Shatter Proof

Just one step at a time

2007-12-27T20:28:00.000Z

I've started a new blog for 2008, Just one step at a time.

We are family

2007-12-19T01:20:00.001Z

Christmas. I reckon a lot of you out there are excited about Christmas and spending time with your family. And I reckon another load of you are, if not dreading it, at least facing it with some trepidation because of family.Family's a funny thing. You (generally) can't choose it. Those you share genes with you have no choice about. Those who become part of the family because of love, again you

Talking about forgiveness

2007-12-09T21:02:00.000Z

A Story About ForgivenessAt that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, "Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?"Jesus replied, "Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven."The kingdom of God is like a king who decided to square accounts with his servants. As he got under way, one servant was brought before him who had run up a debt of a hundred thousand dollars. He

2007-12-09T17:35:00.001Z

Hat tip to Sarah for this.

Ask God for what you want!

2007-11-27T21:34:00.000Z

'THE REASON YOU DON'T HAVE WHAT YOU WANT IS...YOU DON'T ASK GOD.' JAMES 4:2Imagine walking into a restaurant on a whim and asking if your order is ready. 'When did you call it in?' the waiter asks. 'Oh I didn't,' you reply, 'I just thought perhaps you'd have something with my name on it.' Sound ridiculous? No more so than expecting God to answer requests you haven't made; in faith, believing.

Guilt

2007-11-26T15:12:00.000Z

Post 280 from The Ongoing Adventures of ASBO Jesus.(Hat tip to Sarah.)

A year

2007-11-26T14:48:00.000Z

I can't believe it's almost December. Where has the year gone to? Though having said that, I've been through a lot in 11 months. I've learned a lot. I think I may even have grown somewhat during this time.I've learned that no matter how strong we think we are, somethings get the better of us.I've learned that not matter what we've done, God still loves us.I've learned that those who profess to be

I get the hint

2007-11-17T20:21:00.000Z

So, I texted the guy Sunday. He texted back Monday and I replied later that day. I've heard nothing since.I get the hint. Hard to miss, really.It's funny, isn't it? We pursue people - he did a good job of that, which was nice, the first time I've really been chased before - and then we meet them. And then... well, people aren't always what they seem, are they?I guess I would have been deluding

The Facebook status I can never have

2007-11-11T10:00:00.000Z

"Jo is happy because she had a man in her bed last night and is pleased her virtue is still intact and pleasantly surprised that not all men seem to want to get into her knickers straightaway and thinks maybe there are some nice guys who like her out there after all"Probably not the status to share when friends and family are your Facebook friends.So I saw the guy again Friday night. Brought him

THE date

2007-11-06T13:06:00.000Z

It went well. Though the proof is always in the pudding - or rather, in whether the guy calls again.We walked. As much as I love to eat, my preferred first date is always something where you're more likely to talk about some really random things - and learn a lot more about the person. My ideal first date (and I've done this twice) - is the fun fair!So last night we walked down to Oxford St, then

Fool for love

2007-11-04T18:32:00.000Z

I'm a sucker for romance. A fool for love. Blah, blah, blah.Anyway, Friday night. Long story. Basically, after working late on a stunt went back to the pub to see the pretty barman. One thing after another and, well... Oh, OK, I have to tell the story.One of my friends was left in the bar when I got there. Her sister then turned up and we went for food. Barman wanted to know if I was coming back

How long?

2007-11-03T04:08:00.000Z

How long until I can stop beating myself up about the chef?How long before I stop telling people?Have I just shot myself in the foot by telling someone? A certain barman I've taken a liking to.How long do I have to punish myself for?

