Enough words...

I have had a complaint about not having many pictures on for a while, and to be honest with you i was thinking the exact same thing.
Enjoy...

My first upfront rugby game...

both of them missed...

what a dive....

Action ready...
but still after that i would have to say that i still prefer football...

Take care
Alex

Prayer...

I am reading the book by Philip Yancey called Prayer. It is really a really good read. I personally struggle with prayer, as most people do, that is why he wrote the book… in the first chapter he raises some really good points, such as “We pray because we can’t help it”, and a quote from Thomas Merton: “’Prayer is an expression of who we are… We are a living incompleteness’”.
“In other words, prayer has features in common with all relationships that matter.” And his last paragraph of his first chapter starts like this: “If prayer stands as the place where God and human beings meet, then I must learn about prayer.”

One interesting question that he asked many people is, does prayer satisfy you? I asked myself and I must confess that only sometimes does it satisfy me. The other day I was struggling with a lot of frustration about all sorts of things, and I can remember writing an email of just BLAAAAH, to my parents. When I read the reply, I felt so compelled to pray, that it was incredible, I can’t really remember very clearly a feeling like this before. It was just a groaning from my inner being. After that prayer I was satisfied, but I want more of those experiences, I want to feel close to God and to learn more about Him and grow in Him.

Well may you encounter God this week like you have never before…
Take care
Alex

Thoughts that cause problems...

I have been thinking for about a week now, where is my place. It may have something to do with me moving out of the compound, but i think that, that is only a small part of it. I think that there is a bigger picture involving God. It always involves God, but this is special. I have moved out of my parents house and their protection, now how do i fit into the world? What is my role? Where do i go to University? And after that? Then what? These are all questions that only God can answer, and i am waiting to here from Him. I can see that there is room to do things for God in the very place that i am right now, but i don;t know how to go about it. Also i don't know anyone for more than four months, but those people are not really around me most of the time, it is new people, new responsibilities, which means again settling into something that is new in a way, a frustrating way, as i have already been in the same building for three months, but have to start again with the getting to know my role, my place and those around me....
Well i hope that you too have troubling thoughts, not so that you find it hard, but because it i during the troubling times when you rely on God more and then He as able to move in you more powerfully...
Take care
Alex

Moving...

Since my last post a lot of things have happened. For one i have now moved out of the dorm, or as other people like to call in the compound, which i have been staying in for the past three months. It was a great experience but now that, that is over i am in for a lot more new experiences. For example, me moving out signifies that the first part of my gap year has come to a complete, and now i am moving into the next part.

The next part involves an a lot more active role, meaning, that instead of taking lectures most of the day, i will be out and about, hopefully getting my kayaking and climbing awards, doing student work and other many more adventures. For about 4 weeks from last week, we will be doing two trips, one to a mountain and then leading ourselves all over the place to learn how to use a map and walk about, and the other trip to a cave so that we can see the beauty that God has created beneath the ground....

Also, i need to make a note of this, becasue i have moved out of he compound it means that i cannot just sleep in and get up just in time for some breakfast and then straight into whatever is happening that day. No, not anymore, now i have to wake up early enough for breakfast, making my packed lunch, and then riding in on my newly found bike which takes about a half hour. However i hope to shorten that time once i have sorted my bikes' back wheel out. At the moment it rubs against the frame of the bike, slowing me down quite a bit when i am not peddeling...

But so not to end on a moan, the family that i am living with now is great. They foster two boys aged about 8 and then there are also two of the guys that i work with every day who also stay with the same family. It is really nice community there. However, please pray that i can quickly settle in and start to feel like it is my home as well, or at least that my room is my home but i also live here... Thanks

Enough of my move for now...
Take care
Alex

Prayer matter...

Readers of my thoughts, welcome to them once again. I have come to realise that i lack the power to have authority over kids. I lack it but i really need it because at the moment most of the kids use my as a jungle jim and i end up running upstairs just to survive. I don't know how to say no, but to still retain their friendship. Please pray that God will show me how to be able to do this. There was someone here during the first part of my year (the three months of training), who had the respect from the kids, was able to say no to them, and to tell them to sit down until they had finished their food, and yet still the kids came to her for story times. Not that i want to do story times with the kids, just that i woud liek to be able to have a handle on the kids instead of them having a handle on me...
Take care and thank you
Alex

The Beginning Of The New Year....

Today was an adventure and a half. I got up at 8:45 in the morning and got ready to go out for a walk by the sea on the Gower. I thought before i went that it would be crazy and that i was mad for getting up to go. I knew that it would be cold and wet, but i also knew that if i didn’t go that i would be bored all day and would just sit around. So i went...

The walk was incredibly. I was cold, but it was worth it. I did get wet but i dried off. My fingers went numb, but after driving for about 50 mins in a warmed car, they regained their consciousness. We started off at the car park, where we could see the sea. The waves were so big and so many that i would have loved to have been in a kayak if it weren't for the coldness. However, we had more of an adventure on land. I took a picture of the rain over the ocean, and as i was walking towards the others, the rain hit us. It was a lot, but only lasted for about 10mins. When we got to the beach, we started a game of rounders (similar to baseball), half way through the game a wave decided to join in and took out a few players. We all scrambled to the rocks, when it started to rain again. The rain came harder and didn't seem to relent, when it turned into hail. In the midst of trying to find shelter, the organisers of the expedition, realised that they had lost their dog in the chaos of wave and rain. We all started calling for the dog. (The rain and hail had stopped) All of a sudden we looked on the mountainside and saw about 5 sheep leap out of the way of a black and white dog. The dog was our dog. It chased one sheep all the way to where we were. Someone with us thought that the Max the dog was very kind to have brought us some lunch on such a fine day.

Once we had gotten the sheep back up the mountainside, we decided that our day in the outdoors was over and that it was time to go home. Personally i think that today was a great way to start the new year. It was a beautiful starting point for the many more adventures that i will be having in the months to come...
Take care
Alex