Well....it seems as if I have been ill / poorly one way or another since my adventure started in Academy. First it was the faint then the bruised lungs and fractured rib then the wrong dosage of meds and light headedness and then of course cystitis creeping in twice !! Oh and now its gastric flu !!
I have had emails and texts and Face Book comments ( thank you ) with all sorts of encouragement and support and loads of advice which have kept me going. The advice has ranged from praying in the spirit to drinking green tea and in between those two I have been told its probably demonic in origin and also that I need to take care of the temple of the Holy Spirit more . The encouragements have ranged from gorgeous flowers to lovely visits from friends bearing nothing other than a smile and a hug. The support has been never ending from the hubster and Elisha's mummy who have taken time off to help me out. The amazing Matt who loves me no matter if we are out and about or if I am laid up on sofa and he got his keyboard or radio he just goes with the flow.
I don't mind being ill....if I am honest;Apart from the boring bits and the actual discomfort of being sick and spending ages on the loo and only being able to drink small cups of tomato soup ( my poo is pink now ) What I absolutely HATE about being ill is both missing out on things and letting people down. This is what really pulls me down over and over again and why I detest being poorly whether it is a tummy upset a migraine or a rib fracture .
So far this last 3 months I have not been able to take part fully in Academy Facility times and in fact have only managed it twice so seeing the others working away when I couldn't has been really hard for me to adjust to. I have missed several Thursdays teaching sessions which is really yuck as its hard to catch up with other peoples notes, I have missed the Advance Children's Conference today which Kerith is hosting so I am once more missing a chance to serve with the Academy team as well as see/hear inspirational speakers and I have also made decision not to go to Konstruction Krew tomorrow as I have been out twice in last 2 days for no more than 2 hours and then had to lay down to recover . Tomato soup really isn't enough fuel to keep you going for more than a couple of hours.
This last "missed" is a particularly distressing decision for me me in that I have been helping a young 9 year old to settle in KK...I have managed to get him to be my "helper" a couple of times but then he throws another wee wobbly and we have to start again and each week I see him and we are building a good relationship. I made a promise to him last Sunday that I would ring him in the week to have a chat and we did have a really good old chin wag on Wednesday evening and we said
."see you Sunday " but having made decision today not to go in I felt I needed to ring him and tell him why rather than leave it for him to wonder why I had broken a promise. This more than anything is what I hate hate hate about being ill .
We did have a wee chat and he sounded okay and I chatted to his mum and have let KK leader know so I am praying this isn't a set back for JB...he is such a gorgeous wee lad and full of beans and life and chatter when he settles he is a pleasure to have around so even though I wont be there tomorrow at 11am I will be praying for him ,
With regards to recovery I have also made a couple of other decisions which I haven't wanted to make but just know I need to be sensible. Based on how last two days have gone. As well as not going to KK for tomorrows meetings I have also cancelled my trip to visit my precious Dorset Friend on Monday. Those of you who know who I am talking about will know just how hard that decision has been. I am also not planning on serving in Academy Tuesday either to give me another 3- 4 days for full recovery as well as trying to get beyond the Tomato soup stage no matter how much I love Mr Heinz it doesn't give me much energy.
As to why I have been ill so much in last three months I have no real bias and don't fully subscribe to "you are stepping out for Jesus and the enemy will be against you " I just know that illness is all part of the fallen world and the simple fact is gastric flu is going round . Loads of people have told me that they know others who have been so much worse than me with same flu symptoms. I kinda like to think that I am just one of the statistics that get poorly all at one time rather than being a specific target for the enemy to aim at. Having stated that I am praying daily for healing and protection and asking God to keep me safe and well at all times from the enemy but I do that fairly frequently anyway whether well or ill ....for me and all my friends and family its a regular discussion I have with the Almighty.
I just need to keep my slightly inward poor old me self looking upwards to God and believing that even in this time of illness I am still living in his purpose and still in the right place . Academy Team I salute you all and miss you all so much when I don't get to hang out with you .
Shadow Of Victory
Saturday, 17 November 2012
Sunday, 4 November 2012
GRANNYS GAP YEAR (7)
I thought I would blog this as soon as I got home from church...altho stopped long enough to have cheese on toast and a cuppa for lunch .....This was my Sunday "off"...in that as an Academy Student I get the Sunday of my Reading Week off serving but to be honest I love doing what I am doing so agreed with Yvonne I would do my bit then go off to main meeting for the preach....
Remember my motto over the decades has always been..."I got through my entire Christian life without ever serving in childrens work "...I kinda thought it would be a pretty cool epitaph for my gravestone. Yes..I have done my share of creche and baby looking after over the years and even led a team of creche workers and have helped serve at 11-14s when my children were in their teens.....so really it was the 5-11s that I have avoided..!
