Let´s catch up a bit....shall we?

The above photo in my header contain my feet.......isn´t it great? I love the sea...I love the sea... I LOVE THE SEA!

A dearest blog friend accompanied me walking up and down the sea´s edge..freezing our toes off...but loving it none the less.. chatting to our hearts content . This was just a part of the tapestry of events during the intense six day stay on my wonderful birth island of Guernsey, jewel of the sea!

Talk about that shaken down, pushed together feeling, by some miracle of time warp, we managed to fit in an abundance of visits and activities that exceeded the limits of a 24 hour day I am just sure of it!

The motive of our trip (I went with my sister), was to celebrate my brother´s 25th Wedding Anniversary, but naturally you combine it with catching up with family and friends and visits to sights that only are retained in your memory, as much as you can. Can you believe that I have lived away from the island now for 25 years!!!!

We enjoyed some lovely meals and fellowship which felt so rich you could have drowned us in the abunance we felt with those who shared their time with us. How important relationships are!

Sadly my camara and I had a falling out during my stay in Guernsey and I didn´t manage to get any pics while I was there... (Grr...grr) So I am glad that Prodigal daughter had hers to capture at least, our antics on film!

My mum was overjoyed by having us there and we had sleeping arrangements like the story of Goldilocks and the tree bears! There definitely was a Papa´s bed, Mama´s bed and Baby´s bed thing going on!

My mum lives in retired housing and there is just one room up and one down plus kitchen and bathroom, so we all squashed into the one bedroom with a normal bed...high and comfortable... that was for mum. Then came the camp bed a little lower, not the less with springs ...that was for my sister. Finally came my bed..... (and yep, you guessed it....) which was a thin mattress on the floor!!! Hmm........ there is something to say for status quo in my house! hahahah! But we had a good laugh and I know how important it is for my mum that we are all together even if I did envy her bed sometimes!!!

My sister and I need to take two flights to get to Guernsey, which naturally means that the travelling swallows up those days. Something interesting happened while waiting at the airport here to catch our flight to Gatwick.

My sister, who teaches English was called up then and there by her boss offering her another job teaching English in a company. She declined saying that the hours were impossible for her and after a few pleasantries, hung up. After a second´s thought I felt that this was a job reaching out for me. Why?

Because the last couple of weeks, several people had mentioned about doing english classes and I wasn´t sure if I could do that so I had brushed it off.

To be honest, I was feeling insecure about my abilities and didn´t savour the idea of a new challenge! But I was feeling that God was tapping on that insecurity door, and offering me His help to face the challenge...

Now here was a job knocking at my door, and I felt it was the Lord saying "Why not?" I knew I didn´t really have a reason to say no, so I told my sister to call back right then and say that I would do it. It was only for 4 hours a week, so I knew it couldn´t be that bad!!!!

The day after we returned from Guernsey, I had an interview and the job was mine....and I started this week. And you know what.... I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT, I LOVE IT!

I can´t believe I am getting paid to do this! I enjoy it so much and everyone around me seems to be nodding their heads knowingly, saying, "We told you so!!!" and thinking..."Why did she take so long to get it?"

I go one hour a day

just 20 mins away, and teach Business English to the staff of a electrics company and have a blast doing it. I also feel so happy to be able to contribute (even though just a little) to our financial situation without sacrificing being with the family.

I AM BLESSED.

I spend quite a bit of time preparing for the classes, but I know that this investment will get less and less. Yet I even enjoy preparing for the class!!! I love making my students laugh and have a good time. My theory is that if they are having fun, they WILL learn....

Thanks for sharing my joy! I know many of you have been walking the process with me!

Train chugging down the tracks of life!

My wise mother always says, "When it rains, it pours!!" (a little different from the title of the book I am reading lately!!!) She´s right of course, as mothers tend to be; and I find myself running from one thing to the other, finding that everything tends to happen all at once! I am meeting all array of demands and delights that seem to be connected like the wagons of a train chugging down the tracks of life!

