tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67633295384570284592024-03-05T14:39:33.799+00:00Finding my way homeA middle aged man from Ingleton North Yorkshire takes a journey of discovery after resigning from a jobPete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.comBlogger231125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-85676068212107914172010-01-06T11:43:00.002+00:002010-01-06T11:45:51.480+00:00New blogI've stopped using this blog now and have started another. It's called <a href="http://peterjmccatlarge.blogspot.com/">PeterJMcC@large</a>.<br />Hope to see you there.Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-53804948602024539012009-04-27T16:24:00.003+01:002009-04-27T16:28:43.000+01:00Two year onIt was two years ago today that I started this blog, and today I have started another one.<br /><br />I have decided to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">change</span> this into <a href="http://www.pilgrimnews.blogspot.com">Pilgrim News</a>.<br /><br />I'll keep this one online so it can be a permanent online reminder of two years of agony and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ecstasy</span>, mainly the former.<br /><br />Join me on my pilgrimage.Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-75659204389967138872009-04-01T09:45:00.001+01:002009-04-01T09:45:49.707+01:00weary<span style="font-weight: bold;">One of the main problems with depression is tiredness. My <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">energy</span> levels are pretty low and I often feel tired and don't feel like doing anything. Yesterday one of my successes was getting out of bed. I managed to do that at 10.00 a.m. after a lot of self-<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">persuasion</span>.<br /><br />Today my legs are so weary that I wonder how I can face pedalling to Bentham and then to Ingleton. But the sun in the sky, the blue bits surrounding it, and the whispiness of the clouds tell me that I will enjoy it really.</span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-54214593569816470602009-03-31T10:44:00.002+01:002009-03-31T10:53:42.059+01:00Positive punctuation and Negative news<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I couldn't decide whether this should be a positive blog or a negative one. So you get both.<br /><br />The positive is provided by Lynn Truss through her book "Eats, shoots and leaves" which I am reading at the moment.<br /><br />This should be a boring book because it's about English grammar and punctuation. But in fact it's a very funny book because of her writing style and her quirky use of examples. This was why it was a best-seller a few years ago and gave her the fame and fortune she so richly deserved. A cliche anyone?<br /><br />The negative comes from Sky News. They promise me "Fifteen minutes of news every fifteen minutes." So I sat down at 9.45 p.m. last night prepared to be told the latest current events and rose at 10.00 p.m. in a rage. Why? Because they showed endless pictures of Prime Minister Gordon Brown meeting and greeting people whom I took to be heads of state and talked over them about the Home Secretary fiddling her expenses.<br /><br />I was incensed. The business about the expenses will be forgotten next week while the talks the PM has with these people will have an affect for a long time to come. AND THEY NEVER TOLD US WHO THEY WERE. How frustrating and maddening!<br /><br /><br /></span></span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-34527741385240381962009-03-30T11:38:00.003+01:002009-03-30T11:43:47.811+01:00Getting out and doing it<span style="font-weight: bold;">Living in the countryside is a wonderful thing. Yesterday was a fabulously clear day with bright sunshine. The Dales and the Lakeland hills looked gorgeous.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Matthew and Audrey wended their way up Wernside in the afternoon while I snoozed on the sofa and then prepared my thoughts for preaching at Newby.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">As it was Passion Sunday I got them thinking about the Passion of Christ. We sang five hymns and thought about the way Jesus was flogged, crowned with thorns and mocked. It was pretty tough but it was worth it.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">I didn't feel like going but I was glad I did. </span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-35043913079907717512009-03-28T12:22:00.002+00:002009-03-28T12:27:22.243+00:00Well, hello....again<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">I'm sorry I haven't been around here for a while. It's just that the horrendous weekend really got me down and I could not bring myself to write a bright, breezy blog. And I did not think you wanted to read a right down miserable one. But I am on my way up again now, so here I am.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">These last few blogless days</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);"> have taught me something, . One is that people appreciate it when I do appear here. The other is that I don't seem to be able to use my skills in wordsmithing unless I am feeling well enough mentally. </span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-14164925452946378632009-03-17T08:17:00.002+00:002009-03-17T09:39:33.918+00:00Horrendous weekend<span style="font-weight: bold;">This has been the most horrendous weekend for our family. On Thursday Nathan got sent home from his Apprenticeship.