Game on for God!

Day Off!

This week has been a busy week and so it is nice to get to Friday and have a day off to do what ever either needs to be done or what I want to do.

So after dropping #3 daughter off at school and cleaning some of the wife's car out, making breakfast for everyone who wants it and a bottle for the boy, watching some cricket NZ v India I have decided to blog.

No football this weekend but a busy 2 weeks of football coming up with a game Wednesday, Saturday, Wednesday and then again Saturday and we still have 4 games to catch up on.  At the moment we have a number of injuries and people with work commitments and so pulling a team together can prove difficult but, we do have people returning to the team after long lay offs.  We welcome them back with open arms.

I have been reading the wifes blog this morning and found what she wrote very interesting especially the point about 'speaking at' children and how that needs to change but I feel that is not only for children but also adults.  There is a lot of talking 'at' people in church rather than talking to.

I have been listening to some conference CD's from 2005.  I had forgotten how refreshing that conference was - Paul Scanlon and Leon Fontaine talking about how men need to be men and some useful insights as to why men won't and don't go to church.  The conference encouraged men to follow the dream, change friends, do something new.  It spoke of poodles and lions, making it in business and in the church.  I remember coming back from that conference and thinking wow!  What is it you want me to do God?  I had a dream then and eventually through time that dream has faded but as I said I have had the urge to listen to the conference again and with that the dream has come back even stronger than when I first had it.  I spoke to a friend about it when he asked where I wanted to be in 10 years and I told him what I wanted.  His response was more pessimistic and said in ten years it would be impossible but as I said to him it isn't and in ten years it will be there in place.  Since listening to these CD's I have been in touch with a couple of people who actually think the same way as myself .  I have sat and done a drawing of what I want the thing to look like and now I am praying with regard to the financing of such a project.  I will keep the blog updated with the progress and if I ever learn how to do it maybe a drawing of what it might look like (don't hold your breath for that though.)

Must go now #1 daughter going out and needs a lift. 

Some you lose!

At last some time to blog.  I have been really busy over the last few weeks and so haven't had too many quieter moments.

Football, and both St. Andrew's and Manchester United have gone into meltdown.  St. Andrew's can't pull a consistent team together.  So far we have lost 21 goals in 3 games which includes a 6 v 5 loss to Mure Memorial, 8 v1 against Greenock Elim (we only had 9 players due to injuries and work commitments) and 5 nil against Burnside and with the last game they had 6 attacks and scored 5 goals - we hit the bar at least 3 times, the post and their keeper pulled off a few saves - we wouldn't have scored if we were still playing the game now argh!  So now I have had 2 bad weekends all my teams have lost and unfortunately everyone has to suffer as I am like a bear with a sore head.  As a Man U fan I hate all things Liverpool and Chelsea - sorry can't hide it.  It doesn't help that my step father is a Liverpool fan and so it is a struggle to bite my tongue.  Rugby and Wales have lost which is rubbish as well but I did go and watch Nick Cox play for Glasgow Hawks on Saturday and at least they won although first half it looked like they would get hammered but they played really well in the second half so well done Hawks it added a bit of light to my weekend.

I have been listening to some of my ALM CD's from previous conferences and Leon Fontane is the latest one and he talks about thinking big and how the church doesn't think big - to which I have to agree.  We seem to settle for second or even third best which is sad when we have so much to offer the world other than judgement.  I want to be a big thinker and get God out of the box that I keep him in.  I have been offered a number of opportunities recently to do some big things and I am really excited by them.  The other CD I listened to was Paul Scanlon's 'I am not my Father'.  It is a really encouraging message and I can relate my story to Paul Scanlon's story as they are very similar with regard to our fathers.  Not sure what to listen to next, maybe a Heroes CD (last years conference).  I am really looking forward to this years conference it looks really good.

