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On my way into Glasgow this morning, I heard a wonderful message from a gentleman from The Salvation Army, which I wanted to share with you…

From Lieutenant Colonel Charles King, Editor in Chief at the Salvation Army’s International HQ

I spent several hours on Saturday single-handledly moving all the furniture around in my living room – only to end up putting everything back exactly where it had originally been. The reason for the exercise was that I had bought myself a new television after the old one finally gave up the ghost, and I succumbed to the temptation to buy one with a ridiculously large screen.

I knew it was a mistake as soon as I switched it on. What seemed so attractive in the huge showroom of the superstore was just overpowering in my modest terraced house in Croydon. I decided the only way it might work was if I put the telly in the furthest corner of the room. So, I started moving all the furniture around. But the only way everything fitted was the original layout. A complete morning wasted.

The next day, the Salvation Army band I play in was on duty for the Remembrance Sunday service at Croydon’s Fairfield Hall. During this I listened to an excellent sermon from the Vicar, who reminded us how two World Wars and a succession of smaller ones turned the world upside down. Yes, I thought, and the real tragedy is that after all the upheaval, everything seems to go back so quickly to how it was before – like moving the furniture around, but ending up with the original arrangement. War – despite the horrendous sacrifice – is a very inefficient way of solving problems. After centuries of conflict, our world is still full of inequality, injustice and inhumanity.

How do we bring about the new order our world so badly needs? For many people religious faith has a part to play. For me, the teachings of Jesus focus the problems of the world in much the same way as a good television documentary does. Jesus had the knack of taking a universal need, such as grief, or loneliness, or guilt, and presenting it on a very human scale. He told stories about one lost coin, one straying sheep, one prodigal son. In each case his solution was manageable – do-able by individuals.

Today’s international problems sometimes seem so huge that it’s as if we cower on our sofa in front of a huge screen whose images overwhelm us. I’m convinced, though, that the solutions lie with individuals, if only their voices can be heard and if they have the courage to speak and act with the compassion that I feel is the true characteristic of all men and women, of all nations and creeds.

When individuals live at peace with each other, peace between nations will follow.

I got the text from the Radio 2 website in case you were wondering if I was just good at verbatims (which I am not…)!

War is such a difficult subject to discuss at times. Many see it as bloodshed and barbaric, whilst others see it as national duty and necessary. We live in such turbulent times in a world filled with political, social and religious indifference, where some see the only way to find a winner is to lock antlers in war. When Lieutenant Colonel Charles King discusses the approach taken by Jesus in the Gospels where situations of universal importance were singularised, I could not help but wonder… If we each looked at, listened to and reached out to one person in distress,we can work together to overcome the situations we are faced with on a daily basis.

Apologies for the severe lack of blogging as of late. Between starting University once more and my first Autumn placement, it has been absolutely hectic.

Just to add insult to injury, I woke up early on Tuesday morning to begin a fun-filled number of hours of being ill. Upon calling the doctor, it was revealed that I appeared to have Swine Flu! The blessèd relief should be the image of today’s posting )

Anyway, we are all feeling much better now and it is onwards and upwards!

I have started my placement in North Motherwell, which I am absolutely delighted about. Between now and Pentecost, I look forward to getting to know the congregation and the community and hope to journey with many them through the upcoming festive season, which can be difficult for many.

We live in times which can be seen as both exciting and scary. With the continuing financial strains affecting so many across the globe, jobs being lost in many sectors and the worries that many experience when new and, for some, lethal infections are rife, many may see 2009 as the beginning of the end. We are, however, just a matter of weeks away from 2010. Let’s look on this year to be one where we have a lot to be excited about – financial markets will restore, jobs will become available once more and cures will continue to be found. It is never easy to see light at the end of the tunnel…

Whether things are going well for us just now or we are on the verge of meltdown, it is important for us to remember that we must trust in God in the good times and the bad. Easier said than done, I know, but one could say that when we entrust God with our lives, we must start as we mean to go on…

The week before term starts is always fun. The courses are chosen, the books are bought, the childcare is arranged…
As Friday approaches and you prepare for the final weekend before the ensuing stress and strain of academia disaster strikes! Yesterday, I received a call from my wife while hosting a staff/student gathering for the incoming students to the department to tell me that her grandfather had been taken into hospital in need of oxygen as a result of a bad chest infection. Given that Karyn’s grandparents were all set to look after Rachel on Mondays, we have had to urgently rethink our situation, which we managed to break down to two options:

1. We get a mother’s help to go to Karyn’s grandparents’ flat on Mondays
2. I go Karyn’s grandparents’ flat on Mondays and work there instead of the library.

Option 1 was quickly reconsidered when we started looking at costs… First of all, you need to register with an agency – that’s £50.00. Once you get a nanny/mother’s help, you have to pay a Placement Fee – That’s £175.00. Then… it’s anywhere between £6 and £8.50 an hour. For our hours, that would work out at, in the worst case scenario, £85 per week plus £60 per week for nursery fees on Tuesdays and Wednesdays!

So…that left option 2, which, with the kind assistance of my new advisor, is possible and will be rubber-stamped on Monday morning. As you can imagine, there is no way that we would ever stop Rachel going over to her great-grandparents to be looked after when the only real difficulty they have is lifting her and chasing her around the house! If I can get my work done in their dining room then at least I am only next door if they need a hand…

It’s at times like this that it really hits home as to how much of your life is affected when you bring a child into the world, but I would not change that for the world – we have been truly blessed with such a wonderful wee girl who has brought us nothing but happiness and thankfulness. The routines may be awkward, the nappies may be pungent, the sleep may be interrupted, but we were all that age once as well  I suppose and would do it all again.

Guess I better get on with buying the books for my new classes!

As a newbie to Candidates Conferences and indeed to Eutychus, welcome to my blog!

I would like to begin by thanking everyone for their warm welcome, support and prayers throughout my first conference. Being the first conference, I have returned home with the stuffing knocked out of me!

Nothing a good sleep didn’t go towards fixing!

I will close for now and hopefully start more regular blogging soon!