A Long List

Things have been happening since I last wrote...

My faith took another bashing at a Youth BBQ. I can understand the school children doing it, they don't know me, they are permitted to ask questions (however mockingly). But at a BBQ with young people I know quite well, sadly I had to walk away and not be part of the conversation any more, cause I'd run out of answers and patience.

Then we had Lewsey Churches BBQ inside because of the torrential rain and thunderstorms outside. I can't remember having such extreme weather in the UK, it's been such a long time since we had regular decent thunder and lightening. I really enjoyed it, mainly because I wasn't getting wet!

The week wore on; it's that time of year for trips. We have an unusal thing in our youth group where two people were born hours apart, so have the same birthday. They are completely unrelated. I love the way God brings people together. We headed to Laser Quest for their birthdays. During 'dinner' I sat back and realised what a wonderful youth group had been formed over the last year. They, as a group, are testament to how much I have learnt. I love them all dearly and pray that their group gets stronger.

We had breakfast on the car park and a mighty miracle from God to do it. He moved the clouds at 8am and the sun shone through till 9.30am. Everything is possible when you let God work! It was great to see the young people and teachers that day, though sadly no dustbin men or old grumpies. Our community doesn't feel complete without them really. It was a great way to end the term.

During that week I also completed the practice and essay for my PGDip and JNC. So I can now say that "I am a fully Qualified Youth Worker, subject to Exam Board passing my essay and practice file". Not quite as fun as saying I'm a JNC Youth Worker, but close enough for me! It's been 2 years of hard work, but it's all done (subject to Exam Board - it's like a sting in the tail).

Then it was time for me and my sister to turn 25. We went our separate ways for our actual birthday. She hung out with our family and went drinking and dancing, whilst I spent the morning at Luton Hoo, and the evening at Silverstone.

For those who don't know Luton Hoo is a stately home turned Hotel, newly refurbished and reopened to the public. They do a great breakfast. So I and 12 girls (and 1 boy who is so tiny he didn't know any different) had breakfast together. It was delightful!
Me and Christine

Me in my new role as Stately Home owner!

Silverstone is a whole other world. Its one of the main race tracks in the UK and where Formula 1 raced only a few weekends ago. I went up there to spend the evening with a friend who was racing with Formula Student. All the Mechanical Engineer departments in Europe racing cars they have built. Was very fun I stood on the track and in the pit lane. My Dad really lovely Formula 1 so was very jealous. I loved it.

The Home Straight

Me standing with a vacant expression on my face... hoping not to get run over, not really know what to do. I look proper tiny under the Santander Bridge!

The pit lane... apparently still had markings on it from F1 (I don't really know though, I'm a girl!)

Sunday was spent at church with a[n embarrassing] rendition of Happy Birthday, which left me very red and quite embarrassed. Then to the parents for BBQ with family, extended family, our church friends and the boys school/work friends. Was lovely to see everyone and hang out. (will post pics soon)

Monday night I held another Youth BBQ and the new Curate helped out. He's a man and loves building fire, so the job was perfect for him. The YP had brought me a card and cake! They surprised me massively. And again I realised how blessed I am to have all 13 of them in my life. Lovely young people! Brilliant end to a great weekend!

Hopefully life will calm down now. Just Uganda and September term to prepare for! Ha ha... working hard as ever!

Lessons Learnt Pt 2

Yesterday afternoon was by far the hardest lesson I have ever had to teach. For all the lessons I have taught, this was the loudest and most questioned I have ever been in. Unfortunately the young people were not doing a very good job at listening to the answers I had. After a few incidents of "Jebus" I had to stop and tell them exactly what was bothering me.

Sometimes the things we say offend other people with out realising it. The only place I really pull young people up on their language is Big Breakfast, some of the yp swear unnecessarily and I have a sharp ear for it... but in this lesson there weren't any swear words, but poor Jesus got a nickname. I know he's been called worse things. I stopped, took stock for a moment and when I carried on things weren't much better.

I stood at the front of the class being pelted by some really good questions, "Who created God?" "How can you believe all this stuff?" "Is Jesus really alive?" "Does God talk to you?" Waaah, but I know that there is nothing before God and there will be nothing after God, I know Jesus is alive and God does talk to me (but not in a audible voice). Our children know myths about God, I find this very sad. They believe in very little and are sceptical. One of the teachers said "you can't question other people's beliefs" don't think that's so true, I think you can, but I think you do have to be sensitive to others too and listen to what they believe, even if you don't believe it yourself.

These discussions HAVE to continue... I was dreaming big dreams on Monday and one of them is to always be in discussion about faith and beliefs.

