birthdays come & go...

This week RevGalBlogPals celebrates its 8th anniversary - its Birthday
and so Teri asks us:

1. What's your birthday tradition?
2. If you were blowing out the RevGal birthday candles, what would you wish for us? What's your dream for RevGalBlogPals?

it's a fun question, with a wee bit serious on the side.

My birthday is in November - twice in the past few years I've celebrated it in the Holy Land - a truly life-changing, faith-nurturing experience
My birthday is the 4th, and my Grandma's was the 5th so sometimes, when she lived near us there'd be joint celebrations.... and always (in my memory anyway), always there were fireworks, November 5th being Fireworks Night, Guy Fawkes Night, Bonfire Night (call it what you will - it's an excuse for a big fire & lots of sparklers!)

I've had 53 birthdays
But I haven't have 53 parties, or 53 fireworks, or any such thing!
But I do still love birthdays, mine and others and I take every opportunity to celebrate them.
...and I do still love fireworks!

Blowing out candles - for me, or for RevGalBlogPals my wish is for contentment, happiness, well-being and good, good friends to continue to be my greatest blessing.
And my dream for the future?
Well - here's the thing, I had been formulating this dream/ fantasy, idea for the past few weeks and not shared it with anyone - then I read Teri's dream and we kind of match!!

My dream- to have a RGBP UK network - a system extra to the FB group and the blogring.
Maybe an annual get together - on a much bigger scale than the two W.E.E gatherings we have managed already. To inlcude teaching and worship and nurture and celebrating our sisterhood - with maybe one or two of our U.S. sisters able to fly over to join us, just like some of us fly over to join the BE each year....
I think it's a good wish!
 

Friday Five Silly Sentences....

This week I am playing Friday Five for real, time to get creative!! My sentences either make no sense, or are the start of some other thought...

 

This is what we were asked to do:

"Because I am feeling silly, or perhaps, just out there, our FF is dedicated to creating silly sentences. We all need a little meaningless creativity and humour, right?

Use these five words (in any tense) in a sentence:

1. pulpit, puppy, wrench, word, mouse.

“the pulpit mouse wrenched the word out: puppy? I thought you said poppy!”

 
2. weep, love, prayer, bassoon, chair

The bassoon player sat on a chair, and the prayer that ascended in note form made me weep for love of music

3. heart, shutter, wish, turtle, walk

The shutter captured the heart’s flutter as the turtle walked and wished for love

4. howl, worry, window, story, trust

I trust you’ll close the window, the wind is howling and I worry I won’t hear the rest of the story

5. garden, hat, shepherd, laugh, sigh

The shepherd wore her garden hat as the merry laugh of her dearest love made her sigh in contentment

lots of love themes in here... must be in the wind!

connected through the matrix....

RGBP - connected like all the colours in the glass...
individually beautiful together amazing!!!

Getting connected... plugging in... switching on...
there are so many connections in my life:
real and virtual
spritual and tangible
supporting and challenging

the longer I am a minister
the more surprised I get

because one of the most surprising things about ministry and the church
is just how small our world really is...

This week's carnival on RevGalBlogPals is all about connectedness: its surprises and its comforts, helps, ideas, exchanges and all round companionship on the way.

These times of refelction caused me to look back over my blog... from its earliest days when I really wasn't sure what to post about, or what to write.
to  the regular updates of sermon or poem or idea ...

my first blog here was back in April 2010 - it was a milestone event that prompted its beginning
my joining the RGBP ring happened around a year later, at the prompting of Nik - who recommended the Saturday Preacher Party! (Truly my Saturday morning saviour)

Since being part of this ring I have chatted to many folk via our facebook and blogger tools... and met only a few... Teri when she was touring Scotland; some of the Scottish girls when we aranged W.E.E. last year, and again this year when we arranged W.E.E.2 - Some of these I may never meet, some of those girls I have known for many years, others for only a few - but through it all it still suprises me when I discover that they have the same problems, worries, joys, excitements, fears and loves that I do!

The matrix that connects us all is tangible - even though it is invisible to the eye.
The matrix reminds me of some of the most awesome stained glass windows I saw in Nazareth last year in the Holy Land
The matrix is the Spirit - she has us!!
she holds us, whispers... and yells when necessary...
RGBP is simply the extension of this Holy matrix - invisible threads weaving together to create this awesome, beautiful tapestry of the servants of God, all fiercely fabulous forever!

Friday Five Galship....

As many of you know, because I mention it often, I am a member of a 'virtual' community of (mostly) women clergy, clergy friends etc... called RevGalBlogPals...
This community of friends, who I really do consider friends, even though the vast majority I have never met, exists in the UK, the USA, Australia and various other places around the globe.
We offer each other love, support, prayer, advice and simple companionship along the way.
I was trying to work it out, I've been a member since I started regular blogging again, so around a couple of years I think.

This week, we were asked on Wednesday to say what "Galship" meant to us (like fellowship/ friendship.. but with the Gals!) - well I actually blogged about this back in March (Strength in Numbers), it gives me strength, it gives me courage, it allows me to stop and check every once in a while.
The Scottish girls & friends managed to meet last year and this for a meal and a blether; and hopefully one day, one day I'll make it over to the USA for the Big Event... a week of galship, teaching and fun - on a cruise ship - what's not to like?!!

Every week there are regular spots - including my own personal lifesaver- the 11th Hour Preacher Party... Saturday morning would not be the same without it!
Every week on a Friday is the Friday Five - an online game - five questions to fill in... I've never played.
 But, since over the next few weeks, I won't be posting the sermon (because I'm not preaching!) I thought I'd have a go this week!

Ha!! First question is- how do you celebrate your Big National Holiday - in honour of Independence Day.
Can I fall at the first hurdle??!!!
Do we have a national holiday in the UK? in Scotland?
We celebrate Christmas - but then so does half the rest of the world
In Scotland Hogmanay (Dec 31)  is possibly the closest we get - but I don't really do much for that....
In my family it's probably special birthdays, anniversaries, occasions... the excuse for a gathering.
And that we do in style!

Me with my parents, brother & sister

My parents with all their grandchildren

Last year it was my Dad's 80th birthday
This year my niece's Wedding...
Four years ago - Mum & Dad's Golden Wedding anniversary....

All times to get together, share food, memories, laughs, joy, sadness - and love - lots and lots of love.
I may have grown up; with grown up kids; I may live a long way away from where I was raised, but my family - my sons, and now, their girls; my siblings, their children, my parents and all - are a vital part of what makes me  - me.

So today's Friday Five / Galship offering isn't that!!

But instead a tribute to the Gals, the family celebrations - reflecting on the fun and looking forward to many more years of the same...

I am a RevGal, a mother, a daughter, sister, aunt and friend

Loving Life!!