Soul Survivor

So it was that time of year again where we took the youth group to camp and this year we were blessed with a 1 hour journey rather than the 7 hours it normally takes us. In addition to the 2 weeks down on the Bath and West Showground, they also did a week on the Cheshire Showground which is so much closer to us!

Anyway it was an awesome week, smaller (3,500 compared to the normal 10,000 people down south) and more intimate. There weren't as many cafe's and no skatepark but I think that kept the kids more focused on God. 2 of them became Christians and another recommitted her life; it was such an awesome blessing to be a part of it. For us as leaders as well, we had such a laugh and were so blessed by what God did in us as well as helping the youth. Though I wasn't too pleased when the youth group that was camped next to us didn't go to bed until 2am (though others have said that wasn't when they went to bed, it was when I eventually fell asleep) and were up again at 5:30 yelling all over the campsite! I was in a grumpy mood until 8am or so!! but was convicted of my attitude when the first session of the morning was on moaning!!! Ooops!! Anyway here are some pictures! Enjoy, I know we did!!!!

This is what happens when you mix teenagers and face paints!!! I'm under there somewhere!!

Sandra and I on the 1st night, I'm looking quite awake and refreshed here!!!

Sharon and I on the last day; me not looking so refreshed here, look at my eyes!!!

Sunset on the Sunday evening, gorgeous!!!

Dirty feet!!! Though relatively clean compared to mine; I couldn't get my toenails clean so ended up just painting them!!!

Mike asleep........

.....Dan asleep....

....Sandra asleep.....a common theme I think!!

Unbelievable!

OK, so this morning Was funny (though I can say that looking back on it; this was not my reaction when I woke up!)
I arrived home yesterday to find a skip outside our house. Our cottage looks onto the back of shops and this one electrical shop is closing down so has placed a skip on our road so they can dispose of rubbish from the rear of their shop. It was pretty full and so I went into the house muttering under my breath how inconvenient and inconsiderate it was for them to put it there.
Anyway I was lying in bed last night about 11:30 and could hear this rummaging and scratching outside. It was pretty chilly last night so I didn't want to get out of bed to investigate and eventually fell asleep (with thoughts that someone was trying to break into the house but that's by-the-by!)
I woke at 6 this morning to the same noise again and when I opened my blinds I saw this guy practically in the skip fishing DVD players, video recorders, cable boxes, vacuum cleaners and whatever else he could find out of the skip. There was cardboard and polystyrene all over the road. He placed them all in a pile, put his bag on his shoulder, picked up his can of Stella Artois beer and headed up the road. I was dumbfounded! It felt like we were in civil unrest and these people were looting! Bonkers as it had rained for most of yesterday and all of the electricals were soaking wet!! As I said I found it unbelievable at 6am but just can't stop laughing as I sit here now! Hope I'm not woken this evening!!!!