Lionel Richie

I've fallen in love with Lionel Richie. I had the absolute pleasure of working at his concert on Monday night. He was incredible, no joke, was probably the best concert I've been too and I've been to alot. He gets a worthy 10 out of 10 while I'd say last weeks X Factor concert only got a 6, although I did get to meet Ray Quinn :)

I've been influenced by Lionel since I was a very young age as my Mum loves him but now I feel as if I can rightly 'on my own' be a fan as I've seen him. He was just so good. The way he interacted with the audience... great! It's class just standing there watching everyone having a great time, that's certainly a big influence.

Anyway, he's coming back to the odyssey on his 'Coming Home' tour on May 23rd... I'm going again for sure!

Wells

After I got out of work on Sunday morning I went back to Amys and decided to go with her, Jill (Amy's legend mum) and Joy to their church. It's called 'Wells' and in Moneyreagh. Boy did I love it.

I've heard so much about this wee church, so much so that it didn't really sound like something normal. They used to have it in a wee pub but have recently moved across the road to the primary school. It didn't really look like it but they must be growing in numbers.

Anyway, the whole time, as you do, I was comparing it to my church, one where we pretty much have everything regards building, equipment and funds to do alot of events and support missions. Don't get me wrong, I love all that but I don't think it's what really deep down matters.

This wee primary school had the wee school seats in the very small assembly room and just one guy playing the guitar, it was too cool. I wasn't impressed when the time came I had to go to the toilet, primary school sized toilets are not the way forward. It just made me think I was way too comfortable in my own church although it probably was alot more enjoyable as we had the lovely Ewan Lockhart sitting beside us, he kept Amy amused so all was good.

I have no idea what the purpose of this post is but I guess I'm trying to say that it doesn't matter where your church is or what your church has, it's what you do in it, making sure God is glorified.

Amazing Grace

I had the priviledge of going to see the movie preview of Amazing Grace on Monday night with the U105 crew (I love my job). To be honest it's probably not my type of movie, too thought provoking or something ha, but I really enjoyed it. Although I didn't know much about the slave trade and the work William Wilberforce did to get it abolished I somewhat related to him....

The story, based on the life of antislavery pioneer Will Wilberforce, who, as a Member of Parliament, navigated the world of 18th Century backroom politics to end the slave trade in the British Empire. John Newton, a confidante of Wilberforce who inspires him to pursue a life of service to humanity. William Pitt the Younger, England's youngest ever Prime Minister at the age of 24, who encourages his friend Wilberforce to take up the fight to outlaw slavery and supports him in his struggles in Parliament.

Elected to the House of Commons at the age of 21, and on his way to a successful political career, Wilberforce, over the course of two decades, took on the English establishment and persuaded those in power to end the inhumane trade of slavery. Go him!!!

You really have to see the movie to know what I'm talking about but it made me think about how we, as christians, try to get people to see who God is and to learn the right from wrong and just how hard it can be. It's just so sad, even today there are still an estimated 27 million people live as slaves around the world!

Its out in cinemas on March 23rd, check it out...

Brutal Honesty From A Young Adult

A friend told me recently to check this blog out on the ignite website, so I'm ripping it off and putting it here., I hope they doesn't mind.

Well, Here it is...

I Go to church...yet I party,

I say a prayer...yet I scream obsenities,

I sing to hymns...and shake my ass to hip-hop,

I reach out to people who need it...I reach out for a towel when I'm piss drunk puking my guts up,

I've read the bible... I've read Cosmo,

...After looking at that list... I look like some bipolar, hypocritical jackass.


But its all true, and I don't go to church to be fake, or meet people, I go because it's a place where other people or 'only humans' can go, to be a part of a group of not-so-moral minds, with one common goal...to have a better understanding and grow as a community under the name Jesus Christ.

I've been to A LOT of churches, a lot of youth groups, with many different youth pastors...most of the time, finding the same thing time and time again...(in the moviephone voice)'If you give your heart and soul to Jesus Christ, and accept him as your Lord and Savior, you win..........(drum roll please)......ETERNAL LIFE!.... and then there's the small print..."you must agree to living your life 110% devoted to Jesus Christ, be nice to everyone, never hate your life, always volunteer, be charitable, never curse, give to the needy, love life...love yourself, love jesus..."

It's not so much that Christianity isn't about all those things, but throwing it all out there at once... is like interviewing for a job in india... You've got a lot expected of you but you aren't gettin' *^%$ in return... I could be totally off pitch here... I would be more than happy to listen to any other opinions that might be out there.... Maybe I am just looking for an excuse to continue living the life I'm living without the judgement, which is a possibility, but I also think I have a pretty legitimate 'excuse'....

I call them my mentors, you might know them by other titles such as, minister, pastor, journalist, teachers...all leaders in the church i attend... Every single one of these people, are aware of how my friends and i live my life...but unlike what you would assume, these people don't lecture me, force their personal beliefs on me, try the good ol' intervention, or excorcisms...no...not at all... in fact... they do the exact opposite, they invite me into their homes, not to discuss my life's problems or religion, but to get together as friends and buy paperview movies, and play uno, and eat really really good homemade taco soup, they ask us over and over again to babysit their children...that's right they trust us with their kids...and then i realized... my idea(a common one) of christianity was all wrong...One of the main focuses, i believe, is not to make everyone the same, or follow all the same rules, or believe the same things...but maybe to express love to those who are least expected to be loved, to give a dollar to someone who is expected to waste it, but to at least have faith in them to use it for what they need, and maybe having that faith alone will show them something more than lecturing or preaching....maybe knowing that someone in this world is rooting for you is enough to give you a chance, and the drive to take that chance and run with it.

"He who is without sin among you, may cast the first stone"-John 8:3-11
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," - Romans 3:23

Thought provoking eh? I like it... I don't think the girl who wrote it was celebrating the fact she sometimes gets drunk. She was just being honest and revealing what her life is like. She was opening up and letting everything out. Maybe hoping for some answers. I think this girl has said some things which are very important - actually I think the way they are said express some important things ... so one question to anyone who is uncomfortable - is your discomfort an ethical or a spiritual discomfort? And which answer do you think Jesus cares more about?

1st of March 2007

I am in shock.... it's already the first of March!! Where do these days go to?! I'm currently sitting in school, shocking really! Listening to good old Flash Harry and watching the sun beam on the school car park, how nice...

I had the best weekend ever with the girls for Amy's 18th Birthday. We had a surprise party for her on the Friday which consisted of a boat trip down the Lagan on the 'booze cruise', and a party back at hers, the house was packed and George and Jill even got a wee man to do an acoustic set in their kitchen, it was so nice! Johnny and friends surprised us all and came home from uni for the weekend, that was the real surprise... so we had a good wee night hanging out with them till the late hours of saturday morning! (you feeling it baby?! lol)

Went to the Wedding Fayre in the King's Hall with Lynsey and the other bridesmaids on Saturday, it was hilarious... met Malachi from Fame Academy and for some reason I told him I listened to him on my ipod alllll the time, random! I did continue though to tell him I'm going to be a tv presenter. His career now consists of singing at Wedding ceremonys, poor guy!

On Saturday, us 6 girls (Amy, Joy, Lauren, Carly, Yvonne and I) went up to Castlerock for a nice wee chill out time, it was so lovely.... Amys house up there is amazing! I hate that we're not still up there....

So it's Thursday the 1st of March now. I can not believe it... before we know it it'll be summer!! Heading out for dinner tonight with the U105 crew, should be fun!

Anyway, I have ALOT of assignments to get finished so i'm away back to work...