Happy Holidays

I had a phone call on Sunday 16.12.14, was I busy next week if not would I like to go on a five day holiday absolutely free. I don't think I have ever packed a suitcase so fast, I met up with my friend June in Ripley and the coach arrived just after 9am to take us to Cromer in Norfolk. This was going to be exciting I think I can count on one hand the number of times I have been on a holiday. ( I don't count a week away to visit relatives, which I have done a few times). We arrived in Cromer around four and went in the side entrance to our hotel which was lovely, June and I were on the second floor next door to one another. 

The room was lovely, the food was excellent as was the service. And then the next day I saw the view from the table we were seated at in the dining room, the sea and the pier, wonderful. 

I hadn't realised when we arrived that the hotel was on the sea front.

 The Hotel De Paris 

We had two days of going out on trips and every evening there was entertainment which was really good. The first evening we had Norfolk's very own singing pig farmer, Nigel Adams. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. June and I disappeared during the bingo it wasn't quite our thing. We went down every evening bar one, the second evening the entertainment was not our cup of tea at all, his sense of humour left a lot to be desired which was a shame as he was a good keyboard player and singer.

We had a lady the following evening Stacy Collins and a gentleman on the last evening Tony Barker who could sing, play the guitar, saxophone and everything in between I think. They were all really very good.

I was thrilled on Thursday to see surfers, how my camera clicked :)

I also walked up to the lighthouse

 The sea and the scenery was quite breath taking.

As I said we had a couple of trips, first a whole day out calling at three places as we toured the Norfolk Broads,  the last one being Wroxam which boasts the countries largest village store,  Roy's stores It was quite a shopping experience. The following day we had a couple of hours in Great Yarmouth, were we were entertained by this street entertainer from Manchester.

And I found these guys sitting outside one of Roy's store in Wroxam I think they were waiting for their ladies to finish shopping, and persuaded them to pose for me, I'll call them Harry, Larry and Mo as I don't want to give away their names :)

The three wise gentlemen

Hear no evil

Speak no evil

See no evil

Not an easy task in this day and age, we're bombarded with sounds and vision that leave our senses reeling, but we don't have to deliberately put ourselves into a situation that is harmful to our spiritual life, June and I walked out of the entertainment on the Tuesday evening because it wasn't fit to listen too. Here's a command from God's word that will keep us protected from evil without having to cover our ears, mouth and eyes. 

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

All in all we had a wonderful time there are too many photos so I can only show a few and there are too many memories so I can only share a few but I do want to say a big thank you to June for thinking of me and Brenda her friend whose place I took as she was too ill to go. It was very kind and generous. 

Don't Forget Who to Thank

Last Friday was the Harvest Festival at my grandson's school, actually it was done at the local church. The children were wonderful, they sang beautifully, and spoke out their poems etc for all to hear, and were very well behaved. They were a credit to their mum and dad's and their school.

Class 3 did some Harvest poems and sang the Harvest Rock and Roll. Noah is in year 1 and they sang the Autumn Song, they had cut out leaves and put them on a band around their head they sang so well, I think there must have been some very proud mums in the congregation. Reception showed us their harvest pictures and class 2 sang Cauliflowers are fluffy, class 4 finished this part off when they sang the Harvest Samba.

Cabbages and greens, broccoli and beans,

Cauliflower and roasted potatoes, taste so good to me!

Apricots and plums, ripened in the sun,

Oranges and yellow bananas, good for everyone!

It's another Harvest Festival, 

when we bring our fruit and vegetables,

Cause we want to share the good things 

that we've been given.

I'ts another opportunity to be grateful for the food we eat,

With a samba celebration to say, 

thank you to God the Father. 

Golden corn and wheat, oats and sugar beet,

Fluffy rice and tasty spaghetti, wonderful to eat!

Coffee, cocoa, tea, growing naturally,

Herbal plants and all kinds of spices

Very nice indeed!

It was absolutely delightful, the children and the teachers had put in so much hard work.

The vicar gave a short talk, just a couple of minutes but he reminded us that even though we may get our food from the supermarket etc, it is God who has provided it, He created the earth and the plants and the season's and so everyday we should be grateful for His provision.

The money raised from the collection and the sale of harvest produce was to be sent to the charity Action Aid for a child in Pakistan who they sponsor in order that she can go to school.

The parents and grandparents had a chance to join in, we sung What a Wonderful World at the beginning, and Autumn Days by Estelle White at the end. 

