Updates to links etc

I’ve updated my links (on your left)

There are more blogs, more websites and they are a bit more ordered.

I’ve put some people in friends who are also great thinkers… so check them out.

I’ll be adding to it as I go too.

 

Also, get on Twitter – much better than Facebook as it is a great way to find interesting links to just about anything that are recommended by humans and not Google. Follow me at twitter.com/chrispfox.

Do it.

And the next thing I want is…

My new toy

I have joined the Mac club. This one isn’t mine though although it looks the same.

So far I’ve spent ages getting information across from the old Dell laptop to the Mac. It really took ages.

Today I’ve tried to work hard (and not done too badly) but I’ve spent a lot of time trying to get things sorted out… any advice always well received!!! Twitter is THE best place to get Mac help as everyone on it seems to use one.

It is nice and shiny too…

My third decade

I forgot to blog about my birthday last week.

I turned 30.

My lovely wife did the most fantastic party for me at a great little venue on Whiteladies Road in Bristol with loads of friends and family. She is amazing!

The party was great – good food, great music, fantastic company and a great time all round.

 

In answer to the questions I’ve been asked…

- I don’t feel different

- I don’t feel old

- My hair won’t grow back

More stuff on SuperBadger

Just received this email from Superbadger – this is the difference you can make with it!! Sign up and get badgering.

Two years ago, SuperBadger was born. The mission: to help ordinary people badger politicians, CEOs and other influencers to change the world and tackle global poverty. And what a success it’s been.

In the past two years, through SuperBadger, over 20,000 people have taken on-line action for justice. And even though change takes time, we’ve still had some great successes, including:

- Gordon Brown announced plans to go to Copenhagen for the climate talks
- EON announced they will temporarily withhold the proposal to build the Kingsnorth coal-fired power station
- The British Government re-affirmed that there will be no political contact with the Honduran coup regime
- DFID included all of our key asks into their White Paper on food security
- Thorntons created a Fairtrade chocolate range
- The UK passed a world-class Climate Change Act

Even when our target isn’t able to make the change we ask for yet, it’s still nice to get a response. And recently badger actions have been receiving tons of responses from the likes of the BBC, Nestle, Cadbury and even David Cameron. Our work is definitely noticed.

So thank you for all your help making SuperBadger become the effective and fun campaigning tool that it is!

Being Intentional

I’ve been listening to a really interesting and challenging talk by Patrick Dixon (check out www.globalchange.com on the Delicious links). His title was “Doubling your productivity” or something like it…

He is an exceptional entrepreneur and works with a varied portfolio that includes church leaders, business leaders and politicians around the world. He began the charity ACET which looks to tackle the AIDS crisis internationally.

I’m still processing so much of what he says in his talk but it got me asking several questions… it might seem terribly introspective, but I am the only person that I can change for the better (with God’s help) so I want to give it a go. Below are the 10 questions that I’m thinking through at the moment… which one strikes you as the most important?

1. What roles and responsibilities do I currently have?

2. What gifts/talents/skills/passions do I have?

3. Where and when am I most effective in ministry?

4. Where and when do I come alive?

5. Are there new opportunities to take advantage of?

6. Does anything need to drop?

7. What are the distractions/habits/attitudes that need addressing?

8. How am I serving those who are less advantaged than me?

9. Who are the people that I should be investing in?

10. What do I want to be remembered for in 5 years time?

Grace

“I have been seized by the power of a great affection”

I took a whole load of books on holiday with me… I usually devour lots and so went prepared. This summer I read one book and it took me three weeks (admittedly the “Surviving Disaster” shows on cable were appealing). I read the Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning. This is a book that I tried to read on holiday once before – I picked up my friend John’s copy and it fell apart. So I gave up. I’ve recommended this book to others. I’ve even nodded in agreement when others have talked about it.

Well I’ve read it now.

If you want to truly encounter grace…

So should you.

New Wine – THIRST Venue 09

We had a fantastic summer in Thirst (14-19s venue at New Wine) this year. The weather was pretty terrible earlier in the week but as usual people mucked in and helped each other out… still think that camping on the Bath and West Showground during a downpour takes a special kind of endurance though.

Not got time to go into detail but want to publicly big up the team that worked in Thirst – over 100 people who gave up jobs, time, money, sleep, sanity and more for a week to serve the young people that came along this summer. These guys are amazing and Thirst was much the better for them being there.

A few highlights for me…

- The massive amount given by the young people towards Tearfund and Regenerate – more than 50% up on the previous year. A sign of God moving amongst us…

- The awesome effort made by the team – going the extra mile and then some…

- The signs of God’s presence in our midst – people becoming followers of Jesus, healings, peace, transformation beginning

It was our last year leading Thirst and it was great to feel like we’d finished well… now off to the US of A

Back in civilisation

Back from a great time at New Wine leading the Thirst venue. Will post more details later but suffice to say that it was fantastic.

Only 3 sleeps until we go to California!!!!

Heard that our landlord is giving us a new bathroom while we are away this month which was a really nice surprise.

And today is cleaning day.

Fun.

The Ashes 2009 – Second Test Victory

Good ol’ Freddy.

I couldn’t listen to the test match this morning as I was in a meeting in Cheltenham (I say meeting, I really mean out for a coffee). To be honest, I genuinely dreaded listening as I thought that the Aussies would make the total. So to walk into a big shopping mall in Cheltenham and see on Sky that we’d won was a great relief.

So great that I treated myself to some DVDs from HMV.

