t'was the week before Christmas

Twas the week before Christmas nearly the end of the year,
time off needed to be used was here,
the days were marked out with a careful plan,
with time to spend with my little boy Dan.

To the theatre to Charlie and Lola the show
visiting a friend's new baby..to Tunbridge wells we would go.
A pre school show and Ice skating too
so much for us to enjoy and do.

But things at work came to be
a change in plans was definite for me
A dear strong lady. so brave and a friend
had  passed away and so a funeral we wanted to attend

Observing a family struck by grief
yet knowing her eternal life in Christ was a relief
But Children orphaned and friends so sad
it makes me wonder why the world is so bad.

And so a week of  sorrow and Joy
and round the corner we celebrate the birth of a boy
a child so special a saviour a King
My heart is lifted for the rejoicing He brings.

Life has its ups and downs the circle of life some call it....

I pray that whatever life throw at you this Christmas and in 2014 you will have the courage and faith to face it head on

God Bless

xxx

Precious moments

The job I have is totally varied, full of joys and sadness, tears and laughter. Today has been such a day.
The majority of the day I spent within the confines of a very cold church made warm by the hustle and bustle of school children coming to experience the Nativity Festival. It is a wonderful experience if you have never had the joy of it. The children go around different stations looking  at and experiencing the different parts of the story fully engaging in it finishing with going into the stable and leaving a chosen gift at the manger.

Listening to the children, watching the delight on their faces, hearing the wondering questions and awesome answers is just a delight and a joy to be a part of..and today is only day 1.

And then I was brought down to earth with a crash, the real humbling part of my job is visiting the sick. Being given permission to enter someone's house when they are seriously ill is a humbling experience, being able to sit along side and listen to how people are coping in adverse situations whilst caring for someone sick totally brings life into perspective and its a real privilege to minister in this way. But today it was hard, so hard seeing someone you know and care deeply for so ill, so hard seeing people you see week in week out suffering yet such a blessing to see a family all there together to support and help each through the darkest of times.
Tonight my head hurts my heart breaks but I pray for peace in the lives of those I have met today.

ASHTMA!

Over the last 2 weeks I have had an aggrivating cold, one of those that doesnt really do anything but lingers, makes you sound nasally and is irritating; that was until a few days ago. One night I suddenly was woken by not being able to breath so well I had a spasmodic coughing fit ( my usual sign of an asthma attack!) and it went on and on and on. This happened over the weekend and so by yesterday Marc badgered me into going ot see the doctor. Me being me was reluctant as I seem to live there between me and Dan ATM !
However it was easier to go and get checked out rather than have Marc worry so off I trotted to the sister surgery in Gillingham which was the only place with appointments.

Convinced it would be a waste of time I sat with my book and waited..not too long and went to see the Doc. In a matter of seconds he doctor realised that I had a sever chest infection and needed antibiotics, he then read my history and realised I also would need steroids as the infection was so deep and my lung is pretty rubbish in places.

I went home feel glad Marc had been insistent but also a bit anxious not liking steroids as though I know they work brilliantly, they also send me a bit manic! It however was only when I was driving home that I realsied the last time I felt a bit like this was 9 years ago almost to the day....9 years ago around bonfire night I developed  a cold which turned into pneumonia and resulted in us flying home from our life in Indonesia. Then I understood why Marc was so anxious.

HAving asthma and a weakness is pants, I feel so terrible not being up to speed but I am so grateful that we have an NHS system where I can be seen relatively quickly, for free and get the treatment necessary.
Now all I have to do is go through the diary and see what things are essential and what things can wait...it is a hard lesson for me....

Emotions

Today has been a bit of a strange day...in fact not just today the last few days really.

Daniel has been unwell all week and it has taken its toll on us, sleep less nights, trying to get essential stuff done whilst deciding to put other stuff on hold but today could not be put off today I was dreading with all my might!

Today as well as being Remembrance Sunday is also the one Sunday Marc leads the music part of our worship at one of the churches and also the day our vicar was away celebrating the dedication of his grandson along with his wife (who usually looks after Daniel while Marc rehearses and during the service). So the pressure was on before we even woke up this morning.

Marc and Dan went off to rehearse whilst I went off to preach and preside communion in Upnor. I have to say I was moved almost to tears, the church was pretty much full of men and women who served on the Arethusa, men and women come to pay there respects and remember. It was a delight to preach and administer communion to these wonderful people.
Unfortunately with the set up of our parish we had to dash straight off in order to do an All Age Worship Remembrance service. I have to say it is so hard getting this right....trying to make sure it engages all ages without making it irreverent and loosing the remembrance aspect.
The church was full and as we launched forth immediately there was a problem, no heating and no sound! It was a real battle and eventually we got a hand held mic working.
Again I was moved to tears seeing the uniformed children bringing their poppies, having Daniel sit with me ( still clingy after being ill) and wanting to pray for the soldiers, seeing those men and women wearing medals of honour of wars fought long ago. And then I turned around and saw a whole family sat together a family of a lady who has been battling cancer so bravely still smiling, still entertaining her grand children and still in church.


I have moaned, I have been grumpy and I have sulked this week..Yet today I have seen people put me to shame..our church seems to be experiencing a lot of suffering at the moment and for those we can but pray God's love and peace upon them.

A stressful day has brought me to my knees....we are blessed to be surrounded be true heroes...

LEST WE FORGET!

Sweets and Saints

Last night at 4.45pm the door bell rang, as we opened it we were greeted by a multitude of scary looking children and slightly embarrassed parents...all of whom we knew;
"Trick or Treat" they politely said with big smiles on their  painted faces...
Last year some of you may recall our dilemma of what to do but this year was a no brainer..we had a basket full of treats and also our glow in the dark pencils and rulers with Jesus is the Light of the World written on. Some may feel this is tacky, some may disagree with us giving anything at all but it is an opportunity for us to share with our neighbours and also to get the message of light into the homes..and seeing the delight on the 40 children who received the pencils and rulers was priceless. Unfortunately by 6.15 we had run out of the pencils and rulers so the following 15/20 children just received sweets and a blessing of safety.

Today is Friday, today unusually for me is a working day..why? Because today is All Saints day (All Hallows) our parish church'
s patronal festival of which we are to celebrate a service of Holy Communion. It was a delight to meet together and celebrate those wonderful, faithful folk who have gone before us..

 All Saints Day, a day to remember those ordinary people of extraordinary commitment. Saints are ordinary Christians whose lives reflect the life of Jesus. Recently the Pope has declared a few more people Saints..including Pope John Paul the 2^nd..however those such as Mother Theresa sacrificing everything in life still await saint hood but I believe her life mirrors that of any Saint. An ordinary person doing extra ordinary things for the Gospel. 

