Stepping Out....

... with my baby
Can't go wrong 'cause I'm in right
It's for sure, not for maybe
That I'm all dressed up tonight

Well, actually no, not that kind of stepping out. Sorry to get you all worked up. It's this kind of stepping out

Jesus said, “Come off by yourselves; let’s take a break and get a little rest.” For there was constant coming and going. They didn’t even have time to eat. Matthew 6 v 31

So I did - (step out that is)  because there was (constant coming and going). The idea was that I would spend a goodly proportion of my jolly hols writing and blogging but I er..didn't. I stepped out of all day to day responsibilities and that included this - what can I say? 

If you missed me (Who? You are thinking) Why thank you. If not - well who can blame you? I have returned now. Not exactly rested but pooped from nice things.

• We had family down for a few days which was really good.
• We met a friend in Totnes. Still haven't had a decent cup of coffee there. They could do with a big chain moving in if you ask me.
• We went to Warwick to look at the university and accidentally called in at Ikea on the way back.
• We went to Flavourfest which is my favourite Plymouth event because there are lots
  of opportunities to eat.
  
• Lots of meals out and long breakfasts on the Hoe. 
• Lots of dog walking.
• Cinema and home movies catching up
• Bit of ironing (Felt I should for appearances sake.)
• Read two books.
• Helped get my mum settled in Plymouth.

So, that's my catch up. Wot I did on my 'olidays. Anyway, off to devour a Harry Potter film and a caramel wafer. You can have this from me to you. Enjoy.

The Last Thing

Mark 11:22-25

Jesus was matter-of-fact: “Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you. This mountain, for instance: Just say, ‘Go jump in the lake’—no shuffling or shilly-shallying—and it’s as good as done. That’s why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you’ll get God’s everything. 

I have a lot going on at the moment. I am in the middle of a few things. Crisis would be too strong a word and some of the things that are happening, we are on the better side of. We will get there. As usual, after a trying time I come back to the same question. Why is praying about it the last thing that I do?

Do I think it seems a bit presumptuous? Well sometimes.

Do I forget? Often.

Do I automatically just jump to sort it myself mode? Yep.

I have an ongoing fantasy about my life (no not the one where I am manager of Manchester United's most successful ever team) In it I am a woman of prayer with a notebook full of prayers - some answered, some ongoing. Some for friends, some for entire continents. The book would be full of different coloured pens and crossing outs and added bits and stuff where God had told me stuff. And I want to be a   pray-er. I do pray. Of course I do but I want it to be my default mode rather than my - "Oh yes I could always try praying" mode. And the thing is that this fantasy is completely attainable. I don't expect a better prayer life will get rid of all my problems. I just expect it to give me a better life because I do the best thing to deal with them.

It's down to me to sort. Puzzling though isn't it? Why I would not run with something so beneficial and so life enhancing? Am thinking it may be time to look at how this is done. All suggestions gratefully received.

Food Issues

Awesome is an over used word but this is the quite frankly awesome Jack Monroe and her son. 
She has experienced food poverty and written very movingly about it on her blog - example below.

"Poverty is the sinking feeling when your small boy finishes his one Weetabix and says ‘more mummy, bread and jam please mummy’ as you’re wondering whether to take the TV or the guitar to the pawn shop first, and how to tell him that there is no bread or jam."

She is now a food poverty campaigner and comes up with great ideas about cooking etc but also about GIVING.
I am expecting that I am teaching masses of grandmothers to suck eggs here but this is where the Christians rise up like the mighty army they are and make it happen. We need to be supporting Trussel Trust or whatever the local foodbank is up to. Loving watching what my chum Pat Cass and Urban Outreach are doing up north as well as Lord's Larder etc. where I am. But the very least - the VERY LEAST, LEAST, LEAST, LEAST any of us should be doing is wapping a bit extra in our supermarket trolleys and bunging it in the cages as we go out. And Bob - i'll est votre oncle as they say in France. 