<br /><br />On Saturday he went to visit his girlfriend in Hull. I had arranged the train trip for him but he missed his connection in Leeds and I had to sort out his catching a bus instead.<br /><br />Eventually we ourselves set off for Liverpool and an Open Doors meeting launching the Walk with Them campaign. We then went to see my Aunty Mary in her residential home.<br /><br />After that we saw the Anthony Gormley statues of himself totally naked on a windy beach in Crosby. This was followed by a visit to Tescos in Southport for hamster food and bedding, a pub meal somewhere in West Lancashire and a trip through the city centre of Preston.<br /><br />On Sunday things didn't improve. Nathan had another bad journey home and got stranded in Leeds. I was due to sing with the Shepherds Choir in Burton-in-Lonsdale but had to hare off to Leeds Station with Audrey to rescue Nathan.<br /><br />He hadn't enjoyed his visit, and the relationship ended yesterday. So things are falling apart. What a mess.<br /><br />We are clinging to the promise in Romans 8:28,<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> "All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose." </span>We are clinging to it like wreckage in a storm.<br /></span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-61845376202216383752009-03-13T07:46:00.003+00:002009-03-13T07:51:34.990+00:00a sudden stop<span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Nathan's apprenticeship came to a sudden stop yesterday. I spent the day in retreat at Pilgrim's Rest and when I got home the phone rang. It was Nathan's lecturer at Kendal College to tell me that he had been given his marching orders by the care company. As Audrey had driven him to work, I had to go and fetch him.<br /><br />So instead of making the tea I found myself haring off to rescue him from work. I tried to make him feel better by taking him to Asda Cafe for tea.<br /><br />We also got his tickets for the weekend visit to his girlfriend in Hull. I am sure that will help him too. But now, as my wife Audrey says, "Where do we go from here?" God knows. And we can trust him.<br /></span></span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-33449166527578226752009-03-11T10:13:00.002+00:002009-03-11T10:22:51.866+00:00A day in the life<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Yesterday I Twittered all day. From getting up in the morning to going to bed at night I was letting all the world know what I was doing. Well, all the Twitter followers and Facebook Friends anyway.<br /><br />It was a bit of an experiment really, to see if anyone was interested in what a Christian Englishman living on benefits did to pass the time. The most interest came from Facebook. The one Twitter that caused most comment was: </span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" class="status_body">lying on the couch listening to lovely quiet music.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">This created several comments. Funnily enough it was the only time during the whole day when I wasn't actually do anything. No, that's not true. What I was doing was recharging my physical batteries so I could get on and do some more.<br /><br />What was it the Mars ad said? "A Mars a day helps you Work, <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Rest<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> and Play."<br /><br />I can't get through a day without having a rest somewhere. Why do we all have to be rushing about without stopping?<br /><br />I hate the Protestant Work Ethic. Why do we have so many deaths from heart attacks and strokes in this country? Because we're all too busy. Not that we have to be busy actually doing things, but because we think other people need to see that we're busy. That's ridiculous.</span></span><br /></span></span></span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-63001708994309102112009-03-10T10:01:00.002+00:002009-03-10T10:13:00.842+00:00Inernet Intimacy<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">What a phenomenon it is to have Facebook and Twitter.<br /><br />They have brought an intimacy to the famous that was previously unknown.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Yesterday I was able to:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">1) follow a household name who is never off British TV as he wandered in Manhattan</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">2) enjoy the exploits of a well known comedian/actor as he catered for plumbers improving his central heating</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">3) visit the House of Commons with a political commentator</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">4) aggravate Tory voters by making comments about William Hague's extra-parliamentary activities</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">5) discuss with a Christian writer/columnist the problems of our respective children</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Such a day would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. But I did it all yesterday. </span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Quite remarkable, and very enjoyable.