Hayley vs. Gareth

Scarlett

It’s a sad day

Scarlett Johansson has married Ryan Reynolds

and not only is it a sad day for us guys but supposedly if my ex is right then having Ryan Reynolds off the market is a bad thing too

Read the story on the BBC website

Bible

I like the Bible.

I know that sounds like I’m being all big and trying to show people I’m holy but it’s not. I’m just admitting that I like it. Don’t get me wrong it’s flippin’ well hard to actually practice it in my life and I stuff up at doing it all the chuffin’ time!

However I do like, in fact I love the Bible. I think it’s great.

I find reading the Bible on my own quite difficult because of attention span and a fidget so most of the time I read it with other people and it’s just fun. I love talking about the silly funny story bits which crack me up, the bits where I’m like “man, they can’t say that, this is the Bible”, I enjoy being challenged by the bits where it makes me think “but God is loving, he can’t be angry and kill people or send them to hell”, basically I like it all.

For probably all of 2008 I have been asking various people that I spend time with to think of their “Top 5 books of the Bible” and it’s quite a fun usually pub conversation to have and it’s pretty ace at getting us “wish we were cool Christians” to talk about the Bible in the pub which can only be a good thing…anyway, here is my list…although it varies with time as some books are important to you at different times

Oh, one more thing before I say my list…disclaimer alert! “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16) applies and I do believe that all of the Bible is awesome and every bit is useful and good and from God so picking a top 5 doesn’t mean that 5 books are better than others but it is simply that some books seem to really “hit” some people more than other books and some books have had significant impact on someone’s life or whatever.

So anyway, here’s my list of my Top 5 books of the Bible! (In no particular order)

1. Genesis (I love this book, it’s awesome, it’s a proper fun great read and is such a brilliant story which rivals Hollyoaks in amount of drunks, liars, people who can’t keep their clothes on, adulterers, incestuous relationships, homosexuality, a guy marrying two sisters, murder, rape, revenge, family rivalry, and the list could go on…and it’s great because God chooses and uses these people as his chosen people, shows again how God is good and we ain’t!)
2. John (a book about Jesus. It’s all about Jesus. He’s great so in turn the book is great. And this book is blatant in saying that Jesus is God which is a good thing!)
3. 1 Timothy (This book is really helpful to me, it’s a letter to a young guy in Christian ministry…which kind of applies to me!)
4. Daniel (Daniel is the Don! He’s such a legend! Awesome book with a second half full of weird prophesy which I don’t get but wicked stories and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are the absolute hardcore almost punk level of following God which is awesome!)
5. Obadiah (any book where God sounds like he is giving a WWE, Hulk Hogan style promo telling people how he is going to strike them down! I think it’s important to be reminded that God is proper hard and could beat us up!)

So, that’s my list, feel free to comment and also to say your Top 5 books of the Bible!

Songs

This summer has been brilliant

Various different reasons but it was ace

As usual with cool times it’s always good to have some cool tunes to enjoy in the summer

And since music creates such debate and difference I thought I’d share with you lovely people what songs I’ve enjoyed this summer…some are cool and some people would be ashamed of admitting to liking but some songs even if they ain’t cool are just good fun!

So, I’ve liked the following songs and they have been the soundtrack to my summer and will always bring back memories of certain people or places or events

• I Kissed A Girl - Katy Perry
• Fascination - Alphabeat
• The Ting Tings - Shut Up And Let Me Go
• Boyfriend - Alphabeat
• Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon
• I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked - Ida Maria
• 10,000 Nights - Alphabeat
• See You Soon - Coldplay (An old song but I got into it loads over the summer)
• One For The Radio - McFly
• Steve McQueen - The Automatic
• Mountains - Biffy Clyro
• 5 Years Time - Noah and the Whale
• Rock and Roll Queen - The Subways
• Time To Pretend - MGMT
• Dance Wiv Me - Dizzee Rascal feat Calvin Harris (probably my song of the summer!)
• Propane Nightmares - Pendulum
• American Boy - Estelle feat. Kanye West
• Wearing My Rolex - Wiley
  

I’m sure there are loads more that I’ve forgotten all about but hey

What songs have you liked loads this summer?

Survivor

So, in the summer I went to Soul Survivor

It was fun

Did you go?

Was it good?

Did you have fun?

Did you enjoy singing songs to God?

I liked the “whoa” song, it was good because it wasn’t rubbish and it felt like a football song and I (being a rubbish singer) can sing football songs because there is no talent required

I liked Ali Martin (think that’s her name)’s talk about putting defences up around your heart in order to protect yourself from getting hurt and why that’s understandable but maybe not helpful or good long term

I did not like J John’s talk…yes it was the gospel and I love the gospel but it wasn’t funny yet he was trying desperately to be hilarious, it was chichéd in it’s delivery, it used stupid sayings like where he just said a sentence but then swapped it around a bit to illustrate his point, a real example being “a missionary isn’t someone who crosses the sea, a missionary is someone who see’s the cross” get it? Lame huh?! A fake example is “a cup isn’t for drinking tea, a tea is for cupping drink” see how stupid they are?! Also, I think that whilst the seriousness of the gospel message is vitally important, I think coming across where it looks like you are forcing people to make a commitment to Jesus is outrageously bad. Just my opinion, I’m sure he’s a lovely godly chap and he’s probably right and I’m wrong but hey, if a blog isn’t a place to share a wrong opinion where can you?!

