surpassed expectations

Today surpassed expectations.

Spending so much time with Tom in the car, introducing him to YFC friends and seeing him apply himself to a variety of tasks has been a pleasure. There was a great mix of dedication to task with lots of fun and a mass of grace and love showed between people at YFC Head Office. Tom loved the day and when he got home did not stop talking about various people that he met – he’s buzzing after spending nerly 6 hours painting, moving desks etc.!

It was great to be part of and I am really glad that Tom has been able to experience the privilege it is to work with the people I do in YFC.
That was great – and now it’s holiday time!

Special and proud!

I’m looking forward to today.
But, I have a confession – I am posting this early and changing the date and time!
In fact by 7.00am tomorrow I will have been driving with Tom in the car for 90 minutes.
Today I am travelling to Head Office in Halesowen to do a bit of decorating and maintenance before we hand back the basement to the church that has kindly allowed YFC to base ourselves there for the last 10 years.
Today I am proud dad as Tom wants to travel with me. I reminded him that I leave at 5.30 to beat the traffic, and that it will be hard work painting and preparing walls etc. but he is still keen to be there.
So I am looking forward to joining friends at head office – but more looking forward to 6 hours of conversation with Tom in the car – that’s special!

Harry Potter Weekend

It’s been a bit of a Potter weekend in our house.
A while ago for my birthday Tom pre-ordered me Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows.
We collected that yesterday from Waterstones and saw The Goblet of Fire DVD for £5 so bought it and watched it.
Today myself and the boys went to watch The Order of the Phoenix which was excellent. Some have told me it was boring and I really don’t know how that assumption could be arrived at. There was a great part in the film where Harry shares his skills with other students – his desire to see others succeed was great to see as I think too often ‘heroes’ seem overly concerned with how they can save everyone. Harry seemed concerned that others would be able to protect themselves.
The book is another great read – and my only complaint is that I have not had time to read more of it!
So the boys in the house are pretty Pottered out at the moment!

Tour de … Gillingham?

The Tour de France comes through Gillingham tomorrow which will be quite an exciting event.

We are going to meet up together in the church hall for ‘petit dejeuner’ before wandering off to watch the 200 float carnival and wait for the riders to sprint through our town.

It’s going to be cool to be part of France for the day!

Proud Dad

Today I am proud for a number of reasons.
Seeing Joe baptised was amazing.
The excitement
the nervousness
the strength of his promises
So little and young, and yet
so full of potential and promise.

Lord
Continue to lead him
Bless him
Inspire him
Amen

On retreat

I’m off to take part in leading another retreat in Nympsfield, this time for some of our newer staff. I am again planning to use the liturgical prayer walk which I used last time as well as consider more on contemplation and what happens when things go wrong.

I am returning a few hours early (on Thursday evening rather than Friday morning) as it is Beth’s birthday and Richard rightly says I should be there when Beth opens her cards. This is an exciting weekend – Beth will be 11 on Friday, Tom is going to a scouts celebration on Saturday where the Sugababes are doing a gig, and Joe is getting baptised on Sunday morning.

It’s going to be a special and exciting weekend. I just hope Joe does not carry out his threat to wear snorkel in the baptistery!!! Please pray!

could this be … ?

… the birth of a newer, younger, monasticism in my back garden?

free family railcard

I just bumped into an offer of a free trial family railcard which is valid until the end of July. If interested you need to be quick – as the online offer ends at midnight on April 24th.

no place like home


It’s been great to be back home.
My own bed, my family – it’s where I belong!

This morning I caught up with emails and made a few phone calls while the children played up the road. This afternoon I went out with the children and we had fun on roller blades around the strand – or rather they did as I wandered along behind. Felt like summer – lounging in the sun, eating ice cream blah blah blah. (Tonight I’m going to work to make up for what I could have done this afternoon. I will get a lot more done as distractions will be zero!)

The children have been wonderful today – like a dream. No one has argued and its just been a fantastic day to catch up with each other and I realised hoe much the children change in just a week. There really is no place like home – a place where you feel totally secure and where you should be.

Highs and lows of the weekend

Highs of the weekend:
Beth passed her cycling proficiency
shouting at the ref with Darren!
Gills won 2-1, although I don’t know how!
The baptism of David at St Marks
lunch with the in-laws on Sunday
Watching Dr Who – fantastic!
Watching George of the Jungle with my boys!

Lows
seeing a policeman abuse a couple of Gills fans
(so bad I felt the need to ring and make a formal complaint when I got home)
watching the Phelps on BBC2 – unbelievable and certainly not the Christianity I know!
missing friends who were not around

As we enter holy week there are many highs and lows that we can focus in on of that 1st century event that we remember.