Brighton and Bombs.

So we leave Christmas alone for another 363 days (I was told this over text today...certainly not something I have worked out myself).

Today I was deep in thought as I wandered around Brighton city centre attempting the strictly female pass time, shopping. I say this as an indictment of men...we are awful at shopping. I guess there are those who enjoy busy streets, rude people, rushed sales assistants (the ones I encountered today were nice, helpful and slightly witty - I was taken aback), cold weather and general mania that surrounds January sale-time. But most of us cannot stand it. Women on the other hand, seem to thrive in these situations.

I'm exaggerating and stereotyping, I know.

I was struck by the foolishness of rushing around like bees buying things that we don't need and will likely replace within 6 months. I was glad of this thought, I saved me from spending on silly things.

I needed new shoes. You don't know how much joy it has given me writing that sentence in the tense that I did. Usually what happens when I shop for something I need is that I flitter away my money on things I don't need, then never end up "finding" or "buying" the one thing I really needed...the singular reason why I even went shopping in the first place. So I got some new shoes. If I have my way, I'm never going shoe shopping again.

I don't know how realistic this is.

So I was on the train towards Brighton. And there was a group of 16/17 year olds discussing things that 16/17 year olds talk about. It struck me that they thought that they were the first people to talk about such things (the topic of conversation was tatoos). Then it struck me that when I was that age, my group of friends thought we were the first people to be discovering these types of things.

Oh, the innocence and foolishness of youth.

The other thing that amused me whilst on the train was a man making awful jokes behind me. They went like this:

"People are dying to get into there." (As we pass a cementary).
(Shortly after), "I knew my girlfriend was a serial killer when she said she could murder a bowl of cornflakes."

They were met with slight sniggers by the lady next to him, who quickly changed the subject. I think if I didn't think it'd be rude, I'd have laughed heartily most of the way to Brighton.

In more serious news, Benazir Bhutto has been assassinated. BBC has coverage here. Pray for Pakistan, they need Jesus Christ.

The reports are that Islamic extremists are responsible for this suicide attack, which also killed 15 or so others. It is another reminder that evil still grips this world. But it will not prevail. And as Christians we have a battle to fight, but not with bombs and guns. I hope we remember that when the time comes. Let's stand on Christ, our solid rock in times of trouble.

Volf on giving.

"It will not help much if we simply remind ourselves: God gives to the ungrateful, and so should we. But it will help if we remember that it's God who gives when we give. For then we need to deflect graditude that comes to us anyway. We are not its proper addressees. God is. And if we are convinced that gratitude doesn't properly belong to us, then ingratitude doesn't touch us. We are not disrespected by ingratitude; our pride is not injured. The ingratitude of recipients wrongs not us but the gift-giving God - the God whose goodness 'gladly loses its good deed on the unthankful'(Luther). And so we continue to give, even to the ungrateful."

--From 'Free of Charge' by Miroslav Volf.

A lesson I'm learning. Profound.

Ten

I like lists...

I attempted to make a list of my favourite albums from this year. But I don't like most modern music, so I didn't actually have ten albums that were released this year. Instead, here is a list of my favouite ten albums that I have bought this year. They are in no order.

Tom McRae - Tom McRae
Mutemath - Mutemath
Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days
The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
Mae - The Everglow
Hot Chip - The Warning
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Ryan Adams - Love Is Hell
The Reindeer Section - Son Of Evil Reindeer
Editors - An End Has A Start

Manhood is not marriage.

If you are male and reading this, go here and read this article. I think we all need a reminder, especially if you are part of the same institution I am.