World Cup Fail...

Yesterday was a day I had been looking forward to for years. I remember the first time I read about the possibility of England bidding for the 2018 World Cup and immediately getting excited and imagining what it would be like to have the great show on earth in my country! The event that ever since I was 10 I read about with amazement and excitement. In the build up to France 1998 I remember the Observer gave away little books with all the results, news reports and squads in for ever world cup from 1970. And then there was all the talk of 1966 and all that... It inspired me, it excited me, it fascinated me. That's why, anyone who knows me will know I get a little bit too excited when the World Cup is on. But all along my one dream was to have it in England and be able to go and join the history in the making. But yesterday, the chance of me seeing that happening any time soon got taken away. Devastated, absolutely devastated.

This is all probably going to sound just like a moany Englishman, annoyed because once again it was our right to do something and it didn't happen, but it's not, there are genuine reasons why I'm annoyed by it. It's not just that we lost, but, how we only got two votes, one of which was Geoff Thompson, the English guy on the committee!

According to Fifa, England had the best technical bid, the most profitable bid and the best final presentation. So, basically, after looking at all the bids closely, they decided that the English bid was the best, we had the best stadiums, we would make the most money, amongst other things. So if this is the case, why go for the lowest ranked bid, Russia? And the same happened for 2022, they picked the highest risk bid, Qatar. I don't want to suggest anything that isn't true, but, these two bids happen to be the ones with the most financial backing behind it...

In the days leading up to it, apparently David Beckham, Prince William and David Cameron had 5 Fifa executives look in to their eyes and say they would vote for them, which would have been enough to get us through the first round, and from there anything could have happen as we may have become people's second choices. Why, oh why would people say that? Why would you get a whole nations hopes up, just to let it down. There are only 22 Fifa Executives who vote to decide where one of the greatest and biggest sporting event in the world goes, each one wields quite a bit of power, has it gone to their heads? Maybe. Maybe they should have more, so each vote doesn't quite count as much, that way colluding and bribes would be quite so effective. For the Olympics they have over 100 voters.

All this is fair enough, but what I am finding interesting is something the head of Fifa, Sepp Blatter said to the executives just before they voted. Blatter reminded them all about the "evils of the media". It doesn't take a genius to work out who that was aimed at. After all the controversy about the British media exposing Fifa, it was obvious that he did not want England to have the bid. Whether the media were right or wrong to expose what they did when they did is a different matter, but I think it was those words from Sepp Blatter that were fatal to the bid. It would have put last minute doubt in to the minds of anyone thinking of voting England.

This evening I heard rumours that only 3 of the 22 committee members actually read the bid book. What is the point in putting in a few years of hard work, and millions of pounds if people aren't even bothering to recognise it. The bid team did everything they could have to get it here, but it still didn't happen, so what does that say about how England is viewed within Fifa?

Fifa are taking a massive risk on these countries. With South Africa just gone, Brazil coming up in 2014 followed by Russia and Qatar they are having 4 massively risky World Cups in a row. That is another reason why I was sure they would play it safe with 2018, guarantee an easy tournament, and then expand again. For all Sepp Blatter is doing to expand the popularity of the game worldwide, he needs to make sure he doesn't forget those countries where football has long been something special.

Finally, it will also be interesting to see whether some Russian football fans will be able to keep in their racist side when the world comes to town? I wonder whether, if that was in England we would be ruled out straight away. Either way, if it is still around in Russia in 2018, it will be quite an embarrassment for Fifa as well as for the country. I hear there are a few issues with Qatar's bid as well, made I'll look in to them more one day.

All we can do now, is wish both countries good luck with the the tournaments, wait until the bidding for 2030 comes around and decide if it's even worth bidding.

In the meantime, I fully expect the British media to uncover some interesting information about Fifa, and I fully expect there to be a lot of pressure on Fifa to become more transparent and become accountable to someone.

Thanks again Mr Blatter for ruining my dream.

The end of season...

Arguably the greatest season in Formula One history has come to an end.Four drivers fighting until the end to become champion, all taking their turns to be ahead in the championship. Maybe patience was the best thing, because the champion didn't have his turn to lead the championship until the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi, the final race. Quite an amazing stat that Sebastien Vettel had never led a world championship before he actually won it. But, after becoming the youngest world champion history, just how good is he?

