Wasps win the Guiness Premiership Final!!

London Wasps at a packed Twickenham beat their fierce rivals Leicester Tigers 26-16 to claim the Guiness Premiership Final and what a game which saw Lawrence Dallaglio finish his incredible career on a high. Oggy oggy oggy WASPS! WASPS! WASPS!! :)

The Bennetts move out to Camp St Christopher

Thats right the Bennetts have moved out to Camp St Christopher on Seabrook Island and as you can see they are pretty settled already! Its been really great to go and spend a couple of afternoons and evenings when time has allowed - they are now an hour away from the Isle of Palms where I live. Jonathan is the Director of Student Ministries out there and he has been very busy ever since he started back in February.
Hannah continues to be the most adorable, gorgeous and hilarious girl in the world and she gives me lots of hugs and gets very excited ("Uncle Jonny!!") when i visit which is awesome.
I do miss them being just around the corner but know that God is at work here so I trust him and we will get more time together after the summer. Please do pray for Jonathan, Melissa and Hannah as they continue to get adjusted out there and bring glory to God at Camp.

Classic Music Review: Cream Live 2: James Lavelle

My best friend Simon came to visit me earlier this year and while he visited I told him about this album and how influential it was for me and how rare it is - I had been looking for 12 years without success. Si confidently said he would get hold of it and incredibly he did get hold of a fantastic copy in mint condition and now i have it through the miracle of the postal system!
This is one of the most acclomplished mixes of its time and it really stands out next to the 2 discs of house music mixed by Nick Warren and Paul Oakenfold that complete this 3 disc set.
It was so special because it was rare and the tracks were even more rare; UNKLE-Spinners and the Clubbed to Death - Clubbed to Death II tracks weren't released on anything else at the time.
It is just so cool the way it flows through an incredible array of beats, basslines and styles that you will be bobbing your head in no time!
Artists include; Air, Photek, Unkle, Dr.Octogan, DJ Shadow (of course) and Peshay to name but a few.
Interesting fact . . . James Lavelle the brainchild behind Mo Wax Records (where Shadow, DJ Krush, Unkle, Blackalicious, South, Liquid Liquid, Money Mark and Dr Octogan first got their chance to shine) didn't DJ this mix. I was once told it was DJ Shadow himself who was there, James just stood by and choose the tunes. However more recently it would seem from many websites that it was in fact The Psychonauts who put this piece of unique music together.
If you can get a copy then do so as this is one of the finest mixes of instrumental hiphop you will ever hear and at 43 mins its worth the price. (5/5) Thank you Si for this musical gem!

Classic Film Review: Goodbye Mr Chips

There is something so simple yet so incredibly charming about this film that I would have to say its one of my absolute favourites of all time.
If you have never heard of this timeless piece of classic cinema go out and rent it immediately. I'm certainly not alone in my admiration of this picture, Robert Donat won an oscar in 1939 for the role pipping Clark Gable from 'Gone with the Wind' in the process.
The film centers on Mr Chipping a teacher at a boys boarding school rich with tradition, starting with his first semester and through his whole life. The highlight or even real start comes when Mr Chipping meets a beautiful young lady in the mountains of Austria while on his summer holidays. They fall in love, marry and he is never the same again.
How his attitude to the boys, teaching and life changes so dramatically that you can't help but be touched by the story of redemption, love and regret.
In the same vein as 'Its a wonderful Life' you would have to be made of stone to not enjoy this! :) (5/5)

Spring Update

Summer is officially here and I am loving it! Its been a great semester but I was ready for a break and so for the last 5 days i have just enjoyed sitting by my pool or on the beach catching some rays. I have been reading about Joshua in the Bible amazing story (I had to read about Balaam and his talking ass too cos its so jokes) and watching a few movies as you might have noticed.

In case you think thats all I do then forgive me for deceiving you I simply haven't had like I've had much to say recently. However its always nice to have a recap so let me tell you what I've been doing both ministry and fun wise.

Schools are about to break up for the summer and that means a change of program and the end of others. So we had end of year parties for our Middle School students (Storm) and our High School students (Connection) after we had an ice cream party at Breakfast Club, which was marvelous - Sworny you would have been in your element! We had a beach party for Storm, it was very windy but we all had a great time - i spent most of the time trying to body surf with half the students - i got it in the end plus a lung full of salt water! And we had a pool party for Connection with Rev John Zahl DJing, both parties were fantastic and mostly volunteer led including all the food which was provided by parents - what a huge blessing!