Pretty

2007-11-01T22:05:00.000Z

Ah, the pretty barman! Ah. Bless him! A friend at work got a text from him Tuesday night (he'd got her number from the other barman who has her number - still with me?) to tell her he wasn't sleeping because I hadn't called him! Bless him!It's funny. I remembered this evening the first time I saw him in the pub I thought 'Oh, hello!' (yes, I know I do that a lot), then 'he'd never be interested

It's (still) raining men

2007-10-30T23:21:00.000Z

Nothing major to report, I just liked the pictures and love this song!Went to cinema with blind date guy last week. Still not overly sure, but as long as I don't promise anything I can't see why going out as friends is a bad thing. He did send a text at the weekend suggesting we go to the British Museum. But I told him I had no weekends until January - which I thought was true! But I may be wrong

Buses

2007-10-20T10:39:00.000+01:00

Men are like buses. You wait for ages for one to come along, then a whole bunch turn up together. Though, they're often not the right one!Two barmen at the local bar to where I work seem keen. Another case of being friendly! But... one of them's 19! And the other - cute, but... Well, we shall see.Oh, and I'm going on a second date with the blind date I went on a few weeks ago. Nice guy, but there

Conversation

2007-10-15T22:07:00.000+01:00

Today I had a conversation with a certain young man I work with. I told him that the things that had happened between us were not going to happen again. I like him, I fancy him, but it would never be more than that and I didn't want to wreck his marriage or my chances of meeting someone for just a wee fling.That took some doing. That's the first time I've told a guy I really like 'No'. It was

Be who you are

2007-10-11T22:40:00.000+01:00

"Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want."~Margaret YoungSometimes it takes while to find out who you are.

Holding out for a hero

2007-10-07T21:02:00.000+01:00

My current Facebook song lyric status tells the world I'm holding out for a hero. Am I? I'd like to think I am, but sometimes I'm just holding out for the first man that walks across my path.I went to a Christian singles party last weekend. The high point of the party was bumping into the guy I met at the last party, who I went on 2 dates with and he told me there was no chemistry (I think I

Bible

2007-10-07T19:26:00.000+01:00

As part of my spiritual direction session, my director asked me what one thing I could do to get towards my goal of feeling more connected with God. My answer was to read the Bible. But how? Although an avid reader, I find it hard to read the Bible - what a confession for a Christian, eh? And then it came to me - I could blog it!So, over the next 4 weeks I'm going to blog the book of James on my

Direction

2007-09-24T21:27:00.001+01:00

I've made contact with a spiritual director. Left a message and waiting for her to call back.First steps...

Please God, don't send me to Africa!

2007-09-12T00:57:00.000+01:00

I've always had this fear of overseas mission. It's three-fold, really. Firstly, I've never thought I have the skills people would need, or live the life (ironically I typed 'lie' then, not life!) that would be good enough to be someone who does mission.Secondly, I've often thought there's enough to do here, why do I go there?Thirdly, I don't like creepy crawlies, I'm not great with flying, my

Going away

2007-08-22T22:45:00.000+01:00

I'm off to Greenbelt from Thursday through to Tuesday. Yay!I'm volunteering at the Organic Beer Tent - a happy Jo will emerge. A Christian festival and being a barmaid - what more could she want?See ya next week. If you're there - check me out at the Organic Beer tent.

One word. No explanations.

2007-08-19T20:07:00.000+01:00

1. Yourself: trouble2. Your spouse: none3. Your hair: medium4. Your mother: tired5. Your father: boring6. Your favorite item: camera7. Your dream last night: crazy8. Your favorite drink: Ribena9. Your dream car: affordable10. The room you are in: bedroom11. Your ex: idiot12. Your fear: unlovable13. What you want to be in 10 years: free14. Who you hung out with last night: family15. What you're

I'm thinking about going for counselling

2007-08-12T09:38:00.000+01:00

I've found details of a Christian counselor near me. My vicar's also talked about finding me a spiritual director. I feel stuck. I know I need to re-connect with God, but I don't know how to do it. And I don't feel safe enough anywhere to be vulnerable and be prayed for a new anointing of the Holy Spirit. Because I know it could get messy.So I'm living this life that seems to be going nowhere,

Simpson irony

2007-08-07T20:14:00.001+01:00

I was visting friends last week and thought their fridge Homer looked a little under-dressed. On going to remedy that, I found these clothes for him. The irony is not lost on me.The boys - and I - were all a little shame-faced yesterday morning, my first day back in the office after 'the incident'. Too right we should be!!! T, the more persistent of the 2 (Bad Chef, we call him, as opposed to

2007-07-29T22:29:00.001+01:00

This came from today's PostSecret. I identify with this.

