Graduation

I'll try and put a few pics up, here's just the one for now.
It was a great day and I am so glad I went to the ceremony with some family and friends. Some people do graduate in absentia but the college had put so much effort into making it a special event that I didn't want to miss it even though our holiday to Cornwall had been booked from the Thursday. Even though I had graduated once before at one of Scotland's oldest universities (!), a long time ago (!!), it was a quick affair as there were hunnerds of MA Honours graduands. Saturday 4th July's ceremony lavished more than a few seconds on each graduate, announcing their award along with information about their future career plans or current involvement.

There was a classic moment: as I walked across the platform to the Principal of the college, it was announced that I was continuing to work for XX X church, where I had been on staff since 2004 - which of course was incorrect. There were a few of my friends there and I felt more than a tad embarrassed and emotional that, no, actually, I DIDN'T work and serve there anymore.

But I do feel a massive sense of achievement and relief (and release!) - I went in 2003/04 session to take ONE module only and now I have a degree and I will be eternally grateful to my anonymous sponsor(s), whoever they are, who believed I could do it and backed me financially.

More about our holiday on another post!

The Final Countdown............

I am about to go impossibly quiet for a couple of weeks.

If you have been following the "Studies" labels, you will know that since 2004 I have been studying part time (not by distance learning but by beingin actual lectures) for a BA Theology, specialising in children and family ministry.

In this degree, there's a good solid core of OT/NT/Doctrine/Pastoral Leadership/Mission Studies/Historical classes. There are 3 core classes in each of these.

All my elective classes have been in practical theology as it relates to children - what do we/should we teach children, how do churches care and protect children, how do we offer pastoral care to children and families, how do we disciple children and integrate them into the church....to name just a few issues.

I've been asked what I have gained by doing a theology degree. After all, I have a degree and two post grads already; why do more study?

I think one of the biggest advantages for me from these years of theological study has been growing in critical skills. I have read much more widely, way outside my own theological comfort zones (reading about cessationist views just now, for example). I am much more certain of what I believe; much more secure when reading or talking about doctrinally different views (my institution particularly recommends reading across a wide theological perspective; you're not allowed only Wayne Grudem!!); more in awe of the richness and variety of imagery and literary styles in the Bible and so much more in love with the revelation of the God whom I see underpinning every word from Genesis onwards.

As I come to the end, I feel there is so much more I would like to know....for example, I haven't really touched the major prophets (thought the truly amazing Eryl Rowlands referenced Isaiah as much as one man possibly could) nor the book of Revelation ("phew" some may say!)

I have my work cut out over these next few weeks - 2 exams, one research paper, two written assignments (one a NT exegesis; one on the development of worship since the 1730s!) and working 3 or 4 days a week....

I don't think I will manage to cook, clean and iron for the next three weeks. Let alone pack up the rented flat (yes, in addition to tying up the studies and working, we move house). Too many things, not enough hands or time!

Dear God, hold me close over these next few weeks. I'm gonna have to be very strong to manage it all and I feel so weak. I've been re-reading little David big Goliath story this week.

Will (hopefully, if I manage to pass the last few things) having a theology degree make any difference to me in the future?
Am I more employable? More useful? Does having the BA Theo have more currency? (apart from being able to undertake an ATQ in RME) Was it a waste of time? (I'd argue: not)

Answers on a postcard.....or in the comments box below! :-)

A warning about theology

Jesus said: "who do you say that I am?"

The theology student replied: You are the eschatological manifestation of the ground of our being; the kerygma by which we will find ultimate meaning; the existential interface in all our interpersonal relationship encounters."

And Jesus said: "WHAT?"

Blog Comments Day

Thanks to John Smulo (and if you've never checked out his blog, please do so, its immense!) for bringing Blog Comment Day into being.

In the meantime I am somewhat dazed. Stayed up far too late, woke up with a spring in my step and then a slide on the ice into a brainstorming/vision casting meeting on children and family ministry at denominational headquarters AND a final Doctrines exam today.

(yeaa haaa, no more, ever, ever again!!)

Exams ON doctrines, that is. Not doctrines themselves. Like now I can teach properly (!!!)

So when I get back tonight I'm going to go c-r-a-a-a-a-z-z--y and comment on a few more unknown to me (as yet) blogs.

