Week 2

I am writting this in the second week of college.

Over the last week and a bit a group of individuals left home and came down to a strange place in the heart of Dublin. This blog hopefully chart my way through the rigours, ups and down of college life as well as simply trying to reflect on what is happening down here

Now that we've got wireless internet in the study rooms in college, updates might be more regular than previous experience has shown!

Okey Dokey - so last week...
It all started on Saturday with the packing of the car - squashing mum into the back seat and bringing all the essentials and much more besides and navigating our way through the dublin streets eventually arriving at our destination of CITC in Braemor Park.

After unpacking and generally moving in- it was up for lunch and the icebreakers which caused a bit of amusement for all, a chat with the other students.

Mum and dad stayed overnight as in the morning we were off for sunday worship in RTE Studios with CMSI where I was reading various parts of the service and Simon was being interviewed.

Monday saw the whole class sitting down around a table for the first few sessions, running around trying to open banks without much sucess to be honest and an "interesting" table quiz which our team won - i think!

Tuesday Alan came down to lead sessions entitled "Spirituality for ministry" which was extremely thought provoking which included - Struggle with call, spirituality, ministry adn mission - all of which I really need to sit down and look again at the handouts.

Wedensday was another quite amazing day when I think most of us would say we were challenged by actually taking time out just to be with God and to think about our own thoughts and how we could keep close to God - again a lot of stuff to take in!

Thursday looked at various ways ministry was played out in real life - the challenges and reality in parishes looking particularly at a team ministry situation

The first week proved to be very challenging, it definately had its ups and downs! but it was a time when we saw prayers answered soooo quickly and effectively. For me it has really confirmed the call and the idea that I am where I feel called to!

Week 2 started with a change of emphasis - now looking at "pastoral care and the human person" lots of points never thought about before but extremely useful when thinking about ministry.

Managed to get into the city for the afternoon - but not fully registered yet! - might do soon!

At the mo, in the dark, Colin and Jonny are carrying out DIY repairs on their room - doors are being removed and sanded down to alow carpet to go in! :-)

And we have managed to timetable in a prayer time as a class and a bible study which will hopefully give us some food during the year as well as mutual accountability within the class!


Apart from that ...
the craic is good, the coffee is strong and God is good!

.. That's you up to speed whats happening at the mo down in Dublin!!

I Know I said that my last blog was my last here, but I have made an executive decision taht it wont be as the CMSI I could use as a sensible thing and this one as an every day thing. It has been quite a wee while since last updated this board

Cranfield has happened and various other things

But today various things have raised their head issues so different with various people

Kaballah- A total heresey for the church which is being proclaimed by various celebrities throughout the world but I have agreed with a friend to look into it to find out a bit more. more about that later.

Dreams - A wee sub thing in Geofrey's sermon tonight but praying protection over our sleep which is something that I suppose I never really thought about before.

Social Action - In Banbridge the churches have got together to serve coffee to the coach, with no other agenda than to Share God's Love - A scary place to be - standing on a street for Jesus

God's Plan for us - The fact that God has a plan for us, even if we are confused by it all, when we get to a junction place - he can guide us. By our passions, gifts and wise counsel

So its been an interesting day

The Last Blog

ITs not as bad as it seems!

I have been asked to blog for CMSI on their new youth site -

www.cmsireland.org/youth so as a result I have decided to move all traffic to that site for the time being!

And its from the old things to the new ...

Just an hour and a half ago I walked out of my last lecture in qub and soon to be a qualified teacher .... mmm

Last friday was my last time in a classroom taking a class ...mmm

Strange biccies

September sees me down in Dublin

Its been great up here at queens with the other 11
Seamaus, Moe, Paul, Fiona, Louise *4, Edel, Dominica &

Untill Later

RF

Big Goals small steps

'DOES ANYONE DARE DESPISE THIS DAY OF SMALL BEGINNINGS?' ZECHARIAH 4:10
Do you feel like there's a huge gap between what you are doing now and what you'd love to do? 'Yes, I'd like to be a teacher, but that means I'd have to do resits to get into uni', 'I'd love to start a CU in school but there are no Christian teachers to run it' 'I want to be a full time Christian worker but if I go to Bible college it will take years!' The excuses pile up like dirty dishes in a sink; it feels like it would take too long, cost too much, require too many sacrifices to get from point A to point B. Whether it's going back to school, starting something up or entering the ministry, the temptation is to always put it off until another time. 'Maybe when I've earned a bit of money first, maybe when God gives me a sign, maybe when I'm older'. Maybe, maybe, maybe!
How do you overcome the fear of starting? You reach big goals by taking small steps! While it's tempting to think that the amount of time it takes is too long, those days and years will pass - whether you're pursuing your goal or not! God wants you to take on His call, to show up for duty and leave the provisions - including the time, money, open doors, favourable relationships and material resources - to Him. If you do your part, He'll do His. The Psalmist writes: '...no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly' (Ps 84:11 KJV). Just trust God and take the first small step!

