Friday Five - Distractions...

Over at Rev Gals today's Friday Five - in acknowledging the madness that is  Advent, the world and the universe just now...  3dogmom asks - what do you do for distraction?
What a great question! 

Regular readers of my blog know that I've been feeling a little low recently... (if you want to catch up see here )

So distractions have been uppermost in my mind... 

First and foremost, to lift the blue: getting outside; fresh air; daylight; some exercise; just makes all the difference.

Second: this one will come into its own on Wednesday next! The DOG!!!!! At the moment I'm visiting with her... but on Wednesday she's coming home permanently, and I can hardly wait. She will make sure #1 will happen daily... but she will also provide some much yearned for companionship through the day. 

Third: reading; when I actually make time for it, I just get lost deep in another world. Currently I am reading "Miss Carter's War" by Sheila Hancock - it begins in 1949 - and currently we have got to the 1970s. It's an intriguing and absorbing read. 

Fourth: my major distraction right now is thinking about my wedding; planning food, designing stationery, looking at pretty dresses, finding sweet gifts for the precious friends who are helping me stay sane during the uncertainty - it is the most organised wedding in the world that doesn't have a date yet!

Fifth: food - I love to bake, and cook and create in the kitchen - it both distracts and relaxes me. I have various food intolerances, so creating and finding substitutes is challenging, but ultimately very satisfying. 


Bonus: writing! Blogging, or journalling; for Advent I am using Advent in Narnia by RevGal Heidi Haverkamp... really finding nuggets of inspiration there! 

Even on a cold, misty morning it's food for the soul!

Advent - contentment

What a difference a day makes! 

Today is less grey and so is my mood... this is enhanced by the fact that I have a dog snoozing beside my chair as I work today!
Bless her!
She is Missy; and she and I have been visiting together for the past couple of weeks.
She's a rescue; not ill-treated, just neglected and not loved.
And, in a few days more she will come home permanently to live with me.

It's only when you spend time with them, that you remember why you loved having a dog so much... 

You can read about how I said goodbye to my last dog here

Missy is the same breed as Bracken was; she's a little bigger but has the same bright collie eyes and a great personality. I'm sure we will have many adventures together!

Anticipating Advent...

Oh LIFE!!!! 

Sometimes it sucks
and sometimes it does not go at all the way we anticipate... 

Those who know me well know that over the past few months I have been balancing personal issues alongside parish work. And that a few curve balls got thrown into the mix. 

Like - Sunday past was going to be my wedding day.

But it didn't happen.
Life; the legal system and some technicalities got in the way; and the day was postponed - for the third time. 

SO - life is a little sucky right now. 

The wedding will happen. 
We await due process within the court system as, at last, every possible paper is signed and sealed; every arrangement in place and in due course - my beloved will be free. 

I fear I will be glad to see the end of 2015 - even though there have been some wonderful times and much fun, it is overshadowed by the death of my beloved father and the stress of trying to follow due process to enable my wedding to take place. 

December is probably the worst month in the year for me - I find the short days, the encroaching dark, the gloom and greyness to be overwhelming. I crave light. Desperate for sunshine and warmth. The grey of the sky matches my mood. 

The one bright hope of December is Advent.
When my boys were wee, there was a strict rule about not getting the tree and the lights up too early. But this year I am seeking that light right now.

So the tree and the lights will go up this weekend - and I will bring light into my darkness.
reminding myself - Light came into the world, and the darkness cannot put it out.

Light

Life

Love

Hope

Shines in the Darkness

November 15

No sermon today

A time of prayer and reflection,

 and lighting candles for whatever touches the heart...

& communion

A Prayer for Paris #NaBloPoMo

Ah Paris!

City of history and culture

maze of streets and steps

How often I walked within your bounds...

Today I weep for you

as you take stock

as you stand, bewildered by the force of terror

Oh Paris! What can we say?

Holy God - be with those who weep

and those who fear

Counsel those who react

Encourage those who help, and pray, and listen, and talk... 

Comfort those who survived against the odds

Quell feelings of guilt and wonderment

Why did I survive? How was I saved?

Walk, O Holy One with your little ones

Your broken ones

Your hurting ones

Walk and walk, until the pain eases and tomorrow comes

We pray

in words and silence

Amen 

Paris - autumn 2008

NaBloPoMo #8-12....

Sigh! 

The world caught up with me...
I have been dealing with STUFF.... 
deep, grotty, rubbishy sort of stuff.

So the writing slid, and life just crept along. 
Saturday - the last day I blogged - was the chaotic, lovely wedding - which was lovely, but also personally painful (one day - me) 
Sunday, Remembrance Sunday, move the service early, welcome local dignitaries, uniformed organisations and all sorts who only come to church once a year. Followed by solemn procession to the village Square of the entire congregation, escorted by police cars to stop the traffic... 
Monday: Messy Church planning in the morning; banner group in the afternoon (share my unhappy news...) 
Tuesday: Funeral; Home bound communion service; visit to v frail elderly, just home from hospital - comfort daughter as he has another stroke and is readmitted... go to choir rehearsal in evening... 
Wednesday : Remembrance Day - High School - 5 Assemblies back to back; meeting over lunch; Junior School Assembly, walk with the oldest children to the War Memorial; come home - supervision meeting with student... lie down in a darkened room.... 
Thursday - today- after broken night of tossing and turning set off for Glasgow for training day; pull over into car park after 45 mins, as the pains in belly indicate IBS is imminent.
ME?
STRESSED?
YA THINK?! 

O God, grant me patience, to bear all things; to love at all times; to lean in to you in all places; and remember - you have already saved the world - I don't need to!

Oh to go to the sea and breathe!

NaBloPoMo #7 - the greatest of these

Ahh... it's a wedding today!
Sweet couple with two little ones
the younger is two and a half - and I fully expect him to run riot this afternoon - just as he did last night at the rehearsal.... 

This is my third wedding this year - church weddings are getting fewer and fewer as more folks go for a "Package Deal" with venue providing a celebrant who will do whatever the couple want.... choice is what it's all about now; the upside of this being that generally those who choose to have a minister and a church also really want their union to be blessed - God is welcome! 
The first years I was in ministry the packages were only just beginning to come into the equation, so I got all sorts of requests, and suggestions. More weddings, but not necessarily more blessings... 

It is sad that the numbers have gone down
but good that those who come, really do seek to invite God to bless their union.

New wedding banner at Earlston