When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. (1 Cor. 13:11)
OK to start off with, thanks for asking the anniversary was the most memorable and special in all of our time as a couple, but in a rather understated way. In fact the climax was very reminiscent of our activities on that fateful night of the day in which we got married. Loved it. Grateful to God for it. Grateful to God for her. Awesome stuff.
Yet time is not standing idly by as I celebrate wedding anniversaries and as yesterday intimated, no sooner have I got an idea for something to write than others come along. One day brings issues and stuff that I want to share, but it only takes another day and new things are there. So as not to stay in what yesterday was about it’s about what came out today. I get a good feeling, though that the issues of yesterday will come up again in a new guise, should God spare my life to knock about to see different things.
So today’s thing. Let’s put it in context. I am a Programme Tutor for TNG in its Wigan centre. TNG is part of the Avanta group and is one of the largest training companies in Britain. Their specialist area housing the majority of their contracts to the best of my knowledge is in the field of the Welfare to Work programme. That is they specialise in stuff to do with helping people get off benefits. At present there are a number of different contracts available for people with different needs where that is concerned. For example those in a younger age bracket (16-19), may require to develop basic skills and the nous required to enter the jobs market so there’s a course called E2E that sorts that out.
Among the plethora of contracts and schemes there is one called Community Task Force (CTF). This is part of a ladder of offers to those who have been unemployed over six months. Depending on your ability and position to get a job determines the rung on the ladder (contract/programme/scheme) you find yourself. With no disrespect meant, CTF is the bottom rung on the ladder.
Wigan runs a few of the schemes in its centre including Skills For Life, E2E, Flexible New Deal and CTF. I am the tutor for the CTF programme in the Wigan centre. I love my job. I love the people with whom I work, the operational staff are to a man and woman outstanding and fascinating individuals. To the best of my knowledge, they do their jobs well and are actively committed to what they are doing. It is an honour to work alongside them. (Thanks Rob, Jen, Martin, Dawn, Mandy, Sarah, Karen, Gill, Paul, Dave, Jerry, Gaz, Jeanette, Georgia, Boss Ross and of course due deference and obeisance to The Don. As I’m sure PowerJen would appreciate – You’re Simply The Best!)
As a tutor on the CTF programme, one of the sessions I facilitate is on CTF Awareness. It is the first contact I’ll have with the ‘customers’ as they are officially known, or ‘punters’ as I prefer. I’d like to think I’m not a typical taciturn tutor, just interested in getting through the material and only ensuring the punters tick the right boxes and be on their merry way. I get the impression to make the most of the situation it’s good if we get to know a bit about each other and develop a good rapport. I like a banter, I like a laugh, I like the punters feeling as relaxed as possible in order to take on whatever they need to take on. I reckon you’re more likely to learn in that setting than the more formal typical setting.
In a recent session I was doing my thing. (I suppose at this point I insert a suitable piece of street jargon like ‘dawg’ or ‘y’all’ – you insert whatever you want) I had connected with a punter over our shared interest in professional wrestling. It elicited the embarrassed looks on some faces and chuckles on others, so in getting a reaction I had succeeded. When I offered for anyone else to join the wrestle love-in unsurprisingly no one took me up on it.
Having seen them on the first day I was set to see them again the next day to help develop their CV’s. Here I can get to know them a bit better on an individual basis. (Who’d ever submit a group CV?) As I talked with some of the lads they admitted that in fact they had enjoyed watching pro-wrestling. They were familiar with the characters and stuff, but that was when they were young. Insinuating that at their age now, they put away that kind of thing – and these were young men aged between 19 and 21! (By the way, the guy who connected with me on the issue is 23 so it shows what those lads know! I’m 32.)
It got me thinking though about the many key transitional steps in my life that has seen me grow, change, transform and develop. From 2 to 7 a lot of changes. Same again between 7 and 12. Same again between 12 and 17. another between 17 and 22. Yet more even between 22 and 27. Then more still between 27 and 32. So the man I am at 32 is not recognisable to me at 17 or even 22. In that time I’ve taken on so much, and likewise left behind just as much. Things I did at those ages that are alien to me now. Things that don’t belong to me anymore because I’m not at that stage – I’ve grown. (Yeah, yeah I’m still interested in what’s happening in WWE, but don’t knock my flow.)
In realising that I appreciated recent moves that God has taken me through. As I’m being conformed into the image of His Son, as I have to grow and change and develop, so certain things I have to let go. Some things I need to move on from as part of the nature of life. It’s what I used to do, it’s who I used to be and I’m grateful for it, but then I grew up.
I also guess that’s the journey I’m helping people on in CTF as well as other areas of life. Encouraging people to put away the stuff that stops them growing up into all that God has in store for them – from a job, to more importantly abundant life. It might have worked for them as a child or whatever, however that was then, but then you grow up.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
dmcd
Life With CD 