Its a Wonderful Life

New Clothes!

2009-02-25T22:48:00.015Z

Beyond the understanding of some is the inherent love for shopping which is familiar to so many of the female species. I admit that we do not all fit this generalisation, but as a 'thirty something' mum with little time for the luxuries of clothes shopping, I myself very much appreciate the opportunity to wander quietly round the shops without some small someone tugging at my arm, requesting sweets, toys, or just needing the toilet, AGAIN!!!!! Over the last few months I have found myself on more than one occassion walking the supermarket aisles late into the evening, sometimes as necessity dictates: the nappies I forgot to buy; the emergency shreddies' expedition; and other essentials (Yes, I mean the chocolate!) Quite often, however, I will end up in the clothes aisle, perusing the latest bargains and if I am really reckless in the changing room itself!!!! Yes, I know I need to get out more! I like clothes, but often in the craziness of life it is the least I can manage to grab some that are clean and flat, without paying too much attention to fashion or coordination...a shocking but true reality! I recall however, the great, if somewhat distant, feeling when I manage to cast aside the old clothes and find something that fits and looks good (always a challenge in the ever fluctuating world of the pregnant/nursing mother!)

Yesterday morning, having read a bit from Zechariah to the kids, Poppy drew a picture of what God had said to her! She drew one girl wearing dull boring clothes, another wearing what she described as "Fab, new clothes", covered in hearts and stars, and she wrote "You've got to change out of your old life and get a new life!" The word became even clearer when I read Zechariah 3 this morning. God wants us to come back to him, to listen and turn from our sinful ways, and to swap our dirty, filthy clothes, for fine new ones! I am reminded of the makeover programmes and am challenged. How many of us would choose to continue in the old clothes if offered a new designer wardrobe!?

God wants us to experience his new life! He wants us to be clean and feel fab! He has fine new clothes for us to wear! We just have to put them on!

Romans 13:14
Clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.

Galatians 3:27
And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.

His way is higher!

2009-02-19T22:43:00.008Z

Was supposed to be swimming yesterday with a friend of mine and her lovely daughter but, having spent all morning getting things together, we got there to find that the pool was full! We were, of course, a little disappointed, but decided we would try again another time and instead set off home for coffee and a playtime. However, on arriving home, we found that our lovely elderly neighbour had taken a tumble outside her house and was unable to get up. She had already been there for some time and, had we been able to swim as planned, who knows how much longer it would have been! But God had a plan! And his plan was bigger than ours!

The Bible tells us that we can make our plans but it is God who determines our steps (Proverbs 16:9). The pool being full was not a spanner in the works, it was God redirecting our steps and pointing us in the right direction! His plans are greater than our plans. His thoughts are higher than ours!

So, next time something happens to wreck your plans (or mine), let's just take a moment to contemplate...perhaps God has a bigger idea, something different to achieve. He wants to use me and you to show his massive love! His way is higher and so much better!

Never give up!

2009-02-18T22:28:00.005Z

I like to be real and to relate to others, so it is not difficult for me to admit that my life is sometimes far from perfect. Often, however, when things do not live up to my expectations it can get me down, I can become discouraged or feel like giving up. As I get older I find my attention more easily diverted to the failings, the gaps, the imperfections in life than to what is good and right. I am losing my shininess!!!! I was challenged and provoked today by the words of Winston Churchill, quite a number of them!!! So here are a few I thought I would share with you...

"It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations."

"It is a fine thing to be honest, but it is also very important to be right."

"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

"Success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiam."

"Difficulties mastered are opportunities won."

"I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else!"

Love and Blessings, Sarah x

Top 10 free kids' activities...

2009-02-16T22:29:00.006Z

A bargain hunter at heart I am a great fan of all things cheap (or even better free!!) You don't get much for free these days, but you don't have to spend a lot to get a lot! Sometimes when surrounded by stuff it is easy to forget the simple truth that some of the best things in life are free! So here is a 'off the top of the head' list of fun but free things to do with your kids in the holidays...Feel free to add a comment to share some of your own favourites...
1. Curl up with a book. Grab your slippers, a blanket and a GOOD book. Read to them and escape into another world together!
2. Visit an art gallery or local museum (so many of them provide cheap or free activities for families during school holidays)
3. Get crafty! Get out the paint, glitter, get messy...don't just leave them to it, join in!!! Its very therapeutic and a great opportunity to chat whilst your creating together.
4. Do some baking! Fresh bread, cakes, biscuits...all are usually cheaper to homemake than buy in the supermarkets, and taste sooo much nicer too!
5. Play games. A simple game of dominoes, cards, pencil and paper games, or even hide and seek!!! Just watch out grown ups...last time I attempted to hide in a wardrobe the bottom fell out!!!
6. Make a den! Indoors or outdoors...there's nothing quite like a den for fuelling a new adventure! Let them make a mess and have fun being young!
7. Get outdoors...walking, collecting, exploring, discovering together.
8. Make your own cinema. Buy some cheap popping corn (a 60p bag should be enough for about ten film showings!!) Make tickets, close the curtains, watch a film & chill together.
9. Visit the library. If my kids are anything to go by a trip to the library is usually enough to give a much needed lull in the business of it all. And if you manage to return the books before the return date you are doing better than me!!!
10. Get together with friends. Sometimes even the most mundane activities are more fun with friends in tow.
Hope you enjoy your half term holiday!!!! xxx

Valentines...

