15 mins of Fame

Over the last few weeks the wonderful place that I live and work has suddenly become the episode centre for the media and politicians of the country as we experience a by election before the general election next year after our MP defected to UKIP.

Seeing places that we pass every day on TV at first was quite exciting, having people from across the country and even my mum and dad who are currently in the Falklands calling to say they d seen Rochester and Strood on television was fun. However it wasn't long before it began to feel like politicians were acting like children playing in the playground; point scoring at our expense and I began to wonder if anyone actually cared about the people of Medway at all.

I don't really “do” politics in the sense that I'm keen to vote and take an interest personally but won't promote a certain party. What I really wanted was someone to actually sit down and listen to the people of our communities and take on board our cares and concerns for the place that we all love.

A few days ago I received a very cryptic call asking if I could be free on. Friday 24th around 3.15 venue to be disclosed later to be a present as a respected member of the local community! Unfortunately on Friday I had a wedding but said I would do all I could to get there.
Friday arrived and no message of the forth coming meeting arrived and then suddenly I received the message...be at the brook theatre at 3.15....you do not want to miss this!

How could I refuse? I did the wedding and hot footed it down to Chatham to discover that the person we were meeting was running late from Brussels! As I looked around at the satellite dishes, security and loads of police I realised that my initial guess was correct, I would be meeting the prime minister! I can't say I've always agreed with our PM but the chance to actually sit down and chat was a little bit exciting! .and Yet I really was genuinely impressed with how he spoke normally , down to earth but genuinely seemed to be interested in our concerns. A friend of mine shared her concern for post 18 care of young adults with special needs and promoted Abbey court school the place I'm a chaplain which I was able to support her in and also raised the concern for the bad press medway gets when we are so proud of where we live.
The most daunting thing about the experience was the cameras sat facing us for the first few minutes of the meeting...and as I was sat next door but 1 to the PM I was key focus!... I hadn't realised how key until 101 calls came from across the country as ITV national news aired with me on it agh!


What will happen at the by election is anyone's guess, all I would suggest is that you think carefully about voting, if you care about where you live use your vote but use it wisely, for a party that supports your views. We want our MP to be a positive reflection on our towns !

So, how do you say goodbye to a Prime minister….well of course ask him for a selfie, and to give him credit he accepted and I'm proud to say I'm the first dog collar he's ever had a selfie with!

Marathon!!!!

Over the last year I have sat alongside people suffering with cancer. One particular family I met spoke about how their dad had a bucket list and on it was wanting to see Andre Rieu in concert but unfortunately he had died before fulfilling his dream.

After that visit it got me thinking about my own hopes and dreams, the fragility of life and decided to create my own bucket list. Part of my bucket list involved completing a marathon and so Shine came to be....

The marathon took place on Saturday night and the atmosphere was electric as we gathered in Southwark park with a real party atmpsphere and soon enough we were on our way. We had done a fair amount of training but nothing could have prepared us for the challenge we faced. It was a hard slog with many people suffering with dizziness and feeling faint ( it was unusually hot for that time of year and night), blisters galore and general fatuige. The only thing keeping us going was the thoughts and memories of the people we were walking for; the many survivors, fighters and unfortunate souls who have lost their fight to cancer. We finally crossed the finish line on Sunday morning feeling exhausted yet relieved.

Once home social media went crazy with accusations that the walk; rather than being 26.2 miles had become around the 30 mile mark due to a last minute re route needed after “wealthy local residents complained”.  The fact that people could not see the importance of such an event makes me sad but even more proud of those of us who completed the marathon…and then some.

Yet again today I visited another family in mourning over the passing of a man who died of cancer and no would never fulfil his long lived dream of visiting the Queen mother ship which was commissioned the day he was born. I hope and pray I don't have any regrets when my time comes and will encourage others to Carpe diem.

 

Thank you so much to all those who sponsored me for my marathon I am  very grateful and the running total so far has hit £700...

So what's next on the bucket list.... either climbing a mountain or visiting Bali....(mountain maybe a cheaper option!)

shine!

And so it is nearly upon us.... After months of prep ( or realistically weeks!) fundraising, new gear to wear and lots and lots of panicking tomorrow sees many of us decend upon London for the Shine marathon in aid of Cancer Research!

I'm actually sat here feeling slightly excited yet totally terrified, I'm hardly the fittest person so what posesed me to do such a thing.... Walking 26.6 miles plus starting awake all night!

Well the truth is I've witnessed a horrible few years of seeing truly wonderful people of all ages battle the horrendous disease that is Cancer! As I've sat alongside people in homes and hospital eventually it can seem like cancer is out of control and while I can pray with earnest for healing and cures I wanted to do something more. So after several discussions a group  of us decided to go for it. No amount of tiredness, pain or blisters is anything compared to the heroic ism of those I've seen battle these past years some still doing so, some through the other side and some unfortunately not .

Tomorrow I will a Shine for my Aunty Chris, for Cindy Phelps for Stella Clifford and for Karen Collison angels shining brightly in the sky. I will also be fighting for Jackie Baldwin, Jen O Brien, Lindsey Purcell, Elwyn Nicholl , Ceinwin and James Cross fighting right now and for Stuart Charlesworth (Charlie) and Colin Thomas (Tom) survivors :)

Pioneering gets me into some interesting places and this is the most challenging yet honouring!

