My 39th birthday - Ward Thomas in concert in Cardiff

In January I got some health news that I wasn't expecting and the medical staff were a bit concerned about how bad it could be because I was "on the cusp of being young." Yeah, baby! Still on the cusp! It was the best bit of news I got during the whole encounter.

But anyway, I'm definitely on the cusp now as I turned 39 yesterday. I had a great day overall (more details on that soon) and to top it off I went to see Ward Thomas play The Globe in Cardiff.

This was a great combination of my favourite music venue in Cardiff and one of my favourite bands at the moment. I first heard Ward Thomas' single 'Push for the Stride' on Radio 2 last year (forget what I said about being on the cusp of being young; yes, I quite like Radio 2), came home and listened to it several times on YouTube. I bought the album when it came out. And I was very excited last December to find they were playing in Cardiff on my birthday. We booked the tickets straight away.

I also persuaded a motley crew of friends to come with me, but they aren't in this photo of me with Ward Thomas that I got after the show!

They were really lovely to talk to. It's always nice when people you admire turn out to be nice people. It was the last show in the tour, they'd just played a great set, they had talked to a huge queue of people, but they couldn't have been more genuine or friendly.

Thank you Ward Thomas, you made the last birthday of my thirties really memorable.

Gower traffic jam confirms stereotype of Wales

I was on a youth weekend on the Gower this weekend. We had a great time, although I ache pretty much everywhere.

We also got a bit held up on the way home.

Mid-October Mayhem

I seem to be too busy to blog of late, so here are some random bits and bobs to keep however many people click on here regularly to see what is going on in my life in the loop:

Work
Crazy busy driving round Wales filming brilliant people doing a brilliant job improving healthcare and saving lives. Had a day-trip to Wrexham the other day, which involved 8 hours driving and a fatality. A suicidal pheasant added itself to my roadkill tally and managed to rip a bit of the bumper off The Tank for good measure.

My favourite quote from filming so far was the person who said they had been on "a real learning kerb". (Don't hit that too fast.)

Church
Cathy got baptised at the end of September, after 20+ years of waiting. When she read me the first draft of her testimony she made me cry. Friends and family turned out to see her get dipped, and make it a real special moment for us.

I've been co-opted onto the youth co-ordinating team thing and also taken on responsibility for Soul Mr, the once-a-month boy's night. It's fun, but we are in a period of adjustment as our new youth leader in training settles in.

Back in August, I did a Sunday morning talk ('sermon', if you want to get old school about these things). You can read it here. It was my first talk of that kind for over 5 years.

Family
We survived a week with the family in Herefordshire. Some pictures will make their way on here soon, including my cute little niece, Joy, who is in the grabbing-your-thumb-and-not-letting-go stage of adorability. Given the location, I didn't buy too much cider (although how much is too much?)

Freelance theology
I haven't had much chance to write for this project for a few years, but I have been buoyed by having my first ever donation off the site in the last couple of days. Someone likes it. (More importantly, someone reads it!)

I have had some good sessions on UCB Radio on the back of it. The most recent one was last Friday. I may be doing some more 'slots' for them in future. I've also recorded some stuff for them for future broadcast about the possible existence of aliens, because apparently I'm the guy to talk to about stuff like that.

Model railway
I liberated some of my Dad's old model railway gear last weekend. Will post some pictures soon, because I know how much you all love them!

Most recent film
Cowboys versus Aliens - fairly daft, but enjoyable. 6.5/10

Currently reading
'Franny and Zooey' by JD Salinger. I'm on a bit of a Salinger kick at the moment. I've recently finished his collection of short stories, 'For Esme with Love and Squalor'. One of the stories made me laugh so loud Cathy arched her eyebrows at me.

What's on this week?
More filming and editing in work and lots of plans outside. Going to see Bowling for Soup on Thursday, baby-sitting Friday, model railway exhibition on Saturday and ice hockey in the evening, leading youth on Sunday morning (need to prep for that - aagh!), visiting relatives in the afternoon (possibly). All good stuff.

City boys and stars

I've been on a youth weekend this past weekend with some kids from quite deprived backgrounds. The way they see things can be quite illuminating. There's a lack of basic life experience that you become aware of at unexpected times.

