Sunday 23 November 2008

Today we went to the Students and Twenties Super Scavenger Hunt as organised by the Buena Vista group at Woodside Church and a group from Brickhill Church.

It started at the bandstand in Bedford Park - which was okay but because it was so cold out we were frozen before we started!! We warmed back up again when we got to the car. We headed for town to get the bits we needed in town - I then nipped home to get the bits I could think of from there and then went back to get CJ and Ian.

We headed for Biddenham and then further afield to collect answers and things. We got to Harold and we had to go to the Country Park and we had to do a landscape painting - I ended up doing most of it as the boys had run off into the woods to find a stick (I was about to include the clue that we had but I caught my drink and then CJ shouted at me - what kind of person has cream carpets in a rental property). The boys came back and had taken it literally, the stick actually had to be broken into three pieces so that we could fit it in the car after all I drive is a Fiat Seicento and thats kinda small! I've managed an Ikea Bookcase in there but we ended up balancing it precariously through the car! (I thought I had an interesting photo of my car but I found this one on Bayernernst's Photostream on Flickr)

Anyhoo so I by the time finished my bit of the painting my fingers were so painful I actually though that they were going to drop off!! I didn't have a paintbrush when I started so I used my fingers which as good an idea it sounds it actually really made my fingers even colder. I went to the loo and washed my hands but I couldn't put my hands under the warm tap because it was way too hot! It felt like it was scolding my hands - I came up with a plan I dunked my hands under the cold tap then under the warm when it was too warm to bare I'd dunk them back under the cold tap so they'd cool off again.

Friday 21 November 2008

That's What You Get


I'm at work at the moment and my manager has put some music on. So far we've had Pink and Christina Aguilera - maybe I should be scared we're now listening to Paramore!!! I'm not complaining cos I like Paramore!

Posted by email from GodsRock Angel's posterous

Thursday 20 November 2008

A Random Meme


I stole this random Meme from Popping Bubbles

 

1. When showering, do you start the water and then get in, or get in then start the water? 
I start the water then get in because ours can be scolding hot or freezing cold - it's the only way to make sure its bearable.

2. Do you read the labels on your shampoo bottle? 
Sometimes but only like the first few times I use it then I just use it! I used to read them more when we had a bath tub but now we just have a shower.

3. Do you moan in the shower like the people on the Herbal Essences commercial? 
No! lol I sing or just over think what I have left to do that day.

4. My youth group have access to my blog so I have to vet some of these Meme's why are some people so rude? lol

5. Have you ever been forced to shower with one of your siblings? 
Me and my bro used to have baths together when I was like 4 or 5 because it saved water!

6. Have you ever brushed your teeth in the shower? 
Yep

7. Have you ever dropped your soap on your foot? 
Occasionally tends to be the shampoo or the shower gel!

8. How old do you look? 
today i look tired so probably 30! hehe i'm actually 22

9. How old do you act? 
At work 22 at home about 10 and hanging out with my friends kids it varies between 2 and 7 lol

10. What’s the last song you sang? 
Humans by the Killers I think it was on the radio earlier.

11. Have you recently become a member of anything? 
Erm yeah Posterous!

12. What are your plans for the weekend? 
Read and sleep and church I think

13. Do you kiss with your eyes open or closed? 
Closed. Open is kinda freaky

14. What’s the sexiest thing about Condoleeza Rice? 

She's a politician - does that make her sexy in some geek-ish random way? I guess there are guys out there some where who think she's hot!

15. Does anything on your body itch right now? 

Nope don't think I itch. Have a little tummy ache but I'm ok other than that

16. Who’s the sexiest famous woman alive? 
Erm, I guess it depends on your type lol!

17. Who’s the sexiest famous man alive? 
I don't know. One of my friends thinks that David Tennant is like super lovely! And she also likes Johnny Depp!

18. Does every family have a crazy uncle? 
Erm I have a slightly loopy Aunt - she's loopy in a funny way. I did think my Uncle was about to throttle me or something when I split his coffee - if looks could kill I was dead!

19. Have you ever smuggled something through customs?
Nope

20. Does playing the guitar make a guy more attractive? 
My OH doesn't play guitar he plays violin! lol

21. Do you live in a city with a good sports team? 
Yeah! Bedford Blues Ruggers team!

22. Have you ever finished off the popcorn and ate the junk from the bottom of the bag?
Nope - I don't normally see the bottom of the popcorn as my OH eats it!

23. What about in a boat? 
What about what in a boat? I've been rowing in a boat and then fell in the river (well one leg up to my thigh!)