A long long time since last Post

Lots of things have been happening since last blog - Sometime hopefully in the not so distant future i may have time to blog more often but untill then here are the highlights since Christmas

- Finished in DHS - was very sad to leave there - lots of good friends - Ian, Heather and the other students were great

- Started in PC - Great place - Hectic work!

- Went through interviews down in dublin and have come out the other end having survived and I suppose you could say with life turned upside down - just as friends are starting upon careers which are going to earn lots and lots - I now know that the next three years I am starting a new degree, in a new subject, in a new university - Someone famous (i think) said I dont know what the future holds but I know who holds my future which is amazing,

Praise God that I am exactly where he wants me to be - People in church have been absolutely amazing with their support and prayers over the past wee while - Enid, Laura, Adrienne, John, Geoffery and Ken have been soild rocks helping me.

So yeah - things are going good - just need to get these next months over me - roll on the summer!

Regards

The First Blog in a long time

Wow where did those 30 days + go since my last blog - time is flying at a ever quickening place.

A new year is nearly upon us and I suppose I am in a comptemplative mood

A year past
Highlights this year have included
- Of course the Degree and the hooley surrounding it after the tearinng hair out get it!
- Revisiting Africa - which I will write about sometime
- Claires Results
- Getting into Queens to do my PGCE

A new one just beginning
This has been an amazing year as well on various fronts - it is all very exciting this year to find out where He wants me to be in September - wether in Dublin on one side of a desk or on the teaching side up in a class room

What will happen with the youth work in the parish?

Taking on more upfront leading at home is going to be difficult but I know with him I can do it!

Hectic

Can life get anymore hectic?

3 weeks in to my placement - Things are going great - but it is simply an endless stream of lesson plans, resources and ppt presentations

Our tutor from QUB will undoubtabley be out sometime soon so it is essential that the file is kept up to date.

But life in DHS is great - brilliant HOD and staff are great.

Church - well it is frustrating at times - the old problems seem to keep re-emerging youth numbers, apathy and general generalness

lots of things happening - only about 30 days or so to Christmas which will be nice to have a break

Cheers

RF

Breathing Space

Wow!

Tuesday Afternoon week 8 at queens sitting in the computer room - this time two weeks I wont be here I'll be in DHS! can't believ its sooo soon - Lesson plans handed in
The encarta Micro teaching completed and yeah a couple of nights breathing space Wow did I say that well maybe not

Tonight Im up at davids fixing his modem
Tomorrow is spent in CMS sorting some Video
and night is at the readers course
Thurs all day is queens
Friday nothing planned as yet but need to start to think again about SU

Time is racing on - roll on DHS now!

New year New Start

WOW time is really really moving on very quickly, I am here in my second week of queens and it is busy - however today is good - it is directed study - however no one has directed us what to study so im reading books and websites I think that is what we are ment to do!!!!

6 weeks to the day and I am out in my first placement - scary stuff

Anyway this week is going to be soooooooo busy

Tonite is cubs
Tues is the vestry meeting
Wednesday is SEN lecture then Bible study
Thurs is Video editting
Friday is the new living room thingy
Sat is web design
Sunday is back to all the sunday stuff with confirmation and YF

Busy stuff but it is all good

WOW!

Time is really really Flying

This time last week I had just graduated, I was running around in a van with julie collecting stuff for summer madness, Mum and dad had just left for England. One week on and summer madness, the cavern, and graduation have all been assigned to the history books for this year.

However today is turning out to be a day which will go down in the history books. I was sitting in bed this morning - watching the TV when the LOndon Underground seemed to go down then an hour later it was seen as a more sinister thing - when bombs went out over the city sitting halway through the day we see how bad humans can get.

Things are very confusing! 8 men are up in Scotland attempting to allieviate poverty, reduce pollution ... and people try to stop this from happening

Life has its ups and downs Tony Blair yesterday was sooo up beat with having london won the olympic bid - "It's not often in this job that you punch the air and do a little jig and embrace the person next to you,"

and today

"Just as it's reasonably clear this is a series of terrorist attacks, it's also reasonably clear, that it is designed and meant to coincide with the G8."
BBC political editor Andrew Marr said Mr Blair was clearly extremely upset when he gave his reaction to the blasts.

How this day, week and month turns out as the old saying goes - "God only Knows" which is soo true

Now attention turns to the Uganda Trip - in under 72 hours I will be in the airport read to embark on a trip to uganda - I cant wait - please continue to pray that the polital situation would be a factor in the arrangements for the trip