http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/Why have I taken 10 months out of a good wellpaid job to go to bible college? Beats me! But maybe I'll find out!en-EUMokoFeed10http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/http://data5.blog.de/design/preview/9c/abedcf33b4e454084f4ae426e6009e_160x200.jpghttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2009/03/22/my-24th-week-at-college-5809837/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2009-03-22:/2009/03/22/my-24th-week-at-college-5809837/Sun, 22 Mar 2009 21:02:13 +0100 <p>Welcome back! Yes you did read right - I have missed out 3 weeks...I hope to post them retrospectively - but given my track record I might have to admit defeat.</p> <p>So what have we been up to?</p> <p><strong>Synoptic gospels</strong><br>First things first, "gospel" means "good news" for those that don't know and the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) are three gospels that are similar and can be put together to make a single story (<em>ie</em> form a synopsis).</p> <p>So the real question is why are some stories in different orders? Is the bible wrong? This was fab looking at this - basically the gospels were a totally new genre of literature at the time (and are certainly different to modern day writing) - they are not biographies but rather <em>written sermons</em> - hence the stories of Jesus' life are used as illustrations to preach different sermons by the different authors. This is also part of the problem of people just reading the stories as they are not the point...fascinating!</p> <p>So we were looking at the story about Jesus crossing the Sea of Galilee in <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mt%208;&version=31;">Matthew 8:23-27</a> uses it to show the cost of following him out into the unknown (hence all the previous stories about the cost of following Jesus), whereas <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mk4&version=31">Mark 4:35-41</a> uses it in the context of showing that Jesus is King (as parables about the kingdom, then calming the storm - so king over nature, then king over demons, then over the sick and then over death).</p> <p>He finished off with a challenge to preach the whole gospel - not just give John's gospel of being born again and whoever believes in Jesus will be saved but, say, Mark's gospel of "repent" and "take up your cross and follow me". We need all of them to get the full picture. </p> <p><strong>New (well new to me) scooter</strong><br>Well with one month left on the MOT before a need to spend a lot of money to get it through (and that's without resolving the ongoing starter problems) I went hunting last weekend and test driving various 125cc scooters and finally bought a secondhand Honda FES125 - here's a picture of someone else's red one:</p> <p><img title="bike title" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/Honda_FES_Pantheon_125_seitlich.jpg/800px-Honda_FES_Pantheon_125_seitlich.jpg" alt="bike" width="400" height="300"></p> <p><strong>Serving and stuff</strong><br>Our group cooked the meal for the college this week (Lasagne and apple crumble - no not mixed together! <img src="http://www.blog.co.uk/image/smileys/smiley-tongue-out.gif" alt=""> )<br>Yet another quiz at tumbling bay for the residents.  You can tell they've got used to us by the way they told me straight that they didn't want another logic round as it hurt their heads...</p> <p><strong>Reflections</strong><br>After doing something that I wasn't proud of, I was wrestling with God on the way to college - I wanted to repent and be right with God but "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" just wasn't cutting the mustard - whilst it's true I wasn't finding freedom in it - so I was asking for the "right" words to say to help bring real change in my life and in desperation I asked "what do you want God" and I felt the answer come back "I want you".</p> <p>Man! I'd got so caught up in "doing" stuff for God!  Is it that sometimes I feel unworthy so I try to do "good" stuff that He'd like?  But He actually likes me and He wants me - not my stuff!  The right thing to offer is me!  Doh!</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2009/03/22/my-24th-week-at-college-5809837/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>leisureservingcollegesynopticforgivenessbiblechristianityreflectionchristiangospellifehttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2009/03/22/my-24th-week-at-college-5809837/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2009/03/08/my-20th-week-at-college-5719082/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2009-03-08:/2009/03/08/my-20th-week-at-college-5719082/Sun, 08 Mar 2009 21:58:34 +0100 <p>Well started the week with putting petrol in our diesel car...which was £300 worth of trouble. that Jennie (my wife) forgave me really highlighted how petty I have been in the past with forgiving her (very small) monetary errors...</p> <p><strong>Minor prophets</strong><br> This week were looked very briefly at each of the minor prophets in the bible: Jonah, Obadiah, Zechariah, Micah, Joel, ...</p> <p>Have to confess I don't remember too much as I was not entirely present in my head. </p> <p>Tony Gray who led the sessions felt He had a word from God for me (bear in mind as a visiting speaker he knew nothing of my past four weeks of hell):</p> <p>"God is honing you through hardship to form a sharp tool in His hand"</p> <p><strong>Conference</strong><br> The last weekend before reading week was the "European Leaders Conference" which we were able to attend and hear some great speakers...and we got a great rate as we were helping out - and how? Well the group I was in was cleaning the toilets. <img src="/img/smilies/graydead.gif" alt="XX(" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>We had John Kirkby from <a href="http://www.capuk.org/home/index.php">Christians against Poverty</a> telling a bit of his life story of how he became bankrupt and divorced and couldn't afford to look after his children. How he has been called to create a Christian debt counselling charity. Who help people with budgeting and take on the big firms and get them to stop charging interest and provide an affordable payment so people can get out of debt and seeing lives set free from oppression. Inspiring! I so want to use my maths in this - and I think our sister church is setting up an office in Witney...watch this space. </p> <p>We also had Baroness Cox speaking on her work with <a href="http://www.hart-uk.org/">The Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART)</a>. I have to confess I'd never heard her speak or heard much of what she does - but I was overwhelmed. She might talk a bit posh - but her heart and her actions were so down to earth. She showed us photos of her work, sneaking across borders to reach people who are oppressed and persecuted where the major aid agencies don't go because it's too dangerous and also who don't make the headlines. I had no idea about some of the injustices going on even in Europe. I have so much respect for her and hope to be able to support this group in whatever little way I can. Her finishing quote:</p> <blockquote><p>I cannot do everything, but I will not do nothing.</p></blockquote> <p>Preach it!</p> <p>Also had Krish Kandiah talking about proclaiming the gospel and the way he seeks to make a difference in his community by, for example, reaching out to Muslim refugees who are ostracised from the Muslim community because they are the minority group. And Glen Middleton who is an very brash American who, I have to confess, made me cringe about how, for example, he would walk into funerals to tell people about Jesus <img src="/img/smilies/graybigeek.gif" alt="88|" class="middle" border="0"> . But in the last 10 minutes I saw his heart as he spoke of how he works amongst prostitutes bringing God's love and acceptance to them (even fostering their children at their request) I realised that this man is totally sold out on bringing hope to people in hopeless situations. Even though my Britishness finds the things he does outrageous I can't deny the effect God has had on people who were destitute before they met our God. Much to think on...</p> <p>And the toilets? Well I have to say it was a pleasure - it was probably this service that helped me see beyond my small life. God is so good. And doing things His way brings so much more joy than my way...you'd think I would've learnt by now...</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2009/03/08/my-20th-week-at-college-5719082/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>counsellingchristianlifechristianitytoiletsdebtcaphartpovertybibleprophecybaroness-coxjesuscaroline-coxcollegehttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2009/03/08/my-20th-week-at-college-5719082/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2009/02/08/my-16th-17th-18th-and-19th-weeks-at-college-5533226/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2009-02-08:/2009/02/08/my-16th-17th-18th-and-19th-weeks-at-college-5533226/Sun, 08 Feb 2009 23:47:17 +0100 <p>Sorry for the delay - but as you'll read it's been a pretty traumatic time and I'm only now starting to come above water...</p> <p><strong>Week 16</strong><br>We were looking at Genesis the beginnings of who we are and our identity, purpose, what it means to be made in the image of God and so on.</p> <p>Jen's eye had been hurting more and more over the week and so she saw the nurse, the doctor, the optician and was then referred to the eye hospital the following week...</p> <p>Our cooker's oven broke and were offered one from someone in the church network. As we were installing it then oven door smashed...so had to go back to the old one (which doesn't work..)</p> <p>Then on the Sunday we got a flat tyre (special shout out to Tom & Leila England who ferried us back and forth whilst I eventually filled it with gunk).</p> <p>Then the front door lock broke and so we had to get a locksmith out.</p> <p><strong>Week 17</strong><br>Studying Exodus at college - don't remember too much as was a bit traumatised...</p> <p>Got the tyre replaced - though later found out I could've just replaced the inner tube...:(</p> <p>On Tuesday took Jen to the eye hospital where she was tentatively diagnosed with optic neuritus - told it is a swelling of the optic nerve that will result in pain and loss of vision - takes about 3 weeks to recover. Not able to take anything to speed up the recovery nor anything that will really cut the pain as she's pregnant.</p> <p>Fell off my moped on the way to college on Thursday I think. Got hurt.</p> <p>Good prayer time - with Joe being very prophetic speaking to me - saying "is there a spirit of self-pity?" and he was so spot on. I want to be the martyr and have everyone notice me and go poor John. Glad to get that nipped in the bud.</p> <p>Realised on Thursday night that with the 3 essays that were concurrently set, the increased pressure trying to pick up Jen's jobs and all the things that had gone wrong that I was beginning to go over the edge and recognised the signs of depression that I got before from post traumatic stress (disinterest in life, observing myself from the outside, emotional bursts, suicidal thoughts, poor sleep and so on). Had to write a humbling, honest but releasing email to Simon, our principal to say that I was struggling and wanted to quit as I wasn't coping. He responded incredibly fast and said that we'll meet up next week and restructure assignments and the like. It was such a weight lifted off my shoulders.</p> <p>Friday went to the hospital (again) for our 20 week scan. Here's a new improved picture of our jelly bean (with a flipper!):</p> <p><a title="img087" href="javascript:window.open("><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/416/3216416_c2d36f2ddf_s.jpeg" alt="img087" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><br><span>Oops!  Forgot to mention - found out he was a boy...very clear from the scan!</span></p> <p><strong>Week 18</strong><br>Studying "Lessons in leadership" with Mark and Nesta Mumford. Whilst not a rigorous analysis of 1 & 2 Samuel, they did share their vast experience of leadership with us. It was great to spend time with such humble and wise people.</p> <p>Met with Simon, our principal and Dave, our dean and got 2 week extensions - very emotional time for me. Realised just how hard it is for me to ask for help. I try and be so strong - praise God for this time to realise how we can't solve everything ourselves.</p> <p>The church has been rallying round providing meals and company for Jen. It has meant such a lot to us. :.