2009-02-14T21:23:00.010Z

Have had the most amazing romantic day!!!!! Was bashed awake this morning by our baby followed by the obligatory mountaineering expedition (yes I was the mountain!) Next, Levi (our seven year old son) proceeded to read his most recent favourite read "Dirty Bertie" sleepily to us whilst the girls were 'secretly' making us breakfast in bed. By the time we had finished the cereal we were spitting feathers (a serious flaw in the milk to cereal ratio!) And it just gets better... Simon, keen to please, had decided to make an authentic curry for me (one of my favourite dishes!). Hence, the house has been filled with the romantic aromas of onions and garlic all day....mmmmmmmmm! To top it all, as I speak Simon is still writing my Valentines card (made by Poppy, as mine was also!). We could be inclined to think that romance is dead but with a smile I enjoy every minute (well maybe not quite the rude awakening!) but I am thankful for my lovely family and faithful husband. Life is not always the romantic comedy I imagined it would be, but love is more than a feeling. I am thankful that I have kids and a husband who love me as I am (just like God does) and I make it my challenge to love them unconditionally too! Have a wonderful Valentine's Day & lots of love to you from me and from Jesus xxxx He loves you...Yeah yeah yeah!

"God loved the world so much that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not die but have eternal life" The Bible

Charlotte's Web: EB White

2009-02-12T21:39:00.008Z

I sobbed through the last few chapters of the story with the children yesterday. It is without a doubt one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read! A story of friendship out of loneliness and love that overcomes against all odds. Whatever your age, if you have never experienced this wonderful story, you really must! Turn off the TV and read it to your kids (or to yourself) today!

"Greater love has noone that he lay down his life for his friends" The Bible

Time to dance!

2009-02-12T20:51:00.003Z

I love my kids! They always make me laugh! Well not always, sometimes they make me cry too! At the moment, though, Lottie is an absolute delight! She is so full of character, so happy and always ready with a cheesy grin or a bit of crazy baby dancing. I frequently catch her grooving along to the hum of the printer! Its true!!! However, yesterday bedtime topped it all! I fell about when I spotted her dancing along to the toilet flush!!!!!!!!! It really was one of those moments you wish you had a camera handy.

Kids are so simple, so straightforward, they really can find the fun in just about anything (apart from of course tidying their bedrooms!!!) I am not suggesting that we should join them in their crazy toilet dancing (though that may help pleasurise the whole cleaning process?) But sometimes I can be so boring and grown up! I need to learn to be young too! To hear the music, to see the opportunities for fun and to dance! Life is good! God wants us to enjoy him and enjoy his life forever!

Jesus said "I have come that they may have life and life TO THE FULL" The Bible

Don't Forget the Baby!

2009-02-11T00:31:00.007Z

Here's one for you busy mums (and dads)...

I was reminded today of a humorous occassion last year when in the mad dash of the school run I found myself in such a flap not to be late that I walked part way to school with an empty pushchair leaving my poor baby still sitting in her carseat!!!!! T'was very funny, especially as I recall, the little sad lip she was protruding on my return!!! I hasten to add, for the benefit of any social workers' perusal, that the car was in view at all times, and thankfully I did realise what was missing before I had progressed too far. Furthermore, I vow that though I may, and undoubtedly will, still forget to return library books on time, fill in forms and remember that important birthday, I will, all else failing, make every effort to remember not to forget the baby!

Snowflakes...

2009-02-07T08:46:00.004Z

Having done some 'snow learning' with the kids this week we found ourselves looking at images of snowflakes on google. We had tried to go into the garden with our magnifying glasses to look at them in detail but the flakes were too big and they just kept melting! Later on though, whilst enduring the obligatory sledging (ok, we were loving it!!!) we were amazed to see that you can actually see them with the naked eye!!!!! I cannot believe that I have lived for 36 years and never before seen this wonder! The tiny, intricate and amazing shapes... so amazing...so detailed and each one completely unique. Admittedly snow is not a familiar sight for most of us, and when it comes we are so busy doing...making snowmen, snowball fighting, sledging, that we sometimes fail to just stop & look. Perhaps I am alone in my lack of observational skills, but as the next snow falls (hopefully tomorrow for us Midlanders!) just take a moment to look & consider their beauty. And consider that as each are unique and beautiful so too are we even more beautiful to our wonderful Creator Dad!

More inspirations...

2009-01-29T22:37:00.001Z

Take a look at my friend Leah's new blog...have just been there & it's great reading! http://newevery-morning.blogspot.com/ Enjoy & be blessed!

Homeschooling...a new adventure!

2009-01-29T21:08:00.005Z

It has been a very long time since I wrote! And, since a friend of mine told me just yesterday that she had been reading my aged blog, I thought it was perhaps time to update! Lots has happened over the last month or so. We had a wonderful Christmas, celebrated Lottie's first birthday (and her first official chocolate!) , Sally's 6th (more chocolate!) and my 36th (never enough chocolate!) I am now officially closer to 40 than 30, the hair is still greying and the wrinkles still deepening, but I am still smiling (just!)

Probably the biggest bit of news is that we have finally taken the plunge & begun the long considered adventure of home education! The kids, if you ask them, are loving it (though we have had more than the occassional uncooperative moment!), and I am gradually finding my feet. The task is undoubtedly made more 'challenging' by our now toddler, who is in the wonderful 'exploring' stage: pulling books off shelves; fiddling with the PC (takes after her daddy!); & generally doing anything she's not supposed to do! It amazes me that she is able to spend so long determinedly opening kitchen cupboards to retrieve delicious dishwasher tablets when the concentration span for her own 'toddler toys' is no more than 30 seconds!!! I am becoming very skilled at performing tasks one handed with the little whirlwind strapped to my hip! When it works the days are fun & when it doesn't, 'interesting' is perhaps a good word! I am gradually trying to chill & not be too formalised or rigid in our learning, to prepare, but be relaxed, and be ready to rethink and change my plans when necessary.