In the next two months we will have The Noise - six days of service in the community and fun activities for our MS students, Camp Bonnie Doone (60 students are signed up so far ), Soccer Saturday, Movie Magic ($1 films throughout the summer on Wednesday mornings), a weekly bible study and BBQ/cookout for our HS students and other social gatherings as well as Breakfast Club on Sundays. Its gonna be a great summer, because I know God is gonna turn up in amazing ways and our students will grow in their faith and thats what its all about.

I have been able to go see both the Charleston Battery and the Charleston Riverdogs play footie and baseball respectively both are top of their divisions so thats cool. I went with Will out to his property near Orangeburg and shot one of his rifles with a scope, a shotgun and a handgun with limited success. It was still fun even though we accidently started a fire in the woods with the fireworks we were firing at each other!! Thankfully we got to it in time and put it out but it was a scary 5 minutes I can tell you.

I have taken Wycombe Wanderers all the way to the Premier League on Fifa 08 and have the most ridiculous team including Lennon and Berbatov ha ha!! I have been to see Open Season and Juno downtown outside in Marion Sq with lots of friends which was brilliant. And I have helped coach the Holy Terrors to another division title and hope to take us into the playoff final starting this Wednesday. Thats it for now . . . I'll update again soon, thanks for reading.

Film Review: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Like so many of us I have had so many hopes, expectations and dreams of what the fourth installment of Indiana Jones would be, jeez its been 19 years its gonna be amazing right?! Well it had alot of the key components present and correct; Harrison Ford - check, Lucas/Spielberg - check and a great adventure story - errrrrmmmmmm in parts.
Let me say this I enjoyed this film on the most part but what the wise cracking, whip cracking and joint cracking Indy couldn't save was the ridiculous story and scene after scene of stupidness. Now I am aware that the other three films had moments of the surreal, supernatural and wacky. But the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull really takes the biscuit!
If you haven't seen the film yet stop reading SPOILER ALERT! Indy survives; a nuclear explosion, several car crashes including one off a cliff that sees him land in a tree and lowers him into the Amazon river then not one but THREE immense waterfalls!!!
Not only that but we are clobbered around the head with countless scenes full of CGI animals (gophers, monkeys and ants) that ruin the old rusty 'B' movie feel of the originals - wow George Lucas have we seen this before!? I will stop there before I sound too much like a nostalgic geek.
In short this film had some glorious nods to the former adventures, Ford is as great as ever if a little limited by his 65 year body but the unbelievable story made for a very disappointing return to this fun franchise. (3/5)

Film Review: Prince Caspian: The Chronicles of Narnia

I went to see this with low expectations and was happily surprised, the complete opposite of Indy IV imagine that!!
The second installment of C.S. Lewis' storytelling masterpiece comes with more grit, determination and battles than its enjoyable, if meeker first outing in 2005's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. We return to Narnia a year on but its been 1300 years there and a lot has changed and its not for the better. The Telmarine people have taken control by force sending the Narnian creatures into hiding and their leader has killed the king and intends to kill his son too so that he can become King.
This brings us to Prince Caspian who is the rightful heir to the throne and flees into the hooves and paws of Old Narnia where he rallies an army to help him retake his throne and win back freedom for Narnia. The Pevensie kids arrive just in time to join them as they were summoned by Susan's horn that Caspian blows when he fled for his life.
Obviously a number of battles ensue and both Aslan and the white Witch make brief appearances but where this film really cuts it is the lessons that you learn with the characters. This is really incredible that a film convicts, challenges and encourages at such a deep level - especially a family fantasy one! The major themes are; pride, faith, selfishness, temptation, love, trust and forgiveness and there are some marvellous moments of Christian symbolism that make this a great watch. (4/5)

Star Wars 2.5: The Clone Wars

Coming August 15th, it looks great check out the sneak peek trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAC_x8gnDvQ&feature=related

New Tottenham Hotspur kits

I am loving the hooped socks on the home kit, I am so getting me some of those!!

Film Review: Iron Man

Hooray it's finally May meaning; Prince Caspian and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull are out soon, but first up in the summer blockbuster stakes is the smart, slick and witty - Iron Man.
Although at first you find it hard to believe Robert Downey Jnr could play a superhero he pulls it off to perfection as Tony Stark aka Iron Man. Downey Jnr has the smooth, sarcastic thing down here and this makes the film so enjoyable for me. Okay okay the sight of Iron Man flying, fighting and blowing stuff up is incredible but it was Downey Jnr who made it top notch.
Surrounded by heavy weights; Gwyenth Paltrow, Terrance Howard and Jeff Bridges (who is just so undeniably cool that even with a mahoosive beard and shaved heard he still is the dude) this film is class all the way.
If you don't know your comic books let me fill you in. Tony Stark is a billionaire weapon designing industrialist who is forced to build rockets for terrorists but instead he builds a armoured suit to escape. He then enhances it and takes on baddies world wide, but others seek the suit out to own the ultimate weapon.
Think Batman (as their are no superhuman powers on display) filthy rich dude has awful experience and decides to become a hero but this guy doesn't hide it he is cocky and fun with it. A great story with some memorable moments of action but mainly great dialogue from the lead that takes this above the usual super hero fair. (4/5)

