Encouraged by Encouraging

This morning I gave my message on encouragement and I think people listened.
Little did they know that I had spent 5 hours the previous day writing out personalised notes of encouragement with chocolate bars attached to them to every person in my year group, which I then placed in their pidgeonholes 10 minutes before the devotion.
What a surprise they got when they came out of devotion and checked their mailboxes! I left all the notes anonymous, but it's pretty obvious who it was. Anyway, this girl came up to me tonight all excited and was like, 'Did you see what someone put in all our pidgeonholes! They must have really taken your message to heart!' Ha. She was from the north. Naturally.
Anyway, just wanted to post this because I felt genuinely encouraged by seeing others encouraged, by my encouraging. It's a good feeling. You should try it.

Oh, pee ess, Andrew Caldwell now has a blog. It's on my sidebar, you should check it out.

Encouragement

I am currently preparing tomorrow morning's devotional talk for my year group and I decided to talk on encouragement and encouraging others.
Instead of preaching a sermon to a group of Theology Students, I decided to move to the more practical side of things and introduce an idea birthed at Capernwray. Namely pidgeonholing.
It was one Wednesday night at Sharing Time when the idea of putting notes in people's pidgeonholes was proposed. What a friggin' awesome idea! I wish I had thought of it...

Anyways, as most of you have experienced, the people in this here country are not the most encouraging or optimistic people around, but the words that spill out of our mouths can be naturally quite critical at times. In his lectures at the Hall, Hans Peter said it was a typically European thing. (Anyone else remember that?). For many of the British, speaking words of encouragement is a foreign concept and one which must be practiced after it has been imported into the British department of thinking.
So, after struggling through various pieces of scripture to dwell on for this talk, I decided to give up and come online. However, the daily scripture at the top of this page was highly appropriate today.

The NLT version reads better:

Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. -Eph.4:29

I hope this encourages you to build others up with what you say!

Talking to People

Spoke to Bethany, Megan B (T-Hofer), Courtnay and Janice on Skype for a total time of 3hours 15 mins. Which tired me out, since I didn't start until 11.30pm. It was so good though.
Oh, and today on MSN I spoke to Evan Reedall amongst others. He is doing well and is still with Meredith.
That's all.

Tag...

Ten Years Ago:
I was 10, well-known for making my Primary School chess team the National Champions, but also mischievous.
I was getting sent to the headmaster’s office for having competitions in the boys loos to see who could pee the highest up the wall and hit the ceiling. (I won). I didn’t get in trouble though, because I was such an ‘asset’ to the school. Incidently I was told not to get caught again. That guy was awesome.
I had some really dodgy haircuts (done by my mum) and never looked back. Heh.

Five Years Ago:
I was in the middle year of 7 years of an all boys grammar school. Getting good grades and being popular with the teachers more than my fellow classmates.
I was in a league-winning football team, as well as the school team’s top goal scorer.
Getting really into my new Church and youth group.
But doing things with girls I really shouldn’t have been doing. Hmm…

One Year Ago:
I couldn’t believe how blessed I was to be surrounded by such a global environment,
Sharing a room with two Japanese-speaking white guys,
Building my new found love affair with Skippy - ‘Genuine American Peanut Butter’.
Forming some of the best friendships I’ve ever known.
Learning so much about myself and my relationship with God.

Now:
I am at Theological College, missing the friends I made last year.
Applying to Moody Bible Institute in Chicago for next fall.
Learning Greek
Eating the Cheez-Its that Beautiful Ben CM sent me in the post. (Ben you are ridiculously amazing!)

Yesterday:
Struggled to do much productive research on the inerrancy of the Bible.
I talked for 2 hours with this amazing Swedish girl about cultural differences and theories about Christ’s suffering on the cross, amongst other things. (See, I’m meeting people!)
Talked for ages with Beej and Jon Magnus on MSN. Laughing and crying at the same time because they are soo funny.
Stayed up to 3am to make a phone call to Canada.