As an Academy Student I am linked with Yvonne Scott the childrens pastor and for 4-5 hours every Sunday I serve the children of Kerith Community Church and the team of amazing volunteers who week by week give of themselves and their time and energy to speak Jesus to 70-90 children over two meetings every Sunday morning.
Today was all about Water Baptism....The group had a Salvation Sunday whilst I was on my holidays when 18 children responded to the gospel ( drat I missed it ) and invited Jesus to be their forever friend so my plan was to hang out for the 9am meeting to see how Baptism would be preached and if there would be a response.??.....then to go over for the 11am meeting.
Can I just break here for a few minutes to tell you about the TEAM.....What a gang we have...I am totally in awe of Yvonne...Nicola....Stacey....and others who teach week by week...they all have their own individual style yet somehow God uses them in the exact way that suits who they are . Then there are the group of parents who volunteer...they are also amazing...they lead small groups and get to talk to and pray with loads of children...their own children may be in the group too and get to see their parents being Jesus to others...so inspiring....and then there are also the "apprentices"...this is a group of the older children...who are perhaps year 5-6 and they are AWESOME...they wear their apprentice jackets with pride and step up each week to help...they may be on reception/registration...tech team...drinks and biscuits organiser...small group leaders...just fantastic to see them....what role models we have in this age group...and once a month we have our youth band...REVOLUTION....who come over for the entire morning and lead us in worship....this morning Josh Grimmet taught us a song he had co written with Dave Betts who is the church musical director and wow....what a great song..the kids were bopping all over the place and I was so laughing at three of the ( grown up ) guys who lead small groups who have absolutely no sense of rhythm and I was laughing so much ....sorry guys ...but you made my morning..!!....I am just so privileged to get to be a part of this ministry so much so that I decided NOT to bother going over for the 11am meeting...let me tell you why...
Nicola...who I have only known for a matter of months...she is such a gifted children's worker...she is even more amazing in that she has no children of her own ...YET...wedding bells next year....she doesn't work with children ...BUT God has anointed and appointed her for such a time as this...when she marries Adam I believe God is going to raise up this couple in ways which we cant yet imagine ...so watch this space....Any way....she preached a storm at both meetings and God moved in....I lost count but I think over the two meetings we had something like 18 children respond to "ask more " about baptism and several also asked to pray the ABC prayer which is our salvation prayer....I was once more moved to tears...these children range in age from 5 to 11 and I hardly know any of them (altho slowly getting to grips with their names ) and I have no idea what their home life or family life is like but what I do know is that GOD knows each one of them by name...He knows every hair on their head...He understands their every thought...every fear...every part of their lives. He is very interested in them and for an hour and half each Sunday morning we get to see God reach down from heaven and touch their tender spirits....I am often heading for the kitchen to find more tissues or to the loo to hide as my mascara drips down or my nose snots....
I could write reams about individual children who I see each week ..worshipping..listening...responding...it is humbling to watch a 5 year old raise their hands in worship...or to see an 8 year old dancing before God with no embarrassment..or a 9 year old praying for their friend....and just to watch 50 children laughing as they "gunge " one of the leaders raises my laughter quotient for the day. I get the amazing task of awarding Star Certificates each week to individual children and each week I take note of at least 10-12 children who are stars....and when I get the chance I tell them and tell their parents too what a difference they have made to the morning just by being themselves....
People talk about "being ruined " by this it often means that they will never be the same again...I am pretty certain that once this Academy Year is over with I may never be the same again...my entire idea of what Children's Work is like has been turned upside down ...I have always been of the mindset that to serve in children's work you "miss " the main meeting....well ...after just a few short months I reckon that often the main meeting IS the children's work...
I have just finished writing ..(agonising would be a better word ) a 2000 word essay on The Attributes of a Holy God and one of his Attributes is "Omnipresent "...and basically this means He is everywhere ...at all times ...so I guess the main meeting really is wherever there are believers or faith filled people or God fearing groups...God is there...The Main Meeting is EVERYWHERE...and whats so cool about that is no-one misses out on God.
If ever you want to see God at work in children ..come visit us Sundays 9am or 11am ...I am actively looking to recruit a team to welcome new families...help settle new children into their groups and generally be there at a time when it can be a little scary to go into childrens groups for the very first time...I can promise you..God is there and you wont miss out...email me...leave me a comment...Facebook me..I would love to introduce you to Konstruction Krew...you will never be the same again.
