Time for Tea

Tuesday 6th October
Curry today!! John is officially jealous because we’re getting it twice this week. Man, it was nice!! And we had naan bread and extremely nice basmati rice. I have a very happy tummy as I’m writing this. Oh! And we get cannelloni for tea, so I’m going to have a very, very happy tummy tonight!!

I’ve noticed that I seem to be using a lot of exclamation marks lately, but what the hey! I’m enjoying myself!!

More walking through the OT, more actions, more craziness. Bought the review cards that Paul brought. There’s one for each book of the Bible with a picture on the front to represent the book and help you remember the key theme of its story, and then there’s blurb on the back to explain the major points. Some of the jokes in the pictures are BAD, but they’re so bad they make me giggle. Also bought a book that will (hopefully) help me understand the Bible more as we have to read it. It’s one of those books that will take you through the Bible in a year, but I’m starting January in October and backdating it to September so date-wise it’s not going to make any sense. Hopefully that’s the only area where it can be said.

Mark’s really making us think in his Introduction to the Bible series! All about the nature and character of God as revealed in the Bible. I’m not surprised we got into the nitty-gritty of theology the other day – he doesn’t half ask for it! He had to cut the second of his sessions short today because he was busy answering people’s questions. It’s very challenging stuff – and not just on an intellectual level.

I am officially gutted.

After the announcements the British Interactive Group had to meet with Bill (Resident Assistant who helped think up the un-auction). It turns out that they’re planning to have a Brit night where we have games and songs and all sorts of very British stuff going on as the evening’s activity. Guess when it is? Friday 16th. When I’ll be in Sicily. I HAVE TO MISS BRITISH NIGHT!!!

OK, that’s a bit disappointing, but I can get people to take pictures and tell me about it – and hope that we do another one in Spring School. Let’s face it: nothing short of the Second Coming would make me miss my brother’s wedding.

John, remind me again why you couldn’t move it up a couple of months? NB I am joking so please don’t take my moaning seriously.

We had cannelloni for tea as I mentioned. My only complaint is that there wasn’t nearly enough to make my tummy completely happy, but I still managed to get seconds so it was alright.

I managed to get started on my reading assignment. It’s a book called ‘Alive in Christ’ by Charles Price who used to be principal here. From what I’ve read so far it’s coming across as a combination of Transforming Friendship and Introduction to the Bible – so a pretty good book thus far. We’ve already had two Raiders of the Lost Ark references and a couple of jokes about his wife. Plus good teaching. I’ll write more when I’ve done my book report and have a more complete clue as to what’s going on.

Have to do my testimonies tomorrow. I think they’re due on Thursday. Still working on managing my time, hence the old last-minute routine. But they are officially on my mental to-do list for tomorrow.

Tea was really nice. Viv and Trevor live about 5 miles away in a lovely cottage. We had tea and scones with jam and cream on and just nattered. Viv led and kept the conversation going but it was just general chatting about each of us and she included everyone. Then Trevor came in and ate the last scone. He’s a funny chappy.

Viv told us that Spring School is vastly different to Winter School. The students tend to be older because working people can take eight weeks off work but not two terms. She also told us when people are likely to start becoming couples, but for the sake of Capernwray’s good name, I won’t dwell on that. Mum, stop panicking!

We had our last two sessions on Walk Through the Old Testament. I can now (supposedly, though it might be a bit sketchy in places) sign my way through the storyline of the Old Testament. The method pulls out 77 events in the timeline and we have actions to prompt a reminder. Paul took us through where everything else fits into the scheme of things as well which was handy – and he even taught us an easy way of remembering when and who each prophet was prophesying to. That method doesn’t include the order they’re in – I’ll have to read them for that.

Paul said something this evening that’s really been striking me in the last few days, though he put it into words tonight: we’re in an unreal position right now. This year we are living in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of people who want to read and talk about the Bible. As I’m writing this, a bunch of guys are talking about Genesis and I’ve heard and even had conversations in this last week and a bit about the Bible with random people who I still don’t know all that well. Next year, most of us won’t be in that position, so make the most out of it while we can.

Something similar struck me this evening: I saw the remnants of a really nice sunset on my way down to the conference hall and remembered the heavens declare the glory of the Lord, so I said thank You to Him for that bit of glory. A few minutes later I realised I’d forgotten a couple of things (typical!) so I went back to my room. On my way, I passed a bunch of people who were just looking at and admiring the sunset. I’m surrounded by like-minded people, roughly my own age for the first time in a long time, only now it’s 24/7.

THANK YOU GOD!!!!!