Autumn days, when the grass is jewelled,
And the silk inside a chestnut shell,
Jet planes meeting in the air to be refuelled,
All these things I love so well

So I mustn’t forget
No, I mustn’t forget
To say a great big thank you
I mustn’t forget.

Clouds that look like familiar faces,
And a winter’s moon with frosted rings,
Smell of bacon as I fasten up my laces,
And the song the milkman sings.

So I mustn’t forget
No, I mustn’t forget
To say a great big thank you
I mustn’t forget.

Whipped-up spray that is rainbow-scattered,
And a swallow curving in the sky,
Shoes so comfy though they’re worn out and they’re battered,
And the taste of apple pie.

So I mustn’t forget
No, I mustn’t forget
To say a great big thank you
I mustn’t forget.

Scent of gardens when the rain’s been falling,
And a minnow darting down a stream,
Picked-up engine that’s been stuttering and stalling,
And a win for my home team.

So I mustn’t forget
No, I mustn’t forget
To say a great big thank you
I mustn’t forget.

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole event and the fact that I could join in, I love to sing praises of thankfulness to God, I hope you do too. 

 

Friendly Pirates

Saturday morning I was invaded by pirates. Noah and Huey came while Sarah their mum was helping her sister with the new house (almost there).

While the weather has been so nice the boys and I have spent most of the time out on the beach (homemade). And this week there was treasure hidden in the sand, Noah had great fun digging away to find the treasure.

Huey didn't quite get the game and buried some little men that no-one could find, that's when the garden rake came in handy :) So they were eventually rescued.

We also had the making and doings box out and made some Christmas decorations out of matchboxes. Noah had never seen a match!! But then why should he when they have only radiators for heating, coal fires are almost a thing of the past. Bless him when I showed it to him it made him jump as the match struck and lit. Anyway we had lots of fun with glue, paints, glitter and stickers, the end result being two lovely matchbox decorations and two lovely egg decorations which they duly took home so I completely forgot to take a picture of the finished product.

Hot dogs for lunch with lovely fat Lincolnshire sausage in baguettes, or in Huey's case out of baguettes, followed by fruit in jelly and a gingerbread man, yummy. All in all it was a lovely morning and when mum came they were raring to go to their friends party.

It was lovely having friendly pirates to visit :)

Is it metal?

Another lovely day with my lovely grandchildren, their mum went off to do some shopping and we spent the morning playing on the beach, yes I have a beach (no sea as I'm not sure how to accomplish that), I do sometimes get the hose out :). 

There is always plenty for them to do as they have their own shed complete with treasure box, 

which has lots of toys in. 

There are buckets and spades, cars, trucks, boats, fishermen and all manner of things icluding games but today they played a lot with a dolls house I'd acquired from the Salvation Army sale, I couldn't resist as it was such a bargain. 

A storm was coming apparently so they had to take out all the furniture and put it on the hammock, (the boat), 

saved, yay. 

 Huey liked the way the hammock kept rocking.

After which they did a spot of fishing, they have a magnetic game and they can catch fish or ducks,  they have a rod each, it didn't take Noah long to realise that the fish and the ducks weren't the only things that would stick to the fishing rod and so began a hunt all around the garden for anything metal that would stick. Not everything that was metal or looked like metal stuck to the rod. 

Yes that's metal

I thought about this we are overwhelmed sometimes by Christian books, D.V.D's, blog posts, websites, etc, etc but you know just because it says Christian doesn't mean to say that it is. How on earth do we manage to find the truth when wading through all this stuff. There is only one truth and that is the Bible, beware of anyone who puts something into the Bible rather than taking something out. There are so many people who twist the truth to their own ends just to suit their lifestyle, they don't want the truth that man is a sinner, that God will punish all sinners, and that He sent His Son Jesus to take the punishment for our sin. They give the impression God is love and everyone's going to heaven, beware of the watered down gospel, the true gospel is good news for every sinner. Whatever you hear or watch go back to God's word and see if what you have seen and heard lines up with scripture if it doesn't then discard it.

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

May God richly bless you in your search for the truth or if you are a Christian in your Christian walk, may you grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Only Comforter

It is twenty-four years today since my son Philip Mark Nicholls died of a heart attack. At the time I had no idea he had even been taken into hospital as he had left home, he was eighteen years and nine months old.

People say that time is a great healer, I haven't found it so, time flies by but the pain doesn't fly with it.

