A surreal thing happend to us on Monday. Edward, Richard and me went into London for the day. SP&S / IHQ / Tate Gallery / St Pauls then walked back to Liverpool Street to get train back home. Just before we got the train home we decided to have a drink in McDonalds at the station. As we were sitting there a well dressed gentleman came to the chair beside me and put a plastic bag and briefcase down on the table and said "would you mind just keeping an eye on these please while I go to the toilet and order my food?"....I promptly said "sure, that's fine, no problem".
The moment he left and disappeared out of sight we looked at each other and realised what a trusting thing I had just agreed to do....."What if this is not just an innocent couple of bags?" What if it is a.....whisper....bomb?" Realising that we had left Hannah at home on her own - I then said "you better take Edward and get the train...I'll meet you back home - can't risk all three of us getting blown up!"
The next 3/4 mins were taken up with Richard and I arguing over who would be most missed and who Hannah and Edward needed the most. Both of us had good arguments for the other person to be the one to stay with the children. Neither of us suggested that we ALL leave !
Just as it was beginning to become a bit of an issue - the very gentle man waved at us as he ordered his food and very soon had joined us and his bags once again. He said "Thank You" and I said "Your Welcome" and we quickly left to get our train. Little did he know the anxiety he had caused the three of us.
Very odd few mins - but on reflection - how sad it is that we now live in a world/society that makes us so suspiceous (hope I have spelt that right....mmm?). Would I say "yes" again....I don't actually think so !
Wednesday, 13 February 2008
Monday, 28 January 2008
A Family Night In
I am just about to make a cup of tea and settle down for the evening after a days work....think to myself, "be nice to have an evening with the family".... but these days that generally means:-
Eldest child either on sofa or our bed with the laptop talking on MSN to her friends - far more exciting than real conversation with the family.
Youngest child doing homework and watching what he wants on the TV
Husband in and out of office answering building related emails, and then wanting sports on TV
ME....well, worst offender of all - since kids been home I have gone from kitchen, my computer, eat my tea, back to computer, hang washing up, back to computer....now I am ready to sit down and relax....rest of family settled in what they are doing - so I guess it is another night in with the family - at least we are in the same house :-)
Eldest child either on sofa or our bed with the laptop talking on MSN to her friends - far more exciting than real conversation with the family.
Youngest child doing homework and watching what he wants on the TV
Husband in and out of office answering building related emails, and then wanting sports on TV
ME....well, worst offender of all - since kids been home I have gone from kitchen, my computer, eat my tea, back to computer, hang washing up, back to computer....now I am ready to sit down and relax....rest of family settled in what they are doing - so I guess it is another night in with the family - at least we are in the same house :-)
Wednesday, 12 December 2007
Looking Good !
I have just come back from weight watchers having only lost 1.5lbs this week ! Not too bad considering I have had a curry one night, Apple muffin and a meal at Frankie & Bennies on another day during that week. Funny how I expect more without trying harder :-) Just wonder if I do that with my spiritual life too - expect to be more spiritually in tune with very little effort mmmmmm !
Tuesday, 27 November 2007
SoF and the Bible !
I am excited ! (is that a feeling word, I am using by any chance !!!) BUT a familier piece of scripture came a new to me yesterday at Mulberry House......not quite what I had expected from the choice to have a day out with God yesterday....but still this is the new revelation to me:-
Colossians 3:16
"Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing Psalms (Scripture) Hymns (Song Book) and Spiritual Songs (Songs of Fellowship) to God with thankful hearts."
and then....
Ephesians 5:15-19
".....v18b let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. Then you will sing Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts."
A little bit of everything is just what we need ! Perhaps we not on the wrong track after all :-)
Just a thought anyway.....
Colossians 3:16
"Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing Psalms (Scripture) Hymns (Song Book) and Spiritual Songs (Songs of Fellowship) to God with thankful hearts."
and then....
Ephesians 5:15-19
".....v18b let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. Then you will sing Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts."
A little bit of everything is just what we need ! Perhaps we not on the wrong track after all :-)
Just a thought anyway.....