He won the championship, so he must have a fair amount of talent in him, and I'm not going to take that away from him, but my view is that he still has a long way to go to catch up with Hamilton and Alonso, the two most naturally talented drivers on the grid. All the top drivers made too many mistakes this season, which is one reason why it was so exciting. In the Red Bull though, Vettel and Webber had by far and away the best car on the grid. Taking an astonishing ten pole positions through the season is ridiculous, but it's also ridiculous how he had not taken the championship months ago. There were a lot of mechanical problems for the Red Bulls, there's not a lot you can do about that, but also some costly errors, from both drivers.

Vettel obviously has incredible speed, he showed that before he went to Red Bull as well, and once you are in pole there wasn't a lot other drivers could do, apart from hope that something went wrong with the Red Bull. Although, if Vettel either got a bad start or didn't get pole, this was where things went wrong, and this is where my issue with Vettel comes up. He can't overtake. Two memorable times in the season that showed this were against Webber in Turkey and against Button in Belgium. Time and time again though, he would be in the faster car and struggle to get past. He is young though, and I'm sure he will improve it, and he will need to. I can't see how he will be in a car that dominates the rest so much as he was this season for a long long time. I also can't see how the other top drivers will make as many uncharacteristic errors as they have done this season. All of that said though, Vettel got the most points throughout the season, so he deserved to win, well done to him.

Now lets bring on 2011, a season that has the potential to be even better than this. While the F-Duct is banned, Kers is back and adjustable rear wings to help overtaking come in. Mclaren, Red Bull and Ferrari will all be challenging, but so could Mercedes. After winning the championship as Brawn in 2009 before being taken over by Mercedes, they didn't have the ability to work on a new car while competing for the championship. This time they have had loads of time to start working on it!

I can't wait!

LIFE - and a half marathon

Wow, I have just realised it's been quite a while since I last blogged, so what better time to update you all on my life over the last two months then laying in bed after a nice long nights sleep.

What have I been doing? Well I went on an absolutely beautiful (despite the sick) family holiday in the Brecon Beacons with my family for my Mum and Dad's 40th wedding anniversary, before I came back to Cardiff for Uni.

I've been back about a month now, and have realised just how much work I have to do this year, but as long as I keep on top of it, I'll be fine, and hopefully end out with a first.

A couple of weeks ago I ran the New Forest Half Marathon, probably the single most painful and mentally draining experience of my life. Let's start with how the training went. It started terrible, and I actually thought I would have to just give up, especially after having to picked up after only running a mile of one run. Suddenly though it all clicked in to place, and I was easily running 6/7 miles, although I never really got more then that. Then I came back to Cardiff. Things started to go a bit downhill again. I decided to go on a nice long training run around the beautiful Roath Park. After four miles I was feeling pretty comfortable, until I started getting a slight pain in my leg. I just thought this was just a little pain that I would just be able to run off. It wasn't. I ran another 4 miles in quite a bit of pain, which stayed with me for a couple of days after the run.
This was a little bit worrying, but II rested for a week and then tried again, now with only a week to go before the big day. For some reason though, I had absolutely no energy and only managed to run 3 miles. 3 miles, a week before running 13.2 miles. I was slightly (very) disheartened, and really didn't think I could do it, especially considering I didn't run again the whole week before the run.