If you need any more nudging - try Matthew

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’

Thems the hard cold facts about our faith. It's who we are.

Fractured Thoughts in a Fractured Week

For the most part, I am basically content with my lot as a working family bod. I get through, you know? However, these last few weeks, I have found myself longing for one of those lives where I get to sit down and think and write and muse and the like. I just haven't had time to do it and I miss it. You will find that these thinkings that I jot down will reflect that at the moment. Sorry.

Anyway, this week. HOH had a birthday and was very touched by the amount of wishings of well that he received when I posted the photo above on Facebook. He was amazed how many of the people there remembered him. (TBH, he didn't remember all of THEM, but we are putting that down to age and being busy and the like) FOW2 did the cake which was disgustingly chocolaty and wolfed down by all concerned.

For he sake of sanity, we sallied forth to the cinema as a family. HOH and FOW2 went to see Branagh's Macbeth live from Manchester. They loved it. FOW2 wasn't too sure about the fight scenes. Apparently, people who were quite obviously winning their bit of the fight would keep insisting on pirouetting round in a full circle, thus leaving themselves open to being run through in the backwards area, mid twirl. I explained to her about dramatic effect and all that but she has seen too many episodes of gritty American drama to be impressed by that. 
FOW1 refused Macbeth so we went to see The World's End. I went into this with a totally heroic "Things I Do for my Kids" kind of vibe. However, it was really funny. Very British. Not quite as good as Hot Fuzz but certainly in the ball-park. (Don't go if you have a thing about bad language. It puts the G in gritty in that department)

I read this, this week. Family Secrets - Living with Shame from the Victorians to the Present Day. It is a big , fat book stuffed to the drawstrings with facts - most of which are quite depressing. I learnt more than my small brain can take. The most edifying bit was finding out that the condition Downs Syndrome was named after Doctor Langdon Down, who, in 1866 opened a huge home for children with mental disorders - not to hide them away but to give them the best chance of education and a better life. It was only in the 1920s that the idea of hiding the children away took hold. Dr Down and his wife were part of the Evangelical Movement which sought to translate their faith into actions and also two more names on the long list of Christians who make me feel that I am playing at it.

I have just realised that the font has completely changed but I don't have time to look at it. Am off to make chicken butties before evening service. We are doing Joseph and it's really good. You think you know everything about Joseph just because you have heard it so many times and can sing all the colours in the coat in the right order, but there is so much in the account that is relevant to normal people. Am loving it.
That's it for now. Carry On!

Wadjda

Telegraph.co.uk

Quick Film review....

Wadjda. Made by Haifaa al-Mansour,   first ever female film  maker in Saudi. (Laughs in face of patriarchy!) It's about a girl, who wants a bicycle. Bicycles aren't encouraged because of possible damage to ladyparts. Girl still wants bicycle. Er. Yep that's about it. She charms the living daylights out of anyone who comes within a hundred yards of her as does the whole film. Funny and sad and clever.
Dunno where you will get to see it as cinemas are full of Idris Alba in dinosaur suit knocking ten bells out of everything but if you see a chance - take it. (In the words of the great Steve Winwood)

Waving not drowning

Hello.

I am not dead, Not quite. I am however, completely, totally, utterly overwhelmed. 

First I was ill. In bed ill. Mysterious virus.
Then daughter gets mysterious virus.
Then Mother moves south. Wagons are rolling. Vans are being unpacked. Virgin is messing up the Internet.
Work is in overdrive.
I have emails from Noah that I haven't replied to.

I am catching up but I am doing it very slowly.....

But I am here. really I am and I am soon to be back so try not to forget me. In the meantime. this is lovely.

After a difficult day.

This will do your bits good. I know you have all probably seen this but I just wanted to show it to you because it makes my heart sing. A deaf child hears for the first time. 

Trying hard not to keep trapping my head in the door...