My dh and I have been involved once again, in a yearly retreat we help organize for missionaries & pastors. This requires all types of coordination and preparation with our main role centering on leading worship.

We updated our repetoir with several new songs, which required some designated time before hand to do that, but which is a occupation that I enjoy! I love this retreat, because I love being involved in blessing others.... It´s so amazing that God allows us the priviledge of being his hands and feet to those around us, even more so to those serving the Body of Christ.

All 3 kids were placed in 3 diffrent homes, with their 3 different suitcases and information as to our whereabouts and contact numbers in case of emergencies!!!! That required major organizational skills on the part of my brain, which often isn´t up to par! That aside, everything went well and without hiccups and we returned Sunday evening tired but fulfilled from our four days away.


Now I have two days to unpack, wash clothes (from all 5 of us!!!) , plus prepare some meals for when I am away and re pack to leave Wednesday for GUERNSEY with my sister to celebrate my brother´s 25th Wedding Anniversary!

I am soooooooooooooooo excited. It´s been a year since my last visit and even though we will only be there for 6 days I am going to soak up the local colour like it´s going out of style! I will also get to be with a bloggy friend that I haven´t seen for years as well as my pastor and his wife which is going to be so great!

Choosing clothes to take on any trip is always a challenge for me... the actual packing is the easy part. Feeling comfortable in my skin is one thing, feeling comfortable in my clothes is entirely another! So tomorrow I will face that mountain! I have some final errands to run and a horseriding class for No 3 so tomorrow should be a busy day!

Actually no3 stayed home today, because she had a tummy ache and her foot started hurting again. I do believe though that she was feeling anxious about me leaving again after just being away, and I figured that there was a little of "Mummitus" going about too. So we cuddled together to watch Ice Age on the sofa and play a good game of Monopoly to fill up our emotional tanks!

I find having many activites back to back somewhat disconcerting, espeically the days in between activities. It leaves me feeling a little lost and like a person in transit at the airport. Especially if the acitivities have a high level of emotional and spiritual content. I am trying to just walk through it with peace and consistency and keep focusing in on God, that He is the same, no matter which wagon I am jumping into next!

Looking forward to catch up with you all again soon!

The Love of Friendship

I just visited my friend at her blog and came across this wonderful post and just had to share it with you!

The Love of Friendship

One day a woman's husband died, and on that clear, cold morning, in the warmth of their bedroom, the wife was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't anymore. No more hugs, no more special moments to celebrate together, no more phone calls just to chat, no more "just one minute." Sometimes, what we care about the most gets all used up and goes away, never to return before we can say good-bye, say "I love you."

So while we have it, it's best we love it and care for it and fix it when it's broken ... ... and heal it when it's sick. This is true for marriage .. and old cars ... and children with bad report cards and dogs with bad hips and aging parents and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it.Some things we keep -- like a best friend who moved away or a classmate we grew up with. There are just some things that make us happy, no matter what.

Life is important, like people we know who are special. and so, we keep them close!I received this from someone who thought I was a 'keeper'! Now I'm sharing it with the people I think of in the same way.

Suppose one morning you never wake up, do all your friends know you love them?I was thinking...I could die today, tomorrow or next week, and I wondered if I had any wounds needing to be healed, friendships that needed rekindling or three words needing to be said.Let every one of your friends know you love them.

Even if you think they don't love you back, you would be amazed at what those three little words and a smile can do.And just in case GOD calls me home .... I LOVE YA!!! I'm sssoooo glad you're my FRIEND!Live today to the fullest because tomorrow is not promised.

Who is in your front row?

I visited this blog the other day and was really challenged by this article. Just click on the title and you will be linked to Dianne´s blog and read a very interesting post about who is in your front row.

I found it both challenging and eye opening and it´s a good reminder to evaluate our lives. I hope it is a blessing!

Cup of tea anyone?

I couldn't resist sharing some educational and humorous light on this wonderful English Tradition especially for my American and Non English friends!!! (Actually some very dear American friends of mine not only make a wonderful cup of tea, but know how to appreciate it as well!)

