Truth is stranger than fiction.

Some days just pass you by. They are ok, nothing much happens..you live through them on the roll of routine and wake up the following day expecting much the same.


But some days aren't the same and yesterday was most definitely not a run of the mill day. I was reading Lysa Terkeurst's blog. She had posted a really sad entry about a fatal accident that had happened at the end of her drive the previous day. As I read it the doorbell rang and a lady appeared wanting the key to the church. At the same time our neighbour crossed the road into our drive asking me if I was alright. I said I was fine but had a bit of a cough at which he looked somewhat bemused and went home again.


Then I saw an ambulance. I didn't think too much of it. There are often ambulances this way as we have an elderly population round here so there is often the need for an ambulance. I then saw a couple who looked slightly stunned. I spoke to them and asked them if they were ok. "We had to swerve to miss her, " they said. All this was a bit odd. There was no other car around, just this couple, the lady who came for the key and the ambulance.


The couple went on, "She's hit your fence." I still had no idea what was going on. They repeated, "She's hit your fence. Her car is in your garden."


To my complete and utter astonishment there was a car in the garden which was why I couldn't see it on the road. The young driver had hit the bank alongside our hedge and taken off. She'd come over the hedge, leaving some of her car in it, spun round and landed right way up but facing the way she'd come from.


The ambulance people were checking her out and the couple were waiting for the police to arrive to take witness statements. Now I knew why my neighbour had come to see if I was ok!!



Thankfully the driver was absolutely fine, although obviously very shocked. Eventually the recovery van came and took the car away which was quite tricky because it was wedged on the fence, up against the post so took a fair bit of manoeuvring.



All a bit surreal to be honest. We are all so thankful that the children weren't in the garden, that she didn't hit the garage, that the driver wasn't hurt, that the couple were ok and that basically what could have been unimaginable horror didn't come to pass.



But how strange that it should happen as I was reading about a car accident. Truth is most definitely stranger than fiction... I could never have made it up. What struck me as I mulled it over afterwards was my total obliviousness to the situation until it was virtually spelled out to me but I guess that is probably typical of me and my whole personality. I tend to live in my own little world a lot of the time and always have to be honest.

So much to be thankful for, and I am. But that doesn't address why the accident I read about on Lysa's blog ended so very differently and tragically. There are no answers to so many questions about the things of life, but life is precious and the cord between this life and the next so thin. There is certainly so much I take for granted, so much I need to be more thankful for and so much more faith I need to put in Christ even when, especially when, there are no answers.

With love,

Rachel.

Friday thoughts.

I love Friday afternoons. This is for many and various reasons. Firstly, and massively marvelous in my book, is no packed lunches to prepare for the children for tomorrow. It's a job that doesn't really take long but somehow manages to hang over me like a big, black cloud, taunting me. "What healthy delights will you give your children tomorrow," I am taunted. "What will you put in their lunch boxes that you know full well you will throw in the bin when they come home tomorrow," is the voice in my head.To be honest I don't know why I don't make their lunches, cut out the middle man and just chuck it away. It would save me a job.

I do try with these wretched lunches. I endeavour to make them attractive, healthy and appetising. There are only so many shapes you can cut a Vegemite sandwich in to though. Deep sigh...

I did have one very bleak day in my packed lunch making career I have to confess. I bought some very healthy (let the reader understand....for healthy read hideous) cereal bars. Nobody liked them. They were flung to the back of the cupboard and forgotten about.

Several months later my son decided to help me with the dreaded packed lunches and put one in his lunch box and one each in all the girl's boxes. My little girls came home with them tied up in a carrier bag and a large handwritten note on the bag saying, "Live maggots...out of date 6 months ago." A little humiliating I think you will agree. But to my credit I have only done it the once!!

Friday evenings are great for other reasons too. I love getting all the children home, eating a meal all together and chilling out with no pressure...mind you they all still fight and there is a huge pile of washing up to be done. BUT it all feels different and it feels good.

