Tomorrow Puja will be 5, she has no idea that I exist...yet. Last week at "New Wine", I made the decison to sponsor her until she is 16, I was quite surprised at how emotional I felt, once I had chosen her. I specifically wanted a child from India as at some point, when she is older, we would like to visit her. As many of you know, India is a country close to my heart since I visited Asha, an NGO which works alongside the urban poor in the Delhi slums, in 2005.
http://www.asha-india.org/
Puja lives in Orissa, her father is a subsistance farmer. She is one of three children. I will be the only Sponsor she has. I hope I do her justice.
Her photo sits on my dresser, awaiting a frame, her little face has the expression of someone trying to stand still for the photo...Her palms pressed against her legs, trying to do the right thing...she looks so innocent and cute in her pink outfit, I just want to scoop her up!
In the next week I will write my first letter to her. It will be translated and read to her and she will dictate one back to me. I will send a photo of us and probably a small page of stickers or something. Everything must be flat for posting. Compassion seem to have thought of everything.
I like the idea that Compassion partners with local churches to reach out to the poorest children in their community. The projects where they work are safe places where children are free to enjoy being children...It's not just about giving money, it's about building a future for a child, their family and the wider community.
I will be praying for her and developing a relationship over time. I need to see that poverty and injustice have a face, but that I can play my part in enabling her to break out of the cycle and be given the opportunity to fulfill her God-given potential.
This will explain far better!
http://www.compassionuk.org/
Monday, 16 August 2010
Sunday, 8 August 2010
The Simple Woman's Daybook
http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/
Outside my window… Apples are ripening on the trees and dh has already stewed some windfalls with the blueberries and some cinnamon. Had some with yogurt at lunchtime, lush as lush.
I am thinking... I have much to process....what has been and what is to come.....challenges and questions....need a facillitating bubble bath.......
I am thankful for...a new day, a new adventure!
I am learning that…if I want PLJ, I have to go to Morrisons!
From the kitchen... dh is preparing french beans for the freezer.
I am wearing...black leggings and a long tunic top...both of which are a little too big now.....
I am creating...some ideas about a new style day journal, but uncertain whether two into one will go....
I am going... to start writing stuff daily, if I can, done in the hope that somehow, something may rise to the surface...rather than putting things to one side until I have a slot where intelligent words just come flowing out...hahahaha!!! (as if!!!)
I am reading…"More than conquerors, a call to radical discipleship" Simon Guilleband. Chapter 2 so far....I underlined a lot and made little comments in pencil....make a book your own, I say!!!
I am praying…for family stuff....
I am hoping...I get my 1 1/2 stone award tonight....a sticker and a clap!!!!
Noticing that…a buzzard is being dive- bombed by a crow in my back garden...
I am hearing...N filling a bowl to soak his washing....all life skills, I love the boy xx
Around the house...remains of "New Wine" sorting...books, teaching Cds.....tent, camping equipment...now waiting for Greenbelt....and piles of ironed bedding from last week's visitors. Sort of semi organised chaos!
One of my favourite things... dawn
Pondering these words…"I'm not what I ought to be, I'm not what I'd like to be, I'm not what I hope to be, but I'm not what I was and by the grace of God I am what I am". John Newton.
A few plans for the rest of the week: Not in priority order.....you'll be pleased to hear...oh holy ones!!!!
Love my house (cleaning)
Love my garden (weeding)
Love my friends (talking)
Love my job (listening)
Love my God (learning)
A picture to share…
A new day begins..."New Wine" Shepton Mallet 2010
Outside my window… Apples are ripening on the trees and dh has already stewed some windfalls with the blueberries and some cinnamon. Had some with yogurt at lunchtime, lush as lush.
I am thinking... I have much to process....what has been and what is to come.....challenges and questions....need a facillitating bubble bath.......
I am thankful for...a new day, a new adventure!
I am learning that…if I want PLJ, I have to go to Morrisons!
From the kitchen... dh is preparing french beans for the freezer.
I am wearing...black leggings and a long tunic top...both of which are a little too big now.....
I am creating...some ideas about a new style day journal, but uncertain whether two into one will go....
I am going... to start writing stuff daily, if I can, done in the hope that somehow, something may rise to the surface...rather than putting things to one side until I have a slot where intelligent words just come flowing out...hahahaha!!! (as if!!!)
I am reading…"More than conquerors, a call to radical discipleship" Simon Guilleband. Chapter 2 so far....I underlined a lot and made little comments in pencil....make a book your own, I say!!!
I am praying…for family stuff....
I am hoping...I get my 1 1/2 stone award tonight....a sticker and a clap!!!!