Happy conversations! Please do leave me a comment or even consider becoming a Follower ....sounds cult-like, eh?

Stuff coming up

Trying to set a record for my shortest ever blog postings. That was two in a row down there \/

Got a lot coming up but thankfully I have a few days off next week to head to That Hideous Man Country. I can see this is going to be one of the fastest passing (school)terms, like last January to June was (work, exams, research papers, Major Life Decisions)

Studying third year level belief and thought, Christology, on a Wednesday which involves me setting off v early in the morning once a week to travel to college, having dropped my kids off with one of my new friends here (don't know what I would do without her as I would not be able to finish this degree). The institution has moved to two semesters therefore the courses are now 15 credits long instead of 10 .....I will find this hard. Foolishly perhaps I am undertaking a 15 credit research paper on children and the Holy Spirit; far too wide a title I know but I will hone it down once I have constructed an indicative bibliography. Hah!

I am holding a repeat of the September Envisioning Day and this time I have a couple of folks from other churches coming, along with what may be a goodly number from my new place. I did enjoy presenting the last day; it really is a great privilege to talk about something I am passionate about and I like to build in time to worship and pray on these kind of days, and vary the presentation style to take account of learning styles, so there was probably something for everyone there. I think we ended that last day with a very powerful sense of God's presence; his committment to us as we committed to love kids and see them the way he does. He was so ready to take our way our guilt for the times we are awful parents or impatient carers and no-one was to go home feeling bad about themselves. I love it when that sense of "Father" being very present takes away all sense of having to perform and "do better".

Tomorrow I really have to organise the material for a seminar I am presenting at my denomination's annual conference. Was kind of hoping to use a Tubesucked clip but I've been asked to make sure I have copyright - does anyone know if its OK to show something that was on free-to-air terrestrial TV? I'm sure the answer is probably no as we have become so litigious. I'm tempted to work on the principle that it's better to seek forgiveness than to ask permission.

I am glad to say that this week has been much better. Communication has been great as we are all learning what it is to stretch and fit into becoming a new team. I've not felt as unsettled as I did last week as I feel this unmistakeable sense of God saying "it's going to be OK at work". Does that sound too simplistic? Perhaps. But I managed to get a bit of time on Saturday night and Sunday night to really talk to him about it and just wait on him in the quiet and as a result I felt something "shifted". But I'm not perfect. There are stresses around our personal circumstances in being here. I have been worrying about money a bit and this affected me one evening.

The men around me (work and home) seem to be sniffing and croaking for Britain with the dreaded man flu so we have had a good laugh in the office with this clip:-

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Return to Study

Tomorrow I return to studies.
Regular readers of the blog will know that back here I ran the very real risk of complete meltdown. But all was well and the research papers got good marks.

How can a mother of two small ones, dutiful wife, children's pastor and partaker of Costa produce with the mothers' mafia of the local community manage to be officially classed as a full time student last session? (Answer: due to the number of hours of classes/study/research undertaken. You can't lie to SAAS to get money!)

More importantly, how can a working mum manage to get this degree? Answer: (truly) - with God's help, giving me discipline (though I freely confess I am not moan-free) and committment to the studies, grace to get through it, financial help from sources that were not my own and help from friends at various points throughout the year to keep my chin up, lend me lecture notes, explain terminology to me and generally be there for me at all times during the term.

And now it's back for just a little more. One third of third year; the remainder having been passed already.

But this year I have to travel to get there......

Mark July 2009 in your diaries as its party time when I graduate!!

Results

I received my results today and I was overwhelmed and delighted. I got the highest marks I have ever got in 5 years of very part-time study, whilst I was cramming in more modules than ever before in a term.

God is so good and faithful to me. Every hour that I struggled with my assignments and reading I talked to him about it (using, in the main, the word "help!")

I got 17 for my New Testament studies on the Gospels. (you write three short essays under unseen exam conditions, marked out of 20 and then averaged). I got 18, 17 and 16 which made 17 overall.

In the OT theology class, my three essays scored 16, 16 and 16. Regular readers may know I was really worried about the OT as I struggled with the amount of Hebrew knowledge it felt like one needed to know but as I sat down to sit the exam last Thursday I nearly exploded with joy and praise all the way through as I just knew what to say. It was an exam that felt like worship to the one true living God indeed.

