THIS IS GOING TO BE A POSITIVE POST.
A few weeks ago my NHS Counsellor suggested I have a go at volunteering in order to build up my self-esteem and prepare for being in the workplace. So I did two things:
1 I started going to the Looking Well in Bentham. This is a sort of drop-in centre for wellbeing of people in the Bentham area. As part of this I have attended a writers group, an art class and also volunteered to help older people learn to work on computers.
2 I also offered to drive for Community Transport, taking people to the doctor's surgery or the hospital.
Well, amazing things have come of this today.
1 A man and his wife whom I took to the hospital yesterday rang Community Transport and told them they had enjoyed the trip very much. This has led me to hopefully having three more opportunities of transporting them again.
2 I was challenged in the writers group to write a 450 word book review for the magazine A Single Step. This I did and read it out to the group. The next step was to send it in to the editor.
Today I hear that it will almost definitely go into the next issue.
Amazing, or what!! My self-esteem has really been boosted by this. Thank the Lord for His mercy.
Tuesday, 23 December 2008
Saturday, 20 December 2008
Energy
I haven't got much energy these days. Or at least I only have it every other day.
On Thursday I went to Liverpool to see my aunt who lives in a home there. I was away all day and then in the evening set about organising readings for the upcoming carol services.
On Friday I was so tired I didn't get up till 10.00 a.m. and spent all day just reading stuff off the internet and watching a two hour special about Helen of Troy.
I will just have to pace myself.
On Thursday I went to Liverpool to see my aunt who lives in a home there. I was away all day and then in the evening set about organising readings for the upcoming carol services.
On Friday I was so tired I didn't get up till 10.00 a.m. and spent all day just reading stuff off the internet and watching a two hour special about Helen of Troy.
I will just have to pace myself.
Tuesday, 9 December 2008
Surprised by Green
This morning I was surprised by green. Why? Because I have been living in a white world for over a week.
Here in this little corner of Northern England we have had ten days of frost and snow. I can't remember the last time we had wintry weather for this long. But last night it thawed and everything looked green again.
When I looked out of the window and had a shock at this strange colour, it made me think. How soon we get used to the unusual. The older we get, the more we hate change. And yet, when it comes we take no time at all to get used to it. Then we find it a shock to get back to normal.
Here in this little corner of Northern England we have had ten days of frost and snow. I can't remember the last time we had wintry weather for this long. But last night it thawed and everything looked green again.
When I looked out of the window and had a shock at this strange colour, it made me think. How soon we get used to the unusual. The older we get, the more we hate change. And yet, when it comes we take no time at all to get used to it. Then we find it a shock to get back to normal.
Monday, 1 December 2008
honesty
When people ask me about my life at present and how I feel about it, I tell them honestly. Often they finish the talk by saying something like: "I appreciate your honesty." or "Thank you for being so honest with me."
When they say that I think to myself that this is a code for "You've told me too much. A man should not feel like you do, and even if he does he should not talk about it."
Well that is how I feel, and if I'm honest, as I hope I am, I have to tell them the truth. Ah, but as Pilate said when he stared it in the face, "What is truth?".
When they say that I think to myself that this is a code for "You've told me too much. A man should not feel like you do, and even if he does he should not talk about it."
Well that is how I feel, and if I'm honest, as I hope I am, I have to tell them the truth. Ah, but as Pilate said when he stared it in the face, "What is truth?".
Saturday, 29 November 2008
Inductive Bible Study
One of my readers has asked me to tell you about the new way of Bible Study I found on my week in Gloucestershire.
It is called Inductive Bible Study. It means using the Bible as your primary source. Three main ways are included:
OBSERVATION
This means you ask questions of the text with help from the 5Ws and 1H - What, Where, Who, Which, Why and How? In other words you interrogate the text.
INTERPRETATION
Here you have to ask yourself What does the text mean? Most important to remember is the context. Who was it written for and why?
APPLICATION
This means applying the text to my life. That's the hardest part - putting it into practise.
Now a piece of PERSONAL TESTIMONY
In the past I have run off after one of these new things with great enthusiasm and it has lasted a fortnight, or maybe a month at the most, and then I'm onto something else more new and exciting. I'm a real Mr. Toad I am.
So I have been determined not to do that with this Inductive Bible Study. But I have started to use it in my own Bible reading and it certainly has opened up the text of Proverbs to me.
