Back to work, back to reality

My mini-holiday is officially at an end. Blink and you'll have missed it. I must have blinked!

Seriously, though, I do feel more relaxed and ready to take on the challenges of teenagers again. I've had a really nice three days... Mum and Dad came on Tuesday, and Laura and I have just spent the time relaxing together. Now to face the world...

Today has been spent with a bunch of seven teenagers from Little Stoke touring the area's skate-parks. It would have been great fun, except it rained. A lot.

Tomorrow I have meetings galore, and Saturday a bunch of lads at our house for the day (which, by the way, will be great fun!). I also have the evenings off, so I mustn't grumble really. Plus, I really do love my job... I know it might not always seem like it, but secretly I miss work when I'm off! Sunday is the day that it all starts again in earnest, so I can still squeeze in a but more relaxation!

Pleas pray for my friend. She knows who she is and why, and so does God. But she could do with your prayers... just pray for "Ant's friend" and trust that God will fill in the gaps.

Lazy days!

Ah, a day off! It's SO nice to know that I've got no work to do for three whole days. I'm trying to relax and not think about work, but truth be told, I'm a bit out of practice!

Today's been a slow one... a wander round Sainsbury's, lunch at the coffee shop, a visit to Laura's grandad and the rest of the day spent updating my iTunes so that everything I want is on my iPod. Nearly finished...

Mum and Dad are here tomorrow, so it's time to think about somewhere expensive that they can take us for lunch. I love my parents!

Back to iTunes, then...

HALF-TERM!

As always, the mid-term break has come at just the right time for me.

I don't know whether it's because I know it's coming or not, but I always seem to be absolutely exhausted the last couple of days of any term, and this one was no exception. I am apeaking at All-Age Worship tomorrow, but after that I have basically a blank week stretching out in front of me. I've got four days proper holiday (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday) and two quiet working days (Thursday and Friday). I can't wait!

Rachael, Dean and Zac are coming down for the day today which will be lovely. It's so hard having a nephew and only seeing him once every few weeks! I think the plan is a quiet day ... we'll probably go out for lunch and then chill out. Kelly and Chris are coming for dinner tonight, so I have to go shopping at some point today...

The rest of the holiday is shaping up nicely. Laura and I are going to spend one day sorting out the bomb-site that we call our study, and my Mum and Dad are visting one day too. Other than that, late nights and even later mornings, and a likely DVD-fest with Laura. Yay!

Work-wise, the 11-14s Valentine's Disco on Thursday was a big hit with those that were there. I ended up having the last dance with a folding chair. It was the best option. She was an awful dancer, though...

We're straight back into it after the holiday, with a Youth Alpha Weekend Away on 2-4 March. We're going to Packington, the village where I grew up, which I'm really looking forward to, and we have seven young people signed-up so far, which, given the group of young people involved, is a massive achievement!

Anyway, enough of work ... I'm on holiday! Please pray that I can full recharge my batteries and spend some quality time with Laura this week.

Told you I'd post again!

Two in one day! Woot woot!

Looking forward to Youth Alpha tonight. Looks like most people have remembered so it should be a good one. Looking forward to the meal too... Vicky Wicks has made it and it's got nice looking chicken in it. Can't wait!

Day off tomorrow and Valentine's Day. I am cooking a nice meal for Laura. I have no ideas and I'm planning on Marks and Spencers saving my life!

Not my fault this time...

I know. It's been ages since I last posted as usual! But for once it's not my fault ... Blogger has all changed and I've not been able to get on. So as a result, loads to tell you.

Where to begin? Sunday, I suppose. The Youth Showcase Service that I was so worried about turned out to be the best one we've ever done. It all ran pretty smoothly despite the number of people involved, and, even better, there were about a hundred under-18s there (not exxagerating ... it was counted and there were 85-ish 16s and unders there, so with the others added in, must be over a hundred!). I feel really encouraged by that, especially since we didn't even advertise it at RE:fresh. Reckon we can even more next time we do something like that.

Anyway, "Chaos Remains" played a song, quite a heavy one, in the service, and, to my amazement, I haven't had a single complaint! I'm still in a job! Yay!

I think the most encouraging thing was the way that everyone got on with doing their own little bit, and I was able to concentrate on my bits. We have such a strong Youth Ministry Team at the moment ... probably the best I've ever worked with, and that's no disrespect to those I've worked with before. I just feel so comfortable giving them things to do and knowing that those things will not only be done, but be done well. That makes my life so much less complicated. So a big thank you to all of them... can't name them all here but I will mention Trevor, Liz, Laura, Shelley, Dan, Mary, Louise, Chris and Angela. So hardworking, so committed and such a joy to have around.

This week has brought so much to celebrate. The forum is proving really popular and I just seem to be getting on so well with the teenagers at the moment. I feel really blessed in so many ways.

This week is the last before half-term, which, despite all the enjoyment I'm getting from work at the moment, always comes as a blessed relief! Trevor and Liz are both going home this weekend so, after I've done my talk at all-age worship on Sunday, I can really relax for a week. I've taken most of it as holiday, so I can do those odd-jobs at home that have been screaming at me for weeks and spend some time with Laura. I am looking forward to it! I will try and post again before then, though...!

Shows you how much I know...

I spent the whole day yesterday telling people it wouldn't snow.

It has.

It's cold.

Youth Service ... HOW?

I really don't know how we're going to get everything done for this Youth Service on Sunday. It's a Youth Ministry Showcase and involves so very much. I'm sure it will all come together, but I can't for the life of me see how!

That said, I'm in such a good mood at the moment that nothing can spoil it! There's loads of good stuff going on and life is good! I've even got more than one night at home with Laura this week, which is a real change and a real pleasure.

Mettle Group A tonight, always a highlight, although I haven't really got a clue what we're going to do. It's down as "Youth Service Prep" so I guess I'll get them to plan the prayers and stuff. Maybe we'll just chat. I don't mind!

Please pray for my friend who is having a rough time at the moment. Pray that God will give her strength to battle through and make the right decisions.

iPods rule all!

I love my iPod!

I took Lucky for a long walk this morning, and set off listening to an old Levellers album. Halfway round, I realised I was in the mood for, bizarrely, Pacholbel's Canon in D. A push of a button or two, and there it was in my ears! I would never have taken that CD with me in the old days of my Discman.

What technology! iPods rock!

Sorry... been ill and busy!

I'm so sorry that it's almost a week since my last post! I've been really busy and a little ill. Just a cold but I'm a man so I have to make the most of it!

It's been a good week, though, apart from my cold. Wednesday was horrible, but since then it's been great. And the highlight was the RE:fresh concert on Friday. We had three acts play, and they were all great, but I was especially proud of "Chaos Remains", who are the band that practice in the church and who I know the best. They were so good! I've seen them a lot, but they susprised me with how good they were on the night... performing clearly suits them! Pics to follow...

It's The Mix tonight, and I have to go early for a meeting, so I'm going to get moving. But I promise I'll post more this week...?