the best is yet to come....

what a year.........well today was stuarts last day at SST church as their youth director...........over the last few weeks we have said all our goodbyes to all the different youth groups and leaders and church as a whole.....and as we step out of 2008 and bravely into 2009...we step into a whole new realm......our first time not in full time youth work.........and in the new year i take up a new post aswell...........so its all change..........we are so excited to see what God is going to birth in 2009...He has guided us so clearly this far........and we know the best is yet to come...................



HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone.......may 2009 be packed with blessing, revelation and amazing testimony..........

new picture..............

hope you all like my new header picture......it was taken by my talented husband over the holidays...it is an early winter morning on portstewart strand beach....which is on the north coast of ireland......... where we got engaged 10 years ago.....its a very beautiful and special place.........

what does he do differently?.........

do you ever wonder how something doesn't work for you...like a DVD......or some other electrical object...and you are sure you have followed all the rules and done everything correctly...but still nothing...it refuses to co-operate.......then i mention it to my hubby.....who walks straight to it......puts a hand on it....and guess what....it works.......then i receive the ................look.........which means....what on earth were you doing.....just use it properly...................i don't undertand....i really do try to listen and do as i am told......any one else have this happen...or is it only appliances that gang up against me in my house........

its mr perfects fault.............

well its all this little guys fault...i know its mr perfect you ask....how could he possibly do anything wrong...well i will tell you........night before last stuart and i called down to visit my mum for the evening...we brought some foodie treats..enjoyed snaking together and watching the movie..Wallace and gromit...curse of the were rabbit.....occasionally nodding off and having random conversation....when stuart announced it was time to go home.....so the obedient wife that i am ....i gathered all my bits and pieces from the kitchen table and followed him out to the car..jude tucked underarm.......we had been home about an hour happily snuggled in front of a roaring fire...when the phone rang and a distressed mum....said...did you happen to see my car keys when you were over earlier.....i thought for a moment ...confidently replied...no.......she said she had torn the house apart of over an hour without success....i helpfully gave her a few spots to check..said goodbye....carried on enjoying my fire and watching some TV.....another hour passed...phone rang........panic stricken mum.....voice shaken...says...i am trying not to panic..to late i think...but i have walked the garden with a torch..emptied the bin onto the garage floor looked under and above every object in the house...they are no where to be found......remembering to myself that i was known as the best finder in my family growing up...i decide to stay on the line and talk her through different hidy holes.....imagining all the places they could have sneaked to......after about 30 mins of my services......mum says..there is no way you could have taken them...NO.....i say to be ridiculas...while i walk to the kitchen ....i was only wearing my jacket...as i stoop to put my hand in my pocket..and in the same motion pull out a set of keys.....stunned and silent i stare.....these cant be yours i ask....with a mr perfect key ring.....YES.....she screams...they are...................i said a few words i cant recall................i had them all along..................as i said its all mr perfect key-ring..........i bought it for stuart years ago.....and for years it was on his car keys...and a few months ago.....we gave mum a spare key to our house and i stuck it on his old key ring................mum joined it onto her car keys and the rest is history.............needless to say i had to out my shoes on and drive to her house and return the keys..............as they were the only set...............sorry mum..............

people watching.........

one of my favorite pastimes is..........people watching....i never tire of it...........it was a rainy cold saturday today so stuart and i hid out for a while in one of our most loved cafes ‘open house’ not only do they make great coffee...but they have the biggest floor to ceiling window with seats all along...perfect..... you can sip away while observing..........such sights pass by...........today we had a lady getting so cross cause people kept bumping into her oversized umbrella....never mind the fact she was almost taking their eye out as she walked down the middle of the street with her umbrella shielding her vision.......


this started stuart of on one of his pet hates....the dangers of walking in crowded streets in the rain.....apparently protective eye wear should be issued ...so he feels........and many interesting fashion statements.....one in particular sticks in my mind was two young girls wearing thigh high illuminous socks with shorts...each to their own i say...makes for interesting viewing...............i love trying to imagine what people are up to and what kind of life they lead...and conversations they are having...stuart says i am wasted and should have been a detective..............take time out to see what sights pass by your window today.........

memories...........

tonight was the last night of our 20's cell group.....its so hard to believe......i have to admit it has been one of the most special parts about our time spent at SST....we have been blessed sharing our lives with this amazing group and seeing how God shaped it and all of us.....they blew us away tonight...with the most amazing 'memories' scrap book..that i think is one of the most precious gifts we have been given....and a giant wicker hamper stuffed with so many wonderful treats...and Thai spending money 'well elephant riding money'......for the first time in a very long time i was ...speechless......words could not be found tonight to express how much we love and will miss these guys...and how the memories we made together will be threads woven through our tapestry of life....... you all know who you are...keep running the race.....don't give up.......never settle for the ordinary..keep standing out in a world that wishes you would blend in ...but desperately needs you not to.....

toot...toot..........

today was a day to remember.........we added a new addition to our family........a new car for me.......this is my first very own not shared cute little car..............we got up early this morning and went to collect it..and there it was all shiny....bright eyed and bushy tailed and waiting to come home with us and keep our other car company in the drive at night..........incase you wonder what it looks like imagine peppa pigs head turned upside down and there you have it....






cute..a little cartoon car all for me........toot toot..........

the Great I Am..........