(We have kids from rather well-off backgrounds too, but that's a different challenge.)

On the first night out on the Gower peninsular we took them on a blindfolded 'trust walk' into the dunes, then on top of the highest dunes told them to take off their blindfolds and look up. The starshow was specatacular - one of the clearest nights I've ever seen in Britain. It was wondrous.

One of the kids, though, turned to the leaders and said: "Those can't all be stars. There are too many of them."

Runnin' with the Devils

People of a certain age and musical preference will get that title.

I have been to see the Cardiff Devils play for the last two weekends and have seen them win twice. Obviously a lucky mascot for them. Although they already have their own mascot, Lucy Fur.

Last night my friend Bryan was there with his wife, Elaine, and two of their friends. It was reportedly Elaine's first live sporting event of any kind. In the first period Bryan got hit by a puck (shoulder injury, probably not as bad as he made out, the wimp), and then in the second period, the group won the 'Domino's hot seat' competition and got a free pizza.

I, meanwhile, had a rather uneventful time at both games, although as ever I had fun introducing people to the drama and chaos that is ice hockey. I went to the one the previous weekend with Cathy and her uncle and aunt, who both thoroughly enjoyed it and want to come back with Cathy's cousin at some point. Last night we were with the Glenwood Youth for Soul Mister, and we had some kids who hadn't been before.

It's rewarding introducing people to new experiences. Especially when your team win.

The hesitant herpetologist

At a youth planning meeting last night I had the following exchange with Emma, who was suggesting ways of persuading people to grasp our vision.

Emma: "You probably think I'm being manipulative..."

Me: "No, I think you're being wise... like a serpent." (Spot the Bible reference!)

Emma: "Are you calling me a serpent?"

Me: "Well, you know what they say - if the boot fits... well, then you're probably not a serpent."

Hmm, should have thought that last bit through really.

Ask a theologian

Had a (small) older youth cell group tonight which was 'ask a theologian (i.e. me) any question you want'.

The questions (in no particular order):
Should we believe in aliens?
Should I go out drinking with my mates?
What is a 'doctrine'?
What about the dinosaurs?
What about the stuff Jesus said about adultery and divorce?
Why is the Old Testament about Israel and the Israelites?
How literally should we believe the Bible?
Should you be baptised before you take communion (because in another church they won't let you take communion unless you've been baptised)?
Why did people live to ridiculously old ages in the Bible?

Afterwards the general consensus was 'this was good - let's do it again'.

Stuck on Jesus

Place: Youth meeting
Time: Sunday morning


[leader:] So how can we keep Jesus in the centre of our life?

[kid (Huw):] Gaffer tape?

The debate around flirt to convert

Had a convo last night at the 'youth in a cafe thing' about whether it was okay for me to chat up, er, I mean 'witness', to the hot waitress and ask her about her cool neck tattoo. One person said, 'Should we tell your wife'. I was like, 'Yeah, she would laugh and gleefully watch me crash and burn...'*

But anyhow, I didn't, because there is always that thing of if you talk to someone they might get the wrong idea. And then today I discovered this blog post about witnessing that looks like hitting on people. The comments are as funny as the original post.

I particularly like the acronym S.T.U.D. - Salvation Through Unbiblical Dating. Quality.

*I was like, so, offended that they thought I meant it... that I started using 'like' instead of 'said'!

All because the lady loves... a generation gap

A couple of weeks ago it was the youth Christmas fancy dress party. I could have gone as a cowardly lion, but to be honest the thought of putting on that suit again so soon made me shudder.

So we raided the wardrobe. Cathy had a black polo neck jumper she'd bought in a sale at Next. I still have the black jacket from my wedding suit (and it still fits, amazingly). A pair of black trousers, gloves, and shoes, and a black scarf later and I was almost there. All I needed was the requisite box of chocolates and I was the Milk Tray Man

I should explain who the Milk Tray Man was in case you don't know, but frankly I'm not responsible for your cultural ignorance. Besides you can always click on the handy link I've provided.

