I'm so sick, sick, sick and tired
Of working just to be retired
I don't want to get that far
I don't want your company car
Promotions aint my thing
Name badges are not interesting
It's much easier for me see
To stay at home with Richard and Judy
Awayaway oh oh oh away from here...
Awayaway oh oh oh away from here
Awayaway oh oh oh away from here
Awayaway oh oh oh away from here
My big girl is getting away from here, well for two weeks anyway as she is off to Taiwan. I suppose she is going quite far and in that respect the lyrics don't work, but you get the point. Anyway follow her travels
here and see how she gets on. The trip is with the United Reformed Church to build up relationships with the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan. It should be interesting to see how she gets to grips with chopsticks and over comes her phobia of spiders!
Labels: Family, Holidays
The Terminal
I could have posted so much, written so much, said so much over these last days. Words however, are insufficient, pictures do no justice yet, still we need to tell their story. A story of occupation of hurt and of pain, yet in the midst of it all signs of hope glimpses of God. Incarnation once more born again in these amazing people.
Today I witnessed the most disturbing event I have seen since arriving. Palastinians wanting to work in Israel, horded into a pen, driven like cattle to make there way to the terminal where their documents are checked and if they smile right, the wind blows n their direction they will be allowed through. No pictures, I don't want to show their humiliation yet I need to ell their story. I need to make someone hear I NEED TO SHOUT TO MAKE PEOPLE LISTEN. Oh God hear your people cry!
Today we leave Bethlehem and make our way to Galilee time to reflect, a stop in the desert, a time in the wilderness, time to be alone with our thoughts and to remember what we have seen.
Oh God of justice,
be with your people,
wherever they are from,
help them to see in each other signs of hope,
glimpses of you,
that they may search for you in each other,
and be consumed your love.
Amen.
Again the words of Micheal Franti
To the East to the West
One love people never gonna stop
One to creation, one to the sun
One to the mornin, one to the one
One to the air and the freshness we breathe an
One to the force of the change in the seasons
One to the mother from which all things come
One to the daughters and one to the sons
One to the Father who helps us believe that
Nothin's ever gonna harm you see an
One to the soldier who walks city streets an
One to the soldier who fights overseas an
One to the man who gets down on his knees an
Prays for god and send protection please
Labels: Faith, Friends, Greenbelt, Holidays, Ministry
Room in the Inn
Inn the Beginning
Where to start? I've had a night now to reflect on my first experiences, I was shell shocked when we first arrived. Just clearing the airport the scrutiny, individuals picked out, singled out, questioned, strange to see from a nation who suffered so much so similar. Our guide met us and welcomed us and began to share stories.As we drove from the airport our first glimpses of what our guide labeled as the apartheid system that is in operation here. Men running from one area to the other to cross borders and find work. The wall such a big feature of this modern and changing landscape. So much of the Biblical landscape being stripped of it beauty and replaced with concrete. The wall on the journey from the airport built from attractive stone to make it more 'acceptable'.
That was a post I never managed to finish. Since I arrived here I wanted so desperatley to write something, not particularly that made any sense to others but made sense to me. Others here have written much some of it profound but what does it mean to me?
I wondered before I came how this place would make me feel I thought I had prepared but no nothing can prepare you. There have been so many stories of injustice. Houses demolished because the Israeli government can. People prevented from working, forced to queue from midnight in order to work the following day. We have seen conditions of living which you would think we illegal. Yet through all these stories through all these people comes grace. Grace to accept, grace to try and make sense grace to want to forgive. Our experiences are but a snapshot of their lives. Thank you for letting me in for you have changed my life forever.
Gracious God,
who sees beyond what we see,
who understands more than we can ever know,
help Palestine to be a land of peace,
to once again become a land flowing with milk and honey,
and may her people experience HOPE once more.
As we drove away from Hebron yesterday having been prevented by Israeli soldiers and settlers from going where we wanted. As we left Hebron yesterday having witnessed an Palestinian young man held a gunpoint for daing to ask (politely) why he could not continue I listened to the words of Micheal Franti on my Ipod and I leave them with you now.
