What a day

Not really, it's been pretty dull. It's been raining a lot, and I've been getting wet. Brilliant. Terry Virgo was up in Leeds this weekend, talking about grace...which was nice. I spent a lot of time enjoying his encouragement and then went home. Mark was up as well...we finally got an album. It was recorded in February and finished two weeks ago. Pathetic. It's not really a bad thing, because the album is ready for our last ever gig. Last ever. Short sentences seem to be my thing today. Listening to John Piper has made me very open to hearing more about the greatest letter ever written, only for the radio to start a series on 'Jesus is Precious because...' which isn't a bad thing but I was really getting into Romans. Phooey. Writing my blog today I'm looking a bit like this. And I can do that because of my new laptop. Anyway.



What on earth is it about Christianity that makes people so angry? I was telling 'housemate' Chris about the FACT that no one can earn their way into heaven. When someone swears at that it makes you upset. When they go on to condemn themselves to hell by saying that a Buddhist monk who 'hasn't done anything wrong' (this is a lie) it makes me angry because the very grasping of such a simple message, the same for everyone, everyone is equal in their standing with God, it does cause offense. Terrible state of affairs if you ask me. I hope you learn nothing from this. It's not even very interesting is it? Oh well...

The weekend

"Nothing happened really" the three least comforting words in the English language.

How many time have you been away, but really wanted to get back, then wanted to stay, then get back etc..and never really known what to do so sat in a hole for a while hoping someone will pick you up and move to where you're supposed to be. Well that's not really what happened to me this weekend. Firstly, I was going to be spending a weekend with my CU, which means brilliant networking, community, and sleeping in a less than comforting cabin in a sleeping bag with a sweat on every night. Secondly Andrew Satch (author of 'Digging Deeper') was preaching on Jonah, so that was fun, compelling and moving, tra-la-la. Thirdly I had my MacBook waiting for me. Which is what I is writing this on. You can see the dilemma. Going away is good, but not being where my new toy is waiting isn't. I also was going to, and did, miss Abbey. It was only a day so it could have been worse, and there was zero reception in this place so communication was not an option with anyone. Especially when you accidentally give the key to someone who disappears, and Tom really wants a shower because he's been walking in torrential rain for an hour, only he can't because there's only a bath. But that was sorted in the end. Right before Ria spoon fed me cake and custard, seasoned with salt.

The quote is from Peep Show. I'm from Rotherham, and I'm beginning to think there should be a Golden Statue of the Chuckle Brothers erected in Rotherham town centre when they die. Brilliant.

Everyone loves a good pun

While the majority of people looking for an excuse to travel down to London, and found one by the march called "Admission: Impossible" to do with raising student fee caps so that only wealthy people can get an education (the way it should be), I was travelling down to London for an entirely different cause. My Nana turned 80 on Tuesday, so we commemorated the event with a nice family reunion. Eleven Isaacson's in the same room, the first time in about 12 years. Sitting in a restaurant in the centre of London is odd enough, when you have in the back of your mind "it's nice to be here but let's try and keep the £10 per head still intact", so when the rules are turned on it's head and it's "have what you want, with red & white wine around, blah..." the uncomfortable level is turned UP. At the beginning of the meal my dad spotted Eel on the menu, when I commented "I haven't got that far down yet" it truly set the mood. Except most of my sarcasm was missed by the main guest because she's hard of hearing; not surprising at 79 years 363 days old.

Yesterday was a funny day. It always is when you spend it with 2 2-year-olds & a 7-year-old. Especially when the first thing she says to you is "you're one of my best friends" when you've only met her once before. Anyway, laughs were had all round. I did find the twins funny, they had their own little language to be getting on with which made the majority of their pointing useless. *Point* "ablahblangahree" "I don't know Josh". I was surprised when I proved myself wrong by actually being good with kids, but there you are.

I'm preaching tonight at CU. Scared isn't the word to describe how I'm feeling, but that doesn't mean to say I'm not. A provocative thought I heard last night was "You'll make more friends in two months by being interested in people, than in two years trying to make people interested in you." You can have that one for free.