Thoughts from Brown Town

It has been a long time that I have been nothing but hungry. As it happens now is an apt time for me to change this status as I am what could be called the very opposite of hungry.....podged in fact, as the those from Nottingham would say.

Well, here I am, in October....nearly November, doing Relay which is a sort of gap year with UCCF:the christian unions. This means doing lots of theological study, prep, Bible studies, mentoring, talks, coffee............. All good fun and useful stuff for spiritual growth, I reccommend it to anyone who's wondering about it. Uccf website here if you want to have a look at what they do.

But what I'm wondering about now, with 8 months of Relay left, is what next?? I have not really very much clue at all about what to do. Ho hum.

Any advice? 

That is all.

For now.

// 

In the midst of a bout of bed-avoiding procrastination I've happened upon this little blog again, lying neglected in the age of facebook and myspace, unused and unwanted like an old worn toy. But like an old, dusty toy I will pick it up again, give it a polish and allow it a second (or third) chance at life. Is anybody out there though, reading the thoughts of a late night thinker? 

Is there anybody out there?

A question that could just as well be applied to the quest of humans, searching for the meaning to their short, insignificant lives. Is there anything or anyone out there to bring some meaning to life? Because really, if there isn't, I'd quite like to stop now, thank you very much. Although life can be pleasant and fun sometimes, the sadness, disappointment and boredom of other times outweighs those positives, and if there is no meaning to my existence then I'd quite like to just stop here and go no further. 

The question to the meaning of life is answered by many people in a variety of ways. Meaning and purpose are gained through family//friends//work//ambition//success//fame//love//status

//money//fun//spider solitare...(just me then). But really, at the end of it all, what do these things gain a person. All the love, fame and money in the world will not solve the one problem common to all mankind, death - the one obstacle that cannot be skirted. It cannot be bribed with money, intimidated by status, overcome with friends or laughed at in enjoyment. It remains. The final punctuation on a life. The ultimate statistic, 1 out of 1 people die. It cuts off a life from its neighbours leaving only a memory, a poor reflection of a character, soon forgotten, however high a level in the fame game has been reached. A cheery thought for 1.20 in the morning.

//Choice-continue to live with some aim or realize that without an aim life is meaningless and might as well not be//

However, I will go on (and hope that you will too). There is a written account of a man who lived over 2000 years ago who too wrestled with this question of life’s meaning. He was a man who had excelled in human terms, was rich, clever, and powerful (possibly a king). He had time to spare to put his mind to the question of why he was alive. In pursuit of purpose he allowed himself any pleasure he should desire, food, drink, sex, accomplishing grand projects, enjoying nature, amassing great wealth and enjoying his power. What more could a human want-riches, pleasure, fame and security? But after indulging in these things this great thinker came to the conclusion that ‘everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind’ and that nothing had been gained by them. Next he tried exercising his wisdom but realised that although it is better to be a wise man than a fool, the same fate overcomes them both - death. So why be wise, it gains nothing?

People often live to make the world a better place for those after them, or those in worse conditions than wealthy westerners, a decent aim to be sure, and one that appears to give fulfillment. But does it gain anything more than someone who lives a selfish life giving no thought to fellow man? No, both end for each individual in death. So although ‘doing good things’ are undoubtedly…good, they don’t gain YOU anything. (And if all we are is a product of evolutionary selection, we should selfishly be desiring our own good anyway.)

Logically, without a meaning to life, there is no reason to live it. Arguably apparent lack of meaning does not necessarily suggest that there is meaning to be found. Maybe we are just to amble along, trying to live ‘good’ lives and enjoy it while we can, but to me that’s not enough, and if that is all there is then what’s the point? But why don’t we come to this conclusion and decide to end life more often//why are we still here struggling through sad times and hard times just to reach old age and let nature do for us what we could do and save ourselves the grief?

Again this over 2000 years ago guy has some thoughts on this. Looking around him at the world and his life he saw that everything was meaningless. ‘”Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!”’. But he also saw that there are some things in life that are better than others, he noted that it is better to work than not to, and it is better to be wise than to be a fool. There is apparent order and meaning to life. We see it and that is why we don’t just end life- we see that there are some good things, some things more meaningful than others and that there must be some meaning.

Have you found that meaning? What is it that you are living for and will it gain you anything in the long run? Take a moment to forget about things of triviality and think on the big question because there really isn’t anything more important.

