Grey day in the UK

Here I am - finally - in England and having access to the internet. Unfortunately my parents are still in the dark ages and have no internet access at home. Well, at least they have a computer and iPods - even though they still couldn't load music onto them until I came home to do it for them! Bless!

So I'm in Starbucks and had to pay for internet - there's possibly a place a bit up the road where I might have access for free. Hmm...will have to check it out.

Since I landed at Manchester airport and came down to Chester I haven't done that much. Well, the first day I was here I pretty much crashed after a few hours - which was nice as I hadn't slept much on the plane. I've managed to go jogging about 5 times - pretty good since I''ve only been back just over a week. I've watched quite a bit of footie - England just making it through after being plagued with injuries. In HK the commentary was pretty poor - so it's been nice to have some decent commentary and listening to Gary Linekar pre-match, at half-time and post-match (especially during the Eng-Ecu match where he made a slip at half time and said the score was 1-0 when it was 0-0 but the full time score was 1-0! Gift of prophecy?). It was also quite interesting when the camera was in the tunnel for the England Ecuador match- where you could hear a few f words being spouted out of the players mouths - tut tut - hope those little boys who they hold hands with to go on the pitch weren't present!

I've managed to speak to a few friends on the phone. I rang an old school friend who lives down south and she told me she'd just had a baby - i didn't even know she was pregnant - a lot can happen in a year!

I went over to catch up withg the senior pastor over here - he only lives around the corner from me - and I was glad to see his son Garetrh who'd had a stroke the year before - he was looking in good health. We had a good conversation about worship as he's normally down in Chorleywood, London and focussing on worship with folks down there. I've known him since he was about 13 and it's great to see how he's getting on and maturing, but still with that cheeky boy side of him intact. It was good to worship with the people at Northgate church - I only know about 10 people there now, but it still has that family feeling, and I like to catch up with the few that I know.

There was a couple from the States preaching and they were talking about what you focus on becomes your future. I find that I tend to get pulled into different directions with church, school, hockey and socially - especially in terms of having resposibility. It's difficult as there are obviously things that I have/need to do but then what about the rest. I always find that difficult. i feel that right now I could go any way, but it's all a fog - I need clarity in what God wants me to do so that I can get that focus right. I think once I have that focus then I can concentrate on it and I can leave the other stuff. I don't want people to be pulling me towards one thing or another - I just want to know for myself. It's between God and me - I don't care what everyone else thinks I'll be 'good' at- that kind of pressure doesn't help. so, I'm very thankful I can get a break from life in HK hopefully collect my thoughts and pray.

I'm off to Edinburgh tomorrow - must charge up my camera battery! I've not been there before...heard it's very beautiful - hope the weather brightens up. It'll be busy with all the festivals going on.


Okay - I've been sat here long enough - I will go and see what Chester has to offer.