So many people in my life have been Saints in my eyes...people who lived faithfully to help me in my life, to help me grow, to help me develop and to give me the confidence I need. Some are still with us and some sadly have departed this world...It may sound morbid but I feel it is so important to remember those who shape our lives and make us the people we are today.

So to you who have been a part of my life whether it is a little way or a major way...you know who you are...THANK YOU!

When the going gets tough!

The last few days have been pastorally difficult for me...

On Friday I had the real privilege of assisting with the funeral of a young women ( just turned 41) who lived on our estate.
The funeral was always going to be emotional but little prepared me for the fact that as I stood to read the eulogy I was faced with a massive amount of faces I recognised and know from our estate, Daniel's preschool, resident association and other Hoo contacts. It was a really amazing thing to see a community come together to celebrate the life of Karen.

The funeral was also made more emotional by the fact that Karen was a music  teacher at a secondary school and some of the girls choir came and sang 2 songs. The girls were absolutely amazing they were clearly terribly upset but held it together so well and I have never heard a choir sound so much like angels in my life.

After the emotion of the day I then went on to spend a damp and wet weekend in Aylesford Priory with my lovely fellow curates. All the training in the world doesn't prepare you for tragedy!

So today all I can do is pray for the family, for a husband widowed at a young age on his birthday and every year on his birthday will be reminded of what happened. Today I can only pray for 2 children who will never forget their mum but will grow up without a mum and who have to face everyday life when things will never be the same, And most of all today I pray for those friends, neighbours, acquaintences who are also suffering the loss of a friend.

The one thing I do know is Hoo rocks and am privileged to be a part of it.

Peninsula Times November

I am trying to write my latest article for the Peninsula Times and just wanted to sound it out here...see what you think

Peninsula Times November

I recently read an article that said:

“Halloween is also a sort of marker in the calendar, a turning
point in our year, when the fallen leaves and passing of a season are swept away by the pre-winds of winter and we brace ourselves for the uncertainties of a dreary dark winter. I’m reminded of this as I listen to Sting’s album, “If On a Winter’s night.”  

‘If Halloween is not for you, lighten your spirit! Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner. If this season tells us anything, it speaks to the need we all have for celebrations that brighten the dark times. ‘

 http://blog.beliefnet.com/redletters/2010/10/should-christians-celebrate-halloween.html#ixzz2gfZToRrG

Autumn is a strange time a year, a time of change and a time of darkness. In our country as in many others we put our clocks back to try and grab an extra hour of day light but the nights still seem to draw in very quickly as does the cold damp weather.

The darkness of the season is also perpetuated by the celebrations of Halloween and Bon fire night…what are we really celebrating any way or is it just a good excuse for a party?

I have never been a fan of the dark, metaphorically or literally! There just seems something sinister and altogether unnerving about it all. I am the one who hides behind the sofa during Dr Who , who used to have nightmares watching Scooby Doo and who could definitely not watching any given horror film, mock or real.

That is why I love this verse quoted from Sting, it reminds us that very soon the joyful occasion of Christmas is just around the corner. Surely it is better to celebrate the birth of the Saviour of the World rather than the capital punishment of a man from the sixteenth Century or  dressing up as ghosts and ghoulies remembering the spirits of the dead.

So as the darkness descends upon us, as the cold winter takes its hold, let us hold on to the fact that the Son is coming, the light of the world shines amongst us and we have nothing to fear if we put our trust in Him.

Highs and lows

This weekend has had its highs and lows.
The weekend started with a full on day of KIME ( curate training) in Canterbury. I am now in my third and final year ( hurrah!) and despite the sessions being a good chance to learn more, to catch up with fellow colleagues they are also rather full on and take time away from the family during the weekend which is ever more precious time.
This year we are studying Hermenutics and my group are looking at Gender issues which should make for an interesting debate. I am slightly anxious as in 2 weeks time I am away again for the whole weekend with KIME and already am putting contingency plans in for Dan.

Following a full on Saturday There came a equally full on Sunday...2 services to preach at followed by a brand new venture..Sundays @ 4. This was to be the launch of  a new  worship experience appealing to all ages based at Bishop Gundolph in Chattenden. A  lot of time and preparation has gone in to this event so we as a team were all excited and nervous too. As Marc, Daniel  and I arrived in plenty of time to set up and be ready without any panic. However, as we were setting up we discovered the speakers had been moved ( strange occurrence), the projector which we had been told was set up was missing and the fire door was a jar. As others arrived it became clear that the church had been burgled. As shocking as this was it also meant that the most vital part of the event was missing...the data projector! Thankfully we have one at home so Marc sped off to get ours and all worked out. The event seemed to be pulled off with about 30 people in attendance and a delicious BBQ to finish. It is great to be able to trial new things and spend time with people in a different setting..let's hope they come back :)
After such a manic weekend all I wanted to do was collapse in front of the TV. Unfortunately once most of our visitors had departed we had a visit from CSI to check for finger prints etc. By the time all the excitement was over we went home bath and put Dan to bed and I too collapsed into slumber.
I felt really frustrated by the break in..not by the things stolen..they can be replaced, but by the fact the fire door is broken meaning it had to be boarded up making the building unusable at the moment. Tuesday I receive another Police visit so will know more then.

This morning Daniel after 12 hours sleep is obviously in payback mode for me being away and pre occupied most of the weekend so this afternoon unashamedly I am doing mummy and son things!!!

Lazy Sundays...NOT!

Yesterday was the first Sunday I had been back into traditional church for several weeks after the amazing boot fair experience... I was very anxious about preaching as it almost felt like going back in for the first time.. Saturday night saw me frantically writing and re writing my sermon for the 2nd service and the night saw me dreaming about turning up to find the wrong bible passage to what I had been given to prepare!!!

But Sunday morning came and went and it was nice to be back in the fold sharing God's word, baptizing 2 beautiful babies ( who barely cried!)  and celebrating our vicar's 60th birthday!
On the way back from church only a few moments from our house we were abruptly stopped by 3 fire engines trying to put out a house fire. Daniel of course was rather excited to be greeted by such a sight where as I was very anxious about what had happened. Having found a route around the blaze and home the Parable of The Good Samaritan ( Luke 10:25-37) was going through my mind..should I stay out of the way and let the professionals do their thing...or should I go and see if anyone needs any help? After a few moments I decided I couldn't settle and so took a walk ( or rather hobble..on crutches!) up to the scene...crowds had now gathered, local neighbours were out re directing traffic and children were zooming up and down on bikes keeping everyone in the loop. and so I managed to chat to a few people to discover by the grace of God no one was injured but the fire was still smouldering away. I spoke to a few neighbours who were anxious but ok and managed to visit a lady with cerebal palsy who lived next door and obviously as little concerned about what was going on outside. It was lovely to chat with this lady..(embarrassingly she already knew who I was and apparently reads my articles in village Voices and Peninsula times) I hopefully reassured her that everything was ok and her her carer was coming later on in the day to see her too.

