Hey people!

I'm just going to tell you that you let me down!! Thank you for all the private messages filling in the gaps of the last post, but you didn't write it on the blog! Ah well, audience participation for you...will try and write something meaningful soon. Just not today.

A Post-2010 Post

I've spent a long time trying to write a blog about 2010. Frankly, I'm sick of getting a paragraph in and deleting everything, so I'm going to try an experiment. I'm going to make a list of my highlights, and if you're reading this and were involved in a particular memory, I'd love it if you could comment, and tell me what you remember from it:

1. FP Training - Centreparcs

2. 21st Birthday

3. Sam and Dave's French Adventure

4. Avenue Q with Ellie

5. Poland with Ben D

6. FP Training - Oakwood

7. Ethos Does Albania 2

8. Willow Creek & Chicago, August

9. Chicago, November

10. France, August

11. Ethos @ LIFE'S 1st Birthday

12. Ethos @ Radioactive Radio

13. Ethos @ Reading Church Fun Day

14. The Cottees, Joneses, Findlays - their hospitality made my year

15. England Vs. Australia - RUGBY WIN!!

16. Church Picnic

17. First Revolution rehearsal of new academic year - learning 'the light' & hearing Emily K's song

18. HEAD SHAVE

19. Valentine's Day

20. Hillsong United live (twice!)

21. John Mayer live

Ok, I'm sure I've forgotten a whole load of unbelievable things that happened this year - if I did, let me know! Anyway, please comment away :)

Finally, I would portray 2010 incorrectly if I didn't mention the tremendous sadness that literally hundreds of people felt in July. There aren't really any words right now that could summarise one of the most upsetting periods I've ever experienced, both from personal sadness and from witnessing the immense sadness of many close friends. Instead, I've linked to my blog post, as well as many others that say things a million times better than I did, about the death of Annie Clague at the time. Annie won't be forgotten.

http://dave-betts.blogspot.com/2010/07/last-night-we-lost-treasured-member-of.html

http://ellieundone.blogspot.com/2010/07/grief.html

http://sophiebharris.blogspot.com/2010/07/angharad.html

http://outofafricalaura.blogspot.com/2010/07/annie.html

http://www.simonbenham.com/2010/07/angharad-clague.html

Thank you all for a fantastic year,

Dave

Kinda Like Britney Spears...Only With Purpose

I wouldn't class myself as image-obsessed. I like to think that I really don't care about the way I look; whether that's hair styles, clothes or anything else. For the past year or two, I've found myself living with the following phrase:

Achievements over Appearance

The thing is, in today's distinctly fashion-focussed culture, it has been difficult for me to shake the impression that people are more interested in the way they appear to do things rather than the things they are actually doing. Take, for example, the celebrities who are famous for being, rather than doing - Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, anyone that has EVER appeared on Big Brother and a whole host of other names that populate the far too familiar list of famous-for-nothing stars. As I witnessed their success from the murky shadows of the so-called-star light cast out from television sets and computer screens, I repeatedly promised myself to honour achievements over appearance.

With that said, I'm coming to the rapid conclusion that I really haven't done that well. Pride is the barricade blocking me from being who God is calling me; calling us to be - and dealing with that hasn't quite been as simple as I thought. Take these examples...I wonder if you've experienced these too:

Consequence: Tired, Lazy and inefficient.

Reason: Skipping breakfast to ensure hair was blow-dried..."I don't care what my hair looks like (providing it's not TOO curly)"

Consequence: Late, flustered.

Reason: Couldn't find the Tshirt I wanted..."Can't go to work in this top! It's brown!"

Consequence: Stressed, irritated

Reason: Potential of not playing lead electric guitar...(Honestly, this is what I thought)"really, but then people won't compliment me about my playing"

Cringe. Like I said at the beginning, I like to think that I really don't care about the way I look. I really do. Maybe not as much as others, but definitely more than I should.

Over the last few weeks, God has been really focussing on sorting my pride. Something in me changed recently, which can only be a positive thing. The pivotal moment for me was when I was looking at myself in the mirror whilst brushing my teeth. I hate my hair. For a moment, I considered cutting it all off...but thought better of it - I'd look stupid. Maybe if someone paid me...