And for my extended placement and research paper, I was marked on an 18 for the actual placement and then 15 and 15 for research and placement papers (I'm always better at the practical stuff; just let me get on with it and do it!) but then that's a pretty respectable 16 overall. Can't remember if 17 upwards is Outstanding on the Common Assessment Scale or "just" Very Good, but I'm chuffed to bits.

Only 3 modules to go next session then its all over!!
The BA Theo party is booked............

Help I Work With Children On The Move

I can now officially blog about the greatest event to hit my life since meeting Jesus, getting married and the births of my two children............(all several years apart!)

I am moving church. I have never done that before. Obviously this is something as a family we feel we are being asked to do. I came to faith age 14 in the church I am part of and work for. That was twenty-something years ago - so long ago I can't remember :-) Being called onto staff there five years ago was an awesome privilege. I remember still the feeling that I could hardly believe it....I got to work with and for my church family for God's kingdom to grow. How exciting was that!! And tremendous freedom to grow teams, develop vision and strategy, care for children and their parents, get stuck into evangelistic initiatives, disciple those new to the faith (or now release others to do that) and indulge in one of my greatest passions; lead/teach all ages together to hear and respond to God. How privileged have I been!?!? Spoilt actually. I've been resourced, supported, encouraged, released, forgiven (!) I've been given permission to dream big dreams, try new things and best of all, shape lives, as happened to me.

I will NEVER forget what has happened to me here in these "on the job" years but at a deeper level than that my current fellowship will always retain a memory of home; where a sparky teenager with far too big a gob was lovingly embraced.

Out of that which I experienced, I'm desperate to see that same nurturing heart towards children and young people demonstrated at the very core of a fellowship and if I can play even a tiny part in helping that to happen, then I will be satisfied. I will forever be grateful to the spiritual heritage and leadership of my current church who imparted so much to me.

So why the move at this stage of our lives?.... there's always to be MORE and we now realise as a family that we are being called out of a place of security and comfort and ease to minister to somewhere.........we don't know. In that fact that we don't know much about it, we will have to decrease so that he increases. What do I mean by that? Where it's me and you, God, chatting over many decisions, every day. Who will be my friend? Who will be my children's friends? And who can babysit? - that question on every young parent's lips.

It's been a long journey to get to the point where we were ready to move, full of questions, far too complicated to blog about here in detail, but all revolving around us attempting to walk in obedience to whatever God asked us to do. I'm ashamed of the moments where I hesitated but God is so faithful, he never gives up on someone who is honest and cries out "help me discern your ways oh Lord" (with loads of snotters and bawling and that was just Mr HIWWC)

There will be people reading this who have walked through the experience of being asked or called to work in another church and total respect to you: it's probably one of the hardest things I have ever walked through in my life. I thought giving up teaching full time to work for a church was jolly hard - pffff!! - at least in that job I didn't worry about my Principal Teacher's dismay at me leaving; nor feel disloyal, nor worrying about causing them hurt.

I was DREADING the announcement to the congregation and it feels like I have cried a million tears this week. People are gutted, there is no doubt about it, perhaps more because they thought we were in with the bricks. Some of the women with whom I had a deep pastoral input sobbed uncontrollably on my shoulder at the end of the service. THAT was hard :-( I cried a lot about that when I was alone at home.

One of my friends told me that when I spoke to explain why I was leaving there was an audible gasp; and I found it hard to keep my voice steady as I talked about the growing conviction of how it was time to be fruit given away; that it wasn't out of hurt of frustration or "not getting on with others in the team". The reality is that I truly love the people I work with, we do laugh a lot and we do support one another, so much that I was so afraid of making the wrong decision and hurting them badly. I'd be a liar if I said there was nothing that annoyed or frustrated me...but there was nothing bad enough to make me up and leave, making my family move house and leave friends and careers behind!

More about this will follow in days to come, as and when I feel able to blog a little about it. We move towards the end of the summer (ha. In Scotland the end of the summer could be.......28 June!) so there is much to be done. Apart from selling a house, I have a weekend away with P6s and 7s to finish preparing for in 5 days time and many summer activities to be worked on.

