A blogger who cared

Last week I blogged about two lovely ladies called Doris and May who at the ages of 93 and 90 had to move from one home to another and the turmoil that it has caused them both. One blogger read the post and asked if she could send them presents for Christmas. I gave her my address and yesterday morning I collected her parcel from the Post Office and today I had the great pleasure of delivering her gifts in person to Doris and May.

May and Doris with their gifts

I explained to Doris and May (as best I could) that a blogger friend, who I have never met in the flesh but have only corresponded via our blogs, had sent gifts as well as Christmas cards from her children to them both - Doris burst into tears. Through her tears she responded 'I can't believe that this dear lady, who doesn't even know us, and gone the extra mile this Christmas time and thought of us'

Doris examining her gift

One of the gifts was a hand knitted lion from a rural community group in Kenya. The lion came with a card, which I read out to them both - it told of the group and how the ladies knitted these lions to raise money for themselves and their family. The card attached to each lion also gave the name of the lady who had knitted it. Doris' lion was knitted by a lady called Esther - her response was 'A lady I don't know in Kenya has knitted this lion to help her family and another lady that I don't know has made it possible to reach me today - I shall pray for them both'.

So thank you my blogging friend for bringing some Christmas cheer to Doris and May.

Happy Christmas

I would like to wish all my blogging friends a Happy Christmas. The photo was taken in 2006 and is of some of the youngsters at The Barking Salvation Army performing the nativity.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

Hopeful Friday

This is my first Hopeful Friday post and I would like to tell you about The 4th Barking Brownies who came last evening to visit the residents of Thames View Lodge (Sheltered Housing Accommodation). The Brownies, ages 7-11, have visited before and because they were so friendly and took the time to chat to each resident I welcomed them with open arms when , Mary - Brown Owl, asked if they could come again.

They sang carols and encouraged the residents to join in with them.

Ruth, Daisy and Eva showing their gifts

The Brownies presented each resident with a gift which consisted of a Christmas decoration and card, which they had made themselves and a bar of chocolate - all beautiful wrapped up and tied with ribbons.

Rose, Tom and Doris with some of the Brownies

Then afterwards the Brownies spent time chatting with the residents. They had obviously spent time beforehand preparing their questions 'What did you get when you were my age for Christmas?' 'Did it snow on Christmas day when you were little?' 'What was your favourite toy?' They sat very patiently as residents shared their Christmas memories with them.

The highlight for me was one 8 yr old Brownie who came rushing over to her mother, who I was talking to at the time, and said "Mummy, mummy you must come and meet my new friend - her name is Rose."

Every generation has something to offer but sometimes we forget that the old and the young can mix together and learn from each other.

Especially for the evening - one of my ladies from Christ Church, Barbara, made this beautiful cake.

I came across this prayer which is a 'Christmas Prayer'

Loving Father,
Help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds,
and worship of the wise men.
Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every giftand good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.
May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children,
and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts,
forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

Wordless Wednesday

Nativity set from Ghana. Wordless Wednesday

Ruby Tuesday

Please visit Work of the Poet for other Ruby Tuesday participants.

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without these Three Kings/Wise men. They have always been part of our family Christmas decorations for as long as I can remember - my mother knew how much I loved them so gave them to me as a gift a few years ago. My mother and I worked out last night that they must be at least 45 years old and they are still going strong!!! They are rather faded but amongst all the other glittering and sparkling decoration they still remain my favourites.

Christmas Gift Suggestions:
To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect."
Oren Arnold

school concert and parents visit

This afternoon I attended the 2nd School Concert at Thames View Infants - bless them they were brilliant - will be back again tomorrow morning for the 3rd performance. I was invited to attend in my role as school Chaplain. Having visited the classrooms over the last week or so and seen the practices taking place it was delightful to see it actually happening on the day.

Fascinating to watch those who think they are on XFactor and try and steal the limelight away from the rest of class. One reception class had plastic circles on the floor on which they stood to perform their song - one little girl, who definitely thought she was Beyonce, picked up her circle and nudged her way forward until she was on the front row!! and then gave it her all :)

I left after the Seagulls Nursery performed the Nativity scene as my parents were coming to visit. Tomorrow, though, I shall be able to stay to end and chat with teachers and parents.

Karl with my Mum and Dad (photo taken this evening). My parents are retired but seem to more busy now then when they were working and it's difficult to pin them down to pop over to see us for a meal; however, they came late this afternoon and we exchanged Christmas presents, gossip etc - my middle brother also dropped by straight from work and Nigel very kindly treated us all to fish n' chips.