God was so right when he said 'I Am'.....He is not the God who dwells in the past or waits in the future but lives in the right now with us...............sometimes i find it tempting to visit the place of the 'what ifs'.......which of course is only tormenting as 'what ifs' are impossible...........we cannot live only in the future with our hopes and dreams.......and we most certainly will not find life and freedom if we only choose to dwell in the place of the past.........the place God reminded me to dwell last night is in the 'right now' with him.........as he holds my future and guides my steps.............and promises to use my past experiences breakthroughs and mistakes to bring hope to others in this broken world.... and lead them to Him........

hot cordial...........it works..............

i have had the rotten flu the last few days...so not even been up to blogging...i know shocking............stuart says that i am the worst patient ever.........not sure i agree :-).........well my mum rang me this morning to say that she read in the newspaper that drinking hot fruit cordial helps fight of cold/flu virus .......something my mum used to always give me if i was sick............so stuart nipped to the shop and came back with a bottle of ribena and as i sipped on a cosy mugful.......it was like my childhood comforts came flooding back...................so maybe its not really that it helps medically....but more like it bring us the comfort and safety of childhood memories when we are feeling a little vulnerable and weak....................so for the rest of the day i will be working my way through that cordial bottle......staying cosy under lots of blankets.......and looking forward to feeling me again...........................

favourite things *3

one of my most favourite things are my beloved 'uggs'...let me tell you i could be a very successful sales rep for these squishy, cosy delights...i got my first pair over two years ago and i have to confess...my other shoes......hardly get a look in.....they have been my extra special friends over the last few days of below minus temps...brrrrrrrrrrr.......but my toes are always snug.........

change part 2*

well for some reason today feels the day to share another blog i have been writing for about a year, check it out here

as you will see we have been on this adventure for over a year now....and as its such a long process in this country ...lasting a few years...we felt it better to wait until we have moved along the process a little first..........please forgive many spelling mistakes..as up until now it has been a diary so we wont forget any dates and details........

tapestry of life...............

as we are on the countdown for the last few weeks of service at shorestreet..we are beginning to realise that there are lots of very special people we are going to miss having in our lives on a regular basis......it is always exciting to move into a new season..with endless possibilities and new experiences...but this morning as i looked around...i must admit to feeling a little lump in my throat....as following Jesus and moving when the pillar of fire moves....is not only challenging for us....but also for those who are left behind.............but i know there are those who are part of the tapestry of our lives..who God has placed in our hearts for a season and then those who we will live this adventure alongside us at different stages yet to come..........'all things work together....'.........yes i love change........but its not always easy in the transition..........

change is here.......part 1

well it has finally arrived...we are moving into a new season.............see stuarts blog for the first installment...........life is never boring chasing the Wild Goose................

learn the unforced rhythms of grace......

i read this on a blog i follow a couple of days ago..and it has stayed with me..i particularly love it in the message....


The words of Jesus from Matthew 11

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

and the same passage in The Message version of the bible

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.


i really love the line.......i will show you how to take a real rest....and .......learn the unforced rhythms of grace...............

it is possible.......

was just noticing a sticker stuart has stuck on the back of his work laptop which says


another world is possible


i love this - and was just thinking afresh what that would look like....if i lived the life i talk about.........

i just don't......

we live in an interesting world.........and again we are rapidly moving into the 'silly season' for those of you that know me well you will know i don't celebrate Christmas.....for many reasons.......this is not a new decision but one i have gladly stood by for more than ten years...i can hear some of you gasp....thinking to yourself..i thought she was a committed christian...how could she possibly not celebrate Christmas of all things.........easy.....i just don't...........the 25th December comes and goes in my house like any other...and it is liberating.........more so than ever before.....when people ask me have i started my Christmas shopping yet....and i say no..we don't buy xmas gifts in my family...but bless each other throughout the year with treats .....instead of going in to debt and stress to buy things not wanted or needed just because it happens to be the 25th December.......instead of the strange looks and disdain i have often been met by..... i am now met with longing eyes and the remark..i wish i could do that.....you can..........we do so many things because of tradition..some good..some not so good....or because it has always been done.......or everyone else seems to be doing it.......without really asking .....why am i doing this...and what is it all rooted in?....well i asked that question years ago.. God clearly answered.... here i stand........standing out.........

i love days off......................

i had a lovely day off toady....started slowly...always good on a day off......then talked hubby into joining me for an hour or two shopping in town..it was time for a cosy winter coat purchase, to fend of the biting wind...its so cosy.....then we got lunch at Nando's ...which certainly helped us see better (lots of chili and spices)......then home again..........and evening coffee with my brother and his family......i love days off.....back to work tomorrow..........

he began to make it beautiful.......

last night as i was talking at one of our youth groups..God reminded me of a moment in my life..when He broke through the silence...and changed my life forever........people can try to use intellectual arguments to try proving God does not exist....some even spend their whole lives trying .......but no one .....no matter who they are can ever rob me of my personal experience with a living God who heard my cry many years ago and broke into my mess and began to make it beautiful..........i got quite emotional as i recounted that moment..cause it is as real to me today as it was then..........that was the first of many....i worship and serve a God who hears me and ...........responds........

favourite things *2

i love days when the sky is bright blue....but its cold enough to see your breath.....

water of a ducks back........

today i feel the need to sit still and exhale....i definitely am aware of being in the refiners fire the last week or so..its like suddenly the thermostat has been turned up a few notches...and all the little things that really get on my nerves..are suddenly rolled into a relentless onslaught....Lord help me stay sweet...and also learn to count to ten....and also.... to let things go...like water of a ducks back......its the reminder that i am a work in progress........

happy birhday lynnie.......

today was fun...we headed up the north coast to spend the day with my sister and her family for her birthday.....happy birthday Lynnie.......we spent some quality time shopping..as only two sisters can...with our hubbies nervously receiving random phone calls to hear about our purchases...and then coming to collect us wondering how many bags we would each be carrying.........followed by dinner out at our favourite restaurant..and a few rounds of happy birthday thrown in for good measure......


