious breakfast, I left the boys watching Marley and Me in our room and slipped quietly away with my laptop and book (Jodi Picoult's Keeping Faith).  Having engrossed myself in the book for over an hour, I now feel inspired (and awake enough!) to write this, my eighth blog :)

You may suspect by the title that this blog may have something to do with running?  Well, you would be correct in this assumption.  For, yesterday, I donned my gym gear and running shoes and ventured into the hotel's gym.

My rationale for this absurd behaviour (after all - this was supposed to be a relaxing weekend and I have not been to the gym in over six months!) was three-fold.

Firstly, as 'free use' of the gym came with the hotel package, I somehow felt I needed to take advantage of this, even if it wouldn't usually form part of an ideal weekend away for me.  (This need to make the most of everything offered during the stay also runs into breakfast, where I just have to try everything laid out at the buffet!)

The second reason for entering the gym (and actually using it) lay in the fact that over the last few months I have noticed my jeans getting a little tighter.  I have tried to blame the washing machine and the tumble drier for this, but I think it is about time I start facing up to the fact that it might just be possible that I have put on a few unwanted pounds.

And thirdly, and probably the most persuasive reason for me entering the gym was the reward of enjoying the sauna, steam room and jacuzzi afterwards :)  Oh, how I love them!

So - between 3pm and 4pm yesterday I enjoyed (endured?!) the gym experience.

I have never found running particularly easy.  Even during my fit seasons running has always been a challenging exercise for me.  At the gym, I would be more than content to stick to all other CV machines and totally ignore the treadmill.  However, the gym isn't supposed to be easy right?
So, upon entering, I made my way straight to the treadmill and began my warm up walk.  So far, so good.  Now to up the pace!  A slow jog for a few minutes.

After the initial embarrassment of watching my ipod jump off the shelf on the treadmill, onto the runner (pulling headphones out of my ears) and then zooming off the back and shooting across the gym floor, I actually began to enjoy the experience.  I also achieved a lot more than I thought I was capable of.  You see, I initially set myself a target of two minutes jogging (I really AM unfit!), but as I neared the two minute mark, I felt I had a little bit extra to give, and convinced myself I could make three minutes - then four - then five .... until I had surprisingly managed to jog for eight minutes.  Amazing.  And yet, ten sounded so much better.  So, forgetting my aching legs, and laboured breathing, I told myself I could do an extra two minutes.  I could do it, I could do it, I could do it!  I did it!  Yes!  I had ran for ten minutes, when I only thought I was capable of two.  Breathtaking! (in both senses of the word!)  Go me!

As I lay in bed last night, tired and content (albeit a little bit achy) I contemplated my running achievement.  Why did I set myself such a low target originally? Why did I convince myself I was unable to do any more?  Because, this was all I knew I was capable of.  I didn't think I was fit enough to push for anymore - and I didn't want to fail at trying.  I don't like failure.  And yet, I am beginning to realise that this fear of failure often results in not even giving things a go.  And this, in turn, hinders my development.  If I only ever challenge myself to a two minute run, this is all I will ever achieve.

But I want to continue to develop - physically, spiritually, emotionally, relationally .... do you?

How can we avoid developmentally stagnating?

Having considered this a little, I am beginning to conclude that it is down to belief.  Belief in oneself, the belief of others, and the belief of God.  Let me explain ...

During my run yesterday, I told myself that I could do it.  I encouraged myself to go that little bit further.  I set myself realistic (SMART) challenges that I thought I could do.  As I reached these targets I began to see I was capable of a little bit more.  I believed I could do it.  Belief in one's own abilities is vital if we are going to stretch our existing boundaries and try for more.

