Band, Blackpool and Bella

The last week has been full of alsorts of experiences for us as a family...we have had a much needed few days off from work ( it's never exactly rest when you have a 2 year old!)

Our time off began with me going out ( for pleasure!) to see Marc's wonderful band The Lost Missiles perform. We had taken the bull by the horns and invited a few of our new acquaintances and friends to come along too. I was delighted to see some friendly faces ( nothing worse than being a band widow!) and the band went down a storm. I felt so proud and even got told that I am the coolest vicar ever known :)
It was a truly amazing night and the easiest opportunity to chat to people and get to know them much better on their territory!...If only we could spend more time in the pub!!!

Our time off then took us to the wonderfully sunny seaside resort of Blackpool....a place I often went to as a  child to enjoy the illuminations!
From the second we spotted the tower I felt like I had reverted back to a 10 year old child I was so excited, seeing the sea, the tower the piers brought back wonderful memories and to re live those memories again with Daniel was truly delightful, he was a total delight and absorbed everything we did with the enjoyment of a 2 year old. He tasted Candy floss explored the sea life centre and discovered many new things whilst we were there and to see his eyes light up with the illuminations it was a real sight to behold.

We then travelled down the M6 M56 and M53 to see my beautiful little niece who was celebrating her 2nd birthday. Our niece has been a poorly little poppet since birth so to see her and Daniel running around together like best buddies happy as a daisy was again a delight to behold.
The thing that I really struggle with my job is the distance that is between us and our family, we don't get to see each other nearly as much as we would like to but these moments that we can spend together are to be treasured, from going to the urban farm and meeting up with my Aunty and cousin to going to Chester Zoo to watching Daniel and Bella just playing happily together was truly worth its weight in Gold.

We won't get to see our family now until Christmas time...2 long months but the moments we have had this last week will be happy memories to help us until we create the next ones .

Living in Context!

This weekend has seen mean join together again with my fellow curates to do our continued ministerial development...we get to spend from Friday until Sunday afternoon usually at Ayelsford Priory contemplating various important issues that will help us develop to be better ministers. It isn't a retreat or a jolly but involves deep, hard thinking and reflection. However it is also a wonderful opportunity to review the work we are doing and also to catch up with some wonderful colleagues ( usually over a glass of red in the bar but don't tell anyone ;) )

This weekend our year group have been looking about the importance of mission in context. The need to be fully aware of the context in which we live and work and how God may look in that place ( to put it in a very small nut shell). Two things came to mind for me;

First of all we reviewed how it felt to live in a totally different culture, this gave me the chance to reflect upon our time in Indonesia and also our move from North West to South East. It is only in these times that you become aware of how exhausting but how amazing an opportunity it is to be able to engage in a totally different culture and place despite how very difficult it can and still continues to be.

Secondly it made me reflect on the importance of taking time as a pioneer to fully explore and become part of the community you are there to serve and live alongside in order to be able to fully understand the needs of those you live and work alongside and to not feel guilty about doing so.  Recently I have had a bit of a panic that I have not managed to achieve as much as I wanted to in the last year but this weekend has helped me to realise I have achieved more than I could ever dream of and I truly love HOO!

Aylesford Priory, despite the cold and monastic style of living is a beautiful, relaxing and Godly place. It's a place of peace and tranquillity ( if you can avoid the goose poo!) As much as I struggle to be away from home over these weekends I do see them as an opportunity to reflect and just be!

The sun shining at Aylesford this weekend ( stolen with permission from Phil Greig!)

Feet havent touched the floor!

The last few months have been absolutely busy as can be....but in a really great way...there has been so much going on it has been impossible to stop for very long at all....I have been trying to blog about so many things but instead have been experiencing all sorts...which in a way is good right?