I have for a long time now really admired those of the Jewish faith who still hold to the keeping of the Sabbath in a much deeper way than most of us Christians do. There is something so marvelous about joining together and stopping in the frantic busyness of life to be together and thank God for His faithfulness and continued presence in our lives. Surprise, surprise, God knew what He was doing when He told us to keep the Sabbath day holy and set apart.

Well, I guess as I have written about being together I'd better go and put it into practise and be with the family God has given me. Feel an Uno challenge coming on!!!

Love,

Rachel.

A bit of a catch up.

I am amazed to discover that this is my 20th post on this 'ere blog. I am even more amazed to discover that I have actually had the where with all to do so many and that I am really enjoying it.

SO, I thought that today I would just look back at my previous posts and bring myself and you dear reader up to date with a few bits and pieces.

1) My Cow Kettle.It died and I bought a rather splendid stainless steel one that does not moo and is a proper grown-up kettle. It was half price in Sainsburys so cost the princely sum of £17. It shows all the water stains, has no character but boils more quickly than the cow.We could not bring ourselves to throw the cow away. We did toy with the idea of a funeral with burial, but on ecological and environmental issues decided it was better just to put it in the cupboard under the stairs. RIP Dear Kettle.

2) My hair is less purple. I bleached some bits of it so some of it is now ginger. I think this is the way to go.

3)The kids are all starving but I have produced a decent meal as planned each day.The kids will learn......!!!!!!!!! Actually they are all eating really well and honestly seem to be enjoying what they eat and like knowing in advance what will be set before them. Feel quite chuffed.

4) Still struggling with Quiet Time discipline and trying to hang on in there.

5) My Gratitude Book. This is all quite interesting really. One of my lovely little girls has been watching me write it each evening and has been keen to write her own Thank You list in my book. Yesterday, however, she wrote in it when I wasn't looking and wrote on the wrong page...shock, horror. She wrote on the next day's page in her lovely but large writing, leaving no room for me to write.
I had been reading what Paul says in some of his letters about giving thanks in all things so gritted my teeth and thanked God that she wanted to say thanks even if she had got ahead of herself!

And then I felt as though God showed me that she was right to be ahead with her thanks, even though she did it unintentionally. Along with saying thank you to Him for what He has blessed me with in the past and thanking Him for what He has blessed me with today, I am able to thank Him in advance, on tomorrow's page, if you like, because He promises to bless us always. to be with us forever, to hold us in the palm of His hand and give us a home in Heaven for all eternity.

So, a lesson learned and now to try and put into practise and to thank Him in faith for what will be as well as for what has been.

Well, I have to confess I am tired and feel like a bit of a "Has Been" myself. Shall go and make a cup of tea in my shiny, even if not as shiny as it was, kettle and watch Trevor MacDonald on News at Ten. Feels like he's never been away and his ties are just as good as ever!

Love,

Rachel.

Food for thought.

As a child I was always enthralled by the television series "The Waltons." It seemed to me to be the height of family life and something I thought was wonderful.It made me long for a big family, where good wholesome values were upheld and life was always sunny even in the midst of rain clouds. Particularly I was always taken by the harmonious meal times where edifying conversation took place, where the family passed each other things and joined together each day in peace.

Well, what can I say? Has my dream come true? Are the meal times at Rectory Towers anything like The Walton's family meal times. A resounding "NO" shouts out. There is always much discussion that is true. But it generally revolves around who has the crispiest roast potato, who has got more drink in their glass and whether or not we really have to sit at the table anyway because there is something really good on the television and So and So always has their tea in front of the telly.

Does this sound familiar to you? I do hope so because I am always cheered by the fact that what goes on in our house goes on in others households too.It makes me feel that I am not a total failure and at least I am trying my best to do what is right.

I guess for me it highlights that life is not what we'd always expected, nor what we had always dreamed it would be when we were growing up. My dreams and aspirations when I younger were so different from now. Now I hope for good weather to get the washing dry, a reasonable night's sleep and a trip to the loo without someone hammering on the door wanting something. Gosh, how my life has changed!!

