Death To Self While Feeling Like Death

So last night's sermon coupled with the John Stott book I've been reading served to remind me about the Jesus principle of death to self.

Now the reasons for this; explained by many and at great length far better than I, however in brief summary are... For the greater glory of God, the greater blessing of his presence and the greater blessing of more fruit/chocolate/other good things.

So this morning I put the principle of death to self to work. I woke up with a headache having not slept at all well. I then put to death the feeling like death and got up and went to work. 3 teas, 2 ibuprofen, 1 coffee, 1 orange juice, some fruit(apple and grapes), a small(ish) toblerone and an 'all day breakfast' sandwich later coupled with a smattering of prayer and I am hanging on in there. Hopefully the principle is at work while being at work.

I must confess I am hoping for some presents and fruit later. In the meantime I've got data everywhere.

In other good news, despite a very bad week for the diet I have not gained any weight. I am still 13 and 2 lil bits.

Oh go on then let's be mildly controversial

Was pondering a few things written on a friend's blog and thought I'd be mildly controversial.

Christians love to bash Westboro and it got me thinking that perhaps we shouldn't be quite so condemnatory and perhaps we should show them some love and forgiveness and perhaps some kindness... Now that would be interesting.

What Do You Do When...

...people use their free will to do 'bad' things?

Patience...

...is perhaps one of the hardest thing in our 'instantaneous' fastfood society. Yet it would appear to be a trait that is necessary to having peace and living a fulfilled life.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4 NIV

How often do I want an instant answer, an instant reward, an easy fix.

It is obvious from nature that things take time to grow and mature AND yet we ignore this and demand now now now.

I sometimes wonder in our busyness and demanding and incessant noise how much we are missing the stillness and peace of Christ.

And in that comes a strengthening of our faith.

Diet success/fail...

So re-did the whole weighing thing on the original scales - 13 stone 2. Which means I've lost 2. Diet success!

Someone bought heroes into work, I ate them. Forgot to take footie kit to work and didn't get home in time to get back to hillingdon sports centre for 8pm so no football for me. Watches tv and ate angel slices instead. Diet fail!

Stupid Diet

Weighed myself tonight... Not lost any weight. Stupid diet.

Barry White, The Munchkin and Silence

I woke up on Monday morning with a sore throat. My colleagues decided that the I'd obviously been on the sauce over the weekend, which strictly speaking wasn't incorrect but I suspect was only one of many contributing factors. So for 3 days I sounded like Barry White; now this is not necessarily a bad thing, in fact sometimes this is a good thing. However disaster struck on Thursday morn.

Now for the unknowing - my wife's alarm goes off first and she leaves before I get up (no surprises there really!). However I usually am vaguely awake enough to say hello and a few other sweet words. This Thursday morning though Barry had disappeared, infact he had shrivelled down into a munchkin. The husky voice had turned into a squeek. The walrus of love was no more. Sadly the munchkin's existance lasted for about an hour and then croaked.

Silence...

Not good.

By the time my dear wife returned home a pale imitation of Barry had reappeared. So as I sit on the sofa this Friday morning, all wrapped up with the jewellary channel on tv and church bells echoing through Hayes spare a thought for all the poor saps who are stuck at home having to watch daytime television. If anything was designed to make you feel worse about yourself and rush back to work this does!

In other news I must confess that in a moment of trying to make myself feel better I ate chocolate. 300 grams of Galaxy chocolate. It definitely made me feel better. And it probably hasn't negatively impacted the diet too much because I've hardly eaten a thing so it probably was a good aid!

Probably Should Weigh Myself

So I'm not sure if the diet is working, problem is I haven't weighed myself to see if I have lost any weight! I don't feel smaller or healthier for that matter. This could be the problem with feelings, as my dad says 'notoriously unrealiable'.

Last night I ate two slices of cake and some chocolate, twas part of dinner at my friend's very enjoyable 30th birthday party. Good times. Although both the wife and I felt slightly bloated by the time we left. It didn't break the terms of the dietary plan but probably didn't help the losing weight process either...

First Time In A Long Time

For the first time in a very long time, 17 long months, I opened up the novel and wrote something. Only about 100 words today but still a small but hopefully significant step. I was challenged at church by the sermon delivered by Father Cliff yesterday; thus this evening instead of just slouching in front of the tv I have done the washing up, cooked dinner and most importantly supported my wife in her work by being relatively quiet on the sofa and doing some work on le novel! That is all...