Friday, March 28
for people who may be interested in surfing (mr nixon) here's a site you may wanna check out, or maybe you know of...or your US friends know of:
walking on water
walking on water
bike bits...
New block = £25
new chain = £5
new front chain ring = £50
new gear cable = £2
new free wheel = £10
new bottom bracket = £10
total price including 3 hours of labor (the parts were welded on almost!) = £125 (with thw 10% off the parts).
i guess for a year's riding it's not bad, and certainly cheaper than the insurance i'd have to pay for a car (£1500!!!) + car + fuel +...
New block = £25
new chain = £5
new front chain ring = £50
new gear cable = £2
new free wheel = £10
new bottom bracket = £10
total price including 3 hours of labor (the parts were welded on almost!) = £125 (with thw 10% off the parts).
i guess for a year's riding it's not bad, and certainly cheaper than the insurance i'd have to pay for a car (£1500!!!) + car + fuel +...
dashing through the snow
with a pack shorts and boots
kids on both sides
parents behing in view
hiking to the lake
for a brisk and freezing swim...
that was last week in the alps (ahhhhhhhhhhhhh). we went to the "Camp of the peaks" where i'd been in '81, '83 and '95. never walked up to the lake in snow though...unfortunately twas frozen over about a foot thick, so no chance for a swim!
but what a great walk, waiting for mum and dad (quite harsh conditions, slippery icy snow, steep hill, bad footwear...) and trying to prevent the kids which we'd borrowed for the day from falling down some crevace. had some lunch at 1500m, camembert and baguette sandwiches, got sunburnt, and headed back down.
they're always looking for staff at the camp, and believe it or not, there's only ONE Christian high altitude mountaineer guide that they know of, and he lives in scotland!! is this a calling??
the reason chistian guides are important for camps (though they use other ones when they need to), is that they can tell the kids about God and the kids (or olds) trust and listen to this guide cause they've just trusted him/her with their lives. + they don't flirt with the girls/boys on camp and are a great example for the kids. so if any of you think that might be you...geat ready for years of training climbing mountains!
with a pack shorts and boots
kids on both sides
parents behing in view
hiking to the lake
for a brisk and freezing swim...
that was last week in the alps (ahhhhhhhhhhhhh). we went to the "Camp of the peaks" where i'd been in '81, '83 and '95. never walked up to the lake in snow though...unfortunately twas frozen over about a foot thick, so no chance for a swim!
but what a great walk, waiting for mum and dad (quite harsh conditions, slippery icy snow, steep hill, bad footwear...) and trying to prevent the kids which we'd borrowed for the day from falling down some crevace. had some lunch at 1500m, camembert and baguette sandwiches, got sunburnt, and headed back down.
they're always looking for staff at the camp, and believe it or not, there's only ONE Christian high altitude mountaineer guide that they know of, and he lives in scotland!! is this a calling??
the reason chistian guides are important for camps (though they use other ones when they need to), is that they can tell the kids about God and the kids (or olds) trust and listen to this guide cause they've just trusted him/her with their lives. + they don't flirt with the girls/boys on camp and are a great example for the kids. so if any of you think that might be you...geat ready for years of training climbing mountains!
"Contentment is not getting what you want but being satisfied with what you have..."
dunno where this came from but it's true as!
as Paul tells us in Philippians being content is not a gift but an attitude, a way of thinking.
while we may never know where we're headed in life with all it's uncertainties we can choose to be content in where we are and what we are doing at the moment, looking to the future and prayerfully planning for what is ahead.
this doesn't mean being complacent, which is being stagnant, not wanting to grow and certainly not wanting to be out of "the comfort zone".
being content is more choosing to be positive and praising God for our everyday lives.
while this is easily done when all is well, it isn't so when things go bad!
but if we find it hard to be content, why not some time to think of what God has given us. has he not given us everything we need?
so let's be satisfied with what we have while seeking to serve God, growing in him and following his ways. in this way we will avoid dis-satisfaction and complacency.
dunno where this came from but it's true as!
as Paul tells us in Philippians being content is not a gift but an attitude, a way of thinking.
while we may never know where we're headed in life with all it's uncertainties we can choose to be content in where we are and what we are doing at the moment, looking to the future and prayerfully planning for what is ahead.
this doesn't mean being complacent, which is being stagnant, not wanting to grow and certainly not wanting to be out of "the comfort zone".
being content is more choosing to be positive and praising God for our everyday lives.
while this is easily done when all is well, it isn't so when things go bad!
but if we find it hard to be content, why not some time to think of what God has given us. has he not given us everything we need?
so let's be satisfied with what we have while seeking to serve God, growing in him and following his ways. in this way we will avoid dis-satisfaction and complacency.