</span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-88423311997190294372009-03-07T11:15:00.002+00:002009-03-07T11:18:18.073+00:00Internet argument<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I seem to have upset some little Conservatives over my comments on Hague and his huge payments for talking. If you want to follow the discussion have look <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5j6eQU4385M&feature=email">here</a><br /></span></span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-29501590747927165962009-03-06T09:36:00.002+00:002009-03-06T09:38:38.056+00:00He passed!<span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Every day I write down the successes I have had. Yesterday there was just one, but O what a one. My son Nathan passed his driving test, and I helped him get there.<br /><br />I was delighted. Thank the Lord. He can now drive himself to his new job.<br /><br />Thank you Lord<br /></span></span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-53467761571446745022009-03-05T08:21:00.003+00:002009-03-05T08:36:30.925+00:00Money talks<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Yesterday Harriet Harman and William Hague faced each other across the despatch box in the House of Commons. It was revealed that Hague was paid £30,000 pounds for two after-dinner speeches by the Royal Bank of Scotland</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">I can speak well in public but I don't get paid anything. No, wait. A few weeks ago I preached at Settle St. John's and they offered me expenses. At 40p a mile that amounted to £8.00. I do think Mr. Hague speaks well, but surely charging £15,000 a time is nothing short of extortionate.<br /><br />It begs the question: What can people like that understand about people like us?<br /></span></span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-3901391339286101192009-03-04T09:51:00.006+00:002009-03-04T10:45:58.740+00:00internet obsession<span style="font-weight: bold;">Forty years ago, when I was a teenager I was obsessed with radio: I had my own pirate station called the Wheel; I went around the house singing radio jingles; I desperately wanted to be a DJ. That was how Jesus caught me.<br /><br />I was in Australia, 35 years ago, when a former radio DJ who was then a pastor challenged his congregation to set up a Christian radio station in Hobart Tasmania. That was when I realised that my life was nothing without Jesus.<br /><br />Now I'm very keen, I wouldn't say obsessed, by the Internet. Just lately I have got onto <a href="http://www.skype.com/">Skype</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/">Twitter</a>. I realise that Twitter is best used from a mobile phone but there is no way I can afford to do that at the moment. Nevertheless, I want to be at the cutting edge of this technology so that Jesus can be there too.<br /><br />I've just put my Skype and Twitter details on my email signature so that others can follow me and hopefully follow Jesus. O, and I'm on Facebook too.<br /><br />Facebook: Peter McCabe, Leeds<br />Twitter: PeterJMcC<br />Skype: peter-mccabe<br /><br />See you around the ether.<br /></span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-38469651612329433892009-02-25T11:44:00.003+00:002009-02-25T11:57:37.410+00:00Busy day<strong><span style="color:#009900;">I hardly stopped yesterday.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#009900;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#009900;">I took Nathan to the bus for his day at College and soon after that was helping my friend Colin to get his printer working properly. He lives in Bentham and it was on my way to the Looking Well. I didn't succeed but left him with opportunity of emailing the makers for help. Sounds a bit like prayer.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#009900;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#009900;">Then I was off to the Writers Group and read out my Book Review. It was a direct result of attending those meetings that I wrote it.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#009900;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#009900;">Straight after lunch I was off with Audrey to Lancaster to buy a suit for an IMC wedding which is coming up in April. We got a really good deal in BHS which included not only the suit, but also shirt, tie and shoes. Very pleasing.</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#009900;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#009900;">As soon I got back I had to rush off to Kirkby Lonsdale to pick Nathan up and called into Audrey's dad to pick up some freezer food which was left with him while she defrosted our freezer. </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#009900;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#009900;">After tea I was out to lead the House Group. We were looking at the Ark of the Covenant. I finished early because I was tired. </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#009900;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="color:#009900;">Lastly we watched an Horizon programme on BBC2 about our body clocks. By 9.30 p.m. my body clock was telling me it was time for bed. A good busy day.