There is a very simple principle to the making of tea and it's this - to get the proper flavour of tea, the water has to be boiling (not boiled) when it hits the tea leaves. If it's merely hot then the tea will be insipid.

That's why we English have these odd rituals, such as warming the teapot first (so as not to cause the boiling water to cool down too fast as it hits the pot). And that's why the American(or non English) habit of bringing a teacup, a tea bag and a pot of hot water to the table is merely the perfect way of making a thin, pale, watery cup of tea that nobody in their right mind would want to drink.

The Americans are all mystified about why the English make such a big thing out of tea because most Americans have never had a good cup of tea. That's why they don't understand. In fact the truth of the matter is that most English people don't know how to make tea any more either, and most people drink cheap instant coffee instead, which is a pity, and gives Americans the impression that the English are just generally clueless about hot stimulants.

Thomas DeQuincy (1875-1959)
Confession of an English Opium Eater Tea, though ridiculed by those who are naturally coarse in their nervouse sensibilities... will always be the favored beverage of the intellectual.

The socially correct way of pouring tea is to put the milk in after the tea. Social correctness has traditionally had nothing whatever to do with reason, logic or physics. In fact, in England it is generally considered socially incorrect to know stuff or think about things.

Dr. George Orwell has written an article, naming 10 points he considers important in achieving the perfect cup of tea and I wanted to add his final points to compliment the already quality educational insight I have shared until now:

• Tenthly, one should pour tea into the cup first. This is one of the most controversial points of all; indeed in every family in Britain there are probably two schools of thought on the subject. The milk-first school can bring forward some fairly strong arguments, but I maintain that my own argument is unanswerable. This is that, by putting the tea in first and stirring as one pours, one can exactly regulate the amount of milk whereas one is liable to put in too much milk if one does it the other way round.
  

• Lastly, tea — unless one is drinking it in the Russian style — should be drunk without sugar. I know very well that I am in a minority here. But still, how can you call yourself a true tea lover if you destroy the flavour of your tea by putting sugar in it? It would be equally reasonable to put in pepper or salt. Tea is meant to be bitter, just as beer is meant to be bitter. If you sweeten it, you are no longer tasting the tea, you are merely tasting the sugar; you could make a very similar drink by dissolving sugar in plain hot water.
  
  Some people would answer that they don't like tea in itself, that they only drink it in order to be warmed and stimulated, and they need sugar to take the taste away. To those misguided people I would say: Try drinking tea without sugar for, say, a fortnight and it is very unlikely that you will ever want to ruin your tea by sweetening it again.

The above has provided great insight about the tradition and technicalities into the art of tea making, but I believe there are still some outstanding points that need to be mentioned so that our tea drinking is the complete an enriching experience it should be!

Henry James
There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.

Having a cup of tea must be accompanied by a break in activity. One must sit down and relax. If tea is to be enjoyed, it must one´s focus of attention. It can only be shared by one thing: good company, This is the other axis to the tea experience. Good friends, sitting down with a few minutes of relax time and this is tea par excellence!

I once said that an invitation to a cup of tea is the invitation for friendship. It says, you are valuable to me, let´s spend some time together. If the tea is a"nice cup of tea" then the ensemble is complete and the experience thoroughly enriching!

~Catherine Douzel
Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage.

I thank God that I have good friends (Americans , English and non-English!!) who have learned to appreciate a good cup of tea and accept the invitation of friendship. I do believe that drinking tea is one of the few remnants left in me of my English upbringing! Maybe that is why embrace it so dearly!

Colley Cibber (1671-1757)

The Lady's Last Stake, Act 1, Scene 1

Tea! thou soft, sober, sage and venerable liquid;
- thou female tongue-running, smile-smoothing,
heart-opening, wink-tippling cordial,
to whose glorious insipidity I owe the happiest moments of my life.

Long time no see

Good Friends

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. ~Albert Schweitzer

I love you guys...thanks for being wonderful mates!