Saturday, March 22
thie is ahqt hqppens ahzen i arite using thqt french keu boqrd.
translation, this is what happens when i write using the french keyboard!
translation, this is what happens when i write using the french keyboard!
vive la France!
so after a beaut day in down town dublin for st paddy's day (with amanda and mojo), twas off to the airport to fly to france. at this stage i didn't know where i'd stay that night, gettin into beauvais (the airport ryanair uses, 70kms out of paris) at 10:15pm.
10:15pm. anyway i got off the plane, went through customs and thought about staying at the airport, rather than in the middle of paris. but i decided to go in (by the shuttle bus) and decide one in. i got off and caught the metro to the station, and, as i expected, the next train was at 8:45am the next day. i roamed about the station for a while and was ready to setlle down when a security guy informed me that if i didn't have a ticket i'd have to comemback in 3 hours as they were closing the station (and the waiting room was for travelling passengers only). as i didn't have a credit card to purchase a ticket in the machines i had to wait till the tills were open to pay cash...at 8 the next morning. the bloke told me there was a all night cafe/bar accross the road, so there i went.
1:15am. i looked at the menu and settled for a "spécialité savoyarde" consisting of grilled cheese and ham on a special toasted bit of bread with salad and extra bread. also got a "chocolat chaud"to wash it down. great meal. the place was fairly empty for a while but as i finished and started reading my book, more and more people started arriving, and byg 2-2:30, the place was fairly packed. people eating, drinking, smoking, talking, getting thrown out (physically and litterally!!).
3:30am, having stayed a couple of hours i thought i'g go to the station and try to get some sleep. i decided to settle near a security guard...if he told me i wasn't allowed i'd get up and move off, if not, i was fairly safe. so i got in my fleece inner and got some sleep on the cold hard floor.
6am, the place is full of people. so i get up (after an uneasy sleep) and go check out the toilets...40cents for a urinal, 1.50 for a toilet and basin: you can shove that!! i'll just hold till i get on the train.
so i go buy a satirical french paper and line up for the tickets. for some reason the tills are open at 6:15 instead of 8:30.
after purchasing the "billet" go buy a warm-out-of-the-oven "vienoise au chocolat" for some brekkie and much on it while walking the dawn streets of paris. a few people around getting ready for work and some setting up for the market. snap a few shots here and there (some great graffittied trucks and vans!!) and head back to the station.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...free toilets on the train!! once in moulins (where mum and dad picked me up) i find out there was a strike and only 1/4 trains are running, so i was glad to have been able to get a ticket that morning by chance(?)...God is good!
facts about France:
-look down when you walk (dog poos R us!!).
-cars drive on the right side (the wrong side??).
-watch out for dog dirt (everywhere).
-people will, wherever and whoever you are, ask you for money.
-the cheapest thing you can get in a bar or a cafe is a glass of wine.
-dogs poo everywhere.
-all foreign films are dubbed.
-at pedestrian crossings you have three options:
1) wait (all day!!) till a break in traffic.
2) when you, can cross in front of slower cars (and get abused).
3) don't use em and cross where safe.
-in general, things cost more except coffee, wine and paté.
so after a beaut day in down town dublin for st paddy's day (with amanda and mojo), twas off to the airport to fly to france. at this stage i didn't know where i'd stay that night, gettin into beauvais (the airport ryanair uses, 70kms out of paris) at 10:15pm.
10:15pm. anyway i got off the plane, went through customs and thought about staying at the airport, rather than in the middle of paris. but i decided to go in (by the shuttle bus) and decide one in. i got off and caught the metro to the station, and, as i expected, the next train was at 8:45am the next day. i roamed about the station for a while and was ready to setlle down when a security guy informed me that if i didn't have a ticket i'd have to comemback in 3 hours as they were closing the station (and the waiting room was for travelling passengers only). as i didn't have a credit card to purchase a ticket in the machines i had to wait till the tills were open to pay cash...at 8 the next morning. the bloke told me there was a all night cafe/bar accross the road, so there i went.