In so many ways it is great: no uniforms to iron; lunches to make; no dashing around like headless chickens in the mornings, and the quality of family time is so much better. It has been great to take time each morning to read the Bible & pray with the kids, something which in the business of our lives we have never really prioritised. But home schooling is not without its challenges and I must (still) learn to depend on God when I run out of my own reserves (and ideally beforehand!)

I am very pleased that we have finally taken the plunge and won't forever be wondering 'what if...', but we are still very much 'trialling' the whole thing. Interestingly, when asked about returning to school the general consensus is a no (though I am aware that we are still very much in the honeymoon period and the novelty factor is high!) Nevertheless, Poppy's qualification of 'not yet...' requires that I hold lightly this new relaxed life style. If at some point they are keen to return, it becomes unworkable for us or we feel God telling us to send them back we will do so. In the meantime we are enjoying our quality time, practising patience, doing our best to stay in touch with everyone and having fun learning together. It's a wild but wonderful life!

A lighthearted look at motherhood

2008-12-04T21:29:00.005Z

Check out Anita Renfroe on You tube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmYE-1ecnuY

I found it really funny...hope you enjoy it too! Whatever kind of day you've had, I pray that you will know that God loves you! He can help each one of us, as we face the craziness of our day to day life, to find joy and "laugh at the days that are to come". Every happiness...x

Blog to God!

2008-12-03T13:53:00.006Z

Was reading about Hannah today (1 Samuel Chapters 1-2). In the story, Hannah, married to a guy called Elkanah, is unable to have children and she is 'deeply troubled'. The story tells us about how God turns her situation around and gives her his joy, and ultimately a child (actually I think 5 or 6 of them?). As I read the story today, I identified with her and felt challenged by what I read. At times, I too can become sad, sometimes with good reason, sometimes for no reason whatsoever. I also like to to talk, and be real about what is going on in my life, I admit sometimes to a fault. My husband Simon is wonderful and his friendly shoulder and kind advice is a great blessing, usually anyway!, as too are the friends whose shoulders I have cried into many times. I thank God for them all. Interestingly though in this story, Hannah, whilst deeply troubled, does not offload onto a friend or even her husband. Insead she goes to God and pours out her heart. I like that! So often I try to work things out by myself, forgetting that God is real, he is my friend, he is my dad! I can talk to him and share my innermost thoughts, dreams, fears, hopes and worries with him. He is a great listener and he is the ultimate Mr Fix It! He can even help me to want things to be fixed when I feel like giving up!! He is able to do what needs to be done, to provide what I need and to help me with anything! Yes, anything!!!!!!! My God is able! Coming to God with her sadness turned Hannah's life around, deepened her friendship with him, but also helped her to find joy through it all. God is gentle and kind, he loves us, he know us and because of Jesus he accepts us.

It was in the light of this that I decided it was time to start a "BLOG TO GOD". So now, and every day, or whenever I remember, whatever is on my mind (hopes, joys, fears, sadness, bizarreness) everything that makes me who I am, I will share with him. As I do so, I expect that God will do the same, and reveal himself to me....Wow! I am very much looking forward to the process of dicovering God and I expect that there will be much more to say as I embark on my real life journey with Jesus! Watch this space...

Santa Claus is coming to town!

2008-12-02T23:03:00.006Z

Yet more funny stories this week. Am beginning to feel I could write a book, although I imagine that to be a thought familiar to many of us, at one time or another in the parenting journey. Unfortunately, by the very nature of the job, the time restraints do not, on the whole, permit such luxuries as book writing. So, at least for the time being, I shall have to satisfy myself with a little lighthearted blogging...here goes...

As I was saying. December has arrived! And so our Christmas plans have stepped up a gear. This week, whilst talking Christmas presents we had some real funnies! Sally mentioned that she would like a DS!!!!! Our instant reaction...Yikes! Thankfully, Poppy, wise and sensible child (there's one in every family) suggested that perhaps the gift idea may be too expensive for mummy and daddy! Baffled by Poppy's encouragement to downscale, Sally proceeded to tell us that she was going to ask Santa, for the present, not mummy & daddy!

Later, unwavering in her determination, she started writing her Christmas letter. I tried to explain to her that it is "sometimes better to ask for a general gift, maybe Santa knows what you want more than you do yourself, maybe he will get you something really wonderful you have never considered." Sally, however, was not convinced! Apparently she "already had a gun!". On interrogation it became clear that she was not impressed with last year's present of a pop gun that she had received on visiting Santa in his grotto and thought perhaps this year she could help out by providing a little more 'guidance'.

Her perception of course gave us all a giggle, but I have to admit...she does have a point!

2008-12-02T23:03:00.004Z

Lots of laughs

2008-11-16T21:54:00.005Z

We love it when our kids mix up lyrics and make us smile. "Here we go round the mouldy brush" is one we heard from our daughter Sally this week. Kids say so many funny things, and in all the challenges and difficulties of family life, we must not lose our joy! The Bible tells us that "the joy of the Lord is our strength." Sometimes we are so intense, so heavy, so grumpy! But God wants us to be happy, and to treasure and share happy times together with him and with each other. He wants us to have a healthy family life. The Bible tells us that "a cheerful spirit is good medicine". So let's be happy, remembering that our life, our children, our family is a gift from God and never forgetting to take time to laugh and enjoy life together!

