The Stanley Project

My grandson Stanley was one year old on the 18th of June. For the past couple of months, I have been making his present. I had bought a book of nursery rhymes to give to him at Easter, I had also been in a charity shop and bought a colourful box covered in felt that said “What’s inside” on it. 

The toys inside weren’t in very good condition and so I threw them away but I had a lovely idea for the box and the book because when I got it home and looked at it I was so taken with the pictures as they all looked like they were hand made toys. So I decided to get a different Easter present and make the individual ‘toys’ with felt, some I made into finger puppets.

Five Little Speckled frogs

 Some I put a squeaker in, I really enjoyed making them.

I'm a Little Teapot

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I traced the pictures and cut out templates and I tried wherever possible to keep the colours the same, unfortunately I got some of them the wrong way round from the picture as you can see from the picture above but I am sure that Stanley won’t mind. Hopefully he will be able to tell which toy belongs to which image.  

The Stanley Project

It always amazes me that man is really creative and yet struggles to believe they are created. Everything is designed and created that we use, I think the man who invented the computer would be quite upset if anyone believed it had all just come together from a big bang. The Bible tells me I am fearfully and wonderfully made,

Psalm 139:14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

The more we learn about the human body the more we realise just how complex and amazing it is, we know and accept the computer was designed and created by man but refuse to believe man was created by God. Where on earth do they think we get our creativity from?

We are made in the image and likeness of God but unfortunately this image has been marred by sin, which caused a rift between the Creator and the created. Fortunately for us God has put a plan in place that would mean we would no longer be estranged from God or suffer eternal punishment for our sins.

Jesus Christ God's Son died in our place and took the punishment for our sins, we can be forgiven turn from sin and have a relationship with God and with Jesus.

Stanley can’t have a personal relationship with the things I’ve created but God can and will have a relationship with all who repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

WAG 2016

Women and God weekend at Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick Derbyshire was a weekend of fellowship, fun and foliage!

I have written a blog on the spiritual inspiration I received from the weekend and you can read about it here: accessorise!

It truly was an inspiration, encouragement and challenging. The ladies and hosts were friendly, helpful, and kind, it was lovely to meet new people. This was my first time at such a conference. The first session on Friday was Be blessed! And after the evening meal session 2 was Add Hope! After which we went to watch the Disney film, Inside Out, I thoroughly enjoyed it, it made me stop and think!

Aside from the worship and prayer times there was also fun. We learnt to play the ukulele on Saturday afternoon and managed to play a couple of Christian songs. I think we hit all the right notes, but I’m not sure they were in the right order. However we played at the worship on the Sunday and I believe the Lord was pleased to hear our praise played on the stringed instruments. Saturday afternoon we also learnt the art of book leaf folding and made a heart in the old discarded Salvation Army songbooks. 

They have new ones now so it was good to put them to use. There were other crafts in the afternoon but I didn’t go to this, I was pacing myself.

I did however go down to the lakes for a walk, it was raining but it was so peaceful, and as the rain refreshed the ground so my soul was refreshed thinking on the words of the Lord from scripture, and talking to Him in silent prayer. I had taken my camera so I also got some lovely shots of the foliage and the wildlife, insects, butterflies, birds, waterfowl, it was so lovely. 

 I didn’t manage to get a shot of the fish as it came out of the water to eat the insects skimming the surface, I’m just not quick enough. I did however get a lovely shot of a blackbird collecting the family’s dinner, 

they sure would have been well fed, as were we. The food was delicious, and cooked well, and served well, the staff were courteous and helpful.

Saturday evening was a hoot. First we were entertained by the Appalachian Feet First Dance Troupe, which to me looked like a mixture of line dancing, clog dancing, and river dance ;) 

we were then invited to learn a dance, I think I must have shuffled up my feet because I kept getting the steps wrong, but we enjoyed it none the less. After which came the Auction with Major Val Mylechreest as the auctioneer and an excellent job she did too, very entertaining whilst raising money for the Helping Hands Appeal, wonderful.

We sang some wonderful songs over the weekend in praise and worship to God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ and we give Him all the glory. I pray the army officers and helpers who worked so hard this weekend may continue to be a blessing to others as they seek to serve the Lord. God bless you.

Chosen by God

Tune Be Thou My Vision

Chosen by God – I am loved as His own,

A daughter of God – by my name I am known.

Each morning your love comes as fresh as the day,

It guides me and guards me as I walk in Your way.

Gentle, compassionate, patient, meek, kind;

Wearing Your loveliness true life I find.

Accepting of others – I choose to forgive

So in Your great mercy and peace I might live.

Called to be holy, I seek now your grace,

Help me more fully Your will to embrace,

Show me how living for you sets me free,

As I surrender my all just for Thee.

The Nearness of God

I was walking to church on Sunday morning and I passed workmen laying telephone cables. I think it's a shame that people work on Sundays, I do appreciate that some have no choice such as doctors, nurses, our armed forces etc, but how sad that people have to work when really it's not needful. That isn't however what I was thinking about as I continued on my way it was all the miles and miles of cable there must be, and mobile phone masts, satellites in space and all the rest of it just so that we can talk to one another. And if we don't manage to have a conversation that way we can always text or email, what happened to popping round for a cuppa and a good old chin wag? Ah well that's progress.

But do you know I can talk to God anytime of the day or night and the server doesn't crash!!!!

The nearness of God and the Lord Jesus is amazing, He is not too busy to listen, He doesn't forget that you've asked Him something, and He doesn't cut you off because you have upset Him. God wants us to communicate with Him, we call it prayer, praise, worship etc. Whether we are happy or sad, joyful or sorrowful, whether things are going right or wrong, God wants to hear. He also wants us to listen because He has things He wants to say to us and sometimes He speaks directly into our hearts, sometimes through a sermon or a song, sometimes through other people or situations but always He speaks to us through His written word, the Holy Bible.

Samuel when God first spoke to Him didn't realise it was God he thought it was Eli, once Eli realised that God was speaking to Samuel he instructed him on how to reply. 

1 Samuel 3:10 And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

Not only did Samuel listen to God but he also obeyed Him even though what he had to do was not a pleasant task.

Whatever we have to do or say for the Lord we can be sure that He is nearer to us than our very breath and He won’t let us down, He will enable us.

No matter what we go through He is nearer than our very breath and He will help us and sustain us. How wonderful is our God.