24. Have you ever dated a Goth? 
No dated a metal head and that was kinda enough for me!

25. Can you fix your own car? 
Erm well no. lol. I usually phone my Dad in a bit of a flap! Like I did earlier this week when I got a puncture (I couldn't get the bolts undone! I'm not that pathetic that I don't at least give it a little attempt!)

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Today


Why am I struggling to focus?

I've done a couple of orders but no where near as many as I usually do. Has anyone got any suggestions for me?

I'm off to find myself some Spanish stuff for todays HSMSHS later on. Yesterday was Italian and it was really easy but todays is more of a challenge.

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Wednesday 19 November 2008

Hello!

I'm glad that you like it! (I think your Mum would like it to)

My Dad started his Tribute with this story about a rose and that made me go! I cried like 6 tears and pulled myself back together and then a bit towards the end it started me off again!!!

Mike and David ended up holding each others hand in the service cos Mike was in pieces I was sat between Chris and Nadia (Mike's long term girlfriend) and Nadia had tears streaming down her face as well. 

The service at the church was hard because we didn't know any of the songs (but in true me style i tried to make it up as i went along!). Our row (which was all family) followed the coffin and Grandad, Mum Dad and Richard out of the church - it was a bit cloudy and the weather looked like it could turn nasty. Dave and Joy C and Mrs Gibb came to the service at Putnoe which was good - just to know that they were giving up an hour of their time to be there was really nice. 

We had the service at the crematorium which was hard as well because I knew what was coming but it wasn't so bad as they pull a curtain round so I stared at the hymn book on the chair in front of me. 

CJ kept over analysing everything and it was really quite hard and I don't think he realised how much it was hurting. We came out the church and he was rather harsh towards me. On the way out of the church and onto Putnoe Lane the pallbearer walked in front of the hearse so that he could stop the traffic and let the convoy of cars through. When we got to the Crematorium he kept talking about the car park and what the building looks like and stuff like that and I just wanted to scream at him - I didn't want to be talking about what was happening I wanted to talk about the weather or Star Trek that we were watching last night - just anything that what was happening at the present (does that make sense at all?)

Anyhoo! The wake lunch thing went well minus me backing into Uncle S's coffee cup and knocking it down him - He got in a right one at me and didn't really accept my apology. Me Kirsty Rich Mum and Dad ended up hanging out in the hall way and on the stairs as there was a lack of space. CJ and David rabbeted on about computers and climbing for most of the afternoon. 

Later in the afternoon me, Auntie B, Mike, Nadia and Rich ended up stood in the kitchen talking about drunk experiences and going to the pub. Maybe we all fancied it or something! Auntie B lives about 6 doors from their village pub! 

Thursday 13 November 2008

New Design

Hello my dear

So in the next few days I am going to start tweaking the blog so that I can find something pleasing to the eye thats shouts Hannahs!!!!!!! very loud! 

So when you spot something you like or dislike do tell me thank you 


H x

I've quit

No don't panic. I've not made some drastic decision to quit my job.

I've quit the youth work at church. Yes CJ is the main dude when it comes to youth work at our church but it does help if you're willing to be open to ideas, suggestions and most of all listen to your leaders

I've had major heart ache for the last week. Some mornings it takes me a lot of mental energy to put one foot in front of the other to remember what I'm doing and what I'm trying to achieve (which probably means I've made mistakes at work this week).

Next week is going to be mentally tough as well as it's the funeral on Wednesday. This weekend there is a retreat where we are going to the Scout Camp near Sandy. The young people are going to be sleeping on the floor of the hall (yes people in November!!!!)

Me and CJ live in a Victorian built house (converted into flats) and it's permantly cold (or at least rather cool!). I believe that it's that temperature which has been making me ill (we had the same problem at no 90 between the temperature and the penicillin that CJ was trying to grow)

So I am now free at the weekend for babysitting, putting up sheds and other flat pack furniture. I am however car less and my bike has no lights so you may need to be within walking distance or able to supply transport.

You are also not allowed to say you're sorry or to get over the pain and move on.

Wednesday 12 November 2008

I have found my ideal shop!

http://www.littlemissmatched.com

They sell socks in packs of 3 single socks so that you have to wear odd socks!!!!! How exciting!!!! They actually sell pairs of odd socks!!!!! Thats soooooooooooooooo me!!!!! (I am freakishly excited about the whole thing!)