PS Stuart collected his new camera he ordered and lets just say Jude and i are seeing lots of white spots as we are being 'shot' from every angle.......its like we are famous for a day :-)...i am sure the novelty with wear off soon enough......i hope...

autumn days....

i love being out for walks on crisp bright autumn days....it clears away the cobwebs...










our local duck pond.......one of our fav spots to walk.....

favourite things # 1

sitting in front of my open fire...while its cold and wet outside......and knowing i can stay in for the night...........so cosy.....

who are our friends....................

'The problem isn’t that Christians don’t care about the poor, it’s that they don’t know the poor.'
shane claiborne

since i heard this a few weeks ago, it keeps coming back to me as a regular challenge...these days it seems to me that it has almost become a fashion accessory to care about the poor or should i say to be seen to care...sometimes i ask myself am i part of this cause i really care.... or because i should care ...or because it looks good to care.....how many of the poor are my friends and know me by name and where i live?.............. maybe in this question lies my answer...

i want to be sure i don't want to only follow the latest trend but follow Him in action instead.........

“See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern” (Micah 6:8)

"If you can't see, hear or feel something, it doesn't exist!" quote from horton hears a who.......

Hebrews 11v1
Faith in What We Don't See
The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.




just watched this movie...and loved it...how in a simple way it explores the concept of faith in a larger—unseen—being.......last night we were taking about 'faith' with one of our youth groups and i wish we had seen this first..as i would have been using a few little clips from it........if you wonder about faith...how you can believe in something bigger than youself that you can't see with your physical eye...then watch this it may start you thinking......

2 Corinthians 5:7
We live by faith, not by sight.

service please.........................

To lead is to serve..(when i typed that into google it seems to be the title of lots of christian books emmmm...) ….we cannot be leaders if we are not willing to get our hands dirty and serve….to be in ministry actually means to be in service……..sometimes I think in ‘Christian’ world we have glamorised being in ministry and distracted from what it really is…….which is servant hood………. in the Kingdom we don’t just float to the top without learning to be a servant first to develop in character….just look at some of the great examples…Moses…Joseph….Ruth….Esther to name a few…..we have been in youth work and leadership positions for years and in recent years I am sometimes left with my jaw hanging open……..when for example people are happy to chat away to me while I am struggling under my own body weight in chairs and not even feel moved to offer to help….what is going on in our society that we are becoming so self absorbed and have forgotten the blessing of serving and giving of our time and energy ….without having to be asked………see a need…you are able…….fill it……..we can’t escape the ultimate example……. who came as a Servant King to serve…not be served…….I never want to feel that something is beneath me…….and be so inward focused that I fail to see a simple need even if its staring me right in the face……………………there is nothing more refreshing in this day and age than real humility………and when you see it ….it is beautiful…and not quickly forgotten…….

race against horses............

Heard this verse tonight and It has sent my wee cogs a turning… not because I have a love for horses, but because I want to live my life to the full and not be comfortable with the normal………..

‘So, Jeremiah, if you're worn out in this footrace with men,
what makes you think you can race against horses?’
Jer 12v5




I want to follow God in a way that I can race with horses and not grow weary, never mind mere men…………………to follow God in the way he beckons…. leads us to a place where it is only in Him things are possible…no longer can we stand and on our own…..



I have grown up on horseback and raced horses and felt the power of being at a flat out gallop with the horses hooves thundering on the ground and all around becoming a blur….and the wind whistling in my ears…….nothing is more exhilarating……….this is how its meant to feel to follow Him……….is your walk with God exhilarating….taking you at a pace that you couldn't physically do on foot….or are you just going along at a comfortable jog….hardly even out of breath……………………..

punk monk..............

started reading this again yesterday, i say again as i started it months ago and like a moth to a flame got distracted and began reading something else bright and shiny that got my attention........ even though its early days i am really enjoying it as its fitting right into alot of other things God has been saying lately........it challenges my comfort.......that can only be good........and has sent me back in the the 'sermon on the mount' for a closer inspection......

dream..........

There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why... I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?”

Robert Francis Kennedy

dream big..and then walk towards them and make them a reality.........

life is just one thing..............................

life is ever changing - i dont know about you but it seems for me - it come always as a package deal from God - its like getting an all inclusive holiday....were everything is included in the offer...lets go the whole hog and give it all a shake up....it made me laugh as i remembered to what our old boss at ellel used to say 'change is here to stay' something which seems to have followed me to the emerald isle.......my pastor told us once his dad used to say 'life is just one thing after another'....... so true......

so what about anyone else....does change come in ones or twos....or do you get it all shaken up at once too?