Lessons Learnt

Christianity lessons are going really well, thanks for all you who are praying/interested! It's been a good week. Though I sit listening to a tennis match I'm completely uninterested in. Sad there's no Murray on court today, but he's only young and Wimbledon happens every year. More chances for him!

Back to the lessons! I had a bit of a mental block in spelling harder words like Crucifixion and even Church at one point! Have learnt that spelling on a board is so much harder when there are lots of sets of eyes on the back of your head. Also had some very intersesting questions. I'm sure evey one else has experienced that moment when you realise there is someone in the room who has just as much knowledge as you, but you expected there to be no knowledge at all...

Happened to me on Friday, there was a JW in the class. Very very interesting to hear someone else pov, but for the conversation to have continued down the interrupted by unnecessary OMG from the tennis stairs afterwards.

I wanted to start conversations with these young people... seems I have done that. The teacher who was in Friday's lesson was very impressed with me. Though I wasn't too impressed with me, but there we go, God works in mysterious ways.

You know though, vodafone have nicked my blog title! They are going to be employing 8 people to work for an overseas charity of their choice next year. You could earn £45,000 for working for a charity under their scheme. Hmmmm not sure what I think of that.

If you are a pray-er

Now would be the time to do the praying thing... I know it's late notice, but I'll be in school in about 15 mins delivering the first of six RE lessons on Christianity. This is an annual event for me, but it's always different. The young people are different, the teacher is often different (and some times learns more than the pupils).

We shall see how it goes. But if you are praying, pray now. Pray at 2.40pm on Thursday, 1.50pm on Friday and 2.40 Weds and Thurs next week. Will update on the inbetween times.

In other news, it's hotter here than in Uganda. I'm praying that Andy Murray will win Wimbledon (and turning into my mother in the meantime)! And something made my day today, but I can't tell you cos it's a surprise! Yeay! I love surprises!

Shock

Thought 5: Even the smallest amount of shock messes up my ability to wake up. Eg: Sunday was a very routine day, church in the morning, a relaxed afternoon and church in the evening, but on the way to church I witnessed a car crash, and knew some one who was involved. It was only a small crash, but still I was shocked. then I managed to over sleep by an hour this morning so was late for work.

This happened when I was the victim of a robbery, late for work the following day. When I wrote off a car, got my exam timetable mixed up and went for an afternoon exam in the morning. Shock is horrible, even the smallest amount.

Taken Over

The young people and myself helped church along it's way on Sunday. I spoke, they led games, sorted craft type things and did music stuff.

It's funny how we really are our parent's children on occasions like this. The service was longer than I'd planned... can't really work out where the time went. The things I've learnt in the past 3 years have been good, I've definitely stepped fully into St Hugh's way of life.

I'm at that point in life where people are turning 25 all around, my turn soon. So was in Essex to begin celebrations at the weekend. Really enjoy my Essex friends.

I also hunted down my Uganda memorabilia from 2001! Can't believe it was so long ago now, we all look so young in the photos. What I didn't find was a Health Passport saying I'd had a Yellow Fever jab more recently. Quite annoying, but then there appeared a raging debate on facebook as to whether I actually need a jab at all. To be honest I'd rather have a £40 jab than be really sick! But then I suppose I'm a westerner and money is no object. Selfish? Maybe. Sensible? Yes. Any way seeing my GP in two weeks to sort it all out. Don't particularly fear jabs, more worried about feeling sick in the wake of the jabs. Dr Michael, any suggestions?

Oh, then Andy Murray won at Queens, how exciting!?! Wimbledon is going to be stunning this year. I am, by no means an enthusiast, but tennis is very easy to watch and I mostly understand it. So looking forward to sport this summer.

Tigger moments

No internet at home means plain blogging for a few weeks. I promise many photo's upon the return of BT broadband to the house (Sky lost out because they were massively unhelpful...)

I'm at work, making massive use of the internet before working on a sermon this afternoon with no facebook distraction! There might be something go out of this lack of internet!

No thoughts worth sharing have occurred in the last seven days. But Good News prevails! Since we joined Mission Direct, had a project to go to and confirmed who was going to be part of the team we have raised the £11,160 we need to pay for our tickets.

This was massively helped along by my parents church, my own church and the local community. Everybody has put so so so much in. I got a bit emotional in church on Sunday. Not a bad thing, I was totally and suddenly overcome by how much people had given! It's amazing. God has been gracious to us, He's given more than I could ever imagine.

There are many minds at peace about this trip now, mine is one of them, but I've felt like this since February, so I turned into Tigger. My security and joy definitely come from God and I'm massively happy at the moment.

Now all I have to remember is to pay the money to MD oh, and get the booster injections and health passort I need to gain entry to Uganda.