The reactions I got to my amazing costume were two-fold. From the other leaders it was "You're the Milk Tray Man? That's awesome!" And from the kids it was "You're who?" "The Milk Tray Man." "The Milk Tray... who? What did he do?"

The thing is when I started to explain it they were even more mystified. "So, he used to ski down a mountain, break into a lady's bedroom and leave a box of chcolates by her bed? He sounds like a stalker." Well, yes, when you put it like that...

Anyway, I stand by my costume choice and I'm sure you'll agree I look very suave.

Er, except when I'm trying to be!

"You said you didn't give a ---- about hockey..."

That's a line from a Tragically Hip song, but actually I quite like Ice Hockey. We've started doing separate boys and girls activities on Sunday nights once a month and yesterday t'was a boy's night so we took them to see Cardiff Devils versus league leaders Belfast Giants. (Prompting complaints from some of the girls who really wanted to come too!)

There were three of us (notionally) responsible adults and 23 kids. My philosophy was simple - they could go off and eat as much candy as they could get out of the candy machines, and drink whatever gruesome slush drinks they wanted and, as long as they didn't tell their parents how much sugar they'd had, I wouldn't either. But most of them were very happy to sit and watch the game instead of hunting for snacks.

It helped that the game was a real humdinger. With just one minute on the clock Cardiff scored a beautiful goal, upsetting the form book, and meaning the Giants had to come out and play. Before the end of the first period both teams had had a player sent off for fighting and Belfast had equalised. At the end of the second period it was 3-3, the Devils twice coming from behind.

The scores were still 3-3 at full time, so they went into sudden-death overtime, then to a penalty shoot out, then to sudden-death in the penalty shoot-out. Eventually the Giants edged it, scoring their penalty and Cardiff missing theirs. But in Hockey you get a point for losing in overtime, which is 1 more point than Victoria, the ardent Devils fan I work with, had predicted the Devils would get.

Then we had to leg it out as parents were waiting outside. But it was a great night. We even got our group photo taken with the club mascot Lucy Fur, a giant cuddly devil. That's one for the rolling PowerPoint on a Sunday morning, methinks. I also got to try a pizza cone - think of a pizza base cooked into a cone and then filled with pizza topping. Fun to try once, but not recommended, mainly because you end up having to bite through the cone into red hot cheesy filling.

I think the kids enjoyed it. The best quote of the night was the lad sitting directly behind me who said, in all seriousness: "I don't think I'd like to play Ice Hockey. It seems very violent."

I quite agree. But it's a helluva game to watch and if we can swing it next term, we may very well be back!

Soul Survivor

It was very wet a couple of days and very muddy the rest. Trying to sleep in a tent with what sounds like a power shower drumming on canvas just above your head is nigh on impossible. But I survived.

Some highlights

• Feeling really reconnected with God, especially through the worship times.
• The kids from our group going forward at the request of the platform to pray for random people they didn't know, and realising we are coaching fearless young people
  
• Hearing one lad play the worship song he wrote after coming on our youth weekend away back in June
• The challenge to love the church - God says "Love me; love my kids"
• A seminar on lust/pornography which was probably the best talk I've ever heard on keeping your thought-life pure
• Watching over 600 kids stream forward to commit their lives to Jesus during the week
• Despite the rain and the wind and the cold and the mud and the boggin' toilets/showers, at the end of the five days almost all the kids seemed sad to be going home... and I kind of did too (although it was nice to get home to my lovely wife and civilised living)
  

Jetlag Bloglag

Regular visitors to this blog will realise I've been backdating posts since I came back, but that's all stopped now. I have loads more to write about Utah and several photos I'd like to stick up, but I'll do that as time goes on.

We flew back on the Saturday, landed on the Sunday and I was back in work on Monday. I didn't feel the jetlag too bad this time, possibly because I was thrown straight back into a normalish routine.

I spent most of last week prepping desperately for the imminent youth weekend away in Pembroke. The sun came out on Saturday when we were all on the beach and I managed to get burnt on the back of my legs (ow!). It seems a bit stupid that after two weeks in nonstop sunshine, including several days out in the desert, I managed to get sunburned on a beach in Wales. Cathy says it's because she wasn't there to look after me, so it's all her fault really...

