I loved this 'Christian celebrity death match' thing between Dallas Willard and Len Sweet from the 'what is church?' blog. And who said Americans don't have a good sense of humour?

This blogspot advertising banner is getting quite amusing, it was just trying to sell me '28 days later' on DVD, after I talked about it the other day. Could turn into a little game. Let's see how good it is. Mmm, I wonder where I could get hold of copy of 'The Last of The Mohicans' on DVD.

Well, back to good old Coventry after a week or so in Devon. Had a great time, weather was pants though, a complete contrast to the heat wave the previous week when I was kicking my heels around the house.
The best part really was spending lots of time with Su. (He says, trying to redeem himself). No, I mean it. I heard a story on the radio about how loads of couples actually fall out on holiday. They spend all year not talking to each other, go on holiday, where there is nothing to do but talk, and then find they really can't stand each other. Thankfully, this is not the case for Su and I, and I think we both came away feeling a lot closer. (I know, get the vomit bucket.)
Despite the bad weather, we made the most of it. One day Su and I cycled to Woolacombe, from West Down where we were staying. When we set off, it was only slightly raining. Spitting, you might say. As we went on, it got heavier, and heavier. We carried on, getting wetter, and wetter, as the rain turned into a torrential downpour. Chucking it down. We got soaked to the skin. It was fantastic. The route was nearly all downhill to Woolacombe. and I went fast. When we got there I sat on the rocks for two hours, taunting the sea as the tide came in. After almost catching pneumonia, we sat in mum and dad's car and had a picnic. (sitting in a car, eating lunch in the pouring rain, reminds me of sooo many family holidays when we were young) Thankfully we were able to put the bikes back on the car to go back up the hill.

I enjoyed the surfing, well, body boarding, immensely. I was thinking about why I love this so much, and snowboarding too. Well, apart from being an adrenaline junky, I think it is something to do with cooperating with something that is much more powerful than you are.Whether it's waves, or a big snowy mountain, gravity and a slippy bit of wood. Just putting yourself in the right place at the right time, pushing off and holding on. On the edge of loosing it. (and frequently doing so). You are not in control, you're just cooperating. This is how life with God should be. There is this guy who just did a skydive across the channel. He went from 30000 ft, freefalling (flying) for six minutes, reaching speeds of 220 mph. The whole thing took 14 minutes. How cool is that? Su! I've got a new hobby!

Well, tomorrow we're off down to Devon for a weeks holiday. We're staying at my brother in law Karl's sister's house, with Rachel, Karl, mum and dad. This will be the first year since we've been married that we havn't been to Cornwall, but Devon is just as nice. Can't wait.

10 best things about going on holiday:

1. Not working

2. Surfing

3. Barbeques and Beer on the Beach

4. Spending all day, everyday with Su

5. Long Walks

6. Sunsets

7. Sitting on the rocks watching the waves crash at your feet

8. Eating out.

9. Finding new places

10. Bike rides

5 worst things :

1. Packing

2. Traffic

3. Rain

4. Packing to come home

5. Coming home

Su has been away tonight. Although I miss her dreadfully, obviously, it does give me a chance to watch a dvd that she wouldn't like. So this evening I watched '28 Days Later'. From the director of Trainspotting and The Beach, Danny Boyle, it is essentially an update of the zombie genre. A Night of the Living Dead for the noughties. Britain has been devastated by a disease which turns people into flesh-eating monsters in seconds. It was pretty good. Lots of suspense, atmosphere, intriguing plot, great cinematography. Fascinating to see scenes of London and the M1 completely deserted. Why is it that I can watch stuff like this and just find it entertaining, whereas my wife would be scared witless, horrified by nightmares for weeks afterwards? Am I wrong to enjoy movies like this? Does this mean I have become desensitized. Hard hearted by years of exposure to senseless violence? Or does it just mean I am not a girl?

Quite liked this C.S. Lewis quote I read earlier about other religions :

'If you are a Christian, you do not have to believe that all the other religions are simply wrong all through. If you are an atheist, you do have to believe that the main point in all the religions of the whole world is simply one huge mistake. If you are a Christian, you are free to think that all these religions,even the queerest ones, contain at least some hint of the truth. When I was an atheist, I had to try to persuade myself that most of the human race have always been wrong about the question that mattered to them most; when I became a Christian, I was able to take a more liberal view. But, of course, being a Christian does mean thinking that where Christianity differs from other religions, Christianity is right and they are wrong. As in arithmetic-there is only one right answer to a sum, and all other answers are wrong: but some of the wrong answers are much nearer being right than others.

man, it's hot outside! Yes I've finished college, and finished all my essays, hoorah.
I will try and blog a bit more now. I've been reading some of real live preacher's blog. That guy is an amazing writer, everything he writes is interesting. I' d love to be able to write like that, rather than 'er.. today I went to the shops, and then I er.. came home again.'

The last few weeks have felt pretty hectic. I think I've been doing too much thinking. There have been times when I've felt so low and I couldn't explain why. Su has been so supportive. She really is amazing. She works so hard in a difficult job, and has me to deal with as well. She is much stronger than she realizes.

Spent this weekend down at Su's dad's. This is always nice and relaxing but also a bit weird 'cos I never know quite what to say to them. Managed to mess up quite spectacularly on Sunday night before we came home.

mess up no. 1 : spilt a full glass of red wine all over their new garden furniture. (no I wasn't drunk)

mess up no. 2 : whilst playing swingball with Chris (su's little brother, age 9), managed to thwack it full pelt into his face, oops. He cried like a baby.
I'll get my coat, I said.

Oh well, I've done worse.

Found a friend's web site with loads of photos on. This guy was in Banff for the season when we went out there snowboarding in Feb. He's now in New Zealand. Jammy git. Anyway, I'll blog more later, as Su is out all evening on a work's do, lucky girl.