God speaks when i least expect it........

I had to go to work really early on the train a couple days ago as Stuart was speaking at school assembly and needed the car………I was tired and not really with it and ...when I get of the train I have to go through a little underground tunnel to get to the other side of the road……..i normally don’t like these kinds of places as they are a bit dark and creepy….but this one is a little different as a bunch of local kids have painted pictures and stories all over it making it a lot more cheery….nevertheless…I still walk quickly through it trying not to break into a jog…which would give away my lack of comfort with such surroundings….only this particular morning for some reason I stopped in front of one little bit and read it and low and behold…here is what it said………….




as i read it all alone in that tunnel - i really felt the presence of God fill that place....and it spoke to me that there is no where His presence doesn't dwell He has gone before me in every situation............

it was a little God moment when i least expected it - i have rushed through that tunnel so many times and never seen this part..........i wonder what else i have missed as i rush through the day...........

this blog has been 'wordle'd'

aeroplanes are tricky to spot when you are 3........

i had my nephew stay over last night - and we had a lot of fun he is three and already has such a sense of humour and makes me laugh a lot......

we live a few miles from a little air strip that cute pleasure planes that almost look like toys take of from and fly over the peninsula...they make a lovely tootling sound (i made that up) but it sounds pretty....... they fly quite low ..... in this picture i was laughing so hard - cause every time i pointed one out to him he kept looking in the wrong spot and missing it....i know its only a little aeroplane its tricky to see with the naked eye...eventually he saw one all by himself……. maybe my pointing is squinty.....














'to infinity and beyond'...was his battle cry......as he took the huge leap of two steps......

100 years of anne.....

100 year celebration of Anne of green gables - one of my most favourite books growing up - i still love it today and would definitely have it way up in my top ten.

someone was in my work today and told me that 'Charlie and Lola' creator Lauren Child has designed a new front cover in celebration, here it is...



If you have never read it - i highly recommend it, or if you aren't much of a reader get the DVD's - maybe i will have my own 'Anne of green gables' celebration and dust of my copy......

red ribbon......

just realised today that it is 'world aids day' on 1st december check out the web on the bottom of the ribbon for more info, the theme of 2008 is 'leadership'
we all need to do more in the battle to combat aids and hiv....i will be wearing my red ribbon on 1st december.........

i love it......

on my way to bed last night i lifted one of Stuarts birthday gifts to leave beside the bed for him..
out of curiosity i thought i would take a sneaky look at the first page (already i was excited as this guy didn't waste my reading time by having a 20 page intro, which really annoys me,straight into chapter one,yeah!)i was totally hooked, Stuart came up half an hour later, and gasped, as he found me engrossed several chapters into his new read.......... It was amazing i felt like this was written for us and thought could God shout any louder, highlighting what He is calling us to do...... so sorry Stuart i feel the need to finish this read before i can give it back.....so if you are looking for a challenging, stirring read then i encourage you to pick up 'wild goose chase'...........

the new home help.......

'the pink world of ally' is complete, my new friend Hetty arrived to give me a bit of a hand around the house... who knew that hoovering could be such fun.... there she is always smiling following me around the house, gobbling up all the dust and dirt....she is the perfect home help with a constantly good attitude....plus she is really pretty..

ps i feel the need to point out that i didn't dress to match Hetty, it happened by accident......really.....

the big picture.........

i am so thankful that God sees the big picture, sometimes we have all of these dreams in outline form and not sure exactly what all the details are, recently God has been beginning to fill the blanks in and we are getting a sense of where He is leading us and what alot of the preparation has been for.... so far.... i love following Jesus it is certainly never dull, always a challenge, and full of adventure....
i love looking back and seeing all the divine appointments fitting together and how my path has crossed with the right people at the right time...... be encouraged...even if it all doesn't make sense right now, have hope that He sees the big picture and doesn't make mistakes........and His timing is perfect....
A:

happy birthday hubby.......................

well the infamous day has arrived, its Stuarts birthday, and for anyone that has been following my blog - he was so happy with his gifts. hooray.....

as its sunday he has to work today, but we had birthday celebrations on friday night and yesterday, with even a tea party with our little nieces who had the candles blown out on his behalf before we had finished one full chorus of happy birthday.....

well happy birthday stuart, may the year ahead be filled with blessings and may you get that step closer to living all your dreams xoox.........

think before i speak.......

Over the last while God has been challenging me about ‘good intentions’ – sometimes I find myself saying something out of compassion or to fill an awkward moment of silence, that I can not uphold or do not uphold – or put myself under such pressure and guilt to uphold, ……… I don’t only mean big things but the little things as well, like visiting someone, or doing something etc ……anyway, I am really trying to work on making promises I can keep and keeping my mouth shut when I am tempted to say what I think I should instead of what I know I can do…….
As good ole Madge (Madonna) says in her song 4 minutes ‘the road to hell is filled with good intentions’……… and I guess you could change that to say ‘the road to heaven………….’

dripping fat..................