</p> <p>Another hospital visit on Tuesday the diagnosis was confirmed though the recovery was increased from 3 weeks to 6-10 weeks and it'll get worse before it gets better. :`(</p> <p>Also Jen confirmed that it is a possible symptom of multiple sclerosis. Had to make a hard decision to have an MRI scan or not...as may have the disease but it may never manifest and if it does it may take many years and may then only be mild. So if we find we do have it will it then put a cloud over everything. I would've preferred not knowing. Jen wanted to. So backed her up - should have a scan in 6-8 weeks. Pray for us.</p> <p>Remember that if you pray for God to help love your wife more he won't give you sentimental feelings, but put you through situations that test your love - then it can only die or grow. I'm wanna go for grow.</p> <p>Oh and then the dishwasher packed up. Is there any appliance that hasn't broken? This has got to be funny - as otherwise I'm just crying lots...:**:</p> <p><strong>Week 19</strong><br>Tony Gray doing the prophet Isaiah and how it speaks to our current situation big time.</p> <p>Had another flat tyre on Tuesday night (same one - another screw - is someone vandalising our car?)</p> <p>Saw "slumdog millionaire" with the college. Moving...what was the message?</p> <p>Dishwasher repair man (coupled with sell-you-a-warranty-man) came and fixed the heating element.</p> <p>Dishwasher broke the first run.</p> <p>Is this funny? :no:</p> <p>Was "bushwacked" by Simon, our principal and Mary to chat about how I'd handled myself in the genetics and image of God seminar. I confess it's hard to be rational when the possible ramifications of conversation imply that your two unborn children may not be "in the image of God". But they were right. It was hard. But they were right. Did I really pray that I would mature during this year? It was also hard being "disciplined" (in the most loving way possible) as I have very poor images of authority and have had some bad experiences (ask me about what my head said after I went in tears to his office to tell him that my wife had been diagnosed with clinical depression and admitted...) - so it was so easy to hear only bad things - but good to pray and ask that God would heal this whole area.</p> <p>Finally finished my overdue essay on sexuality. Looked at "one flesh" and the marriage relationship - how it is a picture of God's relationship with us - in fact Jesus used the very same phrases a bridegroom would use - it was mindboggling how it all ties in. And is sex meant to be an image of our reunion when Jesus comes back? Oh yes.</p> <p>Much snow meant school was closed and so needed to stay at home and support Jen (sounds so magnanimous I know!) So helped the kids make a snow man, a snow cat and an ig (Can't be an igloo as it had no toilet! :)) )</p> <p><a title="January 09 069" href="javascript:window.open("><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/474/3216474_72d33f4e88_s.jpeg" alt="January 09 069" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p><a title="January 09 080" href="javascript:window.open("><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/475/3216475_c9270b3e50_s.jpeg" alt="January 09 080" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>So where are we now? Well Jen is slowly starting to recover but it's so easy when she feels better to try and do too much then she gets blinding (no pun intended) headaches and needs to cover both eyes for a couple of hours. However she is learning to accept help - and that's a big thing for Jen. And me? Do I love Jen more? Yes. Would I want to repeat these last four weeks? Definately not.</p> <p><span>Ho ho!  The fun continues - filled up our new diesel car with petrol yesterday.  An expensive mistake to make draining, cleaning and replacing the fuel pump and fuel...</span></p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2009/02/08/my-16th-17th-18th-and-19th-weeks-at-college-5533226/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>pregnancychristianityprayerchristianlifepregnantbibleloveessaycollegehttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2009/02/08/my-16th-17th-18th-and-19th-weeks-at-college-5533226/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2009/01/11/15th-week-at-college-and-maybe-a-bit-of-the-christmas-holidays-too-5360649/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2009-01-11:/2009/01/11/15th-week-at-college-and-maybe-a-bit-of-the-christmas-holidays-too-5360649/Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:48:36 +0100 <p>Hello there...well so much for keeping up with the weekly posts - so here's a very short entry and the following week will follow swiftly...honest!</p> <p><strong>Spiritual Formation</strong><br> Well term started on Monday 5th January and it was all go with 3 days of <em>Spiritual Formation</em> with Michael Neumann (from a bible college in South Africa).</p> <blockquote><p>At age 50, everyone has the face he deserves.<br> George Orwell</p></blockquote> <p>Basically he was talking about too many Christians who meet Jesus as their saviour but miss out the journey of discipleship that follows this initial event. For example 80% of Rwanda called themselves Christians and yet there was a genocide that killed 500k. Clearly there is something very wrong here <em>(for those who want to follow this up do read "After the locusts" detailing God's work in reconciliation and healing of a very broken people - a very powerful and moving read)</em>.</p> <p>He distinguished between the work of the cross (that brought us forgiveness through the death of Jesus) and the way of the cross (that brings us holiness through the death of our selfish "fleshy" self). The journey to become Christlike - not so that we look good but so that we give God glory for the way He is changing us and so that we can serve Him better. </p> <p><strong>Prophecy</strong><br> As Sarah Fotherby said "Michael is so prophetic it's not funny". </p> <p>Michael had many "words" for the group which were uncannily accurate given that he had never met us before this week. One morning we were working with clay to see whether God would speak to us through what we made. He made a pair of dice and said "John, God is saying that you have lived too much by chance..." He then carried on and I was thinking that this really isn't me at all - but he did say John and is looking almost straight at me "...God wants you to be intentional about how you live..." the more he talked the more I thought this is SO not me - this sounds exactly like Jon Kennedy - perhaps he's got confused. This carried describing Jon and not me more and more. He then walked over...past me...to give them to Jon who was sitting directly behind me. <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>But then he made a batton and looked straight at me and said "You've been on the receiving end of this in your life..." Man! This is so true! And then said "but God's going to make this into a sceptre. He wants you take up the authority He's given you". I was blown away - it was so apt how I have shied away from authority (except when I'm arrogant) and feared having that position. </p> <p>I think these words were more powerful because each time he described the person's current situation spot on (and so got our attention) and then said what God wanted for us now. Scary but fab.</p> <p>The sad part was because these were so obviously powerful, it became a bit like a secular Christmas...people all wanting <em>their</em> word from God. Which was a bit sad really.</p> <p><strong>Reflections and life</strong><br> It was a bit of a hectic week - my bike didn't start on Sunday so called the RAC. They fixed something (a wire that was shorting) and it seemed to work. Worked...ok(ish) on Monday but didn't start on Tuesday. Took it to the garage and they eventually replaced the battery on Friday but thought the carburettor had trouble so referred me to the local Piaggio garage....</p> <p>Also Jen's eye has been getting more and more sore so eventually she got taken to the nurse, then the doctor, then the optician and then finally I took her to the hospital eye ward. They thought it might be optic nuritis but wanted us to come back next Tuesday as nothing was visible.</p> <p>Really felt that God was saying "don't pray for me to come into this situation...I am in this situation, instead pray that your eyes would be opened to see me working". Need this.</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2009/01/11/15th-week-at-college-and-maybe-a-bit-of-the-christmas-holidays-too-5360649/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>lifebiblejesuscollegecrossprophecyformationchristianitychristiansanctificationpiaggiohttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2009/01/11/15th-week-at-college-and-maybe-a-bit-of-the-christmas-holidays-too-5360649/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/12/29/my-very-belated-14th-week-at-college-5290787/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2008-12-28:/2008/12/29/my-very-belated-14th-week-at-college-5290787/Mon, 29 Dec 2008 00:45:49 +0100 <p>Welcome for the belated instalment of the last week of the autumn term...</p> <p><strong>Trinity</strong><br>This week we were spending three days trying to get our head around the Trinity (the idea that God is one, yet there is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit).  This causes so much confusion as we're really struggling with trying to understand the complexity of God with our tiny minds.  To me I loved the ancient approach to this issue:  God is love and so necessarily God is a community of love.  But maybe it's because I'm a mathematician that 1 + 1 + 1 = 1 (mod 3) works for me!! <img src="http://www.blog.co.uk/image/smileys/08wink.gif" alt=""></p> <p><strong>Arty stuff</strong><br>Panicking with the essay deadline on Thursday, coupled with a presentation to the class and one to the Tumbling Bay residents as well as being on community lunch meant that when I was greeted with the news that there would be three afternoon sessions to "explore the trinity through the creative medium" I guess I freaked out a bit. Okay a lot. It didn't help that the first session was terrible. I missed the second due to attending Lizzie's nativity presentation and....I skipped the third session which was a visit to an art gallery. I knew I wasn't right no matter how I justified it - so had to apologise during chapel on Thursday and receive forgiveness from Gaynor. Although it was hard, I'm glad I did it as I had essentially been setting myself up above Gaynor and the change in my heart was horrible. It's good to get things cleared.</p> <p><strong>Essay</strong><br>You might recall that this essay was on the nature and character of God and I chose to look at joy. Is God happy? Did Jesus laugh?</p> <p>I was really glad I did this topic as it is something I find a bit weird - I get the fact that God forgives us and accepts us back when we repent - but the bit in the prodigal son where he then throws a lavish party is a bit bizarre - I expect him to send me out to work in the fields next!  The short answer is that he <em>is</em> happy as he is the only sovereign (so no-one can thwart him), he has great joy in his son and creation flows out of that joy - and brings him joy as it declares his glory (that's why the universe is so big!), he has joy in choosing a people to make a name for himself and rejoices in doing them good and working everything for their good!  He also wants to give us the kingdom of joy and make our joy complete and enter into the Father's joy.  Wow!  (PS Those who want copies of my essays are most welcome to them just drop me a comment by clicking the "comment" directly below this blog)</p> <p>Finished this essay at only 2.30am - so clearly getting better at this essay lark!!!</p> <p><strong>Joy presentation</strong><br>Part of this assignment was to give a presentation to the class on our chosen aspect of God's character. There were some amazing and moving presentations. One that particularly stuck out was the dance representing the life journey of two students and God's graciousness (so from the foetus in the womb to a child following God to a teenager rebelling to being wooed back by God's love into His eternal embrace - particularly evocative was the way they simulated being entwined in His heartbeat - and this is from a guy who really isn't into this kind of dance thing - but seriously wow!).