November. News!

November has been such a roller-coaster month.

We began by returning unscathed from England, with just a minor panic attack from Pickle the last night in Poole. The slightest pop of fireworks sets her off for hours. She burrows on the bed under the pillows, trying to climb all over us in a futile effort to escape. #thatdog

Straight back into the second half of term. By Monday lunchtime it felt as if we'd never had a week off. (I console myself with the thought that younger members of staff - some half my age - are equally exhausted... and I was only feeling somewhat fatigued because of an incipient cold/random virus.) Still, another day and then I was off to London. INVITED TO BUCKINGHAM PALACE!!  What an adventure!! Yes, I was - and still am - beyond excited.  Still haven't really come down from the high several weeks later....

The day was not just about the palace, though. Nevertheless, once my head graciously gave me permission (and authorised the purchase of my air ticket!), it was all I could think of. I made sure I would be dressed smartly enough, even purchasing new boots to replace my annually mended and resoled workhorses which had lasted me for several years. I organised to see Sue, my best friend from college, who I had not seen for upwards of three decades, before the event at the Palace; and arranged a visit to my sister – again, it was twelve years, we worked out, since I had been to London. The ‘joys’ of living on an island: an expensive air fare rather than a drive in a car or a hop on a train.

I felt like a child again, waiting for The Day to arrive. As it was, I barely slept the night before, getting up eventually at 5 to catch the red-eye from Guernsey. I managed – country hick that I am – to find my way up to London, with the help of delightful rail officials. Meeting Sue, the years rolled away almost as if they had never happened. We talked and talked; drank coffee after coffee; laughed and giggled; reminisced, the shared memories recalled with uncanny accuracy; and caught up some on the years inbetween. By the end of the few hours we had together, we were, as when we were in our teens and twenties, laughing together about nothing, just for the sheer joy of friendship.

You’d think I would appreciate a visit to London after so long: I did, in a way. I walked across Waterloo Bridge, wandered through Covent Garden and Green Park, yet barely took any of it in, so deep in conversation that I was almost oblivious to my surroundings.

From Waterloo Bridge

Covent Garden

 

Covent Garden

Canadian memorial in Green Park

I managed to listen to the buskers in Covent Garden shopping centre: first Irish music, then the most wonderful opera singer. Admired some of the Christmas decorations already outside the shops. Snapped a shot of the Thames from the bridge. Enjoyed the changing colours of the trees in Green Park. Posed for a photo outside Buckingham Palace. Didn’t want to say goodbye to Sue.

We’ll make sure it won’t be another thirty years!

The joy of friendship. And the sorrows... we prayed our way through the month as dear friends battle with (yet another) cancer diagnosis; other close-as-family friends, our relationship spanning several decades, pray anxiously over a frail and sickly newborn. Praise God, although she had to be resuscitated at birth (no heart rate, barely breathing) and showed all the signs of severed brain damage, by four days later she was pronounced 'normal', much to the surprise of the medical profession. We were not surprised: hundreds had been praying for her around the globe. Yet what a traumatic start to her life for her, her parents and young brother, not to mention the anxious grandparents and other extended family. It will take a while to recover...

These friends have journeyed through life with us for more than three decades, over several continents. Six of us - three young couples - started off together in a small East African town. More than thirty years later, our work spans the USA, Africa, Central Asia and a tiny island in the English Channel. Two of the couples had their first child on consecutive days; now, within three weeks will be the arrival of three grandchildren, one for each of us. The fourth for one couple, the second for another and the first for us.

Sometimes, numbers and 'coincidences' fascinate more than, perhaps, they should.

Other November News was the conversion of our house into a Tracey Emin-type modern art installation. It began in hall, where the inside parts of a kitchen carousel leant negligently against the wall: the eye was led, inexorably, on to the kitchen, with tins of food and empty cake tins piled artistically high on every available surface. This was paired with the removal of one cupboard to reveal a meaningful empty space and an array of copper piping, tinted with turquoise. The backdrop of walls behind spaghetti-like pipework was washed in shades of brown and dirty grey...  All translated as: there was a leak in a copper heating pipe, which could only be accessed by removing the cupboard completely. The 'art installation' was, after too long several weeks, removed...

This was the major art event of the month, but minor works, displayed for the duration and on into December, included an array of spanners displayed next to a radiator (which apparently was not working correctly; a dismantled electric socket, wires peeping out from the empty hole; and Who Knows What up in the loft, where investigations into the water system had begun....