Well we finally had a sunny day and guess what - I had to work - Monday is normally my day off but I took a day off for a conference a few months ago (which I didn't even enjoy and left early) and had to pay it back........
To make the most of what was left of ‘blue skies’, after work we packed Jude (the dog) into the car and drove to my mums, and had a BBQ for dinner - it’s been only a few months since we enjoyed such pleasures due to the inclement weather. All was well we were enjoying some lovely food and lively conversation around the table when we heard Jude rolling with much joy on my mums living room carpet in the adjacent room, mum who is protective over her cream carpet wondered why Jude seemed to be having so much fun alone, so we called her in and on first glance we all asked the same question, 'why is her head so wet!' good question its not raining, the rest of her body is dry, I put my hand down to stroke her and was instantly disgusted cause it was all slippery and soaked with grease……….
As mum and I aren't into the technicalities of BBQing we had overlooked putting the little fat catcher under the grill, and the whole evening Jude had been experiencing her own doggie 'Indian head massage' with out the massage part....... yuck...... licking up all the dripping fat…………

She smells like the 'greasy spoon' and that’s still after I shampooed her head........

fire starter.........................

Tomorrow morning is a momentous occasion - the chimney sweep is coming to give the chimney its yearly sweep before I can light my first fire. I can't wait; it has to be one of my most favourite things. Its almost like having an old friend back, I love when its all cold and rainy outside (which is just as well) and I am inside snuggled up beside my fire, crackling and dancing away. In Ireland we burn ‘turf’, which is a peat dug from the bogs and it has the loveliest smell that instantly brings me back to my childhood....... when we used to come home to Ireland for visits during the winter months, when we lived in England, it was the first thing I could always smell as I stepped of the plane. It was like the welcome mat had been rolled out!

I think getting to light my open fire again is one of the many reasons why I love autumn so much!

What is one of your favourite things about autumn?


a traditional turf fire - what could be more friendly than that(apart from kittens and puppies etc etc)

foot a tapping.......

this is a local artist 'Brian Houston' who just so happened to be the live act at the evening doo for our wedding!

Here is his new song, check it out - i bet it will have your foot a tapping.......

its a dogs life.......

My mum bought me this little gift a couple of days ago

(i know sorry bad pic - it says this house belongs to one spoilt cairn terrier)

it made me snigger as we had Jude getting her vaccinations at the vet last week - it was a new vet as we only moved here a while ago - when the vet finished giving her the injection, she patted Jude and said 'there you go all ready for kennels or any other event' well when i told my mum and sister about this comment, they both burst out laughing at the thought of my face when the vet even thought my dog would ever set foot in kennels, and they would be right, my face didn't have time to hide my real feeling that moment and i think the vet realises that this is more what my Jude's lifestyle is like

jude thinks its a hardship when she visits my mums house and has to make do with the carpet instead of hte joys of lying uncouncious on a cushion on the furniture....... what can i say she has ute eyebrows..... just aswell she is good natured....

skipping.....

out for an evening walk tonight with stuart and the dog - when a couple little girls around 10 years old appeared out of a side street in front of us - one of the girls got a little behind her friend - she burst into a skip to catch up - it made me laugh and i said to stuart 'when did i actually stop skipping to get around'.


i wonder what age i just thought 'no thats no longer a cool method of travel'.

A:

i love living on an island.....

i woke up this morning craving a walk on the beach - so we packed our little doggie into the car and drove to my favourite beach near our house - its my favourite, not only cause its beautiful, but cause its pretty much always deserted and Jude can run free and chase her ball....
i love it! there is nothing like wading through the sea in your wellies with the sun on your back, breathing in that fresh salty air, we could hear nothing but the waves slapping heavily on the shore (and actually over Stuarts feet - while he was trying to take an arty picture).That's what i missed so much about Ireland when we lived in England for 4 years, cause in no time at all you can be at the sea or at least see it in the not to far distance.

One more thing today is the 1st of September and officially autumn - my most favourite season of the year, i get all excited and am convinced the air smells different - i keep asking stuart can you smell it can you smell autumn - i cant wait for the bright blue skies and frosty ground in the mornings - with the leaves all brightly coloured and crunchy under foot.......God really did think of everything........

indescribable.....

last night we went to my mums house for tea, with also the added delight of helping her polish of left over desserts from her dinner party the previous night - I know I get all the hard jobs – after we were all suitably stuffed and buzzing from our high levels of sugar intake we sat down (I know great way to burn it off) and watched a new DVD she had bought – it was - Louie Giglio - Passion Talk Series Indescribable (2008)


It was so amazing – and a reminder of the vastness and greatness of our God and his outrageous love for mankind. The beauty of the universe is breathtaking and makes so much sense to me – that I am made in Gods image – so no wonder I have such a love for twinkly and sparkly things – have you seen how shiny space is……….

what to buy?

stuarts birthday is in a couple of weeks - actually couple of weeks exactly - his b'day is on 14th sept - and there is never any chance of me forgeting it - i have never met anyone like stuart who loves his birthday so much.... childlike... could not describe it. My birthday is 15th May and as soon as my day of celebration is over he begins the countdown....so much so he has put a reminder in my mobile to ping up everyday saying 'get stuart an amazing birthday present'.

i don't know why but i find it so hard to buy for him - i always think i have come up with a great idea and the closer i get to the speacial day it seems less and less of a brilliant idea.........

not that he is ungrateful - its just i find guys so much harder to buy for - maybe thats just me - cause i like pretty things - that aren't always practical...or maybe its cause i tend to leave things to the last minute then act out of panic - well not this year - i have taken note of my daily reminders and am trying to take time to get organised.....

does anyone else find it hard to buy for their other half?