The author of the book of Wisdom concluded that there is nothing meaningful under the sun, on earth, in the absence of God no meaning can be found. But there are signs of meaning ‘above’ the sun, there are fingerprints of a creator God on life. Read the book, it’s short, fantastic, and ruthlessly honest. It’s called Ecclesiastes and is in the Bible. Search for  meaning, ask 'is there anybody out there' and let me know what you think. I think yes.

//

Most people reading this will probably know Tim my brother who is currently in Ecuador with SIM on his gap year. Here are a few photos he sent home of when he and a few others went for a 3 day horse riding trek in the mountains. Looks good! (And Tim is the one under the tree!) Click on the photos to see a larger version.

I was sent an email by Cathy containing notices from church bulletins that have been incorrectly worded or spelt. They made me laugh a lot out loud in the uni library. Highly embarrassing!

Here are a few of my favourites:

-The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's "Hamlet" in the church basement Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.

-The concert held in Fellowship Hall was a great success. Special thanks are due to the minister's daughter, who labored the whole evening at the piano, which as usual fell upon her.

-Ushers will eat latecomers.

-Attend and you will hear an excellent speaker and heave a healthy lunch.

-Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa, will be speaking tonight at Calvary Methodist. Come hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.

-For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

-Don't let worry kill you. Let the Church help.

-This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs. Lewis to come forward and lay an egg on the altar.

-The associate minister unveiled the church's new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday: "I Upped My Pledge—Up Yours."

Noticed in my diary just the other day that it was a year ago that this delightful little webpage sprung into being! How nice! Happy birthday littleanna.blogspirit! Haven't written on here for quite a while, for fear of wasting time and noone actually reading this, but now due to popular demand (or one request) I'm back! Today is the last day of term before Easter, ridiculous isn't it, its still March! 4 weeks off to go home and feel guilty about not revising! Though with the rumour of a teacher stike meaning no exam marking maybe I don't have to bother! That would be nice.

Well, I tried to get some photos on here from my phone but apparently 'you have to be a university domain blah blah blah person to be able to install hardware'. Hmpf. So I resort to finding photos on the internet for your enjoyment!

Oo, those of you reading from Africa (or other hot places) might like to know that it snowed in england last week. Lots.

In perusing the world wide web in an attempt to kill some time I came across a website with photos of Chorlton, my home town (also childhood home of the Bee Gees and the Stone Roses, current home of Badly Drawn Boy and Cosgrove Hall, birthplace of Dangermouse and Chorlton and the Wheelies!). My road is featured on some of them, here is a sample! 

After reading a comment made by Dave about having difficulty trying to leave a comment on this site I set about trying to add a comment myself (in essence talking to myself yes, but for experimental reasons). Its seems, however, that I have lost any knowledge I ever had about computers and websites and I can't do it! I was going to make it easier for people to leave comments but don't actually know how to do it myself. Help!

Anyway, here's a photo taken by Tim, in New Zealand. It's Mount Ruapehu taken through sunglasses!

On previewing this I found that it should say comments(0) at the bottom and if ou want to leave one you click on that. I hope!

Interesting, I thought that this had died or expired or whatever websites do, long ago. But no, its still here. Excellent! I don't actually think anyone's reading it but it takes up some of my time when I should be doing countless other things. At the moment I'm at home for Christmas, revising for exams (supposedly!). My brother Tim is home from his gap training and is flying off to Ecuador for 6 months on the 4th January. I'd love to do gap again, maybe i'll take a gap life if I ever graduate, then i can write slightly more exciting things thn I do now, if I keep it alive until then. Anyway, i'm just filling time while some photos upload onto Flickr (send me some if you know me and i'll put them on). I may just be about to write something worth reading, but probably not. I've been looking at blogs of some guys out in Africa and its struck me how much we have in the West and how much we don't need. I really don't need any more stuff for Christmas on top of what I already have, its sickening. A song i've been listening to (God of Juctice) by a Christian guy called Tim Hughes includes the lyrics 'We must go, live to feed the hungry, stand beside the broken, we must go. Stepping forward, keep us from just singing, move us into action, we must go.' Thats what I want to do, its easy to say right now but I reckon when the time comes i'll be terrified. Hmm. Anyway, over Christmas, think past the wrapping paper and tinsel to those who have less than us, and then past that to the actual reason we have Christmas which is to celebrate the birth of a baby born to save mankind.

Happy Christmas!

Anna

On Wednesday I had my last lectures until September! Quite scary, I've almost finished my first year at uni, where did it go? Within 2 weeks my exams will be over which I suppose means I should start revising. :s Yuk yuk yuk!Just been on the exciting roller coaster ride which is online enrolment for year two! Wahoo! Taking beginners creative writing which might be quite fun. We'll see.