Hlaf term at last! October 23, 2009

Work has been very busy, and I am glad that I am now on holiday for a whole week. Over the past month I’ve spent at least a week in training events. I enjoyed the last one the most. It was an introduction to supervision. And on reflection, I realised how much I want to help others grow and develop as much as I enjoy growing myself. I’m wondering if my line manager would agree to me doing the three day training on supervision some time in the future.

If I haven’t been working over the past few weeks, I’ve been resting and reading, in order to make sure I had enough energy to continue working! Food wise, I attended a recipease lesson on making filled pasta. It was a birthday present from my sister. And despite being totally exhausted and going down with a cold, I loved it. I’ve made pasta once since then with my machine at home, and plan to make some ravioli this afternoon.I’ve also been making lots of soup, as this is what keeps me warm when I’m out working with young people in the evenings. Tomato has become a favourite, though we’ve also had chicken, courgette, butternut squash and carrot. Last week I completed my quilt. I’ve made lots of mistakes with it, and it definitely looks handmade, but I’m keen to make another, learning from my mistakes!

The half term break has a long to do list which ranges from cooking to christmas preparations to gardening! The weather looks good, so I’m hoping for at least one day out on the tandem too!

So much to say… October 2, 2009

Last weekend – began Fri morning with a great discussion at house group on the first four beatitudes. Really got us thinking. Then off in the car to meet up with friends in Loughborough. It was great to see them even if it had to be short. Then off to the Hilton in Kegworth for the New Springs Bash. Hubby was doing close up magic, I got to enjoy a large meal and more entertainment than you’d get anywhere else on an evening out. I saw Max Somerset (magician, guess who recommended him?!) Beverly from the x-factor (my personal highlight, her voice is amazing) Huw Priday and his wife (Tenor and Soprano, but sang separately), Elton John tribute act (from the one and only show), Men in Coats (check them out on youtube if you don’t know who they are) and then the crew from New Springs singing/video/dreams and gospel presentation! We were fortunate to be staying at the hotel, as it finished around 1.15am. Saturday – camp evaluation day. We met with the team and made some key decisions for next year. Then driving further south where hubby was performing.

This week – work has been great this week. I have had my first full week of face to face work, and although this really squeezes on my office time, I have managed to get everything done and ride the many ups and downs as I got my targeted programme underway. I nearly wept at my desk on Thursday as I reflected on the young people we have this term. I hope our programme helps them, apart from that I can only pray. I’ve really loved doing my job this week.

This weekend- Cooked a fabulous meal last night for friends, hubby has declared that it has to be repeated, so maybe I’ll remember to take photos next time! Chicken with posh ham and cheese, followed by apple and maple burnt custards. Today we’ve had house group and the rest of the day has been spent chilling out and completing chores. I’ve just been through three years worth of study notes, most have ended up in the recycling bin. The highlight of this weekend will hopefully be Sunday. Hubby won us free tickets to the home show at earls court, so we’re going to miss church and probably plan all the improvements we want to make to our house! Next weekend I’m away training, learning how to teach young people about sex and relationships, so that’s it from me for another fortnight probably!

Still too fast September 19, 2009

Since Greenbelt, I’ve been thinking a lot about how fast I run about the place. I am ruled by my to do list and rarely sit and do nothing. I’ve considered not wearing a watch, but decided this is not practical. I’ve tried to discipline myself to sit and be quiet each day. My work patterns don’t help this, and so even though I’m enjoying it when I do force myself to stop, it’s hard work to convince myself to sit and do nothing for a while, especially when I have a to do list running in my head. Now my to do lists aren’t that important. They contain things like ‘work on quilt’, ‘wash curtains’, ’sort out study material’ (Oh, I finally got confirmation that I passed!). So very little has to be done there and then, but I’m so used to doing! The aim is to be a human being not a human doing. I find that phrase helpful, but putting it into practice isn’t easy. I’m reading An Altar In The World which so far is reminding me to stop and be aware of (and in awe of) the things around me. Again, it’s the slowing down that’s the hard bit. Maybe I need to completely re-write my to do list, and have at the top of it ‘do nothing’ or ‘go for a walk’ or ‘just be for 30 mins’. mmmm…….

