Catchup

I've not been on here for a while... I should really start writing this again... (I've eschewed Facebook due to the boredom factor of having to reject all these "applications" which serve no purpose other than to send me emails telling me that someone else has "done something to me"...)

Anyhow, since last post, I went home to my parents for Christmas, and despite my sister telling my parents that she would be home on Boxing day at 4 pm to open presents etc, she never turned up. I've not seen or heard from her since.

I have put on a considerable amount of weight over christmas and for the past 2 weeks or so have been working hard to rid myseld of my "festive plumpness" (as one inspector at work so eloquently put it - right after mentioning my "third chin"...)

In the last 12 days I have lost 9lbs and hope to lose more by Sunday morning (my weigh in time).

I am encouraged by Mark's progress (http://mvr2302.blogspot.com) and may have to borrow his Michael Winner book... I was given Gillian McKeith's book, "You are what you eat" for christmas, but unfortunately I find it very hard to follow her diet instructions. She calls it the "Abundant eating plan" but yet somehow I have to eat a load of uncooked vegetables, random tropical berries, which for some reason aren't for sale outside of health stores (acai berries anyone?!?!?) and no red meat... I like meat. I like vegetables (cooked. Ever tried raw broccoli?) So I've taken some tips and have tried to include more fruit in my diet, but apart from that have returned to my chicken, fish, vegetables and eggs diet (where those are the main components of what I eat, give or take a few glasses of milk, organic sugar free peanut butter and other sources of protein and fats such as linseed and Hemp Protein...)

I've started going to the gym again too.

Anyhow, I'll keep you updated with my progress...

Must go now, breakfast calls.

Silence

In the silence of this moment
I hear a little voice
The words are very quiet
But I hear every one.

Betrayal

I was recently listening to an album by a man called Dustin Kensrue. He's the lead singer in a heavy metal band called Thrice, who are fairly popular both here and in the States. He has recently released and album of acoustic/country(ish) music and I was listening to it in the car on the way home from the gym.
I was struck by the second verse of the last song on the album:

"The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak;
I want to kiss your lips but I kiss your cheek."

I don't know if this guy is a Christian (one of his other songs says something like: "I've been with Susie, I've been with Sally, I've been with Mary and her sister too"?) but those lyrics are clearly based on biblical analogy.

I instantly identified with the sentiment.

How many times do we, despite wanting to "kiss his lips", betray Him like Judas and kiss His cheek?

My Brother's wedding... and that suit...

My brother's wedding was amazing! The best wedding I have been to ever! (I may be a little biased of course, and I am not including my own wedding cos that goes without saying!)

My brother composed and recorded the both the entrance and exit music and even managed to slip in a little joke as the music titles (Unfortunately only portuguese speakers would get it!)

They both looked so happy throughout the whole service. He hid his nerves well ;)

My dad and Emily's dad (Josh's father in law) conducted the service as they are both vicars, each carrying out the role specific to their child in the Anglican ceremony.

My favourite part though was the fact that once the actual marriage ceremony had been completed, Josh and Emily had communion together. They wanted their first meal as a married couple to be communion, so from their very first moments together as man and wife God is in the centre.

I have never been prouder to be part of my amazing family.

The speeches were also very good. He had 4 friends make speeches as he did not have a best man, and his own speech apart from including the usual thanks and gifts, etc included a very frank and honest declaration of his love for Jesus and a simple explanation of the gospel for anyone there who wasn't a christian.

At that point I realised that my little brother is actually very grown up...

And the suit? Well, it was a little tight around the middle but I just about managed to make it fit!

Wedding bells...

Today my brother josh is getting married. He is marrying a lovely girl called Emily (not that having two Emily Boxalls is going to get confusing or anything... Thankfully one is considerably younger than the other!)

I hadn't thought much about today before. I knew my brother was getting married and I knew I would be going and that it might be fairly stressful with the children and everything but never really considered the actual fact that my brother will now be married and essentially I will be gaining another sister.

I went to the wedding rehearsal last night and I saw how much work Josh and Emily have put into the ceremony and the reception and I felt very proud of my little brother and last night I struggled to get to sleep for a while as I was excited for him. It almost felt like the night before christmas as a child...

I wish them both a beautiful day and a wonderful life together and I know that God will be joining in their joy.

I just hope my suit still fits!

Holiday

I am currently on holiday at the moment. Well, a holiday with the children at my in-law's house in Dunstable (Luton by any other name!)

I'm pretty sure holidays are for relaxing... Not so apparently. Despite my in-laws having had 3 children of their own, their house is no longer child proof and so I have spent the last two days running around after my children trying to stop them breaking things...

I brought a stairgate with me and installed it myself (probably the main problem). There was a big banging noise this morning as it crashed down the stairs, narrowly missing one of the children.

All in all, so far I've not relaxed much, but I will be taking my children to the zoo tomorrow and that should be good. (who knows, maybe there'll be an unfortunate encounter with some lions and my holiday will be much more relaxing! Only joking...)

At least I'm getting some time to play my guitar!

Laters.

The Humans Are Dead

I found this on YouTube and thought I'd share it... What would the world be like without humans?