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who ate my plant....

I went out this evening to check out my wee plants on my deck - and pretend i know what I am doing - when I noticed my new plant that may I mention was thriving a day or two ago looked like an angry hippo chewed it up and spat it out....

i was outraged and saw a big nearby snail and started blaming him for eating my plant....when .. Wait for it.... my gaze fell to a spot on the ground just round the side of the pot and there was the biggest, most seriously overweight SLUG I have ever seen. it makes me shiver thinking about it...... his antlers (wrong name I am sure, but you know what I mean) were I am sure about an inch long....

Such was the greatness of his girth that it even moved Stuart of his perch to take a picture...


Here he is - the camera doesn't do his hugeness justice....

wedding bells......

Stuart and I had fun last week at my cousins wedding – it was amazing as it was actually dry for the day – a welcome break midst the sheets of rain we have been having daily!




It was a lovely day as her new husband is from Oz and was with Stuart and I for part of the time we spent in Ellel Ministries, plus his parents were on team with us to so it was fun to catch up and amazing to remember afresh what a small world it really is….


Anyway the setting was beautiful and even if I do say so myself my fav bits were all the flowers - my sister was the florist for the day and made everything sparkle ……..

fingers on your buzzers................

Last night Stuart and I hosted a 'pub quiz' at a local pub which was so much fun; I get competitive even if I am not playing. Stuart last minute asked me to share a bit of my story in the break...... I was so tempted to say no..... but instead heard myself saying 'yes'...... anyway I am glad I did, it’s always good to remind yourself where you have come from and all that God has done... no matter how far down the path we are.....................

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i want to see...................

As I mentioned I am reading the book ‘Wide Awake’ (if you not sure scroll down) and by the way it’s great! Well a few nights ago a bit in the book was talking about the story of blind Bartimaeus and although I have read it many times and heard it spoken about – it was as if I was seeing it for the first time …………


Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight
46Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
48Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
49Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." 50Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."




Hope you enjoyed the wee read –

The part that keeps going over and over in my head is this bit - "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. His response is ‘I want to see.’
Jesus knew exactly what he wanted – as I figure aside from being God you could work out someone was blind …………… but he still asks him the question before responding to His need….

I have never noticed this in that way before…. As I read it that night again I felt God say to my ‘what do you want from me Alison, what is your deepest longing the one thing that you want from me right now ….and you know I had to ponder that a moment…

Now what about you if Jesus stood before you right here and now and looked you in the eyes and said ‘what do you want me to do for you?’ take a moment and answer honestly, to see what really drives you – what is your deepest longing, the one thing that you feel would almost be to good to be true………..what would it be?

Dare to dream big, to dream outside of your capabilities and physical reach, sometimes when asked we say ‘I’d like to see for a bit’ or ‘I’d like to see with one eye please’.

Don’t put God in a box ………………… there is so much more……………..
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from behind my scarf......

today we went to see 'The black Knight' i must say the only thing i enjoyed was that we had booked our tickets for the VIP screen (well at a push I liked batmans motorbike as well) - which means we watched it flat out on oversized leather recliners - when i say watched - i saw the first half and as the never ending intensity increased i viewed the second half with my scarf over my eyes and my nano in my ears :-)(seriously i did i am not joking) it did make stuart snigger who of course loved it and wasn't scared at all! yet more proof that women are from venus and men are from mars - if we needed anymore!

it was classed as a 12A and could easily have been verging on a cert 15, but the thing i must say upset me most of all even more so thn the guys face half missing - was the whole back row and some was filled with kids no older than six years old with their parents..... is this really the stuff for little eyes to see, if i a 29 year old couldnt keep my eyes open - what are we putting into our kids these days! as a youth worker when people question us about how kids these days are so out of control and into violence and how knife crime etc is on the up and up .... i will quickly remind them of the kids watching 'the black knight' and the lack of responsibility society seems to have on what we feed our kids imaginations with!

what we put in we get out..........

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sunsets and sparkles.......

Tonight was a beautiful evening, warm and balmy and we decided to go out and enjoy our lovely surroundings (which we don't take time to do enough), so we bundled our eager cairn terrier Jude in the car and drove about 5 minutes away to the beautiful Strangford Lough.

We drove and stopped at several viewing points watching the sunset on the water and listening to nature – its moments like this that make me wonder how people don’t believe in a Creator. At our last stop we got out and walked on an empty little beach – it refreshed my soul to stand still and watch the water turn red and sparkly as the sun went down and hear the gentle lapping of the water and the birds around settling down for the night………………………….beautiful……. remember to take time to slow down and let God speak to you through His handiwork……..

new read...

as i said 'blue like jazz' was hard to follow. i picked up this new book by erwin mcmanus and love it so far...............

never done learning.......................

Stuart and I have been off for a couple weeks holiday and we are on our last couple of days off! Were does the time go – just when I am getting good at relaxing its time to pick up gear again.

But even when I am on hols I am never off from learning new lessons or being reminded of old ones.

One of the things we like to do when we are holidaying on the north coast of Ireland is play a little golf (not with pom pom funny hats and stripy trousers of anything). When we arrived to play one day the course was packed and me as patient as I am was thinking ‘rats’ we are going to be waiting for ages to tee off! We checked in got our clubs etc and were walking to the tee off spot and just a few steps in front were a family with two little kids all kitted out to play. My instant ‘godly’ reaction was to mutter to Stuart ‘pick up your pace there is no way we are being stuck behind them – it will take forever’ and I quickly adjusted my stride to super walker and passed the family and took our place in front of them in the queue!

