Emergent Versions of songs

Nicked this off a post on the NYFC forum. Apparently it's for those of us who are emergent.

Shout to the Lord (Angry) Original
(Lyrics: Marcus Curnow 2005)

Why Jesus? Why favour
Those who do not like you?
All of my years I cry bitter tears
I wonder where’s your mighty love?

No comfort, No shelter
Where is the refuge and strength?
Let every breath, all that I am
Never cease to question You

Shout to/(at) the Lord
All the Earth, let us bring
Powerlessness, tragedy
Rail at the King
Mountains fall down
And the seas will roar
Hear the sound of the pain

I long to see the work
Of your hand
Forever I’ll seek you
Seek to understand
Nothing to hold
But the promise I have
In you


I really like it. I often change the words of songs I sing if they're not quite what I need to sing at that particular moment. I made a suggestion once that we should have songs with the same tunes etc, but different lyrics, and at church you sing both together depending on which one you want to sing, depending on where you are with God.

Would probably sound awful!

Helen needs...

Saw this on Heather Cracknell's blog...

Basically you type in your name followed by 'needs' into google and see what comes up.
They're really odd but funny too!

Helen needs a bigger apartment
Helen needs a bassist
Helen needs to be cool and sassy
Helen needs to be an inside dog, with a family that will allow her to jump oncouches, sleep in the bed and be basically underfoot all day
Helen needs to call forhelp to break up a party
Helen needs to do some growing up herself
Helen needs effervescent refreshments
Helen needs the new owner at 325 Crestwood Terrace to shut up a minute
Helen needs to forget all that has happened in the past ten years
Helen needs your Help
Helen needs to be real
Helen needs it
Helen needs a cookie
Helen needs help, and friends,and so decides to take the plunge and join the local Garden Club
Helen needs a nursing home now?
Helen needs to take a nap

Baptism

Well it's a definte!

I am getting Baptised at the morning service on the 29th January 2006 at Norwich Central Baptist Church.

You are all so very welcome!

HOME

I am coming home next weekend :D

This morning I thought I would just be home for Friday-Monday.

Then I got an email informing me that my lecture on Tuesday is not on. So I arranged to swap my work shift (Mon night) with someone, thus allowing me to stay until Tuesday.

Then I got a phone call an hour or so ago saying that I'm not mentoring this Wednesday as they've not found me a 'victim' yet. (kind of sucks from a 'i need a placement' point of view!) They said that they'd be in touch in the next few weeks. So I inquired as to whether I'd be needed next week and they said no!

So now I shall be in Norwich Friday eve until Wednesday late afternoon probably!

Any requests to see me/meet up are warmly welcomed ;)

Now is the time...

... for us to shine. Shine with the face of Christ divine. (Delirious? & Matt Redman)k

This morning I went to The Groves Pentecostal Church. I was told that I have a beautiful face that shines with the spirit of God and that I have a beautiful and powerful singing voice.

How nice.

Anyway. The Groves is the area of York that I live in. I discovered The Groves Pentecostal Church on this website. I thought I'd check it out as it's barely a minute from my house. They meet in an upper room above the Spar shop. The door was shut when I got there and I thought I was going into a store room! I thought I'd set off an alarm - it was a bit scary.

There are about 30 people in the church. We sang about 20 different songs, all a bit old, but all sung with amazing enthusiasm and joy. The preach was a bit dull - but potentially cuz I didn't get much sleep last night. Everyone was really friendly - especially as I was hard to miss. I was welcomed during the notices by name and everyone clapped me. lol

Afterwards a lady came and talked to me. She'd had a number of struggles in her life but now feels amazingly free and happy. I found out later that she's 80, I thought she was 60!! She was lovely though and hugged me goodbye. I was dragged away to play with a little girl for ages! I found this a bit odd, but quite nice - she obviously trusted me to play. We made some duplo people have a tea party. I think everyone in the church spoke to me at some point! Two old ladies absolutely loved my jumper that says 'survivor' on the back, and my tshirt that says 'loved'.

It all felt a bit odd, but I shall go again in a fortnight.

Lou and Helen's Shopping Trip

Yesterday, Lou and I had fun trying on dresses to get inspiration for the Reality Ball (www.reality-norwich.com) and just for fun!

Essays

Why is it that when we know we've got essays to do, we spend all day reading, sleeping and playing solitaire endlessly. And then feel guilty for not doing anything, and therefore feel bad and so therefore read, sleep and play some more?