</span></strong>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-2105409470557680952009-02-24T10:02:00.003+00:002009-02-24T10:18:36.079+00:00Apprenticeship<blockquote><p style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span>Jesus is a model for all of us to copy, not just those in obvious ministry roles. Learning to follow him is a lifetime’s apprenticeship.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;"><span>Jane Cornish (adapted from <em><a target="_blank" href="http://www.scriptureunion.org.uk/9420.id"><em>Daily Bread</em></a></em> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">JM</span>09)</span></p><p><br /><span></span></p><p><span><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">I just read this quote in</span><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.scriptureunion.org.uk/WordLive/AboutWordLive/News/10450.id"> Wordlive.</a><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> It reminded me to tell you that yesterday my youngest son, Nathan aged 20, started an Apprenticeship. He is working for a care company in Kendal. He will be working at a care home there for four days a week and going to Kendal College on the other day. What a day it was for him. And for us. He will learn to be a carer. We will have two sons working. Wonderful. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">The trouble is that the word Apprentice conjures up the image of some big shot pointing at some little person and saying "Your fired!" and only once shouting "You're hired!".<br />So the media has given apprenticeship a negative connotation. I see they've got the big shot, Alan Sugar, advertising the government's Apprenticeship Scheme on the other channels which don't show him pointing the finger. Which are the viewers going to remember - </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">the finger of rejection or the hand of help?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255); font-weight: bold;">O, and yesterday I got the magazine A Single Step which includes my review of the book "Coming Back to Me" by Marcus Trescothick. So it was a great day for me too!</span><br /><br /></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote><br /></span></p><p><br /><span></span></p><p><span><br /></span></p></blockquote>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-67644210926432034192009-02-20T08:34:00.002+00:002009-02-20T08:44:46.929+00:00Dead end week<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">This has been a week of thinking about the end of life. On Tuesday I attended the funeral of a Grand Old Man of Ingleton. Gordon Barker was nearly 98 when he died. He had lived in Ingleton for most of his life and could remember the New Village being built.<br /><br />When I tell you that these houses were built during the First World War to house miners from the colliery which then existed, you will realise what a treasure trove of memory was stored in his mind. I managed to capture some of that towards the end of last year when I went to interview him.<br /><br />On Wednesday it was time to say farewell to Teddy Dawson. He was only 79 years old but he was a believer and the funeral showed that. Burglars could have had a field day at all the Methodist houses in the area, because just about everybody was there. And those who weren't there were at work. Three hundred people packed into St James Church Clapham and the singing was magnificent.<br /><br />Yesterday I went to visit my Auntie Mary in her residential home in Liverpool. She will be 90 in June and says she has lived too long and wants God to take her. When her wish is granted, it would be good to have everything organised beforehand. So I took with me a form to order and pay for a funeral ahead of time. While I was with her in walked the vicar of her church. This was very helpful and I am certain the Lord arranged it. Just as he will help us to arrange her send-off.<br /><br /></span></span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-41937871471302000802009-02-18T10:28:00.003+00:002009-02-18T10:34:55.888+00:00Filming the Waterfalls<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwORbeFENc_MLII6n8NY8ruo_Ek1IP6LfAhHKxZVBZMRURsY-dWb2C5FAc7QZS0RAlQwPqESyi0dtx22usMSOgGQI1maIB3baHPvjBb5Wi_WYSAgjs8hu3taTGi1tKFp8Qja_ibnkHpE/s1600-h/ingleton+waterfalls+f.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwORbeFENc_MLII6n8NY8ruo_Ek1IP6LfAhHKxZVBZMRURsY-dWb2C5FAc7QZS0RAlQwPqESyi0dtx22usMSOgGQI1maIB3baHPvjBb5Wi_WYSAgjs8hu3taTGi1tKFp8Qja_ibnkHpE/s320/ingleton+waterfalls+f.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304083811367506226" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Yesterday I was part of a film unit.<br /><br />The Looking Well at Bentham is involved in a project centred around the Folly in Settle. Archives Alive launches in April and it features old documents from Ingleton about the Waterfalls Walk.