Dentists

Yesterday I went to see the dentist.

Why is it that after walking past so many dental nurses that are pleasing to the eye, I end up in a room with a middle-aged woman who is slightly menacing? She was quite impatient and, after a decent clean of the old chomping devices she firmly told me the 'mouthwash is there!' Which was nice. I left feeling a little beaten, but no bruises. No. I have bruises thanks to a trip to Ilkley moore wi' t'at. And someone taking liberties and punching me. She got punched back and people shouted at the whole 'hitting girls' things, which, quite frankly, I think is an absurd thing to enforce.

Anyway, I went to see my parents new house today. It's bigger than I remembered, and the fields contain more scenery than I remembered, and the graveyard of the church contains more sheep than I remembered, and the Churches Bible contains more books thanh I remembered. Regardless, the trip was fun, if a little wet. We then went bowling. Wait until Friday for my opinions on that.

Wandering aimlessly through my thoughts, I've come to a predicament. I am officially a non-student. I won't be attending my graduation, thank you very much, but it does mean I need a job, and a place to stay/sleep/eat. All in due time, says God. It's starting to become a very large, possibly over-wide, trust game with my heavenly dad now. Provision is hard enough from day to day, as the bank account slows down and parents start to remember debts to be paid. Sometimes I wish there were many more people like Jesus, who give themselves for the debt of others. Not to take advantage of it...but I do have to get me some of that. If there's anyone out there willing to support me for the next 12-15 months, please let me know.

Thank you.

Misunderstandings or simple mistakes

I just want to make apologies for the previous post if there were misunderstandings of the aim of blog. I wasn't trying to name and shame the housemate in question, but was simply inspired, in light of the surrounding circumstances, to encourage a rethink of ourselves. I truly believe it is more important to have a good character than a good reputation. I would retract my previous post but that could almost go against the message I am trying to bring. It's not about what you do but about who you are, and, although the previous post could have been misleading, who you are, or can be, is a child of God. That is something to be that is more important than having a reputation of saying wise-words, or never paying for things, giving out free drinks at your work place, or always being late.

The unfortunate event of eavesdropping

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."


I am a busy person. Rushing in and out of the house, running errands, and completing tasks as well as I can. I returned home today through the back door, saw a house mate in the kitchen (still in his dressing gown), said good afternoon (as it was afternoon) and walked through the living room, where a couple of people were, caught the eye of one or two, but merely walked on straight up to my room to start the work of printing something for my final ever day officially at university. I reached the top of the stairs to hear a house mate - who has attended church with me, and I've noticed, playing out the back of the house, isn't very good with children - say "he's so f*****g ignorant. He didn't even say hello. I've went to church with him not a while back as well; such and arrogant c***." I then turn to my laptop to check my email, and my parents have put the above quote about halfway down. Funny.

Nothing said by Chris affected me, words rarely do. I'm a quiet person who, if needs must, gets things done. I was intrigued as to why he would say that today, of all days, when I rarely say 'hello' to my house mates, I merely acknowledge their presence and continue with my tasks. I'm not in a lot, but it does surprise me that there is such an assumption on people who don't say hello.

Character is definitely much more important than reputation. In Romans 5 it says tribulations produce endurance, endurance proven character, and proven character, hope. The proven character proves the faith you have in Jesus. Confidence in Him, means the continual character building going on through a walk with Christ is worthwhile. I have confidence in my identity in Jesus, my life of integrity, and I always aim to be above reproach. Nothing anyone says can change that. My reputation in this house differs from person to person, as it does in other circles. As Jason Upton said 'what other people think of you is their business' not yours.

Thank you, Jesus.

TV Character of the week - Buster Bluth (Arrested Development)

This Google Game...I think it's quite good.

Rules: Google Game: Go to Google and type in quotation marks your name and then "likes to" (eg. "Steve likes to"). Type in the first ten things that come up and repost in your own note.

1. Toby likes to chew on the Christmas Tree
2. Toby likes to tell people that his Korean middle name of Soo Chul is pronounced, "So Cool."
3. Toby likes to visit his cabin in the mountains
4. Toby likes to spend his spare time surfing, snowboarding and scuba diving
5. Toby likes to collect cookbooks and cameras
6. Toby likes to "play" with his food
7. Toby likes to play tuff guy now and then
8. Toby likes to build systems that ‘just keep going’
9. Toby likes to rearrange things once (if not twice) a day
10. Toby likes to read blogs

Some are true and some aren't. having a name that is also popular with dog and cat owners there are a number of results later on that involve chasing my tail. I say my tail...Toby's tail. I suppose Toby is a better name for a dog than Cassandra...but if you acquire a dog called Cassie that shouldn't taint your view of all pets names.

I especially like the possibility of assuming the identity of the semi-Korean Toby with a middle name of "So Cool". I might assume that. Toby "So Cool" Isaacson. It has a ring to it.

In time...

The word of the week is parturient - bringing forth or about to produce something, as an idea.

With it being another hand-in day today, I thought I'd go from writing many many words for the sake of a BSc, and, instead, write some words about being expectant. Expectant, for example, that one day, no matter who they call themselves to be, they will, most definitely, find pleasure in Facebook. Expectant that, in one years time, I will be somewhere entirely different, with new friends and old friends mingled in some crazy stir fry. Expectant that Jesus is coming.

All are valid. All come into play at some point in life, and all have a some kind of effect on making me smile. Facebook is expanding like the theoretical primeval soup is speculated to have done. Stir fries are becoming more common among student (according to a recent survey). Jesus is coming.

If such a mind-bottling (you know, where all your thoughts are all messed up like they're stuck in a bottle) thing is to take place it would be only right for everyone to know about it. Like the iPhone took everyone by storm, and anyone who knows anything about it wants one, like Google, becoming the next major retailer through Google Checkouts, like the Wikipedia project gaining more respect and less speculation, like Jesus coming back.

Expectancy, in the English language, is different from other definitions. Expectancy, in English, is about regarding something as likely to happen. Some knowledge has made your mind believe something will take place, and it take an expectancy to live in the time before it. In many other languages it is much more about simply waiting. Waiting for Jesus to come. Waiting for Facebook to be the place to live. Google to have the entire internet covered in green. It's not based on conclusions drawn from certain evidences, but a waiting that it will happen. In other settings it is to ask for. Expecting someone to receive you into their home is much more a request. So, in light of this, let us put aside assumptions that puts Facebook in a place to watch what might happen, or Google in an RSS feed reader, just in case something curious happens, or Apple being themselves and making new things with the sole intention of coming out on top, and wait. Wait for Jesus to get rid of these darn mortal bodies and help us to see His glory. He IS coming. No 2 ways about it. One way. In a word: trust.