Well this week has certainly seen a drop in temperature with a Northerly bitter wind cutting through our lightweight coats and bitting our fingers grasping handlebars as we cycled to school...
However Saturday dawned bright and sunny and despite a lunchtime shower, we made it to the Family Walk. Somewhat depleted in numbers, those who attended made the most of the forest's shelter to run about in the sunshine, finding new paths,undiscovered dens, dead ends, scrambling adventures before returning to our old faithful bouncing log!!!
The weather was kind to us this weekend, but no matter, we all benefit from the fellowship and fresh air of a brisk walk whatever the elements.
So why not join us next time, with wellies and caggies if needs be, or gloves and scarfs! Keep on checking the Billinghay Connect Blog for dates of the next Family walk....
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Monday, September 24, 2007
A lovely day
Following the Family Service on Sunday and a congregation sung Happy Birthday to a shy and hiding Isaac, we set off with a picnic for some family fun.
Rutland Water was our destination, a blustery picnic on the beach followed by a long walk (for adults) and bike ride for children to the dam.
Ice creams and a play in the adventure playground rounded off the afternoon nicely.
Sometimes simple days make the best memories...
Rutland Water was our destination, a blustery picnic on the beach followed by a long walk (for adults) and bike ride for children to the dam.
Ice creams and a play in the adventure playground rounded off the afternoon nicely.
Sometimes simple days make the best memories...
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
A school united in grief.
Our school held a quiet, informal service yesterday at the end of the day to give parents and pupils an opportunity to come together to pray, light candles and sign the condolence book.
In a rather emotional voice I read the following out:
The following poem was written by a member of an online community of large families, which the Gresham family were part of.
We felt it summed up what we felt we wanted to say to Nigel, Sara, Star, Liam and Amber at this time.
The Gresham Family Angels
Heaven has new helpers now, four children from ‘Down here’,
We don’t know what the reasons are…one day it may be clear
Willow, Angel, Keavy, Thor, together now ‘up there’
Other Angels will watch over you and tend your every care
The lovely Gresham family is now smaller than should be,
The hand of fate that alters lives changed seven into three
Only three on Earth that is, four spirits still live on,
They’re still a part of family life, only their bodies gone
Those four are in the sunshine, and in the sea and sky,
They will be thought of often, and sometimes you will cry
But your thoughts will not be morbid, nor miserable or grey,
Because these lives brought so much love, and still will every day
We hope that in the coming months, you find a kind of peace
And smile with your three Earthly babes when you expect it least
We cannot soothe your aching heart; we can only send our love
We all struggle to make sense of this decision ‘from above’
God Bless you Gresham family, you are in our hearts to stay
Whatever help you want from us will always come your way
In a rather emotional voice I read the following out:
The following poem was written by a member of an online community of large families, which the Gresham family were part of.
We felt it summed up what we felt we wanted to say to Nigel, Sara, Star, Liam and Amber at this time.
The Gresham Family Angels
Heaven has new helpers now, four children from ‘Down here’,
We don’t know what the reasons are…one day it may be clear
Willow, Angel, Keavy, Thor, together now ‘up there’
Other Angels will watch over you and tend your every care
The lovely Gresham family is now smaller than should be,
The hand of fate that alters lives changed seven into three
Only three on Earth that is, four spirits still live on,
They’re still a part of family life, only their bodies gone
Those four are in the sunshine, and in the sea and sky,
They will be thought of often, and sometimes you will cry
But your thoughts will not be morbid, nor miserable or grey,
Because these lives brought so much love, and still will every day
We hope that in the coming months, you find a kind of peace
And smile with your three Earthly babes when you expect it least
We cannot soothe your aching heart; we can only send our love
We all struggle to make sense of this decision ‘from above’
God Bless you Gresham family, you are in our hearts to stay
Whatever help you want from us will always come your way
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
Prayers for a family in need.
BBC news link
The Sad sad news of a local family.... Please join us in praying for them during this time of suffering and grief....
Sarah was expecting Willow at the same time I was pregnant with Benjamin... Angel (4yr)is in Isaac's class, Keavy(8) was in Joseph's class and Amber(9) is in Matthew's....
All the more pertinent when the ages relate directly to you own.... I don't know how they are coping/dealing with it... it is barely comprehendable...
You can light a virtual candle here I have found it a good way to focus in prayer as well as being a comforting thing to do...
The Sad sad news of a local family.... Please join us in praying for them during this time of suffering and grief....
Sarah was expecting Willow at the same time I was pregnant with Benjamin... Angel (4yr)is in Isaac's class, Keavy(8) was in Joseph's class and Amber(9) is in Matthew's....
All the more pertinent when the ages relate directly to you own.... I don't know how they are coping/dealing with it... it is barely comprehendable...
You can light a virtual candle here I have found it a good way to focus in prayer as well as being a comforting thing to do...
Sunday, September 16, 2007
A lovely weekend
A beautiful weekend (despite the chilly nights)saw us enjoying the company of Derek and Anne when they brought David to us for lunch on Saturday bringing us a most delicious home made chocolate gooey cake (Thank you to the "other" Ann!!). It is so enjoyable to see them, we must come down to Milton Keynes again soon...