Tightrope

2007-07-28T12:22:00.000+01:00

Balanced, precariously.One wrong step and it's all over,plummeting downwards.Everything balanced.Such an effort to keep upright,keep everything together.Pushed and pulled,shaken.Can't see what to hold on to.Unbalanced.I sense myself falling.Can I stop it?Do I embrace the blackness?Or fight it?Too tired to fight,the embrace calls out to me,I long to fallinto its deceptive charms,a siren call of

Why?

2007-07-24T22:30:00.000+01:00

Why are the cute guys married? And why do they still flirt (OK, I know I flirt too!)Why is my ex engaged while I'm still single?Why is Church Boy in a relationship while I'm still single?Why is it raining so much?Why is church so hard?Why is life so unfair so often?Why is church...?Why?Darnit! VERY cute guy at work's been flirting with me. He's married. I don't know how it started - I guess I can

Ordering Our Desires

2007-07-22T00:05:00.003+01:00

Desire is often talked about as something we ought to overcome. Still, being is desiring: our bodies, our minds, our hearts, and our souls are full of desires. Some are unruly, turbulent, and very distracting; some make us think deep thoughts and see great visions; some teach us how to love; and some keep us searching for God. Our desire for God is the desire that should guide all other desires.

The Beauty of Shyness

2007-07-22T00:03:00.001+01:00

There is something beautiful about shyness, even though in our culture shyness is not considered a virtue. On the contrary, we are encouraged to be direct, look people straight in the eyes, tell them what is on our minds, and share our stories without a blush. But this unflinching soul-baring, confessional attitude quickly becomes boring. It is like trees without shadows. Shy people have long

Small things

2007-07-22T00:02:00.000+01:00

"The smallest things become great when God requires them of us; they are small only in themselves; they are always great when they are done for God." ~Francois Fenelon

Rewarding Times

2007-07-22T00:01:00.000+01:00

"Some of the most rewarding times of our lives are those 'extra mile' hours given in service when the body says it wants to relax, but our better self emerges and says, 'Here am I; send me.'"~James E. Faust

Choosing to help

2007-07-21T23:59:00.001+01:00

"Often when we feel unhappy or unfulfilled, we try to fill our own need in the world's way by buying, acquiring, spending time and energy in indulgent activities. But...our spiritual need is satisfied when we lift the burdens of others....It is our spiritual need not only to know but to choose to help." ~Susan L. Warner

Wedding update

2007-07-15T19:01:00.000+01:00

It's taken me a while to get around to updating on the wedding. It went really well. The flowers I did looked great. The dress I bought - I looked stunning! The ceremony was wonderful, the bride beautiful and the happy couple never looked happier.Church Boy brought Club Girl. I managed to avoid having to get into conversation with her. Church Boy was a bit snappy with me at one point, but you

Jesus the healer

2007-07-15T19:00:00.000+01:00

The Wounded HealerNobody escapes being wounded. We all are wounded people, whether physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. The main question is not "How can we hide our wounds?" so we don't have to be embarrassed, but "How can we put our woundedness in the service of others?" When our wounds cease to be a source of shame, and become a source of healing, we have become wounded

2007-07-08T00:58:00.000+01:00

'PUT UP WITH EACH OTHER, AND FORGIVE ANYONE WHO DOES YOU WRONG...' COLOSSIANS 3:13 This light-hearted but revealing commentary appeared in a newspaper: 'A lady took my seat in church...She's very nice...a good friend, in fact. I can sit any place...no big deal. My seat is on the right as you enter the sanctuary. I can rest my arm on the end. It's a good seat, but I wouldn't raise a fuss about a

Weddings and things

2007-07-06T10:24:00.000+01:00

My housemate gets married tomorrow. He's German. His wife-to-be is Hong Kong Chinese. My house is full of Germans at the moment.I got up at 6am to go to the flower market with them - I'm doing their flowers. Shall be starting after lunch.They asked me, did I mind if Church Boy brought Club Girl to the wedding. They are happy to say no to him if it will upset me. I thought about it. I consulted

My Personal DNA

2007-07-05T19:46:00.000+01:00

Benevolent Artist

Are you burned out?

