Today I choose....

I had one of those moments today when a song just spoke into my heart.

Listening to music while trying to work on an assignment for college I just had to stop and listen to the song a couple of times and let the words sink in...



This is what we...what I need to do each and every day. It's about making that choice...dying daily and choosing to say YES...choosing to follow...where ever that may be...choosing to listen for the voice that leads the way, and gives us life...life in its fullest sense.

And why not...

Well, everyone seems to be doing it...so I thought I might as well give it a wee go...so here's my album cover!!!!!

Follow instructions exactly:

1 - Go to "wikipedia ." Hit “random... Read more”
The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to "Random quotations "
The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use photoshop or similar to put it all together.

SNASS weekend - the real story!!

On friday night SNASS headed off to the North Coast for our annual weekend away. We were staying at Sheep Island View Hostel in Ballintoy. We arrived without an hitches and settled in to the accomodation.

Our theme for the weekend was FREEDOM and our speaker Hollie led the first session getting us to do some word association around freedom and there were some interesting ideas that came out. Some recurring ideas were that of chains being broken, release, running through fields, birds flying and eh...nakedness (thanks for that one Jules ;) )

Worship was led throughout the weekend by or resident SNASS band, who are so good at creating an atmosphere of worship and praise leading us into God's presence as we offer our song of praise to Him.

Our activity for the evening was to recreate a famous movie in a different genre with a specific prop. An example was Cool Runnings, filmed as a musical using a saucepan. There were definitely some interesting and very amusing results. My favourite had to be The Lion King filmed as a horror...certainly an interesting take on the Disney film!!!

Then it was time for bed and apparently for my music collection to be ripped apart - thanks for that Jules and Michael. At least I had Pete to back me up with some things!! What can I say I have a wide range of tastes!

Saturday started all too early...granted earlier for some....

The oldest and the two youngest (also the cutest!!) SNASSers who were at the weekend!! Sorry Pete but I couldn't resist.

Events soon got underway and SNASS hit Ballintoy with an interesting Photo treasure hunt and 'Egg dropping' competition at the harbour. There was an evil forfeit thought up by Jules for those teams whose egg was broken on contact with the tarmac!!

A bowl filled with soup...flour and strategically placed jam...containing 4 mini mars bars which were to be found by memebers of the losing teams. Great fun for those watching...but not so much fun for those having to do it...hehe!!!

Our first 'victim'!!!...delightful

The last victim...and what the mixture looked like after 4 people had been rooting around in it!!!...Yum!!

But don't worry our 3rd challenger found something a little tastier to eat not long afterwards!

While the crew had been out, Jo and I had stayed behind to try and get dinner ready...cooking for 28 people ain't that easy...

I don't actually have any pictures of Hollie speaking but she did help to clear up the saucepans...a true servant!!!!

Saturday night began with a further session on Freedom and a panel to answer questions posed by the young people. This gave a chance for a few of the leaders to talk a little bit about their own christian experience and how they cope with issues which the young people are facing. Also showing that even though they are leaders they also have to face these issues and the young people aren't on their own.

Saturday night seen the airing of mine and Helen's big quiz with a difference, including a play dough round, a sports round, a picture round - guess the 'baby' leader and a music round with a difference.

The star of the night had to be Steve and his 33 press ups in 30 seconds helping his team to victory.

The night was rounded up by a late night walk to the park and then a round of Mafia...a game I always beleive brings out a persons true self...hehe!!

Making friends with the Hostel's statue!!




Jules monkeying around!!!

I had a short sharp intro to motherhood on Sunday morning when Jo appeared in our room at 3.15am saying her and Pete had to go to casualty (nothing serious and everyone was ok!)...so could I look after the boys until they got back. So I got some back up in the form of Julie and we went in and slept in their room with the 2 boys. The first thing I did before I went back to sleep was to pray that they were so worn out from their busy day with their 'big friends' that they would lie in a little later than their 5.30am saturday morning!! And well they did...till 6.30!! Amazingly both boys awoke with a giggle and a smile on their face, not too bothered about the 2 strange girls they woke up to find in their room. Although it was a little disconcerting when the older pointed at me in my bed and said daddy!!! But we got nappies changed (well Julie did!) when we eventually worked out which one went on which child, without any problems...hehe...well just a bit of a close call!!!! Then we headed off to get breakfast and bobo! At this point we had to try and remember Pete's hurried instructions for making a bottle, and once it was made we discovered they were actually back so parental supervision was handed back to them. But I reckon Julie and I made a fair attempt!!

Just before lunch on Sunday we all piled in to the mini bus and headed off to the beach for a quick walk and a time to take in the peace, chat, take some more pictures and even play some rugby!

We tried to get a jumping shot...not very successfully...but eventually got one of Julie...better than nothing I guess!!

All in all it was a great weekend which everyone enjoyed, good fellowship and teaching, great worship and praise, much banter and many many laughs. They are a great group of young people and leaders and it was my privilege to be able to share with them this weekend and every week on a sunday night.