<br /><br />As part of the exhibition they are putting on, a short film of the Waterfalls Walk is going to be projected and half a dozen of us trapsed over the Thornton Force to film it.<br /><br />I really enjoyed it. Clambering about with a camera and tripod, walking in and out of shot to the director's cue and generally hanging about was really good fun. It was creative too.<br /><br />Next step for me of course is to go and peruse the documents in order to increase my knowledge of Ingleton in Victorian times.<br /><br /></span></span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-91155757296028166112009-02-17T17:25:00.002+00:002009-02-17T17:35:06.662+00:00Every day success<span style="font-weight: bold;">One of the reasons I have got into this </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">difficult</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> state is that I major on the negative. I could have a day at work when everything went well except one little thing and I would only remember the little thing. Eventually the little things became one big THING.<br /><br />But for the last month I have been keeping a record of every day and each one has seen at least one success. At the end of every day I write down my successes, even though I might have had some failures. I then read these over and find that I am not such a failure as I thought.<br /><br />To someone who has thought as long and hard about failure as I have, this is a tremendous step forward. I am seeing success every day. I probably was before but I never noticed it.<br /><br />Wow, what a difference.<br /><br /><br /></span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-41506554520285917542009-02-16T10:10:00.002+00:002009-02-16T10:14:56.246+00:00Another week is gone<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">I can't believe that I've let another week slip by without blogging.<br /><br />I put a space on my calendar to write between 8 and 9 in the morning but I haven't managed to do it once. Why not?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">Well, a couple of times I slept in, in spite of what I put in my last post. At other times I got so engrossed in reading, replying and writing emails that the time was gone. Also, I tend to do a lot of surveys online and they take up time.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">But all these are excuses really. If I am going to write I am going to have to make time for it. Other things are going have to be pushed out of the way. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 102, 255);">Write I must and write I will.</span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-40036391047441877032009-02-09T11:57:00.002+00:002009-02-09T12:01:54.002+00:00A new day dawns<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">I enjoy getting up in the morning more than I used to. This is either because I am enjoying life more or because I don't wake up in the night as often. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">I think it's the former which is a good sign. Most nights I wake at three or four o'clock and don't get back to sleep for a long time. That's a classic sign of depression.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Having work to do, even if it is voluntary work, gives you a reason to get up in the morning and also having a timetable to follow helps you to get things done. I still don't want to overdo it. The secret is having a balance.</span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-56732597043460702962009-02-07T15:31:00.003+00:002009-02-07T15:44:27.135+00:00All we like sheep have gone astray<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: lucida grande;">I have just returned from a walk. I set off with Audrey down Dumb Toms Lane, turned right across the fields to Fourdales and then we went separate ways.<br /><br />She went off down Tatterthorn to get a paper and I set off back over the fields to Langber. (You can look all this up on Google Map). One of the fields took me past sheep. They must have been hungry because the sight of a human being got them racing across to see if I had any fodder.<br /><br />Not only that, but in the next field the sheep had got wind of me too. There was a whole flock of them bleating at the top of their voices and heading for the hedge to see if I would feed them. They looked rather sad when they saw I had nothing to offer.<br /><br />It made me think how easily we run after someone whom we think has something to offer us. And when they don't we give up on them pretty quick. That's human, and sheep, nature I suppose.<br /></span></span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-84461187086957901472009-02-06T08:30:00.002+00:002009-02-06T08:34:04.051+00:00A full day<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I did it. I filled yesterday with lots of good things.<br />Some of them were cerebral - writing, thinking and musing.<br />Others were active - cleaning the kitchen, going for a walk, having a shower, making the tea.<br />One was a great success - getting my laptop back online after several weeks without the Internet connection working. Now I can talk to you on that as well.<br />Yes, even though it started with a blank page, yesterday was a full day.