I will be back with a proper post later

Monday 10 November 2008

So thats that

So you've been and gone as now it's Monday and I'm back at work. I am really struggling today to focus on anything for long enough to complete a proper task - I think I am having having the slack cut for me a little bit and given the flexibility to ease in and stuff like that.

Hows your day going? I will be back later!

Friday 7 November 2008

Eeeeeeeee!!!

You're here. I'm just waiting for you to park now. It's cold and I don't have my scarf or hat on. There's a space in front of me I know I could fit the Seicento in I'm just hoping you can for your car in the gap.

H

Put some colour into someone elses day... it's a good feeling!

Following Smithys AOK blog I thought I would kinda devise something...

Recently one of my closest friends has been hit quite hard with the sad loss of her Grandma. As we all know death is the umpleasent certainty of life itself... does that make sense? It brings back memories of when a close person to me died and the sense of loss i felt... the loss that he had gone away and the sense of being lost in myself and not knowing where to turn without the fear of burdening someone.

Anyway, I dont live near my friend anymore and if I did, I know (and hope she does) that I would be there for her to just sit and be quiet with, talk with, sing with, dance with, laugh, cry, and just exist with. Thats what friends are for! However, I dont want to JUST exist. I have a heart and I want to have positivity in it. I have had lots of times of negativity, worrying what people think of me, feeling like I am worthless and used, like treatment was not going to work and that i was an inconvenience and expense. I do have a purpose, we all do! We can find a purpose for ourselves. Lots of people have hurt, upset and anguish in their everyday lives. Just one smile in a day can take some of that hurt and upset away. A smile costs nothing and how good does it feel to turn that frown upside down? For me it is one of the best feelings because not only am i appreciating something, I am showing it without words. You can sit in silence and just be happy for company. Thats fine!

The AOK bit comes into this because, for example, my friend is obviously grieving the loss of her Grandma at the moment and a simple action of kindness could put just a speck of colour back into her day. Give her a smile when you see her, open a door, say thank you if she does something for you. Just think, this girl is like me. She has a heart and she needs warmth today!

I have tried it... it's good. I work part time in a village pub. I have done the job for 5 years after starting for a bit of extra money while at school. I never had the guts to quit after i graduated from uni so still doing that as well as the profession. I dont like the job at all and will be leaving soon (hopefully) but it's not hard to give a little time to the old man that tells the same story every week, stamped in my head because i've heard it so much. He's gone home happy because he's shared his story.

Taking my sister to work bugs me (especially if she is stressing about being late) but I know that she has got to work in the warmth and comfort of the car, we have had out "to work" chat and she has got there safe for a days work. The same goes for taking my Grandma to the hairdressers. I dont get a thank you for doing it and sometimes she is rude yet I would never leave her to go by herself and the odd time I might suprise her and take her for a cuppa tea - She is so grateful for that and that makes me feel so happy inside.

I dont do any of these for brownie points... I am too old to be a brownie! No, seriously, I do it because people need to have some happiness in their day. I need happiness in my day and by making someone smile I can smile too!

*I know that on here it is quite obvious who my friend is but she could be anyone near you, all over the world, Girl, Boy, young or old.

When you get that happy feeling after doing something good today, please give my friend and her family a thought.

Thanks.

Kewey.xxxx

P.S that is genuinely from the heart and I guess it may sound cheesey and a bit prom queen speechish but hey, i just wanted to share in the idea of AOK.x

Barack Obama - Santa Fe Art District

If you'd asked me over a year ago who Barack Obama was I'd have said I have no idea!

Now I can say he's the President-Elect - after inauguration he's going to be the most powerful man in the world!

I like this quote! It's like saying I can make the change but you've got to help me to get the ball rolling.

I like the idea that Danny Wallace had (well I'm sure someone else thought it up before him but he's the notable one I can remember) on a Friday find one thing you can do for someone else as a random act of Kindness or an AOK as CJ found on one of the Soul Survivor websites.

That AOK can be opening a door, helping your gran with the shopping, going to see a friends because you know that they need a hug,

If every person did a AOK for their neighbour how much better would life be?

Wednesday 5 November 2008

Hi speed post



My grandma is seriously poorly as may not see it through the night. I will blog later but nanowrimo and nanoblopo are on hold.

As are the hsmshs catch up.

Han
-- Post From My iPhone

We're all grown up now

Laura has her moving day! How scary is that - we are all grown up now and have to sensible well rounded adults hehe.


From Saturday they are resurfacing our street so I'm not sure how good access is going to be - it might be better to park in Goldington Avenue or across the road in Pemberely Avenue or St Michaels/St Augustines and then walk back to the flat - I'm hoping we have access to our car park at the back but I'm not sure at the moment - Hopefully we'll have some more details by Friday.


