I wrote this for you

I would stay up all night, every night for you.

I want to be there in every moment to share all time with you.

I recognise that there will be some challenges that you will need to face and overcome on your own - despite wanting me there.

I know there will be times when I will want to be there - when all you want is to step out on your own.

I’m not the Father spoken of in Psalm 139 but nonetheless I am blessed - for He has given you to me as my son and when the day comes that you call me ‘dad’ I will no doubt be unable to describe how that feels.

But I will spend my life showing you.

Through the peaks and the valleys. On the way up and back down. In the big and the small.

I want you to know

• I will always be with you.
• I will always be for you.

I don't even know you're name but...

I can't wait to meet you.

attention to detail

the reason for the season

With excitement and anticipation thoughts of tomorrow hang in the forefront of minds the world over. Normally the theme will be along the lines of 

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

but can I prompt you to change that perspective just for a moment at least?

Set aside all your filters and watch this.

Done that?

Awesome. At this point feel free to go. I'm not sure I've got anything to add but - if you are wanting a little more - hold onto that perspective just for a moment and read this. If it's too much in one go then just try this on for size.

Of course, all of this could possibly be over familiar or seemingly irrelevant but the point is that there's a much bigger picture to all of this. One that Jesus lived out over the course of 33 years (or so) but that God began way back and is still laying out today so, wherever you stand on 'faith' can I challenge you on one last thing? In amongst all of the stuff and noise of tomorrow consider where you've been and where you are going. Take a step back and look at your life as a whole. What story is it telling? What's the big picture and what is your motivation in the daily detail?

you'll need some ID...

Listen to this,
read this,
discuss...

We are often asked to verify who we are through identity,

I'll need your driver's licence or passport

but there's clearly still a part of my everyday which more readily identifies with something much more basic as I had this tune ringing through my mind getting dressed the other day.

Hair...check

shoes..check

brand new fit...looking cool..check

and I was looking in the mirror thinking "ooooh yes!" as I laced up my favourite trainers with which I'd taken the effort to coordinate my tshirt.

Now - I do stand by that which Lecrae has observed

Identity is found in the God we trust

Any other identity will self destruct

I'm not the shoes I wear. I'm not the clothers I buy.

I'm not the house I live in. I'm not the car I drive.

I'm not the job I work. You can't define my worth

by nothing on God's green earth

my identity is found in Christ.

so why is it that this stuff holds some value?


I enjoy that moment on a day off where I can get dressed in what I want to wear. Clothes in which I 'feel like me'. Yes, how you look carries heavy weight in the boardsports industry, but it's not peer pressure that causes me to feel this way. I simply like it.


I don't think it's controversial to suggest that maybe there's something of God in all of this? That the feeling of finding and belonging to a group who walk a certain route is in God's plan, just as Jesus was 'in' but not 'of'. Sometimes it's not a case of hitting 180* and walking in the other direction, but taking a bearing and heading in a slight fraction off that which people are experiencing already...ultimately leading to a huge difference further down the line.

on the first day...

My true love gave to me - a Wayne's World CD.


I'm constantly surprised when one of my senses awakens such vivid memories. As soon as I began playing it I was transported back to a holiday where my family did a house swap with a family from Dorset. Their house had a loft conversion which I nabbed and lived in for the week. The room was full of CDs and videos which I went through but one I played almost daily was the Wayne's World soundtrack. It was a time in my life when I was exploring what my own tastes were and this certainly hit the spot. I loved that film - much to my mum's dismay - and still do...not sure what that says about me.


Other memories tied into this holiday were a trip to a sea-life centre that had a touch pool, picking up a (comparatively) massive crab was simultaneously horrifying and exciting; my first taste of Nesquick, another moment my mum seemed to regret; and a walk down to Durdle Door.


That place is amazing, captivating and, when my wife and I recently revisited it, apparently still just as awe inspiring. The door itself is massive. One of those 'much bigger in real life' things. The vast ocean that it leads out into suddenly puts a whole other perspective on the scene. And then there's the thoughts of the creator of all of this...

still walking in faith

It does feel like things have been quiet for a long time now but I know that's looking at this walk from my perspective. One thing I do know is that, before my very eyes, a miracle is being shaped and nurtured. As my wife's tummy grows with our first baby so does my faith in the God that is 'knitting' it together.