</p> <p>For me I wanted to somehow convey the utter lavishness and outrageousness of God's joy over the repentant Son. So I had one of my fellow students, Simon, carry round a clay model of a sunflower that had taken me two weeks to make representing God's joy. However, he dropped it halfway round and broke it. I was gutted - it had taken two weeks - as I'm really not at all crafty - and it was smashed and ruined. I was upset and went to leave the room mid-presentation. Simon apologised and I forgave him, embraced him and then shouted let's have a party and began throwing out party poppers, balloons, bags of sweets and then taking round slices of cake. I guess by now you realised, as they did at this point, that the whole thing was a set-up (for the record I am rubbish at craft - so my wife made it for me) - but it was fantastic seeing the shock on their faces and the sharp intake of breath when it was dropped and then seeing them grab the shocking nature of the prodigal (wastefully or recklessly extravagant) love of the Father. He is an amazing God - I am so glad that He doesn't love like we do.</p> <p><strong>Tumbling Bay</strong></p> <p>We wanted to give the old people a christmas presentation that would make them think more about Christmas - as it's all too easy to just gloss over the Christmas story as it's been heard before. </p> <p>So we started with how Jesus was around in the beginning with God before he "became flesh", then God's plan for restoring fellowship with mankind after we messed it up then the plan being revealed through many prophets (at least 400 years BC) about the coming Messiah then the story itself.</p> <p>Also chose some songs that had good lyrics to help reflect on the birth.</p> <p><em>On Christmas Day</em><br>This is a new Christmas worship song by Matt Osgood available for free download with lyrics and score from <a title="On christmas day" href="http://www.resoundworship.org/song/on_christmas_day">resoundworship</a> - I love the words in this - the juxtoposition of all-poweful God in a helpless baby - beautiful - enjoy:</p> <p><a href="http://www.resoundworship.org/song/on_christmas_day"></a></p> <p><em>Mary did you know</em><br>Here's a classic song about the birth of Yeshua the Messiah with video from youtube:</p> <p><strong>Car</strong><br>Well with our next child on the way it was clear that our current car just wouldn't fit them in! I tried to persuade Jen that one of us could travel on the moped with the other in the car with the four children but she wasn't having any of it.</p> <p>Picture below shows our children enjoying the new (to us!) MPV courtesy of Jen's parents life saving policy thing (however don't save with Prudential...unless you enjoy terrible customer service and long delays... <img src="http://www.blog.co.uk/image/smileys/14sad.gif" alt=""> ).  Oh yes - and Jen trying to work out how it all works - far too posh for us!  We gave Kenna's our old car which he is delighted with...until his family has stolen it off him!!</p> <p><a title="DSC02981" href="javascript:window.open("><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/028/3123028_12dfcf9974_s.jpeg" alt="DSC02981" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p><strong>Christmas banquet</strong><br>Term finished with the Christmas banquet - an occasion to dress up and eat fantastic food that was cooked and served to us by the staff (I love this aspect of college - that they see themselves as equals before God - and this is one way that they show this practically). It was fab.</p> <p><a title="banquet boys" href="javascript:window.open("><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/469/3115469_60e37f1b88_s.jpeg" alt="banquet boys" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a><a title="banquet girls" href="javascript:window.open("><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/470/3115470_fd7d962e48_s.jpeg" alt="banquet girls" hspace="5" vspace="5"></a></p> <p>During and after the meal were entertainment provided by us students. The best for me was "blind heresy date" - one student whose theology was feeling flat was looking for something to spice things up - it was hilarious seeing the responses of the contestants to the Trinity and the end times and how they imagined their denomination would look if they got together...</p> <p>Well catch you next week - will be back on time now the holidays are over...hope you all had a lovely Christmas!</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/12/29/my-very-belated-14th-week-at-college-5290787/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>worshiplifechristianityjoychristmasessaycollegeleisurehumourbiblechristianhttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/12/29/my-very-belated-14th-week-at-college-5290787/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/12/23/my-belated-13th-week-at-college-5266156/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2008-12-23:/2008/12/23/my-belated-13th-week-at-college-5266156/Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:02:46 +0100 <p>Sorry for the delay - end of term essay crisis again. So will do both the last weeks while I'm on Christmas holidays!</p> <p>Well an icy start to the week meant that I fell off my moped three times on Monday. Wasn't going at all fast so no damage other than severe shock. Rang highways and got full permission to make use of the salt bin on the hilly corner. However this has meant I have been late every morning and have been missing the devotions. I have to say that this has made a big difference. Going straight into lectures without some time with God really does take the sparkle off...</p> <p>One interesting side effect was noticing what happens if I come into a time of worship late - I've always wondered about how much "meeting with God" during worship is genuine and how much is due to the emotional atmosphere after a heavy duty worship session. Coming into a session near the end I have no emotionalism created from singing lots - but I could still feel the peace and joy as if it were tangible, which was really refreshing to find out - it isn't all just hype! Just want to get there earlier though...<img src="/img/smilies/icon_confused.gif" alt=":-/" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p><strong>Christology</strong><br> We've been looking at who Jesus was and what his sacrifice accomplished:</p> <p>So his divinity: his claims (which is the reason he was crucified - for blasphemy) and his actions that backed up his claims (<em>ie</em> his miracles and his resurrection)<br> His humanity - that in addition to being fully God he was also fully human.<br> Why it is necessary that he was both and so was able to offer the perfect sacrifice for oour sins (and then all the exciting heresies about himm not being one or the other).<br> His sacrifice (the only way a holy God could establish fellowship with sinful humans is for a perfect human to pay the penalty of our messing up)<br> His resurrection (what it means and why it is the only logical conclusion given the evidence)<br> His ascension (<em>ie</em> heading back to heaven)</p> <p><strong>Dave Perryingo</strong><br> After a week of enjoying Dave Perryisms, such as "can you see what I'm reaching for", "booga booga land", "it gives me goosebumps just thinking about it", "gazillions" and the classic "stick that in your theological pipe and smoke it", I constructed Dave Perryingo (it's like bingo but has 9 Perryisms in a 3 by 3 grid. Students cross off the square if they hear the corresponding phrase and the first to cross off 3 in a line calls out "Dave Perryingo!"). Did it on Friday and it was a laugh with about 4 people calling out at the same time! Ah, happy days....<img src="/img/smilies/grayyes.gif" alt=":yes:" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p><strong>Tumbling Bay</strong><br> Did an alternative quiz this week (<em>ie</em> not general or subject specific knowledge) - with dingbats, crimes, wally questions and another type that I don't know what to call it. They seemed to enjoy themselves...</p> <p>Didn't get in trouble this week...oh well!</p> <p><strong>Reflections</strong><br> Our next essay (due in next week - or 1 week ago when you finally get to read this!) is on one aspect of the nature and character of God. I feel I've looked at fatherhood quite a lot now so thought I would go for something that I am uncomfortable with: joy.</p> <p>I know it may sound weird - but I imagine God to be a rather austere but loving father - wounded by our sins but forgiving. And I imagine Jesus as the "man of sorrows". Either of them being happy, joyful or laughing just seems plain heretical to me. </p> <p>So I thought I would delve into this area more deeply so my view of God is balanced and not a reaction to my earthly experieces. I'll let you know how I get on in next weeks update (which'll be posted very soon...honest! <img src="/img/smilies/grayyes.gif" alt=":yes:" class="middle" border="0"> )</p> <p><strong>Godincidents</strong><br> One cool thing was during the prayer time on one of the last days. Remember how I said that the words last years students gave were uncannily accurate to the students who'd they'd never met and coincided with what other students said (before they'd even heard what had been written before). Well was praying for a visitor and felt this verse pop into my head so I said it to the bloke and he was like - I can't believe it that is THE verse that has meant so much to me since my divorce which I'd let slide for a bit. What is the chance of that - choosing the exact same verse out of goodness knows how may thousands? Cool, eh? God is good - Chris was so enbcouraged! Happy days.</p> <p><strong>Baby - 12 week scan</strong></p> <p>Look our jiggly baby - in fact so jiggerly that the picture is blurred! Well looks like another hyperactive child for the Lee household. Ho hum.</p> <p><a href="javascript:window.open(" title="Baby 6 12 week scan 2"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/947/3091947_43d998fd79_s.jpeg" alt="Baby 6 12 week scan 2" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/12/23/my-belated-13th-week-at-college-5266156/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>prayerlifedeathjesuschristianresurrectionchristcollegepregnancychristianitylovebiblepregnantessaybingohttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/12/23/my-belated-13th-week-at-college-5266156/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/12/08/my-12th-week-at-college-5178572/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2008-12-07:/2008/12/08/my-12th-week-at-college-5178572/Mon, 08 Dec 2008 00:56:59 +0100 <p>Welcome back for the next installment...</p> <p>Well after the last week's dramatics this week was a bit of a come down...though we did have some great feedback on David's eye (you may recall that his retina was detaching again and his vision becoming much restricted, some of the girls prayed for him and it got <em>much</em> better) - he went to see the specialist on Monday who confirmed that it was fine and no surgery is required anymore. Hurrah! <img src="/img/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif" alt=":D" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p><strong>Lectures</strong><br> We were studying the nature and character of God this week - so looking at His essence (spiritual, self-existence, immensity, eternality), His attributes (omnipresence, omniscience, omnipotence, immutability, glory, sovereignty) and His character (holiness, graciousness, etc)</p> <p>And having many exciting conversations about reconciling our free-will with God's sovereignty...but that would require a whole blog to itself...<img src="/img/smilies/grayrazz.gif" alt=":b" class="middle" border="0"> so moving swiftly along...</p> <p><strong>Creative bit</strong><br> The third day was a chance for us to creatively respond (sounds a bit arty to me...<img src="/img/smilies/icon_wth.gif" alt="|-|" class="middle" border="0"> ). But below is my attempt to delve into the fatherhood of God. I hope you enjoy:</p> <p><a href="javascript:window.open(" title="DSC00070"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/396/3052396_36e5fd1989_s.jpeg" alt="DSC00070" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>Before you were born I knew you.<br> It was my idea that you were created.<br> I spoke and you came into being.<br> My delight in your birth was far greater than your earthly parents.