the weather

Yesterday things all got a bit mad. The weather in Sheffield, and the surrounding area, was horrendous. Unfortunately, three people died as a result of the weather. Two of these deaths occurred in Sheffield, one of which was in our local park.

I didn't know the lad who died. He lived in another part of the city, went to school in another part of the city, but was passing through my area on his way home from school. When I heard on the news that an incident had happened in the area, and that a young person was involved, my mind started racing. I started picturing the many young people who come to our youth club. I went down to Millhouses Park and spoke to one of the policemen there.

Although I discovered it wasn't one of the young people I know, some youth worker friends of mine do a lot of work in the school where he was a pupil. Please pray for them and for the school, and of course for the friends and family of Ryan Parry, the boy who died aged 14.

It's all just a bit weird. I know that people die across the world every day, and I know that young people die across this country every day. But to have it happen so close to home, in a place where so many people go to have fun, where I go to have fun, it's quite a shock.

Elsewhere in Sheffield there has been lots of flooding, homes and businesses ruined, people left stranded, without electricity etc etc. At the moment there's still the potential of a reservoir breaking through a dam and flooding over villages and the M1.

and once again....

....it's been nearly a month since I last posted on here. This is becoming something of a habit. Sorry.

I'm not tempted to give up this blog altogether, cos although I'm not massively motivated at the moment, I think I could be again in future. I know that in the past the blogosphere has been a source of inspiration, comfort and community to me, and I think it can be again.

Life just seems so manic at the moment, I just feel so busy. Partly cos I am busy. I was doing a prayer exercise on Sunday with some of the older young people I work with, and as I thought about where I'm at, and what I need at the moment, I was aware how much I need time and space to rest, reflect and to be me.

Thankfully, the other week I booked to go to Taize again. I'm not yet sure if I'll go for one week or two. Two would be bliss, and I'd be tempted to do another week in silence. But we'll have to wait and see.

This weekend at church is our 'Arts Festival'. I'm helping lead an all age art workshop kinda thing all day Saturday. This morning, and a v creative lady from church were constructing the basic erm, structure, or a corporate sculpture kind of thing we're gonna do. It's on the theme of letting our light shine out, as the Body of Christ, acknowledging the different people we are, but recognising the beauty that comes in that difference. It's gonna be a big dome shaped lantern kind of thing, (Yes I'm using 'kind of' a lot, but that's cos its all still in the process of coming together.....) to which anyone and everyone can stick different coloured tissue paper. Underneath we'll put some source of light (candles may yet prove too much of a fire risk). I'll try and remember to put some pictures up in due course.

Right, that's about enough for now methinks.

Who knows, I might even blog again soon.......