Life is about to get a lot louder (or so I'm told) so it's probably a good thing that God is letting me enjoy this bit for what it is.

today

 

minibeasts - keep your eyes open for them

cloud shapes

When was the last time you lay somewhere and just allowed yourself to stare up into the sky spotting clouds that look like something else? There's one cloud formation that seems to catch my eye more than most - other than big bad thunder clouds - is this one. I can't help but think of beaches on which I tread where the tide has retreated. It leaves a rippled effect almost like a cast in the sand of the very motion of the waves.


Yet here it is in the sky thousands of feet above my head.

I am constantly in awe of water. At least, I think it's water that I'm referring to. All the states and forms it comes in. From the effect extreme heat has on it to the beautiful ways it moulds itself at the opposite end of the scale.

How...and why can one thing be found in so many different ways?

skateboarding - nature or nurture?

Of course with any scene there comes the heroes. Skating is just the same. Every generation has their's and within that there are numerous names dependent on your style, attitude and approach that will appeal. I always liked the guys that did things a bit different. Mike Vallely and Rodney Mullen might seem to represent two completely opposite ends of the scale with regards to approach. Just watch any footage and you'll see two very different ways of using the same tool. So what unites them in my mind?


Watching how these guys interacted with their audience/fans/spectators, call them what you will, these guys exhibited humility. There was none of the better-than-you showmanship just simple skill that did all the talking for them. There certainly wasn't any of the self-important nature that can very easily sneak in when anyone gets used to being the centre of attention. Two examples stand out clearly in my mind.


Mike V - having provided a full on demo, riding hard as always, wasn't done when time was called. In fact the sun went down and the pros went home. Mike V got some floodlights and carried on going well beyond what was required and expected of him.


Rodney Mullen - while the rest of the pros on one particular tour enjoyed all the luxuries of a  high class hotel, he went for a skate. He met up with some local kids and hung out with them, helping them try some of the stuff that he can do.


It's this that has made the biggest impact on me. I've never pushed my skating hard enough to be competitive at a local level never mind international but I have made sure that what I have received I give. The best thing about skating, the absolute best thing, is when you bring something different to a local park (sometimes 'old' is still waiting to be promoted to 'retro'). A kid watches on and, despite the grizzled appearance of that crazy old guy doing something he's never seen before, asks how it's done. You share what you know, more often than not they pick it up frustratingly quickly and they go home having learnt something new.

The gospel has been shared...

the new thing I learned today

Before jumping with both feet into a hot topic that can be incredibly divisive, please read this with the understanding that I am only writing from personal experience and therefore am merely expressing my very personal opinion. Not normally one to shy away from confrontation (I fall into the annoying category of person who likes a good debate sometimes simply for the opportunity of sparring) but I recognise that the content of this post is very subjective. The whos, whys and wherefores of any one situation can influence approach and outcome considerably and I will never tell someone else how to feel/what to do when they are going through the same thing...


but this is what I found out about me recently.


My wife is pregnant. A cause for great joy and utter bewilderment in our house. We are blessed to live in a country where medical science has reached a point that means we can know all kinds of things about it before the day it is born. Things such as size, gender and maybe even a little bit of personality (ours likes to play hide and seek while the poor nurse does her best to check it over and make sure everything is ok).


Unfortunately this also applies at the other end of the scale. At this point I can say with great relief that there is no cause for concern with the development of our baby. But that hasn't stopped me going through all the emotions and thoughts tied to the 'what ifs?'.


And this is where the story gets cut short - I don't think this is the right platform for revealing the innermost processes that I have been through recently - so here is the end result.


I love my baby. I was always going to. I always will. I understand that my situation is very different from many others - that, for all intents and purposes, I am incredibly blessed. My hope is that what I stand by now I will continue to stand by regardless of a change in situation in the future.


I guess what I'm trying to say is this - that, as Paul compelled the early church, I would rejoice always, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances. Or, as Joshua states,

"as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

what a difference a day makes

 Same place.

Same time.

Different day.

I love starting the day like this.


Cold and crisp coming together to create an all together otherworldly atmosphere.


Accompanied by some choice music. 

good morning!

How are you?




Who are you?




What are you up to today?




Where are you going?




Who will you see?





Let me know how today was for you when you've found out.



