On sleeping comfortably

I can truly testify that sleeping on a proper bed mattress is better than sleeping on an airbed.

Big shout out to John, Roxy and Ian (Roxy's dad) for ending the bed shortage in our house!

You can call me train, Mark Train

easy now!

Yesterday I went to my 2nd interview with a Visual Media company. After having a chat through the company's products and why I wanted the job I was chuffed to be offered the job subject to references. That was great and superb!

It is a job that involves filming and editing and i think it will really satisfy me. I am thankful to God for finding the job and getting the job.

The company is based out in the countryside in a place with a psuedo-rude name and their base is an converted barn. It seems like a great place to work.

The filming they do is for train drivers training videos. So when there is a video "mission" you go and stand in the drivers cabin and film what he sees and then edit it together.

I am really pleased that I have been offered a job and that its a job I really want.

How church planting works (number 94)

So last night, in a frenzy of student-whist, we went to our local sticky-carpet club for Freshers week student night. It was a laugh and we even got the wonderful Laura Hamilton on the dance floor. But imagine our suprise when we bumped into, quite unintentially, another church plant team!

In the church plant world, this is a happy coincidence. It's not like when you go to a party and there's someone else who's in there wearing the same outfit. It's more like two opposing street gangs passing in the street with a nod of mutual respect. 'Being seen' at a place of high youth culture such as the Cheeky Monkey student night, awards us around ten points in the credibility stakes. Meanwhile, we award a similar level of respect to the other guys for their presence.

Who knows what may happen as a result of this odd anecdote. But this is how church planting works - strange but true.

And the bible didn't mention us

As I've been wandering round Luton over the past two weeks, feeling irrelevant and unconnected, these things have happened. My suspicion (and my theology) is that God is at the heart of all of it, and that perhaps he rather intended the chance meetings and overhearings....

A wonderful lady decides to help me carry my shopping, just as I am wondering what the hell I am doing here in this town. She carries half of it all the way up the hill we live on. She is incredibly kind, incredibly open and lives two doors down from me. It'll be wonderful if I can return the kindness, but that's really not the point. Thanks kind lady. Thanks God.

It turns out the Kingdom of God is like salt; scattered around to bring out the flavour of the food on which is scattered. Making the world tasty; bringing out the good flavours. Please I would like to be more like salt than a do-gooder. Please I don't want to be 'relevant' but rather like a light shining on people so that their true colours are revealed.

And God's answer to my ponderings on the disinterest of our generation in 'spirituality' ?
three young guys on High Town Road, having a (not-unpleasantly) heated discussion on the problems of religion. Ha ha. Yes. yes yes yes.

Robyn, if you're reading this, stop and pick up the damn phone.

luton2006.blogspot.com

That's going to look pretty stupid in a few months.

House and jobs

Harrow everybody!

>>>>>>A flashback<<<<<<

The first time I ever came to luton John and I were attending a Uni Open Day. After I had gone up to fitz college to wake John we missed the bus which was a shame. However we were saved by a nice man at the rail station who told us to get a train to hitchin and then some local buses from there. The real crux of the story is that when we got into luton we went for a dirty great fry-up in the market hall at the end of the arndale.

On monday 4th sept 2006, my first day of living in luton I achieved a pleasing element of symmetry by once again taking breakfast from the market hall at the end of the arndale. A bacon bap and a cup of tea is a nice way to begin living here.

>>>>>><<<<<<<<

I am now living in Luton and that is nice. However I am missing two elements of a "normal" existence. I ain't secured a job and i ain't secured a house.

There was a major dip in hope on monday when I phoned up the Borough Council who I had applied to work for and they said I didnt get an interview. Well that rocked me considerably because I had a fair amount of hope for getting the job and wanted it as well. I am not saying I have entirely dealt with the disappointment but Liz pointed out the fact that "You've only been rejected by one job!". Well done Liz. Bravo.

Also on monday I phoned up various letting agents to enquire about their properties and the general theme was that either the houses had already been let or their customer service was poor or both. This left me feeling despondant.

Today I am feeling positive because a letting agent just showed me round some nice houses and the service was quality. I also went into a few employment agencies and the permanent sections seemed like they might be able to get me a job.

In other news Liz and I went to see the sentinel at the flicks. It is a good film about the secret service protecting the US president and it made me want to be a spy and shoot bad guys.

Guess the rider...

Someone is riding the Bucking Broncho at Buck Wilds in Luton - can you guess who it is? There's a prize for the first correct answer left in the comments section below.