General Chat

Good morning :-)

That's a lovely story Tabitha and certainly one to remember!

Glad your daughter is coping Sylvia - lots of memories are going to be made over this time.

Staying as normal as possible ... lol

The Lent Course
Psalm 147.1-11
1 Praise the Lord!
How good it is to sing praises to our God;
for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.
2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the broken-hearted,
and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars;
he gives to all of them their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.
6 The Lord lifts up the downtrodden;
he casts the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving;
make melody to our God on the lyre.
8 He covers the heavens with clouds,
prepares rain for the earth,
makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He gives to the animals their food,
and to the young ravens when they cry.
His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner;
11 but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.








From the earliest times people have looked to the sun and moon and worshipped them. And many people today still look to the stars to predict what will happen, expecting them to reveal their fate.

The psalms remind us that the glory of the heavens has been created by God, who names and cares for everything. Our lives are not determined by the stars – rather we trust in God in whom “we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17.28).

Like the stars, so the Church’s year follows set patterns, with links to the seasons. Find out more on the Church of England website about Rogationtide, Lammas Day and Creationtide. How might reclaiming these ancient traditions help today’s churches and communities?

Love to all, stay indoors and stay safe.

Cx :-)

It was my daughter's birthday today, she and her family are in quarantine in their home in Nova Scotia because they had been in the US when everything really blew up. They got home on Wednesday last week, and entered a 14 day mandatory quarantine. Luckily they had lots of friends who can help them out by bringing groceries, etc.

Anyway we mailed a birthday card, sent a Jacqui Lawson online card, and phoned her a couple of hours ago. She got her birthday gift several weeks ago.

As she put it ....... a birthday never to be forgotten. In quarantine, rain and snow then sun, unable to go further than their garden, and having to work from home!! Birthday dinner will be left overs from a take-in ordered from their favourite restaurant on Sunday

Certainly unforgettable!!! :-D

Hello all

Tabitha, claim to fame or what lol ??

Long lonely days by myself but needs must.
Thank goodness for facetime with the family.

Heavenly Father
Be close to those who are ill, afraid or in isolation,
In their loneliness, be their companion
In their anxiety, be their hope
In their darkness, be their light
Amen

Keep safe and stay well everybody X

Tabitha, the actor who played Crowe's adversary in Gladiator has recently

made another film in which he plays Jesus.

Cynthia - as usual your words and those of others on here bring back lovely memories.

I had just watched Gladiator and enjoyed it.

Went in to work and took over from my friend who had worked nights. She slipped me a piece of paper and asked me not to let it out of my sight. She wanted me to finish a booking she had started and to call her client at lunchtime as he would be up by then, as he was in New York. I looked at the notes and the piece of paper & realised she had given me Russell Crowe's mobile number. I was also told I could speak to Meg as well.

I finished the work and called him at lunchtime. The phone was answered by Meg who called out Russ, Young lady on the phone for you. He came to the phone and I didn't believe it was the real Russell Crowe as his voice was nothing like Gladiator. After a few ID checks (which proved it was indeed him) I gave him the details he wanted and he wished me a very pleasant day and to keep his number, and if he could help me, just give him a call.

I never did call him again - but the thought was there. My 5 minutes claim to fame, talking to Meg Ryan & Russell Crowe..

My friend and i were the talk of the office for quite a while.

Take care everyone and stay safe.

Good morning :-)

Sterner measures are now in place, but will people heed them? :-S


Gladiator was one of my husband's favourite films David. Russell Crowe was also good in the 2012 version of Robin Hood.


I am doing my best at being good - staying in with just an occasion visit to the shop maybe later in the week. Today I may tackle the garage.


The Lent Course

Genesis 15.1-6
15 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’ 2 But Abram said, ‘O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ 3 And Abram said, ‘You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.’ 4 But the word of the Lord came to him, ‘This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.’ 5 He brought him outside and said, ‘Look towards heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ 6 And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.

To be able to look up on a clear night sky and see the stars can take our breath away. The immensity of space that we see humbles us and enables us to glimpse a little of our immeasurable creator.

Abram (later renamed Abraham) couldn’t count the stars but believed that God’s promise to bless him and give him descendants would come to pass. Gazing at stars – so many we cannot count them – can remind us of God’s care, also beyond measure.

Make time this evening (or on the next clear night) to gaze at the night sky. Pause to reflect on how everything and everyone is bound to one another and to God.


Cx :-)

Last night I watched Russell Crowes film NOAH
It was very good or acted in my opinion.
He was better as Maximus, commander of the armies of the
north in the film GLADIATOR

Hello all

A very frost this morning which hopefully will help to kill off a few nasty bugs right now.

Thoughts and prayers for all NHS staff and other key workers who are working so hard to keep us safe in these challenging times.

God bless them all.

Cynthia thank you.
Have been self isolating for three weeks now so I expect
a gold star by the end of the time ;-)

Do look after yourself Cynthia and hope your family are
doing the same <3

Good morning :-)

Hope everyone is being sensible by keeping people at arm's length or staying at home. Emma, you sound so very happy and cosy in your new home. I hope you will be very happy there for many years to come.

Continuing the Lent Course

Genesis 1.14-19
14 And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.’ And it was so. 16 God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

We live by a natural rhythm of day and night, with that rhythm encoded in our DNA, and we know how it feels when that pattern is disrupted.