</p> <p><a href="javascript:window.open(" title="DSC00249"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/397/3052397_6c94755ebd_s.jpeg" alt="DSC00249" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>I am strong; a mighty whirlwind<br> Yet I am also tender<br> My gaze perceives all, lays secrets bare, brings down kingdoms<br> Yet you are the apple of my eye</p> <p><a href="javascript:window.open(" title="DSC00430"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/399/3052399_81c158046c_s.jpeg" alt="DSC00430" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>I move all heaven and earth when you call out to me<br> I delight in being your helper<br> Time, nations and galaxies are in my hands<br> My plans are perfect for you</p> <p><a href="javascript:window.open(" title="DSC00474"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/400/3052400_515bb0b7d6_s.jpeg" alt="DSC00474" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>I know the thoughts of all men's hearts<br> Yet I am interested in your thoughts<br> When other may get bored and move on<br> I am patient and will stop time to spend this moment with you</p> <p><a href="javascript:window.open(" title="DSC00611"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/401/3052401_6c12692bd0_s.jpeg" alt="DSC00611" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>I am intimately acquainted with your sorrows<br> I know the words that will soothe you<br> I am moved with compassion<br> when others may tire of you</p> <p><a href="javascript:window.open(" title="DSC00630"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/402/3052402_868804fca3_s.jpeg" alt="DSC00630" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>I love seeing you grow up and learn from me<br> I told the mountains to rise up<br> I formed the oceans in the cup of my hands<br> Yet I am a gentle teacher</p> <p><a href="javascript:window.open(" title="DSC00801"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/403/3052403_1a0e21742a_s.jpeg" alt="DSC00801" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>I created the heavens and the earth for your enjoyment<br> I delight in each moment of discovery you make<br> My strong arm is never too short<br> My reach encompasses the universe<br> My affection outlasts the stars<br> I am your father<br> You are my child.</p> <p><strong>Third place</strong><br> Well we did a Ghanian and Romanian culture session at Tumbling Bay old peoples home. It was great to learn a bit more about Daniella's and Beverley's culture.</p> <p>I was very moved by Daniella's parents laying the table with all the cutlery and praying a blessing over the food when they had none in the house...only to have the neighbour knock on the door when they finished praying with bread...beautiful.</p> <p>However we did get in trouble as Daniella and Beverley were praying for one of the ladies who was not feeling well. Apparantly that's just not on in the communal area (no "religious meetings"). Probing further about how come they can have a carol concert - the answer was that they can sing but not pray. So we can sing to Jesus but not talk to him. Bizarre! <img src="/img/smilies/grayupset.gif" alt=":##" class="middle" border="0"> So thinking of some clever way to obey the ruling but still reach the people there with the good news.</p> <p><strong>Erk!</strong><br> Well it's late and I'm knackered...so I'll post the 12 week scan of our little one on next week's entry and chat about reflections next time. Catch you later...<img src="/img/smilies/icon_wave.gif" alt=":wave:" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/12/08/my-12th-week-at-college-5178572/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>christianbibleprayerchristianitypregnancylifecollegepregnantgodhealinghttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/12/08/my-12th-week-at-college-5178572/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/11/30/my-11th-week-at-college-5139696/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2008-11-30:/2008/11/30/my-11th-week-at-college-5139696/Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:48:46 +0100 <p>Hello - well you wait for ages for a post and then two come along at once. If you missed the previous post (with the photo of the sleeping bag incident) then please do check out week 10!</p> <p><strong>Pneumatology</strong><br> This week was spent on pneumatology (study of the Holy Spirit). For those who don't know much about this He's the third one of the Trinity who lives inside Christians when they are born again, who's job is to transform their character to become more like Jesus and to give them power to speak in tongues, heal, prophesy and so on.</p> <p>So we had three days on the theory and then a scary two days on the practice.</p> <p><strong>Warning!</strong><br> I appreciate that this next part of the blog might freak you out if you think Christianity is just a belief in God and trying to do good deeds. Please feel free to comment or email me if you want to chat through some of these issues further. I remember the first time I encountered this I was freaked out - because it meant that either God was real or some very freaky things were going on...</p> <p><strong>Holy Spirit practical</strong><br> So it was like - "OK who doesn't speak in tongues and would like to?" and then praying for them. If you're new to this tongues is where you speak another language - one of your spirit talking direct to God - it's like an intimate prayer language of the heart. Is it just made up stuff? I've sometimes wondered - am I just making this up or is it really a God thing? But I've seen and heard too many times where someone speaks in a tongue and someone else recognises the language even though the person speaking in tongues has never learnt it.</p> <p>Then it was OK let's pray for words of knowledge. This is where God gives you information about someone else that you would never know yourself. God does this not to embarrass or freak people out but so that He can heal people physically and emotionally. Various examples of this have been Jen suddenly hearing in her head that our daughter Hannah was out on the road (and she was), I somehow knew that my friend was just about to leave home without his passport (and he was), Pastor Mark Driscoll knew that a particular girl had been raped (and she had) and he was able to pray for her and see healing, etc.</p> <p>So what happened with us? Well all sorts (in fact so many I can't remember them all). But someone felt there was someone with lower back pain, there was, and they were prayed for and it was immediately better (I have to confess being sceptical about the whole leg lengthening business but I can't deny that this girl's back was better immediately after...); we also had someone feel that someone had shoulder pain and there was and they were prayed for and were immediately better, about someone looking for their father as a small child and not being able to find them and seeing that person freed from the trauma that had caused, words also about isolation and seeing God meet their need (and deliver one from some nasty satanic bondage - I confess I found the screaming, spasming and puking when they were being prayed for rather freaky - was this put on? I know her very well and can tell you that's not who she is as she's one of the most genuine people there. But I can tell you that she had been involved in a lot of unwholesome stuff before she became a Christian and that she is just so much freer than she was before the prayer). </p> <p>For me I had two things - one about disappointment which spoke into a time (which I had forgotten all about) where I felt I was let down and deserted by God - I feel so much better now after prayer. Also one about how I had felt a calling on my life for a couple of years now, hadn't known what it was and had tried various things but they hadn't seemed right and that it would come into focus by the end of this year. That was freaky as I had been feeling for the last three years that there was something else I was supposed to be doing for God but hadn't known, I tried writing books with various people but it hadn't come to much and also chasing becoming an IFA but it hadn't come to much either - so this was like the story of my life - could they have guessed it (as they didn't know me at all)? Well as a mathematician I know a fair bit about probabilities and it's got to a point in my life where I've seen so many things that I either say this is an unbelievable amazing number of coincidences or take a very short step of faith to say this is just so unlikely to be chance that there must be something else. So let's see what the rest of this year brings then...</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/11/30/my-11th-week-at-college-5139696/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>prophesyspirithealingtonguesbaptismchristianitydeliveranceprophecyholy-spiritlifecollegebiblelovechristianhttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/11/30/my-11th-week-at-college-5139696/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/11/28/my-10th-week-at-college-5128752/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2008-11-28:/2008/11/28/my-10th-week-at-college-5128752/Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:50:33 +0100 <p>Hello!</p> <p>Well essay crises and all that has delayed this post...I know excuses excuses....</p> <p><strong>Father's Heart</strong><br> We had only one day in college this week and we spent it on the Father's heart. So we looked at the story of the prodigal son but then went onto a practical...</p> <p>So they had three people come up (including myself) where they re-enacted the story with us as the prodigal sons. The Father welcoming us sons home: putting on a robe (to cover our shame), putting on shoes (as only servants were bare foot) and a ring on our finger (to show that we are a son and an heir). It was a moving moment - helping us to really grab hold of the lavishness of God's love for us despite our failings, sins and messes.</p> <p><strong>Derby Prayer day</strong><br> Well Tuesday was a day of fasting (where we don't eat for 24 hours), followed by a day of prayer on Wednesday up in Derby (it's grim up north - though apparently it's only the Midlands - which shows how much of a southerner I am <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> ). </p> <p>Have to confess I thought it would be a real drag but when they broke it up with periods of testimony about what's happening in the churches it really fired us up. One of the most exciting moments for me was hearing about the street healing - literally they go on the streets and offer to pray with people who need healing - and they've seen all sorts from piles (the size of pairs apparently) to cancer getting healed. Fab.</p> <p>In our own group David's retina was becoming detached again (he's had an operation on it previously) and some of us prayed and it not only got better but he says it's the best it's been for ages (<em>ie</em> his vision is so much wider than before). Excellent. <img src="/img/smilies/graysmilewinkgrin.gif" alt=";D" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>One of the fun times was the evening where we had a quick sleeping bag fight. However in my attempt to make Ben fall over he dodged out the way - it's all because he didn't have a "mummy" shaped sleeping bag (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it! <img src="/img/smilies/icon_wth.gif" alt="|-|" class="middle" border="0"> ) and I seemed to have ended up on the floor...</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/sleeping_bag/3021766" title="sleeping bag!"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/766/3021766_447f9b2485_s.jpeg" alt="sleeping bag!" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>Oh yes and made a hole with my elbow in the wall...just above my prone form and to the left of the door. Yeah it was interesting explaining that one to the owners...still waiting for the bill...</p> <p>I'm trying to get the video clip for this (does this sound a familiar story?) - though I have at least pasted it to my facebook profile if you want - it's well worth a visit - just to see Ben's face of shock when he sees the hole!</p> <p>Also got a day's input from Mark Ritchie on using our stories to spread the good news. Although he hasn't been able to use the story about his mate who had been invited over for dinner and then couldn't flush his number 2 down the loo and so resorted to a grabbing a big clump of tissue pulling it out and throwing it out the window. All might have gone well had they not invited him into the conservatory for a cup of tea to see something (you know what!) zig zagging it's way down the roof...</p> <p><strong>Reflections</strong><br> At the prayer day someone opened my eyes to the disciple John who started off so judgemental (wanting to call down fire on people) and proud (wanting the most important place in Jesus' kingdom). But then later came to define himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" and finally in his letters preached how love was the most important thing. What a journey! But as he described this to me I saw myself - the one who is often so judgemental and wanting to be the centre of attention but yet am discovering this year how much I am loved. I so want to finish this journey and become the one who sees love as the most important thing...