Smile, The Sun Is Setting

Weekly Photo Challenge: Carefree

Friday evening was a great way to end a hard week at work.  I’ve been in this job for over 20 months now, but I’ve don’t think I have a week as challenging as this last one, it just never seemed to stop, hectic from first think Monday morning to last thing Friday.

So to the end weekend we held a BBQ at Amplified for our youth group at Church, both myself and Ben attended, even Victoria popped in with Eve later on, by that time though the kids had all gone inside whilst we cleared up outside.

As we search the storage areas for games to set up outside, we found a number of letters that had been used on stage previously, so as we searched through what letters we had, we tried to think of words to spell out and use, I came up with the word smile, so we set it up on the entrance for everyone to see as they came in, I do have the odd good idea every now and again!

Smile

The Sun set as the youngsters played a number of games whilst enjoying their burgers and sausages, it was just a great way to end the week.

Slowly Setting

Final Goodbye

SUNNY DAYS by JARS OF CLAY
Sunny days keepin’ the clouds away
I think we’re coming to a clearing and a brighter day

So far away. Still I think they say
The wait will make the heart grow stronger or fonder
I can’t quite remember anyway

So if you’re waitin’ for love
Well it’s a promise I’ll keep
If you don’t mind believing that it changes everything
Then time will never matter

Winter, Spring… is what love can truly bring
Ice turns to water, water flows to everything
You can lose your mind, maybe then your heart you’ll find
I hope you won’t give up what’s moving you inside

If the car won’t start, when you turn the key
When the music comes on, all your cold, cold heart can do is skip a beat

It’s a promise I’ll keep
When you’re waitin’ for love
If you don’t mind believing that it changes everything
Then time will never matter

So Proud Of My Boy

Two weeks ago I took my Son to our Church youth group Amplified for the first time, he used to go to the group for younger kids before it was closed, but as he’s now 11 and in September will move up schools, he’s eligible for the older youth group which I have been attending as part of the A.V. Team.

Two weeks ago it was games in the local park, not the normal meeting at Church, so yesterday evening he came along for the first time.

Well if you’ve seen my post “Alone In A Crowded Room” then you will know how hard I find it to mix with new people, so Ben is the same, he’s shy and quiet, not a natural mixer, like me he’s okay when he’s included, but not great at being forward.

In regular Church meetings on a Sunday morning, he sits with the other from Kids Church, whilst most of the girls dance and sing along to worship, my daughter Eve included, Ben sits quietly at the side, not getting involved, when I see him from my camera position or indeed from my old seat, I see myself in him.

Also he doesn’t like change too much, in fact he doesn’t want to move school, he told has last teacher at his primary school he does not want to go to secondary school, point blank he refused to go, they managed to convince him he has to, told him to see how it goes for the first few months, then they would speak with him after that, somehow they got him to agree.

He met with a few of the kids at the park a few weeks ago, so he knew a few last night, but at times I could see him alone, but trying.

When it came to worship last night, he stood up at the front with the others, I half expected him to stay seated at the back, but he moved forward and I’m certain I actually saw him clapping along with the music.

In the social time after he stood alone a while, so I engaged in a game of table tennis with him, which he enjoyed, then he was joined by a group of others and seemed to be in thick of things, so I left him to it. By the end of the evening he knew quite a few of the other kids and had signed us up for the BBQ next Friday. I glad he’s making friends, many of these kids although older than him, go to his new school, I think it’s good for him to have some older friends he knows in his new environment who can help him.

We helped tidy up and put out the chairs out of Sunday’s service, he got involved and didn’t complain even as it got late.

Although he’s a quiet lad (unless he’s fighting with his sister) he seemed to enjoy it and I hope it will help him, both with his new school and shyness, but more importantly with his faith.

I’m proud of how he handled it last night and proud of how he got involved, it may be a small step, but it’s a start.

CHILDREN OF GOD by THIRD DAY
Praise to the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ
Our God and our King, to Him we will sing
In His great mercy, He has given us life
Now we can be called the children of God

Great is the Love that the Father has given us
He has delivered us
He has delivered us

Children of God, sing your song and rejoice
For the love that He has given us all
Children of God, by the blood of His Son
We have been redeemed and we can be called
Children of God
Children of God

A mystery is revealed to the universe
The Father above has proven His love
Now we are free from the judgment that we deserve
And so we are called the children of God

Great is the Love that the Father has given us
He has delivered us
He has delivered us

Children of God, sing your song and rejoice
For the love that He has given us all
Children of God, by the blood of His Son
We have been redeemed and we can be called
Children of God
Children of God

We are the saints
We are the children
We’ve been redeemed
We’ve been forgiven
We are the sons and the daughters of our God

BRAIN FRIED!!!!!!!

I am officially shattered this evening, it’s been a long, long weekend, it’s Sunday evening and I’ve just finished work at 8.15pm!!!!  On a Sunday!!!  Sunday’s are for Church then Karate, but work as well?

I could just close my eyes and sleep, if I wasn’t so hungry and still actually mentally buzzing!

Friday was a great night at Amplified once again, our youth ministry is growing each week, but for me it makes a long day, but I don’t mind.  I work from 7.30am to 4pm, then leave to teach karate from 4.30 to 6pm, then rush home change and out to Church until gone 10pm, a long, but extremely enjoyable day.

Yesterday was a crazy day too, I went for a 3 hour walk first thing, then at 10.30am went to Ursula’s for what I thought would be 3 or 4 hours of architectural work, wrong, eight hours later I walked home with a fried brain!!!!

So this morning another early start at Church to get the cameras set up, then filming the main service, Justin was preaching this week and boy did he cover every inch of the stage, he never stood still for too long, I had to concentrate so hard on the tiny viewing screen to follow him and keep in view, hard work, but I enjoy it, I actually enjoy the test, it helps me improve my camera work, especially with ECTV due to go live in two weeks.

A bit if lunch then off to karate for two and half hours of teaching, then leave there to go back to Ursula’s for another two and half hours staring at a computer screen, now I’m completely brain fried, but I’m not finished yet, I’m back there tomorrow night after work as well.

So now for tea and then, hopefully, a long and peaceful sleep!!!!

I heard this song on my iPod whilst walking yesterday, I’ve listened to it many times, but yesterday morning it really caught my attention, so I thought I would share it with you all.

STREETS by ABOVE THE GOLDEN STATE
When shadows turn to faces, and when faces take on names
When names tell us their stories, of their brokenness and pain
When love flows through the cities, through the grid of all the streets
Under bridges in the alleys, like blood through our veins

Love is real
Love will bleed
Love will heal
Love will need

When love is used like money, it turns into our greed
When love is more like water, then everyone will drink
So let it flow through all our cities, and flood them like the sea
Fill the souls that hunger, Lord give us what we need

Love change the world …
Love change the world …

You can see it when He walks around
You can feel it when He moves the ground
We’re all colored with a crimson stain
Can you see it now, can you see Him now

From the clouds to the world below
From the mountain to the city of gold
Love is coming like an urgent rain
Can you feel it now, can you feel Him now