5 Snacks I Enjoy:
Cheez-Its – Ben, it cost you an arm and a leg to send these over (but don’t let that be a disincentive to the rest of you. [needing some lovin’ over here])
Skippy Peanut Butter (‘Genuine American’, heh).
McCoy crisps – Salt ‘n’ Vinegar or Cheddar Cheese and Onion flavour.
Haribo Starmix or Tangtastic. (Best sweeties on earth!)
Pringles – and the wide variety of flavours we have them in this country. Well, all crisps for that matter!

5 Songs I Know All the Words To:
Semi-Charmed Life – Third Eye Blind
I’m Into Something Good – Herman’s Hermits
Moondance – Van Morrison
Don’t Worry, Be Happy – Bobby McFerrin
Boom! Shake the Room – DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince

5 Places I Would Run To:
Austria
Yosemite National Park in California (my dream photographing destination)
Iceland
To the house of the guy who invented Cheez-Its so I could shake his hand and tell him ‘bravo’ for these here tasty snacks.
To the arms of my future wife, whomever she is. Or take the bus after hiring the driver of a Carnforth-Lancaster Bus. That’ll definitely be faster than running…

5 Greatest Joys:
Spending time with God alone
Football (the real kind)
Photography
Talking and catching up with you guys
Watching movies

5 Things I Would Never Wear:
Even though I’m quite conscious about what I go out in, you all know there is nothing I wouldn’t try.

5 Movies I Like:
Singing in the Rain – (I wanna be Gene Kelly and marry Debbie Reynolds)
Zoolander
Anchorman
The Notebook
Napoleon Dynamite

5 Fictional Characters I Would Date:
Kathy Seldon – Debbie Reynolds in Singing in the Rain
Wonder Woman – Marvel Superheroes
Phoebe from Friends – Just think it would be funny and eventful
Jessica Rabbit – Even though she has the same name as my sister (weird!?) –(my sister is called Jessica, not Rabbit)
Can’t think of another one

I would like to tag, Alicia, Megan Rae Destiny Bauer (that's her actual name), Tiffany, and anyone else that hasn't been tagged.

Too Many Movies!

I've become quite the anti-socialite here at college. It's been totally unlike me, but that's the way I have been since getting here over 7 weeks ago.
I figured this is due to a number of reasons.

-Firstly that I miss all of you guys, and knowing people won't match up to you, I make too small of an effort.
-Secondly, Blogging. Seems quite the inward thing to do. I think it's becoming an addiction.
-Thirdly, Skyping. Although, this is totally worth it.

-And fourthly, films. I tried to think of all the movies I have watched since being here, and think I came up with most of them. Here they are:

Collateral, The Jacket, About a Boy, Sweet Home Alabama, Along Came Polly, Anger Management, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Million Dollar Baby, Just Married, The Notebook, A Walk To Remember, 8 Mile, Coach Carter, Road To Perdition, Troy, Hitch, Kingdom of Heaven, Ned Kelly, Two Weeks Notice, Big Fish...

And films I've seen before:
Singing in the Rain, Napoleon Dynamite, Anchorman, Life is Beautiful, Black Hawk Down, Band of Brothers (whole series), Friends Series 10.

I count 25 films (including the 5 I've already seen) and 2 series. That's not healthy is it?
Hmm, I know which ones were my faves, but which ones were yours. Comment and let me know.

Standing on your head.

I thought these pics would amuse some of you slightly. They were taken last week whilst posing for a friend's youth project. (Don't ask). These were my 'being stoopid' photos that he took.

I wasn't going to post these silly pics, but recently I feel like I've been staying in one place too long, spiritually that is. Like I'm standing on my head and can't walk anywhere. Like it's cool to be in this position for a snapshot, but no longer. Ever get that feeling? I think it's because it's mid-semester break and everybody's gone home except me and a couple of others, so I've had time to think. How long was your guys' mid-semester break? Because mine is like 10 freakin' days long! And I'm dying out here on my own. Nah, I'm coping; only lonely. But I just feel spiritually I'm not progressing like I should be. Maybe I need to be pruned. Maybe I need to walk on my feet...