All the time I kept shuffling so they would be sure to notice we were first in line! When suddenly I started hearing the still small voice saying ‘it’s so hard for little kids to wait, ‘look how excited they are’ ‘would be so nice to let them go first’. Finally it was our turn to get started and as I stepped forward out of my mouth I hear ‘you guys go first, the kids look excited to get started’. They might I add were as shocked as I was! After some polite discussion they went first, and yes it was slow behind them but it was fun and actually made us go slow enough to drink in the amazing scenery and have fun chatting on the way……………

Just as a reminder to me that it is always good to put others first, the family took time to wave goodbye to us as a thank you before they left and a few days later we were shopping in the local town when all of sudden this guy passed us out of nowhere and said ‘not playing golf today’ it was the family and they had remembered us and taken the time to say hi again!

Taking time to prefer one another really is a blessing and something I need to do much more ………………

finished my book..................

Finished reading ‘blue like jazz’ a few days ago! Such a great read! I have to say it has been a while since I read something that made me laugh out loud on many occasions and at the same time challenge me to the point of discomfort. For a few nights I had to stop reading it before bedtime as I couldn’t put it down and was reading into the wee small hours (and combined with the light on and me bursting out laughing on occasion, Stuart didn’t appreciate it too much).

What a great writer Don Miller is, he is incredibly honest even sometimes painfully honest! He is so good at putting things into words that I think if a lot of us were honest we have wrestled with or pondered.

I’m still chewing over a lot of it especially the chapter about loneliness…..

I am concerned for the next book I choose to read cause I have been really spoiled and ‘blue like jazz’ may be my new measuring rod for a while to come………….

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fakebook......................

Have just been thinking the last few days about as a society are we beginning to lose the art of forming healthy real authentic relationships... it seems as much of a blessing as facebook, bebo, blogging, texting etc etc are they will never begin to be a substitute for the real thing.
If we look at the life of Jesus he spent his time face to face with all kinds of people, and as a youth worker living in a country were the suicide rate of young people is soaring... I have to ask what are some of the roots to that problem and one of them I think is loneliness……….

What will it be like in 50 years time if we continue to go about communicating the way we are, will we all be hiding behind a two dimensional world, choosing which picture we let people see of our lives instead of what really is going on in our hearts. Will we know what or even how to have real, deep rewarding relationships with each other (warts and all), more importantly will we know how to have a relationship with Father God or will we think he is the kind of God who sends us an email or the occasional text and changes his profile picture depending on his mood or the weather………….

Not finished on this subject…………………….
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Blood Diamond the movie?????

Just watched it and still processing!!

I have a friend who sold her engagement ring after seeing it and gave the money to an African charity. So challenging.

but you know what I think why stop at diamonds - is our chocolate fair trade, our coffee beans fair trade - what about the clothes we wear, are people chained to sewing machines in sweatshops all in name of fashion!

Where do we start and where does it end?

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Its on our doorstep not in far away countries........

British girls as young as 14 are being trafficked for sex within the UK
03/07/2008 :: UK :: This is London
British girls as young as 12 are being forced into prostitution by migrants in a new crime of 'internal' people trafficking.

Children from ordinary families are groomed by older men posing as boyfriends before being pimped around the UK to have sex up to 20 times a night.

They are raped and often drugged, according to police.

Officers have identified 'syndicates of Iraqi men throughout the UK' behind the exploitation.

A Government report said 'internal trafficking' was an 'emerging issue' and it should no longer be assumed young victims of sex exploitation were smuggled from abroad.

A UK Human Trafficking Centre intelligence report says girls as young as 12 are taken from town to town and controlled with threats and assault.

In one operation, 32 victims were identified in the Sheffield area alone. All were aged 12 to 15 and had been raped.

In another study, police say girls 'are given to a life of exploitation, waking up in anonymous towns, unable to contact family and with no way out'.

Figures released at the end of a six-month crackdown on people traffickers showed 167 victims were rescued across Britain and Ireland and 528 suspected traffickers were arrested.

It included 13 children aged between 14 and 17 who were rescued from sexual exploitation and two children who were under forced labour.

Home Office minister Vernon Coaker said it was difficult to establish the scale of the problem with internal trafficking.

'It is something that increasingly people are raising and we are trying to get a better understanding of what exactly is taking place,' he said.

'It is difficult for us to determine what the size of that problem is but it's something we are aware of and we have concerns about.'

The minister said it tended to involve older men grooming younger women and girls by first appearing to be a friend or boyfriend.

He said the officers had adopted the term 'lover boy' to denote the use of such techniques.

'There is no evidence that this involves children who have gone missing from care,' the minister went on. It is people living in an area and people groom them, get their trust and then betray that trust.'

Gloucestershire Chief Constable Dr Tim Brain, who coordinated the major trafficking crackdown known as Operation Pentameter Two, said it had revealed a large number of brothels in apparently ordinary suburban locations.

Out of more than 800 premises visited by this campaign, nearly 600 were residential and 157 were massage parlours, saunas and nail bars, which are the more traditional 'front' for brothels.