Skirt!

This is me looking half asleep in one of my new skirts
- may post the other one with it tomorrow.

What do you think?

Tag

I was tagged by Chris so here is the 5th line of my 25th blog:

"I have 8 cards and 3 presents sitting waiting for me in my room."

I tag Paul and Heather Cracknell and Dad

*There seems to be a lot of people confused about this - basically, if you're tagged, you find the 25th blog you made (or post as I call them) and then the 5th line of that blog - and you quote it - then you can tag other people ;)*

Be My Everything

EVERYTHING

God in my living
There in my breathing
God in my waking
God in my sleeping
__________
God in my resting
There in my working
God in my thinking
God in my speaking

Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything

God in my hoping
There in my dreaming
God in my watching
God in my waiting

God in my laughing
There in my weeping
God in my hurting
God in my healing

Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me the hope of glory

You are everything

Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me the hope of glory

Be my everything

If you haven't guess already - I love this song. We sang it at Soul Survivor and Momentum

You can download it here http://www.passionforyourname.com/newsong.html
There's a bit that says AUDIO at the bottom.

What are we paying for?

I've just come back from the third pointless seminar in Difference and Helping that I've had this semester (out of three) and I'm wondering what we're paying for.

They've spent the last few weeks talking about an assignment they want us to do, but how we can't do it, and wondering what we could do instead. This week I got there to find a note on the board from the tutor saying she was at a meeting and would join us in 45mins. In that time we had to go and do some research on Government policies for inclusion/exclusion. We then came back and discussed it for 45mins. I can't say I actually learnt anything other than it's hard to find the website when you're not given the address. It was all stuff she could have emailed and asked us to do in preparation for the seminar.

It's just a bit frustrating to be paying all this money to go to uni and for it to be pointless and useless!

Anyone else had similar encounters?

Hair Dryer

I've just discovered the most random use for my hair dryer (which I hardly ever use anyway!)

It blows up my cool airbed (that's more like a mattress) in record time!

CU

I went to the Christian Union at Uni this evening for the first time since this time last year.

I've avoided it like the plague due to people I felt uncomfortable with, its cliqueness, its general out-of-touchness with the rest of the world, and it's boring meetings.

A lot of my friends at uni are involved with it though and I think it's become their mission to get me involved.

So this evening, out of curiosity and support for my friend, I went along.

I felt a bit of an outcast to begin with, but there were a few faces I recognised.

We were very much blessed in that the speaker had cancelled (I've heard reports from various people that so far CU has just been like another lecture - which is not great on a Thurs since that's my busiest day at college). So we spent the evening in various groups of five praying about five different topics - one at a time and not in this order. We prayed about the Religious Hate Bill - that God's will is done. We prayed for all the different sufferings that are going on around the world, we prayed for those we knew of who are unwell, we prayed for the CU's mission week (which I have my reservations about - but hey!) and we prayed for the people around us at college both Christian and not-yet-Christian.

After the notices and the praying was done, there was only about 40mins left so we spent the rest of the time praising God. It wasn't the best quality worship ever, not many people knew the songs (although they were all from one of the Soul Survivor songbooks - yey I'm back at Fridays!) but I sang to my hearts content and to the Lord.

It felt so great to spend time with God in this way.

To finish we prayed for each other. This American guy I only just met thanked God for how awesome I am! WOw! He said to God that although he'd only just met me he could tell that I'm well passionate about God and stuff and seem like a cool person of God. A friend of a friend who I don't know greatly well also prayed a lovely prayer. It felt so wonderful as I've not been prayed for like that for ages.

Afterwards we chilled and I spoke to this girl I'd met in a lift during freshers week. I thank God for the way he works, because she was really upset as her grandad had just died and she had no one else to talk to. If we hadn't met in the lift (which we wouldn't have done if I hadn't been note taking for a disabled girl in her class) I wouldn't have talked to her and she would have gone home feeling even worse.

I also shared with everyone about how great God has been for finding my tweezers. They all laughed, but some people came up afterwards and thanked me for saying it! Basically I've been looking for them for a week or so, and it was only when I sat down and asked God for help that I looked in my drawer and thought - hey perhaps they've slipped into my magazine - and there they were! God cares about every single part of us - even the insignificant!

So yeah, I thank you God.

Dunno if I'll go again - depends if they're having a speaker or not! ;)

Lefthandedness

I very much rejoice in being left-handed.