SNASS weekend

This weekend 28 SNASSers are heading off up the North Coast to Ballintoy for our annual weekend.

Im just home from doing a huage food shop, my car is so full and Im now trying to put final things in place!!

It's always a great weekend of fun, fellowship, banter, a few adventures, undoubtedly some embarrassment and really not much sleep but we love it!!

Anyway, I've lots to do so i'll fill you in on monday with how we get on...that's if I survive to tell the tale!! :)

What prompts us to serve??

I have been using Oswald Chambers 'My Utmost for His Highest' during my devotion time recently and each day there has been a phrase or a thought or something that has really got me thinking and today was no different. But I thought I would share the particular thought that got me thinking today!!

"It is easier to serve or work for God without a vision and without a call, because then you are not bothered by what He requires. Common sense, covered with a layer of Christian emotion, becomes your guide."

My thinking around this is not very clear at the moment, so in a sense I am thinking out loud. Where I'm kind of headed with it is a sense of hiding from God in our service to Him...denying our true calling or even blocking it out and instead deciding ourselves where or what we should do to serve - therefore is that for our own ends and not for God's glory. Yet will He use it to make something good come from it - yes?...because He can.

But then on the flipside my mind goes to why would you bother serving if it wasn't ultimately for God's glory - is that where the 'christian emotion' comes in? Knowing the theories, the words to say, what is expected of a christian...and then doing it!!

Here I want to call in a term used by one of my favourite authors - Terry Pratchett in his discworld series. He writes about a group of witches (its purely for escapism and he is very very funny!!) and Granny Weatherwaxes form of magic is 'headology'...not hocus pocus but instead making someone believe something.

Is it a 'headology theology' of service...our head tells us and convinces us this is what we must do so we do it. Instead of a sacrifice that comes from a sense of compassion for others and wanting to share the gospel message...from the heart.

So is it easier to say that what we are doing is for God than actually listening for the small still voice of God to guide us to the task that he wants us to do. Are we looking for the recognition and taking the glory for ourself instead of directing it towards the One whose name in which we work and who deserves the glory? Are we scared to listen because the job we are asked to do will be too difficult...or even...too menial without any recognition?

I'm not sure if any of this makes any sense...I'm not even sure it makes any sense to me...so I'm just throwing it out there!!!


(Just to note, Oswald Chambers is not suggesting that we serve without a sense of call...it was his leading in to a thought on why we serve...to read a version of the full devotion check it out here)

Further Lenten thoughts...

So I am continuing my thoughts on lent with a little help from a few helpful thoughts and comments from Mr Moo and from Jane via Facebook.

So my thinking at the minute is mainly regarding some kind of self-sacrifice, greater focus and the motivation behind it. Ultimately it is to bring myself before God and bringing a greater glory to Him. When thinking around this for college prayers today I came across the first instance in which Jesus talks about fasting in Matthew 6:16-18....

And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

So it should be done with an element of humility (...does that include broadcasting it on my blog...hmmm!!!?) but also with Joy and the expectation of meeting Jesus.

So what have I decided to do...I'm going to try my best to fast from lunch for the next 40 days, but I will continue to enjoy the fellowship around the meal table when I am with friends (unless they continue to make comments such as...mmmm this curry is amazing!!!) but if I am on my own I will try to make an effort to spend the time I would take to prepare and eat my lunch in prayer and/or bible study.

Well my first day hasn't been too bad and it is nearly teatime!!! But this is a journey that intrigues and excites me just a little bit.

Lent

So what is Lent and why do people give things up that they enjoy for 40 days??

Lent is the 40 day long period leading up to Easter starting on Ash Wednesday. The number 40 has many biblical references - the 40 days Moses spent on Mount Sinai with God, the 40 days and nights Elijah spent walking to Mount Horeb, God made it rain for 40 days and 40 nights in the days of Noah. Jesus retreated in to the desert, where he fasted for 40 days and was tempted by the devil, all 3 of which temptations he overcame.

Traditionally the 3 practices to be taken up with renewed vigour during lent are prayer...justice towards God, fasting...justice towards self, and almsgiving...justice towards neighbour.

Today some people give up a vice of theirs, add something that will bring them closer to God and sometimes give the money saved to charity.

For most modern Protestants the observation of lent is considered to be a choice rather than an obligation deciding to give up a favourite food (chocolate) or drink (alcohol) or activity (video games, facebook) or take on a new or strengthen a current discipline.

My question is what does giving up chocolate or sweets do in the eternal scheme of things? Does it really have any effect? (other than potentially on the waistline!!) Is that what God wants us to do? Does not using our hair straighteners for 40 days help to bring us closer to Him? Or is it all about the attitude in which we approach these acts? Is it about testing our will power and turning to God for the strength to persevere?

So what Im trying to decide is am I going to give something up this year...or am I going to take on or work harder at a discipline?? But what??

Not long left to decide so any thoughts or suggestions would be very welcome!