It is strange what this job throws at you..sometimes planned sometimes without even realising it. It made me realise how much of a privilege it is to live in such a community as Hoo, to be able to be an instant resource if needed and to see a community come together .

Our day continued with a lovely afternoon tea from 3 of our home group and Daniel's friend form church , a real chance to unwind, chill out and relax yet to catch up and get to know each other more...Daniel was lost for 3 hours playing happily and it was a delight to see.

So a day of contrasts of excitement in happiness and excitement in terror...one thing is for sure..life with us is never dull!

Breakout

Last week we had the pleasure of attending the Breakout Gathering..a time spent with 100 ( well technically 98) other people pioneering all over the country in varied and exciting ventures.

It was an experience as we went as a family, a chance for Marc too to listen to and recieve as well as contribute, and a chance for Daniel to spend time with us rather than miss us. I am not saying it was easy we juggled the sessions between us we juggled and negotiated nightmare meal times and we slept better than we have done in ages!

It was a great chance to meet up with people that we know from other parts of the country, people I trained with, people from CMS, people we have met along the way. It was a great time to hear some awesome stories, to hear what others are trying to achieve in their pioneering worlds and to reflect on our own situation.

We spent time together thinking about how the words we heard would effect our situation the place we are living the things we feel God wants to achieve in our part of the world. We spent time dreaming, if money and time was no object what we could do; However it was also frustrating hearing time and again people who were in similar situations feeling frustrated with the Anglican 3/4 year curate time restriction. So much was said about it takes 7-10 years to really build and develop community whilst we are still in a mad panic about getting anywhere in 3 or 4. We also heard a lot about people's project. Most seemed to have one thing they focused on, even if they were linked ot a church they had the church plus one other thing to pioneer...not a whole deanery.

So..what have we learned? I have learned that my curacy is far to short to achieve anything that could last, I have learned that there are some awesome Pioneers doing amazing things out there who need our prayers and support, and I have learned that I for one can not stretch myself too far.
After the gathering we zoomed up to Hull ( or rather crawled very slowly) to celebrate a retirement and 60th party with my Godmummy and Uncle Derek...a perfect way to end the week away a chance to complete our blue sky thinking to rest and to have some relaxation, to gain perspective and to spend time with those I love...I just wish I could do it more often..lesson learnt!

Dan and Marc enjoying some pitch and put @High Leigh Breakout13

Super Sundays!!

Today I feel absolutely exhausted!!

Yesterday we had our penultimate car boot fair. If anyone out there is keep a track of me you will recall me mentioning that we have been taking a stall to the Greenfields site in Gillingham and Wainscott with a team over the last couple of months as a trial to see if people are interested in exploring Spirituality, Faith etc...

Yesterday as seems to be the trend started off really slowly, I felt tired as had woken up in the dark ( winter is drawing ever closer ;) ) and it felt like forever before the seekers came. But came they did! In fact we were still there at 1pm as a few people just wanted to chat.

Just a couple of stories to share...one lady chose a verse from the 23rd Psalm and burst into tears, 4 members of her family this year had been diagnosed with cancer and her mother had also died. The verse really spoke to her and she took it away to read and bring her comfort. She also left a footprint in the sand tray with names of people on for us to pray for.

Another couple came who were really intruiged, they confessed to not really having any beliefs specifically but did believe in a greater being. the couple were a same sex couple and spent a long time pouring out to me how hurt they had been by their family not accepting them for who they are, for using religion as a reason not to allow them to see their nephews and nieces and feeling quite angry that 2 people who were good citizens did a lot for the community were committed to each other and were honest to the core could be treated so badly by their own  Christian family.

What would Jesus say? I truly believe Jesus would want these lovely ladies to know that they were totally loved and should be treated that way.
No matter what we may believe or feel I can not understand how a human being can mistreat another in such an offensive way..it pains me to hear of people's suffering. The ladies did some Psalm readings of which verses about being oppressed came up and they asked me to make them prayer bracelets each.

I don't know what goes on with people after we have encountered them, what I do know is that their stories, their emotions stay in my mind and all I can do is pray for them and their situations.

Next Sunday is the last car boot of the season and I am so going to miss it, in such a short space of time I feel like I have found a place to be!

Greenbelt

This bank holiday weekend saw us pile into the car with tents cooking utensils and everything but the kitchen sink ( we used a plastic bowl instead!)to head off to Cheltenham for the Greenbelt Christian arts and music festival.

We first headed off to my uncle's house in Gloucester to catch up with our Catchpole side of the family and chill out a bit before the camping fun began,.
It was a nightmare journey ...as any involving the M25 seems to be these days but was great to spend time with the family. Daniel and my cousin George aged 9 got on like a house on fire and it was so nice to see them playing so well together.

But Friday morning came soon enough and it was time to head down to Cheltenham and begin the queue and hunt for a good tent pitch.
As a family we love Greenbelt but the camp set up is always a little stressful; making sure we have enough space, have put the tents up safely and are close enough to all the amenities .
But things went really smoothly and after a little wait and queue we managed to be up and running just after lunch time.

Greenbelt for me is an awesome experience, a chance to chill out with family, to catch up with friends, to explore new musicians, to enjoy faithful acts such as Martyn Joseph and Simon Mayo that never fail to satisfy. But it's also a chance to be together with thousands of other people exploring and expressing their faith.
This year we had the privilege of going to some sessions exploring Pioneers and getting the chance to meet other like minded people going through the same sort of struggles and joys, the stresses and the delights that we are. It was a chance to network and be in a place where we felt people really understood us.

Greenbelt is also fantastic for families and Daniel absolutely thrived there, He loved watching, listening, making and doing. He slept better than he ever has done and ate brilliantly..he clearly is made for living outside!

This year there were many highlights, I loved as already said Martyn Joseph and the Rising, Simon Mayo talking about his new book Itch Rocks,Duke Special, Lemar, The Temperance Movement, I loved being able to sit and listen to Steve Chalke who was awesome, animated and really moving talking about community engagement...everything he said felt like it struck our heart strings for the work we feel called to do, I loved sitting in the Kitchen at CMS and re connecting with old dear friends . I loved being in the childrens play area and meeting people we haven't seen for years and years and I loved being with our family.

Greenbelt is an experience and I loved every moment if it !!

FRIENDS

This morning I had the real pleasure of meeting up with a friend from my youth. Naomi has seen me through good times and bad, through the teenage anxt and the excitement of uni days, through getting married and learning how to be a real grown up!

Of course like with a lot of things life takes a turn and suddenly  2 years have past by since we have seen each other until today!