Pics of the Lovely Couple

Chaz and Rebecca

Congratulations Chaz and Rebecca on you engagement last night.
I'd like to claim that I was the first of his roommates to notice his interest in Miss Beers in the first couple of weeks. He wouldn't admit it then, but he can't deny it now.

Daveo: "You like that Rebecca girl don't you!"
Chaz: "What are you talking about man!"

It was never going to be a surprise, but I still yelled in excitement upon reading the news.

No longer will they be what I call the Winans. ...BB and CC (Bebe and Cece). Get it? Hmm, Never mind.

'If' by Rudyard Kipling

Was just thinking of this poem, so I thought I'd post it. It's one of my favourites...

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

Which Book of the Bible are you?

Decided to do this quiz after seeing Megglesworth's blog.

I guess It's mostly true. What do you think?

You can do this test too. It's only five questions.

Fight Club 23

Tonight I spoke to ben on Skype for just under an hour. It was so awesome to hear you Ben! Oh and thanks for posting the fight club 23 video on your blog! I hadn't seen that video in soo long, and I didn't realise until it was over that my eyes were filled with tears. I still have those washable marker pens with me if anyone wants to come over and re-enact it with me...

The approved way of eating them

(Not totally going against what I just said) I thought of everyone whilst drinking hot chocolate through my penguin and staring at my photo wall in my room. Here's a photo taken of me about 3 minutes ago, and of my photo wall.

Thinking about Reminiscing

Got to hear Ben, Josh and Lindsay's voices last night for the first time since Capernwray and Tauernhof. It was wicked awesome (JN).

Sometimes I tell myself that I am wasting the now by living too much in the 82 (ND) or the 04/05, but then I stop myself and realise that what I had was such a darn good thing, that it would be stoopid to let go of it completely.
But I think that perpetual reminiscing about the past can only give us the Uncle Rico syndrome. Instead we should look at Capernwray and Tauernhof as the birthing place of great friendships. I think it's brilliant when our paths cross, but even better when they are in constant contact with each other.

I hope we never lose touch.

Here’s to Starting Over

After Tauernhof finished I had a few hours stopover in England before flying off to LAX where I would be working at Forest Home for the summer. For those of you who don’t know, Forest Home is a Christian Camp type place in the San Bernardino Mountains in California. I loved working with 10-12 year old kids all summer and I made some good friendships with some of the staff there. I guess I’ll have mixed memories of this summer, as (with any experience) there were lows as well as highs, but I look back with fondness upon this great experience and what I have learnt and got to do.
I worked in a different department to Dawn, Mona, Sarah Sitton, Young and Dani Zepter, as well Heather from Tauernhof, but went down to see them every chance I got.
Dawn and I got to meet up with BJ (and his whole family) and we went to see Marisa in San Diego. Also, Kaylie Wilson came over from another Forest Home campus a couple of times, and it was awesome to see her again.

Anyway, I got home to England sometime in August with two weeks to adjust and hang out with friends before going away to Regents Theological College where I am currently taking a 3year degree in Applied Theology in a town called Nantwich in Cheshire which is somewhat near Wales.

I enjoy it here, I love the lectures, and I’m doing pretty well in classes, but I still don’t really have many friends. It’s ok but if I could, I’d fly you all over here just to be with me at least for a little while.
Oh, by the way, everyone should download Skype, so we can talk and I can hear all your ridiculous accents. Ha. No seriously, it’s awesome and it’s free, so join the club! There are only about 10 of us Capernwrayites at the moment but that number will grow.
There are other issues on my mind at the moment, but I think this is enough to get me back into blogging mode, so if I stop posting, then just keep hassling me. Don’t be a stranger.
I see this as a new page in my life, and I'm hoping I won't screw it up real soon, but it's good to wake up in the morning and see it as the first day of the rest of my life. I propose a toast: "Here's to starting over!"