Made it through

Just about got to the end of the month - boss lady has had her week's holiday on the North Norfolk coast and the administrator and I didn't let it all fall apart in her absence!  We had a fantastic "Songs of Praise" at one of our churches during the week, and I had to give a talk to a group of older ladies at their Sisterhood meeting - the male minister who is off sick was supposed to be doing that, but I got landed with it!  Inspiration did not strike at all, so they got "ten things you didn't know about me" which enabled me to waffle on about chickens, living in Scotland, lodgers, studying multiple languages, gymnastics, etc and they seemed amused, so it did the job!

Candidating for the church has hit a snag or three. The portfolio that I have to produce requires me to write reflections on a course of study in which I have participated for over 15 hours. If at HE/FE level, it can be within the last 5 years, but at any other level, it must be within the last three years. Mmmm - that means I have to go on a course PDQ in order to be able to write about one! Trouble is, the average "course" that I go on is for the day or a couple of hours, so I haven't been on a course of the required length for years, let alone in the last three years, with all that we have had going on here.  It is also a bit late to start an evening course now, as they all started for this term after Easter, and there is also a limited number of that sort of course available around here. This one is going to be a challenge!

And then I have to shadow a minister for 20 hours, which seems OK. BUT it has to be in a circuit much different from ours here - which pretty much means it will have to be a city circuit. Heading into Cambridge or Peterborough is going to be the only option there, I think. I had been offered rural north Lincolnshire, but I think that setting will be too similar to our own, unfortunately.

Boss lady has suggested that we start the process this year, but don't have it all ready for December this year, but aim for December 2017 which would take me for training from September 2018. True, it would give me more time, and perhaps that is the right approach. Got to think and pray about that one!

We are now on the two week countdown to the EF girls leaving.  Can't believe that ten months have passed this quickly but the calendar assures me that June is almost here!

Mid May already!?

I can't believe how quickly time is passing but summer is beginning to peep around the corner, and the sun has been shining on the Fens today.

Thank you for your messages. Stuff's happening, and things are changing......the EFG will be home for the summer in only two sleeps [yes, still count sleeps!] and the poor YFG has 4 AS level exams this week, so stress and tension levels in the house are running high.

The Austrian leaves on Wednesday for two weeks at home, then she'll be back for ten days before she actually leaves for good. The Dane is here till the 12th June but her exams will be over this week so she is planning some down time and excursions, as well as a spot of shopping as she has found UK prices to be more favourable than Danish ones!

Work is exciting, and I am working with an amazing team of folk whom I love to bits, and we are having a great time together, as well as facing up to some incredible challenges in the circuit......but God is good, as the boss keeps saying, and we had a fantastic circuit service yesterday with over 90 people coming together from most of the chapels to worship together - and the roof was loosened a little, even if it didn't come off altogether!

I spent Saturday at a conference about bereavement support, which was so interesting and informative, but I have to read all the course notes again and get it all into my head. There was so much to take in but I met some lovely people, and I will be able to keep in touch with some of them in the future.  I didn't have to travel too far to the conference, either, which was a bonus, as it was held at a church in Peterborough - the church is disguised as a conference centre and used for that as well, as it is modern and purpose built, and the conferences during the week must be a valuable income stream for the church too.

The raspberries are rampaging across the garden, the lawns have all been cut today, and there are seedlings coming through the veg beds now, as well as tomatoes in the greenhouse - UJ has been a bit busy and I keep it going from week to week, but couldn't do it without him!

The information and forms about candidating for ministry come out on the Methodist website in about two weeks and I am simultaneously scared and excited about the whole process and what I have to do.......I know I have some wonderful support here though so I am sure I will get through it if it is God's plan for me. If it isn't, the plan will become clearer as I go through the process.  Prayers and positive thoughts would be appreciated, though.

Thanks for all your kind words - I'll try to pop back again soon!