Retirement and Starting Over

Heart2Heart - the launch!

One week short of a year ago, I felt it right to hand in my resignation from my teaching post. I had discussed it with my colleague, who thought she had persuaded me not to resign. Nevertheless, I felt the time had come and so the next morning, before accompanying Y7 to France for the day, I handed in a letter to the headteacher informing him of my decision. 

Everyone was shocked and said such nice things to me, I started thinking "if they had said these things before, it might not have occured to me to resign"!

However, I do believe my discomfort at the job was part of God's 'shovel' to move me on from a school and a job in which I had felt happy and fulfilled for many years. 

Our moving to a new town with the involvement of the church in which my husband ministered, played the largest part in it all; I wanted to be involved in ministry myself and this is why, I believe the Lord told me to 'pack it in' and He would care for the finances needed to make up the shortfall. 

The culmination of this - or maybe only the start  - was not only the launch of Heart2Heart - a ministry aimed at the women of the town as an ecumenical venture, but also, the impromptu launch of Mustard Seed café - a coffee shop to meet once or twice a month for the Life Groups (house churches) to meet when the 'official' life group leaders had a week off. Right now, this meets on the second Wednesday of the month and the fifth - should there be one. (Next meeting - 30th May , North Street Halls, Small Hall)

Yesterday, a lady gave thanks in church for Heart2Heart - "organised by Jen Sutton" - but actually, though I may have been the first to  kick the ball, the rest has been played fairly and squarely by the great team I have around me. 

Thursday 10th May saw the launch of' Heart2Heart - the heart of women seeking after the heart of God' - with our wonderful logo designed by Keith Scott, son of one of our team - the evening was deemed a blessing and a success in the eyes of the majority of the 80+ women who attended. They ranged in age from 82 to 18, and Tania Bright-Cook of the Salvation Army spoke of 'Discovering your inner beauty'. Our very own Alison Tansley told us the story of how she came to faith and how the Lord was leading her on to telling others of His relationship with us, while Libbi MacGregor sang beautifully of God's love for us. 'Beautiful' by Mercy Me ministries gave us a video expression of our message - a film and song I highly recommend you watch

For the future, we pray more women will come and taste and see how good God is. We pray for homegrown muscians and a female techi who can take over from my dear husband - the only male present, but who saved the technological day!

The next H2H is on July 5th with Lin Button of Healing Prayer School speaking of "Being the Beauty God made you'. We can't wait!   "¡"  "¡" 

 

 

April 12th

A dear friend's birthday and the day an old dear friend passed away into Glory. Penny, have a great day; Reg, we will remember you fondly. 

Langton's today was an oasis of calm. A stillness lay over the garden and the lake and yet there were honking, low flying geese, crazy coots chasing each other like rampant teenagers, terepins coming to the surface with prehistoric heads emerging in a fleet heading for the shore to bask on the wooden jetty and enjoy the sun's warmth. 

The water dappled the branches of the fir tree where small birds hopped and bounced among the needles and the cones. 

The Chinese lady in her pursuit of fitness walked purposefully around the pond, heading for tai-chi in the kitchen garden.

Dog owners, kiddie strollers, duck feeders - all enjoying the still Spring morning (there lies an oxymoron!) all of us glad to know Winter has passed.

Our new women's ministry in Hornchurch starting on May 10th at 7:30 pm with a welcome glass of something fizzy, followed by great worship, witness, teaching and ministry. North Street Halls, Hornchurch
RM11 1QX. Join us!

One year on

Not one year on since retirement, but one year on and a bit more since moving to generally sunny, but today wet, Hornchurch. 

Life has taken on a totally different feel; sure money is not so plentiful, but waking up in the morning rarely holds  concern,  rather an anticipation of what and who the Lord will bring. 

I have been able to spend more time with God  subsequently, grateful for every little thing. Living opposite Langtons House, our front rooms looking straight into the pond, we have a sense of living on a grand country estate even though we are three minutes froma large Sainsbury and right in the middle of town! I love Hornchurch! I don't know why, except I feel it is where God wants us to be right now. 

I have met lots of lovely people and I am thrilled to see and feel God using me to grow His kingdom. Many may regard me suspiciously as a Christian loony now, but that's ok, I know who I am in Christ and I also know He has used me to add new dimensions to some people's lives. I say that with amazement and humility, though it may not sound like it. I am constantly stunned when someone says thank you for coming into my life and of course what they mean is that they have been introduced to a new life in Christ through me and through John's mininstry. 

Today I read Andy Browning's blog on his Easter spent inTuvalu in the South Pacific and I wept as I read of their sharing in the Lord's supper using coconut hearts for the bread and coconut milk for the wine. How wonderful! 32 people sitting on mats made from (you guessed it) coconut husk and then sharing in a meal that featured fish and a healthy dose of coconut!