And yet I still have so many dreams, so many things that I believe God is calling me to do and they stir my heart and soul and make me feel alive. And one of those things is parenting my children well, making them feel that they really do matter to me and showing them that in so many ways and, please God, showing them Jesus, which is really tough at times as at heart I am a miserable, mean mother who does not reflect Jesus at all. There are other dreams too that are perhaps on the back burner for now because the time isn't right now but one day, in God's time it will be.

One of my favourite verses from scripture is from Psalm 138. It says, "The LORD will fulfil His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O LORD, endures for ever. Do not forsake the work of Your hands."

Keeping my eyes fixed on Jesus, who will bring all things to pass in His time is where my focus needs to be and also to be thankful for this point in my life which also is a gift from Him.

Tell you what though, I certainly didn't get the biggest roast potato at dinner time :( Still there's always pudding....:~)

Take care.

Love,

Rachel.

In pursuit of new skills.

You know when something strikes you as being a really fantastic idea and then as soon as you've done it you realise it was indeed a truly NOT fantastic idea but it's just too late?????

We bought our son, who is 10, a drum kit for Christmas. HE is thrilled. We are trying to be encouraging and supportive. Actually he is really good and to his credit very committed to practising for quite lengthy periods of time on a regular, indeed very regular, basis.

Tonight he decided that his lovely mother should learn a rhythm. Now, I play the guitar. I'm not brilliant but I can bash out a few worship songs for church and sing loudly enough to give a good lead.

(Actually there is no louder singing on this earth than at a gathering of clergy, all of whom seem to believe that they alone are responsible for leading the singing even when there is a music group and worship leader there. Honestly, you can take a vicar out of a pulpit but you can't take the pulpit out of the vicar....or something like that.)

Anyhow, I love music and have always believed myself to have some kind of sense of rhythm but I now believe I have deluded myself. Drumming is really, really hard.

All I had to do was cross my hands and do 8 beats on the high hat (a cymbal), do 1 beat on the snare drum at the third beat and do a stomp (is that a musical term?) on the big bass drum on the 7th beat followed by an 8th beat on the snare while continually banging the high hat.

Got it? My son seems to do it with incredible ease and I cannot do it at all, much to his disgust, especially as it's the easiest piece in the book. I am obviously a total failure!!

He has told me to spend tomorrow practising while he is at school. He says I am to be perfect by the time he gets home....no pressure there then?!!

Still, I bet I will practise. I am so frustrated at not being able to do it that I can imagine I will dedicate tomorrow to the pursuit of rhythm. And I must be more encouraging. Drummers in rock bands can earn so much money and if I am nice to him when he is rich and famous he will hopefully keep his father and me in the style to which we'd like to become accustomed!

Take care.

Love,

Rachel.

What a difference a day makes.

Well, in the words of the old song...."What a difference a day makes."

Today the sun is shining, everyone has clean underwear in their drawers and I feel a pound slimmer. Haven't weighed myself to see if this is true in case it isn't, so am happy just thinking thinner.

Also a good night's sleep can make the day seem better. Having endured many years of broken nights, sleep is one of the main thoughts that fills my head a lot of the time.

I am however feeling my age today. I had a friend round for lunch which was lovely. She has just had her first baby and I felt really aged as I heard myself saying several times..."I remember when..." People say how quickly time goes as we get older and it is hard to believe where the time has gone since the children appeared on the scene and robbed me of sleep and sanity!!!!!

We have a house full of children for dinner this evening. I always love it when the house is full...makes the peace later seem even more wonderful. Just kidding, I think.

Trouble is that there has been a rebellion in the house and my beautifully prepared and organised menu has been disputed. Can you believe it?? Today was meant to be sausage casserole and they have said they don't want it. So we are having sausages, chips and beans and I shall gracefully erase sausage casserole and sneak it in some other time. Parenthood is a lot about sneakiness and bribery I find. What cannot be achieved with the promise of some extra pocket money or chocolate isn't worth bothering about.

