tnf268's Xanga

9 days!

Fri, 08 Dec 2006 13:29:03 GMT

my brain has officially shut down. i might as well be on the plane. i can think of nothing other than packing and going home. which creates a dilema!...i still have 3 RE lessons to help with, 2 Christian unions, 2 fancy dress Christmas parties for various youth clubs at church, a dance to practice for the Christmas program, and on top of that i haven't even started Christmas shopping! a person cannot do all these things in shut-down mode! i feel like i've hit the part of the race when it's no longer your lungs that feel as if they are going to collapse...it is your legs! you are actually exhausted. at times like this the words of shel come to mind..."i can do this, i have a degree!" i'm pretty sure i was saying that to myself the entire last 2 km of the 10k!

countdown has started...

Tue, 21 Nov 2006 09:25:26 GMT

i think i've counted right...it's 27 days 'til i come home! i can't wait to see you guys.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 10:46:17 GMT

my brother didn't come. i was totally gutted on thursday...not to mention worried. but, now that i know he's ok, i'm ok.

i ran

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 12:44:45 GMT

i ran the 10K! it was hard...i have no other words for it. people who run half-marathons (and oh my gosh...marathons!) are CRAZY!!!! i will say this: it felt amazing running accross the finish line! BUT, it was not enough to convince me to do it again. (i might for a good cause, but not because i enjoyed it.)

on to other news...

it's getting colder and colder. but, it's that in between the jacket and coat weather! a coat is just too warm in the day, but a jacket just doesn't seem enough when the wind blows. why don't they have jackets that are perfect for this kind of weather?

and...

MY BROTHER IS COMING TO VISIT ME TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

autumn

Fri, 13 Oct 2006 13:03:24 GMT

so...it's getting cold here. my mom asked what the weather was like now...i told her it has changed and is feeling like autumn now. there is a definate chill in the air. her response "well, maybe it will warm back up." not going to happen. it's getting colder and that's just how it is now. i'm coming to terms with it.

one more thing...i'm running in a 10K sunday morning. that's right...i'm skipping church to run! but, hey it's for cancer research.

tuna and sweetcorn

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 12:06:50 GMT

i'm eating this tuna and sweetcorn pasta right now. do you ever buy something because at the time it sounds a good idea...but then later think "i should have gone with the norm." why did i have to try something new? this stuff is gross. i like tuna and sweetcorn on jacket potatoes, but i'm not keen on the pasta option! i think there's too much mayo or something.

busy

Fri, 25 Aug 2006 09:46:34 GMT

i am so sorry for not updating this in so long. i desperately want to keep in contact with all of you on the other side of the pond, but i just haven't been motivated to write on this thing recently. july was a rediculously busy month! i didn't have time for much outside of youthwork, but it was fantastic and ended with NE1 (the camp in the northeast where i was able to see a few friendly texan faces!). august has been quite the opposite really...i have had plenty of time to relax, but after work overload in july i felt very content not doing much. so, that is the reason for the delay.

i'm doing well right now! things are moving ahead with the youthwork here building on relationships and gearing up for a new term. we will be making a few changes again to accomodate a few new faces and to better equip some of our youth who getting older. monday, our church has hired a coach for a day trip to the seaside! i somehow got roped into organizing it! i am a bit nervous...hoping that everyone shows up and we have a fun, safe day, but i am also extremely excited about the possiblity of getting to know a couple of parents of the youth from a local estate nearby! pray for safety but also for us as we try and build relationships with some of the parents!

i cannot tell you how much i value each one of you, all of your prayers, and all of the support (even if it is a random hi every now and then!) you are all a constant encouragement to me.

24-7 prayer

Fri, 23 Jun 2006 10:43:44 GMT

ok...so, i've been reading Red Moon Rising. it is pretty much amazing. not that's it's the best written book ever. it's just that i think that God has used it as a form of guidance. maybe it is just good timing...of course it's God's timing, which is always perfect! anyway...i am so excited about what God is doing in Wigston and is going to do. i have felt this strange excitement now for a few weeks, but it is unexplainable because nothing exceptional is happening at the mo. but, i just know He is working! the past few weeks have been discouraging at times (if you read my last posting you would know that), and through it all i still can't help feeling excited. it's weird. i am convinced that this summer, through lots and lots of prayer...we are going to start to see an incredible move of God in this area!

hmmm...i want to write more but don't know what to write right now. give me a bit and i'll be back.

a lot has happened

Thu, 15 Jun 2006 12:35:21 GMT

do you ever get to a point when you want to tell people all that is going on in your life but you sit there and think "where and when did leave off, and what should i begin with?" that's sort of how i feel.

i went to greece! it was amazing. i definately want to go back!

my friend and her husband came a visited, we went to sweden together to visit his family, and that was amazing, too.

and, for the past 2 weeks i have been back in leicester working as normal. except that, the youth, who were for a while a constant blessing, are now becoming little pains again! it has not caused me to wonder if i love them any less. i have already established that i care very deeply for every one of them. however, it has been a discouragement the past week or so. it is during weeks like this that i sit in my office and wonder what is the point of it all. is this (what i do) making a difference!? yeah...they change for a day or two or maybe even for a week, and then they are back to their reckless, disrespectful, angry little selves!

i am currently trying to recall something positive to keep myself from lapsing into self pity...it's sort of working.

anyway...that's where i am today!

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Thu, 18 May 2006 11:46:19 GMT

i feel like i haven't updated this thing in FOREVER. i don't really have time now except to say things are going well and my best friend is coming for a visit in about a week and a half! i am very excited!