Monday, 19 November 2007
Feeling Numb
Thought it was time for another blog but to be perfectly honest I am just feeling numb at the moment. Last week I physically experienced my skin being put to sleep in order for a mole to be removed....the Doc kept on asking "Can you feel that, can you feel this?" as he prodded me with a needle ... very quickly the answer was "no" and the job was done.
Reflecting on this experience I realise that at the moment this is exactly how I am feeling. Not feeling much at the moment....not sure why....is it self-preservation and protection from all that is being demanded of me at present? Is it just that I have shut down after a manic month of moving out of our building and other pressures? Have I given up? I hope NOT....but that's the point, I just don't know!
This is not intended as an alarm call - if you are a member of our congregation reading this, please don't worry....I am still functioning and love you all to bits....but have to be honest and admit that there is a part of me that has been put to sleep for a while - just praying hard it will wear off SOON !
Is it times like these that I just have to KNOW in my head and heart that I am been carried by God and those who are praying for me? Can I feel that? yes I can !
Reflecting on this experience I realise that at the moment this is exactly how I am feeling. Not feeling much at the moment....not sure why....is it self-preservation and protection from all that is being demanded of me at present? Is it just that I have shut down after a manic month of moving out of our building and other pressures? Have I given up? I hope NOT....but that's the point, I just don't know!
This is not intended as an alarm call - if you are a member of our congregation reading this, please don't worry....I am still functioning and love you all to bits....but have to be honest and admit that there is a part of me that has been put to sleep for a while - just praying hard it will wear off SOON !
Is it times like these that I just have to KNOW in my head and heart that I am been carried by God and those who are praying for me? Can I feel that? yes I can !
Thursday, 27 September 2007
The Truth about Words
I try not to allow myself to do this....but there are times when I stew over conversations I have had and wish I had said things differently....there is one particular conversation that has haunted me for 2 years now ! The main reason being is that the conversation ended in a bad way which will have left the group involved with a wrong impression of who I am or even how I feel - my own fault and the chances are that particular group (who I only see every2/3 years) will not have given it another thought since that day. ANYWAY...that is not the reason for my blogging today - the following is, but guess the above sets the context for why I felt I needed to blog:-
Whilst doing some housework last night, I found the following poem written by one of my children (I have permission to use it, by the way) :-
WOW ! We have since discussed the circumstances that surrounded the writing of this poem and all is well. But what truth is contained in this very mature poem.
There are occasions when I over hear conversations about people and sometimes to people, that really are like a word-sword. I need the courage to challenge those conversations more.
Everyone at Church is equally important, whether we "like" them or not. Sometimes no words is as painful as harsh words....being ignored leaves its scar too.
Question for the day:- Do Actions really speak louder than words?
I think they do....BUT in the light of these feelings put down in a poem - I wonder !
Sorry this has turned into a mega-blog...thanks for taking the time to read and possibly comment.
My final prayer for myself today is "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight O Lord".
Whilst doing some housework last night, I found the following poem written by one of my children (I have permission to use it, by the way) :-
Truth
Sticks and stones may break my bones,
but words can also hurt me.
Stones and sticks break only skin,
while words are ghosts that haunt me.
Slant and curved the word-swords fall,
to pierce and stick inside me.
Bats and bricks may ache through bones,
but words can mortify me.
Pain from words has left its scar,
on mind and heart that's tender.
Cuts and bruises now have healed;
it's words that I remember.
Sticks and stones may break my bones,
but words can also hurt me.
Stones and sticks break only skin,
while words are ghosts that haunt me.
Slant and curved the word-swords fall,
to pierce and stick inside me.
Bats and bricks may ache through bones,
but words can mortify me.
Pain from words has left its scar,
on mind and heart that's tender.
Cuts and bruises now have healed;
it's words that I remember.
WOW ! We have since discussed the circumstances that surrounded the writing of this poem and all is well. But what truth is contained in this very mature poem.
There are occasions when I over hear conversations about people and sometimes to people, that really are like a word-sword. I need the courage to challenge those conversations more.
