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Glorious Morning

by RacyTracy @ 2008-05-12 - 08:46:13

Well, it was a fantastic start to the day. Glorious sunshine and a very pleasant walk to and from the station to work, listening to a brilliant compilation/melody by Robin Mark that lifted my spirit and left me feeling totally renewed and ready for the day and all it offers.

Amazing Grace/No Not By Might/Are You Washed?

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we'd first begun.

No, not by might, nor even power,
But by your spirit O Lord.
Healer of hearts, Binder of wounds,
Lives that are lost, restore
Flow through this land, Till every man
Praises Your name once more.

No, not by might, nor even power,
But by your spirit O Lord.
Healer of hearts, Binder of wounds,
Lives that are lost, restore
Flow through this land, Till every man
Praises Your name once more.

Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul-cleansing blood of the lamb?
Are your garments spotless, are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?

Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul-cleansing blood of the lamb?
Are your garments spotless, are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

weekend happenings

by RacyTracy @ 2008-05-09 - 20:53:26

The end of another week. My thick head is clearing and sore throat getting better, just in time for a busy weekend. I even slept better last night - 6 hours undisturbed or uninterrupted - amazing, fantastic!

Tonight I'm off out street pastoring in town and also again tomorrow night in London as it's Pentecost weekend and there are loads of events happening all over London put on by various charities, organisations and churches, with the finale at Millwall Football Stadium on Sunday where the Global Day of Prayer will be happening. It was fantastic last year to be part of a huge gathering of all different people, denominations, nationalities etc all meeting to worship and praise God together and to pray for the Worldwide Church as well as each other and the local church.

We also have a family birthday meal tomorrow lunchtime for John's Mum and it will be good to all be together again.

So, here goes for another busy one............

Good Advice

by RacyTracy @ 2008-05-07 - 23:10:22

Someone said to me today that I should
Let Go and Let God!

Sunny Long Weekend

by RacyTracy @ 2008-05-06 - 00:18:23

We had a quiet weekend this weekend, just the two of us for most of it.

Friends over for dinner on Friday night and a lie in on Saturday, (very rare). As it was such a lovely day we decided that we'd spend the day out and do the jobs etc on Monday (delay tactics really!). We went out for a drive all along the coast road from Hythe round to Bexhill. We stopped off at St Mary's Bay which looked really sandy and appealing, promising ourselves to go back later this summer, we drove through through lovely Rye, Winchelsea and Icklesham which were really rather nice, and stopped off in Hastings for a couple of hours for a wander and some lunch. As it was May Bank Holiday weekend there were loads of men and women in Morris Dancing garb, lots of whistles and bells and dancing etc, loud gongs and drums. Many of the shops, pubs and restaurants were all decorated with ribbons and leaves - must be customary! It all made for some interesting entertainment. We then drove through St Leonards and on into Bexhill where we got out and came across some more dancing - tap dancing! It was a lovely afternoon, fantastic weather and not too many cars on the roads. John even got the picture he wanted of the car in a field of rapseed! We spent the evening watching the snooker and tucking in to my first attempt at Croque Monsieur - not too bad, even if I do say so myself!

Church on Sunday morning was fantastic, all about HOPE, heaven and eternity, just what I needed to hear, something to lift the spirit! We had friends over again for lunch and after they had gone an opportunity to relax and catch up with some of the snooker final. Again, the evening service was good and followed by communion - a time of reflection.

John did a night shift so slept this morning, which gave me the opportunity to go into town on my own and potter round for a while. I then popped in to my brother's for a cup of tea and chat and caught up with them. After lunch we went to Homebase to get a few bits and then spent the afternoon cracking on all with all the chores. We now have a washed and polished car, a clear garden, a pressure washed front drive, clear patio, empty flower tubs (ready for planting), herbs planted and lots of rubbish to get rid of!
All in all very productive! What a difference a day of sunshine makes.

Three of us in for dinner, a chance to catch up with Kelly and an evening of snooker, Fantastic!

