Memory Lane Monday no.13

When i was about 15 or 16 i had the cold all the time! Literally every two weeks just as i was getting rid of it i would get it again, this went on for probably a year, maybe 2. So, when i get the cold it brings back fond memories for me! We have been back & forth with the cold now for about 2 weeks and last night i felt like i had a brick in my nasal passage. I hardly slept and as a result i dont think Cherith slept much either, apparently my snoring was monumental. I kept waking up cuz i could hardly breath and here we are this morning sniffing, sneezing, cold and complaining! Just like way back in the day! haha

Memory Lane Monday no.12

Monday is nearly gone and i was almost not going to post a Memory Lane Monday but i was browsing youtube with my 'dreaded lurgy' and found this great track. Excuse the lack of video (its just audio) but listen out for the awesome John Squire on guitar, he is surely one of the finest players of the last 30 years. If you are outside the UK you probably have no idea who John Squire is? Tut Tut!! Trust me, it gets great at about 3:20 & yes i know he rips off every other guitar great in the space of one solo but thats what i love about it...................

Memory Lane Monday no.11

Remember when there was no internet, no facebook or no twitter? I am not sure i do! Its equally difficult now because i find myself increasingly reliant on the services iv just mentioned. Up until recently it was purely a 'leisure activity' but in the last few weeks as most of you should know it has become a HUGE part of my day job, being online and using these tools is becoming the most consistent feature of my day. Its hard to explain the significance of something like twitter to perhaps, my parents. They cannot grasp why i would want 500+ people following my comments on a daily basis. I cannot imagine explaining the idea to someone in their 70's or 80's, perhaps i should try and do that sometime, could be funny. The constant use of these internet tools has left me trying to imagine how i could expand our reach at FM if they were not available. Woweee where would i start? So, whilst memories of a 'simpler time' are floating around in my scone this morning i am also thankful for such great ways to expand our name. The end goal of that is of course, that we would spread the name of Jesus farther afield through the books and music we will eventually sell online.

Chart our progress on a daily basis by following FM on twitter

Memory Lane Monday no.10

The previous post was about some graphics i designed for our new shop in Portadown! I remember when i enjoyed designing and i hope that soon i will enjoy it again BUT right now i have no ideas, no creativity and no enthusiasm for it. This is ok because in my new role at FM i will have a million things to do to get the website up and running before design comes into the picture. I hope by then i am feeling more creative or it might just suck! I have found myself struggling with wanting to help people, the design and web stuff for work is my paid job so i know it will be fine but outside that i am struggling. When someone asks me to do something and i know they are expecting it for free i cringe. Even when its a "God" thing! I literally want to scream at them and say NO MORE, I CANNOT DO THIS!! Does this mean that serving others is not my area of gifting? I am not sure, there was a time when i tried so hard to cultivate a "servant heart" but it usually felt like a forced action and that sucks. I hate all this "servant heart" stuff when it is often so obviously contrived and not genuine, i can't do that. I realize that some folks who i recently did some work for may read this and be offended, please don't because iv just hit this spot in the last week or two! Its like a brick wall that has broke my nose but il get over it!

Memory Lane Monday no.8

Last night one line of this song was running through my head & i knew the band BUT i could not remember the name of the song or the rest of the words or melody! arrrrggggggghhhhhhh, i was really really frustrated and i went to sleep in turmoil because i couldn't remember. Here you go, straight from 1987

Memory Lane Monday no.7

Memory Lane Monday no.6

I should never have sold my red Fender Telecaster! Thats all i can say right now, im too upset!! I sold it in a moment of madness about 7 years ago and the minute i made the exchange i regretted it! Its not important that my skills on six strings suck, what is important is that a Tele is the very best and most loyal electric you could ever possess and i sold a very good one! One day i will own a Tele again............

Memory Lane Monday no.5

I could be tempted to blog today about my happy memories of a spine that was not wrecked and twisted but i shall resist because the last 24 hours have seen a small improvement. This film was on tv yesterday and despite the fact that it was early in the day and was heavily edited i still appreciated Chevy Chase and his brilliance. I love this guy, he is just one of the great comedy memories of my younger years, i loved everything he appeared in, this film perhaps more than any of his others! I wonder has he influenced anyone in "christian ministry' with wonderful moments like this?

Memory Lane Monday no.4

"Ok, Shaun Groves! Musician, teacher, husband, father and blogger to name but a few" That is how i began this post on Oct 22nd 2006. Shaun Groves had just been with us in Belfast, we enjoyed a great night of worship & song with Shaun but we knew we would. The night of the concert i was suffering from a bad head cold, that cold became a viral inner ear infection & to cut a long story short, i then had a very sucky 3 months!! This, of course, was not Shaun's fault but when he returned to Belfast again last year, i was sick & didn't make the gig! I was rather unimpressed that i didn't get to see Shaun again, i was less impressed with the amount of time i spent on the toilet that weekend! I hope that Shaun will return another time, Ireland loves him and personally i have been blessed greatly through his music, his blog and his ministry. Bless you Shaun.......

Memory Lane Monday no.3

When i was about 7, maybe 8 i got my first Walkman! It wasn't a real sony walkman but hey it played cassette tapes and had big black stupid looking headphones! It was the mid eighties and we all looked stupid! The first tape i owned was an Elton John compilation, some kind of "best of" thing. It was my Dad's idea i think and i am grateful for that cassette. It shaped my musical interest and set me on my way to loving great music for years to come. It did not make me want to wear big star shaped glasses and platform boots though, thank goodness eh? Anyway, here is one of my favorite tracks from Elton's great early years......

Memory Lane Monday no.2

This pic is from the first ever atiG concert with Fernando Ortega back in the day, 2002 i think!



Left to right: Mitch White, Rich Nibbe, Philip, Fernando Ortega

Memory Lane Monday

Ok 2 things, its still sunday and i'm posting early for Monday and also i have been meaning to start a themed post for a long time and here it is. Its Memory Lane Monday and it will either be a picture, a story or both........



This was at some kind of family gathering in 1984 (guess) and i am the cool kid on the right!
This has been inspired by Kat & Rob's old photos on facebook, cheers guys!
C'mon share some old photos