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!