1:15am. i looked at the menu and settled for a "spécialité savoyarde" consisting of grilled cheese and ham on a special toasted bit of bread with salad and extra bread. also got a "chocolat chaud"to wash it down. great meal. the place was fairly empty for a while but as i finished and started reading my book, more and more people started arriving, and byg 2-2:30, the place was fairly packed. people eating, drinking, smoking, talking, getting thrown out (physically and litterally!!).
3:30am, having stayed a couple of hours i thought i'g go to the station and try to get some sleep. i decided to settle near a security guard...if he told me i wasn't allowed i'd get up and move off, if not, i was fairly safe. so i got in my fleece inner and got some sleep on the cold hard floor.
6am, the place is full of people. so i get up (after an uneasy sleep) and go check out the toilets...40cents for a urinal, 1.50 for a toilet and basin: you can shove that!! i'll just hold till i get on the train.
so i go buy a satirical french paper and line up for the tickets. for some reason the tills are open at 6:15 instead of 8:30.
after purchasing the "billet" go buy a warm-out-of-the-oven "vienoise au chocolat" for some brekkie and much on it while walking the dawn streets of paris. a few people around getting ready for work and some setting up for the market. snap a few shots here and there (some great graffittied trucks and vans!!) and head back to the station.
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...free toilets on the train!! once in moulins (where mum and dad picked me up) i find out there was a strike and only 1/4 trains are running, so i was glad to have been able to get a ticket that morning by chance(?)...God is good!
facts about France:
-look down when you walk (dog poos R us!!).
-cars drive on the right side (the wrong side??).
-watch out for dog dirt (everywhere).
-people will, wherever and whoever you are, ask you for money.
-the cheapest thing you can get in a bar or a cafe is a glass of wine.
-dogs poo everywhere.
-all foreign films are dubbed.
-at pedestrian crossings you have three options:
1) wait (all day!!) till a break in traffic.
2) when you, can cross in front of slower cars (and get abused).
3) don't use em and cross where safe.
-in general, things cost more except coffee, wine and paté.
a friendly reminder...
"what's the point?"
is what my friend said to me.
"why do i try to teach kids about geography, maths or french when in the end it's not changing their lives and making em think about what matters".
in a sense there is no point, since we are all flawed from the start. from the start we cannot improve ourselves or get better by any means on our own. the only way out is through Christ.
so what is the point of wasting time with all the "trivial" aspects of life? why not go "cold turkey" and just forget about the rest? why put in place programs to try and "change people" and make their behaviour more appropriate when in Godly terms there is no appropriate behaviour.
regardless of how good we think we are or how well we think we're doing, all our efforts (without God) are to him but "filthy rags" (litterally sanitary tissues).
so this friend got me thinking, why do i work with kids who are, for the most part, doomed to stealing, abusing, raping, killing and being a burden on society? why spend thousands of pounds a month on each to just see it wasted?
why have jails? why give people a second chance when, for most, they won't do better and in fact may do worse? why bother giving time and money to people who are doomed to hell anyway?
the point is everyone is doomed.
and in a sense there is no point, except for love.
why did Jesus come?
was it to improve pople's life? was it to change people's way of thinking? was it to be heretical? was it to be different? was it to be bring peace or war? was it to change the world? was it to make people follow him? was it to force people to believe in him? was it to change people's ways?
or was it to love and show love.
by showing love and actually LOVING people Jesus did change the world.
so while there is seemingly no point, the point is this:
love people as Jesus loved us.
while we may never see the effects of this, others will.
while maybe only 1% of the kids i work with will make it in life, that 1% may give birth to a history maker like Martin Luther King, Billy Graham, Keith Green, C.S. Lewis, Max Lucado, Mother Theresa or George Verwer. and while these people are only people (mere humans), they have directly or indirectly, through their lives, words, speeches, writings, ations, songs, prayers...impacted billions of other mere humans.
so if you have that attitude, which i think we all get from time to time when we get down and depressed and fail to see the potential, change it! try seeing people the way our saviour would.
"what's the point?"
is what my friend said to me.