It was so nice to be able to meet up and catch up on news..more importantly Naomi's imminent baby due in November..I am so excited for her and Brian :)

Today has gotten me thinking ...throughout the whole of my life I have had to move from hither to tither and obviously friends have been and gone. Today it is much easier to stay in touch thanks to social media and mobile phone connections but nothing beats being able to come face to face with an old friend have a hug and a good chat.

To all those friends who have been a massive part of my life and I don't get to see so much...I do still think of you and miss seeing you, but hope and pray life is everything that you dreamed it to be.
For those new friends I have acquired along the way..thanks for being there and I really appreciate you being there for us!

Friends are vital so I hope that you appreciate your friends each day and take time to let them know how much they mean to you!

Can't wait to meet Naomi's little bundle of joy :)

Car boot

Today saw the return of the car boot to Wainscott and my chance to be there for the whole morning (6-12.30!) As usual sleep was pretty non existent last night wondering if I would wake up in time, neighbours house alarms going off and waking Daniel and general unrest. However at the carboot I felt pretty awake and raring to go.

Today seemed a little quieter than usual, the eager beavers were there even before we got out of the car asking what we were selling but we only really had 2 conversations before 7am and it was probably more like 8ish until more people came to chat.

There were as always a few highlights today, one was a man living in Upnor a fellow Christian who had read my article in the Peninsula Times and so had come along to explore what we do and also to encourage us in our ministry which was really lovely.
We also experienced interesting conversations with those of other faiths mainly Hindu's and a Muslim man and were asked to pray for several people who had been diagnosed with cancer.

However noticeably today we did have some synics and a heck of a lot of people wanting PALM readings and feeling a bit dismayed to discover they were PSalm readings instead. It made me realise just how many people are desperately searching and longing to know what the future holds for them. People feel the need to know what is a round the corner.

During the quiet times we explored what other experiences, interactive things we could provide for people to explore spirituality...so watch this space the next 4 weeks will be a time to experiment and see what else works.

13 years!

Today is our 13th wedding anniversary....13 years ago minus a couple of hours Marc and I had the best day of our lives surrounded by wonderful family and friends, 13 years ago we made a massive step into a whole new realm of committmnet, 13 years ago who knew where we would end up!

I have to say over the last 10 days I have done quite a few weddings, I have tried, in the talk, to give some pearls of wisdom and advice on what it takes to make a successful marriage.
However statstics now say that the 7 year itch has been reduced to 4 years, fewer people are getting married and it is so quick to get a divorce now its scary and saddening.

I cant say the last 13 years have been a breeze...I am not the easiest person to live with at times and have had my moments but Marc is an amazingly loving and forgiving soul who I just would not have survived without.

As I sit back and reflect about the huge journey we have been on, the great ups and the terrible downs I can hear him and Dan playing in the garden happily and its music to my soul.

I first met Marc when I was just 18 years old and am so grateful that I was guided to ST Martin's Lancaster because one slight different choice and we may never have met.

Thank you Marc for the journey so far...here's to many more years of adventures!!!

For those who are just embarking on their journey I pray that it is as much a blessing as we have received...marriage is a great institution!

Community spirit

Today I feel exhausted, achey, tired but absolutely exhilerated!

Yesterday was the day; the day that we have spent months and months getting ready for; the day we have had blood sweat and tears over! Yesterday was the Hoo Community Fun Day!

The day began early, with Ian being away I was covering all the services, 2 eucharists, 2 different sermons and an all age. By 12pm I was finihsed and zooming back up the road to The Village.

The day really did exceed expectations, we stopped counting people after 4,300, the clouds cleared and the sun shone, it wasn't too hot and Daniel was amazingly well behaved considering the hours he was there and the amount of temptation in his way.

The day was great because it summerized everything  about community I would want to gain from my role. People of all ages were present, people of all walks of life were there and people from the original village and the new estates were there. People were having fun watching the strongest man competition, teams got together to join in the tug of war, different groups came to show their music and dancing skills, there was a fun fair, craft stalls, demonstrations and a real life fire engine that had to speed off half way through for a call out!!!!
It was great to see so many groups from the community and i was so grateful to my air cadets who came and stewarded and sorted the car park for us!
It was also nice amidst the chaos of being part of the organizing team being able to walk around and speak to so many people we know, it was lovely seeing Daniel stop and chat and play with friends he has made and it was great to be part of such a big thing.

The real touching thing though came at the end when I was approached by a lady who spotted the dog collar and wanted to chat...she'd been building up the courage all day to talk and am so glad she was brave enough to make that step.

Something like yesterday took a lot of work from a great team of organizers and volunteers...it was a real pleasure to have been a part of and look forward to more community events...well done everyone..I love being a pioneer!!!

Dyslexia

This week the issue of Dyslexia has come up no end of times, I know so many kids/ young people struggling at school because of it, so many adults not diagnosed soon enough struggling with it and people just not understanding what a big difficulty it is to have.

I myself have always struggled with my writing and spelling, at school from a young age I would write lines and lines of words on top of each other and could read them perfectly, trouble was no one else could! I was made to stay in and re write stuff, I would have lines to write to ensure the misspelt words were correct and even as old as 17 I would be made to stand up in class and spell words I had gotten wrong in my A level course work in-front of my peers.....yet I had a very high reading age and could read in class with the best of them on a good day.

Despite all this I slipped through the net like so many others and like some still today. It was only when i went to apply for my Masters during a routine entrance test did they pick up that I was probably dyslexic. Unfortunately the tests to confirm and guide you to the skills, colours etc to help cost so much at the time I couldn't afford them so have had to learn by trial and error how to get by.

Now I still struggle, I have to write and read constantly in my job doing so many talks, services and sermons, essays for further development course (KIME) and the other things that go with my job. My dyslexic traits get much worse under pressure and tiredness so things slip through the net and mistakes get made.
Computers are great but unfortunately only pick up some errors not all so you can often be left feeling silly.

Why say this all now.? Well as I said it has been a week of issues raised, people not understanding how difficult life can be for us who suffer and assumptions being made. Dyslexia is not always obvious in a person, it is not a sign of weakness but can make you feel very vulnerable. To those of you who suffer or are parents of children suffering my heart goes out to you...never ever would I want anyone else to go through what I and so many others have done and i just hope that the world will become a bit more tolerant of those who struggle in different areas of life.

Rant over off to battle another sermon and wedding talk...enjoy the sun!!!

mixed emotions

Today has been a day of total extremes, traditional to new expressions, old friends mixed with new!

8.30am arrival at St. Philip and James:
This morning began like any "normal" traditional Sunday you would expect for a minister in the Church of England. I was leading a Morning Worship service in the beautiful village of Upnor alongside 20 or so other worshippers, we sang hymns, listened to a sermon, prayed and had readings from the Bible.