And now for the actual run. After a bit of a rush to the start line, I realised I hadn't done any stretches and had only eaten a bowl of Rice Crispies so far, as I had forgotten to get a banana and Mars Bar down me for some energy! All I could do now was quickly rush some stretches and wait for the gun. I started off fine, running with Nigel, my brother, before deciding to go a bit faster. One thing I was starting to realise was that this certainly was not a flat half marathon, great. Apart from nearly choking on my drink at the first drink stop, it was going well.Then I hit the 4 mile mark and things started to hurt, I got a stitch, and then the pain in my knee came back, even though I had giving it some support. I stopped for 30 seconds to stretch off and then got on it again. People say that you will hit a wall doing a half marathon. I was starting to realise that for me, this was't true. I was hitting barbed wire fences, and lots of them. I was determined to just carry on though, I thought Id just push through the pain, and it was working. I had my tracker on and it was telling me in my ear each mile, and my time. Each mile I was working out how long I will be before I finish. Before telling myself that I am never doing this again, ever. My dreams of doing a full marathon were shattered. Hitting ten miles and started to think that I could actually finish this. Even better, despite practically walking up some of the hills, I realised that my target of under 2 hours, which I had dismissed a few weeks back, was actually doable. Once 12 miles came along we were on flat ground and I sped up a bit, started over taking people again, somehow I just got more energy, all I wanted to do was stop running. As soon as I saw the finish, I started to sprint. Well, I thought it was sprinting, it felt like I was going as fast as Usain Bolt, but I was probably going as fast was the Queen. Then I crossed the line, 1 hour 55 minutes 41 seconds. I had done it, under two hours! But to me I hadn't finished the challenge yet...I collected my medal, it felt like I hadn't actually finished until I had found my family. After downing some squash I began frantically ringing them and couldn't get through. Finally I found them, sat down down and could honestly just have cried, I was struggling to keep it in. I was much more emotionally drained then I was physically at that moment. After scoffing anything that had the slightest bit of sugar I started feeling it the physical pain again. My knee was in agony, I was struggling to walk, for a few days. Then there was the chaffage, never, do a half marathon without talcing up! But, most of all I had done it, so had my brothers Terry and Nigel. A few days later, I realised, that despite all the pain, I quite enjoyed it and am thinking what half marathon I will do next. After all, I have the London 2012 Marathon to build up to. Maybe.

Le Tour De France

I am no cyclist,I'm too lazy for that, one day I might get in to it, although there has been several false dawns! I do love watching stuff in the Velodrome though and Le Tour De France.

Le Tour is probably the most underrated sporting event in the UK, I'm not quite why we don't get in to it as much as other country's, but what they do is so impressive, really pushing what is physically impossible.

A lot of you wont know much about it, so I will urge you to put ITV 4 on today from 2:30 and watch should be the deciding stage of this years race. It will be a battle between current leader Alberto Contador and second place Andy Schleck to the finish at the top of the 2114 metre Col Du Tourmalet, the end of a stage that has 3611 metres of climbing in total.

Impressive.

Watch it.

U2

U2 is all I've been able to listen to recently. It's been on my ipod for a couple of weeks now, so whenever I'm driving that's what's on. I did change it once, but after a couple of songs it went straight back to U2. On the plus side, it's their older stuff, genius. On the negative side, it's actually "The Best of 1980-1990". I know I know, I should actually have the proper albums, not just a best of, but I haven't! I think there is a reason why it is all I listening to though. Let me explain.

I'm going to be pretty honest so I hope that's ok. I've been struggling for the past few weeks, really struggling with my faith. God has just seemed so distant, I've had more questions now then I've ever had in my life, and to tell you the truth, this is the first time I'm actually admitting it publicly. Is God really there? For me he has just seemed so distant. How can he forgive me? What does my future hold? I'm frustrated. It's me not putting effort in though, I know it. I can see he is already doing stuff for me, but he is a relational God which means I have to put some effort in too. Normally if I'm not reading my bible enough I am just chatting to God throughout the day, but I'm not even doing that, I'm not in a good place.

It's singing along to some of Bono's searching lyrics that has helped me realise I'm not in a good spot. In "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" there is the line:

You broke the bonds
And you loosed the chains
Carried the cross
Of my shame
Oh my shame
You know I believe it

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

And that's the thing, deep down I do believe it. I just have to get back to that place of being close with God and striving to be closer. For non Christians who are wondering what I am on about, at the moment I feel like I've had an argument with you best friend, where you know you are in the wrong and being scared to approach them again because you think they might reject. Although I know God wont reject.

Anyway, that was deep.

Lovely chilled family gathering at my Grandma's last night. Strange how big these gatherings are getting now!

At the top of this post you will see a snazzy little logo I made today! I've also come up with an idea of trying to do a bit of freelance work myself if I can, audio producing etc. Even if I don't get any work from it, I think I am going to start a website and put some of my own work up as a portfolio, what's the worst that can happen?

Comment's on the logo would be appreciated!

And so would your prayer for general life too!

Thanks.

One year, four days.

One year, four days. That's how long I've had this blog! Unfortunately I've been terrible at actually writing it regularly, sorry about that. Although I'm not sure if many people actually read this, so I'm not sure who to be sorry to! To mark the anniversary I have redesigned the page, a bit more simplistic now. Hope you like it.