Film Review: RIZE

This film caught me by surprise big time! We watched this at Church and I was the youngest person there and possibly only one of 2/3 who actually loves hip hop so to watch a documentary about 'Krumping' an urban dance that started in the ghetto's of LA was pretty crazy haha how I love John Zahl.
Filmed over a few years following a number of locals as they live out this dance every day instead of joining gangs shooting other gang members. This is trully remarkable once you understand the circle of life that repeats itself again and again so tragically in South Central LA. What unfolds is an energy and message that embodies the eye popping movements these young men and women display and for many that is Jesus, their hope and saviour.
There is grace and love here for all to see and its a joy to watch from start to finish. (4/5)

Music Review: Soul Survivor 07, Delirious? and Passion 08

I haven't been able to go to 'Stole a Fiver' for a few years but i love to hear the live worship, i love to sing and worship God aloud in my car and this has some wonderful songs. Mighty to Save, How Marvelous and You Never Let Go have already been played at full volume in the Black Baron. (4/5)
This is a little different to other two as its a studio album and even though its dealing with difficult topics such as world poverty, disease and our own selfishness. This is a remarkably upbeat and hopefilled, that I still would call it worship and thats how i listen to this inspirational and powerful cd. (4.5/5)
I have grown to love the live Passion albums with Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin and David Crowder and this is the best yet in my humble opinion. There are some real anthemic tracks on here that make you fell like you are worshipping among the angels and archangels as they serenade the Sovereign Lord with praise. Songs like God of this City, Hosanna and Shine really proclaim that Christ is Lord. I just keep coming back to this album and feel the Holy Spirit at work in me as I chose to lift our my Father in heaven, i love it. (5/5)

Film Reviews: Smart People, Forgetting Sarah Marshall & Lars and the Real Girl

I thought I would bunch these three quirky films together as they all centre on love in weird ways. First up is Smart People about a genius college professor who has no idea about the real world around him as he struggles to deal with the loss of his wife and find love again. This is definitely an indie film but it has got heart underneath all the unusual dysfunctional family life that this film devotes the majority of its time too. I enjoyed it, mainly for Thomas Haden-Church's performance as the bum uncle who is still living life as if he were 21. Every time he is on the screen you can't help but smile and thank goodness for him otherwise this would have been a downer of a film regardless of the expected ending. (3/5)
Secondly we have the latest Judd Apatow outing of heart felt romance and failure, coated with coarse language and gross out sex related gags. You have to dig a little deeper here to see the good stuff and of course I laughed at things throughout. But what I like about films like; 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up and Superbad which he produced, is there is a moral and honest core that is often overlooked, that some how redeems it. In Knocked Up the central couple became a family and are pro life after realising the mistakes of a one night stand. In Superbad the main two friends actually grew up and respect girls, gain morals and their friendship grows. This film was about finding love in unlikely circumstances and places, that had a trully good notion behind all the depravity. (3.5/5)

Finally we have Lars and the Real Girl, quite possible the greatest film about acceptance and love I have had the pleasure of watching. The film is all about a man who has delusions that may or may not stem from his parents death. He is very shy, so shock hits his sister and husband when Lars turns up to their door with Bianca his girlfriend (actually a sex doll) that he believes is real. He falls in love with her completely innocently and eventually the whole town go along with it helping him to heal, move on and fall for a real girl. A trully brilliant performance by Ryan Gosling and a beautiful story that will move you, its so awesome go see it. (5/5)

My God Is Mighty To Save!!

Wow wow wow, after my last post something amazing happened after i prayed fancy that! :) I have been praying for my finances for months as there is no way i can pay off these medical bills without Gods provision so thats been my prayer. I totally trust the Lord will provide but recently I have been asking the Lord to please just show me a sign that He is at work cos nothing has changed for a while. Well he answered alright, after about 3/4 days praying I found myself opening up another bunch of bills, but one had a written note inside from my surgeon's assistant. In the note she told me that Dr Estes has offered to drop the bill from $7000 to $500!!!! How amazing is that, PRAISE GOD, you are good and might to save!
Oh some other news is that after alot of prayer I have decided to stop playing footie until my health insurance kicks in with full coverage - it took me a few weeks to finally hand this over to God and obey him and his wisdom. But i have started to work out locally and I even went out kayaking last Sunday with two great friends so I am trying to keep up some exercise on top of Soccer Saturday which is good.