2007-07-02T20:54:00.000+01:00

Burned-Out VolunteersI'm exhausted by all the things I do at church, but I'd feel guilty if I took a break. What should I do?Answer by Christin Ditchfield Q: For almost 20 years, I've been very involved in many of the ministries at my church. For some time, I've felt burned-out, exhausted, stressed, and depressed. I talked to the elders of our church, but they suggested I just needed more public

Don't talk to me about the fatted calf!

2007-07-02T19:35:00.000+01:00

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them."Mother TeresaJesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent

Life is precious... Life it for all it's worth

2007-07-02T13:40:00.000+01:00

I can't get the html to work, so am linking to another post here.

Boy, 14, stabbed to death 'for wrong look'

2007-06-30T13:09:00.001+01:00

A popular 14-year-old boy was stabbed to death in a north London street after being set upon by a group of youths for "looking at someone the wrong way" in the latest in a string of fatal attacks on teenagers in the capital.Who'd be a kid nowadays? I know this makes me sound ancient (and to be honest, the kids at youth group think I am!), but it wasn't like this when I was a teenager. OK, so I

Jo's Ramblings

2007-06-29T13:31:00.000+01:00

I seem to be blogging more on Jo's Ramblings, my 'public' blog (ie, the one I'll let people who know me see!)

Take up your cross

2007-06-29T10:25:00.000+01:00

Taking Up Our Crosses Jesus says: "If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him ... take up his cross and follow me" (Matthew 16:24). He does not say: "Make a cross" or "Look for a cross." Each of us has a cross to carry. There is no need to make one or look for one. The cross we have is hard enough for us! But are we willing to take it up, to accept it as our cross? Maybe we can't

No man's land

2007-06-28T23:18:00.001+01:00

An interesting article from Christianity magazine by Diane Louise Jordan and Liz Speed, about the shortage of men in church. You can find part of the article here.However, reading the full article in the magazine, what struck me was this section. Some would say that men have got a great deal. They've got loads of choice and if their girlfriend wants them to propose, they can refuse to commit and

So...

2007-06-27T00:00:00.001+01:00

It seems Church Boy and Club Girl are no longer together. After I supressed the mild gloat (I'm repenting as often as it comes!), I did start to feel a tinge of sadness for him.

2007-06-24T23:25:00.000+01:00

Result: 16. Your score isn't an achievement, it just is. Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen and his colleagues at Cambridge's Autism Research Centre have created the Autism-Spectrum Quotient, or AQ, as a measure of the extent of autistic traits in adults. In the first major trial using the test, the average score in the control group was 16.4. Eighty percent of those diagnosed with autism

Weekend

2007-06-24T23:06:00.000+01:00

I have to say that I have come away from this weekend a little disappointed. It turns out that WB is 35 going on retired and has some similarities with my Dad! (God forbid!). In fact, I'm a little convinced there's some border-line Asperger's Syndrome going on there (same with my Dad, actually).WB doesn't like fiction: TV, movies, books. Goes to be about 10, gets up around 6! Doggedly must finish

A byte on the side - a thought experiement

2007-06-21T20:11:00.000+01:00

Like many people who had been married for several years, Dick was bored with his relationship. There was no passion these days. In fact, Dick and his wife hardly slept together at all. However, Dick had no intention whatsoever of leaving his wife. He loved her and she was an excellent mother to their children.He knew full well what the usual solution to this problem was: have an affair. You

Update as requested

2007-06-20T08:16:00.001+01:00

As Layla requested, an update.Friday night I'm meeting WB for a meal before we drive down to our weekend away with our group of friends. I thought we'd be going out for a meal, but he sent a text this morning to say he will make me a curry!