The picture above has no real use, I just thought I need something there. It's looking down from Pen Y Fan in the Brecon Beacons, an easy walk up to the top and a beautiful view, I'd recommend it! Actually, my family are going to the Brecon Beacon's in a couple of weeks for a family holiday to celebrate my parents 40th wedding anniversary! That's a long time. Hopefully I will get to walk up Pen Y Fan again.

I'm currently back in Petworth for the summer now, and after a couple of months doing exam invigilating at the local school I have nothing to do for a while! I have a few idea's as to how to pass the time:

1-Go on a team at New Wine next week. (If you are going let me know!)

2-Decorate my room at last.

3-Invent something.

4-Learn how to make Apps for Android.

5-Do nothing.

I'd love some help on making my decision, so let me know what you think!

This is a boring blog for you lot I've just realised, I'm not being very inspiring, I blame my back, it's hurting for no reason.

I'll write again soon.

I promise.

If I don't, tell me off.

Bye.

x

England and The World Cup

On Friday the greatest tournament in the world will start. The Football World Cup. I am excited, I am very excited, but am trying not to get too keen on England's chances, although this isn't to say I wont be supporting them like crazy in every match! Do we have a chance though? Let's have a look.

If England are to win, then surely Capello is the man to do it. His strict and authoritarian approach was much needed after the days of Steve Mclaren and Sven Goran Eriksson, he demands the players respect. Some of our players have not had the best of seasons, Gerrard and Terry being the two biggest, and most important examples. These two players are world class, players who can change games, and world class players tend to come good in the end. Gerrard has now got the added incentive of being the captain, the person who needs to lead the team and drive them forward, like he has done on so many occasions for Liverpool. (Remember Instanbul 05?)

How about some of the other "world class" players? Lampard has had one of his best seasons for Chelsea, scoring 27 goals, not bad for a midfielder. Rooney, of course, is widely regarded as being up there with the very best in the world, although there are concerns about his fitness after injuries near the end of the season. I prefer to look at the positive though, it means he will be fresher! Ashley is arguably the best left back in the world although some would say it's not even arguably. However much you dislike him as a man, you can't say he is not one amazing player, who despite a long time out injured for Chelsea, came back near the end of the season and began to get back to his best.

They are the players that would be classed as World Class, 5 of them, the number Alan Hansen one said you need to win a world cup, as long as they are all playing at their best. The other players need to be up to a good standard as well though. Starting with the goalkeeper. This is an area we have probably been getting a bit too much stick with. It would be great to have an obvious number one, but we don't. None of our goalkeepers are world class, in the way Buffon of Italy and Cassillas of Spain are, but they are still good keepers. David James is experienced, yet sometimes can be a bit erratic, although he is a brilliant shot stopper. Robert Green is also prone to the odd error, but on his day can be brilliant, although is a little less experienced. Joe Hart, on his form this season, is the best of the three I would argue, but his lack of international experience counts against him and is very likely to be the obvious number one for the 2012 Euro's. James played most of qualifying, so I imagine Capello will start with him as number one.

Ledley King looks set to start next to John Terry in defence, in place of the injured Rio Ferdinand and despite worries about this new partnership and Kings long term injury problems I saw a very interesting stat...England have lost none of the 13 games Terry and King have played together. This was a long time ago (2004 era), but if they can continue this then it would be good! If it wasn't for his injury problems, King would probably be considered on the same level, if not higher than Terry and Ferdinand, so I don't think we need to worry there. Capello has managed to convince Jamie Carragher to come out of international retirement to join the team, which is brilliant, someone who can cover all the defences positions, and do it well. It would surprise me if later on in the tournament against some stronger attacking teams he actually replaces club mate Johnson at right back. Johnson is brilliant at going forward, but his defending abilities are a little suspect.

Hopefully Barry will be fit in time for the Algeria game as he will give the team extra cover at the back, but I imagine Capello will start with Gerrard and Lampard in the centre on the games he is not available, with Joe Cole on the left and Lennon on the right. Joe Cole scraped in to the squad on his performances in the friendly's against Mexico and Japan and looks like he has returned to form at the right time, and could well be in the starting line up. He has been given the number and eleven in the squad and was the only player to player 90 minutes in today's match with the Platinum Stars,the final game before it gets serious.