Oh gosh, and I have a NT exam on Thursday.......

Competition Time - Tuesday

This is not a staged photo - this is my dining room today (Tuesday)
Similar to the last competition, which GadgetVicar won, there will be prize.
(check out what he did here) I will make a donation to one of three charities:-

* Positive Action in Housing's Destitution Fund
or
* The Bethany Trust
or
* Tearfund - to go directly to women in Darfur - see Lucy's blog

The winner can choose which charity they would like the donation to go to.
The competition question is this:
In the photograph above, how many books are on the table?

BONUS - an extra £5 will be added to the donation if the first person with the correct number of books has additionally added the title and author of FIVE of the books with their answer.

TOP TIP (I'm far too kind) Double click on the picture to see my mess on an even larger scale. Is that tea or coffee I'm drinking do you think?

All reponses to the comments section. Please don't be shy! Give it a go, those who lurk, come and say hello!

Radio Silence

I'm going to have to slide off the radar this week and get my 8000 word practical theology placement papers written.....I am sorely tempted, in the child-like frame of mind which characterises me tonight, to submit the following:-

Pastoral care of children and families new to faith
I want to see whole families loving God.
I can't make it happen.
I can't make great programmes.
I need you to direct it all Lord.
You love the families to bits
You want them to keep on loving you
Help me do my bit
More love
More power to live
People loving you joined to other people joining you
To make your kingdom bigger here on earth.
The End (68 words)

God's Self-Revealing

I'm in my final Old Testament class now and I'm not finding it all that easy. We spent some time today thinking about the development of thought in OT studies. Didn't really get me excited. Can't really see how the journey to decide that we need to see "the big picture" was missed for centuries. Be still my beating heart! Sorry, theologians! I'm sure it's a very exciting topic but my mind was wandering to other things namely the experimental 2 hour unseen exam. We're the lab rats for University of Aberdeen. :::mutter mutter:::: I feel strongly about exams because I mark them for 5th year pupils. Some specimen questions help prepare the way.

The lecturer is a Hebrew scholar - an outstanding guy, in his 38th year of teaching. He speaks about 7 languages, so I'm told. There have been lots of references to translation problems and to Hebrew grammar and I'm Not Getting It. I did very well previous years' OT studies but I'm suspecting that will not be the case with this one.

However, on another point, I had a brilliant time with my OT passage for today. At 8.30am, alone in my car, I experienced the presence of God as "the Scriptures opened up before me".. dear Holy Spirit, I love that illumination thing you do - why do I always laugh or cry? I can't remain impassioned. It's just so.......REAL...that you speak/direct/chastise/encourage....or whatever we need....

These words speak to me of a tender, intimate, loving Father who simultaneously is mighty, awesome, to be feared. I really love him and I just can't ever forget his faithfulness to me from childhood to today.

Exodus 33
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way."

When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn and no one put on any ornaments. For the LORD had said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites, 'You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.' " So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.

The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend....Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found favour with me.' If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favour with you. Remember that this nation is your people."
The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?"
And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."

Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory."

How would you apply those last five words to your context?

The week begins

Monday morning. Up really early because a Strange Woman is driving Mr HIWWC to work and she's picking him up a whole 45 mins before he would otherwise leave the house. So we're all up extra early! ::::grumble::::: I'm not a great morning person. It feels as if Psalms were written for me, I sooooo have to engage with God and not ease dreamily from one ethereal state of the manifest presence of God (Sunday nights...me and God time) to the next morning of inner calm, knowing He is with me always. I loved reading about brother Lawrence's practising the presence of God but me flipping pancakes in the kitchen in the morning revelling in the closeness of God, prior to 11am and two cups of tea....miraculous, that would be.....
And for some reason, even though it was 2 years ago I read the Brother Lawrence book, the frying pan incident remains with me....was it eggs or pancakes?

Anyway, just realised that I forgot to tell you all that Mr HIWWC has his arm in plaster. A football hit him the night before we left for Spring Harvest. You couldn't make this stuff up. My ex-professional rugby-playing friend said incredulously, three times last week: "a ball hit him...? a BALL hit him....? A BALL HIT HIM....?" Don't think he's even broken bones when a 14 stone man has hit him, let alone a spherical object filled with.............air.

