Today

I'm not gonna write much coz I'm about to watch 'How I met your Mother' (thank you Freya and Dave Gilbert...) but wanted to share, very quickly, about the day I've had and the amount of things I managed to fit in to the last 16.5 hours of my life.

Here goes.

- 2 hour exam on New York. Wrote 2 essays. Finished first year of University. Boom.

- Lunch with Maddy. Discussed many important things, put the world to rights etc.etc. Ate lunch in Comus. YUM and cheap. Bonus.

- Practiced songs with James for the lovely Fran Clarke's wedding that's coming up in September. Starting to sound good (if I do say so myself)

- Found 45 minutes to sit and rest (thought that wasn't gonna happen today). Spent a pretty little time with God and read the end of Acts - don't know how I haven't managed to do that before today but actually love Acts. Paul is such a dude.

- Learnt to speak HTML. (although I'm not fluent and Shuker would be the first to remind me of this). But basic HTML then. Like, level I for beginners. I can change the font on the CU website now, OK? And made it pretty colours. That's basically all that matters, right? (p.s. thank you Gavin for teaching me, and Becca for humouring me. LOL)

- Feedback sesh with some of the Exec about the Christianity Explored course we've been running for the passed few weeks. Fed back (that's usually what happens at these meetings). Some good stuff learnt!

- An hours chill time with Miss Becca, mostly trying to decide what to wear and how to fix my hair for that evening. But lovely still. Also experienced Becca giving her first piece of fashion advice (what shoes I should wear with the outfit I eventually chose) - she made a very good decision.

- Spent the evening eating home-made curry and wonderful desserts at the Gilberts' with Becca, Abi, Nadine and Tamsin (as well as Freya and Dave!). Put the world to rights again. The conversation covered new music - the best way to combat the burn of a spicy curry - christian music - abi's amazing dress sense - Kendall Payne - rob bell - chapel ball - American Idol - American X-factor - Greenbelt - Glastonbury line-up - the student diet - Dave's awesome iPod playlist - the Harry Potter party - who wins: Matt Redman or Tim Hughes? - wedding dresses - weddings in general - hair styles (for chapel ball) - the girl out of Enchanted - Einaudi - who is Matt Damon (honestly, Nadine....) - How I met your mother - Fake eyelashes - Dying ones eyelashes (this bit freaked Becca out more than the wedding dress and hair styles convos) - etc.etc.etc.

- lovely bus journey back with the twins

- Home now and about to have my first ever experience of How I met your mother - I have high expectations now because I've been warned that it is very similar to Friends. But I have been persuaded that it is a successful friends-wannabe sort of sitcom and that I will like it and potentially love it.

Here goes.......

God at Work.

"I am with you always, until the end of the age." (Matt 28:20)

Jesus' promise to His disciples, and to us.

He is with us and He never leaves us.

"I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever - the Spirit of truth." (John 14:16)

I know that God is with me all the time. In my head I know this and I cling to that knowledge, even when I can't feel Him. Even when prayers don't seem to get answered, or when promises aren't fulfilled as quick as I want them to be. Even when I don't feel happy, when I don't feel the joy of the LORD.

Good job my faith is not reliant on my feelings.

"Faith is...assurance about what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1)

And sometimes, faith is all I have. Sometimes I have to reach out anyway, even though I can't see or feel what it is I believe in.

But every so often, there comes a time when I do feel the presence of God, so gentle yet so real in my life. I don't cling to these experiences, but I enjoy them. I am refreshed and built up by them.

As we worshiped on Sunday in church, I knew He was there, I could physically feel His presence and felt His gentle nudging to trust Him, to step out. It's usually an emotional experience for me when God moves like that and I cry although I'm not sad. But there is just this peace, and contentment, and a gentle power.

Tonight, again, I could feel Him.

It's more than simply knowing in my head that God is there. It's knowing in my heart, with my heart. And it's knowing with every fibre of my being that there is more to this life that simply what is seen.

My friend Helen has recently joined our Exec Committee for CU. She is becoming a very good friend of mine. And over the time I have a known her, I've prayed for her a few times, that God would heal her back. She suffers with tension and pain in her lower back and has done for a few years. I think it's increased by stress too, so with exams over the past couple of weeks, and more to come, it's been a somewhat stressful and painful few weeks for her.

Tonight, our God who is Healer, took away the pain and tension she was feeling in her back and she was healed completely.

It's more than simply knowing the God is there. It's seeing it with my eyes, and experiencing it with others. It's seeing human frailty and weakness, restored and healed in Jesus' name by the One true God, who is living and active, and knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was the LORD at work. Amidst us.
What an honour.

And this God, lives in me.

What an honour.

I want this temple to be the best it can be for my LORD. Because He deserves my all and He is more than worth it.

