And that brings up his half-century, a fine performance from the young man

Amazingly, this is my 50th post. It doesn't seem possible, and yet...

So, what to talk about? Well, there are a few things in my mind that I've been pondering. The first is a reflection on the comments made on my post about films. Why do we watch films? What is acceptable to watch? I'd appreciate people's thoughts, and then maybe I'll post something more on my reflections...

I've also been thinking about Richard Dawkins, and how much of an idiot he is. As a scientist he should now that his job is not to prescribe to the Universe how it is, but rather to describe it as he finds it. And yet that never seems to be reflected in his philosophy. He says "there can be no God", and thus prescribes the condition of the Universe regardless of evidence. It's a shame.

Finally I've been considering the way that the church has affected our country over hundreds of years, and generally thinking that we have no right to demand Christian laws in this country, and wondering whether we ever did. This does confuse me though, sinful behaviour is harmful and we want to prevent people from harm, but will it make a difference if people aren't hearing the gospel? I remember Graham Daniels saying that we must be accused of lawlessness if we are really presenting grace. I haven't really thought this one through completely, so instead i'll post a random picture.

All things home

Today I got back to sunny Liverpool after a week at home. I went home on my mum's birthday, which was cool. We had Nepalese food at my sister and brother-in-law's house. Then on Friday DK came down to stay for a few days. We got to see steam trains, Jane Austen's house, random old churches and all sorts of other assorted jollities. Look, I've enclosed pictures.
On Monday DK went away, I went for a nice long walk around Fleet Pond, which used to be fished by monks from Winchester, and was a popular ice skating venue for Londoners fancying a weekend escape. I didn't see any monks or ice.
Then I got to have a pub lunch with some old school friends, most jolly.
Yesterday I saw all my grandparents. Grandad has started his chemotherapy, which has really knocked him sideways. Not good.
Today I've been loading old music onto my computer including but not limited to such musical highlights as Cotton Eye Joe, I Got 5 On It, Spaceman and I Wanna Be a Hippy. From now on, I am the king of the party.

ice creams as big as your head

Saturday was a day of jollity at the Great British Seaside. The Great British Seaside is a truly British phenomenom, somehow as an island people we feel called to the sea. Indeed, according to the CIA website "because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters". A day at the beach is within reach of anyone in the UK. The highlight of the beach.... undoubtedly ice creams bigger than Rich William's head. Look:

I love it when a plan comes together.

Two posts in one day, ah the jollity. Tonight we had a housegroup meal, and a few of us said we'd bring desserts. I decided to have a second go at something I made last week. This is what the book said it should look like:

And this is what my creation looked like:

And so I love it when a plan comes together. The meal was really good, appreciated just having the time to spend with our group, having a bit of a laugh. The show was completely stolen by the two sons of Mark and Jo, who host our group. Isaac and Jude put on an impressive show in their matching spiderman pyjamas...

Admiral Street

I like Toxteth.

It's a strange place, certainly strange for me. I remember coming to Liverpool for the first time, my first real trip to the inner city for a true suburbanite. It was an eye opener, but somehow God has called me to be part of the Tab in Toxteth.

One of my favourite parts of travelling to the Tab is Admiral Street, where you get the most amazing view of the cathedral dominating everything.

It's a strange contrast, the grand cathedral and the run down streets. God's been teaching me that the people don't need a huge and glamorous building, and it's been amazing to see how he has used such a small body of believers in Toxteth to reach the local community, but in some ways it also feels like a work that's just beginning. The Tab has learned how to serve the local community, and now we need to learn how to reach them with the gospel.

There are lots of things about Toxteth I still don't understand, or appreciate, but I do like Admiral Street.