I don't need a passport to walk on this earth
Anywhere I go cause I was made of this earth I'm
born of this earth, I breathe of this earth, and
even with the pain I believe in this earth So I
wake up every morning and I'm stepping on the
floor I wake up every morning and I'm stepping out
the door I got faith in the sky, faith in the one,
I got faith in the people walkin underneath the
sun Cause every bit of land is a holy land, and
every drop of water is a holy water, and every
single child is son or the daughter of the one
earth mama and the one earth papa So don't tell
a man that he cant come here, cause he got brown
eyes and a wavy kind of hair And don't tell a
woman that she cant go there, because she prays a
little different to a god up there You say
you're a Christian cause god made you, you say
you're a Muslim cause god made you, you say
you're a Hindu and the next man a Jew And then
we all kill each other cause god told us too?
Labels: Faith, Greenbelt, Holidays, Ministry
She's Back
And she brought shiny things with her!
But mostly she's just back!
Labels: Friends, Holidays, Stuff
Home Time
Ok it's official I miss her and it's time she came home, roll on Thursday!
Labels: Friends, Holidays
Sally Wanted Pictures
It's not often you get what you ask for so here it is our view for the next two weeks.
Perhaps this isn't what Sally meant, oh well will have to do for now. See you in two weeks!
Labels: Holidays
Happy Easter
Blog by bullet points:
K poorly
I'm shattered
Happy Easter
We are off to Scotland following church
Hooray
Labels: Holidays, Ministry, New Year, Stuff
Day 4
Started slowly on account of the fact the older two girls had what is laughingly called a sleepover, has to be said that K in particular longed for the sleep bit as she had to be up for Uni. Consequently K left the house like a bear with a sore head only to arrive and find the Uni car park full, not a good start to the day!
When eventually we set off the stop was at the prison (no not as punishment for keeping us awake all night) to drop off an Eid present for the Imam that I work with. I only had B with me as the other two were off doing there own thing. Only Sally came back with a suggestion for today a frankly well R could demolish a fiver in seconds in the Tr*ff*rd C*ntr* and she's only 9.
Anyway by the time we'd been to the prison it was lunch so it seemed fitting to go to my favourite coffee shop for lunch.
Toasted bagel with tuna mayo for me and the same in a baked potato for B. She also had a hot chocolate with cream, marsh mellows and chocolate sprinkles, this girl knows how to lunch.
After lunch off to the community farm to see the animals and take in nature.
However, when we pulled into the car park a bonus in the form of a large climbing wall. B was a little reluctant at first but soon lost her fear and was up like a shot (in fact she would like to again on day 5).
After she had scaled all four faces we moved on to the farm to look at the little cute animals. Pigs, bulls, chickens, sheep, birds and rabbits (alive before and after I left) however, I have to say it was this goat that I liked the most.
Day 5 will be less adventurous its my Mum's birthday so all the girls are off there and then staying the weekend as me and K head to Crewe for the Greenbelt Ops Weekend. Really looking forward to meeting up with everyone. They are such a great bunch of people but distance and diaries prevents me from seeing many off them as much as I would like. So no blogs till Monday now, when I will share stories from the weekend but I promise no pics!
Labels: Holidays
Day 3
Day 3 was quieter started with a trip to the dentist, no fillings yay! Then me and K took R to the pictures whilst the other girls did homework. We went to see Hoodwinked a modern day cartoon version of Little Red Riding Hood. I’ll not give the plot away not that there was much of one, all a little dull really, although the squirrel that seems to be obligatory in children’s films these days was quite funny. Still R enjoyed it and I guess that’s what counts. Not planned day 4 yet, suggestions on a postcard to.......