A Day to Remember

I should reeeally be in bed now, but I just remembered that I went for a long walk with some friends this afternoon and took some lovely pictures :):) and I want to document them here before I head off to the land of nod...

I put the mycolor setting on to make the vibrant orange colours stand out even more, but I realise now that was quite unnecessary. The colours speak for themselves, as it were. They didn't require fancy camera work.

So much colour and life in the woods today. This picture reminds me of fairies or stars. The most beautifully scenery I've seen I think, in Keele woods of all places!!

'Creation's revealing your majesty...' Indeed it is.

Un-ripe pine cone? Covered in sap (my hands were sticky the whole way home) but very cute.

Not sure what sort of butterfly this is. But it was a caterpillar once upon a time, and that blows my mind. So beautiful.

Similarly beautiful, and intricate and tiny.

As was this little ladybug. Yet again another example of God's beautiful creation, intricate, functioning... amazing.

I'm sure Jon won't mind me posting this. (I hope!). He got baptised today :) what a joyful day it has been, celebrating in what God has made and what He has done for us!!

Hehe, some more of God's creations :):) my lovelies, after our stroll to starbucks yesterday.

In case you didn't already know what Starbucks was.

Still waiting.

So the World didn't end on Saturday. Jesus hasn't returned yet.

(in case you hadn't noticed.)

On Monday morning, the ears of Harold Camping's many generous followers will be tuned in to his morning radio show, waiting to hear how he will handle this whole situation of yet another failed rapture 'prediction'.

Now I am a firm believer in what Christ said when He told his disciples that 'No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father'. (Matt 24:36)

And a valuable lesson I learned a couple of years back taught me that our interpretation of Scripture never contradicts what the Word actually says.

But I have to admit that I prayed a lot on Saturday.

Just in case I suppose.

But mainly because I have a lot of friends who don't yet know Christ and wouldn't have been ready, had He returned that evening. Whilst I felt I was prepared, I knew people that weren't and that wasn't OK with me.

I had so many good conversations on Friday and Saturday. I talked through deep and sincere questions and fears with close friends of mine, about what might happen if Jesus did come back that night, about what would happen to them after that.. and I prayed and prayed that God would open their eyes for them to see Him and know the truth that can set them free.

I am still praying. But I am also praising God that there is still time.

The more I think about it, I feel like Paul when he writes to the Philippians. If I could be with Jesus now, there would be nothing better. But for every moment I am still here on earth and have breath in my lungs, I have time to share the Good News of Christ's death and resurrection with those who don't know.

The May 21st Apocalypse prediction was incorrect, but it certainly got people talking and renewed a sense of urgency within me that I should always have. My apathetic attitude towards people's salvation is simply not OK. This weekend I was reminded of that, and challenged to my core.

I am still waiting. But not passively. While I wait, there is still work to be done.

'The harvest is plentiful..' (Matt 9:37)

Season 8 Summary. (Because I can and I want to)

I watched The One with the Tea Leaves tonight.

Friends just never gets boring for me.

It's so good, I laugh out loud when watching, even if I'm on my own.

And I've come to realize, lately working my way through Season 8, that it is by far my favourite one.

I don't think any of the other seasons are so deliciously crammed full of excitement and life changing events as this one!

For the most part, Chandler is my favourite guy, and if I were a friends character I would quite obviously be Monica (mostly for the OCD streak). My favourite girl at this point is Rachel; aside from having amazing hair, and a very convincing fake pregnancy glow, she's just lovely. She's less winy and more chilled and did I mention that she has amazing hair?

The first episode of the Season is the denouement of Monica and Chandler's wedding, they both say 'I do' and of course everyone is happy! But then we find out that Rachel is pregnant with Ross' baby, and there's The One where Rachel Tells... And Ross freaks out for like a week. Eventually he gets over it though and again everyone is happy. Ross and Mona get together (holiday card, mix tape, key to his apartment ensue pretty rapidly). And then there's Brad Pitt's guest appearance (nuff said). And Joey's attempt to eat an entire Thanksgiving turkey... Soon after this, Joey takes Rachel on a date and ends up falling in love with her (- Joey in love is like the cutest thing ever btw. Ever.). Chandler takes a 'man' bath. Ross and Mona break up, because she 'goes away for a week and comes back to find that her boyfriend's pregnant ex-girlfriend [rachel] has moved back in with him' (this is so Ross doesn't miss anymore of the pregnancy.) Phoebe buys the Ms. Pacman game for Monica and Chandler. Rachel's boss tries to buy her baby although not really because Rachel just made that up so she and Joey would have something to talk about (Rachel's hair looks great still btw, and actually at this stage Phoebe's hair looks really good too.)

And that's where I'm currently at, but there's still some good bits to come (Monica's speech at her Parents 35th Anniversary, the baby shower and the numerous episodes that cover Rachel's seemingly never ending labour...)