'It is impossible to say at this stage whether this is a shift in behaviour,' Dr Brain said.
It is likely that in future police investigations will have to consider all kinds of premises.

'In some of the cases the neighbours who live nearby have not actually suspected any kind of unusual activity.'

Latest estimates by police are that there may be as many 18,000 trafficked victims that are forced to work as prostitutes, Dr Brain went on.

The projections varied considerably and could be between 6,000 and 18,000, he added.

So far Operation Pentameter Two has led to 24 convictions for a range of offences.
The first phase of Pentameter in 2006 rescued 88 victims and made 232 arrests.

Dr Brain said: 'The increase in arrests is good news in terms of police and partner agency effectiveness but it does mean that we still have an insidious problem in the heart of our society.'

Mr Coaker announced that the Government plans to grant a 45-day period of grace to victims of human trafficking after their rescue, even if they are in the country illegally.

The Home Office had already pledged to ratify a European agreement to give a period of 30 days.

Loving this book.

I started reading this book - I don't know what’s taken me so long, I have kept getting distracted and lured into reading other books - but finally it is the turn of 'blue like jazz'. It’s brilliant! Donald Miller is so funny and profound, as I was enjoying reading it last night in bed every time I sniggered to myself Stuart wanted to know which bit I was reading! So eventually he put down his book and i read aloud for about an hour. Its that good he wanted to hear it a seond time.

will give an update when i finish





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White and shiny ……….again!

White and shiny ……….again!

No this is not a post about being cleansed by the blood.

It’s about me having to break in a second pair of white shoes…….

Stuart and I have gone through three pairs of superdry hi tops (shoes) in the last month or so. It’s not cause we have no car and walk everywhere, its cause they keep falling apart.

So I decided we have given them a second chance and they let us down again (harsh I know) so today I went back to the old faithfuls and got a new pair of converse hi tops. But as both have been white – I had just gotten the superdrys not so white if you know what I mean. So its back to walking the streets which sunglasses until I step in some puddles and let Stuart stand on my feet…..

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petals falling from a flower.

There is a happy time, and then it ends


There is love, but for a short time and only in front of my face


Men boast we are pretty, but they are not honest with us


We boast we are pretty while we wear make up


No one knows it, but we are like petals falling from a flower


The only beauty we have is spiritual


Life is just life, it has no meaning

An English translation of a poem on a wall in a closed down brothel in SvayPak, Cambodia. Agape International Ministries are transforming the brothel into a community centre in the heart of Svay Pak. Svay Pak is a small village located on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. They say that Svay Pak is a world wide staging ground for the destruction of young girls’ lives. Where girls as young as three and four are sold for profit.


aim4asia.org

scary luv....

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one more day of madness.......

Well summer madness is nearly at an end. All our young people went home last night. Some looking in desperate need of a soft bed and a lie in..

Stuart and I are going this afternoon for a final catch up with some friends. For us that has been the best part. Yes the main stage is great, yes the seminars are interesting, but for us its all about relationships, and having time to catch up with some friends who we haven't seen in ages, and share dreams, and life and encourage each other. Its amazing how in a sea of 4 thousand plus people God can cause us to turn a corner and bump in to someone. You couldn't plan that sorta timing - trust me you can't all the meetings we tried to plan didn't work out - but instead we were blessed with God appointments.

So let’s see what the last afternoon holds.........

time to step out......

Do you ever get fed up with talking about doing things, reading about other people doing things and watching others do things.......
Well I am fed up with all of the above....
For about a year now God has been moving us towards new ways of doing things, and stepping out and taking more risks. And it seems not only us, but many across our paths share of burning desires and when we compare notes its like we are reading of the exact same page.....God has certainly got our attention.

Although this has been building in us and it has become almost like I am reaching the top of the mountain of 'frustration' and if I don't take a leap of faith soon I may end up screaming out loud on the outside like I am on the inside!

God wants more from our lives - I hate the trap of armchair Christianity - I want nothing to do with it - I want to live my life following Jesus to the full and not look back and say ' I missed it' I stood still when I should have jumped.

God give us the grace to wait on your perfect timing and give us the boldness to stand out!!!!!!!!!!

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the Girl Effect

Saw this video linked from the ONE website.

few tips before you hit play:

1. sit comfortably
2. take a deep breath
3. relax your eyes - almost like you are looking at one of those magic eye pics

now press play

A:

countdown to the madness starts now...........

It has been a hectic few weeks in the brown household - with lovely guests staying with us and work and various commitments - but the roller coaster doesn't end there summer madness starts tomorrow night.

Stuart and I opted to drive home every night, instead of pitching a tent with the rest of the festival goers - we are telling everyone that we are past the camping stage - but secretly I hate tents - what’s to like the only thing between you and some nutcases is a bit of fabric - if I cant turn a lock and its night time I’m not interested.

But aside from that I am soooooooo looking forward to being amongst friends and like minded people - and joining with vast crowds of worshippers.

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Mosaic L.A. 'lies'

Stuartie found this today and i thought i would put it on my blog before he puts it on his:

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for all fellow coffee lovers......

just incase you haven't already read small print at the bottom of the costa order board. you can request your coffee to be fairtade. if you don't request it you wont get fairtrade.....



so make sure you ask...
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primark

did you see the documentry?

here.

what do you think about PRIMARK ?


A.