#sogladtolivewithahandyman #saiddoubtfully  #perhaps   #he'sacleverchap #doityourself #savemoney

Meanwhile, right at the end of the month, we receive a message from Auckland: Cat is in labour.

I knit, watching 'how to knit' vidoes to hone up on very rusty knitting skills, which have lain unused for over three decades...
Richard watches Youtube videos on secondary return hot water systems.  #residenthotwaterengineer  #nothingthismancan'tdo  #latestcraze  #intoheatingsystems

And then... Cara Grace arrives on November 29th! Such a beautiful baby... not that we're biased, of course...

Spectacular sunsets...

Morning reflection

View from my tent
Morning reflection: my soul is beckoned.

Questions for teachers

I'm going to be asked some questions by members of the youth group at church on Sunday. Thought I'd better prepare some answers:

Do you have a teacher nickname?
Not as far as I know... though I'm a primary teacher. I think that's more a secondary thing. However, maybe I should do some research...!

What’s the meanest things that has happened to you by a pupil?
A child let my bicycle tyres down when I was in my first teaching post. It wasn't personal - just mischievous. I had a long walk home, though. Oh, in Kenya I was Deputy Head of a local school, in charge of collecting school fees, and received an 'anonymous' death threat once when I refused a student admission for frequent non-payment.

The issue of promoting Christianity in schools is a hot potato. What is your take on it?
Christianity is part of our British culture and yet it is often not taught properly. Other religions are. Not only that, but other religions are given glamour and mystery, whereas 'Churchianity' more than 'Christianity' is taught. That's ridiculous.

Do things go on in the staff room that would be disciplined if a schoolkid did it anywhere else in the school?
Oh yes. Cake and chocolate eating, for a start. The children are not allowed to bring sweets in to school. Then there was the time anyone who answered the phone had to include a particular word in the conversation. My word was 'windmill'. The staffroom was in uproar - people were crying with laughter and there was ABSOLUTELY NO DISCIPLINE WHATSOEVER. You can't have children behaving like that!


What is your favourite worship song and why?
Well, anything by Brian Doerksen, but probably my favourite is 'Today'. 'Today, I choose, to follow You. Today, I choose to give my life to you...' It's a wonderful reminder that following Jesus is a daily choice. I want to follow in the footsteps of Joshua, who is credited with those words.


Are there any specific prayer requests for your school or the teaching profession?
Pray for there to be a hunger for God among the teaching profession. Teachers are more influential than they imagine, but they need boldness and to be made spiritually aware of the wonderful opportunities which God gives them.
Pray for there to be a hunger for God among youngsters, so much so that they will voluntarily ask Christian staff for help in their search.
Pray for there to be a hunger for God among parents.

Of busyness, tiredness and refreshment.

Catharine has been overbusy lately.
She’s Vice-President of the university Christian Union this year, captain of the women’s ultimate Frisbee team and leads a small group at church.
She delegates, but has still found herself over-burdened and is now Acting – or activing, as she puts it – President.
There doesn’t seem to be much time available for her dissertation at the moment.
Hmmm.
Wonder where she gets this busyness from?
I’m busy too. Some days, I just seem to run from one thing to another.
Some evenings, I’m so tired I start to fall asleep in my chair, especially if I’m in a meeting.
Embarrassing.
If I don’t fall asleep, I become so restless that I can’t sit still – have a coiled spring inside me, ready to break loose.
A jump up and walk around usually cures that, but that’s not always possible.
So, when I committed to two church evenings at the weekend, with Open Day at school inbetween, I really wondered how I was ever going to wind down enough for some sort of rest.
But it was better than that.
True, the first evening was full of listening, as I heard stories and received training for Healing on the Streets.
The second evening was awesome.
Simple prayers. Simple healing.
My leg – slightly shorter than its mate – lengthened in response to prayer.
I feel stronger, walk more easily.
Yet even more than that, my soul was renewed and my spirit lightened.
Thank you, Jesus.
And thank you for a daughter and son who, in their different ways, love to serve others.

Adventures in encouragement

I’ve never really thought much about ‘prophecy’ or ‘words of knowledge’ or anything like that. It’s not tangible enough for me – not certain.

Encouragement, on the other hand – that’s easy.

Encouragement is a quiet chat; sending a card; inviting someone for a cup of coffee.

Encouragement is a thoughtful gift: a book, a bunch of flowers, a cake.

Encouragement is good words.

Good words are not just words I think are good. The ‘nice’ comments. Good words are words which speak with meaning.

