More haste less speed.

Hi everyone,

It's confession time.I have been done for speeding...again. It was a total surprise to me. I am shocked. No way could it possibly have been my fault. I mean , I know I was driving and it was my foot on the gas pedal but honestly m'lud it was an honest mistake by a woman minding her own business and carrying on the usual day to day tasks that life throws at me.

It did get me thinking though, about other misdemeanour's that I have inadvertently committed in my life. Like the time I managed to throw away 6 library books in the recycling box.This may seem a small and insignificant thing but somehow I felt like a criminal of the worst kind... losing one's library books somehow making me feel like a murderer.I ended up having to pay £20 to make amends.

Or the time I sent my sweet children to school with maggots (live) in their lunch boxes. This is true and also humiliating.I bought some cereal bars that no-one liked so I threw them to the back of the cupboard, as you do, in the hopes that one day somebody might eat them at some point. Somehow they ended up in lunch boxes. The girls came home with the bars in a carrier bag with a huge note pinned to it, saying, "Live maggots. Out of date 6 months ago." I was truly mortified.Not one of my greatest mothering moments.

Or what about the time when I was given a cheque for a substantial amount of money from someone and I managed to tear it up and had to grovellingly ask for another one.

Or how about the time when I managed to pick up 2 of my children and leave one behind.

It does seem to me that all these occasions occur when I am rushing, and I always seem to be rushing, as proved by a speeding ticket. It's always easy to think that I can just do one more thing than time allows,to cram more in than is really possible. And when I do that I make mistakes. I drive too fast, I throw things away by accident, things get put into lunch boxes that shouldn't, or torn up or missed.

I don't suppose I'm the only one who does these things. But there must be a lesson in it that goes even beyond "More haste, less speed." The pace of life is just too fast and slowing down and living in the moment must be the way to go. How we do that is another matter entirely and is easier said than done.

In the meantime I'd better find a way of slowing down in the car...hmmm.

Love,

Rachel.

Birthday thoughts.

I have had a birthday. Interestingly it has come exactly a year after my last one and yet somehow I don't feel any older than I did at the last one!

It was a great day. The kids all snuggled up in bed with me and gave me presents and hugs and the Vicar that lives here made sure that it was a festival more than a birthday and he really spoiled me.

I suppose birthdays can really be a time for reflection on what has happened during the last 12 months. Have I achieved anything, am I a better person than I was, have the goals I set for myself been realised, did I even set any goals?

I do find as I get older that my goals are fewer, more easily summed up and are really based on my every day walk with Jesus.My over riding goal, or perhaps desire is a better word, is to reach the place where I can honestly say that Jesus is enough for me, that if I had nothing else he would be sufficient, that to know him completely is my completeness.

I have the most incredible blessings in my life. Amazing children, a faithful and loving husband and wonderful friendships. I live constantly with God's blessings all around me and I am so thankful. But more than his blessing I long to know him better, to hear his voice;to know the Blesser not just the blessings.

With love,

Rachel.