<br /></span></span></span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-60997847052098582152009-02-05T08:55:00.003+00:002009-02-05T09:02:36.460+00:00A blank page<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Wj34UZVulMtdXjytIpYqOqghdzdSjEeNblOgMP7TkhQIbzModY0F_5Wj1QREZ9Ef4EsnFHYA7hkKrgz5NE9pmNJ0G5TDgpStSxcYYi1CIkjZzUCYvtGAjvuXVNeDXnHzk1hxW8PUnzs/s1600-h/ist2_4884024-weathered-old-book-turned-to-a-blank-page.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Wj34UZVulMtdXjytIpYqOqghdzdSjEeNblOgMP7TkhQIbzModY0F_5Wj1QREZ9Ef4EsnFHYA7hkKrgz5NE9pmNJ0G5TDgpStSxcYYi1CIkjZzUCYvtGAjvuXVNeDXnHzk1hxW8PUnzs/s320/ist2_4884024-weathered-old-book-turned-to-a-blank-page.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299235775856785282" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Today I looked at my diary and saw a blank page. Not so unusual, you might think. But to me this could be a horrendous problem.<br />One of the difficulties I had in my last job was time management. Somehow my masters expected me to know how to fill my time and often I didn't. So now I have taken to writing out a timetable for every day and sticking to it as much as possible.<br />I ask for the Lord's help with each part of it, turning to him as each one is done. I thank Him for helping me to do it and ask for His help to do the next one.<br />Today I don't have anything planned at all . So I have had to take a blank page and fill it with my own plans and activities. This has not been something I have been good at, but I am going to give it a try.<br />I will let you know how I have got on when I post a blog tomorrow.<br /></span></span>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6763329538457028459.post-85688569132204447032009-02-04T12:07:00.004+00:002009-02-04T12:22:17.332+00:00Rush, rush, rush<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieB_Biv2M7cLlVGpgGY09YrDzKPEW4Io2O2SIaNV47XUA-_2NMC8dYsTO3ee0OvBNdgkpyr_GED7IGADk_cZtnBWv-dhMVNRo56ShqE_Z03nk4wUqPAw0ZX0YHDyOh798NX-O8JAqFTQ0/s1600-h/rush.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298915709331933266" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieB_Biv2M7cLlVGpgGY09YrDzKPEW4Io2O2SIaNV47XUA-_2NMC8dYsTO3ee0OvBNdgkpyr_GED7IGADk_cZtnBWv-dhMVNRo56ShqE_Z03nk4wUqPAw0ZX0YHDyOh798NX-O8JAqFTQ0/s320/rush.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></strong> </div><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></strong> </div><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></strong> </div><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></strong> </div><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></strong> </div><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></strong> </div><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></strong> </div><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></strong> </div><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></strong> </div><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></strong> </div><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></strong> </div><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></strong> </div><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></strong> </div><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">I am writing this at the Looking Well in Bentham where I work as a volunteer. My role is to help anyone who wants to go onto a computer but isn't sure what to do. </span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></strong></div><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">I have dashed here from Hornby because I was called out on my other volunteering job to drive a lady to an appointment.</span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">This happened because one of the other volunteers phoned in sick at the last moment. So I rang here to say I would be late in and went haring off to Hornby.</span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">Interestingly enough this dashing about has had two affects.</span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">1 I really felt a buzz in having to meet timetables and deadlines</span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">2 I got a headache and starting worrying about whether I would be in the right place at the right time.</span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">If I can overcome No. 2 and put everything into No. 1 then things would be better. But I still see this volunteering as helping me get back to work eventually.</span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">What does this afternoon hold? Well, I'll be with the Looking Well group singing at Reid House in Ingleton at 4.00 p.m. till 6.00 p.m. Then there's an Open Doors prayer meeting at 7.00 p.m., before which I have to go home and eat my tea. </span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">I haven't had a day like this for ages. I suppose it is normal life for lots of people. </span></strong></div><br /><div><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">But for me it's like going to London - nice to visit but I wouldn't like to live there.</span></strong></div>Pete McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00044380129678517372noreply@blogger.com0