I have a number of major things to get through this week, culminating in some ridiculously silly scheduling on Sunday - kinda my fault entirely except that I didn't plan it that way. I'm at Worship Central all day Saturday, with houseguests from the Highlands (known to us) and London (unknown to us) then on Sunday I am supposed to be overseeing the usual stuff which finishes around 12.30, then speaking at a parenting forum in a nearby Church of Scotland, 1 till 2.30, then leading an all age cell group 4 till 6pm where I will be observed on my pastoral interactions/teaching input for my final year placement. Help. A theology lecturer to cell group. I've given up on any thoughts of a "good impression". Ah well, we are 8 adults and 21 children. We're messy. Unpredictable. Risky. Church!!!!

The great thing about Sunday is that my whole family are part of all of the activities I describe and I am not tearing around leaving my children at home without me. They serve in the all age cell group, welcoming other children, talking with adults, sharing toys, helping other folks to food - as they had done at teatime alpha - I believe children are never to young to learn to help and serve others. I'm not saying my kids are perfect - no-one's are! - but they do seem to love being used by God as part of a family and I DO "big that up" in them.

When I look around my church family, I can see children and teenagers in church whose parents have modelled that expectation. My colleagues' children, for example, are outstanding young people. I love talking with them and would dearly love to spend more time with them. They've been intentionally taught how to serve and bless other people. They, and others like them in the fellowship, really *do* stand out from the crowd. It's counter-culture and if you spend any time in schools you will realise that many children/teenagers today expect others (or labour saving devices) to do things for them.

Today's ex-teacher rant over.....!

What I'm reading....

I'm terrible at updating the "What I'm Reading" sidebar of the blog and it's actually a question I hate being asked because I find it hard to answer without sounding pretentious. I know what I'm like! I always want to answer with the sharp retort "The Beano", which would be lying. so I usually start off with the truth "Heat magazine". I don't buy it...I am often given it (she adds, somewhat hastily!)

I do read books, more so that my children are getting older and I head towards five years in a pastoral role; I feel I *do* have a little more time. I am hitting a month of MAJOR reading as I have
(a) become interested in a topic I haven't got time for right now (heaven) yet can't put the theology of heaven book down and its a weighty one and
b) I have two papers to write; one reflecting on the pilot all age cell groups I set up almost 4 months ago and one on a pastoral topic related to these cell groups. I'm quite worried about this second one.

I'm also one who dips in and out of books and reads parts so there are always several on the go (such as Ivy Beckwith and George Barna); I've read them all the way through but keep going back to bits so they stay by my bed.

I've chosen here to highlight a few of the current pile of about 10 books - any positive comments or constructive criticisms from readers would be most welcome. I bet no-one's read the first one as I had to get it imported!

1. Peppermint-Filled Pinatas: Breaking Through Tolerance and Embracing Love. Here's the review that made me buy it:
"This is a new book by Eric Bryant, the executive pastor at Mosiac Church in Los Angeles. I sat down to read a few chapters....I expected to read just a few chapters to wind down. However, I found myself two-thirds of through the book in single sitting.

Peppermint-filled Pinatas is not a children’s ministry book. However, Bryant’s book is worth your time. Eric has written a manifesto for anyone wishing to lead the people in their church out of the Evangelical subculture and into the lives of their neighbors.

The title of the book comes from the story of his attempting to host a child’s party ”on the cheap.” Eric wanted to fill a pinata with a bag of bulk peppermints until his more child-savvy wife overruled him. A pinata filled with bad candy is Eric’s metaphor on how we relate to the unchurched. We expect them to work their way through out subculture, jargon, rules, and expectations…. only to be paid off with unsatistying churchianity.

Eric offers an alternative: We can love our neighbors enough to get to know them. Eric covers many of the rough-in-tumble issues that comes with love: Confronting racism and stereotypes; bumping up against systems of morality that run counter to Christianity (and genuinely loving the people who hold them; and loving people of other religions)" [review by Larry Shallenberger on Children's Ministry and Culture blog]

2. The Child in Christian Thought edited by Marcia Bunge. I have two copies of this now! Susan, I will be returning your copy to you! Felt this a worthwhile book to buy personally as historical understanding of children often informs culture today. I keep needing to check back as I can't remember whose view was what (reformation theologians for example. Kept changing their minds!!)

