ange's musings

Mr and Mrs Hamilton - the happy couple. Pictured here in the lovely Bushmills Inn, Bushmills, somewhere in Northern Ireland! What a lush weekend. I knew to expect that it would be so lovely to celebrate the wedding of a really good friend, and her lovely (now) husband who I am gradually getting to know better (the groom's speech provided much insight, as did wee chats here and then - yes i am using 'wee' in normal conversation now, to show my fondness for the Irish!) It was a truly bootiful wedding with lots of fun and games. As you can see the dashing Mr McCann handled his wedding favour with breathtaking skill and agility! The other favours included parachuting men, bubbles galore and buzzing creatures - always useful in the bath! Jan looked stunning to say the least in a simple, yet very - Jan gown and a lovely winter warmer at the ceremony. And after a really lovely ceremony we enjoyed a proper lamb roast, enjoyed all the more upon being info

I read about how you touched them and they were healed Or even if someone just touched your cloak they were forever changed You let a broken women bathe your feet in her tears And you washed your best friend's feet I am just wondering though did you just ever hug people I mean I know that it is a silly question and I am sure you would have why wouldn't you But its one of those things that was never mentioned that got me thinking about it And how whenever there was a touch from you sins were forgiven and sickness fell I think I'm caught up in my sins last time I checked all my body parts were properly working, nothing special here I am just a kid with a heavy heart these passing sunrises and sunsets I don't think our encounter would have ended up in the gospels or anything Because all I really need is a hug That is ok for me to imagine right That's not going to be conflicting with any sort of theology is it Ok good, then hug me But not one of these side ways one arm

Just read this article about a new book of the same name on timesonline, which I am happy to have learnt is more CO2 efficient than buying a newspaper (especially if one drives) and reading it, but unfortunately less CO2 efficient than watching the news stories on the telly for 30mins - something I rarely do at the mo. Have a read yourself and shatter those eco myths - and maybe consider sharing baths, i.e. using one for two people??? I must say I take showers not baths (which worryingly are catching up with baths in the water guzzling) and am not so sure my housemate would quite fancy a nice relaxing bath, after i had soaked in it for 20 mins???!

Absolutely Rocks - so when is he gonna blooming well come to England?!! Soon I pray! Check out this video of "I AM A MANLY MAN" - love it! All you men out there, I feel for you, it is not easy - let this guy help you know that you don't need to conform to anything, be yourself cuz that is a good thing.

back from a lovely afternoon with friends from the yard. bangers and sweet potato mash followed by strawberry cheescake haagen daas (serious strawberry cheesecakey!) and a walk and "SNUFF MILLS" surprisingly beautiful, misty, still and rushing waters and lots of dogs! good times, will post some pics soon. present opening with emily cody! and now ready to pack and head up the motorway back to the folks for five days before northern ireland for the McGowan.Hamilton wedding on Saturday! Can't wait and the most exciting thing is that this Christmas directly contrasts to everything that last Crimbo was for me, in every way I am in a completely different place mentally and spiritually than I was on this exact day last year and it feels good. I believe Christmas this year involves me experiencing his gracious gifts in a more obviously blessed way - i know i was blessed this time last year too - but his showers of blessings that i am experience and enjoying right now are a lot mo

After playing his Room for squares for too many nights over the past few years i finally invested in his 2007 release Continuum and have not regretted. Never owned Heavier Things or any of his live stuff but had a listen. This new album is quite a change from his debut but I am enjoying the lyrics and the soulful voice as well his excellent guitar skills. Totally up my street and highly recommend. An album I think I would like to savour soon is In Our Nature by Jose Gonzalez, and Argentinian Swede with a voice from heaven and guitar skills that our like none i have ever heard or will ever hear again; he truly has a great gift. His first album Veneer sky-rocketed, selling in platinum numbers in over 15 countries and he was made famous by the sony advert which used his music. If you like Nick Drake's stuff you will like this. And if not and you simply want to hear music that goes back to basics you'll enjoy listening to the bare bones of Jose's unplugged talent. And

More for me than for you - so I can read it Christmas after Christmas. A purpose beyond our understanding The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. John 1:14 Could this be the most profound verse in the whole Bible? The Word, who was with God in the beginning; the Word, who was indeed God; the one through whom the whole universe was made – how and why could he so demean himself, so limit himself, to take on the form of one of the beings that he had created? Indeed, it was not simply human form, human appearance, that he took on, but human flesh – a body with all its limitations and discomforts, its tiredness, its dirt and its sweat. How? By going through the whole human process of conception, gestation and birth. Jesus didn’t land ready-made in the temple and command human allegiance, but subjected himself to all the physical risks that are the lot of humankind, and to all the constraints of human culture. Why? Paul wrote to the Colossians that ‘God was pleased to have all