Feel free to share some of your own funny stories here with us too...

A Slippery Patch

2008-11-16T21:39:00.003Z

Whilst reminiscing earlier in the week about last winter's activities we were reminded of a trip Simon made to the ice rink with our son Levi. Pops had had lessons earlier in the year as a birthday gift and managed to achieve to level 4 without much difficulty. Levi, however, was a different story! I am no authority on ice skating and, unable to even stand stationary on the ice, my opinion doesn't really count for much, but I am told he spent more time on his bottom than on his feet. However, usually a good sport, and always game for a laugh this did not throw him off course, and each time he fell he just kept getting up for more! On recounting the experience, however, in his defence he emphatically stated he was really quite good at ice skating. The reason he fell over, apparently, was because he was on a slippery patch!!!!

How about this for a laugh!

2008-11-14T21:13:00.005Z

It was Poppy's birthday party today & Levi & Sally were due to make a trip out with Daddy to allow for a slightly more grown up girly time at home. However, having seen the cake, delicious food, games, and other birthday paraphernalia; we encountered a small mutiny! They wanted to stay and participate! Thankfully, Poppy was very mature and understanding, and agreed that they could stay and play waiter and waitress. However, on dressing in their smartest clothes I overheard a short conversation between Levi and Poppy which made me laugh out loud! Levi was suggesting that he put on rollerskates and do his waiting on wheels!!!!!!!! Of course we immediately stepped in to avoid any unnecessary trips to casualty, but the thought was very entertaining! It doesn't take much imagination to visualise the soup splattered walls and cream covered children. It got me thinking though...perhaps we should sometimes allow our children to learn for themselves, explore their own creative ideas and experience the consequences. It would certainly make for good entertainment and could even help raise funds... just remember to keep a camera handy!

Poppy Joy!

2008-11-13T10:06:00.005Z

This year we celebrate the 9th birthday of our oldest daughter, Poppy Joy, our little miracle blessing, and testimony that God works all things for good and turns our sadness into joy!

The year before she was born, Simon and I were married, 15th August 1998, one of the best days of my life! Whilst we trusted in God's perfect timing, we were convinced from the outset that we wanted to start a family soon afterwards. Sure enough, before long we found out that we were expecting our first baby. We were delighted, and told everyone our great news! Things seemed to be going well, but then suddenly, when I was 11 weeks pregnant, we lost the baby! It was completely devastating for us both, like a bad dream. In my naiveity I had never heard of anyone having a miscarriage and I had never expected it would ever happen to me. Our church friends and family were very supportive and we hung on tightly to God to help us through the darkness, knowing that he was with us and continuing to have faith that he would turn our sorrow into joy and that, as the Psalm says, "his goodness and mercy will surely follow us all the days of our life!"

God is always true to his word! Amazingly, miraculously a year to the day after we lost our first child, Poppy Joy was born, on Poppy day 1999. Our beautiful, wonderful little baby girl! From this point on things would never be the same again! Sure enough, her name, Poppy Joy, was truly significant! God really had turned our sadness into joy and enabled us through her to remember his amazing love and provision for us!

Nine years on we remain thankful to God for Poppy, and pray that she will continue to grow into the woman God has created her to be, that people will always remember Jesus through their friendship with her and that she would bring God's joy into the lives of many many people. We are proud of the person she has become and look forward to the many adventures that lie ahead. we love you Poppy! x

The Danger Zone!

2008-11-04T19:34:00.005Z

Yet again Levi returned from school today with the usual accident report, and tales of football and nosebleeds. It never fails to amaze me how many of these little notes he can manage to rack up in a week. Playground headbumps are the most common, and an encounter with that concrete skull is not easily forgotten! Talking with friends it appears I am not alone in this experience. It seems that little boys were designed for such things; climbing, adventures, cuts, grazes and all things hazardous!!! No matter how we try to remove from them all traces of danger and provide them with safer and calmer pastimes, somehow whatever they do soon mutates into an adreneline sport or an opportunity for some foolery or another!! I was flabbergasted today at how my son was able to transform a simple cake baking task into crashing, smashing slapstick, bringing a whole new meaning to the phrase 'beating' the eggs! In spite of the daily challenges I am very thankful for the kids God has blessed me with. I love their character and humour (well most of the time anyway!) and I am learning to laugh at the loudness, and craziness which threatens to drive me closer to insanity on a daily basis. Life in the Dean house may be loud, lively and sometimes a challenge, but it is certainly never dull!!!!

He can work it out!

2008-10-17T22:13:00.003+01:00

I don't consider myself to be the worrying type. In fact, in general I am quite relaxed, assured that God has my life in his hands and I don't need to waste my time worrying when he is in charge of it all. Recently, however, in spite of a chilled perception of myself, I have found myself doing just that...worrying!! Worry is essentially being preoccupied with anxious thoughts about something or another! And boy has my brain been buzzing! I have found myself worried about all kinds of things; my time, the kids, clubs, school, church...!!! The thoughts and worries going round my small brain have been vast and very disconcerting!!! But I am realising that this is not what God wants for me!

I am reminded of the verse that tells us to "Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" 2 Corinthians 10:5 Jesus wants to be in charge of every area of our lives, even our thoughts, he wants us to be free from worry, which can do us no good! He wants us to know his peace!

The Bible tells us that we should not worry, for "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"Matthew 6:27

Worrying is pointless, it changes nothing and it makes us feel PANTS! So how do we get out of the worrying trap?