Church boy... an update. And introducing... Workshop boy!

2007-06-18T21:30:00.000+01:00

The Sunday before the Sunday just gone I went to another church in the evening. The talk was about the blind man, Bartimaeus, who Jesus asked, "What do you want me to do for you?"So the Sunday before the Sunday just gone, I asked God to take away the pain and hurt caused by church boy. And so I emailed him (which I think I shared?) to tell him I'd been praying for him (fact!). And it felt, almost

Beauty and the beholder

2007-06-14T13:33:00.000+01:00

I've rambled on about this before, my dislike of internet dating approaches which start: "Hey beautiful/gorgeous/good looking!" I dislike the cheese, the un-originality and the blatant crassness of them. Start like that and you'll be at a disadvantage with me. Maybe I should be more gracious, but I often find they're just cc'd emails dashed out to many women, with no thought behind them. In fact,

Church boy - an answer

2007-06-13T08:15:00.000+01:00

Layla asked what I was going to do about church boy. The answer is: Nothing. There is nothing I can do. Oddly I found myself praying for him and her on Sunday. And Monday night I sent this email:"OK - deep breath - here goes... I care about you, so I pray you will be happy, that things work out well for you. I'm waiting for the feelings to catch up with the facts - I'll see you in a few weeks. I

History

2007-06-12T19:53:00.000+01:00

How random. I was sat on the bus on the way home. I was late from work. I was too tired to walk. I sat there with my book, and suddenly a seat came free. I turned around to move to it, and sat across the aisle, about 6 inches away from me, was my ex-boyfriend. Who was also late home from work and tired, so he got the bus! He'd obviously not noticed me when I got on.I did look at him and think -

Eye of the storm

2007-06-10T22:07:00.000+01:00

In the middle of a tornado is a quite, silent, still bit - the eye of the storm.He brought her - and a friend - to church again today. I didn't go, but had to be there at the end for a Sunday School meeting. I successfully - and pointedly! - managed to ignore him completely. Quite rude at one point!She came over to say 'Hi!' My vicar laughed as she did this - I could see him and pulled a face at

Scared

2007-06-10T11:12:00.000+01:00

I'm scared that this new girl in the life of the guy I have liked will become everyone's new best friend and that nobody will want to spend time with me anymore.Irrational, I know!

I found out

2007-06-08T23:19:00.000+01:00

I found out via Facebook tonight that the guy I've liked for a while is going out with the girl from the club. For those of you who know about Facebook: I found this out through a wall-to-wall she had with a friend of hers. Though to be honest, I'd had my suspicions for at least a week after what was going on between them.F***ing shitty way to find that out, though.Still - I deserve much, much

Befriending our inner enemies

2007-06-04T23:08:00.000+01:00

"How do we befriend our inner enemies lust and anger? By listening to what they are saying. They say, "I have some unfulfilled needs" and "Who really loves me?" Instead of pushing our lust and anger away as unwelcome guests, we can recognize that our anxious, driven hearts need some healing. Our restlessness calls us to look for the true inner rest where lust and anger can be converted into a

Peace be with you

2007-06-03T20:25:00.000+01:00

'Reconciling and making peace'from Given for you, a fresh look at communion, Eleanor Kreider, page 97"'A people of peace'. That's how early Christians saw themselves. From earliest times a major theme of the Eucharist was the miracle of unity among believers of divergent classes, languages and cultures. Christ who is our peace has made unit by breaking down the dividing wall of hostility. Christ

Hope

2007-06-03T19:17:00.000+01:00

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13) Hope. You cannot live without it. The question is: What have you placed your hope in? It’s easy to give the glib answer and say your expectations rest in the Lord. I recently discovered, much to my chagrin, a subtle error I was making in this

God doesn't lose things

2007-06-02T17:32:00.000+01:00

Nothing is ever lost!'"GATHER THE LEFTOVERS SO NOTHING IS WASTED."' JOHN 6:12Did you know that what starts as a curse can end as a blessing? When the Mexican boll weevil devastated the southeast Alabama cotton crop, farmers reverted to planting peanuts and ended up producing more than any county in the nation. Consequently the town of Rucker erected a monument bearing this inscription, 'In

What's my part in all this?