Everyone at Church is equally important, whether we "like" them or not. Sometimes no words is as painful as harsh words....being ignored leaves its scar too.
Question for the day:- Do Actions really speak louder than words?
I think they do....BUT in the light of these feelings put down in a poem - I wonder !
Sorry this has turned into a mega-blog...thanks for taking the time to read and possibly comment.
My final prayer for myself today is "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight O Lord".
Monday, 20 August 2007
Route Confirmation Part 2 ha ha ha ha ha !
I have just read my blog "Route Confirmation" which I posted on 9th July and just burst out laughing !!! LoL..... :-) turn up at 3pm and follow directions for a stress free road trip - MY FOOT
Actually, as far as the information given to us is concerned and a very good Sat Nav (well almost very good) it was as easy as that BUT the lessons we have learned along the way have been invaluable. The main one being - total reliance on God.
No doubt Richard will blog along these lines at some point - when we catch up with emails etc ! But there have been a series of "unfortunate events" over the past 3 weeks that have taught us to completely trust in God to get us out of sticky situations ! Let me breifly outline a few for you:-
1. Hours before we are due to leave home - our clutch died on the very car we had registered to take with us on our 2,000mile round Europe trip !
2. On arriving in the town of our camp site in Lake Garda, we missed a turn. Sat Nav then redirected us to "Turn Right".....down an ever narrowing road, where the walls of the houses touched both wing mirrors (not in our own car either !), we pulled them in and I held my hand against my side to help Richard negotiate very Very VERY slowly past very uneaven stone walls (don't worry about my hands getting scrapped!). As we turned a very tight bend to the left we came to a dead end - Nowhere to turn the car around. Heart, Mouth, joined together, tears began to flow....panic set in in a variety of ways for each one of us...kids asking how we getting out of this - me shouting back - "we don't know, just stay calm for Daddy please !!!". Richard gets out of the car and walks back up the road - surveying the twists and turns ready to reverse back to a point where he could turn the car around inch by inch....the only way out was back up in reverse...so I walked behind the car directing Richard and all the while we are both praying our little socks off that God would somehow get us out of here - we were very tired, stressed and life was completely out of our control ! Just then a lady opened a window and smiling at us said something in Italian and pointed towards two very large doors that were opening by themselves....it was the opening to her beautiful courtyard which she was inviting us to reverse into in order to turn around and negotiate going back up this horrific road forwards.....God is closer than you think :-)
3. Arriving on site, we are told to drive to the very top of the hill for Canvas Holiday reception...we both looked up and up, saw very narrow road winding up and up - the smell from the clutch of the car that didn't belong to us was not pleasant - so we went. Half way up we decided to pull over (there was a space to do so) as the clutch really didn't smell nice. Richard decided to walk up to find reception - I was on the brink of tears once again, when a lovely English couple arrived and spent time listening to our woes and then reassuring us about the area and camp site etc (incidentally they live round the corner from Richard's family in Croydon). When Richard returned smiling - all was going to be well. We had pulled up outside our Tent and there was room to leave the car just next to us - we didn't have to take the car any further up hill ! Our neighbours turn out to be a lovely single parent family who used to live near Romford - we got on so well. She too listened as we downloaded our trauma of the journey. God is closer.....
4. On 7th August I learned that it is more blessed to give away....A new family arrived in the toilets without any toilet paper ! I gave away less than half a roll - not sure what else we had (10pm at night) but thought we could manage. In the morning I found some tissues but on my way back from the toilets - outside our tent was a FULL toilet roll ! God is closer.....
5. One of the rear tyres got a slow puncher ! Our Italian was not going to stretch that well to garage speak ! However, Richard pumped the tyre up and we took the car out in order to visit another town on the Lake and as we went we prayed....Lord point us to a tyre garage that speaks English and will understand what help we need. You guessed it, Just there beside the road was an Italian Kwick Fit type place - one man band - but this one man spoke English and within 40mins we were done and dusted and back on the road and only 20Euros lighter. God is closer....
