serendipity

2007-06-19T06:43:00.000-07:00

http://www.sexinchrist.com/

2007-06-14T05:25:00.000-07:00

Didn't get job in chester so came home and am living with grandparents atm. It feels very strange after living on my own for a year. I've gotten used to coming and going whenever, and not having to explain what I'm doing and when I'll be back. I realise that needs to be said out of politeness, but it still is odd. I also feel at a loose end a lot, havent got a job yet and I feel like I should be doing things all the time!

It's also weird not seeing people all the time. I guess at uni you're with people pretty much all the time, so not seeing them is strange. I love my family but think will be missing people from uni!

Really really needing to find a job (so so skint!) but it's not going great atm, hoping to find one soon!

It's nice to be back near the beach again-went for a cycle along the seafront last night, tres good. There's something about the sea and beach that just makes you feel good. (or maybe that's just me being strange?)

2007-06-06T09:57:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in over a month which can't be good, so here's a few updates.

Finished placement, mostly enjoyed it, glad it's over and I have a life again, not sure I'll be wanting to work for an anglican church but who knows?
Looking for a new placement for next year, tis looking hopeful that I'll go to the Hub in Ellesmere Port, it'll be interesting to do some secular youth work for a change.
No idea what's happening over the summer, have applied for a job here in chester, but havent heard from them yet, so it's not looking good there. Hopefully will find some work and somewhere to stay here over summer, not that I don't want to go home,but you do get used to having your own space and going back to sharing a bedroom with two others might be a bit of a change!

I've just realised why I don't blog much, as I can't think of things to write!

turtle race...

2007-05-02T11:12:00.000-07:00

ended and my turtle came 7th! it's the taking part that counts....

turtelage

2007-04-25T14:25:00.000-07:00

My turtle (Saphira) is currently in third place! Woo!

http://greatturtlerace.com/

quick questions

2007-04-13T06:10:00.000-07:00

To what extent is it good for christians to have varying viewpoints, is there a point at which this becomes a problem? Are there absolutes within christianity?

thinking...

2007-03-19T10:44:00.000-07:00

For placement I have a pastoral session with the vicar once a week which is a bit like counselling. I haven't decided if I like it yet, as I find myself talking to this guy I hardly know about things I wouldn't usually share with a stranger. It's bizarre to appreciate the skills (in listening etc) someone is employing and yet respond to them anyway!

One of the things that came up this week was sex, sexual boundaries between couples and marriage. I thought I'd blog about this because the ideas this guy had were (imo) quite odd for a vicar, or a least not what I would have expected. I got the idea from what he was saying that as long as I felt safe within a relationship, that there was nothing wrong with exploring sexually, that having a sexual drive is a normal thing for a person and that he didn't feel that God would be against someone having sex before they were married, because of the difference between marriage in todays society and in the Bible. (Sorry if I'm sounding a bit confusing-typing as I think) He also expressed that he felt sex was made into too big an issue in the church and why didn't we make such a big thing of lying or stealing.

Taking the last thing first, I do agree that for christians sex can be a major issue, possibly because it's made such a taboo subject within the church, but I also see why it's different from issues of lying or stealing. Firstly I don't know whether it can be compared to those things because that would suggest it's a sin. Which I don't believe it is, it's an expression of love, and of unity, created by God.Therefore I think we need to treat it differently from sin. So, because it's a God-given gift, how should we treat it? Should we take it lightly, as society often does? I don't think so. We should treat it as precious, and respect it as God's creation, entrusted to us. Which brings up the question, how should we use it?

Personally I got the impression biblically, that sex outside of marriage is not advised. But I've tried to look at it from the perspective of this vicar, which was that sex is equal to marriage biblically. It's two becoming one, a marriage of flesh to flesh. Whilst that makes sense, and I don't think it's wrong, in our society I think marriage-in a modern sense, is the best environment for a sexual relationship. Surely it provides a more secure place.

So I think what's left is where we put boundaries in relationships(i guess I'm disagreeing with the vicar now, that sexual exploration is ok.) I think(at least I think I do because I'm still thinking!)that it can't be wise to start a process you're not going to finish, however that means you have to think about what you'd define as sex, and what would make you desire to go further.

Can you tell I got confused by all this?! But I guess it's good that it got me to think.

(sorry for such a long blog!)

belief and practice

2007-02-13T09:41:00.000-08:00

Dot read something out in lecture today that I've been finding really challenging lately, about what we believe and what we do.

If what I say I believe doesn't really reflect how I live, then do I really believe it? Because I can live as though I don't believe at all, yet still claim belief. But that doesn't work, becuase believing is nothing without practice. There's no point in saying you believe something and living as though you don't because who does that help? It only makes your beliefs void in other people's eyes, and shows that you place no value on what you believe.

2007-02-03T12:13:00.000-08:00

If there were no heaven, would we still worship? I was thinking of this because a lot of people say that christians are christians because they want to believe in life after death. So if there were no promise of eternal life, would we still worship God or want to have a relationship with him?

links

2007-01-11T15:56:00.000-08:00

I really need to fill in the boxes at the side for links and things, but haven't a clue how! If any clever person would like to do it for me(please!) that'd be great!

new template

2007-01-02T06:51:00.000-08:00

Do you like my pretty new template? courtesy of Zoots designs (and Laura for having the link on her blog)

2006-12-24T06:36:00.000-08:00

So, you can blog in different colours. How good is that?

Yes, I know, small things!

2006-12-11T07:20:00.000-08:00

Thinking specifically about male/female interaction, particularly in bars or clubs, when did it become socially acceptable to stick your tongue down the throat of a stranger? To expect someone you've never met before to go to bed with you? To kiss someone before asking their name?

Seems to me that we're missing some stages out? It just seems to show a disregard or disrepect of each other. Is our generation so hedonistic that all that matters is selfish pleasure?

performance/worship

2006-10-30T07:59:00.000-08:00

Is it easy to distinguish between the two? Is it possible for a worship band to lead worship without some element of performance involved?

flag waving

2006-10-20T04:49:00.000-07:00

Can anyone explain this to me?

Women in authority?

2006-10-12T14:26:00.000-07:00

After brief discussions on this today, and the need for a topic to blog on that isn't benvolio (sorry), I thought I'd use this.

I know it's a subject gone over and over, and debated numerous times, but I'm sure it can't hurt to discuss it again.
I'm not very good at expressing my opinion in writing (or talking really for that matter) but I'll try. I have nothing against women having leadership roles in churches, I think it's necessary to have women in leadership in order to engage with society as it is now, how can the church hope to engage if it's refusing to put women in positions of authority when society is currently pushing for equal oppurtunities?

What are your opinions?

second time lucky?

2006-10-12T14:01:00.000-07:00

Last time I started a blog I think I got to my 5th inane rambling before I decided it would be a good idea (and a relief for the poor unfortunates who had to read it out of friendship duty) to stop. But hey, hopefully this time I'll have more interesting things to ramble about, and since it's compulsory I don't have to feel guilty at boring anyone! I seem to remember having to stop writing a diary when I was younger because I even bored myself! Or should I not have admitted that?