How to become a disciple for Jesus?

Relationships...

If you want someone who will eat whatever you put in front of him and never say it's not quite as good as his mother's ...

then adopt a dog...

If you want someone always willing to go out, at any hour,for as long and wherever you want

then adopt a dog...
If you want someone who will never touch the remote, doesn't care
about football, and can sit next to you as you watch romantic movies.

..then adopt a dog. 

If you want someone who is content to get on your bed just to
warm your feet and whom you can push off if he snores

If you want someone who never criticizes what you do, doesn't care if you are pretty or ugly, fat or thin, young or old, who acts as if every word you say is especially worthy of listening to, and loves
you unconditionally, perpetually ..

BUT, on the other hand, if you want someone who will never come when you call, ignores you totally when you come home, leaves hair
all over the place, walks all over you, runs around all night and only comes home to eat and sleep, and acts as if your entire existence is solely to ensure his happiness ....

Then adopt a cat!

You thought I was gonna say... marry a man, didn't you?

Thanks Mandy for sharing this story!

Have a blessed evening! Yours in Christ. N.

Service cancelled due to bad weather

Due to the snowdrifts and bad access to Sandon church (a 10 o'clock service) our confirmation service had to be cancelled. Philip, our team rector phoned Bishop Jeff who was digging his car out of the snow up in Barlaston, just on time, and then succeeded to ring all the candidates. 
Fortunately it was decided that we would have a service (at 11:15) at Weston which is of a more accessible church with a better parking. The weather forecast was -I am told- looking quite good yesterday. It was a lovely Palm Sunday service, with excellent hymns, and well attended by parishioners all around Mid-trent churches team. The younger ones made different coloured palm leaves which we shook when we sang 'At the name of Jesus' composed by John Michael Brierley (b. 1932), one of my favourite hymn.
On a funny note, Imo decided to go for a walk with her friend Kathy and was looking for a pair of wellies (size 5). I told her to look in the garage to see if her sister's wellies (size 4) would fit. She found them and brought them to us complaining that there were bits of paper in it. So I emptied them in the garden and to our surprise, with the bits of paper came a fair amount of sunflower seeds. She tried them on but they did not fit. Some time she left. Then Steven, the good looking vicar (!) told me that the rural mice had probably selected those boots for their spring nest and hoard. I told you that the neighbour's cat Lucy always comes uninvited, thinking about it, I am glad that we have this cat keeping the rural mice at bay. 
Have a blessed Sunday. Yours in Christ. N.

Red pepper risotto

Tonight, Imo cooked herself a vegetarian risotto (serve 1 person) so I thought that I would share the recipe for you.
First you need 50 gr of risotto rice. Then cook it with a little bit of water and balsamic vinegar. When the rice starts to swell, gradually add in some stock  (250 ml of vegetable stock, she used a quarter of a stock cube diluted with Provence herbs) then dice 2 medium tomatoes, a red pepper and to finish put in some calamata and green olives. Also, tomatoe puree, gound black pepper, soya cream or normal cream, you could also add parmesan cheese. Stay by and stir continuously till it is cooked. (i.e. if you are like me, you may want to take 1 or 2 grains of rice and check).
I am impressed by my daughter's culinary skills since as far as I am concerned, every risotto I ever tried ended up in a mini disaster!
What about you? Do you like cooking risotto? Have a blessed evening. 

The advantages of caravaning..

Don't worry, I am not going to advertise caravaning as one of the best way to go on holidays but it has its advantages.

First, mobility; though you have to book in most C L and certainly abroad, if the weather goes for the worst, you can just mention it at the office, pay your due and go. If you are in a hotel or if you have booked in a B and B, it is more difficult. The second advantage is cooking. As you are able to cook, you do not have to eat in the hotel restaurant or march in town wherever you are to find a suitable restaurant. Of course we do go to the restaurant during the week but it is nice to eat your own food. Thirdly, comfort; depending on the make and size of your van, you will agree or disagree. After the daily excursion, you come back to a nice hot cup of tea or a cold drink depending on the season and you have the freedom to do whatever you feel like, discussing, reading, watching a dvd.

Last week-end, we went to visit some caravans. 

Some of them had a microwave, some didn't, some had a fitted bed, others had bunk beds. So are you tempted? Let me know.

Where shall we have lunch?

 At Jamie Oliver, Bristol. On the menu, WILD RABBIT TAGLIOLINI Slow-cooked ragù with garlic

& herbs, mascarpone & lemon, SEAFOOD BUCATINI, Tubularspaghetti steamed in a bag

with crab, mussels, clams, squid, scallops, capers, chilli, garlic, white wine & juicy sweet tomatoes

This was last week when we moved Camille's stuff in her shared house in Bristol. The food, service and welcome were superb!