So, I am out of the pit, for which I am thankful. In fact the psalm I read this morning, psalm 40, said,"I waited patiently for the LORD's help; He listened to me and heard my cry. He pulled me out of the miry pit, out of the deadly bog. He set me safely on a rock and made me secure." That's so good and needs to be held onto next time the pit pulls me in.

Love,

Rachel.

One of those days.

Am having one of those days....you know, the kind when your mood matches the weather and bed is infinitely more preferable than anywhere else. It is one of those days when I seem to be running on empty and easily irritated and I feel like I have nothing left to give anyone and nothing to put in the gratitude book.

All of which is absurded I know but some times a girl needs to wallow in the pit of self pity for a while and be allowed to stay there!!

I have just managed to amaze myself with a bit of computer technology which is great. I have done some copying and pasting. I don't really know what that means but I am impressed with myself at having done what I set out to do.

I'm a bit of a technophobe really and have only recently learned to send emails without help so learning to blog is a huge achievement for me.

Well, I had better get myself sorted. Tea needs to be cooked (in new organised style) and maybe early nights all round and i shall emerge fresh faced from my pit.

Love,

Rachel.

Trying hard.

Am trying hard to be a more organised mother/ housewife. One of the most frequently asked questions in this home is , "What's for tea?" I guess that's pretty normal for most homes with kids who, despite being fed at regular intervals never seem to be satisfied. The other most asked question is, "When is tea?" Life here at the Rectory seems to revolve around food. I heard it said that there are two kinds of people; those who eat to live and those who live to eat. If you could see the ever expanding waist lines of the in-mates here you would know which category we fit in to.

Sadly the answer to the aforementioned questions is usually, "I don't know," on both counts and so today I have surpassed myself by producing a menu for the next 5, I say 5 days and the promise (well, intention) that the said meal will be on the table at 6pm.

So, I am feeling quite heartened that for the next 5 days anyway everybody can be at peace knowing what there is to eat and when it will appear.

I am not the most disciplined of people. I struggle to have set routines for meals, housework, exercise etc. I soothe my conscience by telling myself that I am a spontaneous person and that I go with the flow. But with a husband and four children this doesn't always wash and I guess it's not fair for them to always have to wait to see what will appear spontaneously at dinner time!!

I have never really been that disciplined in my spiritual life either to be honest. I really want to walk closer to God, to hear His voice and to follow His call. But if I am honest, while my relationship with God needs that spontaneous, impulsive element it also takes discipline and commitment and focus so that I learn to walk closer, hear His voice and then follow His call.

Paul, on at least two occasions talks about training and running the race and pressing on when he writes to encourage others in their faith. In 1 Corinthians 9; 24-26 he talks about the importance of keeping going, running towards the prize, which is Christ Himself. In Paul's first letter to Timothy he writes about training in Godliness. This is not impulsive spontaneity but rather setting one's face to the wind and working at it.

So how to do it then???? Well, I guess first and foremost setting aside a regular time each day for prayer and Bible reading must come tops. Working out some way...the way God tells us as we spend time with Him, how we can put into practice what we are discovering. How to use our money,time and God given talents for His glory and to show His love to others.

Discipline is not such a bad thing....how can it be if it draws us nearer to our Lord and there is always room for spontaneity too and that's all got to be good.

Well, I shall spontaneously sign off and get tea and wow my family, all of whom sound worryingly spontaneous in the sitting room....what awaits me in there?????????


With love,

Rachel.

Oh the shame....

The other evening my past caught up with me. I ran into a couple I had not seen for years..17/ 18 in fact. We were at college together studying for ministry.It was good to see them and catch up on what we're doing now and what the kids are all up to and all that kind of catching up stuff.

All this took place at a deep and heavy evening on prayer but truth to tell I can't remember anything about it as my mind is still processing the parting shot of the wife of the couple I ran into. "I've never told anyone this," she said, "but do you remember that retreat we went on before we finished college? There was a swimming pool there and when you got out of the pool.....well," she went on,"your swimming costume was totally see through!!!!!!!!"

I was completely knocked sideways. I had no recollection of this event. It got worse. "I've just thrown the photos away," she said. My mind was racing in several directions but mostly, "Do I really need to know this after all this time???????"

