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.
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

        I need to remember this one more and more!!

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.

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!

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.

Song by Lou Fellingham

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.

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!

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!

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

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!