The trouble with being sanctimonious...

The scene is youth group on Wednesday night.
We've just begun the 'CY' (Christianity Explored for youth) series and the first question is:
"If you could ask God one question, and you knew it would be answered, what would it be?"
Well, everyone has their own booklet, so we started with all the young people writing their 'question for God' in their booklets.  There are a couple of tough things we're dealing with at church at the moment, and I was sat there wondering what everyone was going to be writing.  The lad next to me kept glancing my way and I started imagining what he was in the middle of writing.  I figured it was something that he wasn't quite sure of, and I couldn't work out whether I'd need to go for the reassuring, hand-on-the-shoulder-whilst-nodding-and-furrowing-ones-brow approach, probably topping it off with a bit of a deep sigh.  I also wasn't sure whether he was wanting me to look over and read it, or whether he was trying to keep it to himself.  (I thought a lot in the seconds we had!)  I decided that, despite his continued glances my way, I'd remain eyes-front and wait to do the helpful-youth-leader-thing when he actually read out his answer (if, indeed, he plucked up the courage to vocalise what was, I was by now sure, a deep and probably painfully searching question).
We went around the circle, and others asked questions along the lines of, 'why are we here?', and other such classics.  And we came to the lad next to me.  "What's your question then?" the leader asked him.  I'd still managed to resist the temptation to read over his shoulder (it was going to make my response so much more real and heartfelt).  I braced myself - poised to react.  He spoke - the question he'd ask God in full certainty that he'd receive an answer:
"God, what's your favourite football team?"

A little idea.

Just thought I'd share this one with you...

I hope you can see it clearly enough.  Joshua and I went shopping (this was ages ago - I'm a bit behind on the old blog-thing) and I thought I'd get him a bit more involved, so he had to find all these things.  My list was, sadly, much longer than his, but he did seem to enjoy it.  (There were six pictures on the other side of the bit of paper too, but I figured you'd get the picture (!) without seeing both sides - besides, the other pictures were even worse than these ones...)
Just a little idea for shopping trips :)
And you're probably thinking you don't have time to be drawing things for a shopping list, but if it's a choice between a pleasant shopping experience, and one where you end up wishing death upon everyone within a 200 metre radius, you'll make the time for the drawings!

Open wide.

Well, landmarks aren't always fun, but this one was taken in very good spirits.  Monday was our first trip to the dentist (well, not my first, Joshua's!)  I figured it was high time he went, as he has now got teeth...
One slight concern I had was that the only dentist he's seen on the telly was the one in Finding Nemo, where things go a bit wrong, and end up with drills, screams and writhing patients...
We've also got a Topsy and Tim trip to the dentist, which is a more positive approach. 
Anyway, I figured we'd go down the line of 'going to the dentist is an absurdly fun and exciting activity'.  This was backed up with the fact that
a)  The dentist has a cool chair
b)  The dentist helps us look after our teeth and keep them in (Joshua already knows they fall out if you don't brush them enough - simplistic but effective)
The big day arrived, and we duly pottered off to the dentist.  We had a couple of books to read in the waiting room, which we'd bought on the walk from the car park to the dentist.  Sort of a treat for being good at the dentist, and to make it a special outing.  Joshua was duly suckered and had not the slightest inclination to fear anything.  We were called in, and I went first to demonstrate how painless and cool it was (a slightly risky strategy, given I haven't been to the dentist for, ahem, a while...)  Sadly, Joshua had not the slightest interest in my dental progress, choosing to read his books while he waited.  Then it was his turn.  He was a little wary of the chair, but the dentist was, it must be said, fantastic with him, and he got quite into the whole thing.  We were both told that our teeth were fine, and Joshua was told his were really well brushed, and he got a sticker.  All in all a very positive first trip!