Until then - whatever, wherever, whenever - God bless.

light and dark

I believe I'm right in thinking that darkness cannot exist where there is light. They are not equal in being opposites. Shine a torch into a dark room and you can see where you are going but you can't remove light by bringing dark. At this point please feel free to comment and share your knowledge of the physics of light and dark and educate me with any theories or other methods of enlightenment.

For now though consider how clever your eyes are. Being able to adjust to different types and amounts of light in order for you to be able to see.

On a slightly different note can you answer me this - if the light we see from the moon is merely a reflection of what is being radiated out from the sun why is it so captivating?

every cloud

How often do you see something that simply stops you in your tracks?

Feelings of awe, wonder, fascination, bewilderment...

scenes like these do it to me every time.

And it's always about the clouds.

speaking of colours...

I was once reliably informed that a certain TV series incorporated a lot of yellow into its shots in order to attribute a dream like atmosphere to its story. This was apparently due to there not being much occasion where yellow naturally features in the real world. Having remembered this at a time where I had a bit of waiting around to do recently I took the opportunity to look around and see if this was true. Here's what I saw. I'm not sure what conclusion I drew from this other than actually yellow is a fascinating colour to find naturally. If you're not looking for it then it can tend to blend in. Next to green it is incredibly organic. Once you begin focussing on it however it does seem to jump out at you from every angle.

So today then - have a look around you. What is it that's presenting itself to you in a manner that you may never have noticed before?

think of a colour...

Out in the gale force winds and the occasional rain you would think it near impossible to stop and take a moment especially when you factor in that you are floating in a canoe on a not-so-sheltered lake, but stop we did and I'm so glad. A colleague had asked "how do you 'get God' into an activity session?" It's not a straight forward formula and really, just as everyone's faith is their own so too does the sharing of that faith need to be individual. So, I asked the question back. How would you?

We stopped and considered the quandary meanwhile focussing on what was around us that we might tangibly be able to experience God in. A challenge given a long time ago reared it's head.

Try and think of an entirely new colour

Not a mix of two or more others, not a shade of an existing one but an entirely new colour. Attempting to do so causes my head to implode. I looked around me for inspiration and noticed just how many shades there are of green. Not just that but how each shade then takes on a slightly different appearance dependent on the time of day/type of day. My thoughts seemed to gather pace at an alarming rate which meant that I just needed to

stop

appreciate

allow myself to be in awe.

So go on - think of an entirely new colour and let me know where your imagination takes you.

season all change

What's your favourite season and why?

No doubt you'll soon work out mine but for now let's focus on the here and now. A short stroll to the shop this morning included this moment. The transitional time between one and another. Take a look at this picture - what do you see?

A changing of colour? A herald of what is to come or, like me, is there a stirring of memories that brings about excitement? I'm sure I am not alone when I say I'm full of anticipation at the thought of a chill in the air or the smell of rain. What is it that resides there inside of us? That awakens at a smell, a taste, a memory or a hope. Maybe it's just the thought that you could reign supreme when, against all Health and Safety advice, you obliterate your opponents in a much needed game of conkers.

Over to you. Get involved - what is your favourite season and why? Go for a walk - what do you see?

explanation of the title

Signposts and Wanderings - inspired by 'signs and wonders'




I love learning new things. I always have. When something captures my imagination I am very rarely happy just to know that it's out there. There's got to be some way of getting involved. The process that follows seems to take the same route.

1. Read &/or watch anything that might expand understanding and knowledge
2. Tentatively take first steps to trying it out
3. Experiment - succeed/fail - repeat
4. Establish some form of success and explore the possibilities

Having done so I then consistently find myself in a position of sharing my experiences with others. This is both in a formalised teaching/instructing/coaching sense or simply sharing time with those that share the same passion. I recognised it first happening while skateboarding in my teens and have seen it continue across the board ever since through the practical/theoretical/theological, at work and play.


...but 'signposts and wanderings'?





The passion that underlines everything for me right now, that surpasses anything, that gives reason and purpose is the hope I have because of my faith. Ultimately none of this is about or for me but for God's glory. I am a signpost. Here to gain your attention but my hope is that your attention - in the everyday and the extraordinary - will be drawn onwards and upwards.


So that's what this is all about. Simply making a note of what I experience in order that you might encounter something of what I hold fast to.