Tuesday 6 May 2014

Food, glorious food!

My last blog post got almost double the amount of views as any other post this year but I thought that this time I might actually try to write something!

The Easter holidays were great. I went to Spring Harvest with Hanborough Church and there were some brilliant talks (definitely the best I've heard at Spring Harvest).  I can't quite believe that this is my last term working for St Leonard's it's really getting quite scary now... Currently I have no plans after the next four months. I do however have a lot of things to be getting on with in the meantime.

The last couple of weeks have been busy in the office particularly last week when we had two work experience students putting the office headcount at 6 (if you've ever seen our office you will know that this is a lot of people) It was lovely to have them though and they were very helpful. We also went up to the roof of the tower for lunch when we realised that Olly had taken them up there and never taken us!!!!!

We are busy at the moment with planning and fundraising for Soul Survivor there is a community day in Eynsham on Saturday and we will be washing cars painting faces and helping people with their computer problems (so please come along and support us.)

I have also been doing more baking the last couple of weeks and have consumed large amounts of sugar (I am currently eating a slice of homemade batten burg) so I have now booked my first dentist appointment in two years to make sure I don't completely rot my teeth! The baking has mainly been in order to avoid tackling the ever increasing pile of college work sitting on my desk!




I would really appreciate prayer for plans for next year and also that I would be able to complete my college work and finish this year well.

Tuesday 18 March 2014

Peace and Quiet

Things have calmed down a bit and got back to normal over the last couple of weeks. I managed to go to St Ebbes for the first time since January and have been enjoying things being a little more relaxed at the weekend. (I did go to Cadbury's world though which was amazing - I ate an awful lot of chocolate!) I have also now finished college for Easter (we have 5 weeks off!) which will hopefully give me some time to actually get some work done!

I have also been loving the sunshine and even got my legs out on Sunday and did a bit of sunbathing with a book in the garden!

At Pathfinders we have been running project nights where all the kids spend three weeks doing one of four projects (woodwork, knitting, filming or magic.) This has allowed me to tick something off my bucket list as I have now learnt a magic trick. I have also managed to lose two cards down a radiator which means I only have 50 left in my pack.

We have also had a Soul Survivor meeting - the fundraising is going really well but there are lots of things coming up which you can support. The next event is a coffee morning at the Church Hall this Saturday.

I've been thinking a lot about the future and what I'm going to be doing next year so I would really appreciate prayer that I would know what I should be doing.

I am currently the only person left in the office so I am really enjoying the peace and quiet!

Wednesday 5 March 2014

Another flipping blog

This weekend we went to Viney Hill for our Youth Weekend Away. This was a great success and really good fun although I think everyone has come home feeling completely exhausted!

During the weekend we played lots of silly games and did some activities (I did manage to persuade Olly to put me on Crate Stacking so didn't get too cold and managed to climb up 14 crates.) There was also a serious side to the weekend with the young people taking part in three different workshops as well as worship round the campfire on saturday and a service on the sunday. I was running a workshop on evangelism with Olly and Jonathan which went really well (although we did run out of time.) One of the challenges we gave the young people was to commit to praying for 5 people who they would like to become christians, so I have also decided to set myself this challenge however as I work for a church and do most of my socialising at church things I have realised I have very few non Christian friends!

I have also eaten a lot of pancakes over the last week as I had pancakes in both my cell groups, my home group at Ebbes and at home! I have now managed to perfect my flipping technique (thanks to Sarah for the blog title). I wanted to think of something to do for lent and am considering trying a lent thing organised by tearfund which gives you an action to complete each day. Here is the website: http://village.rhythms.org/square/livefree-lent/ Feel free to check up on me!

I have finally been given a hospital appointment for my Chronic Fatigue which is tomorrow so if people could pray for that I would be very grateful!

Tuesday 11 February 2014

21

Since my last blog I have turned 21! I managed to make my birthday last for almost a whole week with a few celebrations, I went out for lunch with my parents, went out for a meal with some friends and had tea and cakes with some family friends! I also managed to get onto the TV on my birthday!


We also went on our Youth Workers retreat 'Soul Net' which was a weekend at Centre Parcs. There were lots of great teaching and worship times and it was great to have some time set aside to spend with God. However there was a lot of 'enforced fun' when Olly wouldn't let me nap or sit quietly and read so it wasn't particularly relaxing for a retreat!

We have lots of exciting stuff coming up in the next few weeks - There is a cell celebration service this sunday and at the end of this month is the Youth Weekend away which we are currently planning for.

Tuesday 21 January 2014

Soul Survivor and other things

We are now back in full swing in the office and busy planning all the events that are coming up in the next few months.

One thing that is keeping us busy is planning and fundraising for Soul Survivor this summer. (We are having a cake sale and promise auction on sunday after church so if you are around come along.) I have also just filled in my application form to be a village host.

We are also sorting out the youth weekend away and I am praying that Olly won't make me do raft building as it is winter and will be far too cold!

The other thing that is occupying my thoughts at the moment is what I am going to be doing next year. This is the time of year when I need to start filling in application forms and making some decisions but I still don't know what I should do - if you could pray for some guidance for me (or give me a job) that would be great!

This weekend I am going to be celebrating my Scottish ancestry by going to a Burns night celebration (I have never been to one before so don't really know what to expect but am pretty sure I won't like Haggis!)

I also have 7 assignments to write by the 10th February so I am going to stop writing this and get on with some work!

Tuesday 7 January 2014

Happy New Year!

I am a big fan of new years resolutions and as always have a list for myself this year. Some of them are little things for instance this year I am going to learn how to solve a rubik's cube! I am also planning on reading 100 books (last year I challenged myself to 50 but read 68).

I also like to use this as a time to reflect on my relationship with God. One resolution I have every year is to read my Bible and pray everyday. I don't think I have ever succeeded in doing this however the challenge certainly makes me pick up my Bible more often than I otherwise might. 

Another challenge I have set myself this year is to write down one thing everyday that I am thankful to God for. I am very good at bringing lists to God of all the things I want him to change - thankfulness on the other hand is something I have always struggled with. I realise I am incredibly lucky and take this for granted and when I read the Bible I am struck by the prayers which seem to praise God more than they ask for things. 

I love lists. I love being able to tick boxes and often this helps me to focus on what is important however being a christian is not a list of things I need to do but a relationship, so my prayer this new year is that God would help me to complete my New Years Resolutions; but more importantly that he would draw me into a closer relationship with him.