I have also been using the Lightning Study cards which Precept UK produces with my House Group. They have expressed appreciation.
Now a friend has asked me to recommend a six-week study on Prayer for his group and I have ordered a 40-minute Study Book on that subject from Precept.
And I am also working through a booklet written by the co-founder of Precept Ministries, Kay Arthur, called What can I do about anger? and that too is proving very helpful.
So my personal testimony about the literature and studies published by Precept Ministries is this: They work.
You can find out more about Precept Ministries on their website: http://www.precept.org.uk/
It is called Inductive Bible Study. It means using the Bible as your primary source. Three main ways are included:
OBSERVATION
This means you ask questions of the text with help from the 5Ws and 1H - What, Where, Who, Which, Why and How? In other words you interrogate the text.
INTERPRETATION
Here you have to ask yourself What does the text mean? Most important to remember is the context. Who was it written for and why?
APPLICATION
This means applying the text to my life. That's the hardest part - putting it into practise.
Now a piece of PERSONAL TESTIMONY
In the past I have run off after one of these new things with great enthusiasm and it has lasted a fortnight, or maybe a month at the most, and then I'm onto something else more new and exciting. I'm a real Mr. Toad I am.
So I have been determined not to do that with this Inductive Bible Study. But I have started to use it in my own Bible reading and it certainly has opened up the text of Proverbs to me.
I have also been using the Lightning Study cards which Precept UK produces with my House Group. They have expressed appreciation.
Now a friend has asked me to recommend a six-week study on Prayer for his group and I have ordered a 40-minute Study Book on that subject from Precept.
And I am also working through a booklet written by the co-founder of Precept Ministries, Kay Arthur, called What can I do about anger? and that too is proving very helpful.
So my personal testimony about the literature and studies published by Precept Ministries is this: They work.
You can find out more about Precept Ministries on their website: http://www.precept.org.uk/
Thursday, 20 November 2008
Precept
I have been away at Lindors Country Hotel in Gloucestershire for a week.
The week was organised by my friends from Brimscombe in that county, under the auspices of Precept Ministries. It was a week well spent.
We were looking at the Book of Hosea. It was an intense study, both in work and in content. The work was partly our own study with a handbook, and then interactive study with a leader, whose name was Ann Absolom. I found it hard going but worthwhile.
I came away with a new way of studying the Bible, and with new ideas of how to make the Bible better known in the Church.
Am I still angry? Yes. Because yesterday I went to sign on at the Department of Work and Pensions in Kendal and was greeted with the words that I should not be drawing Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) as I was applying for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). I blew my top at this.
Not only am I not applying for ESA, I am not being paid my full amount of JSA either. What little I was getting was about to be taken away. They saw Mr. Angry. And they kindly backed down, although I have yet to be paid my JSA.
Today I went round in a van, helping to pick up Shoe Boxes for the Samaritan's Purse Christmas Project. We collected 650 boxes from the area around Lythm St Annes. Mr. Angry did not appear. Thank God.
The week was organised by my friends from Brimscombe in that county, under the auspices of Precept Ministries. It was a week well spent.
We were looking at the Book of Hosea. It was an intense study, both in work and in content. The work was partly our own study with a handbook, and then interactive study with a leader, whose name was Ann Absolom. I found it hard going but worthwhile.
I came away with a new way of studying the Bible, and with new ideas of how to make the Bible better known in the Church.
Am I still angry? Yes. Because yesterday I went to sign on at the Department of Work and Pensions in Kendal and was greeted with the words that I should not be drawing Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) as I was applying for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). I blew my top at this.
Not only am I not applying for ESA, I am not being paid my full amount of JSA either. What little I was getting was about to be taken away. They saw Mr. Angry. And they kindly backed down, although I have yet to be paid my JSA.
Today I went round in a van, helping to pick up Shoe Boxes for the Samaritan's Purse Christmas Project. We collected 650 boxes from the area around Lythm St Annes. Mr. Angry did not appear. Thank God.
Friday, 7 November 2008
Anger
Maybe I'm Mr Angry. I certainly feel like it.
I'm angry at myself for getting such a stupid job at Lakeland. I had no idea it would be such a disaster.
I'm angry at other people for not understanding me.
I'm just plain angry.
I went to see the Counsellor yesterday and she could see I was angry. We decided that the move into a job at Lakeland was a step too far. She suggested Voluntary work as a first stage into work.
So I'm going to have a go at that instead.
Pray for me.
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