I’m learning to trust those words of meaning. I’m learning to speak those words, even if – sometimes, especially if – they make no sense at all. To me, anyway…
A cup and saucer; a golden arrow; the gangplank of a cruise ship; a chicken shed destroyed by foxes. Such are the peculiar images that come to mind when I pray.

(These are not just random thoughts, but persistent ideas which crop up when I am praying, or praising with music, or reading the Words. Thoughts which God brings to my attention, almost as if he is saying: What about this, then?)

All bizarre.

All made sense - to the hearer. Those who heard were encouraged that God has His finger on their lives. He knows every detail.

I’m also learning that there are no blindingly obvious opportunities to share these little thoughts. I’m learning that I never know for certain when I’m supposed to share ‘my’ random thoughts. I’m learning that Tentative, Hesitant and Unsure are my companions in this game.

When these are with me, then, even though I am uncertain and unsure, the words are usually meant. And right. I know that I offer the words into potential void, and I pray that if they are irrelevant or unhelpful in any way, that they will drop away and be forgotten.

Bizarre.

PS I'm learning, also, not to leave ANYTHING out just because it sounds silly. Twice recently I've done that, only to realise that I needed to give EVERYTHING. not to edit. I'm just a messenger, not The Author and Editor.

New Wine

Just back from a wet week at New Wine. It didn’t really rain all the time, but when I found out that the West Country had received 250% of the average for July, I wasn’t surprised.

However, the work with the children in ‘Pebbles’ (the name of the 3 and 4 year olds group) went very well. We were a team of nearly 100, working with over 300 children in a morning. Despite arriving in gumboots and waterproofs, the children’s enthusiasm for all the activities was not dampened. They played with toys, sang songs, listened to stories, watched cartoons and puppets, chatted to their leaders and learnt different ways of praying. I was, as I am every year, impressed.

I was impressed with how quickly they settled in. After the first day, the children came in as eagerly as if they had been coming every day for several months.

I was impressed with how well the children listened. At times, you could almost hear a pin drop in a marquee filled with more than 200 people.

I was impressed with how simply, yet confidently, they prayed. Watching a little girl put her hands on the shoulder of an adult as she prayed, or hearing a small boy say, after I had prayed for his sore leg: ‘It’s better now.’

I was impressed with how caring they are. One 4 year old asked me: ‘Is your arm all right now?’ He had remembered that we had prayed for my tendinitis a few days previously.

I was impressed when one mother told me how her 4 year old had woken at 1am, asking if he could pray for New Wine.

I was impressed when parents said, time and time again, how the sessions (one and a half hours a day for five days) had changed their children’s lives. ‘Pebbles’ is not a babysitting service. It is not even some kind of a mini nursery school. The sole aim is to help the children have an encounter with Jesus. When that happens, no one is ever the same again.

I was impressed with the parents. I teach, having a good mix of parents to deal with, ranging from the charming to the downright unpleasant and aggressive. Yet the parents of the children, despite arriving with dripping coats and hair, or having had to wait precious minutes before the doors opened, making them late for their next session, were invariably delightful. They had had a difficult week in the rain and the mud yet they were incredibly positive. They were calm, smiling, thankful and enthusiastic: thrilled with the sessions offered in Pebbles.

I know, given the same circumstances, that most people would not have responded like this.

I’ve always said that the Holy Spirit is tangibly present in the quiet, listening atmosphere surrounding these tiny tots it is my privilege to work with this week.

Now I have seen the same presence in their parents.

Praying through the beatitudes

I came across this in an article in Discipleship Journal by one Steve Hawthorne. I struggle a little with the language - not quite 'everyday' enough for me, but I love the idea. Thanks, Steve.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The Request: Shake, sift, and sort their lives. Expose what is worthless. Exalt what is of lasting value. Grant courage that they may declare spiritual bankruptcy in order to receive Your kingdom.

The Blessing: We speak upon them heaven's best treasures: deliverance, joy, and peace under the kind kingship of Father God.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

The Request: Embrace them in Your arms. For every sorrow, show Your even deeper grief, that they may not turn bitter in their own self-pity. Grant them a taste of Your goodness and greater joy.

The Blessing: Upon them we speak peace upon anger; solace upon anguish; and God's own presence to unlock the prisons of loneliness.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

The Request: Grant them new humility. Empty them of self-made grandeur and false pride.

The Blessing: We speak upon them the boundless destiny of God's family: generous contentment, safety, and significance in His increasing dominion.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

The Request: Impel them onward whenever they yearn for a right life before You. Enlarge their appetite to see the world made right in Your time and way.

