musings

Our building site

2007-03-20T21:34:00.000Z

So this is our beautiful house, which at the moment is a bit of a wreck. These are the before photo's: Walls coming down, floorboards up, wires hanging everywhere. wowza! - its actually worse then these photo's look.

It's all pretty exciting ...that may be because it's still novel, but I'm well excited about our project and what the after photo's will look like!

words of warning, if thinking about re-wire all the electrics in your home - move out! (espeically if you have a family). Our main decoarative feature is dust.

PS : HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO MUM AND DAD MATTHEWS!!! Welcome baby Rowan :)

We have a House!!

2007-01-26T22:36:00.000Z

WE EXCHANGED ON THE HOUSE!!

We move in this week, busy packing up our house (lots to do). So excited to move into our own home. It's a lovely old georgian house.

All are most welcome to come and visit - at present we have an ikea chair, a couple of beds, lots of boxes and cusions to rest your bottoms on.

Tuesday's the big move in day, we've heaps to do, I'm looking forward to the before and after shots.

Do come visit and have a cuppa with us, or a couple of nights if coming form afar. x

Some tempting courses

2006-12-05T19:03:00.000Z

Hey - okay so I know I'm rubbish at commenting on my own blogs and it's coz I want to do it properly and then never have the amount of time I want and so keep putting it off. So hopefully at some point I'll be able to chat more about my previous post.....!!

But for now I've been seriously tempted by these courses. The quality Gordon Lynch is the speaker at one of them, I think the latter 2 are the most tempting for me, I have Linda Woodhead's book, it's interesting, but her course may be more reflective than information, (I'd prefer info).

Not sure if any of you bozo's would be interested, but I think it's up some of your creeks and if we all go if could be a brill weekend and get group discount (it's NOT cheap) Also in North Yorkshire which is forever away but probably gorgeous. Bit like a grown up Brum (+ others weekend away) - I like the sound of that.

"Scargill is a place where the Christian gospel is explored in engaging
and challenging ways through retreats, conferences and a wide variety of
workshops and courses.
Details of Scargill's program's for the first half of 2007 are at
www.scargillhouse.co.uk (click on "Programme" button).
These events are for those who seek new, fresh and vibrant expressions of Christian
faith and practice. Here are some more details:"

FIRST COURSE
9-11 March (Friday-Sunday)
THEME: SPIRITUALITY FOR AMBIVALENT CHRISTIANS
LEADER: Linda Woodhead, professor of the sociology of religion at
Lancaster University, and author of "The spiritual revolution: why religion is
giving way to spirituality".
CONTENT: This course is for those attached to Christianity but who are
frustrated, angry or maybe hurt about aspects of their Christian or
church experience. Linda will offer suggestions, exercises and other
possibilities for developing a meaningful spirituality.
£116

SECOND COURSE
30 May-3 June (Wednesday-Sunday)
THEME: POST-CHRISTENDOM
LEADERS: Jonathan Bartley, co-director of Ekklesia and author of "Faith
and politics after Christendom: the church as a movement for anarchy", and
Stuart Murray, author of "Church after Christendom: church and mission
in a strange new world".
CONTENT: A seismic shift is taking place as the Christian story moves
from the centre of society to its margins. Christians are now sojourners
rather than settlers. Is post-Christendom a threat or an opportunity? This
course is for all who seek a radical engagement with contemporary culture.
£162

THIRD COURSE
29 June - 1 July (Friday-Sunday)
THEME: THE SHAPE OF PROGRESSIVE FAITH FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
LEADER: Gordon Lynch, lecturer in religion and culture at the University
of Birmingham, and described as "one of the UK's most innovative
theologians".
CONTENT: This course will explore key ideas found within the progressive
spirituality emerging across and beyond different traditions. This
spirituality proclaims the connectedness of all creation, but does it
have any contribution to make in the changing religious landscape of Britain?
£116

"SPECIAL OFFER
Individuals who book any two (or all three) of the above conferences
willreceive a 10% discount on the total price. As already mentioned, group
ratesare also available.

To book, or receive a brochure, please telephone 01756 760234, e-mail
bookings@scargillhouse.co.uk, or write to Conference bookings, Scargill
House, Kettlewell, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 5HU."

SO LADIES AND GENTS LET US KNOW ANY THOUGHTS, IF YOU'D BE INTERESTED OR NOT. I KNOW IT'S NOT CHEAP, BUT COULD BE A BRILLIANT WEEKEND IF A GROUP FANCIED YORKSHIRE & ISSUES AROUND SPIRITUALITY AND CONTEMORARY FAITH. LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU :)

Inconvenient Truth

2006-11-06T12:24:00.000Z

You may have heard of this film, it's a documentary style film by Algore all about Climate Change.