Christ meets us where we are, whether it is in Hornchurch or Tuvalu. He is completely contemporary with our situation, does not stand on ceremony or tradition but speaks to us in the language of our hearts. 

When we lived in South America, I would look at the moon and say to myself, "Mum and Dad can see that same moon too" , and it is wonderful to know that people of faith can say, "Jesus can be seen wherever my Christian family are" He may appear in different guises, different clothes, different coloured skin, speaking a different language and yet He is the same, yesterday, today, forever and wherever. 

Happy Easter to you all.   The Lord is Risen. He is risen indeed. "¡" "¡" "¡"

Apple - Start

iPhone 4S Arrives in China on January 13January 4, 2012Apple today announced that iPhone 4S will be available in China and 21 additional countries on Friday…Learn more

via www.apple.com

Something Extra!

Many of you know I was in the big Weight Watchers Ad that first went out on New Year's Day. We filmed it on the last day of November in a back street in Soho (It really was not as bad as that sounds - it was actually just off Carnaby Street and near Liberty's). It was great fun with 180 women in total and Alesha Dixon as 'the Star'. We sang her song over and over again until the light failed, had huge fun and it was a great experience. However, after all that with the full 3'15" ad., I was nowhere to be seen!! I was on the cutting room floor!!!: (

Still, that's showbiz Ha! Ha!

Tomorrow, I am a 'Named Extra' in an Aircrash Confidential film for the Discovery Channel. So, that will be fun and I get paid!! Even better. 

So, I am hoping this is the start of that something new. Meanwhile I have started in a French converation class to improve my French and my promise to myself this month is to start running and get back on the bike! I have a fund raising fashion Show and Sale coming up at the end of the month to raise money for the Church organ (I never thought I would say that!). Oh and I also do role play with kids in the Europacentre from time to time in Spanish and French ...for money!

Off to Spain in Feb. with Esther. Hey, I am behaving like a retired person. I'm having fun.

At the same time, I am loving meeting new people in church, in the park walking the dog and in Fat Club (aka Weight Watchers). I love telling them about Jesus and so far, I have spoken to people who have responded. I feel fulfilled and I am enjoying life to the full. 

I sound smug? I'm sorry, I don't mean to, just surprised and thankful. 

Bike Ride

Just done 38 miles Hornchurch to Epping and back via Collier Row, Gidea Park. First time out on cleats (fellow cyclists will know) and the only time I fell off was on to a park bench considerately placed for my use. PTL! Great ride. Thank you to my cycling coach- Mr Jeremy Sheamur. :)

The Centre of the Garden (waxing Lyrical!)

It stands there

Proud and immense.

Its branches spread in a glorious, joyful hallelujah to the risen sun. 

The sky, clear blue yielding only

To silent airplanes criss-crossing to destinations unknown.

I approach the bark, 

Hand outstretched to feel its gnarled warmth

To find I am not alone on this search for comfort, for there

Wings open to the warming rays, a butterfly

Preparing herself for a day of foraging for nectar amongst the hedgerows.

She rests, she basks.

Black flies too, seek the return of light after the night of cold gloom, 

For no one in the garden is denied the succour of the great cedar. 

We are united then, the flies, the butterfly and I 

In thankfulness to the ancient tree, and her place

In the Centre of the Garden.

Waiting

Well, so far I have had a Christian radio station interested in me, the Pause for Thought producer showing some interest, two kids want a tutor and the Europa Centre will use me. However, the one full time job I have applied for have not called me to interview - yet!

Well I still feel there is something out there I am meant to do. So, I shall wait and pray. Meanwhile, I have discovered that Oscar , our belove Shi Zhu who looks like an Ewok of Star Wars fame is like the knocker on doors to conversations, as everyone will talk to me while I have him with me. I have also found that people ranging from a lovely young man in Evans Cycles to a complete stranger on the street will talk to me about anything.

Is this what God wants me to do? Be a listener? Well I am listening and waiting .

59 tomorrow!!! :{

last pay day!?

Today is my last pay packet from Davenant! Scary!!

 

Yesterday, I filled in a job application for a Christian organization - won’t tell you who yet as the application closing date is not until 12th September and until and unless I get an interview date, there is no  point thinking about it too much. 

 

For me the problem would be, that it would tie up all the extra time I thought I might have to do God’s Big Society things - mind you, it would be a full time Big Society job!

 

It involves international travel, liaison and initiation of projects, but it would also be office hours to a certain extent!

 

Anyway, some young go-getter will probably get it, so sit back and wait - I don’t even know if this is the Right Thing!

 

Meanwhile, the sun is sun is shining, the view is splendid and I am speaking Spanish, what more could I want!