The Blessing: We speak upon them a share of God's own satisfied delight in inner-heart goodness, and a clear view of God's justice.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

The Request: Unlock closed hearts to forgive. Lift the binding patterns of iniquity. Set off a chain reaction of mercy in their homes.

The Blessing: We speak upon them Your mercy, that Your prevailing love would interrupt the course of events brought on by circumstances or sin.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

The Request: By Your finished work in Jesus' death, launder their life from inside out.

The Blessing: Blessed are the eyes of their hearts, that cleansed inside they may see their entire world filled with Father God, illumined by the light of the greater days to come.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called [children] of God.

The Request: Grant them wise authority to quench the escalating rage of evil and bring forth heaven's peace.

The Blessing: We call them now what You would have them be: Father God's own children, marked by His character.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The Request: For those harassed because of doing and pursuing right things with Jesus, grant patient wisdom to follow Jesus throughout the days of trouble.

The Blessing: We would give them open ears to hear heaven's pleasure, the applause of Father God's joy in those who live like His Son.

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Jason Upton

We went to see Jason Upton perform on Sunday evening. Jason (http://www.jasonupton.net/vision/) is a Christian singer/songwriter. He has the most beautiful voice which is a joy to listen to. Accompanying him as he sang and played the piano were a group of drummer and guitarists. All the way from the USA. I'm not sure how they came to come to this tiny place, but it was a wonderful opportunity for us.

The evening was awesome.

I don't just mean that the music was great (it was) or that we were entertained (as we were) but awesome in the real sense of the word. There was an almost tangible sense of God's presence over the packed concert hall.

The nearest I can get to describing the experience was that Jason sang prayers to God over us for a couple of hours.

Awesome.

Longing

I've become somewhat raw recently. Not in a bad sense, but a feeling of being raw and open to others' wounds. It saddens me when I feel the difficulties others are facing: ill-health; redundancy - without the financial package, just a week's wages; the break-up of a relationship.

It is all loss - of security, of direction, of hope, of joy.

Often, though, I can help in a small way. I can visit, I can empathize, I can provide practical care, I can give a listening ear.

The saddest is when I am raw to others' lack of a sense of purpose. They are looking - but cannot find, because they do not know where to look. How can I help them to do that? How do I find the right words?

The only way I can help is to pray. For them, for myself - for awareness, for knowing what to say and when to say it. For them.

Our vicar's induction

The church looked great last night. After all our hard work cleaning, the floor gleamed and the pews were dust-free. Several huge floral displays were banked up at the front of the church - there is a wedding today.

But last night's occasion was of greater significance than even a wedding . After nearly a year without a vicar, the time had arrived for the new one to be formally introduced - inducted - into the church.

It was quite a performance. All the local churchmen were there, the Dean of Guernsey, various lay readers - all robed up and sitting behind the altar facing a packed church. There was much standing up and sitting down, surrounding various rituals - ringing the bell, washing hands in water at the font and promising to baptise, accepting the key to the door, a bible, a prayer book, a concordance; making countless solemn promises.

It was all quite beyond the experience of most of us. We are indeed an Anglican church, but very informal. Ritual and liturgy are kept very low key, happening seldom. Responses among the congregation encompassed incredulity, bewilderment, amazement, amusement...

Yet it was all very comforting. Hearing the new vicar who will be leading the church make promises was reassuring. He confirmed that he will guide us according to the beliefs of the Anglican church. Of course, there is a careful selection process, but there was still something inherently safe about the whole service. Our new leader will, we hope, continue to take us on in our lives with Jesus, without sidetracks or distraction. We are all pointed in the same direction, and the induction service confirmed it.

Back to work

I know I shouldn't be tired first thing on a Monday morning - but I am! The weekend was so busy that I feel I need a bit more of a rest!

Yet Saturday morning was great. Up early to grab a hired floor polisher and off to church. 50 of us gathered to spring clean. This hadn't been done for years, and in the meantime we had built an annexe - a church centre - on the side which had just been finished, so there was dust everywhere. The real heroes were the two youngsters who tackled the debris outside, collecting a bucketful of concrete bits before sluicing the cobblestones clean. Without them, the church would have been dirty again within minutes as the dirt was tracked in again.

We had great fun. Chatted to people we hadn't caught up with for ages, moved furniture, found dust in places no one had ever been before... and then afterwards stopped for coffee and cake.

We'd called it a Praise and Power (Cleaning) Party. Some of us gathered together in the quiet of the centre. It is a haven of peace, quiet and full of calm. The perfect place for reflection and prayer.

Friends again!

