Noah goes to Butterley Railway

Noah (my soon to be five year old grandson) and myself had a day at Butterley Railway on Wednesday. I went to pick him up and then we caught the bus straight through, I hadn't told him where we were going so it was a lovely surprise. Of course I had forgotten it would be busy because of the holidays. When we got on the train first things first out came the camera, the battery had gone so after much searching I found another one and put it is only to be greeted with the message, no card, argh. Noah bless him keeping everything in perspective, it's ok mama you have your phone. 

The train started and off we set, we rode all the way to Golden Valley and then came back and got off at Swanwick Museum. We had a look at most things but didn't realise they had a beach until we were on the train coming back but it didn't matter because there was plenty to see and do, I did as Noah suggested and used my phone to take photo's.

One of the first things we did was to go into the children's play area 

and then up into the signal box, I have to admit I didn't like the steep metal stairs. 

Next we went into St Saviour's church which is called the ‘Tin Tabernacle’ and has been rescued from the railway village of Westhouses.  It was built in 1898 to support the village of Westhouses  and moved to Swanwick Junction when it fell into disuse. It was built with support from the original Midland Railway Company for worshipers in this railway town. 

By this time we were both feeling a little hungry and headed off for a cuppa and a cob, they do a lovely picnic bag for the youngsters and they could choose ham, egg or jam sandwich, Noah chose jam, it also had an orange, a pack of quavers, a cake and a small bag of sweets, plus a fruitshoot drink, Noah had already had a banana on the train and half a large apple when we got off, I think he must have hollow legs :) 

Having refueled we set off again to explore and went into the sheds with the old trains in, it was fascinating, Noah had a great time, there was a box with free train magazines in so he tucked one under his arm. I think the only thing we both found difficult was the smell, a combination of grease and soot, old wood and metal and leather, not forgetting the rust and dust. Even so we went up and down all the isles. 

We went and had a look at the model railway, I had to pick Noah up so the he could see, and he really like it. There was certainly a lot of work gone into it. 

Then we came out and got onto the miniature railway that goes through the park for about a mile.

After that we went up the the Princess Royal shed but didn't go in as I think the smell was too overpowering for Noah, he just poked his head in and said "It's ok mama" but coming back down the path we spotted some teasel and some bulrushes, Noah felt the teasel and was surprised how prickly it was,

I pulled down a bulrush for him and his face lit up when he felt how soft it was. Noah called it a sausage plant, (sausage is his favourite food besides jam).

My favourite part of the day was seeing a Weasel, then I really missed my camera. It popped up between the slabs in front of this shed and then disappeared under it. We watched it for quite a few minutes as it ran over the tracks under the slabs and popped up in between them. 

It was time to head back for the train to take us back to Butterley station. But the day was not over and we headed for the Reservoir and had a walk around, there was quite a lot of men fishing, (I'm wondering if that was because it was the school holidays and the menfolk had come out of the way). Noah talked to the cygnets but we didn't have any food for them so they didn't stick around. 

It was getting towards teatime and so we headed to my home, what would you like for tea Noah "Soup", :) yet another favourite. Tomato soup and cobs, then fruit in jelly with yogurt a lovely way to round off the day, especially when you can suck up the last bits with a straw. 

As soon as we came in Noah said he had something to do in the kitchen when I went in he had written a message on my fridge.

I have had a really nice time.

Me too Noah.

I am so thankful for a lovely family and the time I spend with them. God blesses me in so many different ways each day.

Lamentations 3:

22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,

     Because His compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning;
     Great is Your faithfulness.

Thank you Lord.

What's in Your Bag?

I have been so busy that I haven't had any time to write in my little notebook and I do so want to record a few things so that I can look and remember as well as being an encouragement to others. One thing I do remember about last week apart from being busy was the lovely Tuesday afternoon meeting at the  Ripley Salvation Army Pamela had a list of  items and if we had them in our bag she gave us a number to write down and then at the end we added up the score, (I only got 15). The thing was she didn't have shoehorn, joggers, and t-shirt on her list, what you may wonder was I doing with such items in my bag. Well the thing was I had been to a keep fit class in the morning at Eastwood, then the St Mary's lunch club at Eastwood and then on the Ripley Army so I knew I wouldn't have time to go home and change so I took the necessary clothes with me. This was the theme of Pamela's talk, just as we all have different natural needs which was obvious from everyone individual bags, we also have differing needs in our walk with the Lord as we don't all serve Him in the same way and isn't it wonderful to know that He doesn't expect us to do anything without His provision, God calls and He enables.

As we walk with the Lord we can know that in all our ways He will provide for us, I am reminded of that lovely chorus, He is All I Need.

He is all I need, He is all I need,

Jesus is all I need.

He is all I need, He is all I need,

Jesus is all I need.

I take Him now, I take Him now,

For all that I need.

I take Him now, I take Him now,

For all that I need.

The True Light

Pamela returned to the subject of colour again at the Salvation Army Tuesday meeting, it was most informative and encouraging but I am not going to go into detail as she has decided to start a blog herself, From Darkness to Light. But one thing that she did say that I found interesting was that the sun has all the colours of a rainbow in it even though it may look yellow, or red or orange. So my thoughts took me to the sun of which there is no substitute should it go out we've had it!

I wonder how many people would rather sit under a heat lamp, or a lamp for a sun tan than go out and enjoy the sun, on a bright sunny day would we really shut the curtains and put the artificial lamp on to see by, that would be absurd.

But how many people would rather search after and follow a false light rather than Jesus who said,

 John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

There is only one true light, all other light is but a substitute for the truth, it doesn't matter whether you meditate,  study mindfulness and new age teachings, go to yoga, visit mediums (all of which teach a false light) the Bible warns us about such things and tells us that in fact all these things are not from God but from the powers of darkness, the devil is a deceiver and he can masquerade as an angle of light,

2 Corinthians 11:14 Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

If your light has led you to anything other than God’s word and the Lord Jesus then it is a false light, don’t close the curtains and make do with an imitation, accept Jesus Christ as you Saviour and you will not only receive light but you will be true light for others to see. 

Ephesians 5: 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.