Almost A Year

A rather wonderful person did a rather wonderful but slightly crazy thing and read my entire blog from end to beginning.

And which we discovered that it's almost a year since I began this adventure of blogging.

New-ish

So last weekend I was introduced to various people as Vikki's new-ish boyfriend. That made me smile!

It's Around Here Somewhere

So this morning while walking to the station, the sky covered in grey clouds, the scent of rain hanging there like cheap perfume with the odd splatter of precipitation like some more err cheap perfume, wait I'm getting lost in a ridiculously fragant digression here... Oh yes so this morning while walking to the station I had an idea for a blog, I seem to recall it was a great idea.

Unfortunately I cannot remember it.

Where Does The Time Go?

It's now two months since my 30th birthday. Time does appear to be flying by. It's been a strange mix of wonderful and sad...

I have made some progress on the novel and have a few more ideas which is good.

And my girlfriend leaves me amazed by her kindness, generosity, goodness and all round awesomeness. She is nothing short of amazing.

Sunburn, it's a tad annoying and I caught some on holiday.

What's This? I've Gone Anglican...

I have fallen out of the habit of blogging of late. One of the main reasons for this was the desire to write about specific things that have happened of late but being so busy has made this difficult. On top of that I didn't want to put up the more jovial posts while I had a big blog in mind, it didn't sit right with me.

So there has been a major decision taken, a major change and the experience of doing one of the hardest things I have ever faced. Back in January I felt the Lord say that "it was time to move on". At the time I wasn't entirely sure what it related to, but over the last 6 months I have had various revelations in regards to this. After much prayer and thought I felt once again a small voice telling me it was time to move on, and this time specifically it was time to leave my church of Hope.

So a few weeks ago I faced what to my mind is one of it not the toughest thing I have ever done and tell my parents that I am no longer going to Hope. For the last 15 years they have looked afater me, fed me, encouraged and challenged me and been the most amazing advert of faith in God in action. And I had to tell them that I am leaving all that. To their credit and in no way a surprise they were amazing about it. Even now I blown away by their kindess, goodness, understanding, the way in which they shared God's love in the midst of a potentially awkward situation.

So I have for the last 3 weeks been attending an Anglican church.

It's been interesting to say the least but it has been challenging and made me think. One of the reasons for my "defection" was that I had got too comfortable. I trust my parents implicitly and 30 years of them being proved right time and time again has reinforced that. As well as seeing the way they have read their bible and applied it on day by day basis. How they have sort to allow God into all areas of their lives - I have lived with it and seen it with my own eyes. And now I have stepped out of my comfort zone and am having to question the teaching I am receiving. (I would add that my parents have constantly instructed me to question their teaching and look at it in the light of God's word!).

So there you have it, I've gone Anglican.

Silence...

Because I'm not entirely sure what to say...

A few weeks ago was the first anniversary of a friend's death. I was actually in Mumbai on the actual anniversary. That struck me as being significant as he was the one who first introduced me to India, first took me there and Mumbai was the last place I had seen him in India.

It seems strange to think it's been a year, there are still times when I forget that he has gone. The other day I noticed in my mobile phone that I still have his telephone number there under his name. I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like for his wife and daughter but I am honoured to be a part of their lives.

Talk has begun again of recording some of his songs, people seem to be looking to me about it. I feel spectacularly unqualified to do such a thing. To butcher a phrase I'm not worthy to re-string his guitar let alone record his songs. And yet my dear friend was always encouraging me, inspiring me, helping me, even when I butchered his songs. One of my fondest memories was when I was strumming a song by Coldplay and he said to me, "is that one of yours?", to which I replied "no" and he said "well it sounds like you". I loved the way it came out as a compliment, multi million selling Coldplay sounds like DT as opposed to DT sound's like Coldplay. But that was Peter, the perfect teacher. As regards recording, I don't really know what to do... I talk lots, do very little and thus achieve not a lot. And in this case I am scared to do something because if it turns out to be crap I am not sure I could live with that...

Thirty Things Before I'm Thirty

It occured to me that many people have a list of things they want to do before a certain point in their lives. Such as "thirty things to do before I turn thirty". I never made one of those, but on the eve of turning thirty I thought I'd come up with a list of thirty things I have done which I am pleased with, amused by or proud of etc. So in no particular order;

1) Begun to learn to drive (yes I had my first lesson age 29 and 364 days!)
2) Been to India.
3) Was bestman, performed the music and compere at my sister's wedding.
4) Wore a bridesmaid's dress (emerald green).
5) Had a haircut (and raised nearly £2000 for charity).
6) Started writing a novel (nearly a 1/3 of the way through).
7) Convinced my bro that he should play footie (Marsh Rangers the curent benefactors of this!)
8) Gave a speech at my parent's 25th wedding anniversary celebration.
9) Stood on the edge of the Grand Canyon.
10) Started dating the most wonderful girl in the world.
11) Had a permanent job for more than a year (4 years and counting!).
12) Moved out of my parent's house.
13) Seen Arsenal beat Spurs/Liverpool/Man Utd at Highbury/Emirates.
14) Was at Denis Bergkamp's debut and when he scored his first goal for Arsenal.
15) Performed infront of 300 people.
16) Performed in front of 1 person.
17) Written songs which have meant things to other people.
18) Scored 8 goals in 6 aside football having not played footie for a month (ok I'm beginning to realise that it's quite difficult to think of 30 things on the fly!).
19) Led worship in an Anglican church and been invited back again.
20) Started writing a blog.
21) Not killed myself or anyone else.
22) Sang/recorded with my favourite band (Delirious - Glo).
23) Worn a lime green suit jacket.
24) Mentored someone.
25) Eaten a lot of chocolate and not got excessively fat.
26) Got housetrained (thanks to my parents good upbringing).
27) Got a degree (2:1)
28) Shaved my head and grown a fu manchu moustache.
29) Flown first class and stayed in a 5 star hotel.
30) Known God for 27 years (I'm not proud just unbelievably greatful for his goodness to me).