Family

Having family far away - i.e. NOT IN THE SAME HOUSE - is always a sorrow.

Not mega, just, mostly, a dull dull ache. A missing. A lacking. An emptiness. A feeling mixed with thankfulness and contentment and joy that our son and daughter are making independent ways in life, spreading wings, soaring with God into the world.

A son who is a marvellous, caring, fun-filled and outstanding teacher. A kind, loyal friend with an outrageous sense of mischief.. A strong, respected, dedicated man of God.  He probably wouldn't be too pleased at this description. It is 'showing-off'. Of course it is.

A daughter who works for a charity that helps the poor, who has so much fun and fulfilment in doing so, who constantly looks for other ways of being engaged with God's people. This little chick has flown happily to the other side of the world to do so.

A daughter-in-love whose family have become our family and friends, who is beautiful and gentle and loving and creative. Also a teacher, also adored.

Another 'adopted' daughter, the daughter's bestie, who I love as my own.

Gorgeous girls, the two of them.

 I miss them all. I live a busy, fulfilled life; enjoy a happy marriage; love my friends; but I MISS THEM.

(My finger slipped, very appositely, onto the Caps Lock key.)

And yet, as George Eliot says, "In every parting there is an image of death." Indeed. But death is only a temporary separation in time and place... In the partings, I rejoice in knowing that we are still connected in our Lord; still working together for his kingdom; still thankful for these wonderful, wonderful people.

And looking forward to the next reunion. Mags, I'm longing to hear, first-hand, all about your trip to New Zealand to see Cat.

Christmas 2014

Our Christmas letter 2014:

Turning, in this time of Advent, to the Greatest Story of All. And thinking of our own year filled with stories...a good selection of biographies, comedy, romance, travel  and action/adventure.

Life stories, as we have met up with old friends, shared memories and caught up on what has been happening in our lives. Thank you to all those who have journeyed across the water to visit us: a warm, not watery, welcome awaits the rest of you!

School stories: as Jonny ploughed his way successfully through his PGCE year and got his first teaching job, Angie moved to Year 6 and enjoyed teaching girls again.

Romantic stories: a year dominated by an extraordinarily happy wedding. We shared in the preparations over the months and weeks beforehand: #dryinglavender #rosepetals #organisingelectricity  #orderingelectricals  #fairylights .  Then we spent the penultimate week in a Norfolk cottage with Phil and Judy, #dearfriends #Adelesparents.  Putting the marquee together in a field next to a Tudor mansion was full of fun.

Family stories, as Cat visited from New Zealand, most of the cousins met up for the first time ever and the adults were together for a family occasion which was, happily, NOT a funeral. Someone celebrated a VERY big birthday and also, with Someone Else whose turn it is NEXT year, achieved 30 years of "ecstatically-happy-never-a-cross-word" married life.

Holiday stories...In January, trapped for several days on a remote island with no access to the mainland; Lihou, half a mile of the south coast of Guernsey, accessible only at low tide. Visiting friends in sunny Cyprus during a cold February half term; #blissfulwarmth. Exploring the beauty of Norwich and Norfolk; #officiallyinlovewithEastAnglia. Camping, recharging spiritual batteries at Spring Harvest in France; wonderful cycling as well.

We talk, often, of what our future story may be. Life is changing, as Richard retires officially in May next year.

When I think of all our stories, I remember something I read recently: "The best stories are centered on the hope and gratitude we live out in the midst of our imperfect stories."

Whatever happens, we are grateful to God for His care of us and ours this past year and look forward to whatever is store in the future.

Crazy in love

The Boy and Dear Daughter-in-Love have just left after a week. Their first Christmas together, and they chose to spend it with us.

#feelingloved #veryhonoured.

A wonderful time. Relaxed, chilled and a deep sense of peace.
Celebrating Christ's birth in song and services and shared meals.
Giving, laughing, living.

(With just a little grieving over Dear Daughter's absence in New Zealand. We thank God for Skype and for dear friends there who substitute family for family and give her love and laughter too.)

And now they are gone. The house feels actively calm, as if rooms are springing back into their own emptier shapes now that there are only two of us here. I sense the carpets breathing again, the furniture settling back to normal living. I can hear the dishwasher working in the silence.

The dog gazes out of the window, hoping for their return.