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Car

Faithful One

by RacyTracy @ 2008-05-05 - 23:59:35

The last couple of weeks have been tough and I've struggled to keep focused on God and His plans for me, my family and the future. I'm so thankful for the reminder this weekend though of all that God has done for me, for my salvation in Jesus Christ and for the fact that one day all life's troubles will be over and I'll be forever praising God somewhere far far better. Although there are these temporary clitches that come along every so often, and although I fail miserably many times to trust God, to pray, and to rely totally on Him, He remains faithful and trustworthy. My hope is in Him for now and for the future. As I contemplated this, these words sprung to mind from a song we sing every so often.

Faithful One

Faithful One so unchanging
Ageless One You’re my rock of peace
Lord of all I depend on You
I call out to You, again and again
I call out to You, again and again

You are my rock in times of trouble
You lift me up when I fall down
All through the storm
Your love is the anchor
My hope is in You alone

Brian Doerkson

The Unfolding Life of A Lily

by RacyTracy @ 2008-05-02 - 08:09:08

Lillies are my favourite flower and this colour particularly. I loved watching these ones waking upto the world throughout this last week.

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Weekend News

by RacyTracy @ 2008-04-28 - 07:51:13

Well, the relaxed weekend I was looking forward to wasn't so relaxed after all, but enjoyable all the same!

Friday night we went to a party for one of John's work colleagues and his wife. It was an opportunity for them all to socialise together as they very seldom do as they all work shifts and all live so far away from each other, it was good to meet other wives etc as well.

Saturday morning was great as we had a ladies prayer breakfast at church and it's always great to catch up with one another and share issues and pray together. It was John's birthday so I decided to suprise him and meet him after work and go for a wander around London, I love Borough Market and seeing all the delicious foods etc for sale there. We had a delicious venison burger and wandered along the river, had a drink in the riverside pub and wandered on up to the London Eye. Despite having pre-booked a flight for 3.30pm we didn't actually get on until 4.40pm and had to queue in the sunshine, at least it was sunny I guess! The views were fantastic from the top, so much different architecture and so many different buildings made form different types of materials. Even though we live so close to London it's something we hadn't done before so now we can say that we have! As John's a twin it was also his brother's birthday and so the evening was spent up his local pub where he plays guitar every so often. It wasn't as loud as last year I have to say!

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John on London Eye

Sunday was great, fantastic preaching again, good to resume the topic we have been studying after a short break away from it. All about the treasure in jars of clay again and it was great to hear that even though we feel weak and sometimes struggle; are sometimes hard pressed on every side, crushed even, perplexed and sometimes even despairing we are not alone! That great thought has been with me a lot recently and it was wonderful to have it reinforced.
It was also nice to go to John's mum's for Sunday lunch and have both girls with us for once, seems a while since that's happened. Finally, after the evening service it was all back to ours for a time of fellowship, tea and coffee etc and again good to catch up with each other, friends and family alike.

No Need To Worry!

by RacyTracy @ 2008-04-23 - 14:15:15

        I need to remember this one more and more!!

Worry Not!!

Catch Up Again - been AWOL

by RacyTracy @ 2008-04-23 - 06:41:14

It's been a tough old week for one reason and another, various things I never thought I'd have to deal with but life's a mystery and God is in control. He knows the end from the beginning and without His help and strength we probably wouldn't have coped the way we have with all that's been going on. His promise to never leave us or foresake us stands true - I know.

We did have a great week as a Church and we are all rejoicing in God's goodness as we had a successful Mission Week with over 100 children coming in and playing football at the soccer school and kids doing craft at Messy Monkeys. We also had a great men's night, ladies' night and golf day followed by a full Church on Sunday for the Family Service. The day conference on Saturday was good too, time to forget the troubles and hassles and rest in God and in His Word.

I am looking forward to this weekend, I don't have much planned and will be catching up with myself, the housework, sleep, the garden (if the weather stays dry), and family and friends.  It's also John and his twin's birthday, so we will be celebrating that too.  Roll on Friday, Saturday & Sunday!

