marramgrass

The table quiz was a most excellent success - thanks to those who came along and took part. We raised a sizable pile of cash towards our total, and much good fun was had. Although I may have to join those asking a few questions about the question master’s geographical skills…

The past weekend was thoroughly hectic, and that kind of continued into today despite me having a fairly low-key one planned. The next couple of days should be spent working on the house and getting bits and bobs on the computer done - lots of writing waiting to be approached, some of it pretty urgently. None of it on here, but that needs continued too: NaBloPoMo is proving to be quite enjoyable in terms of making me write, although I should offer my apologies for some of the drivel and linkdump as an excuse for posting.

(Just overheard on the TV on in the background: “Are you telling me you’re attracted to a disembodied set of eyeballs?” I’m sure I can come up with a [very] small prize to the first person to leave a comment correctly placing the quote.)

Then I’ll be running pretty quickly downhill into another insane weekend. Welcome to my world!

In the interest of domestic harmony, I mention World Toilet Day, today.

Click the link at your peril.

Actually, worthwhile cause and all that, but… Turdlywinks?!

Please remember the charity fundraiser table quiz tonight.

Appreciate it.

Further post-party detritus.

(1, 2, 3.)

10 things…, number 8 (i).

The photoblog of Gabriel Martinez Aguirre. A very talented photographer I’ve encountered in a couple of different places online. For more, go and get lost in his Flickr stream. Really excellent, and a very pleasant chap in the online world.

Michaela, a youth worker I studied with, writes one of my favourite blogs. Witty, charming, affecting, thoughtful… Another super person, I’m glad to say I occasionally get to bump into her in real life.

Will come back to these with another couple soon.

At a family engagement party, last weekend.  A good time was had by all.

My wife tells me that since we’ve got married I’ve changed a bit. She says that I used to be quite laid back and relaxed about things, whereas now I get stressed out of my head.

It’s true, I think.

I find myself lying awake at night worrying - worrying about things to do with work, worrying about money, worrying about things around the house (did I lock the door, turn the hob off, unplug the computer… will the roof blow off in the middle of the night, did I puncture a pipe or nick a wire the last time I nailed a picture hook to the wall), worrying about people, worrying about her, about myself, about my health.

You get the picture.

The thing is, I know myself that that’s not what I used to be like. I used to let things come and go, not in a reckless or careless way, but with a sense that if the roof blows off the house then it’s really not the end of the world, that things will get done at work and around the house, that we may not be diving into pools of cash in the manner of Scrooge McDuck, but we are comfortable: we have our own home, plenty of food to eat, oil in the tank to keep us warm through the winter, and plenty of other luxury besides.

And my wife reminds me, sometimes quite forcefully when it’s necessary, that in the five years we’ve been married (yes, five years, mental, I know - such a short time, but such a long time) we’ve seen again and again how God has been faithful to us as we’ve tried to be faithful to him. He’s provided for us as we’ve needed, he’s led us in the best directions… and that’s not going to change.

Yet still I end up spending nights in bed just short of panic.

I am a fool, it seems. One who just doesn’t learn from experience or the wisdom of others around.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Peace of God, which transcends all understanding… Amen.

… but haven’t got round to yet.

1. A not-half-bad Tom Cruise film.
2. More on moving back to Northern Ireland.
3. A rant about a U2 gig.
4. Preparing Youth to be Peacemakers.
5. Yet more on moving back to Northern Ireland.
6. Why I’ve gone from reading upwards of 150 books a year to reading perhaps three in the last six months.
7. Visiting Cambridge (and Christmas shopping).
8. A few more plugs/reviews/whatever for sites linked over there in the sidebar.
9. Some stuff that I’ve been up to with the new job.
10. Good music, and lots of it.

A few of those are from quite some time ago (Christmas shopping?!) and a few are bang up to date. Stay tuned.

NaBloPoMo vs. the Marriage.

Rushing out to an engagement party, I remembered I had to write the day’s post as we’d never be in before midnight. Running a little late.

Much dissatisfaction followed.

In which a little blip takes a couple of days to recover from, and a once forgotten important lesson is remembered. Forcefully.

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