We should pray! Philippians 4:6-7 says "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." God is a God of peace, and as we talk with him, thank him, and listen to him, he will share his peace with us!

We should trust him! Proverbs 3:5 puts it this way, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your path straight". Life is sometimes confusing, things do not always go according to our plan and it is not always clear what God is up to! But we do not have to understand every detail and we don't have to try to work it out! Our understanding is very limited, and if we try to work it out usually we end up worrying again!! Only God has the blueprint for our lives. We simply need to learn to remember him in everything we do & trust him! He can work it out!

We find ourselves in a world full of people stressing about all kinds of stuff; money, family, terrorism, crime, work, the list is endless. Jesus meets us where we are and takes us where we could never get without him! Even when we haven't got a clue what is going on, or what to do, we can put our lives into his hands and know his peace! He makes all things beautiful in his time! How fantastic that when faced with worry we can know us his peace and share his peace with others!

Christmas is coming!?

2008-10-09T22:10:00.000+01:00

Not sure if we have scooped up an officlal world record but it’s a definite first for us…our first Christmas card, received today, October 9th 2008!!!!! I must confess we have been making the odd card and decoration during our girlie craft evenings, ‘odd’ being the operative word if my husband’s word is anything to go by. Similarly I confess, we have also been found singing the occasional inane Christmas tune…oh to be a fly on the wall! On the whole however, we are clear that it is still early October, and there really are plenty more shopping days left! Apparently Christmas is getting earlier every year, and although it is the complaint of many, I myself have no objection to extending the holiday season. Lights, trees, cards, its alright by me! Indeed, as one who has regularly been known to drive round on Christmas eve posting Christmas cards, I am amazed by the organisation it must take to be able to write and deliver Christmas cards in early October. Hats off to those of you who manage to achieve it, and feel free to give me a call when you have run out of things to do & I will forward my ever increasing list!!!

Ants in your Pants!

2008-10-04T21:59:00.004+01:00

Meal times in the Deans' house is a sight, or should that be a sound, not to be missed! We all know the theory of sitting together and sharing a family meal, talking through the events of the day and sharing a few precious moments together in the business of life! We try to sit down together every day and make our time a priority, but it is often not always plain sailing! My children, I must concede, have the famous 'ants in your pants' syndrome & struggle to remain still on their bottoms for more than just a few minutes! As a parent it can be so frustrating! You spend time preparing food, and look forward to eating, talking and enjoying it together. Instead, all you find youself doing is reiterating orders. 'Keep your feet under the table', 'Use your knife and fork', 'Take it in in turns to talk', 'Keep your voices down', and 'For goodness sake SIT STILL!', to name but a few! No sooner have they sat to the table than someone needs the loo, or attempts to disappear off for one random reason or another. The distractions advancing on their attention spans are countless, and mealtimes often end up being less than the happy social occasion they were designed to be!

In the same way we are God's children, the Bible tells us that he has prepared a table before us. He wants us to sit, to wait, to talk with and listen to him, not to fidget, to be easily distracted or leave the table before we have finished, or before he has finished with us. I was reminded the other day of the story of Mary and Martha, two of Jesus' close friends. When Jesus goes to their house for dinner Martha rushes around doing stuff while Mary just sits, at his feet, listening to him. I admit, I relate to Martha. I can be a bit of a 'doer' & can find it all too easy to busy around filling my life with activity. It is good to work, indeed God designed us to do just that, but it is not good to be busy at the expense of more important things! As Jesus said, Mary had 'chosen what is better'. God loves us, and he is patient when we fail, but his desire is to be with us and for us to be with him. He has great things to share with us, blessings for us to own and things for us to do, if we will just take the time first to stop, wait and listen to him. Let's prioritise time to sit at Jesus' feet, listen to his voice and enjoy being his friend & not, like Martha, in the business of life neglect what is better. Let us banish the ants!!!!!!

Baby, Its Cold outside!

2008-10-04T20:21:00.007+01:00

I spent most of the day at home today. Si has been working pretty much non stop on some big project, & Lottie, having been seriously sick last night, had cruelly scuppered all our exciting weekend plans. Nevertheless, we had fun, playing pictionary, balloon bending, making traffic light jelly, doodling, and, of course, developing our eye to hand coordination (yep, the playstation!) :) In between I found myself doing the odd catch up on facebook and, indulging my nosey streak, I read through the status updates, finding a recurring theme. It was apparently very cold outside! I, myself, am not usually phased by changes in weather, indeed my favourite is actually the rain! Whether it is the reactionary in me, or just the fact that it saves me the job of watering, I do not know, but I think rain is great, and I can find myself quite irate when I hear our great British weather described as 'terrible'. We live in a green and pleasant land and that is thanks, in part at least, to the soggy, but wonderful weather with which we are blessed. Anyway, before I become too contentious, I must get back to the point! The more I read, the colder I felt, and the more I wanted to stay tucked up inside my little house, in spite of my usual desire for action and adventure! And so, we turned on the heating and stayed indoors, enjoying more Saturday afternoon fun! A few hours later, however, having fully maxed my creativity, and beginning to tear out my increasingly greying hair, I decided to take the kids for an impromptu trip to Ikea. On stepping outside I discovered that although it had looked cold, grey and blowy from inside, and all reports I had read had been alaskan, it was actually quite a mild autumn day! Had I realised how lovely it was we would have gone to the park much earlier, but I had believed the stories of scarves and snowmen & missed out on an afternoon of outdoor frolics. Still, we had a nice time, the children were expecting an Ikea play area, and so an Ikea play area they got, and I had a brief moment's peace wandering the store checking out the latest in storage solutions.