10 am trek off to the carboot fayre:
The sun was shining beautifully as I left the Victorian building in Upnor and headed towards the carboot. over the last few weeks we have had a team of people being a Christian presence at the car boot using body, mind and Spirit tools. It really was a hot and sweltering day, it was a fairly quiet day for the car boot but still people came with their queries, their questions, their confusions and their complexities. Again hearing people's stories was a total and utter privilege.

1pm home:
We finally reach home for lunch, house work ( washing on the line etc) clear some emails and catch the first part of the Wimbledon Final

3.20pm: out again
Desperately trying to keep an eye on the tennis and the success of Murray we head off in a boiling car at this point towards Rochester to our old church to show some folk from our church what Tea Time Together is like, to see how things can be done and see if there is anything we can learn ready for September to begin a similar venture in Chattenden.
It was wonderful to be back at St. J's to see something that was my baby still growing strong, to see my awesome youth taking an active leadership role and to see people who I remember as babies all grown up. It is emotional seeing how things carry on despite you, it's emotional seeing how much you miss the folk who have known you for so long and its emotional seeing people who's lives you have walked alongside

6pm: home
discovering Murray a great Scot, the 1st Brit male in a long time to win Wimbledon has done it, sat watching the news with tears streaming looking at his life story and how proud he and those who know him are.
Food, tax credit forms and getting , one very excited and exhausted boy to bed.

It has been an emotional day, a day of such variety that reminds me just how much I really love my Job and even more excited about how much I am looking forward to the pioneering side really taking off and having the time to get my teeth stuck in.... a day to be emotional , a day to reflect, a day to remember !!

Greenfields car boot!

Car boot June 23rd 2013

I don't mind the mornings but I struggle when morning feels like night time! Whenever I have to get up earlier than is usual ( Easter morning vigil, a flight etc) I very rarely sleep much the night before, I have the intention to go to bed early to cram in the hours but 9 times out of 10 I will lie awake thinking about all the things that may happen, worrying about whether the alarm will go off etc....

This Sunday was the first of many planned trips to be a Christian presence at the car boot fair. We have created a\ team of volunteers from the Strood/ Peninsula area and Gillingham to have a body, mind and Spirit stall. For 2 years my heart has been yearning to be at the car boot that I pass every week when it is there on my way to church in Upnor. Thousands visit the car boot yet on a normal Sunday about 15 attend church...

Finally I was granted permission and so off we set!

We arrived at the Greenfield site at 6.03 am and already cars were pilling onto the site, having worked out whose car would be the base car we parked up and located the eager beavers ready to set up.

Before we had even gotten the gazebo out of its bag a man offered to buy our garden chairs ( for a mislay sum of 50p!) showing us that the real hard core bargain hunters were up and about early.

The morning started quite slowly with occasional people showing vague interest but not many interested and a few very skeptical about anything free...

And then people came, a few at a time, enough to make a crowd but not too many for us to be swamped. Some were just intrigued others were desperate to talk and some just wanted to see what was going on.

Most people were attracted to the Psalm readings which surprised me, people were very anxious about "picking a bad one !" highlighting to us that a lot of people are searching for positivity and happiness.

We were able to pray with a few people and there were some major encounters where people want us to pray for healing, for reconciliation, for confidence and for reassurance.

Throughout the 5 and a half hours we were there we only had 1 negative comment in passing but a lot of interest and intrigue.

Those who came to volunteer went from being exhausted to exhilerated about the morning the encounters and the opportunities.

We have learnt that chocolate giveaways encourage people in,

Gazebo is a good attraction but not so great in the wind.

A sign signalling that everything is free and a notice showing where we are from is vital.

This is an exciting new venture, who knows where it will go but we all felt it was definitely worth doing but regularly. 

It was so wonderful to be where people are, to be amongst them and to engage in conversation..it's what makes being a pioneer so wonderful!!

JOB as in JOBE!!

Over the last few weeks at church we were "blessed" with the titles from the book of Job found in the Old testament of the Bible...

Job ( pronounced JOBE) is a collection of chapters about a guy who suffers every possible ill fate you can dream of; his whole family day, he looses his house and all his belongings, he gets sick and his friends try and be helpful by telling him how bad he must have been for this to happen.
It does however have a happy ending where Job continues to believe and trust in God and  gets his livelihood back a new wife and family etc...

This has been the hardest subject for me to have to speak on....a man suffers the ultimate test and keeps on going...
How do we cope with pain and suffering, or at least how do we cope when those we love suffer?

It's about a year now since my aunty died having suffered several bouts of cancer and it was agonizing to watch her deteriorate but by some miracle she felt assured of her hope in heaven adn was at peace at the end.,
A dear curate colleague of mine has recently just died from our Diocese again after a 2nd bout of cancer leaving a whole load of people wondering WHY?

All I can say is I don't have the answers, the world is a horrible place to be at times and bad things do happen to good people. My only hope is that this isn't the end...something much better is waiting for us when the time comes...because if I didn't believe that I think I would go slowly mad.

Job has sent me slightly stir crazy but he has also taught me that if you have a relationship with God you can survive anything....

My prayer and thoughts this week are with all those who are or know someone who is suffering at the moment that we can be ears to listen arms to hug and good old British tea makers rather than try to give advice that is probably not needed or wanted!

Holidays !

this time last week we were playing in the sand, running around a swimming pool having fun with water pistols, enjoying fine food and drinks and SUNSHINE !

we had the real pleasure of spending 7 nights in Fuengarola in Spain, a place that after only 2 visits has become a place we love and know very well.

Daniel took to Spanish life instantly enjoying tapas sunshine and siestas and then staying up late to charm the locals in the bars and restaurants.

Having time with family just to chill out enjoy life and not be tied to any time schedules was just lovely, to see my dad and Daniel building boats, cars and planes in the sand was a delight reminding me of my own childhood beach days.

Spanish lifestyle really does suit us , but for now we are back in Hoo getting back into the swing of things and trying to keep the memory of Spain alive....and looking to see if we can book to go again

Birthdays!!

Birthdays are a strange thing aren't they.... to me it seems that they are a bit like Marmite, people love them or hate them!

I have always been a lover !! I love the excitement, the surprises the sense of feeling special just for a day. Birthdays were always a big event in our house, cakes, candles, prezzies and an event to mark the occassion!

However we then grow up and as we get older things change, priorities, time, money etc. My problem is I still feel like I am 17 or even 7 when it comes to birthdays, I still want the surprise and excitement which doesn't always happen.

For many different reasons, not excluding an exhausting week with a poorly son last Friday was a tricky day, even my 3 year old announced that it wasn't quite right as there was no balloons, bnanner, cake or candles!!

I have to confess I was feeling a bit deflated but managed to pull myself together enough to go out to Taggs for a drink with a nice surprise of my parents coming too..and then the whole day was transformed. Marc, apparently at the last minute, put a note on Facebook I had mentioned on Twitter and some very dear friends turned up to celebrate with me. It was a really lovely night of fun, cocktails, cake and banter. It was great to spend time with folk I don't usually get to talk with because of a little distraction, it was great to be able to relax and unwind and it was amazing to be spoilt with people dropping things at the last minute and thinking of cakes and candles!