The belief of others is also a contributing factor to our personal development.  Although my running achievement yesterday was down to my believing in myself, there have been several times recently, I have been able to achieve far more than expected, due to the belief of others.  Two months ago I received an email from Moorlands College, asking if I would be prepared to give a short testimony of my time with them during my Graduation ceremony.  To some, this may not seem a big deal - but to me it was huge!  Thoughts instantly flooded my mind - 'I am no good at public speaking', 'I don't have anything interesting to say', 'I will speak so fast no-one will even understand me', 'Other people are far more suited to it'.  I pounded myself with negative thoughts, until I allowed a different perspective to enter my mind.  College had chosen me.  Out of all the students they could have asked - they asked me.  That surely had to mean they believed in my ability to perform the task being asked of me.  If they believed in me, then perhaps I could do it after all.  On the 15th October - I ascended the steep steps to the pulpit in Christchurch Priory and shared my testimony to over 500 people.  I pushed my existing boundaries and realised I was capable of more :) 

And finally, when we truly understand how much God believes in us, we will be encouraged and empowered to achieve all he asks of us.  We can step out and achieve in the assurance of his love, his acceptance, and his belief in our abilities.  Wow.  How amazing to have the God of the Universe believing in us.  This in itself should be enough to encourage us to see things differently - if God believes in us, shouldn't we also believe in ourselves?  If God asks us to do something - he knows we can achieve it :) 

This has turned out to be a long blog - but such a challenging one.

Maybe I can challenge you to reach new goals, simply by believing in your own abilities a bit more?  You can do it!

Maybe I can encourage you to express your belief to others more?  Never underestimate the importance of your belief in people.  Your belief may be just what they need to achieve something amazing in their lives.

And more than anything - maybe I can encourage you to consider how awesome it is that God believes in you.  Yes you.  :)  What a difference this should make in our lives!!

The one with the handful

'Take a handful!'

Over the weekend one of our guests kindly offered my youngest son some of her Minstrels.  Being a chocolate lover, his eyes widened at the sight of the large bag of chocolates.   Before reaching into the bag, he looked at our guest as if to silently ask 'how many am I allowed to take?'  With astute perception she innocently answered 'take a handful'.  And that is what he did!  A rather huge handful!  Kids!  

 This incident triggered numerous giggling fits  as pictures of my son attempting to effectively hold and eat the chocolates flashed through our minds.  It really was comical.  

Throughout the weekend we discussed my son's literal interpretation of the direction to 'take a handful'.  To him this provided an opportunity to scoop up as many Minstrels into his hand as he could physically manage.  Why wouldn't he?  He loves chocolate!  It makes sense.  

However, to most adults (myself included) the same phrase brings about a different response.  'Take a handful' - becomes interpreted as 'take a few because you don't want to look greedy.'  The consequence of this interpretation results in the adult taking their hands out of the offered packet with only two or three chocolates.  How polite.  

So, whilst the children get to enjoy their acquired feast of chocolate, the adults are left with a tantalising taste of chocolate in their mouth.  Politeness aside - why do we do this?!  If we are offered a handful of chocolates, why do we not take it literally and grab as many as we like?  After all ... they were offered and we love chocolate!

As I have reflected on this today, I have realised that the inclination to settle for less does not stop with chocolates.  It may have an impact on an untold number of experiences in our lives.  Sadly, our ability to learn, to enjoy life,  or to love and be loved may be hindered as the 'take only a few' reaction kicks in. 

We may tell ourselves that we are not good enough.

We may believe that we do not deserve it.

We may assume that the offer is not really meant for us.

Rubbish.

These incorrect understandings are often deeply embedded in our lives and can result in mediocrity being accepted as norm.  However, as mentioned in a previous post - Jesus came to give us 'life to the full' (John 10:10).  This fullness of life includes being offered total forgiveness of sins, unconditional love and full acceptance into God's family.  Amazing!  

And yet,  our 'take only a few' response can sometimes result in us being unable to fully accept this.

Let's find out and understand what it is God is offering, and reach in and grab all we can.  Jesus died in order to make this possible for us.  God will not be offended or think we are greedy if we 'take a handful' - because when he offers it to us - he really means it.  He loves us and wants us to accept all he has for us - so we can live our life to the full with him :) 

Ready to grab a handful? :)

The one where God shows up

Having just come back from an amazing weekend away at the Youthwork Conference in Eastbourne - my head and heart are full of thoughts that I could share with you.   It was inspirational, encouraging, challenging - and even a little bit uncomfortable at times.  It reminded me how important it is for us all to take some time out of the ordinary - and place ourselves in an environment where we can slow down and listen to what it is God might be saying to us. Easier said than done though with today's pace of life!

So, what did I come away with that is worth sharing with you?  What pearls of wisdom did I hear that could be conveyed to you?  What experiences could I share with you to encourage you and remind you that Jesus is alive and with us?  Or, which funny story could be shared to make you smile and see the funny side of life?  (And boy do I have a good one!!)  The options seem endless!