Labels: Holidays
Day 2
Well day 2 and lots planned. Early start off to catch the bus to Manchester and a visit to Urbis. Urbis is a museum looking at urban life. Sitting listening to a review of the Manchester bomb and subsequent re building of Manchester left quite sad. The events of that day reminded me of my all too close involvement in the Warrington bombings. However, I did chuckle at the comment on the video that the IRA had done more for town planning in Manchester than many before them. It was also good to be reminded of the story of this post box.
It was seen on many news reports in the after math of the bombing still standing despite the best efforts of terrorist bombs. After the redevelopment it was placed back in its original location as a symbol of hope and defiance and that Mancunians can overcome adversity. I enjoyed Urbis perhaps more than R although she did enjoy the glass elevator that takes you up the 45 degree angle of the building.
So then off to Blackpool, I need to be honest I’m not a big fan of Blackpool. I put it down to going there as a child. My parents didn’t have a car so Blackpool usually involved long walk, cold and wet weather. Today did little to change my opinion on that score at least. However, to be fair overall I enjoyed the day, I still enjoy seeing the smile on the children’s faces as they marvel at the lights. So we arrived early and I parked up and bought my ticked from the machine (take note of this point). We had decided to take the dog so we battled getting her out of the car, watered and ready for her walk along the golden sands. Arrr bit of a problem it seems Blackpool is in the middle of a multi million pound revamp and access to the golden sands is restricted so we settled for squelching along the prom. To make matters worse when we finally arrived at the one place we could gain access to the beach we discovered that dogs were prohibited until the end of November.
Not wishing it to spoil the day K and my Mum took H and R on the pier whilst K and myself and the dog (who was once again prohibited) took refuge on a bench. Millie the dog cried for the entire time they were gone, she cried and barked at: horse drawn carriages, donkeys, other dogs, seagulls. They we were sat on a bench in Blackpool in the rain with the worlds most complaining dog things couldn’t get worse I thought, it was at this point the seagull scored the direct hit on my coat! K and I advanced along the prom and treated ourselves to a hot chocolate. Just then the rest of the group appeared with hot donuts yes its true another likeness I share with Homer. We started the walk back to the car ready for the drive back through the lights wish by such time would be switched on.
I know the illuminations have their critics but I always have and still do like them, they are different if nothing else and well the drive through and the stop for fish and chips at the end have become something of a ritual in our family.
So we stopped for our fish and chips and very nice they were to, I collected the rubbish from the car and put it in the bin. It was wandering back to the car again that I noticed the parking fine, apparently having paid you are then meant to display not leave the ticket in the pocket of your jeans, DOH! You know though despite its ups and downs (note the rollercoaster link) the trip to Blackpool was great bring it on next year!
Labels: Holidays
Day 1
Day 1 saw a visit to the Imperial War Museum of the North. The first big plus was it met my first rules of engagement for this holiday in that entry was free of charge. The second bonus was that it is only minutes around the corner from where K is at Uni so given she had a four hour break she was able to come with us. We started off with lunch in the Lowry Outlet Village and then took the pleasant walk across the quays to the museum. The walk included crossing Salford’s very own wobbly bridge.
I was slightly sceptical as to how much I would enjoy this visit; I’m not a big fan of war stories and certainly dislike anything that appears to glorify war. I was pleasantly surprised far from glorifying war it highlighted the personal cost of war not just from long ago but recently. This had an effect on H and R and made them realise stories like these are more than TV images but real people. It was a good visit and good to spend time together. K bought a new teapot from the Lowry which meant the parking was free and seeing how the teapot was cheaper than the parking would have been I call that value for money! All round a good start to the week role on Urbis and then Blackpool.
Labels: Holidays
Holidays
I remembered to do it, I booked a week off, so this week Daddy and the kids (K is still in uni most of the week) wiil be doing the mostly free tourist attractions of the North West. Promise to post with pics as the week goes by. Monday starts with the Imperial War Museum North and Tuesday sees us move on to Urbis and then with K, my Mum and the dog head off for Blackpool a walk down the prom and see the lights!
Labels: Holidays