3. The Church Beyond the Congregation: the Strategic Role of the Church in the Postmodern Era by James Thwaites - this book looks at the Hebrew worldview and applies its understanding of creation to arrive at a new vision of church in a postmodern era. Really fascinating.

4. Loving the Lost: The Principles and Practice of Cell Church by Laurence Singlehurst. Bet lots of my readers have used this. What do you think? Reading bits for my placement.

5. Redefining Children's Ministry in the 21st Century; A Call for Radical Change by Becky Fischer. Read this if you dare! Not for the faint hearted! Are you prepared to be (possibly)upset and challenged by this book? Readers will definitely be stirred up in some way. This was written as a reponse to Barna's powerful (and respected) research which showed that 70% of young teens in the USA leave church because "we have underestimated their spiritual potential". I agree and I'm liking this book because I'm currently working with a large group of kids using a supernatural fruit, gifts, character and calling curriculum.

However, one thing which is common to many US books on children's ministry that I have read. which I DON'T LIKE is that kids are either OUT or IN the kingdom; there appears to be little recognition of the strong biblical case for children beginning in the kingdom; demonstrating a love for Jesus that he welcomed and blessed and honoured publicly. I could be prejudging the author on this one -I am going to see her in Leeds in May so I will probably ask her myself. Will post what happens!

I've got about 3 more cell church books but I'm not going to list them, I've just got to get on with them!

So, readers, please leave any comments at all on any of the above books (or just say hello!)
Look forward to hearing from you.

More notches on the theological bedpost....

Two more assignments done; that's two more courses completed. I was fairly pleased with the results; they were on the Good to Average sliding scale of the CAS (common assessment scale). I'm never going to set the theological world aflame with my academic ability as I balance studies with everything else in my life. Seems like my high marks remain in the realm of Old Testament Studies and just perhaps in my practical placement - my supervisor was very kind in his halfway assessment :-)

I pick up another two courses mid April, one NT (Paul's epistles) and the final OT theology course. But before the middle of May I have 8000 words to write reflecting on my current pastoral initiatives taken with families and the pastoral care of new Christians, adults and children, within an intergenerational context; reflecting on this theologically and also demonstrating critical awareness of wider issues within my work context. Just a little task then.

Need to dig out my Ralph Neighbour cell stuff from a few years back......and take lots of reading to Spring Harvest. I'm working with 5s to 7s during the day again and I usually manage to get some reading done at night time.

Deadlines

Haven't blogged about bible college for a while now which makes me realise I must have some deadlines due.......yup, it's assignment time soon. Why do college terms finish ridiculously early, before school holidays, and then go back while schools are still off?

The good news is that I am now officially Halfway Through a BA Theology in a very part time mode. Only a few more years to go!!!

Blogging Slowdown

I have noticed a slight slow-down in the number of posts on quite a few of the blogs I visit.
I think it's because we all get so busy at this time of the year. For me - all the things I have to do are compressed into three weeks as I want to be winding down by Dec 21st (my daughter's birthday!) to make way for the end-of-term school events and Christmas weekend activities; I'm also responsible for two services (note slight tone of panic in the voice there) one which is much easier than the other as it's only half an hour long :-) More about that nearer the time.

I love the Christmas holidays. I love remembering how Jesus started his life (baby) and I am always in awe of who he is (King). I love the juxtaposition of those two words - baby and King - and the starkness of his surroundings at the moment of birth, a stable, compared to his heavenly destination, seated at God's right hand. I was baptised at Christmas in 1984 and at this time of year I always recall how different that Christmas felt - it felt like new. I also love the chilling out, late nights, later rises, socialising and being at home. Give me a roaring log fire anyday!

I'd love to wax lyrical some more but I am home alone to write an essay on a minority ethnic group's church plant. I've been researching the topic for a few weeks but now I really have to write it as it has to be submitted on Monday. My mind is going blank; I've done a third and I'm stuck. I've already emptied the dishwasher, run a vacuum around the wooden floors (do they really need vacuumed? - discuss) and folded up some clothes for inspiration.