There is a lesson for us here! We live in a society which increasingly tells us that God is irrelevant, boring, or not even there at all. We see the established church portrayed as a mess with division and irrelevance plastered all over it! We live in a cynical, unbelieving and often unhappy society. But, it is not enough to believe the accounts of others, or to make a judgement of God based on the failures of people! God is much bigger than that!

The Bible tells us that "God has set eternity in the hearts of men". That means that within each of us there is a desire for something more, a greater satisfaction, a better relationship, he made us with that longing deep inside us, yet so often we fail to understand and seek to fulfil our desires elsewhere. In relationships, material possessions, drugs... However, we all need to know God, to love & to be loved. We all need Jesus! If you find yourself sitting all too comfortably in your home, but really longing for adventure, peace, security or happiness, then check it out. Pray, talk to God, listen, ask him to make himself real to you, get hold of a Bible and read it and if you can get in touch with a dynamic Christian then do so. Don't believe the reports! Don't miss out! Its a beautiful day! God is waiting for you! Get out of the house! You just have to open the door!

Check out www.livingrockchurch.org We meet most Sundays at 10:30am at Finham Park secondary School, Coventry. It would be great to see you there! If you are not local but would like to find out more you can contact the church office and they will try to put you in touch with some good people near where you live. You can also check out a Alpha course at a church near you... a great way of finding out more!

WILD LOVE!

2008-10-01T23:36:00.005+01:00

In church last Sunday we were singing the golden oldie "Praise my soul the King of Heaven". Whilst trying to engage in worship, however, I found myself distracted by a small typo which made the widely look much more like wildly!!!!! God speaks in ways we can hear and understand and as I was contemplating this typo he did just that! I was reminded of God's incredible, all encompassing, passionate love and the wonderful privelege of being able to praise him!

Jesus' love towards us is so wide, we cannot escape it. Psalm 139 says, "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast." Jesus' love towards us is so wide. It covers all our sin, all the rubbish, from beginning to end. His mercy is wide enough to cover it all! His love is so vast we cannot escape it! Wherever we go, he will come and find us. Even if we try to run away, He will find us and bring us home!

Not only is his love wide, it is also wild!!!!! Song of songs puts it like this "Your love is as strong as death, its jealousy as unyielding as the grave. Love flashes like the brightest kind of fire. many waters cannot quench love, neither can rivers drown it". His love is jealous, wild, like a violent wind or a raging fire! He is not satisfied when we forget him. He loves us wildly, passionately, he is not content for us to worship another, and so he jealously comes to win us back to himself.

As his love towards us is wide and wild, so too our praise of him should be. As the song says, "he deserves the highest praise we can give AND MORE!" As we praise him, his mercy is released to us and through us to those around us, and as we experience his mercy we praise him all the more. How amazing to be loved by one whose love is so vast, so relentless and what a privelege to join together in vast and violent praise of our wonderful loving father!

FEED ME!

2008-10-01T22:32:00.002+01:00

Our littlest daughter's appetite is increasing by the second! From just a few teaspoons of mush 5 months ago, and of course the odd malteser, she is now munching her way through pots and pots of the stuff, and although she has cut down to just 3 milk feeds a day she still reliably compensates during the night!!! Clearly malnourished, I discovered today her latest attempt to fill up those big legs...a bite mark in a large butternut squash which had been carelessly left on the floor. For a 9 month old, Lottie has a very adventurous palate, and it is good, though slightly alarming, to see that at such a tender age she is obediently eating whatever is put in front of her, a trait we have painstakingly tried to instil in our offspring. Aware, however, that this is now the second incident of accidental eating, we are currently exploring the use of a new concept in food storage, the cupboard!

The Pursuit of Happyness

2008-09-29T23:50:00.006+01:00

One of my favourite films, a truly inspirational story of character and determination. Much more than a story of survival, this film opens our eyes to the wider world, reminds us to be thankful for the little things and to never give up, whatever life may throw at us. Just make sure you keep the tissues handy!!

A Spoonful of Sugar

2008-09-29T11:47:00.011+01:00

I am a great fan of kids' movies and Mary Poppins is a classic. Refreshing and inspiring, it challenges me to enjoy my children while they are young and to find the fun in everything I do! However, I am daily searching for that spoonful of sugar that 'makes the job a game'! For those of you who live in the real world you will know that it is not always as easy as it first appears! Oh, to click my fingers and find the toys march themselves back into the box, or the clothes fold themselves neatly into drawers. It is the stuff that dreams are made of! But God, in his superior wisdom, did not design us to live that way! He designed us to work.

God did not , however, intend our work, or lives, to be mundane, monotonous or mind numbing! Jesus came that we might have the best life, one that is exciting, fun & full of adventure!!! It is a gift of God that we are content and find satisfaction in whatever we do! So often, however, we fail to experience the dynamic, fulfilling life that God wants us to know. Instead as fast as the wash basket is emptied, it is overflowing again, and the newly ironed clothes return again to the bedroom's crumpled heap!!!! A familiar & often demoralising tale! I am aware that I am attempting the impossible and in reality I can no more complete the household chores set before me, than catch the wind! I am not superwoman, and I can not do everything.