I did like the sung worship times, I think Ben Cantelon plays songs pretty well

I had some wicked chats with young people about the “ministry” times and being freaked out and stuff

Was impressed by how hospitable and caring some people can be, challenged to be more so, do you reckon you’re hospitable enough?

Fine

Fine then,

I’ll blog.

Even though this design does nothing to inspire me in any way and I’m not feeling dreadfully full of ideas of blog ideas and it seems that only Brian, Beth and Ruth ever comment…and it’s mostly Brian who is friendly in his commenting…most other comments are usually moans…and so that I don’t have to be moaned at, well at least for a little while I shall blog.

Please do remember that comments should be nice, funny or whatever and should inspire future blogging, no such comments do the opposite.

Also remember who has “ownership” of this blog and who does not actually ever blog anymore too

Another blog coming soon

This blog was a little illustration of how you can inspire people to blog or in this case read blogs by being endearing or in this case inspire people not to read blogs by being tired

Reasons

I’m sorry I have not blogged recently.

It has been a good few weeks.

Reasons are:

1. Went away for two days with Brian and Stevie C from college to the Peak District where we walked up some mountains and went to the pub in the evening…both things were awesome and there are some cool photos on facebook of it…especially funny ones of how we took a long route back via Sherwood Forest and had tons of fun pratting about in their gift shop and “museum”

2. Went to Soul Survivor for a week, will blog about that in the next few days

3. Then had a “proper week off” where I didn’t come into the office, and if I’m not in the office I don’t have the internet, and if that annoys you then I’m sure my folks wouldn’t mind you sending them a few quid so that we could afford to get the internet at home. But anyway in this week off, I did various things and will also blog about that this week

4. 3 reasons are enough, if you’re looking for a fourth then you are just greedy…greedy and selfish I tell ya lol

And in my defence, I have not blogged since like mid August, which is bad I admit but a young certain Ginger, we all know who I mean, who’s name comes first in the title of said blog and who’s blog we all know it belongs to and who we all thank for the lovely design has not blogged here since the 22nd of May! Compared to that, I think my devotion to all of you wonderful readers (and you are wonderful) of this poor excuse for insight, hilarity and wit, cannot be questioned

Brick

So, I’m sorry that I haven’t been posting especially much recently, been a mix of doing other outside “real person” things, not having internet at home, not having anything that I want to blog about especially and not wanting to, pick your favourite reason why and you win a prize (BULLET POINT: everyone arranges and pays for their own prize)

But here is a blog, whoopdy bloody do I hear you cry (jokes)

Tomorrow I’m off to Soul Survivor for a week, so I’ll be raising my hand and maybe even trying the double hand up ultra hardcore worshipper move and being holy for a few hours tonight as practice for the week. Although seriously, should be a good old time, and seeing as I’m a youth worker and a Christian and I’ll be with young people and they’ll be talking about Jesus (I like Jesus quite a lot) then I think it should be ace.

So, you’ll have to cope without my stupid words that I know in no particular order for around a week or so.

But in the meantime just one quick thing

Listen to this song!!! It is a cover of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road originally by Elton John and that is an amazing song but this is a cover by a woman called Sarah Blasko and it is blooming incredible in my opinion

Mac

I was really shocked this morning when I read on the BBC website that Bernie Mac has died.

Bernie Mac was flippin’ hilarious and always cracked me up and I might be in the minority who watched and liked his own show

Read both these stories from the BBC website for more details and for tributes

And I advise you all to watch ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ and laugh loads at the hilarity of Bernie Mac

Fire

It’s an end of an era…iamsparticus.com is DEAD!

Well, when I say DEAD…I kinda mean on life support!

Or well, at least maimed, probably been hit in the face with an axe (RETRO!)

Mark has killed his creation

But never fear, as Coldplay so brilliantly sung everything’s not lost…Mark is still blogging…

Because Geoff from Byker Grove is a hero of all youth workers whether they realise it or not and Byker Grove is the sort of un-professional, inappropriate youth work ever seen (they so wouldn’t get a JNC!)

Anyway, the immortal line of “GEOFF, GEOFF, THE GROVE IS ON FIRE!” has inspired the title of Mark’s new blog all about youth work and ministry and other such buzzwords

You should all read it, even if you’re not a youth worker…why? Because he’s my friend and I tell you to!!!! And also Mark is fairly witty to say the least and has got some wicked opinions about youth work, theology and all other buzzwords

Read it, go on, I double dares you

JNC

So, I passed

After two years of doing tons and tons and tons of fieldwork, over 50,000 words of writing in two years probably, I’ve finally passed

I got a B+ which I’m really pleased with and now all that’s left is sending off some form to the office that I need to and then I will be all officially JNC qualified (and if you don’t know what that is but are too proud to realise you need to ask, then click here to find out what JNC is)

And to illustrate how good getting a JNC is, to quote the prophet Mark Walley, who is one of my best friends in the whole entire world…”You can now command the respect of dozens!”