Oh Friends.

You never get boring.

Well done to whoever decided all this excitement should occur in just one season.

:)

Deep fried ice cream goodness...

OK I did find a recipe for Fried Ice Cream this afternoon tho, which got me pretty excited for the time when I will no longer be sharing a kitchen with 22 other people...

As much as I shall really miss living in halls on campus, I am genuinely looking forward to going home and trying this. And also doing more baking. Lots of baking.

:)

(if you want to try this, here's the website that has the know how!

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/4hjU44/simplysogood.blogspot.com/2011/05/fried-ice-cream.html ENJOY!)

Since I'm not saying much, things must be going unsaid.

I'm feeling withdrawal symptoms from having not blogged in a while.. It saddens me to think that I willingly suppress in me the desire to write, in order to get to bed at a decent hour, or because I should be doing something valuable like studying or sending important emails.

And then I arrive at the stage where I am yearning to blog but have nothing to say. I am currently in this stage.

I haven't even taken any good photographs lately so I can't even upload a picture.

Goodness.

Right, I shall search my brain a little and find something to record...

...

OK so when I have thought of something, I'll come back and write later.

text-a-toastie

It is all sorts of necessary that i blog tonight.

For many reasons. But there is one, in particular, overriding, very incredible reason why i should overcome my current writing mode (i.e. 'just swallowed a dictionary' or 'writers block' - both due to recent essay deadlines) and blog about what just happened.

This is what just happened:

It may not seem like much, but let me explain!

Our Mission Coordinator, Becca, is very good at her role on CU exec (as are the rest of the team - but this story relates directly to her initiative!!). For the past few months, she has been contacting other CU's around the country and checking out their websites to get creative ideas of how we can be more missional, and bless Keele students in a practical way, whilst also creating opportunities to talk about our faith.

In order to make space for us to be intentional about this, we have made a tri-weekly schedule of our CU meetings.

Week 1 - ARK (Act of Random Kindness). Mission / service project / outreach on campus, and maybe an invite for them to join us the following week, which is:

Week 2 - Social. A time to hang out and fellowship together - every Society on campus has regular socials, and that usually involves heaving drinking, so we avoid that aspect and just enjoy a time where we can chill out and spend more time together, maybe go out for food or to the pub, or have a quiz or something along those lines.. and then:

Week 3 - Meeting. In this week we have a time of worship together, and teaching or discussion where we can really dig in to the Word and learn together about our amazing God!

So that's our new structure, and this week was a 'Week 1.' ARK.

Enter, 'text-a-toastie'.

I'm unsure as to what Uni we got the idea from, but having heard that it works verrrry well on a number of other campus', Becca introduced the idea to us. The last two times we've done an ARK have been making pancakes for people in blocks all over campus, and then washing up in kitchens (which is 2nd in the list of student appreciation, only to 'free food') both of which have been successful and great conversation starters. Tonight was sort of... well, a step up from these.

Lots (and lots!) of prayer and preparation went in to making this evening happen and it was just awesome to see the ways that God turned up.

Flyers, posters, a giant whiteboard outside the library and lots of facebook profile pictures helped get the word out about 'free toasties' on wednesday may 11th.

Between the hours of 7 and 9 tonight, anyone on keele campus could text in to request a toastie (with 2 fillings, cheese / tomato / ham / chocolate spread) and ask one question they have about God / Christianity / Life / the World etc...

And text they did!

Keele CU had the privilege this evening of spreading out across campus, serving and providing food to students, and giving an answer to / conversing about some of the most difficult questions that even we as Christians often struggle with.
Questions about life after death, sin and forgiveness, good vs evil, homosexuality and the church, amongst others flooded in and I couldn't help being inspired and somewhat emotional by what I saw and heard; the obvious craving for spirituality, for answers to hard questions, or just for opportunity to ask these hard questions and talk about possible answers if not the definite one... cravings for love and acceptance, for honesty, for someone to follow and look up to, for certainty in a life that is all over the place, for clarity and peace where there is confusion and hostility..

Christ offers all of this.

I have Christ to offer.

How can I keep Him to myself?

"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.." Matt 5: 14-15

The light we have in us, is not to be hidden. The message we carry, we should not keep a secret.

I know I am blessed to be part of a CU that is so richly resourced and supported by students, by Keele itself and by the local church. I hope and pray we are using the resources we have efficiently and wisely and to their full potential and I am so very excited to see what God has in store for the rest of the year... If the past 5 months are anything at all to go by, Father will be growing and stretching us immensely as we continue to shine the light of Christ around Keele.

At the end of this long, but amazing day, I have to declare that God deserves all the glory for this and the success and fruit that has already and will come from this evening.

Hallelujah!