Ahead of the weekly pattern of rest we find on the seventh day (the sabbath), the fourth day in Genesis 1 sets out a daily cycle of waking and resting. Taking time on waking to dedicate our day to God and to review the day in thanksgiving and prayer before sleep is an ancient Christian tradition.

As we enter the second half of Lent, start and end your day with a prayer. Jesus taught his followers to pray every day. When you wake up, ask God to bless your day. And thank God before you go to sleep.

Cx :-)

kandj all settled in and enjoying our lovely
view and space thank you.

Look after yourselves everyone <3

Good morning :-)

Happy Mothering Sunday to all mums, grandmothers and Godmothers out there <3


Mothering Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Lent. Although it's often called Mothers' Day it has no connection with the American festival of that name.

Most Sundays in the year churchgoers in England worship at their nearest parish or 'daughter church'.

Centuries ago it was considered important for people to return to their home or 'mother' church once a year. So each year in the middle of Lent, everyone would visit their 'mother' church - the main church or cathedral of the area.

Inevitably the return to the 'mother' church became an occasion for family reunions when children who were working away returned home. (It was quite common in those days for children to leave home for work once they were ten years old.)

And most historians think that it was the return to the 'Mother' church which led to the tradition of children, particularly those working as domestic servants, or as apprentices, being given the day off to visit their mother and family.

As they walked along the country lanes, children would pick wild flowers or violets to take to church or give to their mother as a small gift.

Even though it is difficult for many to meet up today, love and prayers can travel anywhere.

A prayer of thanks
Thank you, Lord, for all who care
Bless them with your love.
Thanks for mothers everywhere
Bless them with your love.
For those who brighten up our day
Bless them with your love.
Who always have the right words to say
Bless them with your love.
Thanks for hugs, and love and smiles
Bless them with your love.
Thanks for all those extra miles
Bless them with your love.
And when they feel they’re not enough
Bless them with your love.


Love to all. Cx :-)

Hello all

Vera I am always inspired by the words of Maya Angelou so thanks for your posting.

David, I hope that your toothache has settled down.

Emma, are you all sorted out in your new home now?

Cynthia, your Lent Course readings are interesting.

At such an anxious time all around, let's not forget our neighbours who might be experiencing difficulties

Heavenly Father
Help us to be mindful of those around us
and to offer help and care for their needs.
In this time of great anxiety, give us strength
to comfort the fearful and to reassure the isolated.
In your names sake,
Amen.

Best wishes tto Cynthia and family and to all the others :-D <3

Thank you Cynthia for another lovely week.
A place of sanity away from the maddening hoards :-D

Stay safe and well everyone <3

Thank you as always Cynthia.

I find a lot of things that Maya Angelou has said quite inspirational and comforting. Here are a couple of quotes that seem relevant to the current situation.

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude”. Something we could bear in mind when we’re tempted to hoard.

“No matter what happens, or how bad things seem today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow”.

This morning OH and I have been for a walk in a country park near us where we could get some exercise but keep away from people. We hardly saw anyone but one lady walking her dog called out to us from a short distance away “How can things be so wrong in the world on such a beautiful day?” The sun was shining, the birds were singing and we were looking at a lovely calm view. It did us good to focus on some God-given positives.

Special thoughts for all in need of help right now.

Good morning :-)


Maintaining as much normality as possible :-D


The Lent Course

Leviticus 25.1-5
25 The Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying: 2 Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: When you enter the land that I am giving you, the land shall observe a sabbath for the Lord. 3 For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather in their yield; 4 but in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of complete rest for the land, a sabbath for the Lord: you shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. 5 You shall not reap the aftergrowth of your harvest or gather the grapes of your unpruned vine: it shall be a year of complete rest for the land.

Allowing land to lie fallow – rather than always seeking to gain all that you can from it – is the way God taught his people to farm, and also to live.

Buying and consuming as much as we can and feeling we must have more can become a habit. We can also look at others and imagine that the more productive they are, the more valuable. The sabbath principle challenges us to think differently, to live more sustainably.

Buying local seasonal produce helps support biodiversity as well as reducing carbon emissions. Try to buy local for at least two meals in the coming week. (Lots of links to local farm shops on Facebook I have noticed) :-D


Cx :-)

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few (Matt 6:12-13).

Hello all

A frosty start but much brighter now.

New every morning is the love
Our wakening and uprising prove
Through sleep and darkness safely brought
Restored to life and power and thought.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
His mercies never come to an end;
They are new every morning:
(lamentations 3 v 22-23) English Standard Version

Keep safe everybody.

Good morning :-)

There is so much information flying around that I am quite dizzy with it all.....as are so many others. I can't keep up with the way things are altering all the time... :-S :-S

Anyway, let's keep going with the Lent Course

John 15.1-4, 7-9
15 ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.



Jesus was surrounded by trees throughout his ministry. He was hailed by palm branches when he entered Jerusalem, and a few days later was nailed to a wooden cross, wearing a crown of thorns.

Jesus speaks of himself as the vine, with branches that draw their strength and fruitfulness from him. Jesus’ disciples, then and now, are invited to abide in him through prayer, and bear the pruning necessary for new growth and fruitfulness.

Prune your life of those things which are taking up unnecessary space in your everyday living - let go of the things which hold you back - embrace that which enriches and blesses.


Love to all

Cx :-)