My entire family think this is hilarious and the sort of thing that could only happen to me.I am just relieved that the photos have gone and at least I was in much better shape than I am now! And I think I do remember the occasion although somewhat hazily.

So, the deep and heavy evening on prayer has passed me by and I have been transported back in time, although in fact one of the things this very saintly monk said was how easy it is to dwell in the past and how easy it is to constantly look towards the future and actually miss what is going on here and now in the present.

When God speaks to Moses from the burning bush and tell Moses to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let His people go, Moses asks "Who shall I tell them sent me?" God replies "I AM WHO I AM....Tell them "I AM" has sent me to you. God also said to Moses."Thus you shall say to the Israelites, "The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has sent me to you." Exodus 3: 13-16

This encounter takes place when the people of Israel are in dire need of rescuing from their past and they need help in the here and now, the present. They have a future with God and a huge adventure ahead of them as well as a huge past behind them. But God reveals Himself as "I AM." This is our God, the God of the past, the God of the future but also and wondrously the God of now, the God of today, the God of the present.

Isaiah 43: 18-19 says "The LORD says, do not cling to events of the past or dwell on what happened long ago. Watch for the new thing I am going to do. It is happening already- you can see it now! I will make a road through the wilderness and give you streams of water there."

We all have things in our past that we need to let go of and sometimes we may need special help with that. With God we all have a future to look forward to in heaven and the promise that He walks beside us into our every day future but He is the God of today, here with us in this very moment whether we acknowledge it or not. "I AM, " "Emmanuel," God with us. God who was there in the past, will be there in the future, is here now and doing wonderful things for us and in us and through us. Praise His Name!

Just wish I'd taken more notes on the prayer evening to help me remember. Oh well, might just go and see if I still have the offending swimsuit. Did I ever wear it after that? So many questions.....let it go, Rachel....let it go!!!

Love,

Rachel.

Clutterings and Clearings.

Since the children went back to school on Monday, even tho' we I had one off on Tuesday with a bad foot, I seem to have spent an awful lot of time tidying up. It's not my favourite activity. I would rather be lying on the sofa drinking coffee and eating cream cakes than tidying in fact I would rather do anything but tidying but needs must.Will we have to do housework in Heaven? We are promised a mansion and as I struggle with a 4 bedroomed house I am slightly troubled by this. However, I digress.

I am often left wondering why there are three Barbies in the fruit bowl, why there are four naked dolls on the dining room table and why on earth there are two colouring books, various felt-tipped pens,most of which don't work, and several pots of glitter(my own personal most loathed thing) on the bathroom floor. Arrgh....!
Oh, the temptation to get a big black bin bag and chuck the whole lot away.

I should also go through the children's clothes and sort out all the things that don't fit them any more and take them to the charity shop.

Tomorrow is dustbin day and all the rubbish I have got rid of will be gone forever and it's a good feeling. I'm sure if I lived alone I would be a minimalist with clean and tidy surfaces, a spotless house and I would probably wear ironed clothes and therefore look like a neater and tidier person..and then again....

I've been doing a bit of reading about tidying up and clearing out and sorting through. Paul, in his letter to the Colossians says we are to take off things that are not Christ-like. In fact he actually says "Put to death,therefore whatever is earthly."
Wow, they are really strong words. Paul is saying if there is an attitude or thought or action in our lives that does not reflect Jesus be done with it, have nothing to do with, get rid of it ,put it to death.

And after encouraging us to put off and get rid of he tells us to "Put on." He gives a list of things Jesus-like qualities that should be the hallmark of our lives as Christians....compassion, humility , kindness and above all love.

This seems like a tall order to me. I can't keep my house straight never mind my attitudes! And yet....Paul writes elsewhere "Put on Christ." When are hearts are set on Him, He changes us to make us more like Him.It is such a long, slow gradual process and our job is to stay focused and committed and He will help us through the power of His Holy Spirit. And that has to be good news because when He changes us, we show His love to others and reflect His glory.

