After 6 year of marriage...

Life goes on differently when you are married!
her.... I feel weird
him....you are weird
her...don't say that..
him...err
her...my brain is different from yours
him..no, you haven't got a brain
her don't be mean!
later on
her.. I feel weird today
him..you are weird everyday..

my brain is wired differently than yours...(she's got her brain back)..
I am trying to get on while you are faffing around (he's getting ratty now, he says)

Time to go. Have a blessed Sunday. N.

Keep your eyes on Jesus!

For the last two weeks, my time has been hijacked by various issues. It seems there is no end to it. I can't even explain what's going on. All I know is that I have to bite my lips, praise the Lord for He is in charge and knows what is happening and wait. This is easy to think when you are calm! When the tempest is raging, it becomes harder to feel the peace. So, if you are feeling out of sort, if you are struggling with lots of burdens, emotional, at work, in your relationships, if you feel worried, angry, if you despair, do not give up, the Lord is there by your side, give your hand to Jesus, listen to the Holy Spirit comforting you and strengthening you.
When we found out about the tornado that wrecked the town of Moore on Tuesday evening, we were utterly devastated. Join us in our prayers for all the victims' families, may they find solace in the Lord and may He comfort them in those dark hours, may He pour his healing hands on them. In the name of Jesus our saviour and redeemer. Your sister. N.

I can do everything through Christ.

Another Spanish reunion

 Because of the poor weather conditions, it has been difficult to meet regularly. However I managed to make this reunion and I had a lovely time as usual. Our hosts prepared some sumptuous food, including paella, and beef hot pot Spanish way. Not only it is an opportunity for all the participants to practise their Spanish but also to exchange our views on life in general; social and political concerns were on the ad-hoc agenda along with comments on the Queen's fantastic appearance in the James Bond scenario for the opening ceremony of the Olympic games !
If you are tempted to come along, do get in touch.
Have a blessed evening! N.

Time is like a river!

Time is like a river!
        
You cannot touch the water twice, because the flow that has
passed will never pass again. Enjoy every moment of life.

As a bagpiper, I play many gigs.
Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a
graveside service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends,
so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the Nova Scotia
back country. As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost
and, being a typical man, I didn't stop for directions.
    
I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had
evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch.
I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went
to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was
already in place. I didn't know what else to do, so I started to
play.

The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around.
I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and
friends. I played like I've never played before for this homeless
man. And as I played Amazing Grace, the workers began to weep.
    
They wept, I wept, we all wept together.
        
When I finished, I packed up my bagpipes and started for my
car. Though my head hung low, my heart was full.
    
As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say,
"I never seen nothing like that before, and I've been putting in
septic tanks for twenty years."
    
Apparently I'm still lost …. it's a man thing.

E-mailed to SJAbram from S.Hodson, photo, courtesy of SJAbram

Our children..

Do you have any children? Do you like to know that they are safe home! 
The other day, I was talking to a colleague who is the same age as me more or less but whose children are in their thirties and she told me: 'you never stop worrying about them'!
My mum used to worry a lot about me and I understand why, I was a rebel and I went wild. At the time, I could not see it so in my view she shouldn't have worried at all. In those days, I did not read the bible so I was a lost sheep!
Not any more! It's no surprise that my favorite verses are the following:
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. 
Phil 4:4-7, 19.

Have a blessed evening. Yours in Christ. N.

Interesting films to watch?

These days, I find it difficult to have time to watch TV and when I do, I want to watch quality entertainment! Am I too fussy?  I thought that I should take action. Now and again I go to HMV where they have a fair selection but I am so busy that I can't be bother. So I looked on Amazon and I found two films that seem interesting, Courageous and The Grace Card! If you have watched them and enjoyed them, let me know!

Amazing news in the Middle-East!

First let me tell you some amazing news from the Middle-East! Our Middle-East correspondent John based on the Mount of Olives, in Israel, is all excited about what he has just seen, somebody called Jesus managed to save an adulterous woman from being stoned. The governors, respectable names in the area,  brought her in the square and got their mates ready to stone her. This 32 young old man responding to the name of Jesus was there too. Our reporter John says that Jesus stooped down and with his finger wrote on the ground as though he heard them not. The woman was petrified as her accusers were still going on saying that they caught her in the very act of having an affair. Somehow Jesus got up and told them straight: 
- He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her!
Well, they all shut up and one by one being convicted by their own conscience turn round and left. Our journalist stood back but kept listening, Jesus asked the woman where were her accusers, did any of them accuse her?
She said No man, Lord!
Then Jesus said to her: Neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more.

We have asked our journalist John to let us know if there is any more development on this case!

Easter in Southport

At Easter, Steven booked us in a new CL as the one we used to go had shut. So we arrived at Marshbank farm at about 2 p.m. and were impressed straight away by the site! From a practical point of view, the grass was well cut and dry, the owner welcoming. He insisted that we should park our car outside the grassed area which was fair enough!
I just loved to look at the small family of lambs, ewes and rams. Further on the bank before the marsh, dozens of shell ducks were gathered minding their own business...at time being pretty noisy :)

 

On the Wednesday we met up with auntie Wendy and uncle Peter, cousin June and cousin Franck and had lunch. It was an emotional reunion as we spoke of Dad and remembered the good times when he was around.

These are a few photos I took as we went to the center of Southport. Steven went to visit his old school, Christ Church Higher grade School. It has been partially converted in a sport shop The rest of the week went fast. We also visited Churchtown botanical gardens and were appalled at the state of a few birds looking pretty sad and bored!

 We enjoyed meeting up with our friends  Cuan and Jeff at the Christian bookshop . I found enough books to keep me busy until half-term and I will review them later. On Sunday, we attended a lively service St Simon and St Jude with All Souls Church is situated on Old Park Lane

 How was your Easter break? I went back to work yesterday for 2 inset days and it feels surreal to think that last Friday we were admiring a beautiful sunset over the Banks!
Have a peaceful or exciting week-end! Yours in Christ. N.

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!