We must!

Just flicking through some Blogs I came across this quote from William Booth that Estelle Blake had in one of her thought provoking moments.


"You must do it! You cannot hold back. You have enjoyed yourself in Christianity long enough. You have had pleasant feelings, pleasant songs, pleasant meetings, and pleasant prospects. There has been much of human happiness, much clapping of hands and shouting of praises - very much of heaven on earth. Now then, go to God and tell Him you are prepared as much as necessary to turn your back upon it all, and that you are willing to spend the rest of your days struggling in the midst of these perishing multitudes, whatever it may cost you. "William Booth.

Those who were at Romford SA today ....I think good old William certainly spoke to his generation and still to ours...we must! We have been very comfortable and we must expect that it won't necessarily stay like that. Others need God and we have the privilege of facilitating that.

(I feel a bit like a bus tonight...you know, no Blogs for ages, then two come along at once!!)

8 Interesting Facts

Interesting....not sure but here goes!
1. My dad was a fishmonger when I was a child and I spent many happy hours sitting behind his market stall in Dewsbury eating prawns, cockles and mussels.
2. I got a Bronze Level in Trampolining (when I was 14!)
3. Denis and I knew each other as babies ..... but we didn't notice each other until I had moved from Hull to Batley to Blackpool to Bournemouth and then he came to visit!
4. On the day we really met we stayed up playing Othello until Denis could beat me ...he hates to lose a game and it took him 'till 4am!!!
5. I love dark chocolate but hate strawberry creams.
6. Aged 13 I cut my hand one Sunday teatime, opening a tin of Spam!(I still have the scar!)
7. I had a Saturday job in a department store which my family always refer to as my time in the 'knicker department'. Actually we had all other forms of clothing in my department but jumpers aren't as funny I suppose!
8. My piano teacher used to rap my knuckles when I made a mistake and I daren't say anything because my dad was away studying and my Grandad was paying for the lessons. .....I think that may have made a bigger impression on me than I could have imagined....hmmmm.

Where were you?

Just a quick thought from my first day with my new class today.

I have a little girl in my class who has had enough trauma and family difficulties to last a lifetime yet she is always happy and cheerful, loves being at school etc.
During the summer her teacher from last year got married and this morning said teacher popped into my room to say hello to all. 'Why weren't you at your wedding Miss Berry?' calls child 'C'. Puzzled teacher insists that she was at her own wedding! but 'C' is equally insistant that she was not!!! Exit puzzled teacher!
We have no idea if they went to the right church at the wrong time or the wrong church on the right day or any other combination....anything is possible with this family!

So here goes for an interesting year!!!

Sunday

What a day it's been. Songsters out this morning leading worship at Basildon, worship at 'home' this afternoon.....thinking again about our Spiritual gifts and how we should be putting them into practice...thanks Elwyn! Then a time of prayer and prayerful 'chat' about the Mission of our church in the very near future. So much to think about.

Then this evening we heard of the sudden ptg of Major Graham Grayston...a good Hull lad! He and Margaret married Denis & I and we were only talking at Roots to someone about the great marriage preparation they did for us! ie 'do you want the flag on the platform? do you want to be on the platform? Well that's about it then'!!! Well it's worked for us!

Seriously though we hold Margaret, Michael, Lianne and the rest of the family in our prayers at this time. Graham was great, as down to earth as they come and we are very sad that he is no longer with us. Heaven's gain.

hoping it will all go away?

Well, what a long time between Blogs! I have started one a number of times and commented on others but........?!
I have been wondering why it's taken so long and have come up with the usual stuff but if I'm really honest, I think my main reason would have to be that I don't like posting something that I think isn't 'worthy' .....whatever that means! I tend to worry about things by going very quiet and hoping that they will go away. (ie I don't join in with Ofsted jokes at school because I am DREADING them coming). My last blog was way back after the Main Event and the thoughts I had at that time are still running around my head. BUT maybe I am just staying quiet and hoping that the confusion will just go away......maybe though I should be being more pro-active about this. (Note: am I having a 'hot flush' whilst writing this? ..my palms are very clammy now that I'm typing....?)
So...taking 'bull by horns' I am trying now to be pro-active.....look for signs.....work harder at what I am doing, wherever I am doing it. Oh scary for an old girl who's just had another birthday but I don't want another one in confusion so here goes!!

Well, just got back from'The Main Event'......oh Linda Bond(sorry...Commissioner!) knows how to tell me 'what's what'!
I spoke to someone during the weekend about some very vague thoughts I've been having recently...no idea why I told him, except he's a friend and quite sensible...no scrub the sensible!!! ....only kidding Major! But how amazing it is that conversations/seminars/worship all contain those little (sometimes rather big) pointers towards what I know God is gently leading me towards, should I stop being amazed at how God has the Big Picture? This probably sounds very odd and complex...it's odd to me and I'm the one God is speaking to!!
On another note Romfordians!! our mate Linda said sometimes we have to stop doing some things in order to do 'other stuff' .......... oh wow we have a year of that in front of us....how did she know!?!?

FUNNY!!!!!

We have just watched such a funny clip on You Tube I just had to tell you about it!!! Don't know how to do the shortcut but go to You Tube, type in 'water bed prank' and prepare to have a chuckle!