</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/11/28/my-10th-week-at-college-5128752/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>biblemiraclesfathersleeping-bagprayermiraclefastinglifechristianityjohnchristianhealinglovefightcollegehttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/11/28/my-10th-week-at-college-5128752/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/11/21/my-9th-week-at-college-5077152/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2008-11-21:/2008/11/21/my-9th-week-at-college-5077152/Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:02:51 +0100 <p>Well I really am getting behind with blogging - sorry was in Derby for a couple of days this week!</p> <p>So a short sweet report and the next one will follow fairly swiftly!</p> <p><strong>Church History (part 2)</strong><br> Well last week we did the reformation and onwards and how it wasn't just Luther but many people challenging the corruptness of the papacy (their mistresses, inquisition, selling of "indulgences" and the like) and their traditions which didn't stand up to scripture (as people read the original Greek texts which were released from Constantinople just before it fell. These showed just how poor Jerome's Latin "Vulgate" translation was, which said things like "do penance" instead of "repent"). </p> <p>Also went through the very messy English reformation (which made me just cry out to God and repent for our nation). And then the various revivals where social action (John Wesley, William Booth, Wilberforce, Shaftsbury, George Muller), spiritual outpourings (eg Welsh revival under Evan Roberts) and then God's miraculous healings (through Smith Wigglesworth and George & Stephen Jeffreys and the like) were key. Some of the healings just made our jaws drop and even us Christians who have seen God do amazing things (eg my sisters epilepsy cured, my friend's blindness cured, my wife's polycystic ovaries cured) were just shouting "no way!" <img src="/img/smilies/graybigeek.gif" alt="88|" class="middle" border="0">. Great stuff.</p> <p><strong>Tumbling Bay</strong><br> This week we organised skittles (<em>ie</em> indoor bowling) for the old people - have to say they (and we) had a great time. We're in Derby next week but the week after we will be doing Romanian and Ghanian dance and music courtesy of Daniella and Beverley, respectively.</p> <p><strong>Pregnancy</strong><br> Little jellybean is still with us and our 12 week scan is on 25th Nov. Unfortunately, Jen's SPD has progressed very quickly this time and she is already on crutches and finding it hard to do many of her jobs. However the OTs will be coming round next week to assess her and provide various zimmer products <img src="/img/smilies/graysmilewinkgrin.gif" alt=";D" class="middle" border="0"> to help her around the house and various people from the church are already volunteering to help with housework, cooking and lifts from school.</p> <p><strong>Reflections</strong><br> It's been a really amazing week for devotions so much so that they've had to delay starting the lectures as we were overwhelmed with His presence and love. For me I was really moved when Joe said in his devotions "we came to college for that Sunday Resurrection feeling but are finding out that we have to go through the Good Friday first" - I had been feeling that Jen's pregnancy (meaning I won't be able to go on the mission trip) and disability (meaning I'm late to college each morning and so miss out a bit on devotions) will mean that I'll miss out what God's got for me and my year is wasted. </p> <p>However after dropping off Lizzie and Josiah to school in the car (and so already being late) I was miserably trying to get my moped started (don't buy Piaggio <img src="/img/smilies/grayno.gif" alt=":no:" class="middle" border="0">) and I was suddenly overwhelmed by the delicious irony of the situation - here I was trying to get to college so I wouldn't miss out on what God had for me in the devotions and I felt Him say that I was missing out on what He had for me in my troubles! </p> <p>He was right I was limiting God to only speaking and moving in one particular way! I suddenly realised that this isn't out of God's will - as if He didn't know what was going to happen this year - this <em>is</em> what he has for me - these are the circumstances that I need to go through to grow and mature (one of the key things I had been praying to happen this year). So yes we're still going to pray for healing for Jen's SPD (...Claire at Didcot church was miraculously healed of this) but I'm also embracing all He has for me at this time. Bring it on! <img src="/img/smilies/icon_lalala.gif" alt=":lalala:" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/11/21/my-9th-week-at-college-5077152/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>christianityhistorydevotionpregnantbiblerevivalspdreformationchristianironyhealingchurchcollegelifepregnancyhttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/11/21/my-9th-week-at-college-5077152/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/11/10/my-8th-week-at-college-5015427/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2008-11-10:/2008/11/10/my-8th-week-at-college-5015427/Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:48:44 +0100 <p>Welcome back! Here's the belated update (was still recovering from my last essay to face writing the blog last weekend!!)</p> <p><strong>Church History (part 1)</strong><br> Well first week back after "reading week" and we razzed through the 1st 1500 years of church history. It was absolutely mind blowing. I confess I just kinda thought that after the persecutions at the start, the church got more corrupt when Constantine issued the edict of Milan and sponsored Christianity (with lots of money for churches and the like) and the whole pope thing took off. And yes there was that - but it was fabulous how in every generation there were Christians rising up and saying "this is wrong" and getting back to basics with refusing wealth and the trappings, serving the poor and the destitute and <em>living</em> the Gospel (eg St Francis, cistercians, "brethren of the common life", St Patrick, St Benedict, John Chrisostem, Augustine, St Anthony, etc). Fab!</p> <p><strong>Essays!</strong><br> Well Friday was the hand-in of our "love ethic" essay (only 4am finish this time! let's say that the essay was within the word limit but the footnotes were rather large - some would say bigger than the essay itself...<img src="http://www.blog.co.uk/image/smileys/smiley-tongue-out.gif" alt=""> ) - where we were exploring Jesus' command to love your enemies and how this has been the distinguishing feature of "true" Christianity from the martyrs forgiving their enemies, to modern day examples in WWII, the Rwandan genocide and South Africa. Just to get hold of how God loves us - even when we were enemies of Him - and forgives us of so much - how can we do anything but share the love He has shown (and given) us. Sorry if I'm repeating myself - but it was so cool to get hold of this - I am so much more forgiving of those who are cutting me up on my moped. Bless 'em!</p> <p><strong>Third Place group</strong><br> This is our community service group - I am currently assigned to Tumbling Bay Retirement Home (not quite prisons yet...but I'm learning to submit!!) - guess I was a little disappointed and I really haven't ever engaged with the older generation (it's shocking I know! just always felt that I didn't have anything in common and so what would I say???) I have to say it's been a delight to serve them - they still have a wicked sense of humour and so I tease them mercilessly. We attended their quiz (and will be doing skittles with them next week)and were even able to answer some questions despite many being out of our generational knowledge...</p> <p><strong>Church Placement</strong><br> All students get attached to a church where they will serve and I'm attached to my home church (on my own...<img src="http://www.blog.co.uk/image/smileys/14sad.gif" alt="">). Being at my one church has pros and cons - the pros being that we can develop our life as a family in the community, the cons being that we might not get as many opportunities. However chatting with our pastor we're going to be working on some kids work - specifically some praise parties as sometimes the main church service can be a little dull for those who want to run and jump (and for the children too ;) )</p> <p><strong>Other stuff</strong><br> Things are really changing round here as the group grows together - it's been a pleasure to see how people who started at totally different ends of the spectrum (including me) are loving each other - it's truly a beautiful thing to behold. Arguments which used to be about trying to prove your point was correct have just given way to learning from each others viewpoints and experiences. Mint!</p> <p>Plenty of other things on the boil which I'll chat about in next week's blog.</p> <p>PS Babies still doing OK - though Jen isn't - her SPD kciked in on friday last week...<img src="http://www.blog.co.uk/image/smileys/13confused.gif" alt=""></p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/11/10/my-8th-week-at-college-5015427/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>biblechurchloveethicchristianchristianityhistoryreflectioncollegehttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/11/10/my-8th-week-at-college-5015427/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/10/30/my-belated-7th-week-at-college-4957946/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2008-10-30:/2008/10/30/my-belated-7th-week-at-college-4957946/Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:26:15 +0100 <p>Hello there! Welcome back.</p> <p><strong>"Reading" Week</strong><br> Well last week was holiday, err I mean "Reading" week - and was a chance for us to read all those excellent books we've been recommended during the term...only they set us two essays to be due in the first week back...aargh! So did reading for the essays...but to be fair one of our essays is on the "Love ethic" - Jesus saying "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" to show God's divine love for all mankind whether people love and respond to him or reject him. Man! Has it been good to get into this...once I realise how he chose to love me (even though I was nothing special even though I was horrible for my wife for years even though I had addictions even though I chose to turn my back on him) then can I show anything but love to others when God has shown such love to me? Awesome!</p> <p><strong>Baby scan</strong><br> Friday was our first scan of our sixth baby...and here is our jellybean doing a dance:<br> <a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/baby_s_eight_week_scan/2957892" title="baby"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/892/2957892_a6defb2858_s.jpeg" alt="baby" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>It was so good to see the little ones heartbeat and a joy to celebrate his/her life. In fact in chapel the week we were talking about different seasons of the soul. And I really felt God challenge me that I was still living in the season of death and being afraid to truly celebrate just in case we lose this one - and I should embrace this season of life - so I went to Sainsbury's and purchased some baby grows (which are hanging up in our bedroom) and a card (strange but true...there are no "congratulations you're pregnant" cards - is this just our supermarket or has anyone else experienced this?!?!?)</p> <p>Also again it's so funny how the world is with pregnancy - after losing 2 babies we are all out for celebrating our baby from conception (as we don't know how long we'll get with them) - at the scan the man was like "well it's early days, not much point" and we were like "it's got a head, a body and heartbeat! This is fantastic - they're alive and doing a little jiggle!!!" and even today at bible college someone mentioned that the lecturer was "halfway to becoming a father" - and I was like what are they missing a wife and so only got one of the components necessary for conception??? Ho hum.</p> <p><strong>THE essay</strong><br> Week before last week was THE essay week - which I finally finished at 5.14am on Friday morning ready for its 9am hand-in. The night included a 2 hours of chopping to get it from 3800 to 1800 words! I'm starting the next one a lot earlier!!!