The Paraolympic games for one were awesome, I can't find words to describe what a day we had...from start to finish we felt part of something really special and all had such a fun filled exhausting but inspiring day...I did say at lunch it felt like the best Greenbelt style of festival ever without the rain and Jesus...but actually everywhere you looked ( as my wonderful friend Rosemary reminded me) Jesus was very much there....you could see him in the beauty of the buildings, the English gardens the caring and friendly games makers, the visitors from all over the globe and especially the amazing heroes who were the athletes...who have over come some horrendous experiences to be the best they can be at their sport...truly inspiring! It made me think as i have had time to reflect, how absolutely amazing God is in his creation.

And from that I was then straight into my Ordination retreat to the priesthood...I had 4 days away ( something I hate) to spend in silent contemplation...the silence was sooo hard and I really did struggle and did flounder at times...but it was a great time to really contemplate the calling upon my life that actually felt ( and still does feel) like an amazing privilege that I often don't feel worthy of serving God's people. See previous Blog!!!

Since that amazing weeekdn I have had the pleasure of sharing communion at 3 different churches, of praying with people who have had the most horrendous experiences anyone can ever dream of and have spent time planning a couple of new ventures....very exciting ( watch this space!!)

These last few weeks have still been ridiculously busy but I am trying to take time to remember the importance of spending quality time with people and especially with Marc and Daniel!

The Vicar of Dibley!

What a week! What a weekend! What a week!

These last few days have been exhausting, emotional, nerve racking, tyring and the most amazing days I have experienced for a while!

Last week I embarked with some 19 others on a silent retreat to prepare us for our ordination as deacons or in my case as a Priest into the Church of England. The time away was really difficult for me as i had to wrestle with feelings of guilty having to leave Daniel and anxiety at having to be quiet for so long.
The week, I can not lie, was very difficult for me, I struggle to be left to my own devices in silence and really need to be guided. However, I did manage to take the bull by the horns and found myself exploring the wonder of creation, trying to be creative ( however my attempt looked more like something Daniel would have created rather than me!) and read lots of books I have had on the shelf for ages!

As the time drew closer to the ordination on Saturday I found myself becoming excited as apposed to nervous and I wasn't to be disappointed. All Saints Frindsbury really did pull all the stops out to make the service the most amazing, exhilarating and wonderful moment I could have ever dreamed of. Bishop Stephen Venner spoke brilliantly in words that we could all understand on a level that was just right for each one there and gave us permission, if not insisted that we as priests should be at the local cafes pubs and clubs being with "normal" people...I like that!!!
But of course the truly awesome moment has to be when he laid hands on my with other priests that I have contact with, including my parents and brother in law...a truly awesome moment that I will never forget.

I am so blessed to have such amazing friends and family, family who travelled journeys of 5 or 6 hours there and back just to be with me, friends who sacrificed many a thing just to be with me, colleagues and parishioners giving up their time just to be with me....it truly was overwhelming.

Sunday also proved to be amazing being able to conduct my first Eucharist with my family in the congregation was a little daunting but to see Daniel at the back almost copying my actions with a dolls plastic cup and saucer brought a tear to my eye!

So the big question asked is do I feel different? All I can answer is I feel totally humbled, totally as if this is all a dream and totally in awe that God can use such a person as little ole me!

Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud?

This last bank holiday weekend saw myself and a bunch of family and wonderful friends pack our bags, tents and wellies and head to Cheltenham Race course for The Greenbelt Christian Arts Festival.

We have been going to Greenbelt on and off for many years ( my first visit was when I was 3!) and I love the eclectic mix of people, passions and experiences that can be found in one place. The music, the art, the creativity, seeing old friends and the Jesus Arms ( beer tent) are great ingredients for a brilliant weekend...normally..

This year was quite a challenge..In true British Bank Holiday weekend style the weather was a great challenge! In fact it rained and rained and rained. It rained so much at times it looked like we were sat in between a waterfall with thunder and lightning all around us. For those of you that know me will know that I am terrified of thunder but having a 2 year old I had to try and be brave!Once the rain eased however the problems did not ease..we were left with a massive mound of mud that in places came well over my ankles.

