Ice on my car 3

Ice on my car 3, originally uploaded by petersandbach.

It's proper Winter up here! Very beautiful though...

Slavery

Since attending The Stand in November in Birmingham, I've really been thinking a great deal about modern day slavery and human trafficking. For those who aren't aware, slavery still happens today. In fact, it's incredibly common, even in the developed world. People are also trafficked across borders, having been tricked into working for nothing, and children are exploited as labourers. Pretty much every industry you can think of is affected by this, from steel manufacture to coffee, from chicken packing to prostitution.

I'm still trying to work out what my response to this sudden burst of knowledge and conviction is: I'm starting by writing about it here, telling people I know, and trying to increase my awareness.

These are some of the sites I'm using to find more information, and some of the people who are actually doing something.

Anti Slavery International

Stop the Traffik

Hope for Justice

The Ethical Trade Initiative

My feeling is that ordinary people like me need to get involved shouting for justice for those who are being exploited in this way. I think the church should be united in an obvious and vocal way against slavery and trafficking - our consumer power is massive and together we have a loud voice. We can use this opportunity to stand for those who are not able to support themselves, to care for the broken and needy in society - to do just what Jesus intended.

Geocaching

Lorna and I have discovered a great new hobby called Geocaching. Basically you look at the website http://www.geocaching.com/ and get some co-ordinates for a cache, which you then plug into your GPS (or Nokia N95) and start wandering!

The caches are usually a tuppaware, hidden very carefully in the countryside some where. They contain a logbook so you can prove you found it, and various other little prizes which can be traded for something you want to leave. I imagine kids would love it, and its great fun for adult kids too! It also takes you to places you never would have thought to go, and there's usually plenty of scope for good photos in many of the locations.

Another way to get out and about and enjoy creation!

New look

An ever so slight change to the appearance of the blog as I got bored! Not sure what I think of it yet so I'm going to try it for a while and see...

Schmap

I've been absent in my posting for a while due to job change related stress and general work related low moodness (see below), but now am up and about a bit more creatively. Since last posting, I've updated my myspace with some new electronic music, and I'm working on more. I've started worship leading at Intention, ABC's youth group which is turning out to be really exciting, and I'm taking photos again. Whilst exploring various bits of Manchester with Lorna, we visited Castlefield (was up and coming a few years ago, now fairly firmly arrived). I took a few photos, posted them to my flickr website and one of them has been selected for use on a website guide to Manchester, called Schmap. This looks a great guide to the city and is growing all the time, so definitely worth taking a look (see my sidebar to the right on this very blog). It also has guides to numerous other cities around the world, and can be accessed on your I-phone for trendy types.

Reading my previous post, I'm slightly embarrased to admit that despite all my wordly wealth, beautiful wife, wonderful family and friends I've been very low in mood for the last couple of months. Whilst my own recent stress has not been in the league of Brother Yun and friends (see below), I can similarly testify that during this low patch I've had a great sense of God walking with me (probably carrying me really!) I had not really known whether the path I've been following has been right, or whether I had the emotional reserves to follow it, but I've known that he has a plan and would be with me through all of it no matter how steep it seemed. Through times talking with friends, studying The Bible, in prayer and in church, I've heard Him assure me I am doing what He wants, where He wants me to do it, and this has given me strength to re-emerge from "just coping" to "truly living".

I'm writing this having spent the weekend in the sun, in Manchester and Altrincham (food festival and our little garden). Like the rainbow after the flood in Noah's story, the beautiful weather this weekend feels like a seal to the promise He has made to me. In times when I'm feeling sorry for myself, finding life hard or generally going through a low patch in the cycle of life I must try and think back to these glimpses of beauty, and focus on the gifts that God gives me day-to-day.

Brother Yun

I've just finished reading the book "The Heavenly Man", by a Chinese pastor called Brother Yun. It chronicles the story of his life thus far and is an account of horrific persecution of him and the Chinese church by their authorities. However, the overwhelming message is one of hope and encouragement for the help that God gives, even during our lowest points in life.

This book has challenged me massively - to focus on the important things if life and to try and re-centre my life on Jesus. It's a scary prospect as not many figures in the bible or in history who go "all out for Him" have a very nice time, but with the knowledge that He went through worse for us on the cross we can learn that the physical life is not all there is.

I dare you to read it!

Healing Window

Healing Window, originally uploaded by petersandbach.

The 'Healing Window' in Manchester Cathedral. A window donated by a local doctor. The text reads: "Diversity" "Healing" "Glory" "Wholeness" "Inclusion"

RIP Bertie

RIP Bertie, originally uploaded by petersandbach.

Rest in peace Bertie the Border Terrier. He was scruffy and a little pungent at times, but a great companion with lots of character. Sadly Bertie had to go to the vet for the last time yesterday - his pain and exhaustion go the better of him, but we are very grateful to him for 15 years of good memories and devotion.

The Telectroscope

I can't quite believe this is true but apparently, a tunnel has been built from London to New York, so that, using optical devices, you can see from one end to the other. I thought this may be an April fool joke at first, but it's May, so that's unlikely! Interesting website here

ADDENDUM

Turns out nights must have affected my brain! The Telegraph puts a more likely theory, being that the "tunnel" is actually a broadband connection between London and New York. Sad in a way - all the mystery is now gone!

Music production gadgets

Argh! I'm being persued by musical gadgetry! The Create Digital Music blog has been tempting me with pricey technical wizardry!

The bizarrely named Tenori-On is a Japanese invention (who else) which seems to be trying to create a completely new way of making music. It's extremely exciting (and also quite expensive), particularly as a live instrument. Originally created by a Japanese visual artist called Toshio Iwai in conjunction with Yamaha, as well as being able to be used as a sampler/sequencer and performance instrument, it also has brilliant flashing lights! Check out the Youtubes below for demonstrations of the Tenori On.