Sunday was a "double whammy"! our normal 0930 service at St Michael's immediately followed by the Methodist's chapel Harvest service, M&J were in Cub uniform to join with the other Beavers, Cubs , Brownies and Rainbows in bringing harvest produce to the chapel. A lively service with mummy temporarily adopting Peter the cabbage rabbit puppet as all his bug friends sat the service on "Rainbows'" knees and M&J acting out being Epimetheus and Prometheus in a telling of Pandora's box. A good lesson was learnt about the devastation of the world and it's resources but that of hope that we may help to save it....
We joined the Harvest lunch afterwards which was plentiful and delicious. the children were well behaved (as commented on by various members of the congragation)as they busied themselves tucking in to the meal...
We had some extra pudding as we were lucky to be offered a left over trifle! as well as a few other bits of lunch!! The Stainsbys NEVER say NO to gifts of food!!!!!
Sunday was a "double whammy"! our normal 0930 service at St Michael's immediately followed by the Methodist's chapel Harvest service, M&J were in Cub uniform to join with the other Beavers, Cubs , Brownies and Rainbows in bringing harvest produce to the chapel. A lively service with mummy temporarily adopting Peter the cabbage rabbit puppet as all his bug friends sat the service on "Rainbows'" knees and M&J acting out being Epimetheus and Prometheus in a telling of Pandora's box. A good lesson was learnt about the devastation of the world and it's resources but that of hope that we may help to save it....
We joined the Harvest lunch afterwards which was plentiful and delicious. the children were well behaved (as commented on by various members of the congragation)as they busied themselves tucking in to the meal...
We had some extra pudding as we were lucky to be offered a left over trifle! as well as a few other bits of lunch!! The Stainsbys NEVER say NO to gifts of food!!!!!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Grapevine was special this year because we truly felt that God spoke to us through the various speakers about the reasons we came to Billinghay.....
We had reinforcing messages of why it was important to stay within our church at St Michael's and to "speak" to families, to bring them to Christ.
The village is growing and lots of young couples and families are joining in our village life... some are Christians but not necessarily choosing to stay within the village to worship and some not going to church at all... Now, it is so important to have diversity in churches and worship as long as they are constant in one thing... their grounding in the Bible and Christ's teachings. We all have differing tastes.... different methods of self expression.... but we CANNOT use these differences against each other! USE them to welcome new members into the church family.... making them comfortable in knowing that it is OK to think and feel differently whilst still accepting Jesus as our Saviour.
We would like to formulate an opportunity for ecumenical worship, strengthening the village by Faith.... Bringing together those who know Christ whilst welcoming ANYONE who comes knocking at the door... We need to know there are other Christian families... our children need to know that it's OK to be Christian.... we need to SUPPORT one another to grow in Faith, spread the Good News and save in Christ as many as we can..
We had reinforcing messages of why it was important to stay within our church at St Michael's and to "speak" to families, to bring them to Christ.
The village is growing and lots of young couples and families are joining in our village life... some are Christians but not necessarily choosing to stay within the village to worship and some not going to church at all... Now, it is so important to have diversity in churches and worship as long as they are constant in one thing... their grounding in the Bible and Christ's teachings. We all have differing tastes.... different methods of self expression.... but we CANNOT use these differences against each other! USE them to welcome new members into the church family.... making them comfortable in knowing that it is OK to think and feel differently whilst still accepting Jesus as our Saviour.
We would like to formulate an opportunity for ecumenical worship, strengthening the village by Faith.... Bringing together those who know Christ whilst welcoming ANYONE who comes knocking at the door... We need to know there are other Christian families... our children need to know that it's OK to be Christian.... we need to SUPPORT one another to grow in Faith, spread the Good News and save in Christ as many as we can..
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Last day at the pool.
Well that's it for the season. The Billinghay pool has now closed.
The afternoon was glorious and so Tom and I took all the children up (including Charlotte).
Tom got in for a splash and Leah even went in the big pool, kicking away in her floating ring. She was having great fun with all the big girls coming to play with her.
From 2o'clock it was a fun swim, so they cordoned off the deep end and chucked in as many floats, lylos, rings etc and under the watchful lifeguards gaze the fun began.
The little ones stayed in the shallow end or the paddling pool having their own fun with balls and sinking rings...
I was able (with permission) to take some "farewell until next year" photos, for the pool's blog and managed to get a few of my own brood in... and one of Charlotte who spent most of the afternoon with her head under water!
The afternoon was glorious and so Tom and I took all the children up (including Charlotte).
Tom got in for a splash and Leah even went in the big pool, kicking away in her floating ring. She was having great fun with all the big girls coming to play with her.
From 2o'clock it was a fun swim, so they cordoned off the deep end and chucked in as many floats, lylos, rings etc and under the watchful lifeguards gaze the fun began.
The little ones stayed in the shallow end or the paddling pool having their own fun with balls and sinking rings...
I was able (with permission) to take some "farewell until next year" photos, for the pool's blog and managed to get a few of my own brood in... and one of Charlotte who spent most of the afternoon with her head under water!
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