It not only looks at the fact that developing countries and poorer nations will suffer from Climate Change, but that we will too. Not only will be Bangladesh flooded, so will New York, not only New York, but apparently Norwich too!

I missed it when it was at the cinema, but it's due on DVD 21st Nov - it may well change the way you live. There are an estimated 25 million enviromental regugees now! - that number will increase.

THE POOR ARE THE PEOPLE WHO CONTRIBUTE THE LEAST BUT SUFFER THE MOST

Click below and then the tab that says, 'watch the trailer'.

http://www.climatecrisis.net/

I like that the film is called Inconvenient Truth, because it's a pain catching pulic transport and not driving, recyling is an effort, thinking about holidays and not flying, changing lightbulbs and remebering to turn everything off, it's all new habits that are effortsome, and are inconvient to me.

There's lots of info about:
http://www.tearfund.org/Campaigning/Climate+change+and+disasters
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_we_do/issues/climate_change/index.htm
http://www.christian-aid.org.uk/climatechange/index.htm
You may have known there was a rally in Trafalgar Square this Sat (unfortunately i was in Wales working) but here's some stories if you're interested:
http://www.tearfund.org/News/Latest+news/Tearfund+Vice+President+challenges+government+on+climate+change.htm

I'm not expecting all those links will be read but thought i'd put them on incase anyone was super keen.
I knew hardly anything about the impact of Climate Change before working for Tearfund (granted i'm not the most up-to-date with current affairs!) but this has been one amoung many things that i've been learning.

I feel like i'm on a big learning curve, that is all about my faith, my actions, my values and my beliefs. And that loving my neighbour and caring for the poor means more than buying a big issue and a feeling of compassion when I walk past a homeless person.

DEAR CHILDREN, LET US NOT LOVE WITH WORDS OR TONGUE BUT WITH ACTIONS AND IN TRUTH. (1 John 3:18)

Like I said i feel at the beginging of a road and don't yet know what it looks like ahead. I also feel like there is so much more i could say, but this is long and I only have simple little actions to support my thoughts, I'm hoping for me it's a changing time.

Have a look at the trailer and let us know what you think.

From a happy shoppper

2006-06-30T16:05:00.000+01:00

Well i didn't go for a job with Ikea, although I would have enjoyed assembling a chair, but I did get the job with T. fund!!! I found out last week and when they offered it to me I let out a bit of a excited Yelp to the lady on the phone. I'll be their London Youth Coordinator.

We've, very gratefully, said no to Oxford, and are staying put in the big smoke for a good while. So now we can dream a bit and focus on fine tuning our London life, may look for house and exciting things like that.

Also the best bonus to it all is, as I may be quite busy, they pressure is off for Kiera to be main house keeper - which we know i kinda failed at anyway, but now at least it's not failing! Woooo!!

I stop working for schools this week and start work on the 13th July. I have loved working with schools and have got such a lot out of these jobs, i never knew it could be so hard to run a lesson with 6 twelve year old girls - who all seem 15! I've learnt alot, but am definately ready for my next step into something long term, full time etc. A little sad to say good bye to some fantasitic people, but chuffed about the hello's I will soon be making.

Yeay!

ahhh...aint they cute!?

2006-05-30T11:01:00.000+01:00

I dragged Trevor along to a cheesy photo shoot and make over, which some sales person managed to sign me up to last year. As you can tell from his big, beaming grin he thouroughly enjoyed the day, apart from the fact that we were a bit late and he didn't get any pampering stuff and hated every minuite of the photo shoot, saying 'why would i waste my saturday here', we had a great time! And have this 'gorgeous' photo to show you all.

If you get a phonecall trying to sell you a wonderful day of pamering and fun, then i would probably advise say no, but it actually wasn't that bad, and when else can you get such a happy, gorgeous photo as this!!!

Faithful without faith

2006-05-02T11:03:00.000+01:00

I stumbled upon The Preacher and read his story. It was interesting, (I appologise for the swearing), his journey took him to an interesting conclusion. - Being faithful yet lacking in faith. He says this:

" we think having faith means being convinced God exists in the same way we are convinced a chair exists. People who cannot be completely convinced of God’s existence think faith is impossible for them.

Not so. People who doubt can have great faith because faith is something you do, not something you think. In fact, the greater your doubt the more heroic your faith."

The Preacher lost his faith but wanted to remain faithful. you can find his story at:
http://blogs.salon.com/0001772/stories/2002/12/26/thePreachersStoryIn4Parts.html

I found it a provoking thought, being committed to something and faithfully standing by something when you no longer have belief. Read his story, let us know how it made you think.

.