Its times like Friday when you realise how people feel and I felt blessed!!

Thank you so much for those who shared the day with me...you know who you are!!

Late night reflections!

The last few nights have been tasking, Daniel has developed a  terrible cough ( not an infection) but a problem with his asthma or hay fever, anyway, medical issue aside it has meant that he has been coughing and coughing until he has been sick. After a few trips to the doctor and a late night visit to the emergency doctor nebulizer and all I have spent 2 nights propping Daniel up so he doesnt cough too much. During these sleep deprived nights it has actually given me the time and space to think. Of course I would much prefer to have been catching up on my beauty sleep , goodness knows I need it! but it has put things into perspective.

I have been thinking about the past, present and future of our current situation, I truly love the Peninsula and Hoo especially, I love the new contacts and friendships that have begun to form and I love how close our old friends and family are for support when we need it.

It may be exhaustion kicking in but reflecting like this makes me realise how much I really appreciate all I have been blessed with, a lively toddler, a devoted and creative husband a supportive family and the pleasure of doing a job I love meeting and engaging with people in the community. The next 2 years could invovle many big changes across the board and these 2 nights have helped me to realise that I need not worry, I have one greater who can deal with that, but to truly enjoy the moment that I have been blessed with...which I shall try to do!

Home Alone!

Today is the first day of  a 4 day marathon...

My wonderful family, Husband and parents have gone off to lead a conference for a few days leaving me and Daniel home alone!  As time off and holidays are so precious I have decided to try and juggle work, Daniel and survival all in one !

I think I must be mad but so far things have been ok, Daniel is at pre school now so that gives me a few hours to cram work in and evenings are free to work solidly whilst he sleeps so how is it going..

Well so far so good, we have had just one melt down when I had an unexpected meeting during toddlers, Daniel afterwards told me he didnt like me talking when I was there to play with him!! ( lesson learnt!) I have managed to cook a home made healthy ish dinner that was eaten and finished with an ice cream treat!! ( dairy free) Daniel went to bed and so far I have finished a sermon and a funeral, a reference for a dear friend and cleared a ridiculous number of emails...

But I am shattered...I can cope because i know in 4 days time the cavalry will be back and the pressure will be shared yet again.

So, how do single parents do it? My hat yet again is taken off to those people who day in day out have to cope on their own with EVERYTHING. It is so easy to take advantage, forget to appreciate the things we have in our lives, until they are gone, even if it is only temporarily!

I am so grateful for what I have been blessed with and never again will I take any of it for granted...

so til Friday....I may look even more haggered than usual, I may be seen running around, driving around more than usual, I may even forget many things...I just hope and pray that the week will be one of blessing and not stress for Daniel more than anyone ;)

HAPPY IN HOO

This last few weeks have been manic....we had a residential weekend away last weekend in Aylesford Priory for a course Marc and I are on...we took Daniel with us as Grandma was teaching on the course too and so Grandad also came along  to have Dan during the sessions....it was an awesome weekend of learning and reflection but also slightly exhausting worrying about Daniel as he didn't eat much all weekend and struggled to get to sleep at night....but he left that place saying it was "So Great!" and asking when he could return....that boy would totally thrive living in community!!

Then, we came straight back into Bishop's visitation week...a week where the Bishop travels around the deanery...in our case Strood, and looks at all the different things we do, talks to the clergy and local community where given the opportunity to discover what issues there are. 

Unfortunately the Bishop was unable to visit some of the  things I am personally involved in but I did get a chance to present my work, the things and projects I am involved in and the things I am really passionate about. I found myself becoming really passionate and excited about    the place in which we live. I just totally love the Peninsula and Hoo specifically!

Since leaving the North West I don't think I have really ever felt so much community spirit....you can go out just for a walk and people stop and chat whether you know them or not, you have a coffee in Taggs and conversations naturally start... in spite of wearing a dog collar....and we find ourselves involved in some amazing things with some wonderful people....this makes me happy!

My only anxiety is the future...the unknown....can I sell to the Bish the amazing work that is here on the Peninsula...can we sell our case to the powers that be that 4 years is just not enough time to develop stuff....who knows...but for now I am so happy to be here!!!

Work, rest and play

This last week has been a real mixture of work, rest and play...after a very manic, exciting, exhausting and envigorating Easter weekend of services and celebrations I managed to collect a rather nasty chest infection resulting in ke just about making it through all the services I was leading but then hit the ground hard with coughing all night and sleeping very little...not the best start to our time off..

However despite being ill and exhausted we managed to have a really lovely time away at our parents caravan...we toured the local castles of Dover, Deal and Walmer and as many Costa coffee shops as we could possibly find...purely to drink soya lattes to enable us to thaw out from the -2 degree temperatures !

Daniel also enjoyed going swimming every day and dancing the night away at Sparky's Crew club and even had his first ever street dance class !

Being away really gives you the chance to take stock of life and reflect on things. I really do love my job, love the people I get to meet and spend time with in the name of work... But I trully love my family...despite disturbed nights sleep, mountains of ironing, eating battles  and the other joys of having a toddler I do feel truly blessed to be here right now with my wonderful family

The holiest of Weeks...

Yesterday began the week long serial known in the church as Holy week...a week where we are building up an amazing story line with twists and turns all the way, celebrations, jubilation, cheering, processions, meals with friends, meditation in gardens, arrests, trials, torture, crucifixion, death, heart break, heart ache, confusion, despair, amazement, confusion, awe-ness and RESURRECTION!

Sounds to me like a week in soap land...a story line planned, advertised, rehearsed and looked forward to for months on end.
But htis is not made up script, this isn't a televised story plot rehearsd and played out by actors this is reality, this is true, this is the true events of Holy Week.

On Saturday I had the real pleasure of sharing the Easter story with 29 children aged 3-15 at our Kidschurch based in Chattenden ...the children through fun, games, film and an Easter egg hunt unravelled the story of what Jesus experienced that first Holy week/ Easter day. just watching their faces, listening to their questions and explanations and hearing my own son ( aged 3) retelling my parents the story bit by bit was spine tinglingly awesome.

For this is a life changing account. We can so easily get lost in the bunnies, chicks, eggs of Easter but forget why we are celebrating anything at all. Easter is even more commercial than Christmas at least you can find a Nativity scene at Christmas in the shops, at Easter there is nothing that resembles the true meaning of Easter.

Easter is  a great time to celebrate Spring ( what a joke with the weather we are having!) It's a great time to spend with family, it's a great opportunity for fun. But ultimately it is a time to think about our lives and to fully appreciate them.