2007-06-02T17:18:00.001+01:00

Find your place'...OUR GOAL IS TO MEASURE UP TO GOD'S PLAN FOR US...' 2 CORINTHIANS 10:13Da Vinci only painted one Mona Lisa. Beethoven only composed one Fifth Symphony. And God only made one version of you. He custom-designed you for a one-of-a-kind assignment. 'How can I discover mine?' you ask. Your ability reveals your destiny! '...If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which

Rock bottom

2007-05-31T22:13:00.000+01:00

I've been blue for a little while. Turning 30, still being single, feeling duty bound to do things because nobody else in the house will pick up responsibilities... and bloke being an arse! All got to me. That and the hormones.It's interesting though. For the first time I've actually understood why some people feel the only way out is to kill themself. I felt such a deep, depressing, dragging

Tired

2007-05-29T22:19:00.001+01:00

Tired.So tired of obligation.Duty bound to do the thingsthat need to be done.The things no one else will dobecause they know I'll do them.Tired.So tired of missing outon things I want to dofor things I should be doing.While others merrilygo about their way,not a care for seeing thatthe routine things get done.Tired.So tired of going home aloneeach daywhen all I want is arms to hold me tightand

I want a man, not a boy

2007-05-27T21:24:00.000+01:00

So I went out Friday night with 'the' guy and some of his mates. It was not far off a complete disaster!I arrived. Didn't know anyone. Went to the bar, gave the barman a twenty, got change for 10! Wasn't happy, but that got sorted. Sat down, got introduced - very briefly - and say guy turned his back on me (literally!) and carried on a conversation he was having. Everyone else was chatting to

Being real

2007-05-27T20:24:00.001+01:00

"I am afraid to tell you who I am, because, if I tell you who I am, you may not like who I am, and it's all that I have."Why am I afraid to tell you who I am?, John PowellI think for a number of years this was the enduring image my family and people I knew had of me. Grumpy. Prone to sulking and skulking off, away from people. Actually, I still do that now, to some extent: if I'm feeling low or

Guard your heart

2007-05-22T22:05:00.001+01:00

I see a lot of myself in this post.

'Pulling a Ruth'

2007-05-22T20:59:00.000+01:00

One day Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, should I not try to find a home for you, where you will be well provided for? Is not Boaz, with whose servant girls you have been, a kinsman of ours? Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. Wash and perfume yourself, and put on your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don't let him know you are there

Crisis

2007-05-22T18:43:00.001+01:00

Help! I've been invited to a club on Friday night. By a guy! A guy I like. OK, so just a few of his friends going. But still... it's the first time he's ever invited me anywhere.Now I'm tying myself in knots with worry.It's quite a 'trendy' club. What do I wear? I've got a 50s summer BBQ at work that same evening and have to find something that does both. Or come back home and then go out

Getting serious about getting married

2007-05-15T23:54:00.001+01:00

Debbie Maken, author of book of title of this post, has been on record again. This time she has been interviewed by spiraluniverse, talking about singleness, sex, marriage, children, evangelism and celibacy.Any thoughts?

Heart hunting... part 2

2007-05-13T19:47:00.000+01:00

There was a sense of irony last night, at my Grandparents' Diamond wedding anniversary dinner, that I was picking up tiny, pearlescent hearts from the table and dropping them in my bag.

