61,000 Donkeys

Single Christian?

I have undertaken a new blog project (this ones still going) From my study and from relay and uni experance i have decided to do a blog dedicated to Christian singleness. I will attempt to publish as mch as possible the reasearch and museings i have had so far on being a single christian, especialy what the bible says on this topic with the aim to help those out there struggling.
hope people find it helpful (when i get it started)
the site is:

http://thesinglechristian.blogspot.com/

posted by Jonny:) @ 6:47 PM 0 comments

Relay the NOT so terrible truth

Right i've had a cuppa coffe, breakfasr and some reflection.
Yes i am insane but that was already established before relay
i just need to get more sleep, much more sleep...

posted by Jonny:) @ 6:36 PM 0 comments

Relay: the terrible truth:

Yes I will speak now and not be silent, Relay messes with your head!!!

How you ask?

After Well its Christmas time a time to relax and unwind after a term of student work. However all is not as it seems. Last night I was dreaming, although the content was based around situations that I had to get out of due to the Relay commitments, I couldn’t stay at a house because it was mixed so I was in the countryside trying to make phone calls to find somewhere to stay!!!

I’m dreaming about the relay commitments? Relay is invading my sleep!!!

Is anyone else out there suffering?

Or is it just me/ have I just lost it?

posted by Jonny:) @ 10:18 AM 0 comments

7 THINGS:

To do before I die / (get married)

1. Get published, either my writing or Photography
2. Walk hardpans wall, I attempted this did about half of it with better planning I could do it again.
3. Find some amazing archaeological find... temple maybe
4. read the bible all the way through
5. skinny dipping
6. win more shooting trophies
7. Hug Kath

I can’t do

1. sew, sing, play the piano forte’
2. chin ups
3. walk though walls
4. put up with “crap” from people who really should just leave it and get on with their lives
5. drive… legally
6. Find the last piece of the jigsaw!!
7. Hug Kath

Say most often

1. I luv my doggies
2. No MILK !!! I drink it black
3. something unconstructive or inapropreate in supervision time
4. Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?
5. well I don’t say this but its more of a gesture of affection, making fist, hit my chest twice then leave the fist slightly off the chest pointing at whoever I want to feel this gesture of affection
6. What’s going on?????
7. Kath I don’t know what’s going on!!!!

Films I watch over and over

1. Terminator 2
2. True lies
3. Gladiator
4. The Rock
5. Galaxy Quest
6. Fifth Element
7. ummmm…. Errr…… sliding doors

Books I love

1. The bible
2. Robert Jordan’s wheel of time series
3. David Gemmel…. Well all his books are fantastic
4. Steven King The Stand / Needful things
5. Raymond Fiest Magician (and his other works)
6. Emily Bronte Wuthering heights
7. George Orwell 1984

Songs I listen to the most

1. Cheryl Crow First cut is the deepest

2. Cheryl Crow. feat Kid Rock Picture

3. Eminem Like Toy soldiers

4. Eminem When I’m Gone

5. KT Tunstal The other side of the world

6. Iron Maiden The Wicker man

7. Linken Park. Feat JayZ, Numb/encore

posted by Jonny:) @ 12:36 PM 4 comments

posted by Jonny:) @ 6:57 PM 0 comments

Narnia:

At long last it has arived on the screen, and already causing a stir, is it christian is it not is it the chirstmas blockbuster is it better than harry potter... What is undeniable is lots of people are talking about it.
So Dysney got the film, and they kept the christan message/allogory (The bit about the cross !!)
What were my thoughts, yes it was good, a nice family film that keeps the intrest., And yes it has the basics of the cross there so it can be used as an evangelistic tool. Graphic were good, and the humour and language was done so that it keep the 1940's feel of the book yet was made relevent to children today, none of tis "oh you beast edmund" .

However some musings:

WHO IS ASLAN?
The film seems to be mostly about the children fullfilling prophercy, about the winter ending and the focus is them and thier quest. Aslan is a secondary character to them. Not much is explained about who he is, apart from King of the Woods, where the books are more direct with thier links between Aslan and Jesus, (son of the emporer acrioss the see) much of this is missed out. Partly due to tranferance across to screen as much you cant communicate from the books.

EDMUND'S ISSUES
Edmund is a much more sypmathtic character in the film, at the start he is told off for getting a phot of his father, and much of his bad behaviour is (in the film) due to his father not being there and fighting in the war, the other sibling do not understand this and are harsh on him. Where as the books the children are harsh there is an element of Edmund being much more malicious that is realy not there. You realy feel nothing but sympathy from the start for edmund in the film

SUSAN
This is intresting. In the film she is the viouce of reason and logic. As she is in the books. For some reason she seemed as not to realy click in the film, she always seemd a bit removed and only related to the other children. You almost get the sense that she belives because the other children do. I have some thouht if this is dilberate because of what happens in the last battle. if you have not read that book look away now !! As susan does not go to heaven (she turns her back on narnia) i wonder if they are making her character less likable more antagonistic to soften the blow? this was the issue that made Philip pullman write his books.