A wise person once said that if we were the only person left ont eh planet Jesus would still have suffered on that cross just for us...

this week I shall be sharing the story with toddlers , experiencing the last supper with adults, being cre8ive with families on Good Friday and helping to clean up Hoo village on Saturday but what am I looking forward ot most..I am getting up at 5am ( really 4am with clock changes) to lead 30+ people in welcoming the risen Son..I wouldn't be doing that if I didnt believe it was something true to be celebrating!!

Have a blessed Easter however/whatever you will be doing xx

BIRTHDAY!

This week saw Daniel turn 3..3 years old! I truly can't believe it... it seems only yesterday that I was in shock discovering after all this time I was pregnant and even less time that I was in Medway hospital alone the first night terrified beyond believe and only survived thanks to the wonderful Jenny Clements in the bed opposite.

Unfortunately due to the wonderful chicken pox, Daniel had to postpone his party and has been struggling to cope with too much, getting tired easily but we have certainly made up for it and he has had a wonderful birthday few days, spending time with his grandparents, seeing our neighbours and special friends and looking forward to a trip to Leybourne with some very special guests.

Daniel has really turned our world upside down...in more ways than one...he is our little miracle baby, hes a whirl wind, he's full on 24/7 but he is our ray of sunshine.

We have been truly blessed by everyone's thoughts, cards, presents and prayers for Daniel and we look forward to the next many years that we will celebrate with him.

Chicken Pox!

Spotty Maldoone!!

Well the inevitable has happened...Daniel has come out in chicken pox and just like his neice he has impeccable timing, he has missed the birthday party of a dear family we were in hospital with, we have had to postpone his own birthday party and no going out for mother's day outing! Oh yes, and I was due to be away with my curate training this weekend.

And so the collide of work, life balance comes into play yest again....the guilt of needing to be away to study with needing to be at home with my son...

After much discussion, reflection and contemplation Marc and I decided I should go over night and see how Daniel is so at least I could find out a bit about church law, show willing and get the notes I may miss if I come home.

So last night we drove in a flood all the way to Aylesford Priory, I checked into a cell like room a mile from the toilet and bathroom yet met my lovely fellow curates to learn about church law in all its fullness.

I did manage to stay the night, get through my morning lectures and then it became too much, I needed to get  back to Daniel who hadn't slept very well and just needed his mummy.

As guilty as I felt about leaving Aylesford early missing a lot of work and fellowship it wasn't anything in comparison to the feeling of guilt leaving a very poorly chicken poxy boy at home even though I knew he was in his dad's capable hands!

All I could think about was when he is older he will be saying to me...mummy when I was really poorly with the chicken pox you weren't there but you were at work! ( dramatic maybe but I can't risk that!)

So tonight I am sat in the warmth of my home having had a lovely relaxing bath a lot of snuggles on the sofa with Daniel and put him to bed...Yes I do still feel a little guilty of what I am missing but I feel that my priority this weekend is my son and with the decision I made I am happy...and just pray tonight he has a good undisturbed sleep and feels less agitated tomorrow! After all tomorrow is Mother's Day...where else would I want to be?

Busyness of life

It has been a while since being able to put letters to paper as life has just been so busy! in the last weeks I have done or been involved in a wedding, a wedding blessing, 3 funerals, 2 baptisms endless services, 2 marriage preparation courses and a wedding fayre! In addition to this is the usual toddler groups, visits, admin and trying to spend time with the family!

Life at times can seem chaotic and overwhelming but it is at these times that it is necessary to take a moment to breathe, look around and be grateful for what you have.

At the end of February my sister was due to go away for the weekend with her husband for her 40th birthday...a romantic weekend in a very classy to[p hotel in London with fine wine exclusive dinners, a trip to the ice bar and lots of other fun activities my brother in law had planned. Unfortunately as they arrived in Kent to drop our niece off, our 2 year old niece came out with chicken pox! It seemed that things would still go ahead until the moment they were due to get the train she took a turn for the worst and they just couldn't leave her. A long awaited trip, a break was put on hold and instead of the excitement of London they had a weekend confined tot he house in Kent!
This was obviously upsetting for my sister but we did all we could to try and make the most of this, afternoon tea with champagne was created for them, we had a wine tasting evening and cocktails. It wasn't the 5 star hotel experience they wanted but it was the best of  an unfortuate situation.
Selfishly I have to say it was a truly blessed weekend, we got to spend time as an extended family ( where work permitted for me!) that we hadn't anticipated and to appreciate the joys around us that we had each other.

I think life can so easily be taken for granted, we can plan, prepare and know how we want things to go but then something happens to knock us off course and we have to re asses.

This week I am determined to enjoy everything I have, to not take anything for granted and to show those around me how much I appreciate them!

A whirlwind of a week!

This has to have been one of the busiest weeks to date full of variety, excitement...and some frustrations too..

The week started great with the preparations for Lent and a Pancake Party in Taggs as part of our Cafe Church- church but not as you know it. It was great to see a few different faces, to engage in some great conversations and to have some fun thinking about true love...and to eat pancakes too!

My week then moved on to assessment...Marc and I received a visit from the church commissioners ( who gave a grant to the Diocese to pay my wage!) They came to find out a bit more about what we are involved in and to have a look around some of the areas where I work. The 2 people who  came to visit were fascinated by the many different ventures we are involved in and asked the questions why we had managed to make so many contacts. This question has been on my mind for some time this week, and the answers we came up with were simple, we love the people and the place in which we live; therefore we are willing and happy to spend time with people to make our home available to others and to be a full part of the community in which we live.

I also discovered how much I love the "pioneering" side of my job, I get so passionate talking about it to those who will listen and then begin to dream crazy dreams of how things could develop and grow.....WATCH THIS SPACE!!

After such an exciting day I then had to throw myself full throtle into occassional office duties, funeral visits, a wedding and 2 baptisms. I absolutely love being a part of people's special occassions it truly is a privilege but I realised more so than ever this week how vital it is for  those from the church to be as welcoming and hospitable as possible to those visiting us for us occassions. I had two occassions of frustration where traditional view points got in the way of welcoming. We really do need to think about how we welcome, interact and treat those coming into our buildings...it is such a big hting for them to do surely it isn't too difficult to pop a smile on!

My week finished with sheer job, yesterday on my dad's birthday I got to baptize 2 beautiful sisters who we have gotten to know really well through our Upnor toddler group. It is such a blessing to be able to be a part of such an awesome occassion and to help a family you have become friends with to celebrate.

So, it has been a week of frustration, of excitement of despair with the traditional and excitement with the newly developing.... Life certainly isn't dull!!

Home Alone!

This has been a really really tough week....but first let me track back

a few weeks ago we had a frantic call from Marc's older sister to say there had been a bit of a mess up with holiday dates and the first week in February Joseph our nephew would be home alone with no one to look after him ...can Marc go and stay!
My first reaction was yes take Daniel you will have great fun, my second was no I have so many days and weekends I have to be away with work I can't cope with an extra one...my third...It's gonna be tough but yes Marc should go and I will juggle work and Daniel.

