Vicar Factory…

It is strange to think that I’m actually back at college studying Theology… I’m learning Greek (very hard), trying to write an essay on John’s Gospel and trying to be organised about reading, thinking etc…

One of the things that some people warned me about was that going to Theological College or Vicar Factory (choose your favourite) could seriously damage my faith. This always puzzled me… surely going somewhere like this would deepen my faith in Jesus??? I worried that I was being really naive and that at some point I would hit a wall of despair (which I might… probably in trying to learn present continuous Greek verbs).

It is true that already some things that I assumed to be utterly true are being questioned and even proved wrong, and I’m sure that in the future I’ll be shaken out of many of my supposed theological certainties. I hope so.

I hope God really does shake me up and renew my mind because I can tell you it needs it.

I hope that I’m constantly challenged to step up to the plate as a Bible teacher, leader, husband, son, brother, friend etc etc.

I hope that when I leave college in 3 years time I’m different. It will have been a total waste if I’m not.

I hope that I don’t get institutionalised in the process… I’m not here to become more Anglican, I’m here to become more Christ-like.

In the words of our nuts principle… GLORY!

Newspapers

I like to read widely when it comes to newspapers (usually in supermarkets and WH Smiths much to my wife’s disgust). I also spent nearly 6 years of my teenage life as a paperboy so I reckon that I have an authority (???!!??) on them. So here goes…

THE GUARDIAN – the left wing version of the Daily Mail. It’s a fashion accessory for the middle classes who don’t actually read it but they mention that they bought it that morning. Good bits – guest articles and cartoons (sorry, satirical pictures). Bad bits – most of the paper and definitely the sport section.

DAILY TELEGRAPH – for people who really wish that we still had corporal punishment, Margaret Thatcher and the death penalty. The sports coverage is SUPERB. Often purchased with the Sun or Daily Mail. Combining this paper and the Daily Mail is like combining Boris Johnson and a public office. Not a good idea. Good bits – sport (excellent). Bad bits – angry columnists and articles to kill yourself to.

THE DAILY EXPRESS – only bought when the shop has run out of Daily Mails. Or when they offer free OK magazines to strange middle aged women who need to get a hobby.

THE STAR/THE SUN/NEWS OF THE WORLD – easy to read, throughly interesting and very highbrow. Never makes up a story, overreacts to current affairs and likes all those from abroad. Hmm.

Does a good job lining the cat litter tray.

THE MIRROR – The Guardian for people who like shorter sentences (like me). In fact, I’d buy it over the Guardian. Tells you a lot about me really…

THE TIMES – I like it (so this bit will be biased). It’s too right wing for me, but the sport is OK (2nd best IMO after the Torygraph). I like the size, the articles are good – they do get some good guest writers and there isn’t too much pontificating about imigrants or how we should be a republic and get rid of the Queen. I like Times2 and Nell likes the Suduko. How boring are we!?!? I NEVER buy the Sunday version though… I can’tcarry it out of Tescos.

INDEPENDENT – Nothing to nobody. I’ve never read it. Nor have many other people.

Finally… THE DAILY MAIL – Rubbish rubbish rubbish rubbish rubbish rubbish rubbish. Really, how can people read it or buy it (unless they have a free DVD/CD with it)???? I know this paper is an easy target for people like me, but seriously it shouldn’t be read unless you’re locked in a cell with nothing else to do. The sport section is rubbish as well.

If you have some money tomorrow for something… buy The Week and check out the others on the Internet.

Signed Mr Angry from the suburbs

Credit crunch/economic downturn/stock market crash

Bored.

At least the sun’s out.

I probably should be more worried…

Finally… we have broadband and a phone line that have nothing to do with BT

After finally getting Virgin to sort out our phone line and broadband because BT did their usual trick of being utterly incompetent (including cutting off our old phone line) I can finally stop bothering nice friends for their internet use when we go out for a cuppa.

Did a “block week” module on John’s gospel last week which was good… to be honest, I can’t remember a huge amount of it now but my general recollection was a positive one.

However, the funniest thing to have happen in the last week was seeing my lovely wife discover Facebook. She has been dead scathing of the whole thing for ages and now is like a small child at Christmas everytime a person becomes her friend!!!!

The most upsetting part of the week was seeing my man boobs sticking out in a photo of me wearing a sweater. Promptly went for a 3 mile run. They are still there

Floods, Tewkesbury and b****y newspapers

Rant on…

Right, Tewkesbury hasn’t flooded badly. It floods all the time – we are at normal flood levels at the moment. We live at the confluence of 2 rivers and have a huge amount of floodplain around us. It covers with water regularly.

Yes, the council needs to be looking at clearing drains, and making much better flood provision especially to compensate for the big housing estates that have been built. Yes, I DO feel really sorry for those who live with a much greater threat of flooding than me – I’ve been there and it is devastating. However, I’m sick of the overexaggerated coverage from newspapers. It’s bad journalism and it stinks.

Here endeth the lesson…

Our new location

Well we’ve now moved from rainy Tewkesbury to even more rainy Brizzle…

Boxes everywhere, no phoneline or internet so very little blogging for a few weeks I would imagine.

We had an amazing weekend – a good friend celebrated a “milestone” birthday – she’d kill me if I said her age on my blog… on Sunday at church we were given a fab send off with gifts, interviews, prayers, dodgy photos from my mother and a cracking lunch – thanks very much! 

Yesterday was our 8th wedding anniversary – well done us!!! We celebrated with dinner at Wagamamas – just love that place. The food was awesome… this week will be mostly spent unpacking and getting the house sorted out. 

If you want to get in touch, either leave me a message here, or facebook me (is that a new verb???). 

More inane mutterings later in the week…