Noticing that…a buzzard is being dive- bombed by a crow in my back garden...
I am hearing...N filling a bowl to soak his washing....all life skills, I love the boy xx
Around the house...remains of "New Wine" sorting...books, teaching Cds.....tent, camping equipment...now waiting for Greenbelt....and piles of ironed bedding from last week's visitors. Sort of semi organised chaos!
One of my favourite things... dawn
Pondering these words…"I'm not what I ought to be, I'm not what I'd like to be, I'm not what I hope to be, but I'm not what I was and by the grace of God I am what I am". John Newton.
A few plans for the rest of the week: Not in priority order.....you'll be pleased to hear...oh holy ones!!!!
Love my house (cleaning)
Love my garden (weeding)
Love my friends (talking)
Love my job (listening)
Love my God (learning)
A picture to share…
A new day begins..."New Wine" Shepton Mallet 2010
Thursday, 22 July 2010
The Simple Woman's Daybook
http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com
Friday July 22 2010
Outside my window… the teasels are turning purple and the Goldfinches have visited once so far!
I am thinking... that I need a day to blitz the house..
I am thankful for...my lovely home...even if I managed to fuse the whole of the upstairs lights...makes me appreciate that electricity is something I take for granted most of the time.
I am learning that…sometimes you just have to say it or pray it and seize the moment...in the case of work today, before the phones start ringing again!
From the kitchen... I have eaten baked beans with melted cheese and two eggs, followed by plums and natural yogurt. Thank goodness for quick food!
I am wearing...my work uniform and the trousers I bought last month are now too big...will be removing safety pin and sewing a tuck in the waistband this w/e.
I am creating...fruit salad tonight and tomorrow a "Welfare friendly" veal cassorole for when the boys return from their Nothern Europe Trip.
I am going... to wash some fridge shelves in a minute, having hopefully sorted out the leak which keeps dripping on to the carpet...
I am reading…Bringing Heaven to Earth by Bill Johnson, a book recommended by a friend.
I am praying…for my workplace.
I am hoping...that I will relax during my full body massage tomorrow!
Noticing that…I have hardly stopped all week, but it has been good and fulfilling....tomorrow I will play!
I am hearing...and I hope I am listening...one thing for sure, I am not writing it down yet...and I must. (cryptic!)
Around the house...are many unfinished tasks, will have to play, "Set the Cooker Timer" game.
One of my favourite things...Lying in bed listening to the rain
Pondering these words…Live Life and always be ready to learn new stuff!
A few plans for the rest of the week: Friday:Massage (as mentioned) Lunch with L, not sure where. Welcoming the men home!
Sat: A short time with A before he returns to London,Camping shopping, wedding, defrost freezer and ironing.
Sun: Church family and pm, can't wait(!) Strictly Come YCC dancing! Fundraiser for C and her dance course. Many mates all partnered up with different generations. Photos are bound to follow!!!!
A picture to share…
Imagine a poppy! The photo is taking forever to load!
A reminder of the trip my Husband and son are doing investigating stories from WW2, in particular D Day.
Monday, 12 July 2010
Words....sacred or secular...
RAOUL
No more talk
of darkness,
Forget these
wide-eyed fears.
I'm here,
nothing can harm you -
my words will
warm and calm you.
Let me be
your freedom,
let daylight
dry -your tears.
I'm here,
with you, beside you,
to guard you
and to guide you . . .
CHRISTINE
Say you love me
every
waking moment,
turn my head
with talk of summertime . . .
Say you need me
with you,
now and always . . .
promise me that all
you say is true -
that's all I ask
of you . . .
RAOUL
Let me be
your shelter,
let me
be your light.
You're safe:
No-one will find you
your fears are
far behind you . . .
CHRISTINE
All I want
is freedom,
a world with
no more night . . .
and you
always beside me
to hold me
and to hide me . . .
RAOUL
Then say you'll share with
me one
love, one lifetime . . .
Iet me lead you
from your solitude . . .
Say you need me
with you
here, beside you . . .
anywhere you go,
let me go too -
Christine,
that's all I ask
of you . . .
CHRISTINE
Say you'll share with
me one
love, one lifetime . . .
say the word
and I will follow you . . .
BOTH
Share each day with
me, each
night, each morning . . .
CHRISTINE
Say you love me . . .
RAOUL
You know I do . . .
BOTH
Love me -
that's all I ask
of you . .
Anywhere you go
let me go too . . .
Love me -
that's all I ask
of you . .
No more talk
of darkness,
Forget these
wide-eyed fears.
I'm here,
nothing can harm you -
my words will
warm and calm you.