Also Yesterday was a landmark day in case you hadn't seen the news Obama is in office - he won the election.

Monday 3 November 2008

Inspiration!

Ok depending on weather we could do photo shoot ness at Houghton House on Saturday or Sunday afternoon - it's only about 20-30 minutes away!!!!

What do you think?

Sunday 2 November 2008

My Talk

So this should hopefully go as a scheduled post and post itself at 7pm ish which is about the time I should be taking the stage - so to say! 

I thought that as you (and the blogosphere) won't nessercarily be in the church tomorrow evening I would post it here and then post a link to the podcast (if it gets posted online! - if not hopefully I will come up with a back up plan!)

What is Body Art?

According to Wikipedia, Body Art is art made on, with or consisting of the human body. The most common forms of body art are tattoos and body piercings but other types include scarification, branding, stretching shaping, full body tattoo and body painting.

Body piercings are usually a hole punctured through the flesh for example through the earlobe or the Outer Helix (the top bit made of cartilage). As well as this you can also get various other parts of the human body pierced including tongue, nose, cheek, lip and others. It’s come down to the fact that if you can stretch a bit of skin far enough you can probably pierce it.

What are Tattoos?

A tattoo is a permanent marking made by inserting ink into the layers of skin. Tattooing has been practiced worldwide. When it comes to tattoos the first group of people that spring to might are Maori tribes from New Zealand. In Maori culture a tattoo is called Tā Moko and they were a sign of being of a higher rank. The tattoos are created by chiseling the pattern into the skin and then the ink was placed in the wound to create the pattern.

Tattoos and piercings then made it into popular culture and became more common from about the 1970’s when they were first associated with punks.

So heres where I do my CSI bit and get all technical medically piercing and tattoos are a really bad idea. Tattoo pigments alone contain various amounts of chemicals including aluminum, cadmium, calcium, copper, iron, phosphorus, silica, sulphur, titanium dioxide and barium sulphate.

This is kinda scary and enough to put anyone off as phosphorus is used in ferilizer and explosives, barium is used in X-rays to make sure your intestines are moving along correctly - it’s actually radioactive and sulphur is also used in insecticides and fungicides thats mould killer to you and me.

What are Piercings?

Piercings on the other hand involves the puncturing or cutting a part of the human body creating an opening in which jewelry may be worn. This can also be the start of stretching. Stretching is where a taper is inserted into the piercing hole and kept there while the hole is stretched. The “art” of stretching has it’s roots in tribal traditions in Amazonian tribes in South American and tribes in Africa. Whereas normal piercings are able to close up and heal over, stretching is more permanent and may never heal.

What Reasons do People Have Body Art?

I guess I could reel off 100 different reasons as to why people have body art but then again I’d be here till Christmas you’d all be well and truly bored.

So using the wonders of Facebook I messaged some of my friends from Uni. I made sure I asked people who had one or both when it came to piercings or tattoos. Quite alot of my friends had their ears pierced but I also found that quite a few had tattoos or other piercings.

Quite alot of the girls had their ears pierced in their teens. I had my done around the age of 12, out of my friends the average age was 10. One friend was as young as 6, her mum was 3 when she had her ears pierced.

I remember the disagreement with my parents I had about having my ears pierced. It was decided that I would be allowed to have my ears pierced at 16 - which to me seemed a long way off but I could wait three years. Anyway at the next family gathering both me and my mum noticed that my cousin who’s two years younger than me had had her ears pierced and I didn’t get why she was allowed them but I wasn’t.

I also looked at various medical journals and found that 1 in 10 adults have some form of body piercing that isn’t in the earlobe and that a quarter of them end up with complications with 1 in 100 cases ending up with hospital admission

What the Bible says......

When I was reading about the biblical view of piercings and tattoos, a lot of writers referred to it as a “disputable matters” or a “Romans 14 Issue” so I looked into it to find out what one of these was. An example to quickly explain where I’m coming from when I refer to a “Romans 14 Issue” is the subject of whether Christians should drink alcohol. Ephesians 5:18 says “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life, instead let the Holy Spirit fill and control you”. So Paul is saying to the people of Ephesus in Turkey that getting drunk is really bad for you and so rather than drink alcohol you should be filled with the Holy Spirit and let it guide you which makes sense however Paul then says to Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:23 “Stop drinking only water and use a little wine because of your stomach, and your frequent illnesses.” So in a way Paul is saying it’s ok because the water is making you ill, but then he’s also saying be sensible in the amount you drink. The other thing you have to take into consideration is that Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine at the Wedding in Cana. So it’s not all that bad it would seem.