Doesn't answer the question of why there is a whoopie cushion in our bed. Mind you, a son of 10 will know the answer to that one!!!!

Take care,

Rachel.

Gorgeous new found pools.

I am in serious mood this evening. It has been a bit of a day really and to be honest I am feeling a little spaced out. The day got off to a rough start and I spent three hours in casualty with one of the children. All is well thank goodness as I knew it would be, but it is somewhat disheartening to arrive and get your head round the one and a half hour waiting time and then see it go up to two and a half hours. And, yes it was two and a half hours and it was very dull. The second day of term!

However the journey home was good.Let me tell you why.

We have been living in this lovely part of the country for 8 months now and are beginning to know our way round a bit. We have a lovely drive along some pretty lanes to get to the main road out of the city. One of the lovely things about driving along this road is that we are able to watch the view change during the year and see new things all the time.

Up until recently it has all been very green and gorgeous but now there are new things to see as the leaves have dropped and we can see further into the fields. So today I discovered a river and a stream and a lake...wonderful beautiful water that I hadn't seen until now.

I was struck by the truth that there are always new pools, lakes and rivers of life to be found in God if only I have eyes to see them. And I love to the fact that the water I discovered today has always been there, it's just that I have only discovered them today.

There are always new and amazing depths and wonders about God to discover that have always been there. The truths of God have been so since the dawn of time and yet our discovery of them will never be exhausted. In the different seasons of our lives we will uncover more of God, His nature and character, His constancy and His presence in all those seasons. Whatever season of life we find ourselves in, the life giving water of Jesus flows even if we are not always aware of it.

Oh that God would give me more desire to see Him, an increased thirst for Him and faith to hold on in whatever season of life I am in. "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever." He has always been with me, is with me now and is ahead of me and promises to be with me always. Amazing eh?!

Take care,

Rachel.

More rambly than ever.

Well, church came and went. I managed to get all the preparation done and think that it all went ok, even if sleep was lacking.

Mother Nature has been a little cruel to me. Having had four babies and all that does to knacker your body, the afore-mentioned Mother Nature has also bestowed upon me a great need for things like: chocolate, biscuits, crisps and other such delicacies. Obviously this is something out of my control and all down to her. It also means that when leading worship, great thought has to be given as to what I wear in order to look reasonable up at the front, in more ways than one.

So, when I should probably be praying hard about the service and checking to make sure I am totally prepared in honesty I am riffling through my drawers to find steel girder- ed drawers to pull it all in and hold it there, the prayer being that I don't I don't pass out mid-sermon and need to be rushed to A&E- although I can at least take comfort in the fact that my huge pants are clean!!!!!

We took down our Christmas tree yesterday. It is supposed to be good luck to take it down on 12th night, 6th Jan. I myself am not convinced. By leaving it up for so long there were needles everywhere and many in my knees. I needed mammoth doses of Ventolin I was wheezing so much and , of course, by taking it down on the 6th there is now less time till we put next year's up...bah humbug!!!

Well, as the children are back at school, the house is strangely but pleasantly quiet and there is the chance to catch breath before they all come home at 3.30pm. Oh, what to do?? Coffee, cake, sleep, phone a friend....or, in reality, washing, cleaning, shopping for dinner tonight and then preparing it? I know what I'd rather do but I know too what I will do. Oh well. At least I know that what I clean and tidy will remain clean and tidied for a couple of hours and that's got to count for something.

It is always odd the day they go back to school. I really miss them. They all go back with various emotions. I am so grateful that I can place them in God's hands and my prayer for each of them is that they will know His peace and presence and quickly settle back in. I honestly could not be a parent without God's help...it's hard enough even with it! But they are so precious and so loved by their Father and me and loved totally and completely by God and being in His hands is the best place for them and for me. Knowing He is there always is a huge source of strength and that is definitely something for the gratitude book!

Take care,

Rachel.

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't think there is much to beat the old adrenalin rush that surges through the body at this very late hour on a Saturday night (it's 12.40am so Sunday morning really) when you still have quite a bit of preparation to do in order to lead worship in less than 9 hours time with hopefully some sleep beforehand. Welcome to Saturday night/Sunday morning at the Rectory.