Up front, I would love Rooney to play on his own, with Gerrard just behind, similar to the role he has with Torres and Liverpool, but realistically, it hasn't been tried at all, so it would be a big surprise if it did happen. The more likely option is Rooney and Heskey, with Crouch or Defoe coming on later on in the match. Heskey doesn't get many goals, but that isn't his role, he is there to hold up the ball for Rooney, who scores a lot more goals with Emile alongside. Crouch will then come on and get a goal himself, as always seems to happen.

I think the squad is there, although we haven't been convincing in the warm up matches, but nor have some of the other teams. (Portugal drew 0-0 with Cape Verde. France have only won 1 out of their last 5 matches.) There is a chance we can do it, although Brazil and Spain are obviously the favourites, but in a tournament, anything can happen. You can never write off Germany and Italy. The game against the USA will be the biggest challenge, but we should finish top of the group, which would then leave is with a probable match against Serbia, Ghana or Australia. Then comes the quarter finals, will the usual quarter final heartbreak occur? It looks like we may have a much easier game than we have in previous tournaments, possibly facing Mexico or the hosts South Africa. Then it starts to get tricky, with a possible game against the Netherlands or Brazil in the semi final, anything can happen then though.

Anything less than a semi final would be seen as a failure for the team. A team whose core players are facing possibly their last chance to really shine on the biggest stage. Gerrard, Terry, Lampard. This is your time to show the world what you can do.

Good luck boys, and for all the fans...

Believe.

"I don't like it, but I'll have to go along with it."

In my last post I said I would be writing loads of blogs as I had loads of work to do. I actually did the work, so have now finished my second year at uni. Good times. Sorry for not updating on here though.

A lot has happened in the world since I did write last. The most important probably being that we have a new Prime Minister.

I voted Lib Dem, I wanted anyone but the Conservatives to get in to power, but once the election had happened the only way it could have gone was with the Lib Dem's forming a coalition with the Conservatives. Whatever you think of it, it has happened now, we have to get behind the government, push them in to making the right choices that represent us and pray for them.

That is all for now.

Bye.

x

Driving me mad...

I was driving the other day, as you do, and I realised how stressed I get when I am driving. Then I thought some more. Then a bit more. I began to feel quite shocked. Why is it when we are driving we get so angry? Someone's driving 48mph everywhere, pulls out in front of you, just generally doesn't know how to drive. We go crazy, but why? Do we feel that when we are in a car we are somehow hidden from view, meaning it doesn't matter if we don't show love to people? As Christians, when we are driving we should still be loving towards people, even if we might be slightly annoyed with the way they are driving, there are ways to deal with it rather than getting angry with them, and showing it! Just because others might not see us...God does.

A short one for today, I am rather tired. The election has been called so I will probably be writing a few completely unbiased (or not) blogs about it, keep an eye out!

God Bless

x

My home town...

The view from my bedroom

I'm at home for Easter right now, it is lovely. My home town is a place called Petworth, a town of about 3000 people in West Sussex and I actually love the place. I honestly think it is one of the beautiful places I know. Before Uni, I had lived here my whole life, in the same house and before I went off to Cardiff I guess I had taken for granted how nice the place is. That is not to say Cardiff isn't beautiful, I love it there as well. Living somewhere your whole life does mean you begin to take it for granted, but moving around you begin to realise that there is beauty all around us, so thanks to God for giving us such a beautiful planet! But, back to Petworth, there is something about the place I just love, more then anywhere else I have ever been to. Those who know me, know I am very proud about the place and wont shut up about it, why I don't know!

Perhaps testament to Petworth's beauty is the fact it is now in the South Downs National Park, which official came in to being last week. It isn't just the beauty of the town that makes me love it though, it is everything about. It has it's issues, but where doesn't?

Anyway, enough of that, you are probably getting bored. If you get a chance to visit, do!

There was a nice bit on The One Show earlier about Street Pastors. Street Pastors are basically Christians who go into city centres on Friday and Saturday nights and just help people who are on nights out, whether by giving them flip flops, first aid or calming arguments. They did a few vox pops with some people on a night out and one really caught my ear. A guy said he was sceptical of the Street Pastors as he thought they probably have a hidden agenda. This made me a little bit sad actually, why does he think that Christians always do stuff with an agenda. The answer is actually quite simple, for too long Christians have been doing stuff with too much of an agenda. Sometimes all you need is to just show love to people, which, to their credit Street Pastors are doing. People know they are Christian, but they don't force it to people, all they do is help them, love them. So good on them, and I think we could all do with loving a bit more! Love Love Love Love Love - Remember it.

