42

Making the Methodist Church look radical

For many people it seems the Methodist Church has a reputation for having lost it's radical edge. Many people are apparently unaware of the many ways in which Methodists have been radical upsetters of society in the past.

For me one of the joys of being a Methodist Minister is seeing the radical fire within many in our Church and the different ways in which that radical passion is being freed, supported and even celebrated. In many different places and ways I see the fire of radical Christian discipleship burning brighter in the Methodist Church than I have ever seen before in my lifetime.

Given the perception of so many that the Methodist Church is staid, dead and not at all radical I found it very interesting last night to attend my first Leicester Cycle City Workshop.

When I compare that workshop with the other meetings so far this week I give thanks for the opportunities I have to work with fantastic, radical, exciting, passionate, loving people in the Methodist Church.

New Year Stuff

I am doing things differently this New Year. I have decided to go for three New Year resolutions and to make them public. I am (sort of) following tips from How to keep your New Year’s resolution | 59 Seconds.

Anyway my three New Year resolutions are:

1. To blog every day on my cycling blog: 42Bikes. See I’m Bike posting every day in 2011! « 42 Bikes.

2. To Lose 15kg by end of July 2011. Covered in part in this post: Bike challenges for 2011 « 42 Bikes.

3. To read through the Bible in a year following a reading plan on YouVersion.

So looking at these in the light of the advice at How to keep your New Year’s resolution | 59 Seconds.

1. Break goal into a series of steps.

• Blog each day: Easy, each day makes one step.
• Lose 15kg: Be 0.5kg lighter at the end of each week. Use www.thelinediet.com to track.
• Read the Bible: Each day makes one step

2. Tell friends and family about the goals.

Well this blog post and Bike challenges for 2011 « 42 Bikes cover that. Please feel free to encourage and hassle me to keep these resolutions which are:

• Blog every day
• Lose 15kg by end July 2011. i.e. Lose 0.5 kg each week
• Read the Bible in a year

3. Regularly remind yourself of the benefits.

So a quick list of some of the benefits are:

• Blog each day: Helps encourage me to ride everyday which helps my weight & fitness. I enjoy it. Encourages me to think about what I do and why i.e. part of being a reflective practitioner. Saves me money as I think about things before buying them and as I drive less.
• Lose 15kg: Good for my health and general well being. Makes life more enjoyable. Means I can do more and feel less tired. Means I can feel and look better.
• Read the Bible: Practising what I teach. A fitting celebration of the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. Through living more in the Word I become more the person I want to be. My faith is supported and encouraged.

4.  Expect to revert to old habits from time to time.

• Blog every day: Nobody gets hurt if I fail. I can pre-write posts. I can get ideas from The Daily Post at WordPress.com
• Lose 15kg by end July 2011: I know weight will fluctuate and that I can if needed lose more than 0.5kg in a week if I need to catchup. Thanks to  www.thelinediet.com I'll know where I am each day and can take corrective action quickly. For motivation I am going to use quantter to go public with how I am doing each day on twitter.
• Read the Bible in a year. I am looking at being able to tweet progress. I can read the bible anywhere thanks to the youversion android phone app and I can do catchup if required. This one should be embarrassing if I fail so hopefully that will keep me going on it.

Then Richard gives another 6 sub-tips.

1. Make only one resolution.

My excuse is that mine are in different areas of my life.

2. Don't wait until New Years Eve.

These have been bubbling in my mind for a while and I took time to consider a variety of options. I have thought about the support tools to keep them.

3. Avoid previous resolutions

I did not make any resolutions last year. None of these are repeats.

4. Don't run with the crowd.

I guess weight loss is a common resolution. By connecting it to cycling it is related to many things I really want to get out of life.

I would love it if reading the whole Bible in a year became a crowd thing rather than only a few recognising how significant the Bible is for us.

Blogging is no longer a crowd thing. I do it because I enjoy it and enjoy sharing something that is so positive for us and the planet.

5. Give myself rewards

H'mm, I have not thought much beyond the intrinsic rewards yet. Maybe some bike upgrades :-)

6. Make the plans concrete.

Hopefully all the virtual stuff I am doing covers that one for me.

So here we go then. Onwards and upwards :-)

• Blog each day
• Lose 15kg by end of July 2011
• Read the whole Bible in 2011

Chase me!

 

Blogging on blogging

Great post by Pam: Blogging on blogging / blogging on chaplaincy.

The chaplaincy part does not apply to me (although reading about Pam's experiences has been interesting, exciting and helpful). However, the rest is so much better than I would write.

So far as 42 is concerned I agree with Pam:

I haven't been blogging a lot. But I'm not contemplating giving up. And I'm not going to vow to blog more in the near future either.

and

My faith in God is rock solid

For me my blogging focus is on 42bikes and I am thoroughly enjoying twitter. 42 itself is not going away and may return to full prominence at anytime :-)

Meanwhile real life is great and I am thoroughly loving being in the Leicester North Circuit.