Let me be
your freedom,
let daylight
dry -your tears.
I'm here,
with you, beside you,
to guard you
and to guide you . . .
CHRISTINE
Say you love me
every
waking moment,
turn my head
with talk of summertime . . .
Say you need me
with you,
now and always . . .
promise me that all
you say is true -
that's all I ask
of you . . .
RAOUL
Let me be
your shelter,
let me
be your light.
You're safe:
No-one will find you
your fears are
far behind you . . .
CHRISTINE
All I want
is freedom,
a world with
no more night . . .
and you
always beside me
to hold me
and to hide me . . .
RAOUL
Then say you'll share with
me one
love, one lifetime . . .
Iet me lead you
from your solitude . . .
Say you need me
with you
here, beside you . . .
anywhere you go,
let me go too -
Christine,
that's all I ask
of you . . .
CHRISTINE
Say you'll share with
me one
love, one lifetime . . .
say the word
and I will follow you . . .
BOTH
Share each day with
me, each
night, each morning . . .
CHRISTINE
Say you love me . . .
RAOUL
You know I do . . .
BOTH
Love me -
that's all I ask
of you . .
Anywhere you go
let me go too . . .
Love me -
that's all I ask
of you . .
Sunday, 11 July 2010
Industrious Saturday
It was always going to be one of those getting jobs done, Saturdays. We both had our lists, mine written down, D's in his brain.....Mine was long and never got completed, D's had one main item on it and was probably far more sensible.
The finished result is very professional and sturdy, five years or so of the elements raining and blowing a gale across from Glastonbury has taken its toll and I was afraid that the fragility of parts of the structure would allow Mr Fox easy access.
Rhubarb is picked and stewed, blackcurrants gathered, the vegetable garden is growing at an alarming pace!
Meanwhile the Air Day at Yeovilton was well under way, the Red Arrows flying over our house...I manage to get many photos of clouds but the Red Arrows are more elusive....This is my best attempt.
Baking was on the agenda, it has been too long....The result Matrimonial slice (don't ask!) courtesy of my sister in law...One of those chuck it all in recipes:
er,
1 1/2 cups SR flour
180g marg (6 oz)
1/2 cup oats
1 cup coconut
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup jam
Rub marg into flour
Add oats, coconut & sugar, Mix tog.
Place 1/2 mixture in square tin (approx 9")
Melt jam, spread on top
Sprinkle remaining mixture on top.
Bake at 190/ Gas Mark 5 for 1/2 hour
All Bran Cake was the second choice!
Both cakes sampled by S and P who popped in for an after lunch coffee (P with newly acquired yellow handbag... half price...bargain), 5 minutes after I mention to D " I wonder if P and S would be up for coffee in a minute!" S always looks ill at ease when he sits in our house, why? Well for the last, at least a year, he has been disturbed (no comment :) ) by the very noisy sound coming from our computer...."the fan is very noisy" he says EVERY time he walks in..... Yes we agree, but its not high priority to sort it...we have got used to the eerie whirring sound that rises and falls, playing a soulful tune all of its own. It seemed the moment had come where he could stand it no longer and the call went out for the Vacumn cleaner....
The sight inside was appalling to behold...dust? Lets put it this way, you couldn't see half the bits, they lay under 1/2 inch of dust....the poor fan had no chance of getting any airflow in....I was strangely excited by the thrill of seeing components reappear...then the vacumn cut out....
The vacumn has been an absolute pain for ages....overheating before a room is hoovered so that it becomes a race to see whether I can get around an area before it just doesn't want to play until cooled down which takes about 15 minutes or so....So we wait....this time it has only been a couple of minutes.....we chat, we wait...yes we've had other priorities... I am struck by how much we put up with things that aren't working well...are we the only ones? Okay vacumn starts again, we're off! I lean over said unit pointing out bits S has missed (He is a very patient man...), then guess what? Yep, it does it again.... Plan B now needs to come into play....Vax carpet washer with long nozzle taken off disgraced Vax and attached to old workhorse carpet washer. Result!
Everything is put back together, P has gone out to talk to the chickens, resigned, not for the first time, that her husband is on a mission....but to be fair, she has missions of her own, so we reckon they're quits really!
Fan plays a quieter more steady tune, and it is music to our ears!
Not sure when I mentioned Nick's broken Camcorder, how it came up into conversation, but S is interested and begins to ask questions...Off I go and retrieve said item. It is examined, turned over, opened and then the challenge is to try and get it up on the computer. S has informed us that there things our computer can do which we had no idea about.... I am instructed to search out an S video lead which strangely enough I find in the loft...which when entered feels as if I have entered humidity only experienced in the Far East...not good for the hot flushes...