BOOM.

Wait.

I felt ashamed.

I was considering taking money from people to change my appearance - yet at the same time, I was willing to let people suffer in countries far away from here simply because they can't afford to fulfil their basic needs. I wanted to profit from changing the way I look simply because I could. Why am I more concerned about my appearance than people who are in need?

That was just over a week ago. I've since raised just over £1000 for Kerith Community Church's 'Project 125' - an attempt to raise £125,000 in order to provide safety for vulnerable students in the Serenje district in Zambia. How? By shaving my head.

I know, I know. It's kinda like Britney Spears...only with purpose. This is a big deal for me - I've never had a shaved head...ever! I've received over 40 sponsors, and I'm truly grateful for their donations - but I can't help but feel uncomfortable that it was much easier for me to raise £1000 to alter my appearance than it was to ask outright for money for Project 125.

Why is that?

Today's entry is a pledge that I won't let my pride get in the way of trying to help people. I care more about achieving a worthy objective than appearing my best. I'm not saying that you shouldn't care about how you look. However, I AM saying that if looking stupid for 3 months while my hair grows back can pay a little bit towards changing people's lives, BRING IT ON!

Here is a confession...

I'm not who I want to be.

I'm working on it.

...slowly.

Unfortunately, I think I'm exactly where God wants me to be...

...Learning that when I hope to go it alone, I'm hopeless.

However...

When my hope is found in my Creator,

I know I'll get there.

I just wish the journey was a less painful one.

Heart Stirred Up

I refuse to be part of a generation whose week is a mundane pre-cursor to a weekend of wasteful, self-centred indulgence. Instead, the generation that I'm a part of is a generation whose selfish desires are eclipsed by selfless faith.

I refuse to be part of a generation where hope and assurance is found in fame, fortune and artificial appearances. Instead, my hope is found in Jesus Christ, the Saviour who died for love - whose life, whose love, and whose light will shine from me and destroy the darkness that surrounds my world.

I refuse to be part of a generation who stand idly by when there are thousands dying every day who needn't be; millions suffering every day who shouldn't be. I am part of a generation who will honour the name of Jesus with love and justice - not just when all eyes are on me, but when my actions are hidden from all prospect of recognition on this earth.

¹⁰ and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry

and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,

then your light will rise in the darkness,

and your night will become like the noonday.

Isaiah 58:10

¹⁴"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:14-16

It seems like 'the light' is everywhere, but it's still warming up. I'm looking forward to a day where that light; our light shines so brightly from us that we can't help but rescue the oppressed, the downtrodden, the broken, the tired. I'm ready for a life dedicated to something that outlasts it.

Our call is to love God AND love people. It isn't an either / or option. How can we really worship God with all of our heart mind and strength if in the very same moment we're neglecting the very people he gave his only Son for?!

"We will be your hands, we will be your feet, we will run this race for the least of these. In the darkest place, we will be your light."

Joel Houston - "Solution"

"Be the change you want to see in the world"

Ghandi

Patience

I think I've always known this, but the last few weeks have highlighted it for me. I'm incredibly impatient.

I know, I know, some of you won't be at all surprised to hear me say that - in fact, the only thing that will surprise you is how long that it's taken to come to this realisation in the first place. It feels an awful lot like the world inside my head moves a thousand times faster than the world outside of it. It's rubbish. I tend to come to decisions in the 'inside' world looonngg before the 'outside' world does.

The reality is that everything moves at the same speed. I'm certainly not exceptionally smart, quick, or innovative. It's just that the routes I take are quicker. That isn't a positive thing. Imagine taking a train from thought A to the destination at point E. I'm realising that I regularly miss out all of the stops in between, missing valuable information, thoughts and processes that could make things a whole lot easier. This blog is a promise to try and get to the final destination without misses any stops along the way. It's going to be hard.

I bet I'll lose patience with patience, but we'll see!

(P.S Sam Wade BMFL Lolage...there you go mate)

Wordplay

Ok. I'm fully jumping on the "Wordle" band wagon. I saw it on a few blogs and thought it might be interesting. Well, I'm really pleased with the result - I just hope my life reflects the words I write!