February already!

Jackie has given me a nudge to come back to this space this morning, so I am here to say "Hello, and wow, where did January go?!"

We're up to our eyes in work, revision for mocks for A levels, and driving tests for both girls this week in Peterborough (YFG) and Aberdeen (EFG) - I am just hoping that they both get the same result, whatever it is, as the tension will be huge if one passes and one fails!

I am buying the odd bunch of daffs to cheer the desk and remind me that Spring is on its way, but on dark and cold mornings when I struggle to get out of bed, it still seems a while away - but the occasional glimpse of the sun gives me hope!

This morning, I am waiting for a grocery shop to be delivered, then I am off to work later in the morning.  We are asked to only work two sessions a day, so it is the afternoon and evening for me today.  It is a sensible rule, but one to which I struggle to adhere some weeks - when I have to attend meetings which are arranged by others, I have to go whenever they are, and that makes the diary a challenge occasionally.  We get round this by counting the days we work three sessions and then having an extra day off now and again when they have mounted up.....the trouble was that when I counted the days in January and looked for a day I could take off - and the soonest one I could find free was mid March.  I have got leave booked more regularly so I am not being worked too hard.

The role continues to change and be developed - the latest incarnation of it to be suggested is that I take pastoral charge of two of the churches in the circuit. Discussions have been had and it will be brought to the circuit meeting for decisions on 1st March; it is an exciting development and I shall be thrilled if it is accepted, as they are two congregations of which I am particularly fond, and it will mean working more closely with both of them.

It's also been a season of reconnecting - I've picked up a couple of new "friends" from Facebook, who actually were not new but very old!  A friend from uni appeared in my Facebook feed as he had been involved in a partnership between with the Church of Scotland and the Methodist church, so I sent a quick message to say how delighted I was to see the two denominations working together and to send a word of encouragement - and now the emails have been flying between north and south as we catch up on the twenty two years since St Andrews!  It has also been great to share news of other fellow students as he has kept up with different ones from those with which I have been in contact.

I'm very much enjoying and being challenged by Ann Voskamp's "The Broken Way" book and study online and would recommend them hugely to those of you interested in a little introspection and personal growth. As her book on gratitude impacted on me so much, I think that this one will also be life-changing but in a different way.

Better go - shopping has just arrived!  Love to you all and thanks for your patience!!