There are a number of little stories I could tell - situations that have stretched us beyond our comfort zone and that have taught us that God is in control. Read Richard's blog for his take on it all.
This has been the most exciting, terrifying and restful holiday we have had as a family ever.... think the kids have got the message too that God is certainly closer than we think or remember.
Thanks for taking the time to read- hope I have not bored you too much :-)
Actually, as far as the information given to us is concerned and a very good Sat Nav (well almost very good) it was as easy as that BUT the lessons we have learned along the way have been invaluable. The main one being - total reliance on God.
No doubt Richard will blog along these lines at some point - when we catch up with emails etc ! But there have been a series of "unfortunate events" over the past 3 weeks that have taught us to completely trust in God to get us out of sticky situations ! Let me breifly outline a few for you:-
1. Hours before we are due to leave home - our clutch died on the very car we had registered to take with us on our 2,000mile round Europe trip !
2. On arriving in the town of our camp site in Lake Garda, we missed a turn. Sat Nav then redirected us to "Turn Right".....down an ever narrowing road, where the walls of the houses touched both wing mirrors (not in our own car either !), we pulled them in and I held my hand against my side to help Richard negotiate very Very VERY slowly past very uneaven stone walls (don't worry about my hands getting scrapped!). As we turned a very tight bend to the left we came to a dead end - Nowhere to turn the car around. Heart, Mouth, joined together, tears began to flow....panic set in in a variety of ways for each one of us...kids asking how we getting out of this - me shouting back - "we don't know, just stay calm for Daddy please !!!". Richard gets out of the car and walks back up the road - surveying the twists and turns ready to reverse back to a point where he could turn the car around inch by inch....the only way out was back up in reverse...so I walked behind the car directing Richard and all the while we are both praying our little socks off that God would somehow get us out of here - we were very tired, stressed and life was completely out of our control ! Just then a lady opened a window and smiling at us said something in Italian and pointed towards two very large doors that were opening by themselves....it was the opening to her beautiful courtyard which she was inviting us to reverse into in order to turn around and negotiate going back up this horrific road forwards.....God is closer than you think :-)
3. Arriving on site, we are told to drive to the very top of the hill for Canvas Holiday reception...we both looked up and up, saw very narrow road winding up and up - the smell from the clutch of the car that didn't belong to us was not pleasant - so we went. Half way up we decided to pull over (there was a space to do so) as the clutch really didn't smell nice. Richard decided to walk up to find reception - I was on the brink of tears once again, when a lovely English couple arrived and spent time listening to our woes and then reassuring us about the area and camp site etc (incidentally they live round the corner from Richard's family in Croydon). When Richard returned smiling - all was going to be well. We had pulled up outside our Tent and there was room to leave the car just next to us - we didn't have to take the car any further up hill ! Our neighbours turn out to be a lovely single parent family who used to live near Romford - we got on so well. She too listened as we downloaded our trauma of the journey. God is closer.....
4. On 7th August I learned that it is more blessed to give away....A new family arrived in the toilets without any toilet paper ! I gave away less than half a roll - not sure what else we had (10pm at night) but thought we could manage. In the morning I found some tissues but on my way back from the toilets - outside our tent was a FULL toilet roll ! God is closer.....
5. One of the rear tyres got a slow puncher ! Our Italian was not going to stretch that well to garage speak ! However, Richard pumped the tyre up and we took the car out in order to visit another town on the Lake and as we went we prayed....Lord point us to a tyre garage that speaks English and will understand what help we need. You guessed it, Just there beside the road was an Italian Kwick Fit type place - one man band - but this one man spoke English and within 40mins we were done and dusted and back on the road and only 20Euros lighter. God is closer....
There are a number of little stories I could tell - situations that have stretched us beyond our comfort zone and that have taught us that God is in control. Read Richard's blog for his take on it all.
This has been the most exciting, terrifying and restful holiday we have had as a family ever.... think the kids have got the message too that God is certainly closer than we think or remember.
Thanks for taking the time to read- hope I have not bored you too much :-)
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