Memoirs of a Skinny Welshman

Contemplating the future...

I like the concept of blogging and often think up great things to share, but then don't spend enough time writing, which is something I need to fix.  I've just been promoted which is great, but brings me to a place of thinking about the future.

It's snowing

I was up at 4.30 (that's AM) this morning, wide awake for some flu related reason.  Taking a look out of the window, to my complete surprise it was snowing.

I am supposed be travelling this evening to UCB to do some radio work tommorrow, I wonder whether I'll get anywhere near Stoke on Trent.  I'm also supposed to pick up friends Kevin & Rosemary Sambrook from East Midlands airport - hmmmm I wonder....

Heroes

I recently came across a new TV show in the USA called Heroes.  The programme aired on NBC's network, features several characters that realise over time they have super natural powers.  One can fly, one can change time, one is resistant to death etc.  It's a complete package of what people would like to happen in their lives.  The ability to change the past, he ability to escape injury or pain, the ability to get rich, the ability to influence the future.

In a world where people yearn so much for things to be different with the life they are currently living, fantasy is a cheap and easy opt out.  We're living a world, where is completely OK, for people not to face upto their own individual problem or situation.  Escapism is 21st century oxygen.  The truth is, we can dream a reality that we live out.  We can influence our future, we might not be able to literally fly, but in most situations the change element is us, in our frail bodies we can change history for the entire world, if only we live upto our potential.

Them Bones.....

Just to update everyone on the ladder fall.  It turns out that I had to go to the Doctor then the hospital for some tests as I developed quite an acute pain around a couple of the vertebrae in my middle back.  Once I had got past the initial examination, which I can only describe like having one of those electronic muscle machines being hooked up to a nuclear power station.  I had some xray's which together with the examination suggested I had compressed one of the discs in between the vertebrae quite badly.  The temporary legacy is that I'm holding my posture too tightly and look like I have ridden a horse for the last four years.

The doctor basically informed me that I should opt for some physiotherapy, and then prescribed me a few boxes of pain killers and some anti-inflamatory drugs.  I'm secretly hoping they will also have an effect on my tubby stomach which grew quite dramatically over the Christmas period.

Resolutions

It's often a New Years resolution that begins our trek into the next twelve months.  A resolution which only normally lasts three to four days at best.

Resolutions allow us to take a glimpse at all the area's of life which we would like to fix.  Often we are left howevery not feeling strong enough to address our weakness in that area, when if and when we fail at keeping our resolution going, leaves us feeling more guilty that when we began.

Tackling any area of life which we feel weak in often requires support but the New Year encourages independance to the point of failure as the perception is that everyone makes a New Years resolution therefore no-one is available and we're all in the same boat.

Only the strongest of characters manage to conquer a life issue during a New Year period.

If you are intent on challenging your own way of life this year, at least get yourself a buddy, who that you can be accountable to.  Many habits are broken if you can go for 40 days without engaging in that habit that has governed your life in some way.  I've listed in the extended section what with Dictionary explains a resolution is.

Happy New Resolution !!

Happy New Year including the backache!!

Happy New yearto everyone.  No doubt by the time you read this, no doubt we're all ready in 2007.  I started the weekend on Friday evening by falling off a ladder.  I was planning on changing some pictures around in the hall. Quite confidently I stepped upto the top of the ladder and wobbled quite suddenly.  Then enacting something out of an episode of Harold Lloyd I reached for the wall which was beyond my reach.  10ft up isn't that far from the ground, but with a knowledge that half way down your still 5ft up, the ground comes toward you like something out of a paracute jump.  Unfortunately I didn't have a paracute, but do now have pulled muscles in by back and stomach.  The pictures remain where they were !!  And on a brighter note - to all a happy new year!!

Life Audit Update #3

After severl emails asking why I wasn't updating my blog, I thought I would post up an update.  DON'T EVER DO A LIFE AUDIT, unless a Japanese general wearing a eye patch visit's your home holding a Gold Orchid or if God says to.

I've been making progress reducing the list of things I'm involved with from the 75 or so I had listed at the beginning of this adventure.

Once past the feelings of guilt I had at telling some of the ministries I was helping that I could no longer be involved, I was then faced with the challenge of finishing off a boat load of tasks, which has generated a huge amount of work, in order to finish.

Life Audit Update

Proving to be a much slower excerise than I first thought, the life audit is starting to show signs of fruit.  I have this week stepped down from involvement in two ministries.  This while I'm still actually finalising the list of things I'm involved in.

The dilemmas in my mind go like this.

Toes are fragile things

Yesterday, while packing away the shopping, a tin of chicken soup decided to leave it's wrapping (pack of 4 on special offer !!) and target the joint between my foot and big toe. Not wearing any shoes at the time, I felt a new level of pain. The cans were at the time at head height, as I was putting them in an overhead cupboard.

Of course the fact that I'm taking my niece and nephew to Alton Towers today for a day out I've been promising them since they were embryo's all adds to the adventure. They don't know yet, but they have just inherited a disabled uncle for the day.

Look out Rollercoasters here we come.

And I thought a Life Audit would be easy

So God has a sense of humour and I had my laptop to make a life audit list.  What could be simpler on the way to beautiful Donegal.

What I hadn't thought much about, was how long the list would be - I genuinely believed I was doing reasonably well, just a few too many projects I'm involved in.

The plan was, to make a list of all the projects I either run, advise, I'm a trustee of or just do the administration for, and then through prayer see what God wanted me to drop.  This was on top of getting a life and developing a relationship.