Sat still

It feels like I haven't moved from this seat all weekend. I must have because I've managed to fit in going out to a Teppanyaki restaurant for Anthony's birthday last night, going to church this morning and joining Bek & Si in the Botanic Gardens for lunch after church and for a wander. Other than that though, I've not moved from my desk.

The reason is that I've been writing a talk. At St John's there's this monthly thing called the Gym. To quote the Facebook page "The Gym is by Young Adults and is for Young Adults. Each night there are two talks from the bible on a topic, supper, time for questions, and a great chance to chat with other christian YA's". It's called the Gym because "it's a spritual workout!" Well this time around, on October 2nd I've been asked to give one of the talks. Last weekend I did a whole load of prep on the passage (2 Corinthians 8 and 9 if you're interested - it's on providing generously) and this weekend I had to turn all those notes into a talk. My main issue is that that's two whole chapters. And my talk is meant to only be 15 minutes long. I've heard someone preach two whole forty minute sermons on those two passages. How am I meant to condense all that down to 15 minutes? Working out what to leave is quite tricky. At the moment I'm about 700 words over, I reckon. Will anyone mind a 20 minute talk instead of a 15 minute one do you think? I would be very grateful for prayer please. Both for my prep and for when I give the talk a week on Thursday. Much appreciated, thank you :)

So yeah, other than that, as I say, last night we joined Anthony in a Teppanyaki restaurant in town for his birthday. Just in case you don't know Teppanyaki is it's where you sit around a hot griddle thing and the chef cooks your food infront of you, together with all the showy entertaining bits, flairing his implements and spice shakers and chucking egg around and stuff. It's a whole cullinary-visual extravanganza. I've not been to one before so it was a great experience.

And then today after church Si & Bek and Joanne & I bought a nice fresh bagel to eat in the Botanic Gardens and then went for a wander. I do like that place. Every time I go it changes with the seasonal plants and flowers and stuff. The daffodils are fully out now and the tulips are just beginning to come out. There's colour pansies everywhere and in a few months the roses will be in full bloom. I'm not big on flowers and plants and stuff but they put so much effort and hard work in to the Botanic Gardens that it's hard not to enjoy what there is to see and enjoy as you wander through it all by the river.