Re:vive

In preparation for our venture into worship this year, with "Vision" a contemporary worship group we will be setting up as of February and running monthly on the second saturday of each month 4pm-5pm in our village community rooms, today we joined the Re:vive group for a church meeting. "It's church Jim, but not as you know it" (sorry that silly song just jumped into mind!! :) ) Refreshing, relaxed and yet still an avenue for God's teaching.

Following the Fresh expressions advent course I did, it has truly opened my eyes to "church", people's perceptions of what it is and means... and importantly how armed with that knowledge, we can open the doors to many more by offering something a little... well ... different keeping the Bible as truth and Jesus as our focus.

Pray for us and for Vision, as we seek God's guidance throughout the coming year

La galette des rois

A traditional french celebration for epiphany, is to have a special "galette des rois" or "king cake" stuffed with "frangipane" a sweet almond paste and a "fève" (traditionaly a dried broad bean but now replaced with a porcelain figurine) Whoever gets the fève, is king/queen for the day celebrating the arrival of the three kings.
Guess who got the fève?

Back from our French Christmas break...

A lovely relaxing time.. lots of food, wine, presents, friends, family and most importantly, time together and love to share.

Happy New Year!!

May God's blessings be bountiful in your life this coming year,
may you seek and find His presence in all you do,
may He be a constant source of comfort and support,
and may His eternal and unconditional love shine through you everyday.
Amen

Early celebrations...

Not too sure about the strange guy in the red outfit!

School plays...Benjamin as a star in the night...

Isaac as an ox

Saturday, and an early Christmas lunch with Bumpa, Mark and Charlotte... mmmm duck, christmas pudding and crackers of course!

The children in their church nativity costumes.

The nativity play in church. Then home for a quick lunch, pack up the bus and off to a French Christmas!

Happy Birthday Matthew

10 years since we first ventured from being a couple to a family! Now that has made me feel old! double figures! What a handsome young boy that scrawny little baby has turned into...To be honest he was easier to look after when he was newborn! his demands and needs were fewer!! But here he is. Have a blessed birthday Matthew, may the Lord shine on you and highlight your caring and thoughtful nature may he help you use your inquisitive and imaginative mind to purposeful and satisfying ends and may he grace you with an understanding of how to control your pre-teen moods, and yearnings of independence; may he also fill us your parents with the patience and continuing unconditional love to guide you through these growing times.we opened presents last night after a family tea so that Tom could share in the fun... as he will be in London for the next couple of days... Thank you to all for your generous gifts and cards.
Today will be a pancake breakfast, fresh fruit and leftover cake from last night! and two special friends will be coming home with us tonight from school and once the little ones have gone to bed, my friend Julie will be babysitting as I take the big kids to the cinema! BIG TREAT on a school night! but it's the last school night of term so.... it's a special day!

And here they all are, excavating dinosaur bones! a messy job, but fun and kept them occupied for a while... until the cold got to them!

























A late night indeed,they thoroughly enjoyed the film although the journey back in thick fog freaked them out somewhat!! (I was fine as I could see the little bit of road in my headlights, but to them I was driving blind!!) Home just after 1030pm... lucky it's the last day of school tomorrow, no work and lots of fun.

Prayer request

For all those who come to this blog, could I ask you to hold Bob in your prayers... My sister's partner suffered a heart attack last night... although "mild" there are always consequences.
And so we ask you dear Lord, to be with Bob, giving him the strength to recuperate fully and for Sarah who is with him, at his bedside feeling scared. For all family members who feel helpless because they cannot be there with them.
Help us Oh Lord, to channel our insecurities and fears into positive thoughts and prayers of healing and strength.

Edited to add :Bob is doing well, being kept an eye on and thankfully they managed to remove the clot that caused the attack.
We continue to hold him in our prayers asking to keep him safe from a secondary attack and for a restful and recuperative time in hospital.
Thank you Lord for your gift of healing, help us to let it work fully and have the patience of giving it the time it needs to work...

Sunrise in Billinghay

It was so peaceful this morning before the children woke up...Time for a sunrise walk... time for a "chat" with God...

Farewell Carole...

Today was her last day with us...
Carole, a lovely volunteer helper, has been coming to spend time with our family since Leah was a babe in arms. Coming once a week, to give me space to "do" things, a chat,looking after the little ones so that I could go out for a walk and think, and on occasion meeting up in Sleaford to give me time for a dentist's appt!!
Homestart, a lovely charity help young families under stress...I had three at home when Carole first visited.
If you know of a mum with a houseful of preschoolers, or is finding times a struggle with a new baby.... mention Homestart.
Referrals can be made by Health visitors but also by the family itself.You can qualify as long as you have at least one child under five in the house.
If you want to find out more, click on the link above or find out about your local scheme by ringing 0800 068 63 68

A wet Saturday afternoon...

An afternoon of fun was planned... but the Billinghay Family walk was cancelled! The weather, horribly wet and miserable was not condusive to enjoying a constitutional!
What to do?
Well Jeremy arrived (later than Blythe, Lorraine and Polly as he was "working" at a Christmas party...) and his boot was laden with our family Christmas present from them.
I have to be honest in that I was feeling fairly apprehensive with Lorraine's covert comments... "I'm not sure where it'll fit in the house", "I don't know whether you'll appreciate this"... Well the box itself was difficult getting out of the car!
Tom struggled in with Jeremy and the fun began.
The boys were called in and the lid was taken off...

A PUB SOCCER TABLE!!!

The children were sent back out of the room to go and watch a film as the four adults spent the rest of the afternoon putting it together!

































And the big boys had to try it out to check it worked OK!!

Thank you so much for an inspired present, solid it'll last the children through their teens...

Still don't know where it's going to go though!