87 cakes in two days! September 19, 2009

Today was our community funday, so yesterday our kitchen became a cupcake factory and we made 39 cupcakes to be sold on our church’s cake stall. They sold well, as did other cakes on the stall and after an hour it became clear that we did not have enough. So I ran home (not very far at all) and started baking again. A lemon drizzle traybake, some gingerbread men and then some fruit scones. In all we reckon I made 87 cakes! I only have photos of the cupcakes, there wasn’t time to even think about taking photos of the others. They were each whizzed up to the stall still hot from the oven.

A new term at work September 12, 2009

This week I actually started doing the work I was employed to do – the buses! On Monday nights I’m leading the team on our single decker bus that acts as a mobile youth club. Tuesdays and Wednesdays I’m on our little minibus which goes round different areas to advise and inform young people on different issues. I continue to run the day programme on Wednesdays for young people at risk. I’m busier than ever and now learning how cold it can get in the evenings. Tuesday was fine, lovely and warm, by the end of Wednesday I was in my hoodie and coat! Not good considering this is only September. So I’ve bought some handwarmers and a microwaveable food flask which will be filled with soup every night! I’m also going to make sure I layer up, and I’m sure my thermals will come in useful later in the term! It will also be nice to have the challenge of leading unstructured youth work – part of the reason I took the job in the first place!

weekend minus photos September 12, 2009

It might only be Saturday, but my weekend starts on Thursday as soon as I’ve finished work (11.15am this week!) So Thursday evening was spent in the kitchen creating treats for hubby: mars bar moouse (tastes yummy but not a cooking masterpiece), chocolate ice cream (yum, and saved in the freezer for later) and chocolate covered bananas (apparently frozen bananas aren’t that nice, but he reckons he’ll finish them off anyway.) I’ve also got a soup planned to make on Sunday.

Friday saw us whizzing around a craft fair that we had planned to spend all day at. We had planned to make a phonecall to book the car into the garage next week, we ended up getting it fixed at Kwik fit for most of the day, and in the confusion and rush i forgot to take the camera with us. So we eventually got to the craft fair just before 4pm with an hour to look round. Unfortunately all the cookery demonstrations were finished by this point but I did taste some nice cheese and see lots of creative people’s creations. Once home I created a collage of camp photos that is currently residing in our conservatory. I’m glad to have a permanent reminder of camp and to have made use of the many photos I took.

Today I’m  at my parents for my sister’s birthday meal. Then maybe at home later I’ll make some more progress on my patchwork quilt. I’ve done all my chores already for this weekend (apart from the washing) and so any spare time I have can be spent creating! Yey!

Greenbelt September 5, 2009

Greenbelt was once again relaxing, thought provoking and thoroughly enjoyable. I think I enjoyed everything I went to,so rather than highlights, this is more what I did and loved!

Fri – went and listened to Dave Tomlinson talk about living with questions, well that was the message I came away with, that I need to live with my questions of faith and not be in such a rush to answer them. It’s ok to think something different! We then went to see Andy Kind do his stand up comedy, which was good, better than some of the stand up we saw last year.

Sat – I went to a slow worship service, where I realised how fast my life has got recently and how hard I now find it to slow down! After missing out on Rob Bell (v long queues) I went to a discussion on open houses. Interesting, and provided more thought about how we can use our house for God, though I’m now thinking quite a few years down the line, as we’re doing enough for now! The best part of the day was Alex Horne and his comedy show Wordwatching about his attempt to get words into the dictionary. He has so far failed, but has been on countdown!