Loving out the fear

2007-05-11T14:26:00.000+01:00

Loving Out The FearBy Jon WalkerAll of you should be of one mind, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds. (1 Peter 3:8 NLT) God enables us to love the fear out of one another. We drive fear from our families and friends by loving one another so supportively that every one feels safe inside the group (1 John 4:18). This safety allows us to bring

Heart hunting

2007-05-10T07:59:00.000+01:00

A comment on my previous post:"Yet the hearts weren't broken... they were whole but there were lots of them. I wonder instead if the little hearts reflect the different places/ways you're seeking love or happiness. How did it feel looking for them... was it rewarding or frustrating? That might me more elucidating."Interesting. I've been praying with a friend recently and she's been saying that I

I had a dream

2007-05-06T18:04:00.000+01:00

I've been dreaming again. Which is strange, as hormonally this is the wrong time for me to have such vivid dreams.Last night's dream was unusual and poignant. I dreamt I was walking on a wild, brush-filled hillside. With a man. The man is not the focal point of the dream. However, he was searching for mice with a strange tiger/dog animal!I, however, was off searching for hearts. Hidden away in

The blessing of peas

2007-05-06T17:59:00.000+01:00

Peas. Yum! My favourite vegetable. Fresh peas are yummy to eat. And frozen peas are good to put on a bruised and swollen foot.When you're stressed, fed up and generally feeling under attack and in pain, a diversionary tactic is to create pain elsewhere. Which is why I pick at myself - a slightly less obvious form of self-harm.Kicking walls also work very well as a diversion. The pain in my right

Mountaineer

2007-05-03T20:19:00.000+01:00

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.Do you ever feel like this?I do. I fequently respond like this:Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

God showing His love through pavement junk

2007-04-29T23:04:00.001+01:00

I was having one of those crummy days. I think I'm starting to get low-level pre-30 blues. An early mid-life crisis, maybe? An existential "what the *bleep* am I doing with my life?" moment. I'd been reading the book Captivating earlier, and was onto the chapter about God romancing us. About how He's romanced the co-author with a beach full of starfish to show her He loved her. You know those

God help me

2007-04-28T22:37:00.000+01:00

God Help MeRebecca St. James From the deep I cryI am needing change in my lifeI have let the cold creep in and lock my ability to feel (deeply)Just now a shaft of light shot through my soulOpening up the windows and the doorsReaching to the corners and my flawsShowing my needChorus:I'm running out of time to liveRunning out of love to giveRunning out of life withinGod help meGod help meI don't

Vows

2007-04-27T22:49:00.000+01:00

The book Captivating talks about how the vows of our childhood lock us into patterns of doing life that bring death to our spirits, not life.I vowed that I would never marry a man like my father, that I would never become like my mother. And so I closed myself off to relationships.Sure I chase after them. Anyone who knows me know they're my main obsession. But combine my vow to never be in a

Yap, yap, yap

2007-04-22T23:10:00.000+01:00

I'm not exactly backward about coming forward.I'm very vocal - with 5 or 6 blogs on the go, that's evident.I will talk, and talk, and talk with my friends.But people I don't know so well... I get uncomfortable, don't know what to say, freeze up, get embarassed, judge myself as uninteresting, irrelevant.With kids, or rather teenagers - I have no idea how to talk to them.With people I don't 'gel'

Why offended

2007-04-20T08:16:00.000+01:00

To those who asked after my last post about being approached by guys with 'Hi Pretty', why I'm 'offended' by this, here's a few reasons:I have a name. And it's not pretty. It's quite clearly at the top of my profile.By not using my name the guy implies that the email to me is just one of many generic emails to lots of ladies.On point 2, I don't have a problem with him writing to others - he's not

Cynic, insecure or realist?

2007-04-19T20:03:00.000+01:00

I've ranted on my 'public' blog (Jo's Ramblings) about guys who approach on internet dating sites with the classic opener... "Hi pretty!" I posted about it on the dating site's boards, and there seems to be an overwhelming majority opinion - they guy just isn't sleazy.Maybe I'm a cynic. Maybe, as has been suggested, I'm just insecure in my looks. Maybe I'm just looking for an excuse to reject him

What is God doing?

