A friend's wedding!

Bring Me To Life

I was watching MTV today and 'Bring me to Life' by Evanescence came on. It's got a really catchy guitar riff, and the vocals are beautiful.
I'm not sure who they were singing to (I don't even want to know really) but the song lyrics really resonated with me and I made it my prayer to God!

how can you see into my eyes like open doors,
leading you down into my core,
where i've become so numb.
without a soul, my spirit sleeping somewhere cold,
until you find it there and lead it back home.

wake me up inside,
wake me up inside,
call my name and save me from the dark.
bid my blood to run,
before i come undone
save me from the nothing i've become.
bring me to life

now that i know what i'm without,
you can't just leave me.
breathe into me and make me real.
bring me to life.

wake me up inside,
wake me up inside,
call my name and save me from the dark.
bid my blood to run,
before i come undone.
save me from the nothing i've become.
bring me to life.
bring me to life

frozen inside without your touch,
without your love, darling,
only you are the life among the dead.
bring me to life.

wake me up inside,
wake me up inside,
call my name and save me from the dark.
bid my blood to run,
before i come undone.
save me from the nothing i've become.
bring me to life.
bring me to life.




First single from Evanescence multi-platinum debut album Fallen.

Thoughts on Bricks and Mortar!

When I bought 40% of my flat in 2005, I took out fixed rate mortgage for 2 years. The 2 years are almost up and I have to make a decision about what to do next

On 1 June 2007, the Government is introducing a new law in England and Wales which states that anyone selling a property must provide potential buyers with a set of documents providing important information about a property including energy efficiency, searches and evidence of title called a Home Information Pack. (HIP).The cost of a HIP is yet to be confirmed but figures mentioned in the press vary from £300 - £400

In order to escape paying the extra HIP costs, I would have to put the flat on the market before the 1June.

The flat was always a temporary thing- a way to get my foot on the property ladder. I determined from the start NOT to become attached to it. This wasn’t hard. It is tiny and has been built using inferior materials such as a cheap chipboard base and plaster board walls. The appliances that came with it such as the cooker, extractor fans, electric heaters and shower are dated and need replacing. Any changes I’ve made in the last couple of years, such as tiling the bathroom floor, have been very expensive.

So it would really be in my best interests to sell!

BUT am I in a position to do this?

The previous owner had owned the property for 3 years during which time it's value rose by 40% making him a profit of £22,000 when he sold it to me. I was hoping for something similar, but the property market has slowed down and value has only gone up by 5% in the last 2 years. Not worth selling for!
In addition to this, my sister who originally loaned me the 5% down payment when I first bought the property would be expecting me to repay her with interest and half the profits from the sale.

I have very little savings, which wouldn't even cover the solicitors fees - let alone other home selling related costs such as home staging, surveyors etc

It appears that I am stuck with the flat for a few more years!

I love my neighbourhood though! It’s quiet, clean, and safe. The nearest train station is only a 10 minute walk. After a busy day, it feels peaceful turning into my street which is lined with trees sporting pink and white blossoms! I love it!

Hopefully in another 2 years, property prices would have gone up and I'll be able to make a profit on the sale which I could then use as a deposit on the next property

I will also have saved up enough to move on.

Here's to hope!

Highlights from Easter Bank Holiday weekend

On Saturday I went for the recording of ITV 1's new reality show, Britains Got Talent! Through a stroke of good luck, I sat on the second row, so got a good shot of TV presenters Ant and Dec! It's going to be aired on TV on 14 June 2007, so I really need to figure out how my DVD recorder works by then!




On Sunday, Ngonzi and I dressed up as Easter Bunnies to go street skating from Hyde Park corner. We got pulled over at the beginning by the Marshals because our skating wasn't quite up to the standard. However, it wasn't all bad because we were given free skating tuition instead! Nice one!





On MondayI hooked up with my Kenyan friends and visited Leeds Castle in Kent. We had a picnic, then wandered around the castle and it's grounds! It was with wicked pleasure that I introduced my friends to the Maze! I told them to go in ahead of me, and head towards the grotto in the centre. They were understandably bewildered when it took them longer than they expected to get there! All those twists and turns! HAHAHA

It's a really beautiful place and the weather was lovely! They have all sorts of exotic birds on site, including the peacocks. I was privileged to get up close to one of these brilliant creatures

Amazing Grace

Last Thursday I watched ''Amazing Grace', a film about William Wilberforce - the man who was the driving force behind the Bill to abolish slavery in 1807. I was impressed by his dogged determination to fight for what was, in his time, an unpopular cause! God creates us for specific purposes, and Wilberforces' purpose was to crusade for the abolition of slave trade. It took him years to get that bill passed. At one point he'd given up in disillusionment, but his wife talked him into going for it again.

Made me think though. I don't have a 'Cause'!

Do I care PASSIONATELY about anything? Not really.

As a Christian, my Commission is to be a witness and make disciples for Jesus. Personally, I lean more towards Christian social action. Meaning, if I had to choose between giving my time and resources to either a Street Evangelism team or to Philanphropists who actively address the social needs in a community, it would definitely be the latter.

Occasionally I've been involved in projects to help Homeless people like the Crisis Shelter at Christmas, and recently as a Job Coach in the Business Action on Homelessness programme that helps them get back into work. I don't feel I am doing enough though. Would like to do more...

One of my spiritual gifts is 'Acts of Service' and perhaps this is reason why Amazing Grace resonated so strongly within me. I am a 'Martha' and would go absolutely potty if I had to sit at the feet of Jesus like 'Mary' and do nothing!

But Martha was the one who was reprimanded by Jesus! I've always felt this was unfair. Do I hear a collective gasp as I dare to criticise our Saviour? I'm sorry but You wired me this way! You know what I'm like!

I've often wondered what Martha did after that. Did she turn the cooker off and say "Sod the meal I've been slaving away for hours to prepare!" Or did she go back into the kitchen and sulk about the lack of appreciation for her efforts (I know I would have)

I strongly believe that there is a place for Martha's and Mary's within the Body of Christ and the best combination would be for us to work together to proclaim the Kingdom of God through our actions and our words!

I think all Christians should watch Amazing Grace- not just because it is a great film, but to also be inspired!

As I was!