What have you become?

I did a 'relationships' talk with the youth tonight. As I prepped for it, Cath asked me "What have you become?"

On that note, is it a bad sign when your fellow leader spends most of your talk holding her head in her hands?

Son of Rambow

I didn't choose to go to this. It was a youth outing from church. However, this British film is worth a look. There's plenty of stuff to make you laugh and, if you're of a certain age, a nice re-creation of early 80s Britain, including a Corona Lemonade stand in the supermarket. Now, whatever happened to Corona Lemonade?

The basic plot is two outsiders - Will, a Plymouth Brethren kid who isn't allowed to watch TV documentaries in class, and Lee, a troublemaker who gets kicked out of class regularly - meet in the school hallways while everyone else is in class. After watching a pirated copy of Rambo, they team up to make a film, and things get messy from thereon.

I really liked this film. The two kids who play the lead roles are very good. There is an hilarious incident with a flying dog attached to a stunt kite. And there are plenty of throwaway jokes. The opening lines of the documentaries Will has to sit outside for start with lines like "Fire is man's greatest friend... but also his greatest foe!" followed by screams, or "The wheel is man's greatest invention... and also his most deadly!" followed by screeching tyres and screams.

There's a nostalgia too, for a simpler time, when kids could go running off into the woods, set up stunts and make a movie. One kid says how he always wanted a watch. Okay, some of that nostalgia is idealistic. The early 80s I actually lived through weren't so great. There was plenty of fear around and generally the mood was nihilistic.

But still, this is an authentic-feeling feel-good movie. I liked it and I'd watch it again.

Jongudmund's rating: 7.5/10

Paintballing

I took the day off work today to go paintballing with the youth. T'was tremendous fun. And as I said to some of my fellow group leaders, the way things are at work at the moment, spending a day running round in the mud being shot at, is far more preferable to being in work.

I have to admit before I went I was a bit worried I'd be the de facto target for the games. But in reality when you're in the games you spend so much time scrambling for cover you can't really pick any one person out. Plus I'd let it be known I would operate along the same lines as Imperial Rome and dish out a disproportionate response to anyone who shot me - namely a severe case of revenge shooting. (Of course Imperial Rome would just crucify the whole village, but the principle of disproportionate response was the same)

I even managed to avoid getting any major bruises. The only one I have got is conveniently on my forearm, so I can show it off tomorrow and bask in the kudos of putting my life on the line "for the kids." Oh, yeah.

Immature clown

Thanks to Connor "I hate nature!" K, the whole world can now see me reveling in visual humour of the most mature kind.

And no, I haven't grown an Afro. It's a wig, before you start...

Tired but happy

Yeah, I'm a good role model, me. A weekend away with the youth in deepest darkest Herefordshire resulted in some aches (particularly in my dodgy ankle), some pains, and more nettle stings than I've had in years. But, oh, we had fun.

Three things I'll remember...

1 ~ Chucking glow-sticks into trees to see if we could get them stuck up there (some did!)
2 ~ Trying to 'pee my name' on the embers of a fire. I managed a J, before my efforts turned into a splodge (but doing this is a nice way to warm your nethers on a cold, cold night).
3 ~ A lad called Connor who wasn't used to wide games in woods telling me "I hate nature!"

I didn't get much sleep and I was totally bush-whacked when I got home yesterday, but after a weekend like that I really didn't fancy going back to work. Who would?

Respect!!

I chose to do a talk with the youth today on the topic of names. As part of my research I looked up what my name meant on various websites. Obviously I knew the gist: Hebrew, root meaning 'God has given', etc.

I don't think the kids could have been less interested, until I told them that 'Jonathan' in American street-slang apparently means 'bad ass'. So now if anyone asks me what my name means, I'm going to say "'Bad Ass!' You dig?"

Yeah, I feel like Samuel L Jackson.

Lordy, I'm old

I helped out with the Sunday evening youth club last night - playing hockey and stuff. Today I've been aching in my knees, thighs, back and even my butt!

One of the kids told me not to over-exert myself, what with being old and unfit. I'd have slapped him if I'd had the strength (and the breath to get enough oxygen to my muscles).