The Swedish tomte on the window sill know better. My heart echoes their woodenness.

And the Father?
The Father, after we have said our goodbyes at airport departures, suggests we have a coffee in the airport runway viewing lounge.
The Father leaps to his feet as they walk out towards the aeroplane, waving a last goodbye.
The Father drives us home for one last look for waves to tell the Boy, the Surfer, about.
The Father goes online to track their flight. He tells me the time they have taken off. He tells me that they haven't yet landed at their intermediate destination. (The Other Channel Island, the name of which cannot be mentioned here.) He shows me where they are as they fly across the English Channel. He wonders why they have to circle the airport before they land.

He is crazy over them.

And as we reenter normal existence, where we live our lives, they live theirs and sometimes we are able to share through emails and Skype calls and occasional texts, I am reminded of how our Father in Heaven, too, is crazy over us. So crazy in love that he knows what we are doing every moment of the day.

He has looked deep into our hearts, and he knows all about us.
He knows when we are resting and when we are working.
Even from a distance, he knows what we are thinking.

He notices everything we do and everywhere we go.
Before we even speak, he knows what we will say.
He protects us on every side.
There is absolutely no escaping from Him and His love.
Nothing about us is hidden from Him!
Even before we were born, he knew everything we would do.

Our Father in Heaven doesn't need flightradar.com to track us. But He is crazy in love, too. And he loves The Boy and Dear Daughter-in-Love and Dear Daughter even more than we - and the dog - do.

Christmas

This would normally be a post over at my reflective blog... but Christmas posts usually appear here.

I have subscribed to a blog by a Christian writer, Bonnie Gray, called Faith Barista, for some years. I always enjoy her writing and view on life and am fortunate to have a copy of her book, Finding Spiritual Whitespace. In the run up to Christmas Day, there was time to look at her blog. Christmas Eve was entitled Come. Rest Your Heart. It's Christmas Eve.

Brilliant invitation. And as I read of her visit to her son's kindergarten to tell of how her family celebrates Christmas, her words touched those deep places in my heart.
As she shared her little nativity set and the candles which represented the hope of the star, the peace of the angels, the joy of the shepherds and the love of the magi, she commented: "If we always have Jesus in our hearts, we will always have Christmas."

And of course I agree with that, just as I am encouraged by Nanette Elkins to make room for Jesus in my heart so that I could keep him at the centre this Christmas.

So, on Boxing Day, as I reflect on all the busyness of Christmas, I realised that these wonderful women have sown seeds which did indeed help me do that.

I wasn't consciously focusing on the person of Jesus as I wrapped presents and prepared meals, but the fruits of his presence were evident. Cooking a large roast dinner is something I only do once a year: at Christmas. A challenge to coordinate and have everything ready on time. Would the turkey be overcooked and dry? Could I manage to get the vegetables all ready at the same time? Would I remember to do everything?

With Richard's help in organising the kitchen, laying the table and serving drinks, and the visit of dear family and friends, stress was absent.

Yes, I was slightly anxious: but not stressed.
Yes, I was busy: but not rushed.
Yes, I was abstracted: but there was always time and energy to talk.

All calm and bright, indeed.



Adele and Jonny - dearest daughter-in-law and son

Karyn and Garth - dearest friends for many years

Book review: Love Letter, a Babe's Bible novel

There was a health warning on the back of this book: 'Not for the faint hearted...once you begin you won't want to stop, but be prepared for an emotional journey.'

Love Letter is the third - and, I guess, sadly the last - in the Babe's Bible trilogy. Karen Jones has created a compelling character in Grace, a vicar, who deals with many of life's challenges and problems.  Grace's encounters with her husband and son, her friends, her colleagues and the women she encounters at the women's refuge she has helped set up, are interwoven with the book of Ephesians. Meanwhile, Grace is writing a story of her own: begun in the first book (Gorgeous Grace), it is the story of Mary and Lila, first century women who are disciples of Jesus.

There are many parallels and reflections between what happens in Grace's world, and what happens in the world she has recreated in her book. Yet the stories are not too similar. In Grace's world, sinful characters find redemption and grace; in the first century, there is much evil as the Jews suffer under Roman rule until, in 70 AD, the temple in Jerusalem is torn down. Yet throughout both stories there is a powerful sense of God at work in people's lives.

