It's Christmas!!

Do you remember that feeling when you were a kid, waiting for Christmas Day to arrive? Well, that's how I feel at the moment. On Thursday 8th February, Kevin and I will finally find out where our new appointment will be. After years of waiting to come to College and then two years of study here at William Booth College, the moment is about to arrive.

I don't know if anyone actually reads this blog, but if you do could I ask you to pray? Please pray for:

• All the "Heralds Of The Good News" who will be receiving their first appointments on Thursday
• All officers who will also be receiving new appointments
• Our children who will be moving, yet again and having to make new friends and start new schools
• The people and places we will be going to

I'm going to pray that, throughout our officership, I will always feel this sense of excitement and confidence in God about what He has planned for us.

Watch this space! I will let you know on Thursday ... we could be coming to a place near you!!

The big 4-0!

Before I went to bed on New Year's Eve (or should that be New Year's Day?) I decided to make a list of things to do before I'm 40. I have just found my first grey hair, and realised that I've got 3 1/2 years left before I hit the dreaded big 4-0! The trouble is, I don't feel like I'm nearly 40 and there are lots of things that I always imagined I'd do, but never seem to get round to.

I want to write a book, learn to ice skate, go to Africa ... and then tonight I watched "Pay It Forward". Once I had stopped blubbing, I realised that there are so many other things I want to do to make a difference.

I was on a conference called "Church On The Edge" this weekend, and got really excited at the thought of Kev and I in our own community - wherever that might be - making a difference for God. Then, someone was overheard to say, "Do you buy into all this?"

Maybe I'm like Trevor in the film, and live in Utopia but surely if we believe in the teaching Of Jesus we can't do anything but "buy into" the idea of reaching into our communities and showing Jesus?

So my list of things to do before I'm 40 has just got longer. One of the things I've realised from the conference, and the film, and even the overheard comment is that I've just got to get on with what I believe God is leading me to do. There's no point wasting time, waiting for others to understand or approve. After all, I am nearly 40...

Swim The Channel!

Three times a week, at 6.30 in the morning, Sally-Ann and I don our swimming costumes and head off to the pool. We are in the process of swimming the equivalent of the English Channel by December 3rd. This is a distance of 21 miles - over 1,000 lengths.

We are collecting sponsorship in aid of the Salvation Army's International Development Projects such as water aid, human trafficking.

Please let me know if you would be willing to sponsor us. You could sponsor us per mile or give us a total amount to complete the swim. We are currently 5.75 miles out at sea. I think we have passed the sewage outlet point! I will keep you posted as to our progress.

All donations gratefully received!

Eastenders

It's 3.22 a.m in the early hours of Monday morning and I can't sleep! What makes someone sit at their computer, tapping away when they could be curled up in bed? the answer is Eastenders.

No! Not the Pat Butcher and Phil Mitchell variety, but the Poplar Salvation Army variety, and variety is the operative word.

You see, today Kevin and I lead our last Sunday at Poplar whilst on summer placement there and I just can't get the last twelve weeks out of my head. It's been an amazing summer, full of amazing people in a place where every day is different.

Highlights? The day at Clacton-on-Sea, listening to the stories of incredible lives at luncheon club, the banter at the cafe, experiencing nigerian hospitality, the children's holiday club, getting to know theParadise Zone gang, seeing new lives committed to God within the Salvation Army...

I'm looking forward to being back at College and will be quite glad if I never see the number 15 bus again, but I know that tomorrow, as I complete my final day on placement, I am going to feel quite empty.

So to all at Poplar, thank you for letting me be a part of your lives for these few weeks. We were thanked today for our ministry to you, but you taught us so much more. Thank you Christine, Bram, Laura, Gordon and Kate for your care and patience with us.

Poplar will always have a special place in our memories.

In His Hands

Sometimes life htis you unexpectedly between the eyes and Wednesday evening was one of those occasions.

I received a telephone call to tell me that a friend had died suddenly. She was young, beautiful, intelligent but had a drink problem which cast a shadow over much of her life. We don't yet know all the circumstances surrounding her death, but all I could feel was a sense of sadness at the waste of such a lovely person. Her dependence on alcohol robbed her of everything and yet I know she loved God even though every day was a struggle for her.

At the same time, I received a message to tell me that another friend had died from cancer. This time it was a much older friend who, even in her painful last moments, knew that the time had come for her to meet Jesus in heaven. Her faith in life and death has taught me so much and I know that her funeral will be a celebration of a life lived for God.

So, two very sad deaths in very different circumstances. Its made me realise how important it is to make sure that every moment on earth counts for something. It's not for me to judge who goes to heaven and who doesn't but I like to think that they are both safe with Jesus now, that their physical and emotional suffering is now over.

Rest in peace.

All Good Things ...

All good things must come to an end, and so I am back in London, holiday over! On the last day of my holiday, I sat on the beach in the beautiful sunshine andthe scene around me took my breath away. I think it was because I knew I was about to return home and I just wanted to capture my surroundings and keep them in my mind forever.

The photograph above is the scene I saw from my deckchair.

This evening I came across this Jewish prayer and it took me right back to that memory on the beach ...

If my lips could sing as many songs as there are
waves in the sea:
If my tongue could sing as many hymns as there are ocean billows:
If my mouth filled the whole firmament with praise:
If my face shone like the sun and moon together:
If my hands were to hover in the sky like powerful eagles and my feet ran across mountains as swiftly as the deer;
All that would not be enough to pay you fitting tribute, O Lord my God.

What Do You Think?

I love reading people's blogs! Yes, I'm nosy but more than that, I love the fact that there are people out there who care passionately about the things I think are important. I spent most of my teenage years hearing the words, "You've got some funny ideas, my girl!" I didn't think they were "funny" at all, in fact I still don't. I just felt that issues about the environment, about stewardship of the world's resources, the futility of war and human rights issues were and still are crucial. In the words of Roz, I just want to make the world a better place!

At Poplar Salvation Army, we are going to be starting a discussion group where some of these issues can be explored more fully. As a Christian, I am keen to explore various Christian perspectives on these issues, including that of the Salvation Army and, more importantly, the Bible.

If you would like to be part of this discussion group either in person or via this blog, then please let me know the types of topics we could discuss. I am hoping the group can begin meeting during the first week of September. Between 5 and 6 p.m., either Monday, Tuesday or Thursday would be best for Laura and myself. So, Paradise Zoners, let me know when would be best for you.

If there are any books or articles you've read that you would like to bring and discuss, please do. I would say come armed with opinions, but I know that you lot will do that no problem!!

Look forward to seeing your comments.