Despite misgivings.

Despite many misgivings, our Easter break turned out to be okay - even quite fun in parts :o).  It started off with our trip to Spring Harvest which I talked about in my last post.  We then had a nice day at the beach and then onto friends for supper together last Tuesday

Then on Thursday my parents arrived for an Easter holiday stay with us.  We also had friends come over who we got to go out for a meal with while my parents sat for the children - this was the first time we had had this particular foursome in an evening for over 11 years!  It was made particularly special by the fact that we could walk to a very fine Thai restaurant.

Friday I was working in the morning doing the family service for Good Friday which I took the children to, while hubby was at work and my parents stayed home to do some weeding in my garden for me.  That evening we treated ourselves to another meal out this time into the New Forest at another favourite pub restaurant with all the family, that was lots of fun especially as we found a pack of cards to play pontoon with while we waited for our food.  We then had a little amble to walk off our fine meal

Saturday we had a lazy day around at home and of course Sunday was Easter Sunday, I took almost 40 children out to do their own activities for an hour in the service.  It was also very special as my two youngest took Holy Communion for the first time as well.

Holy Week Blessings.

 I am really praying this Holy Week that I will sense God's Spirit around me.  I am really looking forward to doing a family service on Good Friday at one of our churches and taking the children out for some fun and games during our Easter Sunday service.  My husband and I are also really excited that our two youngest children are both going to be taking communion for the first time on Easter morning - what a celebration!

540.  God speaking his Majesty loud and clearly to me.
541.  Watching my 10 year old gaining Independence raising money for Tearfund with a friend..
542.  My 11 year old deciding that he wants to start a Christian lunch club at school after the Easter break.
543.  Eight young hearts learning about taking communion and teaching me a thing or two as well.
544.  The first cut of the lawn of the year.
545.  Seeing bluebells appear with just 6 days away from home.
546.  My parents agreeing to come and visit for the first time in about 9 months.
547.  Lazy holiday time mornings.
548.  The first dip of my toes in the sea this year - boy it was chilly!
549.  Plans (that have been maturing for 9 years)  for a new family bathroom finally coming together.

Tenacious.

te·na·cious

adjective /təˈnāSHəs/

Tending to keep a firm hold of something; clinging or adhering closely
• - a tenacious grip
Not readily relinquishing a position, principle, or course of action; determined
• - you're tenacious and you get at the truth
• - the most tenacious politician
Persisting in existence; not easily dispelled
• - a tenacious local legend
 
We have just had 5 days away at a Christian family conference called Spring Harvest.  It has been an amazingly refreshing break, enabling us all to spend time with God and reconnect our spirits.  There is so much choice of seminars, bible studies, kids groups, worship sessions that we were all able to find something that 'fit' us.  My wonderful husband had his most intimate moment with God on a walk, one evening, while the children were at their groups and I was listening to the evening worship service in our chalet on the TV (far more comfortable for me than the big top where everyone else meets).  The following day he took me to see the thing that had spoken to him - it is the flower in the picture above, along with the  word tenacious.

This plant spoke to him of our 14 year old niece for whom we kinship care.  It almost feels like she is growing in the wrong place, however she is tenacious and so are we and our prayer is that she will continue to flower and seed and with the help of God some of those seeds might just fall into more comfortable ground.

Discovering Crochet

I love using my hands, the last big 'new' thing I did with fabric or yarn was the cushion I made for a friend.  I have also been busy making a scrapbook for my daughter who turned 10 years old a couple of weeks ago. I will get round to doing a blog on that I hope, I am very pleased with it. 

Knitting is something I have always had a project on the go with.  However after an unsuccessful attempt at making a cardigan I have got rather disgruntled with my knitting skills.  This has prompted me to again look at crochet - I have never been able to learn to crochet using books or written instructions.  This became very apparent after a thoughtless purchase some time ago when I decided I would learn no matter what I brought these:

Several attempts and a lot of frustration later it all went back in my knitting bag.  What I hadn't ever thought of was using new fangled technology that sits on my lap very regularly to find a video to teach me.  Good old Youtube - there are so many people who have kindly made films to show folks like me how to do stuff in nice easy visual ways.  I won't advertise any one particular person that I have used as there are so many that I have looked at and picked up tips from.  I think it is one of those things where you should look yourself and decide which voice/film does it for you :o).

The first thing I learnt to do was to make a crochet beret hats for me and my girls.  These were great fun and very quick to make.  I then had a go at making an object and decided on a cup cake as my youngest has a bit of a 'thing' for all things cupcakey.  That went well.  Then I decided it was time to tackle changing colours in a project and started on granny squares.  I am so pleased with the results, here is a picture of my youngest with her bunny 'Poppy' holding the cupcake and snuggled up in her blanket

I now have a long term project on the go - all the wool that I unravelled from the unsuccessful cardigan is now taking the shape of plain granny squares, which I will eventually use another colour to crochet them all together to make a blanket for the sofa downstairs, so that when I am a little chilly but it doesn't warrant any heating going on myself, my husband and kids can all snuggle down together.

I have also discovered that I can use a very small crochet needle and embroidery thread to make some really pretty card toppers, these are some of the most recent ones I have done

 

I haven't put the whole of the last photo on as I know the god-daughter for whom it is for looks at this blog and I do not want to totally ruin any surprise :o).

I am also now going to take a break from my plain squares to make a present for the same god-daughter, I can't believe she is going to be 8 soon!

Whenever I have a spare moment now I love looking through crochet images on google - it is tremendous what some people have thought to do, this is by far my favourite, I wonder if I will ever get round to having a go at something so vast

Thanking God for everyday blessings.

There has never been a better time for me to be concentrating again on the blessings in everyday life again.  There has not been much change in our turbulent household but thankfully there has been a change in my heart and spirit.  Since writing my psalm of anger, a release started, I am praying that is just a beginning for me and I continue to count my blessings.

531. A rainbow over my beautiful blooming magnolia tree.
532. A teen talking.
533. Beautiful tulips given by friends.
534. A new rose arriving in the post - Winchester Cathedral!
535. Untangling tangled childrens hair.
536. The phone and the fab friends on the other end of it.
537. My son bent over a craft project every spare moment.
538. Walking the dog round a field while the children play in the park.
539. Dinner dates put in the diary.

 

Feeling a little lighter

What a moan and a rant that last blog was.  I am pleased to say I have been feeling a little lighter the last couple of days.  Yesterday I went to a conference that was booked through work months ago on young people and their mental health.  Although a part of me wanted to just go and escape the family and go to Kempton Park Race course to the big bead show instead I went to the conference.  There were a few moments when I had to turn off as it was too painful to hear but the majority of the time was really productive, informative and reassuring.  Listening to a Christian Psychiatrist talk along with many other professionals, vicars and specialists tackling all the subjects that I have been facing the last 10 days with secular services was helpful.  It has helped me to feel Gods presence in the situation. 

I know that we are on a long journey and there may be more sorrow to be felt yet but spending time worshipping God has just reminded me of my small part in a very big picture.


You Never Let Go by Matt Redman - this song helped me turn the corner yesterday.