2006-04-25T15:56:00.000+01:00

.
---------------------------------------------------------
CREATE IN ME A PURE HEART, OH GOD
AND RENEW A RIGHT SPIRIT WITHIN ME
---------------------------------------------------------

.

To Oxford or not...

2006-03-31T15:26:00.000+01:00

I'm presuming it's a busy time of year as Blogs are quite quiet.

The Phyo's are facing their first big, real married decision. He wants white bread i want brown, just joking.

Our present dilema is whether to move from the loud sirens and busy streets of London to the sweet idylic roads of Oxford (i've never been to Oxford but all the pictures are pretty). Trevor's been offered job, a good one it seems, which has left us both in a bit of a pickle.

Do we take this good oppurtunity now or hold out and see if something similar happens in London?
Do we leave our newly found friends (who i really like) and start again?
Do we move to a place where we don't know anyone or stay in a City with easy travel to close friends & family?
Do we wait and see if i get a job or do we decide to go and start looking there?
Do we say no to a job that we may not be able to match?
Do we leave a good place of worship and hunt again?
Do we do London now coz we're probably not gonna do it again?

Those questions may seem somewhat leading, as you can tell my heart is inclined towards London, Trevor's too. But we don't want to pass something by which may be a great oppurtunity. Plus Oxford seems a gorgeous place to live, it's not too far from family, and i like new things. But yet we like it here. ...Fiddlesticks!

fancy a pee...

2006-03-10T16:49:00.000Z

My friend emailed me these, asking would you use them?!

You can see out of the windows but no one can see in.

I love em, but would you fancy spending a penny in them????

FaiR TrAdE fAsiON!

2006-03-07T12:26:00.000Z

Not sure if any of you managed to catch the wonder of Phil & Fern this morning but they were talking about fair trade fasion and with fair trade fortnight happening some shops are bringing in fair trade fasion.

People Tree will be available in Topshop, Oxford Circus - hopefully it'll go down well and be in lots of branches. So if your in London go and buy something from People Tree in topshop this week and it'll do so well they'll keep it for longer than 2 weeks!

Also, yes GAP is launching RED - founded by Bono & Bobby Schrivner to fight AIDS in Africa - large amount of the money goes to Africa. It's being launched with a vintage T-shirt, at last you can buy in GAP and not feel guilty. Think they're selling sunglasses too - just like Bono's!

And good old Marks & Sparks are selling T-shirts and socks made from fair trade certified cotton!! They are also going to increase the amount of fair trade cotton they buy by 7 times.

And Oasis is selling 'Future Orgainic' which is a denim and T-shirt range that is "socially concious but also stylish" !! - It has eco-responsible production values apparently. It's 100% organic denim - all natural, no toxins.

So there we go, what morning TV can tell us. Happy fair trade shopping.

Why Men Do It Better

2006-02-13T21:35:00.000Z

Ahhh.... the joys of housework.

I've come to recognize the unfortuate fact that men are better than women at housework, as much as i look forward to the season of Spring, for it's fasion of cleaning, I reluctantly have to admit that Men beat us women at this one.

They are simply just better than us. Here are some reasons why:

1) Their manly strength give them the ability to hoover rooms in half the time it takes us women, moving counches and armchairs with a brush of their hand enabling them to get into those unseen places. Whereas it may take us ladies 10 minuites just to move the table and chairs.

2) They can reach into the high corners with the help of a long handled feather duster, even the dust around the celeiling light. No need to stand on the wobbling chair.

3) Those bulging bicepts are a winner for scrubbing those tough staines from kitchens and bathrooms, our elbow grease just can't compete.

I really hate to admit it, but boys i think it's your calling. Your strength and manily stature make you more efficeint, faster, more thorough, cleaning machines.

Such as shame.

IT'S DONE, IT'S DONE, IT'S DONE!!!!!!!

2006-01-27T13:19:00.000Z

My student years are now over. I posted off my dissertation the other day and instead of great relief, i flet kinda lost and pretty strange. What i have been for the last 5 years just went, just like that, with the post.

Very bizzare feeling. However, am now enjoying sleeping late and not feeling guilty. Will start looking for a job, but not too soon! Maybe next week. See if i can find a Teacher Assisting job till the summer, but as term has already started don't know how easy that'll be.

Which Desperate housewife are you?

2006-01-20T21:45:00.000Z

Go to:

http://abc.go.com/primetime/desperate/quiz/

and check out which desperate housewife you are!! I was susan but thought that was a bit boring so did it again and was Bree, not so likely. I really wanna be Lynette - she's fab. But try and see. New series looks gooood, not the same watching without you tho jodes!

Also for many more quizes including another desperate housewife quiz go here:

http://www.ivillage.co.uk/quizcentral

But DON"T if you haven' t got lots of time!!!