Little Miss Sunshine – £3

Ghostbusters 2 – £3

Most impressive – The Ashes 2005 series victory. 3 DVD boxset……….. wait for it……… £3

Already watched the Edgbaston Test from 2005…. now that was real tension.

As for the coffee…. ordered a decaf for my third coffee of the morning – and got a caffeine fix. That lasted until late afternoon. To be fair, I only paid for one of them so I shouldn’t grumble.

Middle Lane Drivers

I endorse this signpost completely.

I’ll keep this rant short and sweet.

GET OUT OF THE MIDDLE LANE UNLESS YOU ARE OVERTAKING!!!!!!!!!!!!

For those in the middle lane who need more explaination – see THIS WEBSITE

More tea vicar??

Ok, so I’m ticking the box of every “what a vicar does” stereotype – toddlers and Mothers Union (which by the way is one of the most formidable Christian Organisations in the world today – especially in Africa – doing more to combat poverty and injustice than most are). The group I went to today was a nice social tea and cake (proper nice cakes and biscuits) and a chance to chat with some of the ladies there.

I had some great conversations with some great people. I have made the decision to throw myself into everything and not shy away from anything that made me feel uncomfortable. I have to confess that I didn’t feel comfortable when I arrived, but by the time I left I did…

The home made Rocky Road was awesome!

Teddy Bears and U2

Both of the above were central today at my church placement. But not together.

Went to the “Teddy Praise” this morning… lots of little children with action songs, butterflies, prit-stick and shiny stickers. Lots of people, both church and non church people. Really enjoyed it and took part in the action songs. I made the 2 year olds look like professional dancers.

This evening I went along to a small group who were looking at the theology of U2’s latest album “No Line on the Horizon”. I had a great evening – firstly because there were nice ales on offer but also because Mark (the vicar) had put together a great session together on three of the songs on the album. Plenty of fantastic stuff to chew over, with lots of lively discussion, great music and God speaking…

“The Kingdom of God is like a banquet…”

Wii Remote Issues

I have a bad feeling that I have broken both of our wii remotes (or “wiimotes”) as I currently have a “flickering and erratic” cursor on the screen.

I have tried smacking both controllers (advised by many including Nintendo) but fear that this may have made it worse.

I was doing really well on Fifa 09 as well…

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

End of term

Finished my lectures for my first year… all I’ve got left is one essay on ethics to hand in and a Greek exam to revise for.

Then my church placement begins. Four weeks split into two – two weeks at St Peter’s Henleaze and two weeks at Woodlands Christian Centre.

I’m looking forward to it. I’ll keep an online diary here about it whilst it happens… in case anyone is struggling to get to sleep.

More importantly… June the 16th is coming up quickly.

Friday Afternoon

It’s hard for a busy person like myself to find time to put my highly intelligent thoughts on to this blog

The last few weeks have been a bit busier than others (honestly, I’ve really been working on a whole load of things!!) and so I’ve just not got round to adding anything to this.

Since the last blog I’ve eaten a freshly killed pheasant, played volleyball a lot, scored a goal, shared a bed with a 20stone rugby player, lost a bit of weight, prayed a bit, planned some more of New Wine Youth stuff, spoke at a leadership conference, drunk more coffee than is healthy, and still not been fishing since March.

I plan never again to do at least one of those things…

Last few weeks…

… have been really good. Not been great on the blogging front for a while (other than THAT injury – how self indulgent am I??) so thought I’ve give a quick potted history of what’s been happening.

SPRING HARVEST

We worked on the “Distinctive” team (11-14s) over Easter and had an amazing time! Always great to see young people who are really up for worshipping God and learning about him. One girl in my small group had her eyesight totally healed!!! She was wearing her glasses when everything suddenly went blurry – she took them off and realised that everything was crystal clear. Awesome!!!

SNOWDON

My Dad and I had planned to get up Snowdon just after Easter… unfortunately on the day we had planned to climb there were severe thunderstorms forecast. So instead we climbed up the two highest peaks in Dartmoor. It was a bit cloudy, but some fab views. Just nice to go for a good walk… oh and see my folks too!

BACK AT COLLEGE

Nice to get back at college to be honest – started a couple of courses – Genesis and Ethics. Had to lead chapel last Thurs for the first time… managed to avoid wearing robes as well…

Not much else comes to mind… other than Wolves are now CHAMPIONS!!!!

Life Defining Moments 3

First fight.

Aged 7 on Good Friday afternoon. Kicked off with another kid from the village where we lived…

Result – he kicked one of my teeth out.

You try finding a dentist on Good Friday.

Still hate dentists.

Life’s Defining Moments 2

First trip to hospital due to injury. Aged 11.

I jumped out of a tree and landed on some crossed railings. Point of impact was smack between my legs.

Nice. Got me a couple of days of school though.

Comic Relief

Bit of stupidity at college for Comic Relief – a friend brought in their “Concept 2 Rowing Machine” and set a challenge of the fastest 500m for both guys and girls.

I got on and managed a VERY respectable 1min 34.7 secs. I had the lead for a good 2 hours.

When I left, I was third, with the fastest time currently at 1.25ish… Marcus – that is impressive!!

We also came dressed as Superheroes… some very revealing costumes from one unnamed male tutor. Girls had to avert their eyes. My lame attempt was Clark Kent… but as I couldn’t find my NHS black specs it didn’t really work.

Anyway…

Regardless of the fun…

Give as much money as you can.