The Vicar that lives here is stuffing envelopes in the kitchen with letters that will hopefully encourage the faithful to up their giving (hopefully they will not turn round with a suitably liturgical reply) whist I sit here and wonder why I am blogging when I should be preparing. Truth to tell I have really got into this blogging and although comments are not coming as fast and furious as I was hoping and dreaming(altho' would prefer fast and smiley) something about the whole act of writing and reflecting is quite thrilling and something that has quite taken me by surprise.

As a student, both at school and college, studying seemed to me to somewhat get in the way of socialising. Why on earth would I want to write essays and do research with so many friends around?? However, now I am older and possibly just a little wiser I feel like I have been given a new start with it all.

My passion is for studying the Bible much more deeply than I ever have before. I am not a scholar but someone keen to let the Word of God seep deep within me and then maybe to enthuse others so that we can journey together, getting to know Jesus better, being changed by the Holy Spirit and honouring the Father.

Well, I think I have just proved that altho' I do want to study etc, etc, etc I still would at heart spend time with friends ie blogging and hoping someone somewhere will read it, rather than get on with the job in hand SO, I had better sign off and do some work and pray that I can get up in the morning. That would not be good..to be fully prepared and then not turn up.

Take care,
Rachel.

PS The cow has gone totally demented...

Slightly off beam after doing some chores!!

We went to the pantomime last night.....Oh no you didn't....Oh yes we did etc, etc,etc. Had to be written tho didn't it??! What a glorious evening was had by The Rectory Family. Our general evening entertainment consists of finding things needed for the next day, being struck with paralysing fear when realising a fully working volcano is to be made for first lesson tomorrow, hoping that everyone has clean pants and fighting about whose turn it is to do the washing up.So an evening out was grand all round.

There is something so wonderously English about the panto. It was reassuringly just the same as it was in the dim and dark distant ages when I was a chlid....same slapstick jokes, everyone cross dressing and the same basic script. Wonderful. I don't know what's funnier...the panto or watching the children laughing at the jokes, some of which they don't get but just know they should be laughing.

The cleaning and ironing lady popped round for a while this evening. She is very like the lady that does the washing,shopping and cooking and she looks remarkably like me.... Oh, she is me. Sometimes I go for such long periods between these said tasks that when I do do them I forget who I am. At the moment I am toying with the reckless idea of binning,YES, BINNING the wretched odd socks that have accumulated in my newly cleaned and tidied laundry room. I am frankly sick of them and I feel unable to put them away without the apprpoprate partner so they just clutter up the place. I must be strong and not let them get to me, they are just socks they are NOT A LIFEAND DEATH ISSUEANDIMUSTNOTLETBTHEMBECOMESOORIMAYLOSETHEPLOT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Sorry, don't know what happened there.

For any of you interested in the well being if my cow kettle....it is not good news. All through the night it kept turning itself on and mooed in a pitiful way that speaks of pain and anguish. A decision will need to be made very soon.

My heart sank when I looked up which psalm I was due to read this morning. It was sooooo long that I very nearly gave up. It was psalm 89 and it was fab....long,yes but marvellous. It starts with a fabulous song of praise and just goes on and on recounting God's faithfulness throughout the ages. No wonder it is long. I reckon that if I really stopped to think and recount God's faithfulness to me it would take me a long time too. How easy I find it to quickly forget God's goodness and to switch to moany mode...

Think I might have a go at keeping a Gratitude Book and try to recall, say...5 things each day to be thankful for. Will I be able to keep it up? Oh no I won't.....well Oh yes I'll try. Will let you know how I get on.

In the meantime I hear my bed calling. Considering how late we've all been getting up I shouldn't really be tired till about 3am.

Take care,

Rachel.

What to do??

