Catching up

(image from en.wikipedia.org)

It seems like time is rushing away from me now, and there is a lot to be done, as is always the case at this time of year.  There are carol services, Christmas concerts (YFG), GCSE presentation evenings (EFG), and services to attend, bazaars to bake for, assemblies at school to support, a little shopping to get done [but not much, thank goodness] and a few decisions to make.  Cleaning the house, decorations to put up, and cards to write and post.

Whew!  I am tired reading that back.  One step at a time!

This week has been hectic, and it isn't over yet.  We have had the usual stuff to do, and then a few extra bits and pieces.  I spent a couple of hours on Wednesday morning unpacking boxes for a friend who was moving - arranging stuff in her kitchen cupboards!

Today I have gym with the YFG and then I have to go to Lidl to get some of their chocolate to melt for the home made Rocher chocolates which I need to have made by tonight, for the bazaar tomorrow.

This afternoon and this evening will be taken up with baking for the bazaar, and I have a friend's two children coming for the night as she is going out to a Christmas "do" with her husband.  I usually spend Saturday evenings relaxing [my one night of the week!], watching Strictly, Merlin and Casualty, whilst knitting.  That may not happen tonight....

Tomorrow we have church, then the bazaar, then at 6pm a play rehearsal for the children who are doing a Christmas play during our Christmas Songs of Praise service next Saturday afternoon.

Health-wise, I am glad to say that my uncle, although admitted to hospital again, has come home and is now waiting for an op to sort his heart out.  He has to rest and take things easy.  My dad has returned from his latest jaunt, a cruise around the Med and to the Canaries, and has come through it none the worse for wear, although a little weak from contracting a bout of the ship's bug just before they got home.  He is doing OK now though.  The FH has something wrong with his ears and is temporarily deaf, resulting in no one wanting to be in the sitting room with him when he is watching tv because we are deafened by the noise level at which he has to have the tv in order to hear it!  He has to go back to the surgery on Monday so hopefully they will sort it out.

Please check out Angela's very timely post this morning about Borrowing and Sharing - an excellent reminder for us all at this time of year.  I'll be back later with my links for my Sharing Saturday.

And off I pop...

To bed.  This week's blogging is rather sparse, I'm afraid, because although I have got plenty to say, by the time I get round to saying it, I'm too tired.  There is a lot going on this week one way or another, and time is flying past.  I'm still reading the blogs I follow, so I am trying to keep up a little - I'll be back soon xx

Brain fried

(image from s-cool.co.uk)

The things we do for our children!!  I have spent the last two hours trying to dig in to the depths of my brain to help the EFG with her first year A level Maths homework.  That is stuff that hasn't seen the light of day in my brain for at least 22 years - it needed quite some digging around in there before the mist and fog began to clear, and now I have brain ache, the night has completely got away from me and I had no idea of the time!  I did enjoy it, and will continue with it tomorrow, because I hate to be beaten, but gosh, I had forgotten how challenging it can be.......

Baby Cambridge

(image from bbc.co.uk)

The news has reached us this afternoon that the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge are expecting a baby.  The Duchess has been taken in to hospital today suffering from acute morning sickness.

I am delighted to hear that they are having a baby, but she has my sympathies for the morning sickness, and for being in the early stages of pregnancy over the Christmas period.  The two Christmases which I spent in that condition, having conceived in November both times, were the most miserable I remember!  In fact, in the first one, Christmas Day was the day I threw up the most times........And when you want to be relaxing and enjoying spending time with the family, it is hard going when you feel so rough.

The BBC News tonight is full of speculation over the due date, the succession, and the health of Catherine, since she is ill enough to have been admitted to hospital.  She seems to be in the best place, so I shall just add her to my prayer list, and hope she feels better soon.  Hopefully, she will be blooming before too long.

Monday routines

Mondays for me are about keeping on track.  

I tot up the figures in the budgets and look at the finances, I read the electric meter and see how much we have used this week (£12.60's worth this time) and I do some housework and washing.  I look in the freezers and the fridges and consider a meal plan for the week, and I always write myself some kind of weekly plan, so that I don't forget to do anything.

I'm also doing my Faith & Worship course work on Mondays, so I had better turn off this computer and get on with it all. 

See you all later xx

My thoughts on Advent Sunday

(image from southbear.com)

Today is Advent Sunday and we will light the first candles in our Advent wreaths at the chapels in the circuit here this week.  We have a special liturgy which we will use over the weeks, which brings us closer and closer to Christmas.

I am taking the service in a nearby chapel this morning, the second time I have been there, and the crowd are lovely, so I am looking forward to seeing them all again.

Not surprisingly, I am going to be talking with them about the theme of "waiting".  

"Waiting" can be such a passive thought - think of the connotations of the word - waiting rooms [waiting for appointments, or trains to come along], playing the waiting game [waiting for someone's decision or an outcome of something] or even those royal ladies-in-waiting [who wait upon someone else's needs].  It is all very passive.

We are called to be active in our wait for Christ's return, though; we can't sit patiently and wait - there is work to be done on earth, a message to be told, and the gospel to be spread, so that when the train comes into the station bearing Christ, that station is absolutely packed out with people waiting to see him and get on the train with him!

I will also be sharing the thought that no one mentions God's waiting in all of this very often.  God has waited generations for all his people to turn to Him, and is still waiting patiently and faithfully for us.  As I said a few weeks ago, my great grandfather was preaching the gospel three generations ago, and the message is the same for me now as I begin my own preaching journey - God loves us, and He wants us to open our Hearts and our Lives to Him. 

A new idea

For the Saturday posts in the Advent season, I am going to share some links where you may find inspiration for your Christmas preparations.

Here goes today's selection:

Lovely sweet treats and edible gifts from an Australian website I love.

Home made gifts for foodies - a Pinterest board from Alexandra Cooks

Angela's top tips on gifts

My mince pie recipe - you won't need too much practise, but get started soon - you'll be making it more than once!

Elaine's frugal recipes include winter warmers and some lovely marmalades and pickles which could make great gifts.

I hope you find something useful there amongst all the offerings.  Do come back and share if you try something new from the recipes...