To be honest, I am still quietly sifting through a lot of the things I heard and experienced whilst there.  Does that ever happen to you?  You come away from a conference, or service,  with so much - that you are not sure exactly what to do with it!  It is almost overwhelming.  This his how I felt on my return to Basingstoke yesterday.  I came back feeling spiritually full with my battery fully charged  -ready and willing to go for it - to inspire, challenge, teach, give, make a difference!  The only problem was though, and still is to some extent, I had no idea which direction to face before setting off!  I came back knowing I had been challenged and ready to respond in my day to day life - but how?  where? who with? I had no idea!  I guess as I continue to process and pray through these things it will all become a lot clearer to me?  I will keep you informed :)

So, all that said - was there anything that I came away with that I can encourage you with?  Yup, for sure ...

During the weekend, one question in particular was asked that is still going around in my mind today.  It has totally challenged me, and I hope, will begin to transform the way I think and act.  The context this question was asked in was in a discussion about what success looks like in youth ministry.  However, this is such a key question - and is by no means confined to youth ministry.  Are you ready to be challenged?

The question ...

What would happen in your ministry  [life, work, conversations, etc]  if God showed up?

 .... and you tuned in?

Now, although this question presented itself in two parts,  it is really only one question.  What would happen if God showed up?  I believe there is no need for the 'if' - because God does show up!  He is omnipresent, he is everywhere!  Quite simply there is no 'if' about it. 

We need to believe that God will be with us.  We need to believe that God will be there as we step out and work for him.  We need to believe God will be there when we talk to our friends.  God will show up.  In fact - he already has!

David contemplates this in Psalm 139, when he asks ...

Where can I go from your Spirit?   Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there;  if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 

God is always there.

So the part of the question that really matters is  ... 'and you tuned in?'

This really challenged me.  I totally believe God is there - when I run Take Off on Fridays or Lavish on Mondays.  I absolutely believe that God is there with me when I speak to friends about him, or lead a prayer time.  I really do.  But do I always respond accordingly and tune in?   Ouch.  In all honesty - no I don't.

Sadly, it is all too easy to believe that God is always with us without really stopping to tune in to him to see where he is leading, or what he is saying.  We can plan our meetings and work out what to say, without really giving God a chance.  We often rely far too much on our own strength and ideas instead of tuning into God and allowing him to work effectively through us.

It is like listening to an un-tuned radio.  It sounds crackly and distorted and cannot be corrected simply by turning the volume up.  It needs to be finely tuned.  Only then will the music, or programme (that has always been there) come through clearly and as it should.

We really do need to do more than acknowledge God's existence.  We need to ask ourselves what difference this means to us and the things that we do.  We need to take time to tune in and ask God what he wants us to be saying and doing.   Let's face it - he can do it far better than we can anyway!

If we truly believe that God will turn up and stop to tune in to him - what a difference this will make!  We can live and work with a new confidence and boldness that comes through knowing God is with us. 

Now to put this into practice ....

The one with the school PE experience

So, onto day three of blogging.  I have to admit - this isn't turning out quite as I expected.  I had envisioned these blogs to be an opportunity for me to entertain and show the funny side of life.  However, the first two of my blogs have neither been entertaining nor funny - but a realistic down to earth look at our life with God.  As much as I try to steer back to my original plan it seems that this third blog will be no different.  I think maybe God is trying to tell me either that I am not really that funny - or perhaps there are just one or two things I need to focus on first?  I will go with the latter!!

This morning 'The Ladies' invaded my house for the first time.  This wasn't just an opportunity to drink tea and chat - (which I am totally up for!) - but to spend time encouraging and supporting each other in prayer.  It seems I am not the only Christian who struggles in their prayer life.  I guess most of us at times feel as though there is a lot more to prayer than we are currently engaging in.  Maybe we want to be able to pray for longer,  be able to pray out loud with confidence, pray without our minds bouncing all over the place, or quite simply - pray at all!  This is the first point of today's blog - if you are struggling with prayer - you are not alone!  I find this quite comforting :)

So, with all ladies tea'ed up, I shared my thoughts and plans for the morning.  As we were focusing on prayer, I wanted to begin by reading a few good scriptures on prayer.  Good plan.  However, I couldn't move on any further than John 15:16 -

'You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.'