I can't believe how blessed I am this week. I have just realised that I have met up with friends every single day since last Saturday, in spite of going back to work on Monday. Not just casual friends either, but people who I can be completely real with.

There is nothing, nothing as good as getting your elbows on the table over a meal, and putting the world to rights. Bringing God into our conversation, and our concerns and joys to Him in prayer.

Thank you Renee, Jane, Ian and Sarah!

Small to God

Just like the dog, I'm small to God.

But it's different.

God doesn't treat me as younger than I am. He loves me just as I am, for what I am, right now.
He gives me exactly what I need - if I'm feeling as helpless as a baby or have wisdom beyond my years.
He hugs me whether I feel like it or not, and often I don't notice the hugs. Which is sad - I wish I always did.
I'm still not used to being picked up. My pride protests - it is undignified. Things don't happen the way I think they should. What does that matter when God is taking care of me?
HE doesn't force me into doing anything - I have to make decisions myself, take responsibility for my own behaviour.

And how do I thank Him for all his loving care?
I'm just like my dog Mpira.

I growl and whine prayers of disapproval and complaint.

I wriggle sometimes, trying to get out of something even though I know God wants it for my best.

I snarl angrily.

I have even tried to bite back. Guess who got hurt? That's right - me.

Wish I could learn the lesson in all this.

Home again

The house is relatively quiet again - but only for a few hours. Jonny and Cat arrived home on Saturday evening, and it is so wonderful to be together again as a family. I feel incredibly privileged to have two such wonderful young. Their maturity amazes me - I'm sure I wasn't like that at their age.

It was wonderful, as well, to see the reunions at church last night: many have now returned from uni for the holiday. The 'young' range in age from 13 to over 30, all mixing equally well together. The buzz was inspiring.

I'm so thankful for these great kids - not just ours, but the whole group of their friends.

Today, our two have gone off to work. They both worked in the finance industry to earn money for their gap year travels and their bosses are delighted to have them back every holiday. More reunions at the office!

I'm so glad they're back this evening. Special times.

Friends

Sometimes I'm amazed at how God answers prayer even before I ask.

Whenever we can, my friend Sarah and I meet on a Wednesday after school to chat and pray together. We chat more than we pray, but we know Jesus is listening, a silent third party to our conversation. That's a great thought during the actual prayer times when we forget what we have talked about!

As usual, we prayed this afternoon. By the time I arrived home, I found one of the prayers had already been answered - quite unexpectedly and definitely much earlier than I thought might have happened. If that makes sense?

God knows before we even put our requests into words. That's amazing!

Relief

My struggles at work have taken a huge turn for the better. I have a game plan for next term, which should make the situation much more manageable, and the support from my managers has been outstanding.

It is a huge relief to know that I am not assailed from all sides. I have more energy and enthusiasm than I have had for weeks. I am smiling at the future. Praise God, who sustains all his creation and hears the prayers of his people - even little me!

Psalm 37: 23 - 24 says:

"If the LORD delights in a woman's way,
he makes her steps firm;
though she stumble,
she will not fall,
for the LORD upholds her with his hand."

Confession time

Last night I went to a women's get-together from church. We listened to a talk on CD, challenging us that God was giving each of us a task. This task was like a flatpack which needed to be assembled: we had to unpack it and put it to use.

I was supposed to round the talk up with a short reflection and prayer.

I'd listened to most of the talk once, but should have done so again.

So guess who was busy making notes all the way through?

I didn't need to, though. The gist of the talk was easy to understand. So I just rounded off with a little challenge to take the gift and unwrap it, even if we didn't feel up to the task. No excuses: just get started and everything else will follow...

The words from Philippians 4:16 sprang to mind: "...God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

I couldn't remember the context, but looked it up later.

It was all about how the Philippians supported Paul in his work. What a lovely picture: the way the people of God use gifts to help each other. I hope we all do that in our little corner of this world: just think what a difference it would make if everyone did the same?

And isn't it neat when God encourages us like this?

Waking in the middle of the night.

I can wake in the middle of the night for all sorts of reasons, but last night's call was particularly annoying.

The phone by the bed occasionally 'trills' loudly, for no apparent reason.

This rarely happens during the day.

The last time it did it was at 1.30am this morning!

Aargh!

So then I lay awake for what seemed to be HOURS - and probably was.

I put my little world to rights in my head and STILL couldn't get back to sleep. (I can't remember all the wonderful ideas I had either.)

Then names of people I love started to float down the red carpet of my imagination. As each one appeared, I prayed for them. Then came another, and another...

The last one was was called SLEEP.