Van part 3

Driving the van is actually quite fun, but it does struggle up hills.
My driving style means that i like to keep a constant speed whether on the flat or going up a hill ( i quite like getting that bit faster on down hills though). But it made me think,

Once, quite a while ago now, i was on a bike ride with a friend of mine. He was a lot faster cycler than i was, but when riding, if i got to a hill i pedaled faster so that i didn't slow down - which makes for a very tiring ride.
My friend commented on this fact when we got back home. "You always seem to keep up the pace, even when going up hills"

As i was thinking about that story, I started realising something about the way i live my life.

I have never given myself any excuses for slowing down.
If i get short with someone, I don't think being tired is an execptable excues.
If i have a lot of work on, I don't think that show slow down me meeting people
If i'm ill, I still think i should be able to work
When i was depressed and on medication, I didn't think that was execptable excuse to do less, and listen to less people.

I think i need to address this. I'm not sure its a right thing.

Van part 2

After we got the van running this morning, i parked it at the church where this evenings gig was happening. Unloaded it. Did the gig. Packed the van... did it start? no. of course not. it was midnight, you could see you breath very clearly, and it didn't start. No amount of jumping it from out minibus did anything.

our van packed weights 3.480 tonnes. With no one in it. and we were parked on a hill.

so i rolled the van backwards down the hill, then shocked it into reverse :-) and it started.

Jesus was good!

Vans

A couple of weeks ago my boss asked me if we needed a new van next year, or would this one make it another year.
Personnally (not knowing much about vehicles) i thought it would survive another year.

since then we have had to jump start it 3/4 times, buy a brand new battery, and then call out the break down people. who couldn't get it to start until we towed it. and also need to buy a new oil cap, because either it was left somewhere, or it came off while driving... who knows?

(interestingly enough, when you jump start a deisel its very different from a petrol call. YOu leave the ignition on, put it in second gear and then get towed, slowly put on the clutch and it starts... how cool is that!!)

so... our van... will it last another year?
My band are asking a different questions... "will it last this year?" but hey for some reason they think everyone else has limitless money and YFC prints it. weird people. will be interesting to see them when they have to earn a living :-)

Books

I've been a bit slack in the whole book department. things have been a bit crazy around here so less reading has been done. but...

Now discover your strengths was good and inciteful. i'll need to read it again for it to really help me lead/manage people. I think i disagree on a couple of parts with its idea, but mostly its great, and will save some people a lot of time and disappointment continuously working on their weaknesses when they should be working in and on their strengths

after that I read Nick Hornby's "high fidelity" - not sure that counts as a thought provoking/inspiring book, but its a very good book. very well written and i understand a lot of what ROb feels in it :-)

then I read Corrie ten Boom's "in my Fathers House" - its a great book - very inspiring, it is all about her life as she grows up, and the stories about what helped form her, and how she got to know Jesus and stuff like that. Its very easy to read, and very powerful


I'm about to start reading Neil Andersons "The Bondage Breaker"

I've got my computer back :-)

I have got my computer back. It feels good. Especially nice now the power stays in and i can just use it.
Very nice that i have the internet again.
SO hopefully I'll be blogging again more.

My Dad was amazing in sorting my computer out for me. Thank you Dad