The apple, unlike Adam, had no choice but to fall Speeding to fulfil its creator’s call. But what force drew him down to us? He, with a starlit infinity to explore, He, who could peer into a neutron ’s core, He, who had spoken a thousand-million times And known the sulphuric spit of our self-vaunting crimes, He, who we called murderer, liar, thief And left for dead with enlightened relief. What force drew him down from above To reap the grim harvest of rebel pride, Hammered with nails of truth denied? What force drew him down from above? What force but this: the gravity of love. ©Mark Greene

Carol - a song of praise or joy, especially for Christmas Mary's Kiss tonight, a violin and some carol music was delivered to my door, resulting in unexpected joy and pleasure (from me) as i bowed my way through some traditional carols ready for our church carol service tomorrow night. honestly, when i found out that the orginal second violinist had to pull out last Thursday I was a little peeved that my name had been passed on as a potential substitute, but i wish i could take back those original thoughts and feelings because tonight as i breezed through the obvious crowd pleasers (o litle town of bethlehem, joy to the world, o come all ye faithful) i felt joyful and thankful that again this Christmas, two thousand and seven years on, together we celebrate Christ's coming to earth. and although we often know the lyrics off by heart, and giggle our way through attempts to sing the soprano of 'hark the herald' (maybe that's just me?) it is still a wonderful and beau

A passage I have not read until now: He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash round his waist. The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

so this afternoon i finally got to meet some good friends utterly adorable newborn, Reuben. the little bundle of joy, was warm, dosile and didn't cry in my arms, and is frankly gorgeous. i think i can see a bit of both tom and nic in him, which is so beautiful and both parents are doing really well. tom (as expected) is looking after nic very well, making sure she gets some shut eye in the day, in preparation for necessary wakefulness in the early hours when reuben feeds. its such a joy to see a couple that you have watched grow into becoming parents finally have him in their home and family. to watch two people who really love each other become three, is truly a most wonderful thing - and makes me bask at the beauty of what god does with his kids. gracious enough to bless us with such joys - i know reuben will grow to bask in that same glory. thank you for his life.

this week i am studying from home for the most part which i am really thankful for, good to be able to get stuff down, but slow going though. this weekend, was fun and full and it seems quite ironic that weekends get jam packed, so you almost need time to recover from them, rather than using the w/e to recover from the week (!) but i guess that is what happens when you have a week like mine. Studying from home (well for me anyways) is not exactly demanding in comparison to a week of business at hospital, so i have enjoyed my weekend and already making plans for the one to come. friday evening was spent in and watching 'grey's anatomy' as i found series 2 at a bargain price and could not resist, and am currently working my way through. maybe it is a little sad that a medical student enjoys it so much, but it is such a great drama and you get to learn a little along the way, even if they do choose the most rare, obscure and dramatic medical cases to portray, i love it all th

Rodrigo y Gabriela perform Orion on Leno Video sent by dtrip01 Rodrigo y Gabriela perform "Orion" (Metallica Cover Song) on Leno

check out this youtube - another new discovery. so much fun.

......lifehouse, great music, powerful lyrics, good stuff. thanks jacqui chan for the recommendation and unplugged version last wednesday! check them out! everything

Sharing moussaka with friends from "the yard" as a friend, affectionately calls it. Why it took me so many attempts to get this piccie, I'll never know. Recently its been really lush to be able to have friends over for food, fun and frolics. Friday saw lovely friends from vineyard coming for some grub followed by jazz at Cafe Oppo off park street. It ended up being a really fun night. Luckily there was enough food to go round, with one spare portion (enjoyed by me today!), plenty of tasty wine and conversation flowed. It was just nice to have friends over who you know will get on and who you know you won't have to worry about awkward introductions, or people not knowing each other. The jazz at oppo was so good, so glad we rocked up there. The saxophonist surely pushed the limits of his lungs to the edge and beyond and it is definitely somewhere i'd like to return to, although unforunately my voice is a little worse for wear as the decibels of sound were definitel