2007-04-17T18:50:00.000+01:00

"COME, FOLLOW ME..." MATTHEW 4:19 The word 'disciple' means being an apprentice to someone. And it was easy to tell if someone had done that. Peter, James and John made a decision to spend every day with Jesus in order to learn how to be like Him. Now, they did the same kinds of things you do. They ate, slept, worked, played, and learned. They just did all of these things with Jesus. And now

A couple of 'quotes'

2007-04-15T23:08:00.000+01:00

Some words I found from people on a dating website (yes, I know! I'm on and off these things like a yo-yo!) I can't attribute as I don't know their real names.But anyway, they struck me today as rather apt in my life especially, life in general.A summary of Ephesians 3:18:Gods’ love is wide enough to embrace everyoneGods’ love is long enough to last an eternityGods’ love is high enough to cover

Which Lord of the Rings character are you?

2007-04-10T09:42:00.000+01:00

You are most like Arwen. Calm and reserved, you are not given to sudden outbursts. You conduct yourself with dignity...most of the time. The rest of the time you cut loose are are totally cool. You don't really think of yourself as popular, but plenty of people like you. You are not given to needless flirting. The right person will come along some day, and you are content to wait.Take quiz HERE

Eve - is it a trick question?

2007-04-10T09:10:00.000+01:00

Barbara asked me if my question about Eve was a trick question. Not at all. I'm genuinely confused. If Adam was perfect then all he needed was God, if there's no marriage or sex in our resurrected, perfect states. Then why did God need to make Eve? Why was Adam not satisfied with God alone. Was Adam not perfect then, even before the fall?I don't know. It's one of those theological conundrums,

Slave ship Zong

2007-04-09T19:50:00.000+01:00

Today I visited the Zong, a replica of an 18th century slave ship moored in Sugar Quay on the Thames, funded by The Centre for Contemporary Ministry.I have a fuller account of the experience on my new blog Jo's ramblings. I'm planning to use the new blog as a platform for thinking about things that are less 'personal'. And a platform for friends and relatives to view. I'm planning to delve into

What was the point of Eve?

2007-04-09T18:54:00.000+01:00

"If", as Rob Bell writes in the final chapter of his excellent book Sex God, "marriage is meant to show people what the oneness of God is like, what happens when everybody is one in the presence of God?"It is traditionally understood that there will be no marriage in heaven. Jesus makes this clear when asked about a woman whose husband dies, and then the next, and then next... until finally she

2007-04-07T20:40:00.000+01:00

I bake. I sew. Am I heading towards 50's housewife domesticity? There's something slightly worrying about that!

Good Friday meditations

2007-04-07T17:34:00.000+01:00

Thoughts and ideas from our a series of talks at Good Friday meditation service.The Comfort of Christ (PZ)John 14:1-6, 1-21Despite Jesus' public solitude of the cross ahead of Him; despite Him being troubled at His separation from the Father, Jesus' 1st concern was for his troubled disciples. They were troubled because their teacher, their friend, their rock tells them He is leaving. But He is

Brokenness

2007-04-07T15:06:00.000+01:00

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."2 Corinthians 12:9I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy.Ezekiel 3:16Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, "I am strong!"Joel 3:10But God

Life line

2007-04-07T15:04:00.000+01:00

When do you think I should draw the line? When someone fails to appreciate my fine words? When those I’m leading start to grumble? When people start taking me for granted? When I feel like they’re talking behind my back? When my friends have lost their nerve? When a trusted companion betrays me? When things look like they might

Aretha got it right

2007-04-07T13:14:00.000+01:00

It's all about respect.I don't know how God talks to you. He's rather sneaky with me. I'll be happily minding my own business, you know, walking down to the shops, thinking random thoughts, rather inane thoughts, and then... wham! He's slip a little thought in there which blows me completely out of the water.So, this is how it went today. I catch a glimspse of myself in a store window. Thinking

What kind of giver are you?

2007-04-05T08:14:00.001+01:00

"There are three kinds of givers -- the flint, the sponge and the honeycomb. To get anything out of a flint you must hammer it. And then you get only chips and sparks. To get water out of a sponge you must squeeze it, and the more you use pressure, the more you will get. But the honeycomb just overflows with its own sweetness. Which kind of giver are you?"