Fragility

I suddenly realised a few minutes ago I've not shared anything for a few weeks...life has been chaotic without a day of for a few weeks, lots of pastoral issues, training for the Shine marathon and getting used to school routines!

The last few weeks have really enhanced my understanding of how precious life is and who supports us during those fragile times. Part of the reason for me doing this mad Shine marathon challenge is because I feel helpless, so many people are being torn apart by cancer and life changing events I just had to do something.
Being a priest is such a privilege, being asked to walk alongside people in joy and in sorrow is an immense honour! spending time with people is what I love best, yet when the Chips are down it's also a very lonely job, you can be seen as a central figure and so everything is channelled at you. During these difficult times it's been amazing where my support has come from, people who will send a text just because, people who will sit and listen and people I haven't seen for 20+ years but are at the end of social media willing to let me rant!
No matter who we are we all need confidants, we all need people to talk to and we all need a hug now and again ( real and virtual!)
These past weeks have been tough but we pick ourselves up, carry on and am grateful to all who walk this crazy journey of life with me.

Roller coaster of emotions

Well what a week!
My week of emotions started on Sunday when we had to drive to Brize Norton to say goodbye to my parents for 10 weeks while they are seconded to the Falklands....no matter how hard I prepared myself or Daniel the reality hit hard that the 2 people we rely on for care, support and hugs were not going t be around and I lost it a bit.,,I'm usually pretty hard but the tiredness from getting up at 5 for the car boot kicked in nd that was that. I know my folks will have an amazing experience/adventure despite the cold and unusual circumstances (read more about their adventures on the Rochester diocesan website "falklandsandbeyond")

Having recovered from that trauma and just about organised our lives today came upon us where we had the delight of taking Daniel to school for the first time. Over the summer we have tried to prepare him without trying to make too much of an issue out of it all. This morning he was very worried, he didn't want to go but he put on his new uniform and off we set. Living a fair few miles away from our allocated school we have to drive part way but found a place to park and walk the rest. Once we arrived Daniel saw some tears mainly from grown ups and started to sob...I said my goodbyes and handed him to Marc ( chicken that I am!) once we handed him over we were directed by the friends of Wainscott (PTA) to the hall for refreshments if we wanted, where we were greeted with a little information sheet, a pack of celebration chocolates and some tissues with a little poem on them, a place to compose ourselves and meet other parents. This was like a real oasis , a place to gain composure, to chat with others in the same situation and to then face the world.

after a mad day I got to return the journey and collect a very cheery boy who had been painting (evidence on his top) playing and even managed to eat some lunch !

Tomorrow is another day..there may be tears but we know we can survive and Dan will live to tell the tale x

LOVE

Mark 12:30-31 (NIV)
³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^{[a] 31} The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’^[b] There is no commandment greater than these.”

Over the last week the news and social media have  been full of "discussions" about love..mainly relating to same sex relationships. I don't really want to get into a debate about this but wanted to reflect on how sad, upsetting and harmful I have found people's reactions and behaviour; to any other group of people it would be seen as racist.

I have witnessed people being rude, offensive, nasty and down right hurtful to others in the name of their own individual beliefs.
Don't get me wrong I am all for people having their own opinions, own thoughts and speaking their mind, what gets to me is when those opinions begin to impinge on the health and well being of others. There is no need surely for anyone to treat another human being so horrendously.

However we interpret what we believe I believe the Bible says to Love your neighbour as yourself, by doing that we should therefore be polite, respectful and not do things that cause deep hurt in others.

I truly truly love people and am hurt to the core that we can be so judgemental. We only need to switch the tv on to see how much hurt is occurring in the world through unrest in Gaza and Iraq, surely we should be doing everything we can do to bring peace to our world.

The brave and courageous Vicky Beeching shared this image this week and so I feel Billy needs to have the last word...

Testing times

There are some things in life I just can not understand,there are some things that happen that just seem not to make sense and there are questions in my head that I will be asking the good Lord when we meet face to face.... why do we have mosquitoes and wasps? Why do men in my family have beautiful long eye lashes and I don't? why can't Daniel and. I digest cow's milk? But more importantly why do some people suffer more than others?

These last 9 days have been so emotionally draining with funerals and burying of ashes as well as visiting some really poorly people. It has got to the stage where even the grave diggers are asking what 's going on as they have been so busy in Frindsbury!
People often say to me it must be horrible doing Funerals, and of course it is terribly sad but it is also a real pleasure and a privilege to meet with people, to hear stories of their lives and to share in precious moments.
The longer I find myself here the more connected I become with others. Tomorrow I am blessed with a funeral for a family I did a wedding for just last year.

What I do find difficult though is seeing suffering and especially in those so young. Over the last few months I have been blessed to meet with someone who is terminally ill and that diagnoses escalated today and I was asked to do an emergency baptism in hospital. Seeing someone so desperate to be baptised, seeing friends and family torn in grief and seeing staff shocked at the sudden change in a person is heartbreaking. But this is the place we are put in, these are the situations entrusted to us and this is the reality everyday folk are facing day in day out. I just pray that the tiny part I have played this week in so many hurting lives will bring some comfort and some peace.