Changes

It is Thursday today, Friday tomorrow.  That means I've been here almost two weeks now; already I'm changing.  Today we went out windsurfing again and - THANK GOODNESS - I could actually do it today. I'm changed.  My hands are beginning to harden, and it's a sore process, there are cuts on them from rope burns and a mark where I made a mistake with a rope.  I look at them sometimes and I wonder two things: whether they're actually my hands, and what they'll be like by the end of this.

I've been completely unphased by any of this, from the leaving to the cold water.  Yesterday was the first time I came back from a day on the water feeling like I'd done nothing, and it's the first of many I'm sure, but I still took it in my stride; when I climbed back on today I was determined to make it work and it came easily.  There will be taller obstacles to get over and I've done relatively little yet, but the changes are beginning. 

For the moment I still feel like I'm drifting, as a safetyboat that's just had it's anchor raised.  At some point the engine will be switched on, put into gear and start to move forward.  That is when I'll really begin to mature.  Still, drifting is a massive step forward from being anchored and progress wll be soon to follow.  I hope, never having done this before.  Thankfully I have a great group of friends and family who have/are been through this, and just the knowledge of their backing and support is heartening.  It is something solid and unshifting, except to gently encourage me forwards.  It can be both good and bad that technology can lesson the gap of distance - sometimes lesson it too much - but this is the world we live in.  It too is changing.

We thought we had a day off on Sunday, I thought I'd be able to get to the morning service of Cowes Baptist Church (keep following, I have a blog post idea/semi-plan in my mind for possibly tomorrow about what's going on church-wise over here) however, it turns out that we're down to do an extra day windsurfing.  So that seems to have flown out a 5th-storey window and I can only wave at it sadly as it goes.  My Sunday plan has changed, but day plans change frequently according to the weather here, so it's not too odd, only a little dissappointing that I'll miss an opportunity to go meet the whole church instead of the few who go in the evening.

Keeping it short (the length of these posts keep changing too) so I'll stop there for tonight.  Check out Phillippians 4:8 one of the verses I've been looking at recently.  Living has changed completely, and it will take getting used to living in a non-christian environment, on the otherhand it has hit home more about how important it is to live life in a way which is different and Godly, and it really isn't easy. 

To the youth group: (another verse I've been thinking about recently) 1 Timothy 4:12  Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in SPEECH, in CONDUCT, in LOVE, in FAITH and in PURITY.
You guys go for it loads, so go for it more :P :D :D You're seriously great. If you change PLEASE only change for the better... :D