There is much excitement here at Rectory Towers today. The sky is looking very grey and heavy and the children keep wandering outside to see if any snow has fallen. The Lady of the house (that's me) is getting slightly narked at the back door being constantly left open, mud being trodden in, and is filled with dread that if it does snow will the schools be closed and the dear children be at home for several more days after already being off for three weeks??? It is all too much to contemplate really........

I have the opportunity to be a grown up. I have long desired to be a stylish, feminine woman of taste but to be honest that is nothing like the person I am. A couple of years ago I saw and instantly had to buy the world's tackiest kettle...but it is fun. It is painted in the pattern of a cow, has a cow head perched on the top and moos when it boils!! It is quite a talking point and there is something strangely thrilling about hearing it moo and knowing that it means a cup of tea is immanent. However my beloved cow is sometimes not mooing which means we have suffered a couple of luke-warm cups of tea....very unpleasant. Its moo is weakening and I fear its demise is nigh.

So, what to do????? Do I finally realise my stylish dream and buy a glorious kettle of taste or look for something fun and funky and different. This may all seem a tad tedious to you, the reader, but to me it is something much bigger than the presenting issue.. it is about who I am and who I long to be. Sad, I know but there you go.

It is always a big thing to look at your life, measure it against what your dreams and ambitions once were and where you are now. I always remember as a child hearing a lady say that the only time she got to say her prayers was when she went to the loo as it was the only place where her children weren't.
I remember thinking how awful this sounded but now....I just think "Wow, she went to the loo on her own??!!" Funny how our dreams change and are shaped by the things life puts our way and yet how God shapes us through all that goes on in and around us and the wonderful truth that "in all things God works for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose."

On the radio the other day I heard a hymn that I have sung so many times during my life,
"Just as I am without one plea,
But that thy blood was shed for me
And that thou bids't me come to Thee
O Lamb of God, I come"

It is the most wonderful hymn and as I heard it the other day I was reduced to tears. How utterly,utterly amazing that God, the Lord of Heaven and earth bids us to come, just as we are, whether ratty with the children, whether we want to be someone we really aren't and whatever our kettles are like and whatever the insecurities tied up with all that are He bids us come so that He can change us and make us the people He made us to be and to fill us with Himself. WOW!!

O LAMB OF GOD, I COME. Amen

Rachel

Memory Lane

In true holiday form we were all up ,washed, dressed, breakfasted and ready to go out at 1.15pm today. We have slipped into another time zone this holiday and I am wondering how we will ever get back to normal when the children go back to school next week.

However, we did go out today and took a trip down Memory Lane. We are now living an hour away from where I spent seven years as a teenager. "Wouldn't you all love to see where Mummy went to school and the house we lived in when I was your age?" This was greeted with some rather non commital grunts but undetered I made them all, including my dear husband, get in the car and we headed off with our flask of coffeee and a packet of chocolate biscuits.

Somewhere between here and there they all hatched a plan to be very enthusiastic about every tree, shop and pavement slab we passed in a manner that suggested to me that I was being humoured and that they were not really as responsive as they shoud have been. Huh....children. I love them but I couldn't eat a whole one!!

Today I managed to break at least two of my new year's resolutions so not a good start. I ate far too much chocolate but can justify it (haven't worked out how yet but not a problem) and had a touch of road rage when someone had the nerve to drive on their side of the road while I was using it causing a certain amount of discussion among the children as to whether Mum should be allowed on the road "at her age!"

Following the arrival of several grey hairs on my head I took the plunge of colouring my hair last night. I spent ages choosing a colour that would match my natural brown and applied it according to the instructions. However, being a woman with a lot to do I thought that it might be a good idea to put the hoover round and do a few chores while waiting for it to develop. The result? It got left on for rather too long and I am now a rather glorious shade of purple. Still the carpet is hoovered, the clean clothes put away, the cat fed and the rubbish put out. You can't say fairer than that.

Well, I shall go and put my purple head on the pillow. Happy New Year to you and yours. I found this lovely prayer today and think it is a lovely way to end this blog on New Year's Day...

May God's richest blessings be upon us today and throughout this year- and may those blessings flow through us to touch the lives of everyone we meet. Amen.