Categories: uncategorized
Date: 26 February 2007 20:55:51
First of all, thanks to all the kindly people who've been in touch with myself and/or Auntie Doris in the last week. I've really appreciated the kind words of "real life" and online friends in the last few days.
So what now? That's what I've been asking myself ever since I got back from Guernsey on Saturday. You may recall that I was planning to up sticks down to AD's neck of the woods, and as you can probably imagine that's not my top priority any more. But I still feel like my time in Birmingham is starting to wind down, and I now need to work out what's next; where am I going, what am I doing, who am I, what do I want to do with my life - y'know, just those little inconsequential questions...
But reread that last sentence and see if you can spot where I've gone wrong. As soon as I wrote it I noticed it, but I thought I'd leave it there to illustrate the point. It's the bit that says, "I need to work out..." Do I? In a manner of speaking, I suppose I do - but I think more to the point, I need to give it to God and ask Him to show me. God can work it out; when I try to work things out for myself without involving Him, it all tends to go a bit Pete Tong.
So at church last night I was asking God what I should do, and still trying to sort out my feelings over the break-up (even when you know it's the right thing, it can still be tough sometimes), and two great things happened. First, a mate of mine (who I'd blogged about a couple of months back, referring to him as "Crazy Ian" for anonymity reasons) came over to say hello, as we hadn't caught up properly since the start of the year. As we got talking, we realised we're both in a similar position at the moment - we're both not sure what our longer term plan is, what we're going to be doing in a few months' time etc, and we're both finding the current direction our church is heading in, while entirely right and scripturally sound, is something we find difficult to get enthused about. So we're going to the pub tomorrow to discuss it further (this in itself will be a treat, I can't remember the last time I went to the pub).
The other thing was another friend who said some wise things about coming to terms with difficult times, and was just lovely and understanding and encouraging. And I felt much better as a result.
So that's the goings (as in "Lord, where on earth am I going?"), now to the coming. After a couple of months with an empty room in our house, we were told last night that a new person who had come to look at the room last week, was going to be moving in today. Short notice, I know, but not really a problem for us. Our new housemate arrived a couple of hours ago, and brings yet another nationality into our humble abode. In the three-and-a-bit years I've lived here, alongside several English folks (and one Scot) we've had housemates from France, Congo and Estonia, and now alongside a Belgian we have a German here as well. Honestly, it's like the United Nations round here. Anyway, I reckon she's going to fit in with the general madness quite well. I've been quite fortunate really, I'm pleased to say I haven't had a nightmare housemate yet (unlike some of my friends in similar house shares). And that's all the more impressive, when you consider that the new housemate is the 13th - count 'em! - person to have the "pleasure" of sharing this house with me.
But enough about me... How are you doing?