So yes, it WAS true. I read the book very quickly indeed. It was truly a superbly crafted page turner. Having finished the last in the trilogy, it is probably time to start at the beginning again: because these are books well worth a second read.

Advent/Christmas

Such beautiful words and harmonies...

The story of how a new verse for 'Silent Night' has been written by Ben Cantelon and Nick Herbert.

Advent. Christmas. Jesse tree...

Today is Stir Up Sunday.  So next Sunday is the beginning of Advent.

I've been asked to present a Christmas craft/tradition at our church Christmas craft fair. I'll be showing folk the little layered gingerbread Christmas trees I make, but also salt dough ornaments. (recipe: a quarter of a cup of salt, one cup of flour and enough hot water - maybe up to one third of a cup - to make a firm dough, cooked for up to three minutes in the microwave on medium heat, carefully) My daughter and I made these a dozen years ago, representing Jesus's story. Ornaments for a Jesse tree. There is a saying: “The Old Testament conceals what the New Testament reveals.”  The Jesse tree does this beautifully.

This site has a good summary of the Bible verse, a suggested symbol and a child friendly explanation; there are also suggestions for making the tree and ornaments. Ann Voskamp has a Christmas devotional book, with a free set of the ornaments. There is a detailed explanation here.

I came across a beautiful post about making the ornaments with a group of friends and then exchanging them. Ideally with a group of 25 women (24 days in Advent, plus Christmas), each one makes 24 ornaments and 1 for themselves, then all exchange so that each one has a set of 25 different ornaments. I started off a Jesse tree using the children's toy animals and other bits and pieces I had to hand, but this is a lovely idea. I've also, in the past, done it using old Christmas cards, cut up and hung with ribbon, putting the relevant Bible verse on the back of each; we've even made our own Advent calendars in this way.

There is also a simple way of doing it with printed images or even building up a Nativity scene with the relevant Bible verses.

FlameCreativeKids have the best ideas for Advent activities.

Here are the verses, (from a Catholic website) with some suggestions:

JESSE TREE SCRIPTURES (The symbols are only suggestions)

December 1 Creation: Gen. 1:1-31; 2:1-4 Symbols: sun, moon, stars, animals, earth

December 2 Adam and Eve: Gen. 2:7-9, 18-24 Symbols: tree, man, woman

December 3 Fall of Man: Gen. 3:1-7 and 23-24 Symbols: tree, serpent, apple with bite

December 4 Noah: Gen. 6:5-8, 13-22; 7:17, 23, 24; 8:1, 6-22 Symbols: ark, animals, dove, rainbow

December 5 Abraham: Gen. 12:1-3 Symbols: torch, sword, mountain

December 6 Isaac: Gen. 22:1-14 Symbols: bundle of wood, altar, ram in bush

December 7 Jacob: Gen. 25:1-34; 28:10-15 Symbols: kettle, ladder

December 8 Joseph: Gen. 37:23-28; 45:3-15 Symbols: bucket, well, silver coins, tunic

December 9 Moses: Ex. 2:1-10 Symbols: baby in basket, river and rushes

December 10 Samuel: 1 Sam. 3:1-18 Symbols: lamp, temple

December 11 Jesse: 1 Sam. 16:1-13 Symbols: crimson robe, shepherd's staff

December 12 David: 1 Sam. 17:12-51 Symbols: slingshot, 6-pointed star

December 13 Solomon: 1 Kings 3:5-14, 16-28 Symbols: scales of justice, temple, two babies and sword

December 14 Joseph: Matt. 1:18-25 Symbols: hammer, saw, chisel, angle

December 15 Mary: Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38 Symbols: lily, crown of stars, pierced heart

December 16 John the Baptist: Mark 1:1-8 Symbols: shell with water, river

On December 17, the Church begins to intensify the preparation for Christmas with the use of the "O" Antiphons during the Liturgy of the Hours. The symbols for the Jesse Tree from December 17 to 23 are based on the "O" Antiphons.

