Progress report

At the beginning of this year I set various goals.

Here is how I am doing!

I have arranged to do the 3 Peaks on June 19th in aid of the British Heart Foundation and Oasis Trust, then the Snowdon 15 on July 10th in aid of Bread Trust. I have been training on saturday mornings, with a hearty 8.5 mile walk in South Shropshire. Up the lawley, caer caradoc, hope bowdler, then back over caer caradoc and the lawley.

Once the weather improves I will be up into Snowdonia on the weekend getting some practice in, including Crib Goch (pictured)


My bible reading is going ok but I am currently lost in the wilderness of Leviticus. 70 days into the year I am on day 47 of the notes. This is not good. A forthcoming holiday will see me do battle with the history of the Jewish nation and we will see where we go from there.

My weight is static at just over 12 stone, so some work to do there, but I am hoping these mountains take their toll.

Am I being loving? I hope so. I have daily opportunities to show grace in all sorts of circumstances. I know God is doing something in my character, during what still feels like an "apprenticeship" stage of life.

Back to blogging

I lost my blogging mojo for a few weeks but I think it is on its way back.

I think I got a bit depressed reading bits of the blogosphere and will try to focus on my journey a little bit more.

Our 5 a side football has gone a bit crazy and we get 7 or 8 per team at the moment which is chaotic!

On Sunday we played 11 a side against a local college and emerged 5-2 winners.

On Tuesday I was in a discussion about "reaching the 20s-30s". I couldn't help but think of our team photo.

Let's keep being who we are and doing what we do, and reach people when who we are and what we do touches their life.

Lunch

Yesterday I had lunch with several Christian leaders and staff teams from across the town invited by Mission Shrewsbury.

It was great.

I got to sit by one of my favourite people in the group, a female curate from a local Anglican Church who is real quality. We had a brilliant discussion and it is really interesting how a different Church set up faces pretty well all the same issues we do. People are people, after all.

Then today I was invited to lunch by an Anglican vicar from a local Church, and we discussed a bit about local mission and got to know each other personally a bit better. It was great. it was really interesting to just chat about life a bit and find out what makes him tick.

I do wonder sometimes, whether away from all the disagreements, differing views and problems* we would do better if we just had a bit more lunch.

That is not to undermine our differences, but to secure our unity.

* I have not experienced any of those three within Mission Shrewsbury

Generosity

I don't really do speechless.

I am rather chatty. If anything I say too much, too quickly.

it was my birthday recently and a parcel arrived at the Church centre.

I opened it up and saw a "Wii" logo. I wondered why I would have a Wii accessory when I don't have a Wii.

But the box was really heavy, and as I turned it over it became clear it was a Wii. A black Wii with Wii sports resort and a motion plus controller.

I literally couldn't speak. I just stood there, like a right lemon. I sat down, still trying to work out what was going on.

I have wanted a Wii for ages. A seriously long time. I have played my friends, and even have gaming nights where people bring their own Wii to my house. I love Nintendo, and always have done. From the gameboy to the SNES, N64 and Cube I have grown up with MarioKart and others as the staple diet of what to do when having mates over.

So there we are. Rendered speechless buy a completely out of the blue, unjustified, unmerited and still slightly bemusing act of generosity. I am still a bit stunned to be honest.

Manflu

I don't like having manflu.

It is such a debilitating illness.

I don't like the way people think you are not really ill.

Be honest, you don't think I am really ill either.

If you are a bloke you are sweating because you remember how bad your last bout was.

If you are a girl you think I have a light cold and should stop moaning.

I think there should be more research into this energy sapping condition.

Until that point, just another half an hour before my next installment of paracetemol.