America suffers an epidemic of suicides among traumatised army veterans This is really happening in the nation with the most provision and resources to help these men. And yet we seem to think that enforcing our nation's politics on others brings life and not death, equality and not inequality, health and not ill-health. This sad irony as in all of history is falling on innocent lives, how have we been allowed to be unaware/ignorant of these stats for so long, they have been swept under the rug just like all the other truths and real outcomes of the Iraqi war. "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, or the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31

we have been raised with Christ. AMEN - thanks http://www.licc.org.uk/

woolgathering \WOOL-gath-(uh)-ring\, noun: Indulgence in idle daydreaming. I don't normally pay much attention to word of the day, as I have enough words to be attempting to lodge in my memory in medicine, but I was intrugued by today's word. Glad I looked it up, as I like it. Think I may try and drop it in conversation occasionally. The way this guy used it on word of the day website makes me smile. Similarly, in the meadow, if you laze too late into the fall, woolgathering, snow could fill your mouth.-- Edward Hoagland, "Earth's eye", Sierra , May 1999

i just searched google images for a picture of 'morning' and it brought up this and i like it! so here it is.

so today at 1236pm i am in bed enjoying a very long drawn out morning session, breakfast in bed was quite an indulgence, a read of the paper and a lovely long time to read and reflect before i get down to work - what more could one want? well the view of a gloriously golden glow of a tree, majestic in it's Autumn colours right outside my window, with a clear blue sky all around it is frankly more than a girl could wish for on a Saturday. looking forward to enjoying this weekend, just planning on catching up with work and cooking for lovely friends this evening which will be nice, already thinking about what music i want to listen to whilst cooking, a very important detail. recently i guess i have been thinking about how kind God really is to us, so incredibly kind. not only has he done a finished work, that means that i am seen by him in the light of JC's glory but he also continues to shine his spiritual beauty through nature, through the singing of birds in the morning, throu

This one's for your Tristan!

On my way home I decided to walk through St. Andrews park, what a wonderful decision that ended up being. Walking around the park looking at the trees glorious in their colour and strong in their trunks and roots was really amazing, how they faithfully grow and plant their roots so firmly in the ground. The Sun was out and it was a beautiful moment - made me feel whelmed to be ALIVE!

here is my own little version.... round here, leaves turn colours beautiful, wind blows blustily, clouds move overhead, yet faces remain the same, round here. people walk and tick off the stuff on their "to do" list satisfied by the simple pleasure of getting things done, round here, the issue seller smiles again as he waits for some attention, some grace round here. round here, Joe's bakery croissants arrive on countless breakfast tables and are munched down with the guardian again before hitting the shops or the gym for another Saturday's downtime round here round here preparation for advent starts before bonfire night present shopping already on people's mind tree sellers already advertising through my post box round here, there's one thing on people's mind round here, the birth of the one who split time in two is forgotten amidst our yearly traditions who has time for the one who is outside time round here round here strangers are not really greeted as

waiting, so we're all doing it, even if we don't know what we're waiting for. recently i have really been thinking about waiting, and how bad i am at it. it seems my arrogance shouts at god's sovereignity a little too much and i guess i currently feel angry with him for all the waiting, why can a week feel like a month when we're earthbound and feel we are waiting, i know in eternity, it will be a mere speckle in the timeline of my eternal life, and yet here, now i couldn't be more of a complainer, couldn't be more discontent with all the waiting. this sounds so pathetic, and maybe actually it kinda is! i know you are wondering, what i feel that i am waiting for, and to be honest i am not quite sure i could even tell you. i am obviously wanting something/s to change in my life and uncomfortable and discontent with how they are yet not yet in the phase of grasping a vision for the future, rather i feel that sometimes life can just feel like it is one long wai

Just realised that this Sunday is the last one of October and therefore time to change our clocks back. Think this page on the bbc website does well to explain why and also provide interesting facts like the fact that 1 in 20 people can suffer with seasonal affective disorder. Not surprising really, I think its just when you don't expect to lose that hour that it can hit hardest, but we know that we odd British people do this each year, so really we should be alright, right? Plus isn't Iceland living in darkness half the year? We have enjoyed some lovely later Autumn evenings and I am thankful for those, so until the last Sunday in March I guess we start hibernating indoors - just kidding.

