alisonjoyyoung's Xanga

New blog

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 11:07:59 GMT

This is the address of my new blog...

http://becloudedbutbeholdingthelight.blogspot.com/

Don't ask me why I needed a new blog! Its not like I was very good at keeping this one updated. But I feel a new era of thinking and wording thoughts has dawned in my mind and I wanted a different place to express that.

But just for old times sake, here is a picture of a toilet that I used in Thailand:

February 4th-9th: Aberystwyth Mission

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 11:09:23 GMT

I have now been to Aberystwth for the first time. I think it has to be experienced to be believed. It is one of the strangest places I have ever been to!

Aber CU were having their mission week and a few of us went over to work with them and help out. It was an utter privilege as well as a hilarious and frankly bizzarre time!

Here are a few highlights -

Top 2 moments when I most believed I may be dreaming:
1) Perusing the selection of food on the table at the lunchbar: Sandwiches...cakes...crisps...chocolate...a bag of flour...apples..........A BAG OF FLOUR?

2) Walking into a prayer meeting late, quick glance around the circle, the realisation that 2 of our number were dressed as cavemen....

Most ingenious idea:
When it snowed so much we couldn't do what we'd planned - creating a spontaneous make-shift cafe, giving out free hot-chocolate!

Best lesson learned:
God works through things, people, ways and experiences we wouldn't choose or expect!

Best 'meeting a legend' moment:
Meeting the legendary Becca Thomas

Moment of most horror:
On arrival of the snow, fearing that we may be stuck in Aber forever!

Most missed accessory:
A scarf

Favourite Old Testament character of the week:
Enoch

It was a great week! God was very gracious to us in many ways. It was such a privilege to meet the CU and work alongside them. And God blessed us with so many opportunitues to share the good news! I have lots to think about in light of the time away.

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Tue, 28 Nov 2006 14:58:30 GMT

Here are my favourite quotes from my friends Dorothy and Margaret from last week. They are both elderly and almost blind. Some of these are amusing, some are just inspiring!

Dorothy: 'I'm only 89'! (Dorothy is 89 and Margaret is 95)

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Alison: How is your anemia now Dorothy?

Dorothy: Oh, it's much better, I've had some treatment from the Doctor and I'm feeling much better - I can run up the stairs again!

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Margaret: Life becomes quite an adventure when you can't see anything Alison!

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Alison: Have you ventured out recently Margaret?

Margaret: Oh I try and go out every day Alison! But last time I went for a walk to Heath park I seemed to walk into a stream!

Monday, November 13, 2006

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 09:46:06 GMT

"That day when evening came, [Jesus] said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!" "

- Mark 4:35-41

Things I love about this passage -

The disciples thought Jesus didn't care, but they were wrong
Jesus wasn't phased by the storm at all - he knew that he had complete control over it
Jesus REBUKED the WIND!
Better still, when he rebuked it, it listened!
He told the waves to stop and they did!
'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?' - fear seems justified in this situation, but it's actually not. When you're in a boat with someone who has the power to change the weather it is absolutely ridiculous to be scared of a storm
The disciples were just as scared afterwards when they saw his power as they were in the first place when they thought that he didn't care and that they would drown.

Imagine being there. Imagine watching as nature listened to a man's voice telling it to be quiet.

'Quiet! Be still!'

The wind died down.

It was completely calm.

I had to speak on this passage at our youth club on friday night, and as I was preparing it I was so struck by the fact that Jesus could do this. He could control the weather!

My friend Jenny was just telling me about how she had a really nice week off last week, saw family and friends and also went to West Wales for a bit. And one of the high points was that the weather was so great. But imagine if it had been awful weather - rain, wind, floods - and she had phoned me up and said "Alison, this is awful, my holiday is ruined, it's just a disaster! Is there any chance you could tell the weather to stop being so horrible? Could you make it sunny for me?"

THERE IS ONLY ONE PERSON WHO CAN CHANGE THE WEATHER!!!

It is not me.

It is God.

The idea of me being able to change the weather is absolutely ridiculous...

but Jesus could do it!

"Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

Jesus is God. That's why he can change the weather.

Nature went wild for Jenny in my imaginary example and I had to say 'Sorry Jenny, there is NOTHING I can do, you'll just have to get your wet weather gear on'.

Nature went wild for the disciples on a lake 2 thousand years ago and Jesus said 'stop' and it relented.

If this is true then there is no-one we can trust more with our lives

The question is, do we really believe that it is true? And if so, are we living like it is true?

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 18:28:54 GMT

God in my living
There in my breathing
God in my waking
God in my sleeping

God in my resting
There in my working
God in my thinking
God in my speaking

Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything

God in my hoping
There in my dreaming
God in my watching
God in my waiting

God in my laughing
There in my weeping
God in my hurting
God in my healing

Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me the hope of glory
You are everything

Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me the hope of glory
Be my everything

- Tim Hughes

Friday, November 03, 2006

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 09:12:10 GMT

I love winter! The weather is SO nice at the moment. Sunny, but crisp and cold.

Awesome.

3 Today

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 18:17:42 GMT

Today is my birthday. Actually, it is my born-again day. I am 3.

3 years ago today I responded to God's Word in faith for the first time.

My blind eyes were opened and I was obedient for the first time.

I stopped running and admitted I needed God.

I handed over the controls.

But do not be deceived by the amount of times I mentioned 'I' in the above paragraph. Because it was all God's work.

He enabled me to respond in faith to His Word.

He opened my blind eyes and enabled me to be obedient

He caught hold of me and told me to 'stop running'.

He took the central place in my life that should have been His all along.

So it is a good day.

Remembering God's mercy.

"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:1-10)

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 13:56:19 GMT

Here's a classic Carol quote from internationals welcome week (it's second hand, so sorry if it's not word for word!):

"I look really scrummy today.......oh, did I say scrummy? I meant scummy"

I only wish I'd been there!

Reminds me of some quotes I posted back in June HERE.

Latest Toddler Music Update...

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 11:50:22 GMT

Yesterday , using this...

this...

and this...

I learnt how to play this:

'The clock says tick tock tick tock tick tock,
the clock says tick tock it's time to say good -bye.
Good-bye grown-ups, goodbye children,
goodbye everyone, it's time to say goodbye"

and other such songs.

This has marked a step forward.

Soon, instead of standing OUTSIDE the circle of mothers and toddlers, operating the CD player, I will be INSIDE the circle playing songs on my guitar.

It will be a special day.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Wed, 04 Oct 2006 10:08:49 GMT

Ok, it's wednesday...which means TODDLER MUSIC!

But today something happened that was more terrifying than any of the songs, dances or even toddlers....

I ENJOYED IT!

I found myself singing along to well known classics such as 'here's a box and here's a lid' (out of which came Mr Potato Head!), 'Head, shoulders, knees and toes', 'Hokey cokey' and the 'Goodbye song'.

I found myself smiling at children.

I talked to a TODDLER!

And then I made what could be the biggest mistake of my life so far...

"Tamsin, it pains me to admit this, but I actually play the guitar, so I could always play some of the songs on my guitar if you need me to."

I knew full well that the 2nd wednesday morning session of toddler music is lacking a guitar...yet I still said it.

Why did I do that?

What is happening to me?