Life...Past, Present and Future.

I always log into my blog thinking I'll have something incredible to write about that will have people interested in what I have to say by the masses. However, as soon as I get onto the new post bit and it says 'Title:' - I'm stuck for words. I don't know what I want to talk about! There's so much...but I never quite know how to put it into words.

I'll begin with saying that I'm on my Easter break. I've been at home for just over seven days now...and it feels like I've done a years worth of stuff in it! Last weekend I was able to see some of my friends from Romania - which was amazing, and we hung out and had I stayed with them for the night where we watched 'Sister Act'. The night was really good - and I loved being able to talk to them again...they're really great people.

Then since Monday, I've been helping out at my church's Holiday Bible Club. It's such a great opportunity to be able to freely tell children about the gospel of Jesus - but it is tiring work. Up at 7.30am...then a fun filled morning until around 1pm. You can't imagine how much you can do within this time unless you've experienced it yourself. It's really good to be able to talk to the kids about Jesus, and getting to know a couple of the kids so I'm hoping I'll be able to talk to them a bit more tomorrow!

After the stories, songs (I'm in the HBC band), quizzes, challenges, games, challenge sheets and dancing...you're tired, but it never kicks in until the night. It's incredible how God has been keeping us strong!! We can't do it by ourselves, I'd be a complete wreck...but relying on God's strength means I can wake up each morning (not necessarily quickly or with a big glistening smile on my face!) and get into what I'm waking up early for...to teach these kids about God, and it's all for His glory! Brilliant...

There are moments of silliness...a hair gel challenge. I was the judge who had to judge my friends who had just had their hair restyled by the kids. Yeah...I should have known what the aftermath would be. I strolled into the corridor and got jumped by the hair gel crew. We had a brief spell of immaturity, before realising, this is going to set soon and we're about to go to the cinema. SHAMPOO? ANYONE!

There is a tradition of silliness...and I'm quite glad it came out. Another tradition that we have is that on the Wednesday of HBC week, we go the cinema. 'Clash of the Titans' was this year's film. Considering I hadn't a clue what it was about, it was a 12, and with it's given name - I wasn't expecting much. But I loved it! It was about Perseus - and if you know your Greek mythology, you'll know what's to come...but the film exceeded my initial expectations with flying colours. The cast was incredible. Liam Neeson - need I say more? Yes...Ralph Fiennes. Two amazing men.

This was with my church friends. Away from this, I went out with my friends from school on Tuesday evening for some drinks and then to play pool. Girls won again...2-0. The boys have never defeated us completely, they've won battles but we've always won the overall war! And with my family, well mum, we went to the cinema tonight to try and see 'Dear John'...turns out it's not out til next week. So we opted to see 'How to Train Your Dragon'. Again, my expectations were low - having not been to see an animation in ages. But, it was quite entertaining...not my favourite animation...but certainly a good watch. It had a good voice cast, Gerard Butler provided the voice of Stoick, the top Viking leader guy...I wasn't so impressed with his looks in this though...but his voice was still definitely worth listening to. His emotion really shone through, especially at the end. He had proved himself in the animation area as well...which means his range is increasing...and at a fast rate.

So, this was all within a week. Now, what's to come?

Tomorrow, up again at 7.30 - and HBC again! With all the shananigans included I shouldn't wonder - I know one thing which is happening...mwahaha. Then we're going out to lunch later on (and rumour has it the people have a pool...and HBC haven't had a traditional water fight in 2 years...maybe it'll make it's comeback tomorrow?). Then I'll be waiting round for 7.30pm, where I shall be going to a planning meeting for the Romania trip in July/August. I can't wait for this - 14 days!!! Beats the 10 days we did last year -- because it's 4 more days there!! I'll be playing guitar there, so we'll be picking songs soon. Aaaand, dramas...I love dramas, can't act for toffee...but meh...I don't mind...we'll be planning those too. :o) I always played a bad guy last year...oh, and a random person being held down by my sins. Dramas are really good to portray a message...especially across a language barrier. You don't need to speak the language...your actions provide everything! We have this ability - God is amazingly great!

Then over the weekend, more HBC events! Fancy dress, and games. Then the Sunday morning event...pray that parents would come along with their kids...so that they too would hear the gospel too. I pray that God would prepare their hearts. It's another opportunity we have to share our lives with these non-believers, so we shouldn't be careless to waste it but remembering it's for God's glory not our own.

That'll be it to sum up the last 7 days and the upcoming 3 days. After that, I'll be at home for another week working on my last assignment. It's quite a change! But I'll be appreciating the extra sleep, I can imagine!

Ciao for now dear void.

Good Friday

Jesus' death and the purpose behind it is significant and relevant to me every day of my life...but sometimes I forget how significant it is, and I am reminded of it each year around this weekend. I should look to Jesus every day and thank him for the wonderful gift of life he gave me, but I often stumble and forget. Yet, God still loves me! I often wonder why...but in his great love and mercy, he saved me - and the chance of this amazing relationship was made through Jesus' death - and his death, a horrific, violent, and seen by many as a shameful execution...is what is known as Good Friday? Some have asked me why it's called 'Good'...surely an execution would be 'Bad'...and yes, an execution is horrible to think about. But on this day of Jesus' execution, it was *our* sins on Jesus' shoulders as he hung on the cross...not his own.

It is Good Friday, because Jesus took our sins from us...and our sins are punishable by death, that was the price that had to be paid. Jesus died for me.

I heard an story once about two brothers. One brother was a liar, a thief and frequently rioted in the town. His older brother had a completely clean rap sheet, wore smart clothes, and was respected by many in the town. The younger brother had been arrested after being caught rioting, and he was thrown into prison awaiting his trial - over his life, his clothes had become worn and torn, and he had become dirty from being in a grim cell. When his trial date came, he was sentenced to death by hanging for his crimes. The brother was able to escape...and he ran to his older brother's house -with the police close behind him. He had heard about his younger brother's death sentence, and saw him approaching the house. The brother came out of his house and looked at his sibling. He quickly told his brother to take his clean shirt, and give him his dirty shirt, and to go and hide in his house, and that he would sort everything out. His brother ran into the house, trusting his older brother to help. The older brother who remained outside put on his brother's dirty shirt, messed his hair up, and wiped dirt and mud over himself, and smeared mud on his face. The police soon came to the house, and took the older brother away. After a day, the younger brother had heard nothing so came out of the house and walked through the town. It was quiet, and not many people were around. He continued walking through, until he came to the town gallows, where he looked up and saw his brother hanging there on the gallows. The younger brother fell to his knees, and wept. He rushed to the police station and told them of the mistake and demanded they hang him, the true criminal. The police told him that the price had been paid...and that he could go free.

This story helped me understand exactly what Jesus had done for me...I felt guilty, and convicted. But I knew that Jesus had died for me - like the older brother...he was perfect, had never sinned, yet he took our sins and our dirty clothes and wore them for himself and took our place. He did not say "I told you so" or "Sorry, can't help you there" - no, he took our sins without hesistation and died for us. He went through Hell for us...for me, for you.

The reason why we are free today is because of Jesus' death...when Jesus was resurrected from the dead, he conquered death! He restored the relationship between us and God...giving us the chance to recognise our sins and to come to God for forgiveness, and willing to turn our lives around and live for God. The moment we do this, we have Jesus' white shirt on...and will eternally. The price paid, fully and completely. This is why it is Good Friday!