"why do i try to teach kids about geography, maths or french when in the end it's not changing their lives and making em think about what matters".
in a sense there is no point, since we are all flawed from the start. from the start we cannot improve ourselves or get better by any means on our own. the only way out is through Christ.
so what is the point of wasting time with all the "trivial" aspects of life? why not go "cold turkey" and just forget about the rest? why put in place programs to try and "change people" and make their behaviour more appropriate when in Godly terms there is no appropriate behaviour.
regardless of how good we think we are or how well we think we're doing, all our efforts (without God) are to him but "filthy rags" (litterally sanitary tissues).
so this friend got me thinking, why do i work with kids who are, for the most part, doomed to stealing, abusing, raping, killing and being a burden on society? why spend thousands of pounds a month on each to just see it wasted?
why have jails? why give people a second chance when, for most, they won't do better and in fact may do worse? why bother giving time and money to people who are doomed to hell anyway?
the point is everyone is doomed.
and in a sense there is no point, except for love.
why did Jesus come?
was it to improve pople's life? was it to change people's way of thinking? was it to be heretical? was it to be different? was it to be bring peace or war? was it to change the world? was it to make people follow him? was it to force people to believe in him? was it to change people's ways?
or was it to love and show love.
by showing love and actually LOVING people Jesus did change the world.
so while there is seemingly no point, the point is this:
love people as Jesus loved us.
while we may never see the effects of this, others will.
while maybe only 1% of the kids i work with will make it in life, that 1% may give birth to a history maker like Martin Luther King, Billy Graham, Keith Green, C.S. Lewis, Max Lucado, Mother Theresa or George Verwer. and while these people are only people (mere humans), they have directly or indirectly, through their lives, words, speeches, writings, ations, songs, prayers...impacted billions of other mere humans.
so if you have that attitude, which i think we all get from time to time when we get down and depressed and fail to see the potential, change it! try seeing people the way our saviour would.
things wear out and break
bikes for example.
obviously you expect flat tyres, broken spokes and brake-pad changes.
but wheels, chain, gears, hubs, pedals, chain ring??
a real hassle.
and then changing things makes your bike last, but doesn't really improve it (unless you're constantly upgrading). so is it more cost-effective to replace it?
these are the thoughts i've been thinkin lately as after 2000 miles i'm up for some more serious repairs. my basic advice: if it's mechanical, it'll wear out or break, regardless of how well you maintain it (obviously if you look after it you may get more time out of it!).
so don't get too attached to it!
bikes for example.
obviously you expect flat tyres, broken spokes and brake-pad changes.
but wheels, chain, gears, hubs, pedals, chain ring??
a real hassle.
and then changing things makes your bike last, but doesn't really improve it (unless you're constantly upgrading). so is it more cost-effective to replace it?
these are the thoughts i've been thinkin lately as after 2000 miles i'm up for some more serious repairs. my basic advice: if it's mechanical, it'll wear out or break, regardless of how well you maintain it (obviously if you look after it you may get more time out of it!).
so don't get too attached to it!
Friday, March 7
what do you think?
as we "grow" or "mature", does God allow us to be more tempted, or tempted in bigger ways? what i mean is that once we have dealt with certain old temptations, does God allow satan to tempt us in new ways so that we'll be aware of our weakness and rely on him? if we could deal with all temptations, would we not become proud (then again pride is a sin in itself) and kinda put God aside? it is when we are at our weakest that God is able to show us his power.
these ideas/questions are obviously not an invitation or an excuse to give into temptation, as Paul said, "shall we [purposefully] go on sinning so that grace can increase? certainly not!"
as we "grow" or "mature", does God allow us to be more tempted, or tempted in bigger ways? what i mean is that once we have dealt with certain old temptations, does God allow satan to tempt us in new ways so that we'll be aware of our weakness and rely on him? if we could deal with all temptations, would we not become proud (then again pride is a sin in itself) and kinda put God aside? it is when we are at our weakest that God is able to show us his power.
these ideas/questions are obviously not an invitation or an excuse to give into temptation, as Paul said, "shall we [purposefully] go on sinning so that grace can increase? certainly not!"