LUCY
A child actor who looks about 4, k bit harsh but she does alright. However you do almost expect her head to rotate 360 degree a la exocist and start vomiting.... k that was a less serrious random thought i had whilst watching to end this ramble

posted by Jonny:) @ 2:59 PM 0 comments

The Lord gives and the Lord takes away:

We opften hear this as a clichque about things. But i recently have experanced this. Wednesday i got the final ammount missing from relay from a relative, excellent i can now finnish relay and still be in the green. Thursday night i found out i might not have somewhere to live next year. The rent and council tax on the house is very steep, but the money is there for me to pay for it. However one of the hosuemates does not want to renew the tenancy agreement, hmmm so i wont live there past june and i wont keep up the tenancy myself as i cant afford it and two of us coulnt live there so it looks like i'm going to have to finda alternate accomodation.
reminds me of that song

posted by Jonny:) @ 4:27 PM 0 comments

Mens Ministry

so this saterday i had a few lads from Cu around for breakfast, lots of yummy roasted meat and eggs etc. It was a sucess. Unfortunalty i was rather convicted that i hadnt put enough effort into the study but some intresting pionts were raised.
We talked about, masculinity and the church/CU how do we feel and act being men? do we become more efeminate? And a short look at 2 peter ch 5 charaterisitcs of the young christian male: humble, self controlled, and alert. Yeah like men are that. Looking at the nature of the devil looking for someone to devour, after much talk with sam (Realy portsmouth) and loking at the greek, this is probably general teach, it could be teaching directled specificly at men (with general aplications), However why do our churches lack young christian men? why are those that fall away so often men? i think there is a direct challange here to christian men, BEWARE ! it is said lone rangers are dead rangers , indeed how true. Men are the least likely to go ask for help, its not in our nature (fallen nature), we are not likely to admit defeat or that we struggle, its not manly. hence if we get no support, how much likely is the devil to devour us !
Aplication, Accountabilty groups! its a time for men to be men with each other, sorry ladies you can be a great help and encouragement to us, but somehtings you wont understand or be able how to help us, likewise we cant help you in everything either.
The intresting comments that came out was from two of them who said that since the female housemate had left the felt more comfortable in the house and with each other. The third guest also said it was good to be away from the girls so that we could be more ourselves with each other.
SO WHAT??? Mens ministry, get into it get involved in it, if there isnt any start it. Just be men with each other and be open with each other, look at what the bible says, look to exhort/encourage each other to get the vision and aplly the bible to each others lives. AND PRAY !!! 1 peter 5 vs 7 "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. "
These mens breakfasts are something i hope to continue next term to help encourage male students to seek to be more chirstlike in an enviroment they can be real, honest and seeking. Its not hard, you can do it too!

posted by Jonny:) @ 3:24 PM 3 comments

Bruce almighty:

So Sunday afternoon I was stuck between having a nap and watching a film, I decided to put a film on and go to sleep, however as much of my collection is quite loud I put on Bruce almighty. It is really hard to fall asleep in front of this as it has many good points.

First, guidance There is a scene at the start where Bruce is praying asking God to do something, show him a sign, her passes two signposts and a truck of signs then crashes. I thought, how much like that are we? We keep praying and asking for the big miraculous signs yet don’t see them. They are either right in front of our faces, often in the bible, or we are ignoring them because we don’t want to listen to God, as he isn’t saying what we want him to say.

Second: God’s work/will. If you watch the deleted scenes they are quite interesting. When Bruce finally admits he cant be God, God is caring and talking to him, Bruce says “I thought if I gave everyone what they want they would be happy”, God replies “since when do people know what they want?” Obviously a rhetorical question, it’s a good point, how often do we think I want this, how much more does God know what we want. The deleted scenes are of three different characters who Bruce helps, God show them the characters and what they are doing after they had been helped. Open was a bullied kid, who Bruce makes stronger, he turns into a bulky himself, God explains that this kid was going to be a great poet, his muse was his childhood pains, instead now he is strong he becomes a bully and will end up in prison. Interesting thoughts again, how often do we ask for the wrong things or think we know best (the whole concept of the film!). God is God. We are not, yet he knows all and knows what is going to be best for us.

Finally submission. The most amazing scene of the film is Bruce walking in the rain when everything has fallen down around him, he wanted to be God ad realises that he cant. He himself is too fallible and doesn’t understand or can’t make the “no” choices in peoples lives. He cries out, “you win I submit”. This is humility, something we all need. The whole point of the cross is that we cant do it, we cant be right with God, by turning to Christ we admit we cant do it and we submit to Christ and his work. Likewise when we are Christians we often forget this, this is a good thing to remember.

posted by Jonny:) @ 3:55 PM 0 comments