And then I am reminded of the verse in Phillippians "I can do all things through him who gives me strength". With all my human limitations God can enable me to be successful. The task of mother, wife, housekeeper, cleaner, cook, chauffeur, the list is endless,.....is a continual challenge, but God does not want me to try to achieve it alone. God designed me to be in relationship with him & part of his family! Only if I follow his ways, being full of the Holy Spirit and part of his body, can I expect to be successful! So, I must learn to be full of the Spirit every minute of every day. With his help, working with his power, and not by myself, I can do all things and will know contentment in everything I do.

Check it out in the Bible...
Ecclesiastes 5:18
John 10:10
Phillippians 4:11-13

Words, words, words...

2008-09-25T22:37:00.010+01:00

One of my greatest desires is to have a household that is full of peace, harmony & grace. I am not simply an idealist, this is what God wants for me too! God is able and with him all things are possible! I must remember however that it is my responsibility work with the Spirit, for he has the keys that will make my life a success! One of these keys is my words!

Words are powerful, they have the power to create or to destroy, to build or to tear down. It is my responsibility, with God, to build my house. But as the Bible says...

The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. Proverbs 14:1

Of course, I do not want to be a woman who carelessly tears down the very thing she is trying to build. So, I am learning to take greater care in how I speak to others, especially my own family, and even moreso in moments of pressure! To demonstrate gentleness, patience and kindness in the words I use. Proverbs is full of great wisdom about wise words, here are just a few to think on.

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. Proverbs 15:1

A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel. Proverbs 15:18

When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. Proverbs 31:26

We all live in the real world, and at some time or another have to deal with conflict of some sort! When we find ourselves in these situations, with our children, husbands, parents, it would do us good to remember these verses! I tried this out this week, and not surprisingly I found...it worked! As I chose to be more gentle, kind and patient with my children they behaved so much better and our household became more peaceful, at least 2 out of the 5 school mornings!!!!! :)

Whatever our natural tendency, if we ask God to help us by his Spirit, we can become fruitful, demonstrating his patience, kindness & gentleness. Why would I choose to live in my own weakness and lack when God can give me all I need to build a great and happy family?!

Dont be condemned. If you ask, Jesus will forgive you, wipe your slate clean & fill you with his Spirit so you can have a brand new successful life!

10 year anniversary!

2008-09-23T23:18:00.005+01:00

This year was our 10th wedding anniversary. However, with four kids in tow and babysitters out of the country, we decided to plump for fun rather than romance for our anniversary celebrations! So, indulging a brief reckless moment we bought a 'Merlin' pass, convincing ourselves that, as there were 10 different places to visit, it would make a perfect 10th anniversary gift! So far we have enjoyed a wonderful time celebrating our 10 years together and are looking forward to more adventures that lie ahead!

We are very thankful for what God has done in our marriage, as things have not always been harmonious, but God has turned things around. Had you asked me a few years ago I would never believed he could! I can't put my finger on exactly what has changed, but, with the help of our lovely church family, God has changed us both, transformed our situation and we are now very happily married. God has done a miracle for us! Our marriage is not perfect yet, but it keeps getting better!

God is a miracle worker! Whatever you are facing today, however impossible it may seem, God is able! Jesus is in the business of changing lives, marriages, whole families. With him all things are possible! Give your life to him & do things his way. He has great plans for you, and me, & wants us to be blessed, that means HAPPY!!!!!!!!!

Deans' Removals...enquire within

2008-09-23T11:45:00.004+01:00

The Deans' family business is now to expand into furniture removal. Increasingly more competent with her crawling and pulling herself to standing, their littlest Lottie Ella is moving into a new realm of exploration. Lifting furniture! It seems she has a bit of a flair for the business and is currently demonstrating a strength beyond her years! She has been found over the last week lifting chairs, tables, the ironing board and even the hoover. Who knows what will be next? Any customers wishing to utilise her services please contact us without delay...before we all go completely bonkers!!!!!!!!!!

School days: learning on the run!

2008-09-18T09:54:00.004+01:00

Got up early this morning, well earlier than normal! Si is away at the moment and I thought my early rising might help the morning to run smoothly. Unfortunately in spite of all my efforts at 8.50 we had still not left the house!!! I am reassured that I will not always have to nag the children to put on their shoes, brush their teeth, find their reading books, or TURN OFF THE COMPUTER!, but this season can at times seem unending! Apparently, before long we will be entering the season "GET OUT OF BED", however, as the mother of 4 small children whose morning regularly begins around 6am, and who has been woken for the last few weeks by a violent kicking in the back, this prospect does not seem so bad! Having tried unsuccessfully to be patient we finally achieved the school run, and breathing a sigh of relief, I walked home enjoying the calm after the storm!

Then, spotting a close friend I did the familiar playground 'splurge', reiterating every fault and weakness my kids had displayed that morning in my desire is to be 'open' and 'real' and not pretend everything was just fine. A problem shared is a problem halved!!! Or so they say? However, I am not convinced that my approach is always constructive! Essentially my desire like any good parent is to have a happy, harmonious family and conflicts like this morning's do not help achieve my goal. But God wants to teach me to be a peacemaker in my home, and I am learning, albeit painfully slowly! God is on my case, and all I need to do is take a moment to listen!

On my return home I picked up my Bible &, reading Proverbs 17:9, was pulled up sharply! This is what it said,

"Disregarding another person's faults preserves love: telling about them separates close friends"

The Bible is neither dull or boring, nor irrelevant, it is God's word, living and active and is full of practical help and hope, enabling me to live a life of SUCCESS! God wants me to love my children, with all of their faults and weaknesses, just as he loves me! In turn I must learn not to draw attention to their weaknesses, but to overlook their faults and be full of mercy toward them, not treating them as they deserve but demonstrating unconditional love! If I tell of their faults to others I risk alienating myself from them. Instead I should speak about their strengths and God's plan for their lives, and as we grow together in his love we will be not just mum and daughter, or mum and son, but will be and remain close friends.