Think I will pray ......!

Excitement in the air!

I'm off to London Sunday until Tuesday. I love flying by myself; over the years I have been very privileged to fly away with only hand luggage and my thoughts beside me on various occasions - usually to London and Dublin. A few years ago I flew "solo" across the Atlantic to meet my husband who had gone ahead to a conference with our senior pastor in North Carolina, USA. That was slightly more stressful; had to dash from Gatwick to Heathrow in an hour - not to be recommended in London traffic........I was hoping for one of those Tony Campolo moments with a fellow passenger and it didn't happen (I'm sure many readers have heard Tony Campolo speak about his interactions with fellow air passengers! - incredible time of witnessing, leads them weeping to Christ etc etc)

I'm attending speaker training with a small group of people here, and I'm really excited. I will meet up with a few other Alpha folk I know; we're staying in the same hotel, and I am looking forward to socialising for two days with adults without the "he did this/she's annoying me/please can you get/do/pick up/buy/give me" type chat from my (seriously) much loved and cherished offspring.

Also, and I am slightly concerned about putting this private reflection in the public domain, I'm flying on Sunday morning rather than in the afternoon so I can wander around the shops for the afternoon. Does that make me materialistic? Ummm, hope not, I am looking forward to doing something with me, myself and I that I rarely get to do. I am planning on a visit to Hamleys (toy shop) - any other shopping recommendations?

I always, always go to the Natural History Museum, using my teacher's pass to get in legitimately for free (It's SO expensive!) but I don't think I will have time to do that on this trip.

I'm also having my monthly "I'm not suited to studying theology" crisis so I am looking forward to a Sunday off, although still working (:::::she adds hastily::::)reflecting a bit more on what I believe with time to think instead of my usual mad-runaround-Sundays. I simply can't present my thoughts well enough. I'm feeling quite inadequate when debates take place. I can never remember where to find that certain verse which was there in my memory banks a few minutes ago and a brief discussion today on atonement and Steve Chalke's views had me closing my eyes and wishing that the bell would ring (NOW that reminds me of moments in school!)

I must be mad

I've only just sat a sack-load of exams/essays and here I am hitting another deadline. And its an optional one! ::::::::::slaps head::::::::::::
Why am I so last minute (truth be told; had an agony-fest weekend: see last post) plus the admin person at college was hiding all the forms that I needed to submit this appeal for credit.

(actually, like most large institutions: universities, the Health Board, the Home Office, the Dept for Work and Pensions - only One Person can give you the form you need and if that One Person is sick or on holiday or nipped to the 'loo you've had it; you'll need to come back another day to Get The Form)

Thanks for good friends who take sympathy on part-timers and take library books back, pick up forms, hand in paperwork etc etc :-)

Actually I am so busy with kids work with so many things kicking off just now, both positive and errrrr, more challenging, that I almost don't know what to do next. I seem to remember November as being quiet in my schedule....umm, nope, not this year! I've been digging out my Willow Creek leadership stuff to check what I am supposed to do next. Don't think that's the point somehow but don't tell on me!

What are your handy tips for managing time and tasks?

Inverse law of tidying-up

Why is that when you have a day clearing out and tidying up, you actually end up with more mess than you started with? That was one of today's experiences, in these last few days off.

Yesterday I had a (half) day in library, reading about contextualisation of the gospel, which I rather enjoyed, but then I realised that I had a case study to do for the final assignment and I started to panic a little in thinking about where I'd find my cross-cultural case. Pah, why couldn't I just end the day enjoying the feeling that I am actually ahead of reading rather than at the dog's tail of the work needing done?

Today I had a (half) day clearing out and tidying up, ending up with more mess in the process. Why is that? I call it the inverse law of tidying up or sorting out filing. It's the same in my office.

What are your techniques for dealing with troublesome piles of paper/mess/household junk?

Decluttering gives me more clutter to get rid of..............

I passed it.......

..........not a kidney stone, but my theology exam.
I am officially armed and dangerous. A little Moltmann makes one a dangerous woman!

Heresies - watch out! Have got my Grenz book ready. And it's heavy!

(thanks to the community of God around me who point out when I am in danger of walking into one. A heresy, that is)