Whilst you would be right in seeing the prayer link in this scripture - it was the first part that really struck a chord with me.  'You did not choose me, but I chose you'.  Wow.  God chose us.  Even though he knew what we would be like, what we would struggle with, what are weaknesses would be, where we would mess up, where we would be disobedient - he still chose us!  

Can you remember your school PE days?  Standing out in your PE kit on a muddy field in freezing cold weather?  Right at the beginning of the game, two team captains are chosen and instructed to pick their team.  All is fine if you happened to be a sporty and popular person.  But what if you aren't?  You shrink back, hide behind the more confident and sporty kids, and pray for torrential rain in the vague hope the games will be called off!  You are always one of the last to be picked.  Always.  No-one really wants you on your team because you can't run fast or kick a ball straight.  Can you imagine it?  Maybe you don't need to imagine it, because you remember it well.

But ...

Right at the beginning of the team picking - you hear - 'I choose you' and look up to see a finger pointing straight at you.  There must be some mistake?  They must mean someone else?  But no, they have picked you, and not as a last resort - but first!!! 

This is what God has done.  He has picked us!  He doesn't look for someone else when he sees all our weaknesses and insecurities.  He doesn't look for someone more able, stronger, prettier, slimmer, intelligent.  He wants us - weaknesses and all.  


So, be encouraged today.  God chose you.  He chose you because he wants you on his team.  He sees the good in you, he sees your potential, he sees you as he created you.  He loves you.  


Amazing :)

Now we need to work through the rest of the verse ... but that's for another day :)

The one at the beginning

It was a perfect setting: a quiet corner in an old traditional pub with a log fire, drinking tea and chatting with a good friend. As always, the conversation was amusing, interesting, challenging and much appreciated.  The topic?  Life!  Yup - we discussed everything from pea soup (yuk!) to prayer times, from cold tea to cloudy thoughts and from past experience to future hopes.  We covered a lot!

During several cups of tea we both shared a little of who we really are - and with that - who we hope to become.  You see, the more I go through life, the more I realise what a journey it really is.  Contemplating the past is good, because it reveals how we got to where we are today.  However, it should never stop there.  For dwelling too much on our past does not benefit us.  We need to choose to learn from it today and allow it to positively influence our future.

Where did these thoughts come from?  Let me explain ...

I decided a few days ago that it was time to give my bedroom a good sort out - and ventured into the back of my cupboards.  As I pulled out all sorts of hidden and forgotten things I came across a box containing my writings from the past: journal entries, prayers, letters etc.  Forgetting the mess of my room, I tentatively began to read.  I say tentatively - because I really wasn't sure what I would find!  However, what I did find encouraged and excited me.  I learned several things during this little trip through my past:

Firstly - God really has placed people in my life at the right time to support, encourage, challenge and develop me.  I can see this now and am thankful for the people who have positively impacted my life. God knows who our paths need to cross with at each junction.  Do I always allow people to speak into my life, or do I slow down, or change direction in order to avoid people crossing my path at certain times?  Do I allow God to use me to cross other people on their journey - and support, encourage and develop them?  I hope so. 

Secondly - I have moved on in my journey with God.  All too often I feel as though I have become stagnant and stopped moving on in my relationship with God and in my ministry.  However, looking back at past prayers and journal writings I can see that this isn't the case at all.  God has moved me on.  I have enlarged my tent, and stretched my comfort zone.  Sometimes we need to reflect on our past in order to see how God has moved in our lives.  However, we have to remember it is a journey - and our journey has not come to an end just yet!  Realising and understanding our growth in God should inspire and encourage us to continue growing!  He has greater things in store for us yet :)

Thirdly - (and finally - as I have now been waffling on for far too long) - writing somehow allows me to express myself in a way that makes sense - to me at least!  As someone who finds expression difficult in word - I seem to be able to put my true thoughts and feelings down through pen and paper (keyboard and screen!).  Which - I guess - is ultimately the whole point of attempting this blog.  I hope writing this will allow me to explore and express!  That is for me.  For you?  I hope that through my ramblings you will somehow be encouraged and empowered - to explore your life - and all that God has planned for it :)

Life!  Best shared  - with laughter - and lattes - (Starbucks anyone?!)