So now we move on to Body Art, when I asked one of my Christian friends what she though about piercings and tattoos she pointed me straight to Leviticus 19:28 and through all the information I looked at this verse always appeared.

Before I read it to you let me give you the run up to this verse.

At this point in time, Moses has led the slaves out of Egypt and they’ve made it to Mount Sinai where Moses has been given the ten commandments - this all happens in Exodus. By the beginning of Leviticus, God feels that his people need more rules and guidance so the book of Leviticus is developed and it becomes like a handbook.

Leviticus 19:28 says “Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord”

If we took this at face value, you could assume that God says no to all tattoos and piercings. So maybe rather than standing up here, I should be walking around collecting earrings. (At this point I'm going to step away from the lecturn and walk over to one of the girls with funky earrings and ask her for them)

Well actually no - you’re safe.

The best thing to do is to look at the context. God knew that the people who lived in Canaan (or the Promised Land where Moses was guiding the people) used tattoos and body piercings as part of their religions and the way that they worshipped their Gods.

God wanted his people to be different, he wanted them to be set apart for him. If they had joined in and tattoo-ed or pierced themselves they ran the risk of becoming part of the crowd - which God didn’t want them to do.

This is still a truth today. After all there are many things that can pull us away from being set apart from God.

We should ask ourselves: Are my actions going to be respecting Jesus and advancing the gospel or is it going to hinder others from coming to Christ?

My brother has this thing for violent and gorey films. He watches movies like Hostel and Saw and barely reacts to them - or finds it more funny that shocking whereas I prefer happy endings where everyone is happy and good triumphs over evil or the hero saves the day. When it comes to movies I watch I try to think if Jesus was in the cinema with me would he be ok with what I’m watching.

So when it comes to tattoos and piercings you have to think to yourself - If I get a tattoo is it glorifying God? Am I attracting attention to myself? Am I being Jesus to the people around me?

Alot of Christians say that tattoos are bad because of this verse in Leviticus but as I said earlier you need to look at in context, also I would suggest that you pray about it and really think about it as tattoos are permanent and that pattern that looks cool now might not look so good when you’re 70 and wrinkly. It costs nearly 3 times more to remove a tattoo than have one in the first place. I would also suggest that you talk to people, remember a tattoo somewhere visible like a hand or face, or lots of piercings could be the difference between getting that job and not getting it.

I have one last bit to finish off with. I read various blogs from across the world and one specifically is by a photographer called Sara. Recently I read about a post that she written about her tattoos. She has 8 tattoos all that have personal meaning like the names of her children and grandchildren but the one that I want to point out is this one on her forearm. This is what it looks like, to you and me it looks like 3 symbols, a cross, an anchor and a heart and this could mean anything but this is the story behind it in her words from her blog.


(I emailed Sara and asked her if she could put some words on an email that I could use as her explaining about her tattoos - so that I didn't get the wrong end of the idea)
 
I saw a magnet with Faith Hope and Love symbols, and the verse from 1 Corinthians 13:13 on it:
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

I bought the magnet and took it to the tattoo guy I go to, Adam, and we worked out a design that looks almost exactly like the magnet, but it’s going vertical up my arm vs. horizontally. This was tattooed on October 1, 2007. It’s on the inside of my inner right arm. This was a big step for me. I’m now wearing a tattoo showing my love for God on my arm. My first tattoo that isn’t on my back. I guess if you want to put it out there for everyone to see, it should be something meaningful.

So I’m hoping that this had made sense to you all and if you have any questions, I will see what I can do in a way of answers.


What do you think?

Pastor Mow Mow helped me lots with getting my talk started - I was so unsure how to go about it - it's definitely different from things like that Dissertation talk we had to give. I think Mum is coming to listen and Dad might as well as proud parents hehe. Rich even gets a mention so I'd like it if he comes but I doubt he will.

24/7

Ok so fab news ness to start the evening: Ummma and Millie are here!!!!! Eeeeeeeee!!!! Muchos exciting!!!!!!!

Ummma looks fab. She's grown her hair and it's like a chocolatey brown colour with a bit of red and it's like a bob (think Catherine Zeta Jones in Chicago length)

Millie has had a growth spurt and can put her arms around my shoulders rather than round my waist. I got so excited I half squeezed the life out of Ummma lol.

-- Post From My iPhone