I went to a Methodist conference in England a week ago, which was for Lay people.  The content wasn't that appealing but I took lots away from it and meeting people from anywhere and everywhere was great - I met some really good contacts and some very interesting people.  The family are all well and now the sun is out so is the boy and there is no keeping him in but at least he goes to  bed early problem being he gets up at 6.00 - 6.30 am most mornings now and wants to play.  #1 daughter is off to California for 10 weeks soon to do camp America, which she is excited about she actually leaves the day after she comes back from ALM's Cherish conference.  The other ladies in my life are all doing well, especially the wife.  I am hoping to have some time to blog more regularly now but as usual need to wait and see what develops.

Update

I don't seem to be able to have the time to blog once per day and so for the time being I will attempt to blog as many times a week as I can.  I am winning the battle on dividing my time between work, study and family time.  Blogging is part of my work/study time as spending time with the family is one of my main priorities at present.  Mainly because at some point there will be little time to spend with them as deadlines come closer and some of the exciting projects I am working on with the Church will be coming off at the same time.

I have 4 projects on the go at the moment, firstly I am in touch with the local primary schools in the area in order to hopefully do some work with them but also on a unique basis with 1 or more pupils from a school similar to a sponsorship programme.  I need to iron out the final details but with the help of the head teachers we should be able to come up with an acceptable programme.  Secondly we are forming a tuck shop in the church for the dance group that meets on a Tuesday night along side this we are hoping to install some gym equipment into one of our rooms in order for the local community to come and use it as well as the football team for training purposes.  Along with this we will be having indoor training on a Monday in the Church then moving to outdoor closer to the summer.  I am also looking at getting a new kitchen installed and so a lot of communication with the council at the moment to apply for grants etc.  All in all a very exciting time ahead all this alongside starting my methodist preaching course this week.

Football and we lost 6 v 2 on Saturday and although the scoreline suggests otherwise we didn't play that badly.  However we did pick up a few injuries which included our now regular keeper Boycey being out for at least 2 weeks but we do have the ideal replacement for him in Del who will be in  goal for the next couple of weeks at least starting with our game against league leaders Burnside on Saturday I have every confidence in him doing an outstanding job.  The only disappointment is he was (before his ban from last season) starting to establish himself as a very good defender/midfielder and he has now become a total all rounder.

Family is going well although the wife and #1 daughter are off to Aviemore on Friday for the C of S children's assembly.  Me and the boy will have a footballing weekend which will be great.  In 2 weeks I am off to Bradford for the weekend which I am really looking forward to.  Hopefully my good friend Billy will be recovered enough to come with us?  # 2,3 and 4 daughters are all doing well and the boy well, he is just growing and destroying (rearranging) things to his liking.  My sister in law has had a baby and so I am an uncle for the 5th time.

I have had some very interesting chats with the guys from the football team recently and it is great to see God at work in their lives whether they realise it or not.  They are a great bunch of guys who are well worth spending time with and getting to know them.  May God bless them all.  College is going very well and I am really enjoying having the time to study although I have 2 essays and an ISM to get done this semester which will be good but challenging simply because it is 3/4 years since I last wrote any type of essay!!

Life Update

This blog falls under many categories hence the title 'life update'.  It has been a very busy week starting with a meal with friends on Friday night, celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary with them.  It was a great night - great food and conversation combined with prayer for healing for my very good friend Billy (who has been suffering with some sort of kidney complaint although, after praying for him he has slept and is not in as much discomfort - Praise God).

Saturday was #1 daughter's 19th birthday and we had some very good frends roundfor a meal and some of #1 daughters friends  - all in all a very good night was had by all.  Unfortunately for me I developed a cold and so had Sunday all day in the house as I didn't feel great.

No football on Saturday as the weather was awful and there were only 2 games on in all 3 divisions.  This Saturday we are playing on our home park (for the time being anyway) Blairdardie.  10.00am KO against CEC2.   On the same subject, our recently voted players player of the season has decided it is time to call it a day with us and is off to play for a more local team to him.  It was to be expected and has come as no surprise to us.  He will be missed but the door is still open to him to come back at anytime.