Cycling Updates

A lot more cycling posts since 42: Cycling Updates:

• The attitude towards cycling infrastructure varies with its quality. « 42 Bikes
• Another amazing Danny MacAskill video « 42 Bikes
• We need less well insulated transport « 42 Bikes
• Today I am going to drive « 42 Bikes
• Drivers if there is no queue behind you, slow down as you are going too fast « 42 Bikes
• The easiest way to get pots of bulbs home « 42 Bikes
• Santa’s Sleigh cargobike « 42 Bikes
• Cars vs reliable transport « 42 Bikes
• Tired legs and other excuses « 42 Bikes
• STV advice makes the roads more dangerous « 42 Bikes
• Challenging companies that break the law « 42 Bikes
• Preparing your transport bike for winter « 42 Bikes
• Schmidt SON Delux & Edelux, perfect on Bullitt « 42 Bikes
• Review: Green Oil “White” chain wax « 42 Bikes
• Review: Schmidt SON Delux dynamo & Edelux light « 42 Bikes
• The trouble with trucks and cyclists… « 42 Bikes
• Dangerous driving by TNT Van 9840 « 42 Bikes
• Creating a Bullitt Sleigh « 42 Bikes

Enjoy

Cycling Updates

It has been a busy time on my cycling blog since 42: Cycling Posts.

• Connecting the day
• The problem with panniers
• On School runs
• Learn to swim before cycling in Leicester
• Variety of bikes needed
• Go to the Cinema and live longer!
• Am I for integration or segregation for bikes?
• Leicester City try to stop cycling
• Reliable transport needed for winter
• A legal anomaly
• Reduced stress Christmas Shopping
• What were they thinking of?
• Cycling gear for cold weather
• Bullitt cargobike in English snow
• Tips wanted for cycling in the snow and ice
• 39.5kg of books in the snow
• Traidcraft collection
• Oop’s trolley nearly too full for Bullitt

 

Cycling Posts

It has been a busy few days on my cycling blog 42bikes.warnock.me.uk so here are links for you to catch up:

• L: 180 T: 204 (most popular post so far including 9 tweets)
• A buying spree
• Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space: The Dutch ThinkBike project in DC
• Shopping in Leicester
• Amazing bike riding
• D: 12.6 S: 12.9 or more bikes beat cars
• No heart attack this week
• Syston Methodist Church loop ride via Seagrave
• Why Bullitts need mud flaps
• Should I feel guilty about gloating?

Plus a new series that is helped by Road injuries on google maps

• Bad road junctions #1 Leicester A607/A563
• Bad road junctions #2 Leicestershire Barkby Rd, Queniborough Rd

Enjoy

More Recent Cycling posts

Since 42: Recent Cycling posts ten days ago there have been a fair few more posts on my cycling blog:

• Child Obesity and Cycling « 42 Bikes
• Leicester – Cycle Parking « 42 Bikes
• Next Bullitt Upgrade planned « 42 Bikes
• Breaking your own rules « 42 Bikes
• The social harm that is done by traffic « 42 Bikes
• 20 is plenty for us « 42 Bikes
• What makes car drivers dangerous? « 42 Bikes
• Transport Assessments – Charnwood Borough Council « 42 Bikes
• Choosing a city bike for my wife part 2 « 42 Bikes
• A city bike for my wife « 42 Bikes
• Carrying Long items on a Bullitt « 42 Bikes
• Urgent changes to Leicester City Centre « 42 Bikes

I have also changed the look and feel of 42Bikes. Enjoy!

Recent Cycling posts

My cycling related content continues to appear at 42bikes.warnock.me.uk Recent articles have included:

• Syston’s hilly loop « 42 Bikes
• The beauty of chuck it in and go « 42 Bikes
• My October Cycling Review « 42 Bikes.
• Killing two habits with one ride « 42 Bikes
• Bullitt Clockwork upgrades « 42 Bikes
• 10 tips to making riding your bike normal « 42 Bikes  

Cycling Updates

As I mentioned in 42: Two weeks into Cycling for work « 42 Bikes I have a new and separate blog for cycling related stuff now at  42Bikes: Life the Universe and Bikes.

Some recent posts have included:

• Better than queuing :-) « 42 Bikes
• Don’t forget to do the zip up « 42 Bikes.
• Syston Methodist Church to Rearsby Convent « 42 Bikes.
• Habit failed after 46 days « 42 Bikes.
• Riding the Cornish Mining Trails « 42 Bikes
• Segregated cycle facilities in London « 42 Bikes
• Giant Escape N7 « 42 Bikes.
• Missed seminal habit moment « 42 Bikes
• Cycling for England « 42 Bikes
• Syston Methodist Church to Birstall Methodist Church « 42 Bikes
• Choosing a city bike for my wife part 1 « 42 Bikes
• London Cycle Show: Overall Impressions « 42 Bikes
• Bonkers extension to the Bodleian Library « 42 Bikes
• Drivers don’t pay enough tax « 42 Bikes

As you will see I am completely uncontroversial when it comes to transport,

Habits in the rain

In 42: Making progress I described how I am trying to form a new habit by going cycling every day. Well so far I have cycled 12 days in a row.

But today has been busy with tidying up, entertaining family and preparation for tomorrows Harvest Festivals. So I have not ridden yet.

 

Now at 9:45pm it is raining, but I am going to go and change and go out for a ride. Maybe the habit is starting to stick :-)