Sep
29
2008
0

RC Part 63 – Dinner for Two by Mike Gayle

Dinner for Two by Mike Gayle is an ok book, although I listened to the audio version. Utterly forgettable, but it kept me company over the miles when I was driving. The only thing that really irritated me was that I really didn’t like the voice of the guy reading the book, but I kind of got over that and learnt to tolerate him over time.

Written by Anna Williams in: Uncategorized | Tags: ,
Sep
29
2008
0

RC Part 62 – The Shack by William P. Young

I have just finished reading The Shack by William P. Young. In fact I read it straight through twice to try and understand some of what it was saying. I put off reading it for ages because there seemed to be loads of hype around it, and it even made it to the New York Times Bestseller list, but I found it really interesting.

Anyway, this novel is about a guy called Mack whose 4-year-old daughter is kidnapped and murdered whilst they are camping. Four years after her death Mack receives a note from “Papa” (which is what his wife calls God) inviting him to come back to the shack where his little girl Missy was murdered. The story is about his encounter with God (who reveals himself to Mack as a black woman) and the healing that went on during the experiences he had at the shack.

I have to admit that whilst I don’t quite agree with all the theology in the book, there was also something terribly appealing. I loved the idea of God revealing herself in such that she challenged Mack’s stereotypes about who God is and the way he should look. I loved the way the Trinity related to each other and I found parts of the book quite moving and also challenging. It was an intersting book, packed full of theology and in my opinion did a relatively good job of explaining quite tricky concepts.

Definitely an interesting book to read if you can get hold of a copy.

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Sep
28
2008
4

Dunstable Downs

Had another really nice weekend. The Mister came to see me this time and we spent quite a bit of time chilling out, having coffee with some of my friends (who almost behaved themselves), going to a party and today we took a little trip over to Dunstable Downs.

It was a lively sunny day and up on the downs you can see right across Bedfordshire. Also you can watch the gliders and the nutters who think it is a fun afternoon out to jump off the hills with a parachute (I am sure there is a proper name for this, but I couldn’t remember it!). There are also loads of kite flyers, including one guy with an enormous professional kite who was almost bent over backwards.

Anyway, now I am home alone again with just my photos and my cat for company.

I should also say that The Mister was particularly amused when he found three more white hairs on my head. He has threatened that when he hits treble figures he will trade me in for a younger model. Pshaw!

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Written by Anna Williams in: Uncategorized | Tags: , ,
Sep
26
2008
5

Purity balls?

Tonight on Channel 4 there was a programme called The Virgin Daughters. The programme was about the purity movement in America and focused on something called purity balls or father-daughter purity balls. Basically it was all these scary fundamentalist Christian fathers taking their daughters who are all dressed up like it is prom night to a ball where they dances around a cross and then sign a pledge to remain pure until their wedding night. Whilst I don’t think that sex is something to be taken for granted, the sheer pressure that these young girls appeared to be under was frightening. The programme interviewed one girl who had taken the purity pledge, then met a boy and got pregnant. She talked about how her parents, in particular her mother, have held her past behaviours over her head and treated her like “a lesser person”.

There were other things that scared me. For example, 11-year-olds talking about their fathers approving their clothing, the expectation that their fathers will “inspect” their potential boyfriends before they are even allowed to date their daughters. It was all scary and controlling behaviour and I wonder how any of these young women will ever be able to make valid, sensible and reasoned decisions for themselves. The other thing that really struck me was the absolute focus on heterosexual relationships. I mean I can’t even begin to imagine what it must be like for a young person who is gay to be involved in a family like that.

An article in a 2007 edition of Glamour magazine nailed it for me…

But the real challenge, in my mind, is for a father to remain loving toward his daughter and at the same time nurture her autonomy. The purity movement is, in essence, about refusing to let girls grow up: Daddy's girls never have to be adults. “The balls are saying, I want you to be 11 forever,” says Kindlon. These are girls who may never find out what it means to make decisions without a man involved, to stand up for themselves, to own their sexuality.

18I don’t know. Maybe it is just me that found the whole thing quite creepy. Whilst I think getting the chance to spend time with your Dad is an amazing thing I found the whole purity ball event a bit weird. I mean I love my Dad, but I have no doubt that he wouldn’t have wanted me to remain 11-years old forever, mainly because I was a pain in the ass. Isn’t the reality that we all make mistakes and hopefully learn from them as we go along? I worry that the girls involved in this sort of movement grow up with an unrealistic view of love, life and marriage. Yes, women are sexual beings, but that isn’t all there is to them. The idea that their chastity is something to be given over by their father to another is pretty archaic. I wonder how many of them will grow up to be doormats… ruled over by their husbands in the same way that their fathers ruled over them.