when i saw the sun and blue sky this morn and after a few rounds of freshly made pancakes (i found out i' d missed pancake tuesday!! so i caught up) i decided to head up cave hill on da bike. What a ride!! went up the cave hill trail and along the ridge to the fort (never saw it but hat's what the sign said...) then to the look out and along the ridge the other way and back down via a different route. superb! the track was a little too slippery for my slicks, but it was unreal anyway. i almost came off a few times but nothing serious. i'll be going back up again some time as it was great plus there are heaps of tracks to the left and right.
after that the bike headed to sainsbury's servo @ forestside for a well needed clean...they have free air with a gauge that you set so you can't over fill your tyres! now i'm sittin in the library and it's raining. i think i'll get some cheese to put on th epancakes for tonight's dinner...i love being off work!
after that the bike headed to sainsbury's servo @ forestside for a well needed clean...they have free air with a gauge that you set so you can't over fill your tyres! now i'm sittin in the library and it's raining. i think i'll get some cheese to put on th epancakes for tonight's dinner...i love being off work!
Wednesday, March 5
"trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and shun evil. this will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones..." proverbs 3: 5-7
In all your ways, just thinkin about this one and how we acknowldege him in our "good" ways rather than our sinful ways. but i reckon if we acknowledge Him in our weaknesses and sin, He will make our paths straight and help us to escape temptation.
In all your ways, just thinkin about this one and how we acknowldege him in our "good" ways rather than our sinful ways. but i reckon if we acknowledge Him in our weaknesses and sin, He will make our paths straight and help us to escape temptation.
"for i know the plans i have for you" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all my heart". Jeremiah 29: 11-13.
just found this verse on a bookmark last night and thought it very appropriate for my train of thought at the moment!
just found this verse on a bookmark last night and thought it very appropriate for my train of thought at the moment!
prayer...do I believe in it?
i often pray for things that are visible or achievable, or even sometimes thing sthat are humanly impossible but achievable for God. but how often do i pray for seemingly impossible and invisible things?
i pray for people i see, so i can see the difference prayer makes in their life.
i pray for things that i know i will get an answer, either yes or no, but i know that an answer will be obtained in a shortish time.
i also always try to pray "the will of God", so if i don't think it' ssomething God wants i'll reword it so i'm not praying "against his will".
i try to stay away from black and white prayers like "Lord i pray that there won't be a war in Irak".
why?
is it cause i don't want to get a "no" answer?
is it cause a "no" answer would disturb my faith?
was just thinking about my kids at work. i sometimes pray for them, but find it hard cause the things i pray are ones that may take a lifetime to see happen. so i get kinda put off cause i want everything now!
but what's stopping me to pray for them regardless of where they are and where i am.
what if i prayed for them for the rest of my life and never knew where they were at, but believing that God's in control?
do i believe that God is powerful enough to change people's lives?
do i believe prayer is real, a powerful weapon and ours to use?
do i believe God acts through it? (not that he doesn't act without it, but certainly for some reason he wants us to tell him what's going on, what we care about, and what we'd like to see change in).
am i so weak that i can't pray and keep praying for the rest of my life, even for one person?
i often pray for things that are visible or achievable, or even sometimes thing sthat are humanly impossible but achievable for God. but how often do i pray for seemingly impossible and invisible things?
i pray for people i see, so i can see the difference prayer makes in their life.
i pray for things that i know i will get an answer, either yes or no, but i know that an answer will be obtained in a shortish time.
i also always try to pray "the will of God", so if i don't think it' ssomething God wants i'll reword it so i'm not praying "against his will".
i try to stay away from black and white prayers like "Lord i pray that there won't be a war in Irak".
why?
is it cause i don't want to get a "no" answer?
is it cause a "no" answer would disturb my faith?
was just thinking about my kids at work. i sometimes pray for them, but find it hard cause the things i pray are ones that may take a lifetime to see happen. so i get kinda put off cause i want everything now!
but what's stopping me to pray for them regardless of where they are and where i am.
what if i prayed for them for the rest of my life and never knew where they were at, but believing that God's in control?
do i believe that God is powerful enough to change people's lives?
do i believe prayer is real, a powerful weapon and ours to use?
do i believe God acts through it? (not that he doesn't act without it, but certainly for some reason he wants us to tell him what's going on, what we care about, and what we'd like to see change in).
am i so weak that i can't pray and keep praying for the rest of my life, even for one person?