Had a lurverly day today just chilling and pottering and managing to while away the hours as I do. Ended up having lunch with my sister at the Tinto which was a good chance to catch up with all her housing antics and touch base. Its funny how we're both in the same city but move in such different circles, but I love having her around nowadays and being able to meet up if free, because we both live so close to one another - luckily we are both not very into planning our days vigorously so can generally drop things to catch up over a quick coffee. The best thing about seeing her today was that we have decided to meet up tomorrow for tennis, a more demanding rendezvous but still a good time for catching up I realised last week - its great you feel like you are raising your heart rate and its not just because of good news to tell each other! mind you, that just shows that we only have time to chat because our tennis balls are flying a lot slower than the crazy ones at wimbledon with fe

I'm now 2 weeks back from Chile. Last weekend I enjoyed a walk across the gorge with good friends, the wind in my hair and an unusually high river, it was nice to be back in familiarity and be thankful for the beauty of the city i live in, one that i enjoyed sharing my fondness of in Chile. Its nice to have some pride for the place that you live in, not just the city, but the attitudes of people and the good things your city is doing. I think that is what excites me most about my current home and i need to remind myself to not take it for granted. being back, has also made me realise what a challenge this year is going to be in terms of physical stamina, doing via last year certainly challenged me in other ways but not physically, or at least i didn't choose to. and after a 13 month break from medicine, busy schedules, mental tiredness and early starts i must say i am struggling rather, and although also enjoying (a little) the change i am finding it hard, and having to trust

So its kind of a long story, but this week I have been fortunate enough to enjoy a couple of days off and as well as enjoying the celebration of Chile's independence 140 years ago and learning lots about South America's history I have also managed to come to Portillo and am staying in the lodge pictured above, whilst working on parallel turning and hanging out with Susan, a friend I met in one of the Santiago vineyard churches. So ski-ing is cool and i am totally glad i have come but i have to say i think i much prefer ski trips shared with friends cuz day to day life in a ski resort like portillo is pretty sad. Susan is quite ready for a break from working here in October, when ski season comes to an end and I can totally understand why. For instance today I met the only British guy here, who is basically in charge of avalanche management - if you can really manage them , he basically skis around the resort all day checking stuff is safe and he has been here for 11 years and

so i´m here in Vitacura, a fairly middleclass, upmarket part of Santiago, Chile, Sud America. i arrived last friday and have had quite an introduction into Chilian culture, being greeted with the warmest of latino welcomes and the coldest of seasons. Here in Chile they are experiencing one of the coldest winters in the last 30 years. Spring is on the way, September I hope it comes fast. its been a wierd transition to be honest, as i have just had a really great summer in bristol, my home. I´ve just really enjoyed being and God definitely blessed me with lots of fun times and good memories, I think leaving that behind and feeling quite disconnected has been harder than I anticipated, but already i am starting to believe that this time away will be good, will involve so many new experiences and gifts. already i have had the joy of hearing stories of so many people´s lives and how they came to know real life, the real gift that i and them know and live out according to his grace. several

i realise that this is quite a crazy title for a post but its kinda how i feel i want to be right now or that i actually am deep down somewhere, but i am worried that its long and lost and may be lost forever. okay, so please excuse the drama for a few more seconds - i promise i am not having a moment. i think i am just having a reaction to the way that society demands for us to do something with our lives that fits into these boundaries of appropriateness and usefulness and whats successful and what's not and frankly its only by grace that i happen to be training to be someone who has good standing in society and an amazing income and all this stuff which i don't think is right that i get, whilst a woman down the road has ended up with a completely different role in society and a corresponding sense of being an outlier/outcast or whatever..... wild and untameable are adjectives that people in the west just don't want applied to themselves but that is completely what i want

i'm in a transition phase which has actually been really good because until this week it has not really felt like transition. after 'via' ended on 22nd July I had two weeks of meeting up with old friends in Bristol and Bath and just hanging out. also got a new car which was very exciting and started to enjoy a new found independence, which is pretty cool. i just kind of let loose for a couple of weeks, and enjoyed some of our lovely British Summer. Think the most exciting time was on Sunday July 29th in Bath where Matt, Jacqui, Paul and I attended a guitar concert by Thomas Leeb and Stuart Ryan - two of the most talented Acoustic Guitarists in Europe - it was actually a divine experience and I wish I could listen to them every week for two hours!!! Since then I have been spending 3-4 days a week in Southmead hospital Medical Admissions Unit trying to remember what it is like to be a medical student! 'Trying' really is the operative word - as I certainly have a lot o

thats what i have been up today and it has been so goooood, such a good day. the kind that makes me so thankful to be alive TODAY! quite ironic really cuz if i just looked at the potential its fairly bad weather outside especially for june 30th (my american friend casey is probably crying over it as i write!) and really i haven't any huge exciting plans today, but its just one of those days, when life makes me smile! lots! basically ended up making a wee pink and white bracelet for 4 year old laura who i live with who is at her birthday party right now - bella of the ball, she looked so cute in her pink fairy dress as she left today. knitting can only be explained in the fact that i have been knitting a baby blanket for my new niece isabelle rose gooding for too long, and to be honest she'll probably have learnt to knit herself by the time i finish it!!!! but the fact i managed to do some is a miracle in itself cuz i can only do it when chatting with friends or watching a movie