</p> <p><strong>New Testament intro</strong><br> Well that's essays - what else has been happening? We've been doing a brief intro to the new testament over these last two weeks - so lots of history of the Jewish people in the run up to Jesus' birth (and you can see why they were after a military Messiah who would deliver them from the hand of their oppressors after nearly 600 years of foreign rule of Palestine by Babylonians, then Persians, then Greeks and finally the Romans) - in particular the rise of four distinct groups (Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes and Zealots) as ways of dealing with the occupation and Jewish identity. Looked at the book of Revelation (that weird book at the end of the bible with pictures of beasts with many heads and horns) and it was so great to see what these images represented at that time and so get a real handle on what's actually being said. (PS The images were used as a kind of code to talk about their persecutors - the Romans).</p> <p><strong>Reflections</strong><br> Well living in community does have its benefits - and they all seem to stem from rubbing each other up the wrong way! Well it <em>had</em> to happen - I managed to put my foot in it big time and upset someone. So it's been a great opportunity to develop maturity (as you can't really avoid someone in close community for 10 months!) by apologising and accept forgiveness and seeing the relationship restored and then moving on in that forgiveness (yeah this last step was hard - wanted to hide a bit). But I am genuinely grateful for the chance to mature (and boy do I need it) - I rather suspect this'll be the first of many such opportunities...</p> <p>However, in a confession conversation with a friend at college I was challenged to think about how I impact others - in particular my lovely humour....<img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0"> My humour was originally developed probably as a coping mechanism to deal with the extensive bullying at school and other and became very much a way of getting attention (people laughing is a great ego boost!). Now I've been healed of that - does the humour go? No - God's into redemption (remember the "nothing is wasted" post) - He wants to use all of me to glorify Him and that includes my humour <img src="/img/smilies/graybigeek.gif" alt="88|" class="middle" border="0"> ! Scary thought - but I'm game for letting God transform and use it...watch this space!</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/10/30/my-belated-7th-week-at-college-4957946/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>babylovecommunitychristiannew-testamentcollegehumorrelationshipforgivenesspregantchristinaityunbornbiblehumourpregnancyhttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/10/30/my-belated-7th-week-at-college-4957946/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/10/22/my-6th-week-atcollegewell-almost-4915082/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2008-10-22:/2008/10/22/my-6th-week-atcollegewell-almost-4915082/Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:11:04 +0200 <p>Well OK I'm having an essay crisis and to be honest I was just going to write a sentence to say something along those lines but...</p> <p>Was chatting to God this morning (after being in a right grump about how little I'd achieved the night before and how the children had made me cross and ...) and really felt like he was saying that I want Him to help me out with my work and honour all the effort I've put in on this essay but actually I haven't honoured Him. I want Him to come and fix my problems but I'm not spending time with Him and seeking His priorities.</p> <p>Then Zoe in the morning devotions was talking about how we want God to come and heal us so we are better but actually God heals us so that we can serve Him and carry out His purposes.</p> <p>Man! I was so blown away by this - before my essay was everything and I was trying to apply God to <em>my</em> essay and <em>my</em> priorities but actually it's Him that's to be the priority. </p> <p>I just felt this wave of peace come over me and I was totally changed - from panic and stress to reliance on God - I can't describe the transformation I am so different in my outlook and I'm really looking forward to doing my essay...right now in fact...</p> <p>Bye!</p> <p><img src="/img/smilies/icon_wave.gif" alt=":wave:" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/10/22/my-6th-week-atcollegewell-almost-4915082/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>collegebiblechristiancrisisprayeressayprioritieschristianityhttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/10/22/my-6th-week-atcollegewell-almost-4915082/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/10/13/my-5th-week-atcollege-4867038/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2008-10-13:/2008/10/13/my-5th-week-atcollege-4867038/Mon, 13 Oct 2008 23:31:36 +0200 <p><strong>Preamble</strong><br> Hello there - 5 weeks down and only 2 more before "reading" week <img src="/img/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif" alt=":D" class="middle" border="0"> - however since my Old Testament timeline is due in the end of this week and the big exegetical paper is due in at the end of next week - I think I'll need a week to recover! </p> <p>Apologies for subscribers who didn't get the email last Monday - there seems to be something horribly wrong with the system. Once again I'll always aim to update on either Sunday or Monday every week...famous last words...</p> <p>So let's get on with the blog...last week was our brief overview of the Old Testament (all 4000+ years) so this week followed on by looking in detail at just a few parts of it (we'll do much much much more detail later in the year) to give us an exciting taster (or at least that's what they told us <img src="/img/smilies/graylaugh.gif" alt=":))" class="middle" border="0">)</p> <p><strong>Introduction to Judaism</strong><br> We had an absolutely smashing day on Tuesday learning all about Judaism - their main pillars of belief (monotheism, covenant, election, purity, messiah and The Land), including the many feasts and festivals (passover, Shauvot, Sukkot, Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Hannukah). Man these people know how to celebrate - Christmas and Easter are dull in comparison (and completely secularised in this country) - methinks we need to party more as Christians (see photos later on) - am putting on my thinking cap of how we can celebrate All Saints Day bigtime (why should halloween get all the fun?!)</p> <p>But the thing that blew me away is how they view the law - not as a burden but as a <em>privilege</em>. They see it as the responsibilities of being God's chosen people. I guess the best way of seeing this is to think of marriage. My marriage vows to Jennie including sharing everything and loving her through thick and thin (and boy have we been through the thick...) - do I see this covenant as a burden or as a privilege of being the only man in Jennie's life until she dies...</p> <p><strong>Lamentations</strong><br> Had a day looking at the book of lamentations - which reflect the sorrow of the people at the destruction of Jerusalem (and the temple) by the Babylonians in 587 BC after a three month siege.</p> <p>It's just a fab book to express your deepest sorrows - this really resonated with my journey - that expressing these feelings is totally ok - it's part of our honest and real relationship with God - and we needn't be afraid of it. Brill. </p> <p><strong>Other stuff</strong><br> We also looked briefly at how the old and new testaments fit together - is the God depicted before Jesus the same as the one depicted afterwards? </p> <p>And finally looked at the historical and theological run-up to the birth of Jesus - particularly who were the key players in the social world Jesus was born in (Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, zealots and Palestinian and Hellenistic Jews), the difference between the temple and the synagogues and the expectations that people had about the coming Messiah and why Jesus didn't quite fit into their mindset of the one who would set them free from the Romans. Really interesting stuff and we'll being doing more on that next week.</p> <p><strong>Cooking</strong><br> Part of our service is cooking for all the students - so me together with 3 others (well actually three others with me! <img src="/img/smilies/graybigrazz.gif" alt=":P" class="middle" border="0"> ) prepared a meal for 38 of lasagne and banana cake. They were stuffed - so mission accomplished.</p> <p><strong>Jennie's 30th birthday party</strong><br> Finished the week with Jennie's fancy dress party - we all had to dress up from one of the decades of the 20th century. So Jen went for 60's and of course I had to be 80's...</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc02783/2892720" title="DSC02783"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/720/2892720_dacfbc2f5c_s.jpeg" alt="DSC02783" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p><em>Click on the photos to see the detailed picture (see I am getting the hang of this)</em> <img src="/img/smilies/grayyes.gif" alt=":yes:" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Jim and Claire from the 20's:</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc02786/2892724" title="DSC02786"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/724/2892724_b5b97e76c9_s.jpeg" alt="DSC02786" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>Mikko, Olivia and baby lydia all in 60's outfits (the baby one was so cute!):</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc02787/2892725" title="DSC02787"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/725/2892725_1804fe3942_s.jpeg" alt="DSC02787" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>Penny and Andrew from the 70's:</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc02789/2892721" title="DSC02789"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/721/2892721_79209c138e_s.jpeg" alt="DSC02789" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>Dan and Lulu from the 70's (Lulu shaved her head especially - such dedication):</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc02792/2892722" title="DSC02792"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/722/2892722_8913e96890_s.jpeg" alt="DSC02792" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>And finally Jennie with my friend, Paula, from bible college:</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc02796/2892723" title="DSC02796"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/723/2892723_b400cbb009_s.jpeg" alt="DSC02796" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>It was great fun (though the tidying wasn't! <img src="/img/smilies/grayno.gif" alt=":no:" class="middle" border="0">)</p> <blockquote><p>Baby is still with us after 10 days of us knowing about him/her - so we are very happy. The sickness and heartburn (according to the doctor) are indeed good signs!!</p></blockquote> <p>Until next week readers... </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/10/13/my-5th-week-atcollege-4867038/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>biblechristianjudaismold-testamentcollegepartylamentationschristianityhttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/10/13/my-5th-week-atcollege-4867038/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/10/06/my-fourth-week-at-college-4831463/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2008-10-06:/2008/10/06/my-fourth-week-at-college-4831463/Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:41:42 +0200 <p>First the apologies:</p> <p>Sorry for the late posting.  I'm aiming to always post on Sunday nights ready for that Monday morning look-at-posts-rather-than-do-your-work moment - but what with attending my brothers wedding on Saturday and err...oh all right I admit it I had a night off on Sunday!</p> <p>Also sorry that I still haven't got the toga version of the Greek alphabet song for you.  Don't know if you can view it yourselves on the facebook KBCTC 08/09 group...</p> Now on with the blog...<br>  <br>Well after one induction week, one overview of the bible week, one week of exegesis, we have moved onto two weeks on the Old Testament (<em>ie</em> the bit of the bible <em>before</em> Jesus was born).  I have to say that my head was spinning at the speed at which they were trying to give an overview of some 4,000 odd years of history...and didn't help having our first exegesis deadline on Friday I was a tired bunny (well a tired man actually).  Though it was interesting what a deadline does for the popularity of the library!  <img class="smiley" src="http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/tinymce/jss/plugins/blogdeemotions/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif" border="0" alt=""><br><strong><br>Tom Sine</strong><br>On Thursday had a break from the Old Testament and had Tom Sine give a presentation based around his latest book <em>"The New Conspirators"</em>.  Basically it was an exciting overview of how many Christians are radically living out their faith and being counter-cultural.  It's something that has been stirring in me for a while - why do we resemble our society so much - how much are we truly influenced by God and how much by our culture and advertising, <em>etc</em>.  We already have our home as a drop-in centre and share our lives (and holidays) with people and dream of building an extension so we can have people live full time in it - and this passion was re-ignited anew by Tom (who lives in a community).  Community is something that is desperately needed by the world and too often we have swallowed the home is my fortress (or whatever - it is late!) line...</p> <blockquote><img class="smiley" src="http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/tinymce/jss/plugins/blogdeemotions/smilies/smileys60.gif" border="0" alt=""> <strong>NEWS FLASH</strong> <img class="smiley" src="http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/tinymce/jss/plugins/blogdeemotions/smilies/smileys60.gif" border="0" alt=""> <p>Thought you all might like to know that we found out on Friday that Jennie is pregnant with our sixth child.  </p> <p>The children are VERY excited and the consensus is that they would like a boy.  Lizzie thinks this is important as we have had 3 girls and 2 boys so far - so it'll be balanced!  Josiah would like a boy to play with and looks at the pregnancy test each day to see if mummy is still pregnant.  Hannah just keeps saying "baby in mummy's tummy" and "can I touch the baby?"</p> <p>Public "thank you" to all those who have said "congratulations" to us - your affirmation of our baby's life means so much to us.  We don't know how long we will have to love this one - so these moments have been so precious.</p> <p>If you want to pray for us then please pray that we would love this one without holding back (it would be so easy to do so after losing the last two to protect ourselves from pain) and that Jennie would not be afraid of living (avoiding doing anything that might cause a miscarriage - but there's no life living that way).</p> Am very happy.</blockquote> <strong>Monday's devotions</strong><br>Finally for those who have asked how me leading the Monday morning devotions went (we have half an hour first thing every day except Thursday where we have "chapel" later in the morning)...I did it on Lamentations <img class="smiley" src="http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/tinymce/jss/plugins/blogdeemotions/smilies/16cry.gif" border="0" alt=""> (a cheery thought indeed for Monday morning!) First I started with a quote from Matt and Beth Redman's book "Worshipping God on the road marked with suffering" <em>(great book by the way - written by people who have been through the mill)</em>:<strong><br></strong><strong><br></strong><br> <blockquote> Worship is always a choice.  At times it's an easy, straightforward one.  When life is peaceful and painless, the choice to respond to God in thanksgiving and praise may not be such a hard one to make.  But at other times in our lives, worship becomes a much gutsier decision.  Caught up amidst a whirlwind of pain and confusion, the decision to cry out, "Yet I will praise You," is a costly act of devotion.  In the life of every worshipper there will come times when worship meets with suffering.  And these moments shape what kind of worshippers we will become.  Yes, praise be to God for times of abundance and plenty in our lives - those carefree days full of peace and laughter.  Yet we praise Him also in the wilderness times - those dark and stormy seasons of the soul when we're left crying out with the pdsalmist, "How long, O LORD, how long?" (Psalm 6:3)</p> <p>When trials come, trust must arise.  When there's nothing to rock the boat, our trust in God is rarely tested.  The question then is this: Can we still find our way to the place of praise?  We may have faith to believe in God as Lord of the <em>calm</em> - but do we also have faith to belive in Him as Lord of the <em>storm</em>?</p></blockquote> <p>Then we watched the video clip:</p> <p><em>I wanted a video to engage people's hearts.  It's very easy with something like this to only give mental ascent to the ideas whereas I wanted people to open up to hear what God had to say.  I was also wary of using a video as I didn't want to just create an emotional fix - but have people meet with God and be changed.</em><br> <br>I then talked about how my wife and I sought to worship God when we lost our baby (Rachel) last Boxing Day - one of the first things I did was talk to a lady in our church whose husband walked out on her and her two kids for another woman and asked how - how did you worship God? She said "worship is a choice" - she was so right and has it made the difference in her life - she sought after God and has been transformed - she has no bitterness only joy and all the more so now her prayers for a godly man have been answered (she gets married in 2 weeks!).  So we did choose - we chose to trust that God is who He says He is and worship Him and we don't regret it - we are different people as I said in one of my previous posts.</p> <p>I had a number of passages that I felt were right to use and then prayed about which people to give to read them.  God was so good as they seemed really speak to those individuals.  If you're interested, they were:</p> <p><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=habakkuk%203:17-18;&version=31;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=habakkuk%203:17-18;&version=31;">http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=habakkuk%203:17-18;&version=31;</a></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2013:1-2,5-6;&version=31;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2013:1-2,5-6;&version=31;">http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2013:1-2,5-6;&version=31;</a></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=lam%203:20-24;&version=65;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=lam%203:20-24;&version=65;">http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=lam%203:20-24;&version=65;</a></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2042:1-6;&version=31;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2042:1-6;&version=31;">http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2042:1-6;&version=31;</a></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=job%201:18-21;&version=31;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=job%201:18-21;&version=31;">http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=job%201:18-21;&version=31;</a></a></p> <p>We then sung "Blessed be Your name" and "Even though I walk (You never let go)" by Matt Redman.  Great songs to worship God in all circumstances - the first was written after 9/11 and then second after their third miscarriage in a row. <p>Finally I pointed out how many of the passages tell us how they <em>remembered</em>.  When in these circumstances we should remind ourselves what God has done for us, who He is and the hope that we have in Him.  So had someone read Psalm 103:</p> <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ps%20103;&version=31;"><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ps%20103;&version=31;">http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ps%20103;&version=31;</a></a></p> <p>We finished off with singing "Our God is an awesome God" by Rich Mullins.</p> <p>"Mint!" as JK would say. <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/10/06/my-fourth-week-at-college-4831463/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>sufferingpregnantexegesismatt-redmanworshipchristianmiscarriagechristianitybiblecommunitytom-sinecollegehttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/10/06/my-fourth-week-at-college-4831463/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/09/28/my-third-week-at-college-4793474/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2008-09-28:/2008/09/28/my-third-week-at-college-4793474/Sun, 28 Sep 2008 21:41:51 +0200 <p>A very brief entry this week - as I'm doing the devotions tomorrow and really need to prepare and practise (just a lot nervous <img class="smiley" src="http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/tinymce/jss/plugins/blogdeemotions/smilies/13confused.gif" border="0" alt="">)</p> <p>Well this has been the heavy teaching week exegesis and hermeneutics!  <strong>Exegesis</strong> is working out what the text meant <strong>then</strong>, whereas <strong>hermeneutics</strong> is working out how the original meaning applies to us <strong>now</strong>.</p> <p>So what exactly have we been doing?  Well we've been having to learn the Greek alphabet and Dave (our lecturer) helpfully gave us the following Greek Alphabet Song.  Here it is performed by last year's students (I'll replace this with this year's version as soon as I get the video - it'll be worth it if only to see why it was called "Toga Tuesday"): </p> <p>Who said that Christians are boring?  Strange is the word they're really looking for. <img class="smiley" src="http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/tinymce/jss/plugins/blogdeemotions/smilies/smileys77.gif" border="0" alt=""></p> <p>So the exegesis is all about looking at the greek words and the grecco-roman background and all that so we can understand what the author was saying (as it's all too easy to take verses out of context - and even sell millions of books on it...).  I have to say though it's been pretty cool.  I've now got my first hand-in for these exercises this coming Friday - and there's so many more books to read.  Not enough time and it's all greek to me (hoho had to get that one in somewhere <img class="smiley" src="http://www.blog.co.uk/srv/tinymce/jss/plugins/blogdeemotions/smilies/graylaugh.gif" border="0" alt=""> ).</p> <p>Carrying on from my reflections last week...  I was really struck by Jesus' response to the disciples question about why a guy was blind shortly before Jesus healed him:</p> <blockquote><p>This happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.<br> John 9:3<br> </blockquote>  <br> And Joseph's (the technicolour dreamcoat fella) response to his brothers (remember they sold him into slavery):</p> <blockquote><p>You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.<br> Gen 50:20<br> </blockquote> Not only have the bad things that happened in my life now become part of my story of how great God is, but also they're not wasted as they have been used to achieve His good purposes.  I wouldn't be the same person I am now had Jen not been hospitalised - certainly we would've been divorced yet now I love her so much.  Had I not been bullied I wouldn't have worked as half as hard as I did at school and so it goes on.  By the grace of God I am indeed who I am.<br>  </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/09/28/my-third-week-at-college-4793474/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>songchristianityhealinggreekcollegebiblegraceexegesischristianhttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/09/28/my-third-week-at-college-4793474/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/09/21/week-4759990/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2008-09-21:/2008/09/21/week-4759990/Sun, 21 Sep 2008 23:47:57 +0200 <p>Well after a gentle week of induction followed by a weekend retreat (oops forgot to mention that on the last entry - never mind - I'll just have to squeeze that in a bonus blog entry!) we're now into the course proper. </p> <p>So last week we were doing "introduction to the bible" which covered what is "scripture"?, the different genres, what does it mean to say it's "inspired by God", which books got in (<em>ie</em> the canon) and which didn't and why, what about apparent contradictions and alleged errors, what authority does scripture have and why, and what is it's role in God's relationship with his people...woh! <img src="/img/smilies/graybigeek.gif" alt="88|" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Heavy stuff indeed - but this week we look at exegesis and hermeneutics (which I can only spell by copying it off of my notes) which sounds far more terrifying and this is what our next assignment is based on...<img src="/img/smilies/graysigh.gif" alt=":**:" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Here's some interesting facts about the bible for your pub quizzes:<br> - written over 1500 years (40 generations)<br> - written by over 40 authors from every walk of life including kings, peasants,<br> philosophers, fishermen, poets, etc.