Let me know who you are. I also am about to find out whether i'm a friends fanatic or not!

1,704 down!!

2006-01-16T01:48:00.000Z

okay so i still have 10,294 words, but at least it's on paper. that's pretty good. Meanwhile i liked this...

"We have lost our sense of awe and humility before the mysteries of nature and her creator. We have becomelike the first-year undergraduate who, in a single, disdainful sentence, dismisses the life-time's work of an eminent professor."
(Duncan MacLaren)

a good discription of university students, don't we just know everything!!

a glorious moment.

2006-01-09T21:15:00.001Z

I will be a student at the university of Birmingham for 2 weeks longer than i had thought. I extended my extension!! i was so happy, i left a singing answer phone message on my sister's phone (i believe it was; praise him on the loud cymbol, - crash - praise him on the loud cymbol - crash! oh yes, i was slightly overcome with joy). My new deadline is Jan 24th, and i AM gonna work my butt off coz i want to hand in something i'm proud of. So i am now off to the library, but as so many of you share my work tourments, thought i should let you know.

a glorious moment.

2006-01-09T21:15:00.000Z

An overdue hello

2005-12-16T06:52:00.000Z

I've been wanting to send a little post for a while now, but am never really too sure what to write. I was in the middle of a seminar/disscussion group the other day after just giving my (somewhat terrible) presentation, and had an urge to let all my emotions out on my blog (as i got nicely criticised), but my the time i got home my emotion had passed and my urge to share quenched as i had a vikki, becky and lucinda to expell it onto. (Don't think the phrase "expell it onto" is a proper one.)

for the last hour (ish!) i've been doing dissertation study about church, new church, culture etc and was wondering whether it is important for church to reflect the society it's in(?). i wasn't sure, so thought i'd sieze this moment to ask the question on my blog in hope for inspiration on my dissertation.

Other than dissertation poop (which sometimes i quite enjoy), i wanted to say how great london life is being. There are ALOT of strange people around, but i quite like it, means you dont' have to be embaressed when you feel like being strange yourself. Being married to Trevor is fabulous - there's a difference to that and 'married life' - married life is quite good, but it's more trevor than being 'married' that's great, especially having him all to myself (which i guess i kinda the same thing).

Well if anyone's still checking my blog - coz it has been long since i've posted, or commented, then any comments on "Is it important for church to reflect society?" are greatly recieved, or anything else infact, even strange london sightings.

welcome shaz

2005-10-17T23:39:00.000+01:00

everyone, my buddy Sharon- whom many know - esp the ladies after such a legendary organised hen party - has set up a blog - can check it out on my link called shaz.

Ahhh aint they cute!

2005-10-14T21:45:00.000+01:00

just an update on life.

2005-10-13T02:15:00.000+01:00

Going up to Brum 2 moro - got to appear in court and give evidence about my car. apparently mine and the dude who stole my car statement clash - great!?!? so i have to be cross examined, fuuun!!! not looking forward to it.

Anyway ppl in Brum - pls can i come see you.

just finished Harry 2 - yes i'm way behind everyone and ppl keep talking about number 6, nightmare!! Want to read 3 - but i'm scared i'm gonna get a little scared, i've never really read novels and they intice your mind to conjure all these images - they can be pretty scary. I have some wierd enough dreams as it is. very clever, books. Anyway, let me know if it's real sccary coz i reckon i'm a bit of a wooss (how on earth do you spell that word?) however, but the time i get to it i will have a stong man to proctect me whilst reading in bed, ....although in saying that he too can be fearsome of the dark (and unreal) characters.

I'm enjoying our blogging - most the time. Sometimes i feel like we're throwing around our oppinions and we don't know much about what we're talking about, but i guess that's how we learn, at least to think on it. And i LOVE that we can talk with a mind to learn, it's brill. i think you're all brill and that it's wonderful to have ppl like you around that keep my little brain ticking.

Links!

2005-10-07T13:43:00.000+01:00

How on earth do you do a link????????

...confession!

2005-09-28T23:01:00.000+01:00

Now i realise most people are writing about life principles and things that are trying to make us better people, but i just have to note that i love the OC and when it comes on i get a happy feeling inside. pretty people in pretty places doing pretty things. They're just so pretty to watch. I jsut had to share that with you all.

...please feel free to share any shallow tendancies you have. - comfort me.

photos

2005-09-20T14:30:00.000+01:00

How do you attach a photo??

Woooh!!!

2005-09-19T14:03:00.000+01:00

I'll no longer be a goolewak due to this!! - i think. ??
Tim Lovell helped me - i'm very impressed at myself for having a blog!