I like being separated from the majority of people in this way.

Interestingly there are a lot of left-handers on my course...

I wonder if one day in the future I'll be disciminated for it?

Anyway, at church this morning the guy behind me tapped me on the shoulder and said - 'Ah it's good to see a fellow left-hander!' He was intrigued by my style of vertical writing. This led into a long historical discussion about left-handedness ranging from scissors, to computer mice, to cutlery.

As some of you may know, I hold out that all right-handers use their cutlery the wrong way. In my logic it makes sense for you to have the fork in your prominant hand because you do the most with it. You hold things with it and you move the food from the plate to your mouth with it. In some meals you only use the fork! Generally people disagree with me saying that you need the power of your dominant hand to cut with the knife.
This guy pointed out to me that at one time in the past we didn't use a fork, we just used a knife, using it to both cut and put things in our mouths. Occasionally a two pronged fork was used to hold things down. Therefore it made sense to use the dominant hand for the knife. It therefore appears that as the use of the knife has changed and it's become 'rude' to put it in your mouth, we have not adapted the use of our hands to fit.

Unless you're a left-hander of course ;)

Church Buildings

Something I can't get my head around...

With NCBC spending rather a large sum of money on their building at the moment - this is something that is in the forefront of my mind.

This morning at church (oo I've been going to the same one at uni for a month now!) a little old lady 'preached' about their miracle gift day next week - raising money for one of the church buildings. (the church is part of a fellowship of 3). I am kicking myself that I missed the Bible verse she gave which she said backed up that it's God ordained to raise money and spend it on our buildings...

Anyway, as I got increasingly annoyed with what she was saying I decided to write down my thoughts in response to what she was saying. Don't get me wrong - I think it's very important that we tithe and give to God's work, and she was saying some good things about that, but it chills me when all people talk about is this money going into a building.

Why do people dwell on buildings?

We don't need pretty buildings for people to come to - we need to go out to people.

God is not just present in pretty (expensive) buildlings.

Why does she keep saying pretty?

Sacrifice of life for buildings?!!! People died in building the minister - sacrificing their lives for the building? And so we should sacrifice our money for the building?

I'm sure God rejoices more over someone becoming a Christian

Why aren't we planning how to use the money for the community?

Lord, do you really have a vision of pretty churches all over the world?

We can't sit in the church and wait for people to come no matter how pretty it is!

I understand that buildings need repairing - but do we really need to dwell on it at the expense of the lost souls of the world?


Interestingly - I still feel draw to this church even when I disagree with it...

More than Enough

"All of You is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your live
And all I have in You is more than enough

You are my supply
My breath of life
And still more awesome than I know
You are my reward
worth living for
And still more awesome than I know

All of You is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough

You're my sacrifice
Of greatest price
And still more awesome than I know
You're my coming King
You are everything
And still more awesome than I know

More than all I want
More than all I need
You are more than enough for me
More than all I know
More than I can see
You are more than enough for me"

'Enough' by Chris Tomlin/Louis Giglio

Is this true? Is God really more than you need. It should be, but is it? How does this play out in real life? Who is it you cry out to in your need, who is it that you desire, or what is it?
How can you sing this and mean it?

Rainbow Trust

I said I would, and I keep forgetting! So here's a post on the Rainbow Trust.

A couple of weeks ago we had a charity fundraising event for the Rainbow Trust in honour of my cousin Sarah.

It was a fun evening - we had games, drinks, socialising and stuff to begin with - where my sister and I tried to win the good gifts on the tombola (although I went to have a go again later when I thought all the ones I didn't want might have gone - and everything had gone!). Rachel ended up with the cool rainbow vase which she managed to get by swapping with lots of people!

Next was the food, followed by some cool acts - singing, small band etc and then an auction. People were so generous and there was a wide variety of auction items ranging from tickets to see James Blunt to a handy man's service for the day!

There were loads of people there and it was nice to see family. My parents stayed with my friend George and Rach stayed with me and came to church in the morning - I think they liked it!

I will investigate how much was raised and update this post...

Also - I don't seem to be able to get the website to work - so I will give you a link when it does! Basically Rainbow Trust is a children's charity raising money for children with terminally ill diseases etc.

The Oath

I've just finished reading a book called 'The Oath' by Frank Peretti.
I picked it up in a charity shop last year for no reason other than to find some books to read that weren't counselling textbooks!