There is now only 4 weeks to the ALC men's conference and there are 9 of us travelling to it - 1 from Prague, 8 from Scotland.  Part of the fun of the conference is catching up with people and getting to know them more, as well as listening to some great preaching and getting equipped for real life - for me, sadly, I don't know that enough of this happens in our churches today.

College is going well.  I have started my first essay - an exegesis of the Psalms or more precisely Psalms 3 and 22.  I have spent my usual 2 days in college, which I am finding helps me to be not only more organised but also more disciplined in my studying.  Hopefully, the topics for my dissertation will be of value to a few folk and, God willing, I may continue the subject into Masters or even PHD (Ha Ha).

St. Andrew's is going well.  We have a few plans on the go at the moment and I am also on note now, which means I get to travel to various churches in the circuit and take part in certain aspects - hopefully I will be preaching either just before or just after christmas.  To preach in the Methodist church is not as simple as in other denominations and includes a number of study modules and a couple of interviews.  It will be worth it in the end though.  We are, or rather I am, currently looking at study material to use in our small group bible study and also for advent and lent.  Rev C has passed on some stuff to look at called 'Faith'.  The prologue starts with the story of the Amish kids killed at a school in America a couple of years ago on the 5th October 2006 (My birthday) by a guy called Charles Roberts.  It as an amazing story of forgiveness and what could probably be called a guide to 'real Christian' witness.  It tells of how the Amish community went to the funeral of Charles Roberts and when a fund was started up for the medical bills for the surviving children (all Amish) the Amish community insisted on including the Roberts family in the fund.  How hard must it have been to go to the funeral but how Godly it was.  The author makes a rather challenging statement about how, as Christians, we really don't understand the tenets of our faith and therefore cannot live the faith.  A real challenge to what we think faith is and the reality of that faith!  Interesting stuff and I look forward to reading more.

A thought worth pondering.  Finally goodbye to Nick.  Nick is no longer going to be blogging as he is busy and involved in lots of delicate stuff I for one will miss his blogging and some of the debates we had after reading each others blogs.  Hopefully one day he will find the time to start blogging again.

1st day

This was my first day at college in lectures and I really enjoyed it.  I was meant to be in all day today but due to Dr. Ted Herbert's funeral lectures this afternoon were cancelled.  O314 is my first subject and there are only 7 in it which is actually a bit of a relief as you have to get involved.  I may however have a problem with the assignment as this is what I covered the first time around when I was doing my degree.  I will check it out next time I am in college which should be tomorrow after I have met with a number of pastors/ministers in the G21, G22 area up at St. Andrew's.

I have to clarify my comment on Margaret from the Drum - she actually lives in the posh part and is in denial that it is actually the Drum.  Anyone who dares to suggest it is the Drum will be told that she lives 2.4 miles from the Drum.  I hope that clears that one up.

Dr Ted Herbert

Sadly, Dr Ted Herbert passed away shortly before midnight on Monday the 29th of September 2008.  Ted was an OT Lecturer and the Vice-Principal of the International Christian College, Glasgow.  I have fond memories of Ted and will miss seeing him around the college this year.  His depth of knowledge in the subjects he taught, his integrity and his passion for the Lord were obvious qualities that I will always remember him for.    

ICC Induction Week

So I've been in college for 2 days of induction and looking forward to the specifics of the Honours induction seminars tomorrow.  Much of the focus this week has been updates and prayers for Ted Herbert, who was the Vice-Principle until very recently and gave up this role due to ill health.  Ted was diagnosed with cancer only a few weeks ago.  I have been privileged to sit under Ted's teaching in OT classes in 1st-3rd year when I studied several years ago and he is a most remarkable man.  I join the many who will be faithfully praying for God's healing touch for Ted.  A short testimony recorded recently in his church can be heard here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGzA0K6K8a4 and to students is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvQFxhhMEsw.