It's week 8...

Only a week to go and term is finished... I can't quite believe it, was it not only yesterday that it was week 1?! Yes, week 8 started today and I really could do with it still being week 7, too much still to do before next Wednesday!

It's amazing how quickly time goes by and I'm just getting into the groove of it all. Oh well, at least I have half a chance of hitting next term with some knowledge of what I am doing!

As Advent fast approaches (yes, the first Sunday in Advent is this Sunday!), my thoughts have turned to Jesus! Ok, maybe that's not entirely true, but all the books I'm currently reading have Jesus in the title, which I'm finding quite bizzare, but then I guess part of the reason I'm here is to learn more about Jesus.

Anyway, back to Advent... a time when we start to prepare for Christmas, to look forward to celebrating Jesus' birth. But what does that really mean to most people out there? How much of Christ really makes it into Christmas these days? A question that many preachers will consider over the next few weeks and maybe try to unpack them in their sermons. Will I? Not sure as I've not got to writing my one Advent sermon on my to do list yet, but maybe I should. If the Shepherds managed to leave the stable praising God and tell everyone about Jesus, then maybe we should be do be doing the same on a Sunday morning as we leave church! So there is a challenge for me!! And if anyone finds themself at a loose end on the 11th December and in Newcastle, you can come and see if I manage it!

Chocolate pudding with chocolate sauce...

Well what to talk about this week? No idea... has been a fairly uneventful week. Lectures have been lectures, supervisions have been supervisions, Greek's still been all Greek and reading, well there is still loads of that to do!

The end of term is now fast approaching and the days in the library are getting longer.. so maybe now is the time to just sit for a moment and be still... to actually have a bit of 'Sabbath' time... have a nice mug of coffee or even some of my Mum's chocolate pudding with chocolate sauce!

Lesson from my week is everyone needs some time off, some "Sabbath" time, even God! So why not take some now and do something you enjoy!

A wobble free week...

Well we are now officially on the downhill to the end of term... week 6 started today, which means three weeks till I have finished my first term as an Ordinand! Oh my! And after spending the last five weeks doubting whether I can actually do this, I think I may have turned the corner thanks to Church History and the words "don't forget you have 4 years - you don't have to do it all in the first four weeks"!

Now you would think that it would be some revelation from unpacking a piece of scripture that would lead to this and not the Late Medieval Church, Wycliffe and a facebook message from my big brother - but theology isn't just about the Bible you know! Sometimes people say the words you really need to hear at the time and/or you achieve something which you thought was possible impossible. This is what has happen to me this week. I've discovered I can read books that are over 200 years old and then write a really good essay (according to my Church History Supervisor not me, honest) and I do have 4 years to get my head round it all!

The next three weeks aren't going to be a walk in the park - I have two essays to write for starters and at least three more walls to plaster with Greek - but it is all possible and I will survive!

So, after spending time this evening learning about using visuals in worship, and pictures are generally lacking I feel in my lectures and books I have to read - here is a pictorial summary of my last five weeks...