watch and remember

Prayers like gravel Flung at the sky's window, hoping to attract the loved one's attention . . . R.S Thomas still slowly reading and thinking about prayer a lot at the moment. i loved this quote from yancey's book, placed at the beginning of the chapter entitled 'why pray?' ultimately the chapter pretty much rounds up that we pray becauses jesus prayed. the time when he wept tears of blood was not on the way to golgatha or during his agonizing death but in the garden of gethsemane as he prayed - that was where the action was for jesus, so i think thats where i want to be most passionate too. jesus also prayed very little for himself but rather more for others - a challenge for sure! as yancey states although jesus prayed lots, his prayers as god in human form didn't remove the 'unknown and unpredictable elements' in his life. the disciples regularly surprised and dissappointed him - think about judas and peter. yet somehow those unpredictable elements a

been reading this really great book called 'the bumps are what you climb on' - its just got lots of little chapters of encouragement. today's was the last one and quite rightly was challenging us about our contentment and where we get it from. do i get it from my circumstances or am i more like paul? "there is not growth without challenge, and there is no challenge without change. if our lives are going to be isolated and insulated we will never face any challenges, but this means we will never have opportunities to mature. for mature people, life is a battleground, but they are willing to face the battles and, by faith, win the victories. for immature people, life is a playground; and they want to avoid battles but this means they hever have the joy of winning victories and growing in the lord" challenging stuff hey? recently i have been thinking a lot about my contentment and i know this year more than any other year of my short life so far i have had to face th

this evening i just had some really sad news from a friend who's had such a hard year that i haven't often known how she's coped. its news that seems unbelievably sad and unbelievably hard, trying to pray for her seems even harder, knowing what to say, knowing that really i can't say anything, i'm lost, confused and know that my only hope for her is found in Him. this song by rita springer, brings me to my knees, as i think about her. i have to believe that He sees my darkness. i have to believe that He knows my pain. I have to lift up my hands to worship. Worship His name. i have to declare that He is my refuge. i have to deny that i am alone. i have to lift up my eyes to the mountains. it's where my help comes from. He said that He's forever faithful. He said that He's forever true. He said that He can move mountains. And if He can move mountains. He can move my mountain. He can move your mountain too. i have to stand tall when the wind blows me over.

so i've just started reading a book by Phillip Yancey on prayer, his exploration as a pilgrim thinking about that great and mysterious thing we do all the time - prayer. just wanted to share some comments and quotes from the first couple of chapters which describe a little of why we all yearn to pray, to be in connection with the uncreated one, so here they are. "The reason why we pray is simply that we cannot help praying" William James "After twenty years of listening to the yearnings of people's hearts, I am convinced that human beings have an inborn desire for God. Whether we are conciously religious or not, this desire is our deepest longing and most precious treasure". Psychiatrist Gerald C May Confession: "God, if these people knew about me, what you know about me, they wouldn't listen to a word I said" Hadden Robinson "I cannot receive healing unless I accept God's diagnosis of my wounded state" Phillip Yancey "On

Until today there has been a definite lack of posts because facebook really is taking over my life - its worrying! What I first joined I was verbally damning and thought it was just another annoying thing to deter normal lovely communication but its turning out to be rather dominating and I need to set that right. Will endeavour to in the next few weeks.

Just made a great discovery - I have to believe an album by Rita Springer, an amazing solo singer who worships like she knows Jesus so intimately and so passionately. Her voice is beautiful and I am excited cuz I'm leading worship tomorrow morning and we're gonna listen to her for 20 mins. Her lyrics are so heartfelt its great. At church Andrew's been speaking on the presence of God and focussing on how God's power is in his presence............isn't that amazing? Beautiful! Astounding, absolute wonderful. He loves us, though he doesn't have to, he saves me from myself, he blesses me with his presence and gives us his power. What a God I know!

