Because..

Probably the worst reason to do something. For example...

One of the young people came in last week to say he was getting a tattoo along the length of his fore arm. It is a "tribal design", or nondescript lines as I would call it. The problem is that he is 14 years old and no amount of convincing would have him put it off until he was older. His mother was paying for it and in his eyes that made it legal. The law states you have to be 18 years old to have a tattoo done, and the come back is that his mother gave him permission (in the same way it must be legal to drive at 14 with your parents permission). I asked him why he wanted a tattoo, and the reason was "Because." No over whelming reason that he could offer. Just "because". (of course there are reasons that he wanted the tattoo and they were more about pressure to conform t o a certain way of seeming to those around him, but it was hard to articulate for a 14r year old) . "Because" is a lousy reason to do anything. Being a church member and seeing things done in a certain way "because", or offensive parades taking place "because". Because is for when we know the reasons do not hold water when shown the light of day. "Because" is for hiding behind.

That is all well and good to for me to think that way, but last weekend I met a man who was cycling round the coast of Ireland. It was quite inspirational to talk to this man in his late 60's (at least) and listen to him talk about his journey and the ones he had done in the past. Just before he cycled off into the sunrise (well north anyway, but it was a cloudy day), I asked if he was doing this great feet for charity. "No," he said, "just because."

My absolutist argument shot down. I'm glad.

Run out

I may have stopped running. My knee is sore and I am at the age where that worries me, as I may need it from time to time and do not want to break it.
I enjoy running. I find it liberating to just run in a direction, with only myself to beat and no one to keep up with or wait for. I love putting on my head phones and listening to podcasts such as Amazing Spider-man Classics, and being in my own world for half an hour, and every step making my heart pound in a good way.
But while i want to be fitter and healthier, I do not want to wear out parts. I have an appointment with the NHS physiotherapist, and I will see what happens then.

My other options for cardiovascular exercise are limited by money. Going to the gym would be great but the fees are horrendous. Swimming three times a week is expensive as well. So what to do?

Cycling: This is what I have been doing since I got back from holidays, and yes it is good and non-impact for my knee, but I cannot wear head phones for safety reason, and it does not leave me gasping for breath like running. But I will try it three times a week for a while.

Golf: This was suggested and I really do not have the time to explain why this would be a bad idea. Just no.

The most intriguing was roller blading. Apart from the fear of falling down for the first few week, it sounds like a cool thing to go speading along the pathwasy in the park. The only problem then would be the people who take the whole of the path, and trying to get round them. Lets face it, if the bell on the bicycle does not alert them to me cycling past them (I have no idea what they think the bicycle bell sounding thing is) me screaming at them might not.

I do still want to have a good exercise 3-4 times a week, but it may not be running.

The other side of it

I'm sitting on what I believe is Friday night and not quite sure. Let me explain...

I worked on Monday, but off on Tuesday. Worked on Wednesday worked Thursday night and again on Friday. This would put anybodies weekly clock out. The reason for my hit and miss week is because of the previous week.

Last week in work we a had a team from Youth For Christ working with is. It was odd being on the other side of teams since I was on a few PCI summer teams both as a member and a leader (and that was over 10 years ago. Where did the time go) and not the one the team was coming to. Ruth and I spent a lot of time working with the team and basically did a double week.

I am still physically tired (thanks to a cold), but also emotionally tired. We had people come in commando style and have more effect on the young people in one week than I have had in the past few years. They have more energy than me, fitter, have more coolness and were able to do more than I could. It is easy to think that I am rubbish and should go and look for another job, but that is the emotional exhaustion talking ( and I was over that by the end of Tuesday, and a day at the beech with Julie and the girls).

What the team brought me was a different view of what I do, seeing other styles at work and the chance for Ruth and myself to try out different programs to see if we incorporate them into the work of the Cornerstone. I got to know the team and they were welcoming to me. Personally, I also got to hang out with christian men. I don't get that chance much. Normally it is either too short a time with men in church or I cannot talk about cars or football/rugby to bond with them. Few talk about comic books, or even God. So it was just good to hang (look at me with all my cool youth talk) and chat and be looked after in a manly, blokish way. It did me good and charged the batteries in a spiritual way.

So to Esther, Clara, Ryan, Elli, Katie, Davie, Lucy, Rheuben or Dan I say thank you.

Early photo

Talking to some of the young people today and a question came up about how do you know what the Bible says really happened. One question I asked was "How do you know that King Billy existed?"

"There are photos of him." A quick brain in gear and it changed to "I mean there were paintings, and you can't fake them."

Thud, Thud, Thud.

I don't need and answer, I need a simple answer.

20 years ago today....

...well, not today, but 20 years ago this month is when I started working (first 5 years as a volunteer) with young people. Redrock and Druminnis Youth Fellowship is where I cut my teeth. I had no idea what I was doing. I learnt many things about working with young people there, mainly from my mistakes, thankfully none of them too serious.

I have grown in the way I work. No longer do I challenge young people to gulp down chilled cola untill they barf, and my focus has turned away from 'young people' to 'young person'. In my tender youth when I had more hair and less waist I looked at numbers as important. I was proud to host a youth rally run by my church and lead the praise. I no longer reach for that, which is reflected in the fact that I am learning to be a counsellor. It is not that youth work has changed in the last 20 years, but I have matured as a youth worker and a man.

I have learnt that I am not a great speaker, I am not cool, and I am not strong enough to do it all myself. But I am able to communicate God's love, I do seek out the lonely, and I am only part of the band of people who work with young people, both in the place I work and around it.

Will I still be a youth worker in 20 years, 10 years or 5 years, only God knows; and as long I keep trusting and following him, I will be growing towards the light.

tooth fairy

Charlotte had a fancy dress day at school. It was decided that a prncess or fairy was too common, so she went as a tooth fairy.

The toothbrush as my idea.

Also this week, a new cliche is born: "He was the Elvis of our generation." Count how many time you hear this.

Birthday (cake)

This is really getting to be a stresful month for Julie. Last weekend we went to Sprinhill for a teddybears' picknck, as a birthday treat for Katherine. Sunday was Childrens day, and both girls and parents wee involved. Charlotte sang very well and Katherine nerly fell over when there was a 'touch your toes' action. The church picknick was a washout though.

This week was both Katehrines and my birthday, on the same day. So poor Julie had to make two cakes, wrap two lots of presents etc.

My day was good. I was able to amble around the house for an extra hour and a half in the morning before i went to client work. Roger, I didn't answer the mobile because i was too busy appologising to a client for not turing the mobile off.

katherine was at a Mother and toddler trp to a ball pool, and then had granny and grandad to play with all after noon.

For those who want to know, my cake was home made strawbery shortbread, whilst Katherine went for a rainbow cake (without blue).