Care For The World

Today we were thinking about caring for this awesome world we've been given. The task seemed a bit too easy- to turn off the lights in a room you weren't in. We're pretty good at that so we tried to think of other ways we could save energy or care for the environment.
We made sure we put the recycling out but sadly had to use the car as our half term excursion this morning took us a few miles away. One thing we did do was keep the thermostat a little lower- once we'd warmed the place up after waking up to temperatures of -4!
We recently had a new thermostat fitted which we're hoping will help with our energy conservation. I have to say that with the house being a wee bit cooler than I'd like it may be an early night tonight!

Genesis 2:15

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it

Be More Creative

I'd really been looking forward to today's task- creating something.  We're good at that.
Well the sunshine meant the kids had little interest in sitting down and making things but they did gather together some bits and bobs they've been hoarding to make some interesting robot thingies (I think), and interestingly some plasticine fruit. Well why on earth not!
For my own creation I did flirt with the idea of an ink drawing, or crochet, or fimo model but amongst the LLLL book suggestions was "bake a cake" and they definitely had me at "cake" (this is cake or death after all!).

Thinking about God's creation, and his creation in us, today I'm not quoting the Bible but the greatest of all Mancunion songwriters Johnny Bramwell:

"I believe that we are forever something which is incomplete"

Enjoy The World

A much lovelier day today! All family members well and, as we're instructed to do today by LLLL, up for enjoying the world.
Today was definitely a day of enjoyment; a bit of a lie-in, visiting friends and meeting their ten week old baby, taking lunch and cakes to share with our friends, and this evening we'll see some more friends to celebrate a new house and a birthday.
The LLLL activity today is planting seeds. I have a large stash of seeds for various edible plants and I let the children choose what they wanted to grow. Faith went for basil and Jacob tomatos, in the hope we might get some soup as an end result!
Such a contrast between our days yesterday and today helps to put things into perspective. I've enjoyed wordly things today, but mostly I've enjoyed friendship and family. With my shift patterns we just get one day a week together as a foursome and it's utterly delightful when we feel the day has been used well.

Genesis 1:31
God saw all that He had made, and indeed it was very good

Care For Those In Need

So the task of the day was to watch the news and pray for someone or something on it. The kids and I had it all planned- we would watch the news when they finished school. That was until I spent nine hours (from 12.15 until 21.30) in A&E with my husband,  who had a possible G.I bleed.
We were tired, frustrated and bored. After a while I started to take in what was going on around us- the department was exceptionally busy, worse than we've experienced before. The staff were trying so hard to be positive and reassure us when they were obviously tired and stressed. There was a diverse group of patients passing through- some lingering a long time like us but others, obviously very sick, moving through a lot quicker.
I began to pray for all these strangers- staff, patients and relatives using the words from the Healing and Wholeness liturgy:
"May God bring you wholeness of body, mind and spirit"

Micah 6:8
What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Be More Giving

My mum (who lives with us) has just popped through and presented me with the notes I asked the kids to write yesterday to say sorry to each other. Jacob is sorry he hit Faith and Faith is sorry she stood on Jacob's lego box. I pray that this spirit of forgiveness lingers a bit longer!
Today's LLLL task is lovely and simple- save up your loose change and give it to charity at the end of Lent. When the small people come home we'll discuss who we want to donate it to. Faith has already suggested Water Aid but my choice will be The Booth Centre- a Christian charity helping the homeless, based here in Manchester, which just happens to share my maiden name.
The LLLL book has kindly reminded me today of Jesus' miracle at Cana, turning water into wine. This is a timely reminder of my abstinence from alcohol during Lent- something I've only managed before during pregnancy.  As it's Valentine's Day today I've extended my "be more giving" instruction to my husband, Mike, who often feels (and often is) a bit low on the list when it comes to demands upon my time. I've made a gluten free tiramisu, something we used to eat a lot in his gluten-filled days, and there's a bottle of the finest alcohol free cherry cordial to wash it down with. I may even let him watch Notting Hill for the 57th time without groaning.

http://www.boothcentre.org.uk

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.

I'm sorry!

So after the marvellous pancake parties yesterday (the Jenklets celebrated at home with Nana) we are brought down to more solemn activities today as we are asked to "say sorry".
For the kids I've given them each a post-it note and told them to write down something they're sorry they did to each other recently. For myself attending the Ash Wednesday communion service with Ashing gives the opportunity to focus on the ways in which I feel I can be a better person, the things I've done that I wish I hadn't and to say sorry.
Writing this blog also gives me a chance to say sorry- being to caught up in daily life, work, kids and church there rarely seems to be an opportunity to stop, to spend time with friends, to truly listen to them and realise the ways in which they may be hurting, broken or in need.
So to my friends- I love you and I wish I saw you more. Maybe this year I'll be a bit less rubbish!

Psalm 51:10
Create in me a clean heart O God

www.livelent.net

Love Life Live Lent

After my initial post the tumbleweeds have been a-tumbling through Cake or Death. With Lent approaching it seemed an appropriate time to get blogging- not sure I can manage 40 days and 40 nights but I'm certainly going to give it my best.

I find that fasting in some way as part of my Lent journey is quite an important thing for me. To be disciplined enough to deny my self something is pretty damn hard, but an incredibly tiny thing compared to what Jesus has done for me.
I'm also a big believer in taking something up for Lent- again it's all about the discipline. This year I'm using Paula Gooder & Peter Babington's Love Life Live Lent (available at St Deny's, Amazon, or direct from Chuch House Publishing).
We start today, on Shrove Tuesday, with our first task of celebrating more, with the suggestion of throwing a pancake party. Not easy on a 10 hour shift. But I'll start as I mean to continue- armed with a pack of ready made pancakes to share with my HTU colleagues.  It's a start.

Luke 15.6
And when he comes home,  he calls together his friends and neighbours,  saying to them,  "rejoice with me,  for I have found my sheep that was lost"

www.livelent.net