31/08/2010 by Dave.

Finally the software seems too have responded as I expect it to, and the website got polished off in less than four hours. Should have taken much less time than it did, but now maintainance should be straightforward.

This afternoon saw my first visit to Elgol Primary of the year, with a new head teacher. I know Jen from other teaching posts she’s held and the assembly went well, again with children discussion how they might raise a bit of money for Pakistan.

The cold seems to have set in nicely to leave me with a headache and sore neck this evening. Tomorrow, amongst the routine, sees my meeting with Ploctkon staff to talk about the Viz-a-iz week planned for November. We’ll see how that goes…

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31/08/2010 by Dave.

Well, the car thankfully got through the MOT, though I now discover I need new brakes on the rear. Must have been right on the edge to get through, but it’s pads and discs! One thing after another!

Sleat assembly in the afternoon. The school seemed really quiet and maybe numbers are dropping again; around 40 now which seems small. But the singing went well, depsite me still getting the new song wrong. Struggling to get the words into the last verse of ‘I’ve got muscles in my arms…’ The overview of the Pakistan floods seemed to work. It’s not easy trying to give an impression of the size of the disaster, but at the end a number were coming up with ideas of how to raise some money to cover a health kit or food package, so that was encouraging.

It was good to catch up with John and Muriel following over a coffee — actually an important part of what I do, and it’s helpful to stay in touch with what’s happening. We have a meeting for An Sgeul Mòr Tuesday evening, which is nothing to do with my work, but I chair John’s support group.

Another short time of worship for the MacRae family in the church hall this evening, at which I was asked to lead a prayer. Now a bit drained and coming down with a hint of a cold. Elgol tomorrow…

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28/08/2010 by Dave.

So, still struggling with the website, but it’s taking some shape. Exciting Dave’s Club; good to be back with lots of old faces, and a few new ones too. We’re going to look at aspects of the Acts 2 church this term. Also enjoyed the coffee machine!

Finally the car passed the MOT — great relief — so got across to Lochcarron to hear Dominic Smart speak on the Mission of God. Third time I’ve heard him deliver these talks, but still really relevant and helpful. Not insignificant timing as well that he should be over here just now. When I firstheard him talk about 3 years ago in Stornoway, I thought then that we need to hear this back here.

What was really great is that this morning (Saturday) Dave MacLeod had organised Dominic to give some teaching for the youth, so about 15 turned up from Lochcarron, Glenelg and Kyle. Two sessions broken by lunch; first on the Mission of God and second on what it is to be church. Tied in so well with what I’d shared at Dave’s Club yesterday, and another brick in our developing vision. At the end I got the young people to pray for one of the youth leaders there, and we all had a really beneficial time, doing ‘church’. Great!

But the day wasn’t over; first came the news that Tony and Kirsten had a wee boy this afternoon. All well and home already. But then within a couple of hours, the shock news that John MacRae, one of our elders and SoundWaves team, died suddenly this afternoon, having been airlifted out of a yacht race when he fell ill. Feeling quite emotionally confused at the end of all that. And it’s Keziah’s birthday celebrations tomorrow… Strange days.

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27/08/2010 by Dave.

Well, the assembly went quite well. And even the singing went OK for Kyle, especially as I forgot the song haf way through! I think the only thing I need to add is that to buy an aid package for Pakistan is equivalent to one chocolate bar per child for many of our schools.

The rest of the day was relatively quiet,  spent working on the updated website. Dreamweaver, for the leading web development software, can be so frustrating to do even the simplest thing! Why cannot I create a rollover button that works? I’ll try something else!

Dave’s Club starts back tomorrow; it’d be good to encourage some of the new kids. There’s quite a handful and not just in S1, so that’s probably where the teaching needs to be leading. The developing theme for the way ahead is Discipleship through Relationship: my working title for our training day in September. Oh, it’s MOT day for the car too!

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26/08/2010 by Dave.

You see, once the diary has been filled with a whole heap of primary school assemblies, the only thing left to do is write them! Sometimes this comes easily, and other times inspiration is more of a struggle. Well at least I got the chance to get back into the High School today, for the 60 Second Prayer Club. Very encouraging to see so many youth turn up — probably about a dozen — though time got the better of us again. Prayers were said for my meeting with the school staff regarding the November Viz-a-Viz week next Wednesday and we also remembered the Dominic Smart teaching weekend coming up. The big focus this term will be praying for our friends to be impacted by Viz-a-Viz, but I’m wondering if we can find more time somewhere to do that in what is already a busy timetable…

With the car needing a new windscreen, I was office-bound again for the rest of the day, and by midnight I had just about put the finishing touches to my first assembly; using TearFund’s recources on the Pakistan flood appeal. We’ll see how it goes in Kyle… assemblies usually need a bit of tinkering from school to school.

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24/08/2010 by Dave.

The first couple of days back at work after a busy summer, and I’m already getting itchy feet to get back to things. Two days in the office answering backed-up emails and trying to schedule all my primary school assemblies and I’m just about all diary-ed out! All that remains to be done is actually write the assemblies — and I’ve got a sneaky feeling that I’ve only got a day before they all kick off.

So, a new term, a new school year. For me, it’s the start of year 10 as a youth and schools’ worker in the Highlands of Scotland. I guess it would be hard to say that you loved every minute of a time period that long, but I certainly hold no regrets and I still have just as much enthusiasm for the work we’re doing here. Of course, that’s all down to the kids and what God is doing amongst them. And there seems to be a sense that we’re in the opening strides of something quite exciting. It’s amazing to see teenagers getting totally excited by God, losing their fear of sharing about their relationship with God (check out 2 Timothy 1 v 7), and many of those new to faith coming from unchurched backgrounds. Like any job, there’s a whole load of routine that inevitably comes along every day, but this is leading somewhere quite special…

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