The End.

x

Another thing...

I have just remembered one trick I played myself...I told my friend that I had got a job at Radio One, she believed me straight away, and then when I asked her what the date was she didn't get it...awwww...sorry Kirsty. Hahaha

x

April Fools Day

It was April Fools Day today! I have no idea how this day started, but, I love the person who came up with it...a day just to highlight all the really gullible people in the world is brilliant. I thought I would share with you some of my favourite pranks I've seen!

This evening I have just found out the Sydney Morning Herald had an article that David Beckham was to be help out as a coach of the Australian national team for the World Cup...I giggled a bit, but it wasn't that high on my rating.

The award for effort has to go to Google though. They made an entire app for Android! The app translates what animals are saying! I don't know if any actually fell for it, but the effort was really there. Oh, and I downloaded it as soon as I heard about it!

My favourite I have seen today though is the Guardian's effort. An article on Labours new eletion strategy made me laugh. A lot. Complete with posters (see one above), the whole idea of it was genius. Who ever wrote it, I salute you.

If you saw some good ones, then let me know! Leave a link below!

I wrote about the campaign to get a Christian song to number for Easter the other day...I conformed. After thinking about it for a while I thought that we should go for it. Even if it's not number one, but if it sparks conversation and gets people talking about the Glory of God then that can't be bad? It is already happening, people joining the group who don't believe and arguing about. My only worry is that it wont be followed up. It needs to be! It must be! I don't quite know how, but this has to lead on, rather then just getting a song to number one, and that's it.

If you haven't already though, download Delirious's History Maker on Itunes, both the studio version and the live version! After being at number 3 all day, it has dropped behind Lady Gaga again and now sits at number 4! But remember, it is not about us, it isn't about the guy who started the campaign, it's not about Delirious, it's not about History Maker, but it IS about God.

Oh. One last thing. It's my Grandma's birthday tomorrow...89! WOW! I don't think she has ever used a computer in her life, but I will say Happy Birthday to her on here anyway! Love you Grandma!!!

Love.

x

Do people actually pray?

I am worried. Very very worried. Wayne Rooney limped off Man U's match against Bayern Munich last night. He is having a scan today to see how bad it is, but it could mean the end of England's World Cup hopes if it is serious. It sounds sad, but it has got me a little bit worried. Then I read the article on the BBC site about it. In it, it talks about today's back pages and headlines. "England's Worst Nightmare", "Get Well Soon" and one final one that really caught my eye - "PRAY". A bit below that is a quite from the 606 message board saying "I pray the Rooney is going to be ok - for England's sake".

It got me thinking, when people say this, are they actually Christians praying? Or do they not really know what to believe but are clinging on to this hope of something, or are they just saying it and not actually praying? Not only with that, but the word pray is used so much, not just in sport, but film, TV, music and just general life.

If they are actually praying about it, then that is great surely? Whatever it is they are praying about, because if they are praying then there must be some sort of belief in them, no matter how hidden it is. It must be there. It might just be them saying it with out meaning anything, but if it isn't then surely we need to follow it up, but how? Do we pray with them? Invite them to stuff? Just chat through stuff with them?

I don't actually know myself, if you have any thoughts on it then please leave a comment below, it would be helpful! As with any of my posts, feel free to leave a comment :-)

That is all.

Reu

x

Oh...

Just thought I would add that the song is at Number 1 and Number 3 on the Amazon chart and 21 on itunes.

I have a lot of work to do...

I am home for Easter, and it is nice! I love Petworth, beautiful place. The main problem is I am concerned with how much time I will actually have to do stuff other than work!

45 page script, a widget, 2 essays and a TV show to record. All things to do before my exams on the 5th May, not to mention finding time to revise. It is all fine, except my script. I am dreadful at coming up with stories, well, good stories, and making it last 45 pages! But at 11:30 on the 5th May I would have finished for the Summer. Exciting.

What is even more exciting is that this week I may well have realised what I want to do within Radio. News! After having a News day this week, where we were a news team for a day creating bulletins all day, and loving, I have decided it was something I want to look in to! Where do I go from here? I have no idea. Finish uni, get some experience in the summer hopefully, take a year off and try and get a job, if that doesn't work then maybe I will do a Masters in Journalism...we shall see.

I will push the door and see what happens. Not forgetting to pray about it. Lots.