So The week is upon us and it has been hard....trying to juggle meetings around Daniel's pre school sessions, trying to arrange grandparents to baby sit around their very busy diaries and trying to function on little sleep because I am a wimp and don't sleep well when the only adult in the house!

However, I have to say it has been exhasutingly full of blessings...I have managed to appreciate what a wonderful job it is I have where I can take Daniel in with me and also where I can dip in and out to fit around him, I 've appreciated other people's flexibility but most of all I have really loved the fact that my parents are willing to change things just to help us out and most of all how amazingly well Daniel has coped with all the changes this week.


This week I have had an exciting meeting about Cafe Church at Taggs and the opportunity to be able to advertise finally, I have met with an awesome and supportive Pioneer to share stories, I have been on some training, written a sermon, plannned a wedding and a funeral and done 2 toddler groups....However, I have also made 2 cakes, done 2 lots of washing, made a speed car run, done a puzzle, made a sand picture and loved spending extra time with my son ( and it's only Wednesday!)

What a weekend!!!!

It really has been an emotional and exhausting weekend in our household, one of those inevitable weekends when you have children but one that you hope doesn't repeat its self!

It started on Friday- My day off!

Daniel was very agitated most of the day and really didn't want to do much, we met mum and dad for lunch but he wasn't really interested in eating ( very unusual for him!) and mum even commented that she would be surprised if he didn't come down with something....

All seemed ok at bed time and we settled down to a nice haggis dinner and a glass of vino, I had just gotten myself into a deep sleep when I was awoken by shouts of "mummy!" followed by the dreaded sound of sickness. That continued on the hour every hour until about 6 a.m..
Saturday of course is a work day for me and so I took myself off to do Kidschurch ( unfortunately not making it to the Hoo clear up as was still in my P.J.'s!!) having only had about 2 hours sleep. I felt emotionally shattered but not too bad and isn't it often the way when you are at your lowest awesomeness occurs. We had a family with 5 children really keen to have all children baptised and they also want to get involved in whatever we decide to do to help Chattenden and even came up with some really viable ideas...exciting stuff!

Having survived Saturday and a staff supper on 2 hours sleep I thought we were through the worst and looked forward to a fun filled Sunday! Again all seemed well, Daniel slept until 7am and although still was tender seemed much brighter and so I left him happily playing cars as I plodded off to work.
My first Sunday experience was a strange one that I can't explain, I was doing the sermon at both services and had been anxious about it having spent many an hour on it. I got up to speak and began with a little story, as I like to do, and then I felt a real pressure on my chest, it was like I had something sat there trying to stop me from speaking! However I took some deep breaths and slogged through determined to get the message across, the feeling passed as soon as I finished and I managed to deliver the talk at All saints without any difficulty.

I was just about to set off for home to collect the boys to go out for a much needed lunch when the phone rang and Marc shouting down the phone, Sue come home now it's an emergency, Daniel has a cut finger and its really bleeding!
I am not one for speed but I have never driven so fast ( within the limit of course!) in all my life. I was anxiously terrified at what I was going to find when I got home and very aware that Marc is scared to death of blood. I opened the door and found a very grey Marc holding onto Dan's finger for dear life looking like he was going to faint...To cut a gruesome story short I got them together threw them in the car and shot off to the hospital. it transpires Marc was cutting Daniel's finger nails and he wiggled!!
3 hours of waiting at the hospital with me holding pressure and elevating his finger it finally stopped bleeding 5 minutes before we saw the nurse and manged to get him relatively easily cleaned up!

So not the most relaxing weekend, we feel exhausted emotionally and physically but just so grateful that Daniel seems to be on the mend, he isn't badly hurt and Marc seems to have come out of his shock. We are also grateful that we have a system where we can just jump in the car, turn up and receive help! And  of course it is amazing how a quick arrow prayer can really help, it calmed me, a usualyl emotional wreck when Dan is hurt, into a person who could instinctively deal with a very messy situation. And finally how difficult but essential it is to have to switch from Rev Sue, to mummy Sue!

I wouldn't really want to make such events so public but they really have had a profound effect on us in many  ways.

What we really got out of today was a new friend courtesy of Medway hospital ( donated by the freemasons....but that's another story!) Welcome to the V-K household SNIP!

It's beginning to look a lot like.......WINTER!

Today has been a day I have been hoping for all week....but let me back track..

Since last Sunday we have been threatened/ promised/ teased with the idea that snow was coming to Medway...so, in my head I have been thinking of all the fun we could have, all the admin work I need to get done that could be done if I was snowed in and the general happy feeling snow creates in our household.
However, as Monday passed into Tuesday.....and then Friday I was starting to get really grumpy! Even my sister had snow on the Wirral and they never get snow, it was getting too much. By Friday the threat of snow was imminent, the sky was heavy and the flurries began, and then they stopped. We didnt dare go out far "just incase" and so I felt that the weather people had robbed me of my day off and any hope of snow.

And then it happened!

For some strange reason I had offered to cover both the 8.30 a.m and the 10 am service at Hoo St. Werburgh church whilst John and Sue are away. I originally was just down to do 10 am and was due in Upnor first but something in me felt that wasn't right and so convinced the powers that be ( my boss!!) to let me stay in Hoo. So at 7.50 a.m. I creep out of the door trying not to disturb anyone else and all looks cold and wintry but ok, still no snow but i had given up hope! Literally within 2 minutes of leaving the house the snow flurries started but again it felt quite fine and not really amounting to anything.
I then proceeded to spend a most wonderful morning within Hoo church, I led the 8.30 communion and then preached and presided at the 10 a.m talking about licorice allsorts and how they are like the church!! ( 1 Corinthians 12:12 onwards) I felt so welcomed in the church, I didn't feel nervous or under pressure, I enjoyed speaking to the faithful who had braved the elements and it was a real honour to preside and work alongside one of their wonderful readers. I really do think that I would struggle being a traditional vicar but if I had to be I would choose to be one in Hoo!

As our worship service came to an end the heads popped outside and discovered the snow was still falling and was sticking too so we had our tea and coffee and promptly trundled back up the road. As I approached our house I was greeted by a myriad of snow balls as all our neighbours were out playing, adults and children alike! I obviously had been desperate to play for a week and so didn't need any encouragement to get the wellies, hat, scarf and gloves on and so Marc, Daniel and I went and joined the upper Rivenhall Way snow ball fight/ snowman build. We had such fun and the day continued in the same fashion we later went out to discover our snowmen had been taken away on a sledge by some other children and so had to console ourselves with some mulled wine whilst the children continued to play..."Pioneering in the Snow" is my new mission :)