Here endeth another day :)

Photos of church this morning

Yes, I am a Salvationist but I currently worship at Christ Church in my role as Workplace & Community Chaplain. I was licenced by the Bishop of Barking to minister within the church and the congregation back in February 2005, although I have been working/ministering alongside Revd David Pearson since September 2004.

I just love the Church its a plain ordinary building, nothing special, no outstanding features but then the 'church' is not the building but the people who worship inside and I love them too; especially their desire to be a 'light' showing and demonstrating God's love within the community known as Thames View.

"The true call of a Christian is not to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things in an extraordinary way." Dean Stanley

Chaplains Christmas Meal

What a beautiful start to the day, although it was cold, the fields, the hedgerows, trees all covered in frost and the sun shining made the journey to the Church of England Retreat House in Pleshey a delight - in fact I would have said I was driving along in a Christmas card picture. It was one of those beautiful crisp mornings and I wished I had cameras situated all around my car so that I could snap pictures as I drove alone!!

Before leaving for Pleshey I took some photos in the garden - one of the daisy plant and one of Nigel's favourite plant both completely covered in frost.

I decided to follow the route on my SatNav, which is on my mobile phone, and it took me through some picturesque country villages with thatched roofs - around village greens - down narrow country lanes with fields on other side completely white with the frost - I really did enjoy the drive and what's more you wouldn't believe that Pleshey is about 10 miles from the City of Chelmsford and 15 miles from Stanstead Airport. On arrival you would think that you were in the middle of no-where because Pleshey is such a small village probably with no more than a 100 dwellings plus two pubs, one village shop and the church.

I arrived at The Retreat House for about 9.30am and took the following two pictures - the house from the small car park and the back garden which goes down to the stream.

After a short Team meeting and Secret Santa we sat down for our meal - unfortunately not everyone was able to attend but those in attendance enjoyed their meal.

Our teams consists of Chaplains for the Stanstead & London City Airports, Harwich docks, Head Office of the Essex Fire Brigade, Police, Shopping centres, Council offices, Royal Mail and the Olympic Construction Site.

"There has been only one Christmas - the rest are anniversaries." W J Cameron.

"Christmas is not as much about opening presents as opening your heart." Janice Maeditere

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas....

Barbara, Jean, Elsie and Sylvia preparing the Christingles.

I've just returned home from Christ Church where, this morning, there was a hive of activity. Ladies preparing the Christingles for tomorrow evenings Christingle Service, others who were cleaning the church and others who had popped in for Coffee and chat and then got caught up with either flower arranging, cleaning, washing up and setting out tables.

Connie and Carol enjoying a cuppa before getting involved in other activities.

The Church looks beautiful with the Christmas decorations - nothing fancy - all have been donated by various folks over the years.

The manger scene set up in front of the Communion Table - baby Jesus arrives on Christmas day.

The Three Kings/Wisemen are making their way.

The Christmas tree - it was a breath taking moment when I looked at the Christmas tree and could also see reflected on the wall a cross from where the sun was shinning through the opposite window. Can you see it?

Asda superstores are using the melody 'It's beginning to look alot like Christmas' as their theme tune this year but did you realize that the last verse of the song says this:-

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas; Soon the bells will start,
and the thing that will make then ring is the carol that you sing
right within your heart.

What's the carol that you are singing within your heart this Christmas time?

"He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree." Roy L Smith

"I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and woman seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys." Charles Dickens

There is definitely no room at this Inn!!!

Pets hmmm I've never been a great animal lover - they look lovely on postcards, birthday cards or even in other people's homes but "Not for me thank you". However, a cat at this precise moment is looking very appealing even Nigel mentioned this morning "Do you think we should get a cat?" Why the sudden interest you may wonder? the answer 'MICE' - a family of them have moved in under the stairs and may I add without being invited.

Being a minster (vicar, pastor) of course Biblical references come to mind and as it's the Christmas season my thoughts echo that of the Inn Keeper 'There is no room at the Inn' no matter how cute you might look!! so a long with my goldfish (Christmas present from Nigel) we might even have a cat by the end of the month too!!! watch this space..
"It is better to feed one cat than many mice" Norwegian Proverb

Friends along the way

I do love receiving cards of anykind :) but they are really special when you realize the time and effort that someone has put into making that particular card.

A dear friend has been making me cards for my birthday, wedding anniversary and Christmas for the last the last eight years and as she gets older I can see that the intricate work that once she was able to do - eyesight and steadiness of the hands now forbids. However, I am grateful for the cards because I apprceciate that they take so much longer now to make and I deeply value the time and effort that she puts in to making a unique card for me.

Thank you my friend.

"Sir, I look upon every day to be lost, in which I do not make a new acquantaince." - Samuel Johnston,