Hard pressed but not crushed!

by RacyTracy @ 2008-04-16 - 22:54:10

This week's been a struggle so far, lots going on that we can't seem to control but even though the times are hard to handle I know that God has a plan and knows the end from the beginning. In a week that we as a Church are seeing great blessing and have a lot to rejoice in, there are these struggles too. These songs words have come to be very appropriate, I love the tune too - so catchy! Although there are struggles and issues to come to terms with God has given me a real peace about what is going on and I need to keep my eyes fixed firmly on Him.

I am hard pressed on every side but I'm not crushed
I feel pulled to pieces but inside I know I'm not
Feels like the world's caving in, find it hard to breathe
The water is rising, won't you come and rescue me.

I'm on my knees.
O God please come to me

I fall into Your loving arms
You wrap me up, and I'm secure
Patiently You whisper to me You have a plan
To hold on it won't be long and you understand
You know my every need. You won't abandon me

Sick inside again today, I'm struggling to pray
And my head is spinning, cause I cannot see the way
I'm in need of direction, everything seems so unclear
O my God are you out there, or is this falling on deaf ears?

I'm on my knees
O God please come to me

Miracles, You will do, as I come and put my hope in You.

Song by Lou Fellingham

Insomnia

by RacyTracy @ 2008-04-15 - 07:50:16

Anyone know any cures or causes that I could avoid for insomnia, as I am struggling to get more than a few hours sleep a night at the minute? It's doing my head in - it's like a tumble dryer going round and round churning thoughts over and over, thoughts I don't even want to have most of them, nothing in particular, things that can wait and things of no real importance. Been like it now for about four weeks and it's beginning to really annoy me.

Keswick Memories

by RacyTracy @ 2008-04-15 - 07:03:17

After a crazy week sorting out various things, selling 2 cars and buying 1 replacement we set out for our holiday to Keswick in the Lakes. 11 of us all in total, us 4 and 7 friends, all in all 4 cars, us in the one we bought at 5pm on the Friday night! Almost there and a great start to the week, we got a puncture coming off the M6 on the slip road - yes, we had a spare tyre but no wheel spanner thingy! - Great. The Police turned up and said we were in a dangerous position and needed to move speedily, so after several calls to Green Flag to get recovered they tell me I should have rung and changed the vehicle over and that I'm not covered in that car, so £105 later they took us to the tyre shop which had closed 10 minutes earlier (another £45 call out charge to open up for us) and we got a new tyre!! Great start to the week. Moral of the story is either don't buy a car the day before you go away for a week and if you do, make sure it has all the tools in it. Also, change over your breakdown cover as soon as you get the vehicle otherwise you'll get stung with a hefty bill!

Keswick

We've been going to the Lakes now for 20 odd years, we have stayed all over the place but never before in Keswick, we've visited it many a time. It's a lovely place, we stayed in a large house just outside of the town, a 15 minute downhill walk from the town centre. The weather was very varied, snow, rain, sleet, hail, sun - we had it all throughout the week, but it didn't stop the climbers amongst us (not me!) going out and enjoying their days - they just had to go prepared for every eventuality! John & Hamish took it is a training ground for their trip to climb Kilimanjaro next month.  I used the week as reading time and wandering time - time to stroll, reflect, talk to God and listen to my music, weather dependent of course!

We had a nice afternoon walk round Grasmere - a great little village with lovely tea shops and a nice little garden centre. We saw the Church there and the Wordsworth gradens and walkway, although we didn't go in them. Another afternoon was spent in the Grizedale Forest - doing a trail looking for some of the 90 sculptures - we didn't find too many of them but then we did go for a short route!

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We drove to Ashness Bridge through the woods and to Watendlath - all very scenic.

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On Lake Thirlmere there's a building that has intrigued me for years - so close to the lake yet deserted or so we thought. We decided to take a walk around it and check it out. It's actually a water pumping station for Manchester. It's been overhauled lately and all the trees and surrounding area chopped back. Its a fabulous building and I reckon one day it will feature on Grand Designs when its surplus to requirements!

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