It hasn't been a bad few days. No one got stuck under anything heavy. No one got lost in the woods. There is actually only niggly things niggling I think. It hasn't been a great time though. I have let worry get the better of me. I have allowed myself to get annoyed by things I cannot change. I have been disappointed in myself for allowing this to happen again. Because I know myself and when I allow worry to over take me, I become less faithful and when I trust God less I become

• A bit toxic. I have less patience with people who need my patience. Then, because I have less patience and am snappish, I feel guilty and then I feel more toxic and so it goes on.
• Shattered is what I become. Easy rhythms become hard and need effort. Plus I don't sleep as well so I am genuinely pooped. 
• Sad and fearful. Where is this Christianity stuff going? Is there a point to all this?
• A nasty piece of work. People who are doing better than me begin to get on my nerves. People who aren't better than me get on my nerves. No-one can win. Least of all God.

So it was good this morning to hear about Leah and Rachel in Genesis 29 and 30 and the problems that they caused for each other and also that things that happened to them seemingly through no fault of their own. It was good to hear that through the mess (and believe me I have no mess at all against what looks like an episode of The Sopranos here) that God was working through everything. He was listening and answering and the original promises had not budged one inch. I think it's all good in the end.

It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.
2 Corinthians 12:8-10  

Read this week. Pure. I found a recommendation for this on the Being Me blog which is jolly good so I hot footed it to the library and had to wait 3 weeks so that was a good sign. Anyway, it's really different. It is about the clearing of an old graveyard in the middle of Paris just before the French Revolution but in some ways, that is incidental. It's haunting and draws you in to a time and place even though you don't understand it.Sometimes, when people say a book is well written, I am not always sure what they mean. I think I understand here. It's not what you would call incident packed but I couldn't leave it alone

Saw this week. Despicable Me 2. Just really funny. what do you want from me?

Technical stuff now. If you follow this on Google reader, it is a dead duck from tomorrow so you cain't do it no more. this may be your opportunity to slip off un-noticed but if you want to stay - you can follow though Bloglovin - there is  a button on the right or via email. Or like me on Facebook. S'up to you really. would certainly appreciate it if you stayed. 

Anyway - wow, that was long this week. Am off to watch Mumfords at Glastonbury  Loved Chic the best so far. Rolling Stones never popular in this house because they apparently stole Stevie Wonder's/Otis Redding's/Bobby Womack's careers. Don't think it  helped me that someone on Twitter said that The Stones reminded them of the Wonga Advert. Ah well.

Bible Characters I Have A Sneaking Regard For (And Probably Shouldn't) - 1

The Prodigal Son's Brother

28-30 “The older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. The son said, ‘Look how many years I’ve stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!’

For those unaware of the story of the Prodigal Son find it here

There are people in the Bible who get it wrong. They misunderstand  things, they hold back people while God tries to use them. They generally miss the point and I like 'em. This probably explains why I am never going to get a nomination as Christian of the Year. 

Don't write in, I know why the brother got it wrong. I know how he missed it. That doesn't mean I don't get him. 

I think I empathise with him a bit. He was a steady Eddie. He kept at it, carried on doing the right thing. Never did anything to give his father a moment's worry and then fancy pants Prodigal Bro' comes waltzing back and it's time to partaaay! I know that all of us depend on mercy and forgiveness including the Sulky Brother but you see what I mean. I think God sees it too

If you are a trier. If you are a keeper at it, who has always tried your best, even if you know that you have messed it up lots of times. If you have watched others come and go and get a lot of fuss - look at this.

 “His father said, ‘Son, you don’t understand. You’re with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours

The Brother's inheritance in God is totally unaffected by the actions of anyone else. There is enough of him to go round. His attention is not taken from you because you are quiet and faithful - you are in his sight all the time. There is no need to worry or sulk. God knows who you are.