December 17 Jesus is Wisdom: Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus in old Bibles) 24:2; Wisdom 8:1 Symbols:oil lamp, open book

December 18 Jesus is Lord: Ex. 3:2; 20:1 Symbols: burning bush, stone tablets

December 19 Jesus is Flower of Jesse: Isaiah 11:1-3 Symbols: flower, plant with flower

December 20 Jesus is Key of David: Isaiah 22:22 Symbols: key, broken chains

December 21 Jesus is the Radiant Dawn: Psalm 19:6-7 (in older Bibles this will be Psalm 18)Symbols: sun rising or high in sky

December 22 Jesus is King of the Gentiles: Psalm 2:7-8; Ephesians 2:14-20 Symbols: crown, scepter

December 23 Jesus is Emmanuel: Isaiah 7:14; 33:22 Symbols: tablets of stone, chalice and host

December 24 Jesus is Light of the World: John 1:1-14 Symbols: candle, flame, sun

Activity Source: Jesse Tree Kit, A by Betsy Walter, Pauline Books and Media, Boston, MA, 1983

Also:

Day 1: Earth

Day 2: Apple & Snake

Day 3: Ark & Rainbow

Day 4: Camel & Tent

Day 5: Lamb

Day 6: Ladder

Day 7: Colourful Coat

Day 8: 10 Commandments

Day 9: Grapes

Day 10: Wheat

Day 11: Slingshot

Day 12: Scroll/Bible

Day 13: Stump w/ Leaf

Day 14: Lion & Lamb

Day 15: Dove Crown

Day 16: Lamb & Shepherd. Staff

Day 17: Cross Day 

Day 18: Heart 

Day 19: Bethlehem Silhouette

Day 20: Fiery Furnace

Day 21: Brick Wall

Day 22: Star

Day 23: Candle

Day 24: Angel

Day 25: Baby in Manger/Nativity

And the most straightforward by far, thanks to Confessions of a Homeschooler: 

December 1 Genesis 1:1 - 2:4 Creation - Sun The Jesse Tree
December 2 Genesis 2:7-24;3:1-24 The Garden, The Fall Paradise Garden
December 3 Genesis 6:5-22 The Arc A Boat Full of Animals
December 4 Genesis 12:1-3 Abraham Strange Visitors
December 5 Genesis 22:1-14 Isaac A Test of Love
December 6 Genesis 25:1-34 Jacob Stairway to Heaven
December 7 Genesis 37:23-28 Joseph The Dreamer
December 8 Genesis 41 & 45 Pharaoh Famine & Plenty
December 9 Exodus 2:1-10;14:1-31 Moses Let My People Go!
December 10 Ruth 4:1-17 Ruth The Foreigner
December 11 1 Samuel 3:1-18 Samuel “Speak, Lord, For Your Servant is Listening”
December 12 1 Samuel 16:1-13 David The Shepherd King
December 13 1 Samuel 17:12-51 Jesse Dancing
December 14 1 Kings 3:5-28 Solomon The Wisdom of Solomon
December 15 1 Kings 18:19-39 Elijah The Idol & The Still Small Voice
December 16 Daniel 6:2-29 Daniel
December 17 Isaiah 9:1-7, 11:1-5 Isaiah War and Peace
December 18 Luke 1:5-25 Zechariah Dumbstruck!
December 19 Luke 1:26-55,   Matthew 1:18-25 Mary & Joseph Mary
December 20 Mark 1:1-8 John the Baptist Jumping for Joy
December 21 Luke 2:1-5 Journey to Bethlehem The Worst of all Possible Times
December 22 Luke 2:1-15 Birth of Jesus Wonderful News
December 23 Matthew 2:1-12 Magi Visit the Messiah The Cunning and the Wise, Angels
December 24 John 1:1-18 The Brightest Star The Brightest Star

And these were just adorable:
1.  a globe or picture of the Earth
2.  an apple and a snake wrapped around it
3.  an ark with a rainbow
4.  a camel and a tent
5.  a lamb
6.  a ladder
7.  a colorful coat
8.  a tablet with ten numbers
9.  a cluster of grapes
10. a sheaf of wheat
11. a slingshot
12. a scroll or Bible
13. a stump with fresh shoot or green leaf
14. a lion and a lamb
15. a dove and a crown
16. a lamb and a shepherd’s staff
17. a cross
18. a heart with writing on it
19. a Bethlehem town silhouette with star
20. a fiery furnace
21. a brick wall
22. a star
23. a candle or light
24. an angel
25. a baby in a manger or a nativity scene

And another nice Advent calendar idea, writing verses and activities into red and green envelopes or pockets and creating a tree shape.