A Birthday to remember.....

I'm well aware that my Blog is a mass of confused thoughts and that when i look back on it I'll realise how I've contradicted myself. But i think that contradiction is great thing....I've been completely honest in this Blog and therefore the people reading have been given an opportunity to share in my journey....i hope that it may have also ignited some reflection in people. Blogs will be read by people who you never meet and it's wonderful to think that in some way they might relate to what is being said. I believe an honest Blog is one that will connect with people and that is why I'm going to offer this confession......

Monday 23rd April, a training day for me where my team we're being taught how to teach sex education in Schools. This was a great opportunity for reflecting on teenage crisis and in some way trying to re-connect ourselves with being thirteen. (not quite sure why i started on about this topic - not really sure how to get out of it).......On Monday evenings i make a fifty minute journey up to Essex to help plant an Oasis youth club. As i got ready to leave for Enfield (Essex) i received a text from my sister: "Andrew, have you forgotten something?".....it suddenly hit me that her birthday was the 24th April (the next day) and i had totally forgotten. I text back quickly: "No I've not forgotten. It;s your birthday tomorrow!". Cat replied: "Andrew you dope, my birthday is today!". For the first time in twenty years (rough estimate) i had forgotten my sisters birthday and i felt terrible. Especially since Cat is always so good at remembering my birthday....in fact Cat always buys me the best gifts.

I never want this Blog to appear as me sitting on my 'good boy' pedestal writing about the perfect church and world changing work. The reality is that my family mean more to me than anything I've ever written in this Blog. To have become so detached that i forgot my sisters Birthday bothers me a lot. Daily i act as a role model for young people and daily i consider how to have a more positive impact on the community i work within....However, if i could only impact one area of the community i would impact families. To appreciate one another by remembering their birthdays, using and practicing love as a natural daily thing. I have no doubt that the struggle existing within communities is partly down to family breakdown.....

Apologies Cat.