Remember my motto over the decades has always been..."I got through my entire Christian life without ever serving in childrens work "...I kinda thought it would be a pretty cool epitaph for my gravestone. Yes..I have done my share of creche and baby looking after over the years and even led a team of creche workers and have helped serve at 11-14s when my children were in their teens.....so really it was the 5-11s that I have avoided..!
As an Academy Student I am linked with Yvonne Scott the childrens pastor and for 4-5 hours every Sunday I serve the children of Kerith Community Church and the team of amazing volunteers who week by week give of themselves and their time and energy to speak Jesus to 70-90 children over two meetings every Sunday morning.
Today was all about Water Baptism....The group had a Salvation Sunday whilst I was on my holidays when 18 children responded to the gospel ( drat I missed it ) and invited Jesus to be their forever friend so my plan was to hang out for the 9am meeting to see how Baptism would be preached and if there would be a response.??.....then to go over for the 11am meeting.
Can I just break here for a few minutes to tell you about the TEAM.....What a gang we have...I am totally in awe of Yvonne...Nicola....Stacey....and others who teach week by week...they all have their own individual style yet somehow God uses them in the exact way that suits who they are . Then there are the group of parents who volunteer...they are also amazing...they lead small groups and get to talk to and pray with loads of children...their own children may be in the group too and get to see their parents being Jesus to others...so inspiring....and then there are also the "apprentices"...this is a group of the older children...who are perhaps year 5-6 and they are AWESOME...they wear their apprentice jackets with pride and step up each week to help...they may be on reception/registration...tech team...drinks and biscuits organiser...small group leaders...just fantastic to see them....what role models we have in this age group...and once a month we have our youth band...REVOLUTION....who come over for the entire morning and lead us in worship....this morning Josh Grimmet taught us a song he had co written with Dave Betts who is the church musical director and wow....what a great song..the kids were bopping all over the place and I was so laughing at three of the ( grown up ) guys who lead small groups who have absolutely no sense of rhythm and I was laughing so much ....sorry guys ...but you made my morning..!!....I am just so privileged to get to be a part of this ministry so much so that I decided NOT to bother going over for the 11am meeting...let me tell you why...
Nicola...who I have only known for a matter of months...she is such a gifted children's worker...she is even more amazing in that she has no children of her own ...YET...wedding bells next year....she doesn't work with children ...BUT God has anointed and appointed her for such a time as this...when she marries Adam I believe God is going to raise up this couple in ways which we cant yet imagine ...so watch this space....Any way....she preached a storm at both meetings and God moved in....I lost count but I think over the two meetings we had something like 18 children respond to "ask more " about baptism and several also asked to pray the ABC prayer which is our salvation prayer....I was once more moved to tears...these children range in age from 5 to 11 and I hardly know any of them (altho slowly getting to grips with their names ) and I have no idea what their home life or family life is like but what I do know is that GOD knows each one of them by name...He knows every hair on their head...He understands their every thought...every fear...every part of their lives. He is very interested in them and for an hour and half each Sunday morning we get to see God reach down from heaven and touch their tender spirits....I am often heading for the kitchen to find more tissues or to the loo to hide as my mascara drips down or my nose snots....
I could write reams about individual children who I see each week ..worshipping..listening...responding...it is humbling to watch a 5 year old raise their hands in worship...or to see an 8 year old dancing before God with no embarrassment..or a 9 year old praying for their friend....and just to watch 50 children laughing as they "gunge " one of the leaders raises my laughter quotient for the day. I get the amazing task of awarding Star Certificates each week to individual children and each week I take note of at least 10-12 children who are stars....and when I get the chance I tell them and tell their parents too what a difference they have made to the morning just by being themselves....
People talk about "being ruined " by this it often means that they will never be the same again...I am pretty certain that once this Academy Year is over with I may never be the same again...my entire idea of what Children's Work is like has been turned upside down ...I have always been of the mindset that to serve in children's work you "miss " the main meeting....well ...after just a few short months I reckon that often the main meeting IS the children's work...
I have just finished writing ..(agonising would be a better word ) a 2000 word essay on The Attributes of a Holy God and one of his Attributes is "Omnipresent "...and basically this means He is everywhere ...at all times ...so I guess the main meeting really is wherever there are believers or faith filled people or God fearing groups...God is there...The Main Meeting is EVERYWHERE...and whats so cool about that is no-one misses out on God.
If ever you want to see God at work in children ..come visit us Sundays 9am or 11am ...I am actively looking to recruit a team to welcome new families...help settle new children into their groups and generally be there at a time when it can be a little scary to go into childrens groups for the very first time...I can promise you..God is there and you wont miss out...email me...leave me a comment...Facebook me..I would love to introduce you to Konstruction Krew...you will never be the same again.
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