<br> - written in three languages (Hebrew, Greek and errr I don't know)<br> - written on three continents (Asia, Africa and Europe)<br> - written in different places including wilderness, dungeon/prisons, palaces, during<br> military campaigns, etc</p> <p>So it's been quite an academic week but helped by our lecturer (Dave Perry, who is a bit of a Lord of the Rings fan) who likens the bible is a drama in which God is the author, Jesus is the hero, the Holy Spirit is the "force" that moves the plot, if we follow Jesus we get to be part of the cast and in the end the good guys win! (Hurrah!) <img src="/img/smilies/icon_cool.gif" alt="B)" class="middle" border="0"> He makes it really quite accessible.</p> <p>Two things stood out this week for me:</p> <p>The first was how the Torah (first 5 books of the bible) is very similar in style to the suzerain vassal treaties (covenants between the king and his people) that were common around that time and region - and so we can see that in their day they would see God as the king who is making a covenant (promise) to look after his people in return for the people keeping the laws kept in the covenant. Fascinating.</p> <p>And the second was that after a heavy week we finished on Friday with Dave telling us to spend 40 minutes meditating on Psalm 121 after which we would feed back what we felt God was speaking to us from it. Forty minutes and in SILENCE <img src="/img/smilies/icon_wth.gif" alt="|-|" class="middle" border="0"> - any of you who know me will know how hard this must have been! After 20 mins I was all ready to throw in the towel but then something happened and it was like treasure was unlocked...and I was writing all sorts of ideas and inspiration that was coming. </p> <p>One momentous moment was when I was wrestling with God about the the verse:</p> <blockquote><p>The LORD will keep you from all harm<br> he will watch over your life; </p></blockquote> <p>I didn't get it as I was bullied almost all of my secondary school years, had a difficult home-life, had a marriage that nearly ended in divorce, had a wife that got clinical-post-natal-depression and was hospitalised and have had two of my children die. So surely he hasn't kept me from harm.</p> <p>But then I felt God remind me of how he has healed these memories (in particular I was reminded of the "celebrate recovery" course I attended where we were praying and I just saw Jesus in my mind's eye step into some of these memories and transform them taking away the power they held over me). And I can truthfully say I am not living in fear, or regret or bitterness or whathaveyou - these memories do no longer harm me (before the various prayer sessions these memories used to really hold me captive with fear and bitterness). The LORD <em>has</em> indeed kept me from harm. </p> <p>Again, with the death of our children Rachel and James I can say I am not bitter, or afraid of trying for more children, or depressed. I am in fact thankful - I am just so grateful to God that He entrusted us with these precious ones no matter how short the time was. It was a real breakthrough moment of understanding for me and I don't think I'm going to be quite the same.</p> <p>Lots of love</p> <p>John</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/09/21/week-4759990/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>psalmhealingtorahchristianitychristianlord-of-the-ringsbiblehttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/09/21/week-4759990/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/09/14/my-first-week-at-college-4728306/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2008-09-14:/2008/09/14/my-first-week-at-college-4728306/Sun, 14 Sep 2008 23:43:50 +0200 <p>Gosh! So much has happened in one week - I'm a bit at a loss how to summarise it all! But here goes...</p> <p><strong>My first essay</strong><br> Well I had to write a 1,000 word "critical review" detailing interpretation (what was the purpose of the book), technical analysis (how did the author set about doing it) and judgement (did they achieve the purpose). I choose to do it on:</p> <p> "The return of the prodigal son" by Henri Nouwen</p> <p>Well it was a bit of a shock writing an essay at first - but once I started it seemed that the words just kept flowing (not that I'm at all talkative! <img src="/img/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif" alt=":D" class="middle" border="0"> ). Ended up having to <em>ignore</em> the quotes in my word count to get it under the limit and finished by 2am Monday morning (I wasn't the latest - Lucy was up to 3am!). </p> <p>What did I think of it? (I love writing a blog - as I get to make up the questions!)<br> Well to be honest given the prodigal son is about God's fatherly love for his children and how he delighted he is when we say sorry (and boy do I need to hear this):</p> <blockquote><p>"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.</p> <p> "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'</p> <p> "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. </p></blockquote> <p>He seemed to spend more time talking about the darkness and struggle away in the foreign land than the return and the kindness of God. <img src="/img/smilies/graysigh.gif" alt=":**:" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p><strong>My first week</strong><br> Well this was an induction week so I got to know my fellow 26 students (I'm not the oldest!) via a facebook ice breaker (you would've loved it Katy and Jo!), we got a tour of the centre, the library and the kitchen (as we'll be cooking meals for the group and others as part of our serving), we also got to learn about our learning styles (turns out I'm an activist - want to get on and do it - not brilliant at listening nor yet at crystallising their mixed up thoughts...this is so not me...<img src="/img/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt=":roll:" class="middle" border="0"> ahem!).</p> <p>Found out where we're going on our mission trip...only allowed to say "North Africa" in a blog and not allowed to mention the group who we'll be partnering with to ensure their safety. Living on the edge, eh? <img src="/img/smilies/graybigeek.gif" alt="88|" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p>Also started to talk about our community service placements (as what we believe will impact how we act - if it doesn't then we have to question whether we really believe it). Think God wants me visiting prisons and/or working with the homeless rather than working with the youth centre...watch this space! Am I terrified? <img src="/img/smilies/icon_confused.gif" alt=":-/" class="middle" border="0"> </p> <p>Friday was the freakiest day of all. Last year's students all prayed for this year's bunch and were asked to write down what they felt God wanted to say. We were also told to get with God for half an hour and write down what we felt He wanted to say as well. It was terrifying and exciting all at the same time (is it me? is it Him? what if we hear nothing? <img src="/img/smilies/grayconfused.gif" alt=":??:" class="middle" border="0">) </p> <p>Then we fed-back (is that the right word? I really should write this blog earlier in the evening!) what we felt God was specifically saying to each student in turn and then had the things the students wrote last year read out.</p> <p>It was mind-blowing how many of the things we felt God was saying to a particular individual were identical to what the students had written last year (do bear in mind they had never met any of us) and also how appropriate they were to that individual. Yes I believe God is very much alive and active but when He speaks to us so explicitly it can be just a bit terrifying (eek - He knows everything!) as well as exhilarating (wow - He's really that interested in me!!)</p> <p>Think that this might just summarise how this year is going to be...<img src="/img/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif" alt=":>>" class="middle" border="0"></p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/09/14/my-first-week-at-college-4728306/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>christianbibleservingprophecyinductioncollegecommunityessaychristianitylearninghttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/09/14/my-first-week-at-college-4728306/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/09/08/preparation-for-college-4700301/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2008-09-08:/2008/09/08/preparation-for-college-4700301/Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:13:50 +0200 <p>Well yes I know I should've been working hard on my essay but instead I seem to have spent my week off between work and bible college decorating! Rather too much. But look at the lovely results:</p> <p>The study before - now why did Becky reject this for the H&S admission?</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc02342/2795994" title="DSC02342"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/994/2795994_8bd5a72d05_s.jpeg" alt="DSC02342" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>My friend guy has helped clear the room - mmmm, lovely carpet.</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc02698/2795995" title="DSC02698"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/995/2795995_177594f485_s.jpeg" alt="DSC02698" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>Ah yellow - bright, warming and cheery!</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc02700/2795996" title="DSC02700"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/996/2795996_806216d8cd_s.jpeg" alt="DSC02700" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>Ta da! Becky would be proud of me (quick use this photo for H&S!)</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc02715/2795997" title="DSC02715"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/997/2795997_80e787e3d2_s.jpeg" alt="DSC02715" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>And the bedroom...hmm nice blue walls adds to that feeling of being cold in winter (and the manky blue carpet which is just missed out of this phot for your protection!)</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc02685/2796043" title="DSC02685"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/043/2796043_8cfddf11d0_s.jpeg" alt="DSC02685" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>Ah nice yellow again (ok so we didn't have money to buy lots of different paints!) helps us feel warm and sunny(and the fixed central heating and loft insulation should help too!)</p> <p><a href="http://www.blog.co.uk/media/photo/dsc02716/2796045" title="DSC02716"><img src="http://data5.blog.de/media/045/2796045_ed0d57f216_s.jpeg" alt="DSC02716" vspace="5" hspace="5"></a></p> <p>Quick get that essay finished - it's got to be in at 9am on Monday!</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/09/08/preparation-for-college-4700301/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>leisurelifedecoratingpreparationpaintinghttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/09/08/preparation-for-college-4700301/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/08/29/faqs-4655988/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2008-08-29:/2008/08/29/faqs-4655988/Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:52:23 +0200 <p>Thought I'd write a little post with answers to the various questions I've received about my sabbatical.</p> <p><strong>Does this mean that you're going to be a vicar then?</strong><br> No. It's just a bible college (rather than a vicar factory). But I will get a "diploma in theology, mission and biblical studies" (which sounds far more exciting than FFA!).</p> <p><strong>Why did they accept you? You're so not sorted!</strong><br> Ah! It's a very common misconception that Christianity is about people who have it all together and do good deeds and all that, whereas true Christianity begins with us admitting that we can't do it on our own and mess up and therefore need help. And boy (as any of you who know me can testify) do I need help!</p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/08/29/faqs-4655988/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>faqcollegechristianchristianitybiblehttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/08/29/faqs-4655988/#commentshttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/08/29/welcome-4653239/tag:bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk,2008-08-29:/2008/08/29/welcome-4653239/Fri, 29 Aug 2008 12:03:25 +0200 <p>Hello there!</p> <p>Welcome to my blog. Nothing much has happened here yet as I haven't begun my sabbatical but I thought it would be nice to have a little line to say hello when you checked in!</p> <p>You can leave a comment if you like!</p> <p>Or even subscribe if you're very keen (scroll down it's on the right hand side).</p> <p>Bye-eee </p> <p> <small> <a href="http://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/08/29/welcome-4653239/#comments">Comments</a> </small> </p>welcomehttp://bobbathejobba.blog.co.uk/2008/08/29/welcome-4653239/#comments