From the outside it looks like a kind of scary evil kind of book, so I've kind of put off reading it. Until this week that is. Since I've picked it up I've barely been able to put it down! It had quite a slow start and it's a really fat book, so half the time I was wondering what the author was going to do to fill all the pages!

As it went on though, I discovered that it had a really strong Christian message. Whether the author is a Christian or not I do not know, but it screamed out some themes so loudly.

It's about a town that has a secret. The secret is protected by the people of the town, so much so that they'll kill to keep it that way. They especially don't like outsiders. People live in fear, and if they go against the rules then they get sucked in by the 'dragon'. A sore appears above their heart and it turns black. At first it hurts and burns, but as it gets worse and black stuff oozes out the pain goes away and the victim no longer cares. The victim goes wild, boasting about all the bad stuff they've got away with, they don't listen to reason and eventually they wander off and disappear never to be seen again.

The story starts with an outsider being killed. Half of their body is left and it looks like a bear attack. This is the first time that there's been a trace of anyone. The wife of the victim is traumatised and doesn't remember what happened. She is unharmed. (It later becomes clear that she is unharmed because she has Jesus inside her). Her brother-in-law Steve sets out on the task of what happened - not believing in the bear theory. With the help of a sheriff deputy he uncovers all sorts of things. He is majorly hindered by the townsfolk who do not want their dragon uncovered. Anyone who helps him is beaten up and eventually gets the black mark and then disappears.

The only person talking sense in the crazy Christian guy proclaiming that the dragon and black mark is sin, and that unless you accept Jesus into your heart you will die. The town started after a massacre of believers and a new charter was drawn up ending 'If this is sin, let sin be served' - all who signed it were sworn to secrecy. At the start, sin and the dragon were small and ignorable, but it's grown. Not believing this Steve ignores the crazy Christian until he sleeps with the married sheriff deputy and he too gains a mark above his heart. His brother too slept with someone he shouldn't have from the town. It appears that as you sin, the mark appears and gets bigger.

The head of the town believes that the dragon is on his side, even when he too gains a mark. He fights for control the whole way through and eventually it is his death.

About 5 people are eaten by the dragon as the story goes on. The dragon is almost invisible, but it's there and almost impenetrable. As the story comes to an end, the crazy Christian is killed and Steve runs for his life. In his absence, the town leader orders all the Christians to be evacuated and their homes plundered. As the townsfolks' black marks get bigger and start oozing they stop caring. They steal and set fire to things, there are riots and everything turns into chaos.

As Steve climbs to the dragons lair he discovers that in praying to God and asking for help, things start to go right. Twice he manages to blow up the dragon eventually damaging him almost fatally. Steve goes to shoot the dragon, but as he gets closer he falls in love with it. Maybe it can be tamed, maybe they can come to an agreement, he so lovely, so amazing, so tempting, he can't kill it, that would be wrong. Only when Steve is almost killed do his sense come back and he realises that since he's link to the dragon by the mark, he's being pulled in, tricked into a false sense of security. He runs for his life.

By this time, the town is a scary place to be. Steve makes it back, dragon follows, more people die and eventually Steve leads the dragon to an empty mine. Here he sets up a trap planned by the crazy Christian guy whereupon the dragon will hopefully impale himself and eventually die. Steve is followed by the townsfolk and they're in the way. Steve remembers that the dragon was afraid of the crazy Christian because he'd got Jesus. Steve tells the dragon to back up (which will impale him) and get away. Three times the dragon breathes fire at Steve throwing him about, but miraculously he is unharmed. He declares Jesus' name and asks him into his heart and eventually the dragon moves back. Steve has won - or rather God has won.

Finally, when you think the dragon is dead he grabs the cocky head of the town and eats him. At this point there is a flash of light and the dragon disappears. Sin has been conquered.





Does this story seem similar to anyone? ;)

Yoga

I've just been to my first Yoga class and I am soooooooo unflexible!

My housemate could do loads more than me. I think it will be good for us though. It was encouraging to feel your body being stretched and toned :)

The lady said outright that she doesn't believe in or do any of the 'spiritual' parts of yoga, just does it as exercise, so that's cool.

Think I might have to practice a bit so I don't wobble, shake and fall over again!

No we won't let the rocks cry out!

"If we sit on them long enough do you think they'll stop crying out?"

"Nah I think we've gotta praise louder!"

"No we won't let the rocks cry out!"