Wooo hoooo! Very excited at the moment as I've just yesterday in fact booked a flight to Chile, el loco geographica as people call it, meaning a crazy geography mainly due to its unique shape and diverse geography. Anyways I am leaving on August 24th for just over 5 weeks of fun and frolics, practicing medicine whilst exploring the fabulous country and enjoying its varied delights at the weekends. The even more exciting thing about the whole trip is that I will be staying with a vineyard family from the vineyard in santiago - i think I am almost more excited about this part of the trip. Having got to know Bristol Vineyard and now the vineyard in Ukraine, learning more of the South American Vineyard in Chile will be an amazing experience - i cannot wait. In an hour to prepare I am off to a local Chilean-run cafe la ruca on the gloucester road, a favourite haunt of mine, where tonight I will endeavour to improve my espanol over coffee and conversation with strangers who may well b

so just got home from casey q's who has done a stunning job making me over with her massive store of make up. it was quite a treat to get her expertise on my make up and i was well impressed with what she managed to do with my eyes - wow didn't know how dramatically differing i could look with a bit of eyeshadow here and highlighter there! i remember wearing make up far more frequently before i started coming to university when i decided that i just couldn't be bothered and she reminded me that i can actually look pretty good, if i take some time over all that stuff. its amazing how quickly my standards drop, now putting on a bit of a mascara is effort! Hmmm...think i am gonna take casey's tips and try and do more with my face or the "human palette", as casey likes to call it! had such a great bank holiday saturday was lush mate, lush. spent what felt like hours, strumming my sisters gorge guitar, that wood is just such a great shell for the vibrations, sounds

this is something i am honestly trying to stop doing. being a feeler most of the time means this is a weakness for me and i am learning that i need to take action against it otherwise when i least expect it i can start spiralling with thoughts based on not so great feelings and latching onto the truth beyond becomes impossible. a great book i am re-reading The Cross-centered life, by c.j.mahaney is reminding me of how easily we base our view of God on how we feel rather than on what is real - this is a trap i no longer want to fall into and am glad to be learning that its a common problem amongst crispies (along with legalism and condemning ourselves according to mahaney) but the truth of the word cuts through it. praise him! just had a lovely time lieing in st. andrew's pak near my house, as its such a light and mild evening, didn't want to miss the opportunity to enjoy dusk in my little corner of the world. it was nice to see others were too, but i didn't stay too long wi

So I'm now into my second week back from bristol after 3 weeks in Ukraine. Pics all on bubbleshare thanks to lovely Mark. Seem to rather more settled back into bristle than I was this time last week, which is a nice feeling and just trying to process what I am doing with myself for the next couple of months as via draws to an end. Chatting to a guy who is thinking about doing all that I have been doing this last year in 2008, really brought home how soon it will be before I'll be back in the scene of studentdom at Bristol medical school struggling to be confident on my own ground whilst being exposed to demanding deans and doctors. Its not all bad I know, but my mind is only cycling all the bad loops i'm afraid. Returning to Christchurch Clifton for yesterday's evening service reminded me of the eternal home I have and how through shifting times, changing seasons and the general temporary nature of all the parts of my life (at least that is how it often feels) God is

Whoop whoop! (As a dear friend has started to write to me in some of her internet correspondance). That is the only reaction that is due, as I have just re-logged into my google mail account after a good fortnight of not being able to retrieve mail cuz for some reason, literally overnight I was not able to access my account any longer. But anyways, now I am and am feeling the urge to blog again after a period of lying low, can't promise anything, but am gonna give it a try. Photos hopefully along soon...

apologies for the recent absolute junk that has filled posts! have been feeling rather unable to express myself on here, even though it was initially so helpful for me to do so. i guess the initial phase of feeling rather open with my thoughts changed, into one in which i have felt really afraid and inhibited, and not in a place where i am happy about putting thoughts, that i haven't quite made sense of, in the big massive web - think there's probably enough people in it and stuck within to fill the void - at the mo and probably for a good few weeks i have little to contribute me thinks! doubt my dribble will be missed - so if i am back before spring has sprung be surprised! I certainly will. enjoy the crazy art.

Developing hope for the future and thanks for the past have an impact on attitudes relating to happiness. But the experience of happiness is in the present; in the now. If our attention is captured by thoughts about the past or future we are less able to experience happiness right here and now in the present moment which is the only moment when we can fully experience deep joy and peace. These deep attributes of happiness are also from within. They are not caused by external circumstances, of having more of this or less of that. Perhaps to be happier we need to be more in touch with what we already have and re-examine our priorities. The world presents one message to us – of happiness being the result of something we can acquire in the future. Think about the opposite of happiness dwelling within you now and working to remove the barriers to it. 1) Meet others as if for the first time. This might sound odd but it will bring you into the present. When we meet people for the first time w

check this out http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/index.cfm?hndl=details&id=6702&tab=MM