I think R arrives at this point, doorbell rings and kettle is put on again... R works with computers and does the AV at church, so he is a useful man to have turn up. Three men around a computer talking technical stuff ....firewires and strange numbers IEEE 1399 or something. I am bemused and begin my ironing. Eventually S, not to be beaten, decides a fire wire need to be found...R has one at home, D drives him back and collects said lead....
To shorten the story, I will say that the result was I was able to watch films of my family and friends, not seen for 6 years or so.....very funny and somewhat enbarrassing for a fair few...but I haven't found the hyroglyphics one...which may be a good thing....perhaps it got recorded over or thrown away.
A very satisfying and fulfilling Saturday!
The finished result is very professional and sturdy, five years or so of the elements raining and blowing a gale across from Glastonbury has taken its toll and I was afraid that the fragility of parts of the structure would allow Mr Fox easy access.
Rhubarb is picked and stewed, blackcurrants gathered, the vegetable garden is growing at an alarming pace!
Meanwhile the Air Day at Yeovilton was well under way, the Red Arrows flying over our house...I manage to get many photos of clouds but the Red Arrows are more elusive....This is my best attempt.
Baking was on the agenda, it has been too long....The result Matrimonial slice (don't ask!) courtesy of my sister in law...One of those chuck it all in recipes:
er,
1 1/2 cups SR flour
180g marg (6 oz)
1/2 cup oats
1 cup coconut
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup jam
Rub marg into flour
Add oats, coconut & sugar, Mix tog.
Place 1/2 mixture in square tin (approx 9")
Melt jam, spread on top
Sprinkle remaining mixture on top.
Bake at 190/ Gas Mark 5 for 1/2 hour
All Bran Cake was the second choice!
Both cakes sampled by S and P who popped in for an after lunch coffee (P with newly acquired yellow handbag... half price...bargain), 5 minutes after I mention to D " I wonder if P and S would be up for coffee in a minute!" S always looks ill at ease when he sits in our house, why? Well for the last, at least a year, he has been disturbed (no comment :) ) by the very noisy sound coming from our computer...."the fan is very noisy" he says EVERY time he walks in..... Yes we agree, but its not high priority to sort it...we have got used to the eerie whirring sound that rises and falls, playing a soulful tune all of its own. It seemed the moment had come where he could stand it no longer and the call went out for the Vacumn cleaner....
The sight inside was appalling to behold...dust? Lets put it this way, you couldn't see half the bits, they lay under 1/2 inch of dust....the poor fan had no chance of getting any airflow in....I was strangely excited by the thrill of seeing components reappear...then the vacumn cut out....
The vacumn has been an absolute pain for ages....overheating before a room is hoovered so that it becomes a race to see whether I can get around an area before it just doesn't want to play until cooled down which takes about 15 minutes or so....So we wait....this time it has only been a couple of minutes.....we chat, we wait...yes we've had other priorities... I am struck by how much we put up with things that aren't working well...are we the only ones? Okay vacumn starts again, we're off! I lean over said unit pointing out bits S has missed (He is a very patient man...), then guess what? Yep, it does it again.... Plan B now needs to come into play....Vax carpet washer with long nozzle taken off disgraced Vax and attached to old workhorse carpet washer. Result!
Everything is put back together, P has gone out to talk to the chickens, resigned, not for the first time, that her husband is on a mission....but to be fair, she has missions of her own, so we reckon they're quits really!
Fan plays a quieter more steady tune, and it is music to our ears!
Not sure when I mentioned Nick's broken Camcorder, how it came up into conversation, but S is interested and begins to ask questions...Off I go and retrieve said item. It is examined, turned over, opened and then the challenge is to try and get it up on the computer. S has informed us that there things our computer can do which we had no idea about.... I am instructed to search out an S video lead which strangely enough I find in the loft...which when entered feels as if I have entered humidity only experienced in the Far East...not good for the hot flushes...
I think R arrives at this point, doorbell rings and kettle is put on again... R works with computers and does the AV at church, so he is a useful man to have turn up. Three men around a computer talking technical stuff ....firewires and strange numbers IEEE 1399 or something. I am bemused and begin my ironing. Eventually S, not to be beaten, decides a fire wire need to be found...R has one at home, D drives him back and collects said lead....
To shorten the story, I will say that the result was I was able to watch films of my family and friends, not seen for 6 years or so.....very funny and somewhat enbarrassing for a fair few...but I haven't found the hyroglyphics one...which may be a good thing....perhaps it got recorded over or thrown away.
A very satisfying and fulfilling Saturday!
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