It was hard going, battling the rain, mud and camping but it was also a real witness to camaraderie, team spirit and a chance to "jump up and down in muddy puddles!"...Daniel thought it was the best thing ever and had a whale of a time.

I can not lie and say we had a wonderful time despite the weather...some of our group really did struggle and when your last pair of socks are soaked because your wellies have broken it is very difficult to put on a smile!

However, it really was a lesson in how we deal with adversity...do we throw in the towel and take shelter in the nearest travel lodge at the first sign of rain or do we face the eye of the storm and stay strong through thick and thin?

I like to think that I am a tough cookie and can cope with most things but this nearly had me beat....but thanks to a happy toddler, a great talk from Frank Skinner ( yep the Frank Skinner is a Christian!) and a good old session of Beer and Hymns I got through the weekend with a smile on my face ready to book again next year :)....anyone want to join me?

A matter of life and death

This week has been a week of funerals, planning, preparing and delivering, church services, cremations and burials. Any kind of funeral and every kind of funeral. The last few weeks have seen a lot of the deanery clergy on holiday so all local funerals have come my way.

It has been an emotionally challenging week, any funeral no matter what the circumstance or situation is a sad and difficult time to all involved, but so many at once certainly take their toil especially when one is someone younger than yourself.

Many people say to me that funerals must be the one thing that I hate about my job yet it is one of the things I really enjoy doing . That may sound sadistic but I find at the time of someones death family and friends are much more open to talk to you about life, the world and the universe, they want you to be there, they want comfort and they want hope but most of all they want you to listen and to guide them through one of the most difficult experiences of their lives.

This week saw our church bursting at the seams with young people trying to find a way to grieve, this is the second experience in a year I have had of such a mega funeral for one so young and both times I have been amazed by the response of friends desperate to show their love and their grief to their friend who has died and to the family. This week the tribute was made via an enormous array of flowers, bouquets and wreaths of all shapes, sizes and descriptions, it was also shown by a uniform of flat caps and an array of colourful socks....
These experiences make me feel so privileged that I have a faith, a hope that this world is not the end, it makes me feel privileged that I have a family who cares so much for me, and it makes me feel privileged that I for a few hours can be a part of someones difficult journey.But it also makes me think about how those with no faith, no hope cope, what do they cling to and what do they look for to survive each day....because of this I do my job to share hope in Jesus and just pray a tiny seed may be sown at these difficult times. A light can be shone for them in their times of darkness.

Footprints in the Sand

Footprints in the Sand

THis summer has been the busiest that I can ever remember. It has been a summer of excitement, achievemnt and hard, hard work!

We started the summer with a lovely if not very hot and exhausting trip to Los Boliches in Spain. 10 days with my parents playing on the beach with Daniel and watching him take in all things Spanish, including the food (tapas, calamaries and Paella where his favs!) the language...(gracias, adios and por favour!) and the way of life ( siestas and staying up late!)

It was a different kind of beach holiday having a toddler but a real delight and a joy and great to spend family quality time together.

But since we have been back so much has happened work wise it has been quite crazy...experiencing the Olympics ( a blog in itself) a wonderful holiday club and conducting my first wedding; All really exciting and wonderful events that helped me to engage with so many different people yet very energy consuming making Spain seem a distant memory...

The saddest part of the job though has really been the focus of these summer months, that of funerals. I find funerals such a blessing, to be with people at there most difficult times and to be able to walk along isde them in their grief and just be there to help them try and create a memory in the form of a funeral service. The funeral services usually try and give people a flavour of that person, what they were like as a yongster, the jobs they have had and the family they have left behind, along with a few amusing anecdotes along the way. However this week I am preparing the funeral of a 27 year old man who died tragiclly leaving a 2 year old and a 3 month old baby. Such a short life lived taken so suddenly. It has made me think about what mark do we leave behind when we are gone..what effect will our eventual passing have on those around us....will it be a clear mark like a footprint in the sand.

I hope and pray that your summers have been eventful yet restful, exciting yet enlightening and for those whose summers continue as any other season may you find refreshment when you can!