Archives For life

Introducing “The Dads Corner”

ThatAndy —  March 26, 2012 — 1 Comment

Well…

In approx 6 months time, Team Church Sofa will increase by one. Not sure how much posting the little one will do straight away, but I’m planning on using the baby to give me access to other possibly darker parts of the church.

You know the ones; places like the creche, toddlers groups, and the black space that exists between parents who’ve had no sleep… yet seem to pay attention during the sermon…

So. We’re kicking off our new weekly* feature known as “The Dads Corner”, with a simple question.

  • If you’re a Dad. What was the most stupid thing you did when your wife / partner / better half was pregnant?
  • If you’re a Mum. What was the most stupid thing the dad to be did?
  • If you’re neither, then what was the most stupid thing you’ve ever seen anyone do around a pregnant woman?

If you’re feeling brave, feel free to check out The Gonna Be Dad Blog

 

* Might be weekly… Might be monthly…

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How Are You?

ThatAndy —  January 26, 2012 — 1 Comment

It was a simple question, but it was lingering in the air as I read it.

A simple question, but I was stumped for an answer.

Maybe it’s because I’m English.
Maybe it’s because I ask the question almost all the time at work.
Perhaps customers ask me at work.. And I know how many I them are really interested in my answer.
Maybe it’s because, even when its people who (I know) really care about me ask, the busyness of life means the subject is moved on quickly enough.
Maybe it’s because i’ve known him for years.
Perhaps its just all those nights at the pub.
Or maybe it’s because I know I can’t fool him…

He simply asked;

How are you?

I wanted to say, “same as normal”… But how is that?

In church sofa reflections
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The Man Drawer: What’s underneath?

ThisAndy —  December 1, 2011 — Leave a comment

 Recently we decided to redo our kitchen, we did it in several stages, first we did the cabinets and changed the doors and the floor…the things that make a big difference very quickly. When we moved into the house we had some lovely disgusting tiles in the kitchen that until recently have still been there. A couple of weeks ago I ripped them off the wall…that was fun!

But what I found behind was some plaster that was fantastic and in brilliant condition, some plaster that had crumbled away and some walls that didn’t even have any plaster on them in the first place. So today I got to try my hand at plastering, I redid the bits that were crumbling and put some onto the wall that had never had any. And no, I’m afraid it doesn’t look quite as good as what that man is doing :(

Continue Reading…

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Simpsons Saturday: I am Evil Homer

ThatAndy —  November 19, 2011 — Leave a comment

What is your Evil Homer like?

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Weekly RoundUp: Lessons From The Mail

ThatAndy —  October 8, 2011 — Leave a comment

Welcome to this weeks Weekly Roundup:

  •  @OlMoore has a content moment.
  • Richard Littledale has a survey asking about peoples “verbal issues” – Where did it all go wrong?
  • There should be no surprise that there have been plenty of reactions to the death of Steve Jobs, @Rev_Gene and @alantlwilson are just two of the many…
  • Vic The Vicar ponders the behavior of footballers.
  • The Andesmedia site, has had a look at the Daily Mail’s reporting of the Amanda Knox appeal, and what lessons we learn for our own online space.
  • ….and finally… are you fed up with the Westboro Baptist Publicity machine? Well heres a Facebook page for you…
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Between The Station and The Hospital

ThatAndy —  September 30, 2011 — Leave a comment

When I was younger, I came across a pastime known as “people watching”. Every now and then, a friend and I would find ourselves in the front of a coffee shop, and the two of us watched the outside world. We’d sit there, comment, and take it all in.

As I’ve grown up. I’ve realised that was stupid. Coffee shops are not where the action is found. For real people watching, go to a train station! Preferably a nice big train station. You get to see people who lost, confused, and sometimes saying good bye. But you also get to see people having laugh, relaxing, and being reunited with loved ones. Even if its just their luggage. This is where you really get to see people at their most emotional… People watching at its best…

A similar but more sobering sight greeted a few of us last night, as we approached the Exeter Casualty department. People on their mobiles, updating loved ones… People carrying children away… That person who comments “I’ve done something stupid…”

It occurred to me.

English folk aren’t great at showing emotion, but there seems to be a few places where we let our guard down, like Train Stations / Airports  or Hospitals. Between the comings, goings, arrivals, and sometimes painful goodbyes, it does sometimes look and feel a little raw.

As I sat there in the waiting room, watching our mate occasionally wince in pain, I wondered.

Where does the church fit into this?

Is “Church” a place where we can be in pain, or are we to busy being ok?

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Quote for Friday

ThatAndy —  April 8, 2011 — Leave a comment

Stop beating yourself up: God loves you. Stop talking to yourself as if you’re a stupid failure. You are embraced by God into the very person of his dearly beloved Son.

SOURCE

(with thanks to eChurch blog)

In Life with Purpose, Meeting God , ,
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The Last Great Human Freedom

ThatAndy —  February 21, 2011 — Leave a comment

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

Viktor Frankl

With thanks to Scott Gould and Friends

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“Eighty percent of success is showing up.”

ThatAndy —  November 8, 2010 — Leave a comment

Saw this on Phil Cooke’s blog, and thought it was a good way to start the week:

Filmmaker and comedian Woody Allen famously said that “Eighty percent of success is showing up.” While we laugh at it, the statement is pretty accurate. “Showing up” means putting yourself in position for something to happen. I heard of a musician who bumped into a record producer in an elevator. They started talking, and when the producer asked if the musician had recorded anything, the musician whipped out his iPhone and played him a couple of cuts. The producer was impressed enough that they scheduled a meeting and eventually worked out a record deal. That musician “showed up.” He was ready and in position for something good to happen.

Far too many of us dream of big things, but don’t actually write that book, plan that project, or develop that relationship. We dream about losing weight, but never show up at the gym.

The truth is, Woody’s right. A huge part of success in any field is showing up ready to accomplish something significant. And showing up comes from the discipline to do everything you can to get yourself in position. I like how Benjamin Franklin put it: “You will find the key to success under the alarm clock.”

What is it that you need to show up for this week?

Happy Monday everyone…

In God Quotes, This Weeks RoundUp, Wondering ,
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How To Try And Find A Purpose

ThatAndy —  August 6, 2010 — Leave a comment

You wake up. You go to work. Go Home. Hang around. Go to sleep. Throw in going to the Pub, and you have most peoples lives.

Thats fine for a while, but if you’re anything like me, it gets to the point where that gets you down. Personally I found myself feeling unfulfilled with what I was doing, and scrabbling around for a purpose in life. I do occasionally still feel that way, if you’re anything like that, here’s a few things I’m finding that helps.

1. Learning skills you want to learn. Dont learn something that might help your career.

I need to be motivated to learn something new, I also need to to be excited by it or I’m not going to bother. I tried going over the cisco CCNA course… to be honest it was the best way to go to sleep. So I quit that, and did a course in something I actually want to do (Adobe Dreamweaver / Flash).

2.  Getting more involved.

I got more involved with the youth club at church, when the guy who was leading it admitted to struggling with the commitment needed. I find that as well as focusing my time, it gives me an identity away from the world of 9 – 5 .

Continue Reading…

In Life with Purpose ,
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