Apologies

Haven't read many blogs. and certainly haven't been able to produce enough time to think about writing any. Parent's move down south has taken all my time along with other stuff.   (Henceforth she shall be known as Bez - short for her name and Old Bessie - she doesn't read this, you will be surprised to learn.) Four more weeks and she will be upon us.

This week I shall be mostly

• Wrestling Plymouth City Council to the ground to get an answer about housing benefit for the Bez.
• Preparing bedroom for return of FOW1 for the summer.
• Writing strict meal plans for return of FOW1 for the summer.
• Getting ready to explain to FOW1 that just because he is home and eating for free, that does not mean that all bets are off about limits on what can be consumed. E.g. we do not do Tuna and Pasta Bake for lunch for one person, unless it is leftovers. This is not the Middleton's you know.
• Emailing university about travel plans for FOW2's trip to summer school. I will be accompanying her on the train whether I am welcome or not and I am decided in this. (P.S. Re FOW2's summer plans. We have received a two page letter from her history teacher outlining - in great detail -  the revision she will have to do during the holidays. Why are you addressing this to me? First of all you are the teacher are you not? Teach her what you want her to be doing in the summer. Threaten if necessary - I find it helps. Also - she's the one who wants to go to University - not me. She's seventeen not seven.)
• Racing to finish my Library Book ("Pure" since you ask - very good) so that I don't have to pay a fine because some pushy person has put their name down on it and I can't renew it.

And none of that includes work or cooking or cleaning or personal hygiene or dog walking or TV watching (though that has been curtailed because we updated our Virgin Box to a TIVO and with the old box went all the Father Browns I had been recording from the week before. Frustrating!)

Thanks to friends for taking pity and feeding us last night. Slightly pressured because she is a really good cook. She did a roast and tried to make me feel better by telling me that she had got the Yorkshires out of a packet. Effect slightly spoilt by finishing the meal with lovely lemon cheesecake made from scratch)

Now see what I have done. I nearly written a blog and I don't have the time. Off to put chicken in for return from church this evening.

(Runs to kitchen in blind panic - checking clock as she goes)

Bonkers Busy

Hello. Sorry for the absence. All is a hive of activity here and at my time of life it takes its toll you know. We are in the process of moving my mum down south to be nearer to us. So it has been visits to flats and phone calls to helpful ladies as well as filling in forms. All this as well as work and life and things - you know how it is.  So it is all a bit bitty if you get my drift. Not the usual level of high spiritual thinking that comes from this blog. (Do NOT say a word) So, stealing shamelessly from Woody Allen or Ian Drury depending on your generation or your comedy persuasion here's my reasons to be cheerful this week.

Best Piece of House Decoration
Head of House found room for my framed Gary Neville picture. (See above) It had crossed my mind that he had framed it and was then going to hide it until I lost interest. Fat chance! Gary Neville. Red until he dies. Love The Neville.

Best Membership News
We have been accepted as members at church. I am assuming this means that my past gun running in South America has been overlooked.

Best Thing Read

The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap. Unashamed feel-good wish fulfillment kind of book. Couple give up rat race to open second-hand bookstore in their front room in small town America. Spent evenings, closing book, lying back and dreaming about what it would be like. Just a little bit. Well quite a lot.



Best Thing Watched
On catch-up. Melvyn Bragg waxing lyrical about Tyndale, the Bible translator. A man who gave his life (and he was aware that this was a probability) so that ordinary people could read the Bible. He was a scholar and an academic. He could have done anything he wanted with his life. He did indeed do a marvelous thing with it.

Best Verse Read 

Psalm 100. The Message reads Enter with the password: “Thank you!” Make yourselves at home, talking praise. 

Love the idea of "thank-you" being a password to God. Not that we need a password I know, but it is a great picture of the best way to approach God with thankfulness rather than unabated whinging.  

Best Dad in Martha Towers
Today is Father's Day in Britain. HOH is quite dismissive about this sort of thing but he is a fantastic dad. All here in Martha Towers are unanimous in this. 

Bye