Enough of that. It's making me loose concentration with this script I need to write.

My friend Jordan has started a blog, it's good and he updates it more then me. You should read it!

I'll leave it at that for now as I don't have anything interesting to say.

Actually, I do.

There is a campaign to get a song by one of my favourite bands to number one for Easter this week. Not just any old song, my Baptism song (The song I chose to be played when I got baptised) So it means a lot. You would think I would be all for it. I am unsure though.

The song is History Maker, by Delirious. The band have split up now, and all profits will be going to charity. The campaign organisers want to reclaim the charts for Jesus this Easter. Fair enough. But isn't it kind of forcing it on people. Why not just spend the time telling your friends about God and how he loves them. Not just buying a song. I wish it well, and it would be good if it got to number one, but I am not sure I will be buying it (The fact I have about 5 copies of the song already might have something to do with it!) . I do think there are better ways of showing the amazing love and grace of Jesus.

Oh, and this is nothing against Delirious, as I said they are one of my favourite bands. It is nothing against the people involved in the campaign. It is just my view.

That is all.

Peace

x

Peace out.

Almost hypocritical?

Before I start this post you will need to read this article from the BBC website about an incident in Glasgow.

I read that this morning and, being involved with Tequila Radio at my uni I just thought how stupid they were...then I thought about it a bit longer and realised that they are still stupid, but...what role did the uni have in it?

University's are always giving advice to people about drinking, not to binge drink, stay safe, things like that. They have to, makes it look good for the parents. But actually, do they really mean it? If they did why would they have "drink the bar dry events" at the union, why make drinks at the union so ridiculously cheap if you don't want people to binge drink. I know its all about competition, and other places do it, so they need to to get business, but surely they should be trying to set an example, not saying one thing and doing another. At Cardiff University there is an event called "The Lash". What's that about? The name just says it all really doesn't it!

I'm not against drinking at all, and I sometimes get sucked in by it all, but that doesn't mean the whole culture is right and surely the University's and Student Unions should be doing something productive about it rather than going back on their words.

Rant Over.

Will post again soon.

x

That little high...

Alcohol, drugs, sex. It's everywhere you look. "Wear this and you will pull" the adverts say. Everything makes getting wasted every night look like the right thing to do. Then there is the drugs...a lot of people don't see it, but it is there. Apparently Cocaine use in the UK has increased five-fold among 16 to 59-year-olds in the past 12 years.

I've been thinking about what the worlds fascination with those things are so much since I started uni. Growing up in a nice middle class family, in a posh little town in West Sussex meant I didn't see it quite as much as some people. I saw it, obviously, and I knew it was there. But when I came to Uni, WHAM. Hits you right in the face. People going out most nights, drinking so much they can't remember a thing.

"I was so drunk last night!"

"Did you Pull that guy?"

"When are we next out? I am going to get wasted!"

That's how the conversations go. Before I get right in to this, I should probably say, this isn't pointing the finger, having a go at anyone in particular, it's something that is going on in the world, and I want to try to understand why. I get sucked in to it myself sometimes, it's easy to do when you are surrounded by it.

To me it seems like people are just looking for some kind of high, a little moment of pleasure. That's what they give you. With alcohol, you are on a high for a couple of hours, but then low, feeling crap for a day, slowly tearing your body apart. Yet people cling on to the two hour high.

What if there is something that could give you a constant high? Not just a constant high, but a high that is better than any drug could give you? An eternity of pleasure? A love like no human could give you?

Guess what...

There is!

The love that Jesus gives you. It's all you need. I forget it sometimes, but it is so true. When I come back to that I feel a trillion times better than I could ever feel with a few drinks in me!

2 Thessalonians 2 v16-17 says "Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you."

Spread the word.

Love :-)

Good weekend...

Alri!

Went to the Woody weekend away over the weekend (obviously). Was such a lovely time, went to Cefn Lea, which is like, mid Wales, amazing place, surrounded by snow capped hills. Great to just spend some time learning more about God, worshipping Him and just getting to know the Woody lot more! We heard some amazing stories of what God has done and is doing as well!

I have come back very tired, but psyched up and excited about what God has planned for me, for Woodville Baptist Church and for Cardiff. I realised I need to get stuck in to the Church a lot more as I come up to my final year in Cardiff.