Sun – we went to visit our friends and their church. Great to see them, great sermon on obedience, and I enjoyed the lively modern worship, oh and great lunch too, not to mention the chance of a shower! Thankyou. We returned for a magic show by one of hubby’s friends. It wasn’t his best performance, but the audience was a bit young for his intellectual comedy. We also heard a Q+A session with Rob Bell and I enjoyed watching the little children run around and play!

Mon – Gene Robinson made me think in the morning, and although I still haven’t made my mind up as to which side of the homosexuality debate I agree with, I enjoyed hearing his views. I also enjoyed an hours worship led by Tim Hughes and Al Gordon which made me realise how much I need lively, modern worship which enables me to passionately worship God. Then just before leaving I went to hear Pip Wilson talk about emotional and spiritual intelligence. Some wisdom here about naming and dealing with emotions (something I need to do and have started to do) and about reflecting on the world around us more (which I plan to try and do as I slow down more!)

So I’ve come back with things to think about, and changes I want to make to my life. I want to be slower, allowing more time for reflection and prayer, and hopefully less stress! I want to be passionate about God, and that means finding things that feed me – namely stuff that makes me think and worship that helps me worship! I’ve already downloaded another 3 greenbelt talks that I didn’t manage to get to and I have plenty of books I want to buy and read. I’m still pondering on a lot of what was said,and what I believe God was saying to me, after all, I’m learning to live with the questions, not look for quick answers all the time.

Tockington Times! September 5, 2009

The camp we did this summer was in Tockington, we had 40 8-12 yrolds for a week and had a fabulous time. I promised photos, so here are three -the only three without children in!

This was one of the shelters built on the first night as part of our survival challenge. First they had to find the things they needed to build a shelter that we hidden on the edge of the woodland area. Each dorm needed to find 2 poles, 6 pegs, some string and a groundsheet in the dark with torches! There was some foul play when they found other dorm’s stuff- some threw it into the woodland, but most managed to find most stuff! There are still a few pegs somewhere in Tockington with different numbers on them! After they built their shelters they had to decide on a survival kit list of 5 items from a list of 15. Then it was time for supper – burgers cooked on a bbq.

Here’s hubby setting up for crazy tockball. Each dorm has a goal on the outside of a big circle. Lots of plastic footballs in the centre. Whistle blows, everyone runs to the centre, tries to score goals. Now you understand the name crazy tockball.

 

 

 

 

Here’s hubby and another leader practising their game for tockie skills. Each dorm does each activity (there were 10 i think) for 3 mins and scores as many points as they can. This game – how many times can you hit the ball between you without it toucing the ground.

Other activities included Tockheap challenge (junk modelling), It’s a tockout (lots of water games) Tockie fayre (more games and a bit of water) Tockie active (my problem solving kit from work!) a trip to Noah’s ark, and then there was lighthouse (the evening meeting) and the lighting up times (morning bible study.)  There is so much more that I could write, but I would bore you all! We’ve decided to go back next year it was that much fun.

Dust everywhere August 23, 2009

That’s the state of the house at the moment. We’re having the house re-wired. Apart from that, sleep and a day trip to Rye I’ve not done much else all week. We’re at greenbelt next weekend. But life should return to normal again after that. Back to work tomorrow. Half of me is actually looking forward to it, the other half knows that a 10.5 hr day will be a shock to the system tomorrow!

Camp was fantastic! August 16, 2009

We got back from camp last night, and although I was glad of a full 9 hours sleep, I’m missing it! We had 40 8-12s for a whole week and had a SPECIAL time. I took 216 photos, but we’ve created a cd of 1600 photos from all those taking photos this past week! At some point I will pick some photos and write about the highlights, but for now I’m beginning to think about the week ahead. We’ve got electricians coming to start re-wiring the house tomorrow, a new house guest coming to live with us at some point, and we still have to celebrate our wedding anniversary properly! All of this before I go back to work. Greenbelt will once again mark the end of our summer and the return to routine, but I’m looking forward to it being a time of refreshment in so many different ways. But for now, on with the washing!