The other musical gadget that's got me excited is the Pacemaker portable DJ machine thing. It stores your MP3s, plays them, and allows you to do all the things a DJ would traditionally do with decks - beatmatching, crossfading, adding effects, pitch shifting. Again, it's not cheap (although compared to decks+mixer it's pretty good value), and here are some Youtube vids of it in action...

Radical Christianity

In our house group we've been talking occasionally about how comfortable we are as Christians - as though we are in a social club rather than a life changing faith. An interesting article at Ekklesia seems to suggest we need to become more radical, in line with the social upheaval suggested by Jesus' teachings.

Looking at the front page of the BBC News website its easy to see there are increasing opportunities to express the life giving nature of the Gospel - tax demands on low income households, rising food prices, torture and death in Zimbabwe and Sudan to name a few.

I pray, Lord that we will not be found wanting...

Fly sex change nonsense

Not content with our already vast levels of knowledge of Drosophila, a group of scientists have now discovered how to program female flies to behave like male flies during courtship rituals. Not only is this 'fascinating' and 'exciting' but I'm sure very useful. I can think of at least.....hm.....no uses for such an insight into the lives of fruit flies.

Might I suggest that if the researchers want to learn more about human behaviour, they stop wasting money on fruit flies and go to an average town centre club on a saturday night. It's already apparent what triggers female homo sapiens to behave like males during courtship rituals - the combination of lambrini, archers, vodka chasers and cheesy pop music provides an immediate trigger for hormone fueled tomfoolery.

The power of prayer!

Bizzarely, this is a really heartwarming story about a gent who had a little accident in his car, but thanks to prayer and some friends ended up none the worse for wear...

Spring has arrived!

Spring has arrived!, originally uploaded by petersandbach.

Spring has officially arrived today as the French doors were flung open and the roof was ceremonially removed from the MX5!

More musical robot craziness with the Thingmagoop

There are more musical robots in action here at Beep Labs - the Thingmagoop is more like a traditional synthesizer in robot clothing, but still looks like it's trying to take over the world (in a friendly fashion of course!)

Robot beat box

A robot that roams around generating samples of things that it hits and then creating drumbeats out of it? I WANT ONE!!!

Scapegoat

I'm finding more information on the scapegoat philosophy that I was referring to earlier. An old 'Thought for the day' reminds me of how cruel we can be using the media to crush people and remove their dignity. There are some interesting relfections relating to humanity's scapegoating of Jesus on the cross at 'Girardian Reflections on the Lectionary' which give us an idea of Girard's theory. There's also a great interview and summary of his work at Touchstone archives.

Sunset over the water tower

Sunset over the water tower, originally uploaded by petersandbach.

Here's a sample of the Lent Photo Project. Hope you enjoy them...

Easter

Happy Easter everyone! Christ's resurrection on the cross offers us all hope for the future and the chance to start again in the present. I've just finished reading an excellent article by Giles Fraser on the Ekklesia website which offers a controversial but really interesting perspective on the season and the behaviour of some prominent Christians and points towards work by a French philosopher, Girard. I've heard a friend of mine, Andy, talk about this guy before, so I think I should check out some of his work before long...

The arrival of Easter also heralds the end of my Lent Photo Project. Every day this Lent I've taken a photo, trying in some way to be an act of worship to God. Judge for yourselves whether I've managed it and I'd love to hear what you think...

The atheist delusion

Definitely worth a look if you're fed up of hearing that Richard Dawkins is a 'scientist'!

New Camera Phone - my lovely wife

New Camera Phone - my lovely wife, originally uploaded by petersandbach.

Another year, another gadget! I've now upgraded my Treo (sob and whimper) to an all singing all dancing Nokia N95. One of the main reasons for this was the opportunity to take more pics - the Nokia has a 5MP camera! I'm still trying to work it all out but seems to have lots of multimedia stuff to play with. I'll continue to let you know how I'm doing!

My Lent Project

Disintergrating leaf, originally uploaded by petersandbach.

For Lent this year I've decided to do something positive as an act of worship to God. This entails taking a photo a day for the duration of the season, ostensibly detailing God's creation (but actually ranging far and wide into all sorts of subjects!). Feel free to check the pics out and I'd love to hear what you think...

MX5

Check out this review of MX5s to see why I'm going to be so sad when our one finally gives up the ghost!

Feb Update

Apologies for that little December rant - not very seasonal!

Well, we've been through lots of stress over the last couple of months. Once again I have been revising for an exam (which, thank God, I passed!), but the strain its put on Lorna and me has made me realise that there is more to life. I think that God has taught me that my career has become too central to my self identity, and He and some of my new friends here up north helped me come to terms with the prospect of failing this one (probably the hardest I've done so far). I also had a lot of doubts about my career choice but I do feel called to be an anaesthetist and much more excited by it now I've lept this most recent hurdle!

Having been enmeshed in a rather negative couple of months, where the most I could manage was to get up, go to work, come home and sleep, I'm now noticing my creativity returning - once again I'm feeling the urge to write music! I'll be uploading them soon at Myspace.

I'm also in the process of putting some of my better photos online at Flickr, so please feel free to look at those and I'd love to hear you comments.

Lorna is doing well, starting her new job next week. I think at the moment she feels that strange combination of trepidatious and excited! I know she'll do brilliantly though.

We've also managed to complete on our house, which is very exciting! We picked up the keys yesterday, and while I am at work typing this (very busy today you know!), the furniture is busy arriving in our 3 bed semi in Timperley. I'm not quite sure how its all going to fit in at the moment, so keep watching ebay for some Sandbach Seconds!

Thanks for all your support and prayers, God bless...