Trevolution tonight was a good one, I thought anyway. Last minute we did a quiz as we didn't have enough staff to open the whole place. I am just longing for some of those guys to come to know God though, and they will, I am sure.

Gonna leave it at that I think...

One more quick thing though...horrible what happened to Aaron Ramsey, let's hope he will play again at the same level, but seriously, some people need to give Ryan Shawcross (the guy who made the takle) a break. It was a bad tackle yeah, but it was no way malicious and it was a mistake, they happen from time to time. Let's hope Aaron will set and example and forgive him, football could do with someone doing that at the moment...

Right that's it, I shall write again soon hopefuly :-)

remember... In the times that you call out to the Lord wholeheartedly he will listen.

God bless

Reu

x

I will blog again

So, today I had a seminar about blogging. I stopped writing this because I thought no one read...but apparantly Lewis does, so hi Lewis if you are reading this. I am off to Cefn Lea for my church weekend away in about 10 minutes so this is going to be a very short one, but when I come back I will try my hardest to become a proper blogger! I am very much looking forward to the weekend, hopefully I will come back fired up for God again.

Anyway...I am going to leave you with something I wrote on Myspace years ago about my views on sex before marriage, it is a bit rough around the edges, but enjoy it!

God Bless

Reu

"Right, so many of you always ask me and wonder why i believe in the whole no sex before marraige thing, soooo i thought i would just write this just to explain it all, so hope you enjoy reading it...haha

By the way, I just want to make clear right now, that this is MY view, and disagree if you like, its my opinion so dont think that im having a go at you or im just saying that your completley wrong with what you think!

Ok so, obviously i'm a christian, cos i dont know many none christians who believe this haha, and my faith is so important to me, i want to grow in it, get to know god more, and let it shape who i am, and how people view me, God has a plan for me, and i want to follow that plan.

In the Bible it clearly says not to have sex before marraige, what ever way you look at it, it says that, and whatever you may say about the bible being written ages ago, and now it should be interperated differently and its ok, is wrong, because, a J John once said, 'If the bible says don't do it, DON'T DO IT', theres no if, but, what, maybe about it, it says no, so theres the first reason why i believe this.
Something i have always wondered, and i have learnt throughout life, (haha all my 19 years haha) is why the Bible says this and why god wants us to wait. It's not just becuase hes being mean, there are reasons behind it. In my view, sex is something so special, its the closest you can ever be to someone, and i want to get the closest i can ever get to someone, with my wife, i want her to be the only person i have ever got that close to, because she is the one God's plan has drawn me to. I dont want to share this with any other person then the person im going to spend the rest of my life with.
You may now be thinking 'what if your going out with someone, dont u want to show them you love them?' or 'you think your going to get married, then why cant you just do it?' The answer is, yes i do want to show them i love them, but, if you arent certain at that very time you are going to marry them why do it, there are other ways you can show your love, before you build up to the final steps of marriage, then sex, and having kids - some of the greatest things God has given us!! And if your going to get married, then the simple answer is why not jsut wait, it shows that you love each other more and respect it each other if you are willing to wait!!! its as simple as that.
I hope you are understanding this and im not talking crap haha.
I think a lot of non christians think that christians are 'against sex' , which is completely UNTRUE, i mean theres a whole book in the bible about it! and for me and others i know, we can't wait, but we have chosen to, to help build our faith. I know i probably just sound boring but i really cant wait, and i have been tempted and i really cant wait. i think i have gone further then i would of liked, but i have learnt from that. I do find it hard, but there are ways that i try and keep myself from this. so if your a chrstian, these may help if you are really struggling!! i basically try and stand as far away from the cliff as possible (the cliff is sex haha). so, for me, thats not going out with a non christian, becuase i know i would be tempted, and just the little things, making sure your not alone with a girl for to long, not sleeping int he same bed or something, because all these situations would tempt me maybe, so i try to steer clear of that.
I cant think theres much more to say, but just a few things to finish...
Whether Christian or Non Christian, God loves you, he sent his son, jesus to die for YOU, and whatever you may have done, how ever bad it may seem, all you have to do is say a little prayer and you will be forgiven. so if you have had sex and maybe now are confused, or u did it once and think now you have done that you may aswell carry on, but thats not the case!so, yeah thats it, but please dont be afraid to ask me any questions you like!!!!!! and don't forget this is my view, you are entitled to your own opinion!!

God Bless

reu
xxx"