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Sep
23
2008
7

What?

About two weeks ago my younger sister texted me to ask whether I had found any grey hair. I proudly announced to her that I had not, and not only that I had been ID'd for alcohol that morning. However, it would appear God has a sense of humour. This morning I found a pure white hair on my head. Just the one mind you but my sister has now declared that without a shadow of a doubt that there is a God. Let my mid-life crisis commence!

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Sep
22
2008
0

RC Part 61 – The Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass: Christian Speaker Aged 45 3/4

On my drive up to Leeds at the weekend I listened to the CD of The Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass: Christian Speaker Aged 45 ¾ written and read by Adrian Plass. It’s one of the only books of his I haven’t read, and was very surprised to find it in my local library. It has some real laugh out loud moments and I was especially moved by the “banner ripping” sessions, paying special attention to those banners that had been made in Prophetic Banner-making Sessions. For those of you who have read the book you will know what I am talking about. For those of you who haven’t got a clue, I suggest you read the book or listen to the audio CD’s. It certainly made a long journey rather more bearable.

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Sep
22
2008
0

RC Part 60 – The Accidental Time Traveller by Sharon Griffiths

The Accidental Time Traveller by Sharon Griffiths is a really fun book. It’s kind of a Life on Mars chick lit and is about a journalist called Rosie Hartford who goes out to do an interview for the newspaper she works for and finds herself transported back to the 1950’s. At first she thinks she is in some weird reality TV show and then it slowly dawns on her that somehow she really is in the 1950’s. Back in time she meets the equivalent of her boyfriend, who looks just like him and sounds like him, but he is married with kids. It’s a fun book and well worth a read if you need something to take your mind off work.

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Sep
21
2008
6

A trip Oop North

Well I have had a really nice weekend… drove up to Leeds on Friday to see the Mister and luckily we had fantastic weather all weekend!! On Saturday we went into town and wandered around the shops… we even went to Harvey Nichols which was funny because the stuff in there is ridiculously priced… I suspect I am more of a Primark girl. We were also very amused to see an ‘Adult Superstore’ with a this sign on the window (you might have to click on the pictures to see them better)… honestly we had been shopping in Wesley Owen and this shop is across the road 😉

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In the evening we went to a cute little cinema which had plush red seats and it felt like we were the only people in there. We went to see The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and it made me cry… then again having read the book last week meant that I knew the story so it was inevitable that I was going to cry really.

Today was another gorgeous day so we went to Kirkstall Abbey which is lovely… I do like a nice ruin!! And after that we lay in the sunshine for a couple of hours. I read the book The Shack (more on that in the future I suspect) whilst himself snored quietly next to me 😀

So, all in all, a fab weekend!

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Written by Anna Williams in: Uncategorized | Tags: ,
Sep
19
2008
4

Perspective

86I have just realised that it was three years ago yesterday that I left the Newfrontiers achurch I had been part of for over five years. Back then I felt very damaged and broken, still hurt and tender from the things that had (and had not in some cases) been said. I wondered then how I could move on and whether I would regain any sense of joy that I had previously.

But things change over time. The process has been a learning experience both for me and my family and I am quite sure that if I hadn’t gone through that valley experience then I would be a different person today. I am more tolerant, more cynical (or realistic depending on how you look at it!) and I am much less conservative than I was. The questioning had started a long time before I left, but it hasn’t really stopped. I am still full of questions, but these days I am far more content to live with not having any answers, and just to experience the process, however uncomfortable it might be. Things are good.

I still marvel at the fact that my life looks different now, but I wouldn’t change it. Thank you to all who have shared in this journey… your support, love and friendship certainly makes it all worthwhile 🙂

Written by Anna Williams in: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , ,
Sep
18
2008
1

Ooooo the excitement!!

Bearing in mind that Guernsey is not usually renowned for terribly exciting events, this accident right outside my parents house in the middle of the night was rather unusual. According to Mum the car ended up in their driveway entrance and whilst my Dad went out and donned a fluorescent jacket and played at being a traffic cop (or something) Mum watched the whole thing from the comfort of her bedroom window. Exciting things never happen when I am there though!

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