Chocolate Challenge!

2008-09-15T21:05:00.007+01:00

Having given birth nearly 9 months ago I sense it is now time to stop playing the baby card. "Nine months on, nine months off", or so they say. And although I can see my feet again I still have some way to go before I consider myself to be back to my former glory!!!! My weakness, or at least one of them, is chocolate, a stumbling block familiar to many of us, but I am also a great fan of curry, wine, seafood, in fact I am not really discerning at all. I like food! And, as a northern lass, the larger the portion the better!!! I am in my element in the 'Eat as much as you like' buffet, where I am always surprised how little some of my more 'feminine' friends eat before they claim to be 'fit to burst'. Faced with the challenge, I could just keep on going!!! Food is good! It is a gift of God, given to sustain us and for us to ENJOY!!!! As Ecclesiastes says, "Eat your food and drink your wine, its alright with God". And so obediently, and to the best of my ability, I do just that!

But I am learning that God wants me to be FREE! Not to be controlled by anything or anyone, but only by Jesus. "For he who the Son sets free is free indeed!" I am, unlike the popular phrase, NOT what I eat! I am a child of God, chosen by him, for his purposes. I am beautiful, and my beauty comes from within, not from outward adornment, a new hair cut (though my recent was very nice!) or a perfect figure (chance would be a fine thing!), but from God's love inside me, and his light shining out!

God is jealous for my affection and he wants to be number one in my life! Food is great, it should be enjoyed and appreciated but it should not control me! Only Jesus should be my master! The Bible tells me that "God has not given me a spirit of fear (or timidity), but of power, love and SELF DISCIPLINE!" That means that even though I don't always feel it, I have the power to say no to the things which do me harm and yes to the things that do me good. I don't have to ask for discipline, I already have it!!!!

And so the things that do me good, to name but a few. To spend time with God, to listen to his voice, to read his word (the Bible) and be changed by Jesus every day, to be more like him. To spend time in prayer, talking with God and listening to him. And to meet with others. God did not design us to be alone, it is not good! We need to be part of his family, where we can help one another, love one another and grow together. Sometimes I neglect these things and find myself overcome with other things that life throws at me (tidying, cleaning, cooking, taxiing, disciplining...you probably have your own list!) The result is often...stress, worry, boredom, depression...we stop enjoying life!!!

Today, after settling the children, I decided to open a bar of chocolate and have a glass of wine whilst trying to settle my littlest who has decided that its time to start serious teething and develop a stinking cold at the same time!!!! Wine and chocolate, I decided, would be a pefect remedy for the sleep deprivation! Unfortunately in the split second after opening the wrapper I made a small, but serious, error. I threw away the chocolate instead of the wrapper!!!! Thankfully it was only one piece and I realised my folly before any more was lost! Immediately I was reminded that sometimes in the business of life we, in turn, throw out the things that are most valuable and 'tasty', and keep the rubbish instead! Let us not take that crazy option, and never forget the value of spending time with Jesus, reading his word, finding him in prayer and meeting with people who help us to grow in him! God wants us to find satisfaction in him alone, despite the slimming yoghurts claims of "lasting satisfaction", nothing else will satisfy, nothing else compares to knowing him!

And so, my plan is to spend the next few weeks and months putting these principles into action. To be disciplined, be full of Jesus, instead of chocolate, and in the business of life not throw out the things that really satisfy in place of rubbish! Feel free to join me, keep me accountable and watch this space...

Family Frolics!

2008-09-10T10:57:00.003+01:00

Well, so far this week our littlest Lottie Ella decided it was time to start crawling. The hours of my painstakingly crawling alongside her, and demonstrating the techniques, have finally paid off! Her crawling is disappointing slow, according to Levi, who you can imagine, is expecting a high speed chase! And in my opinion rather without style as she drags one leg behind rather like an injured pirate! But, she is crawling nevertheless.

Having reached this stage I discover that even though we have been through this process 3 times before I suddenly need to rechildproof my house, watching out for the hazards of which until now I was oblivious! The crawling baby is indeed a challenge to those who were blessed with only two eyes!

Whilst contemplating this just the other day and doing my usual social networking, yes I was fiddling on facebook!, I heard a large crash! Rushing to the other room I found my exploring 8 month old lying flat on her back with the coffee table on top of her! Not a tear in sight, but a rather confused expression, that this previously harmless object should suddenly develop a mind of its own and forge an attack! My immediate reaction....well you can guess, the joy of the Lord overtook me and, finding its strength, I rushed to rescued the trapped victim!!!!!!

Second interesting incident....my 7 year old son had been given a box of maltesers as a thankyou for sharing his prized possessions, his most treasured playstation games with his best buddy!!!!! Sitting on the floor with the malteser box open and the playstation whirring he disappeared into playstation heaven totally unawares of the gatecrasher sitting next to him! Whilst pottering in the kitchen I suddenly become aware that all is quiet, usually a worrying sign for a house that is known for its dynamics!!! Upon investigation I find my 8 month old daughter covered in chocolate!!!! Unlike the other three she has not reached our one year milestone. Carelessly I forgot to take a picture....feeling a mock up brewing!!!!!!! More Dean Family frolics to come. Watch this space.....

Thoughts

2008-09-08T22:53:00.000+01:00

So I guess this means I now have to have some...