Since becoming a Christian sixteen years ago my pain hasn't changed but I have, now I no longer dwell on the what might have been, what would he look like now, would he have been married, would he have had children etc. I used to before 1998 try to image what he would look like and wonder what he would be doing but this just increased my pain.

 Now I know I can leave it all with the Lord Jesus, He is my comforter, my strength, my hope, my joy and my happiness. My life is no longer tied up with the things of the world and it's sorrows and disappointments, my life is in Christ. That doesn't mean I won't ever feel pain or sorrow it means that I have someone with whom I can lean on who won't let me down but it's more than that it is looking always to Him the author and finisher of my faith, my salvation, in whom I have everlasting life.

I do thank God for the memories

A little taste of...

Sarah called today to borrow some suitcases, they are off to the seaside for a few days soon. Noah and Huey came too and as it was such a lovely day we all went outside. Sarah for a well earned snooze in the shed and Noah, Huey and I played on the beach,  we built lots of sandcastles and decorated them with shells. We had great fun, 

to round off the afternoon the boys did a show, wonderful, a rap by Noah accompanied by Huey.

They only stayed for an hour but they had a little taste of the seaside before going. Of course it was nothing like the real thing even so it would keep them going till they got there. 

Does this remind you of anything? I must admit when I thought about it it reminded me that this isn't my real home, I'm just passing through. I have a much better home in heaven but just occasionally I get a little bit of heaven down here and even though it isn't the real thing it keeps me focused on where I'm going. I see God in nature, in the beautiful sunset, in the clear babbling brook, I see the compassion of Jesus in a friendly thought and kind deed. I see in the evil sin soaked world a little glimpse of heaven when I speak to God in prayer, when I study His word and gather with His people, I have a hope and assurance through Jesus Christ that this is not all there is I have a home with Him, but while I'm passing through He shows me a glimpse of heaven. 

This world is not my home

John 14:1“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

Huey goes to Butterley Station

Last week Noah came to see me and we had a trip to Butterley station, this week it was Huey's turn to spend some time with mama, I hadn't planned anything as the weather man said it was not going to be a good day, mostly rain. So it looked like we would be spending the day indoors playing and maybe doing some crafty things, both the boys like making things.

Huey was a little upset when mum went and so we had a cuddle while we decided what we were going to do, "Can I see the trains mama?", how could I refuse. So clothed in raincoats and wellies and armed with camera with card and charged battery (No card in it last week) we set out, we had just got through the gate when Huey said "I don't like rain", bless him he was upset again. I'm not surprised though as the wind was blowing in our faces and the rain was cold. I explained that we didn't have to go out we could in fact be in a nice warm house, having a nice warm cuppa, doing lovely things in the warm. No, Huey wanted to see the trains, "But I don't like the rain mama", "I'm sorry Huey I can't do anything about the rain". Eventually we arrive at the bus stop which I might add doesn't have a bus shelter, I shielded him as much as possible, of course the bus was ten minutes late. "I don't like the rain mama", "You can be happy in the rain Huey", said I smiling through chattering teeth, "I don't like happy in the rain!!!!". Hurrah here comes the bus.

Huey was much happier now we were finally on our way, fortunately we didn't have to wait at the station for the train as one was about to leave as we arrived. I had forgotten it was bank holiday so  it was a special day, they had a Victorian theme.

We got off at Swanwick museum and had to tackle the rain again, we had lunch in the cafe, Huey had a children's picnic bag, jam mmmmmm, there were toys in the corner and so he had a play, finding a toy mobile phone he promptly called his mummy. "Mummy, mummy, mummy, mummy"........ "It's mummy" :)

 When we went out the rain had subsided so it wasn't too bad. Huey had a paddle in every puddle and so it took us awhile to reach the shed were the trains are kept.

 He was thrilled with all the trains but his favourite was the yellow one. 

We went up and down every isle with lots of "Wows".

Every puddle had to be paddled on the way back and so it took awhile again.

We had to go over the bridge to get the steam train to return to Butterley. Oh how I hate those metal steps, Huey "It's okay mama I can manage on my own", mama, "No Huey, you need to hold mamas hand because she can't manage" :)

Huey was thrilled to see that the train that was pulling the carriages was the same as the model train we had bought him last week when Noah and I went, we rode in 3rd class and had the carriage to ourselves it was lovely.

The train goes past Butterley station and across the Reservoir before doubling back and stopping at Butterley, "It's the sea, mama".

All in all we had a lovely time despite the rain and cold, my grandchildren are an absolute pleasure and delight to be with and I am greatly blessed. Thank you Lord.