Saturday, October 30, 2010

The perculiar world of the British carnival

British carnivals are very weird things. Crowds me people lining damp streets as handmade floats and majorettes and marching bands go by. We coo at the little kids in costume and laugh at men in tights and throw coppers at buckets. All very strange, all very odd but oh so entertaining.

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The majorwrecks, a carnival favourite

Men in white fishnets. Yummy.

The perculiar world of the British carnival

British carnivals are very weird things. Crowds me people lining damp streets as handmade floats and majorettes and marching bands go by. We coo at the little kids in costume and laugh at men in tights and throw coppers at buckets. All very strange, all very odd but oh so entertaining.

Posted via email from Alex Tarling

The majorwrecks, a carnival favourite

Men in white fishnets. Yummy.

Posted via email from Alex Tarling

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Small days

Mornings are full of rush and worry and I can't find it. Not finding
it is difficult when it's the dvd of songs we're supposed to play at
church today because the worship leader is away. Then the computer
doesn't work at church, and we don't have the words in the old hymn
books for the chosen songs. But someone turns up who was supposed to
be working or can play guitar, and sing, and the curate's nt bad too,
and the computer magically finally turns on.

So there is a service, and there is music, and it is good. We hear
about the healing of the man with demons where Jesus casts them out
into the pigs, and we hear about healing our own demons through God's
love, and how words and memories can be things to you need to be set
free from.

And I think of my own difficult memories. What would I like God to
heal me of? I want to let go of the me in the past that wasn't so
nice. I want to be able to forgive that old me and concentrate on
being a better me.

And I want healing for the memories of earlier this year, of the
things I'm still not sure how to think of, and deal with. I had to
have an operation earlier in the year that has lead to me having
reduced fertility.

I want God's grace to see this as part of my journey and not as
something that sometimes makes me catch my breath when I notice my
scars or suddenly get hit by a burst of sharp pain when I twist
awkwardly to reach something. It still hurts that there was a tiny
parasitic life that I didn't even know existed that caused me so much
pain, and was ended swiftly, but now should I ever want to have any
children has reduced my chances. I don't even think I want them as
they are smelly, and expensive and make you miserable, but for a
moment I had one.

So God, if you're listening, if you're there, please can you help with
this one? Please give me the words to say when mothers in law make
jokes about grandchildren I might not be able to have and possibly
don't want. Please give me you peace and your calm.

You knew this one before it was made and started being knitted together.

So I go home, and I make food out of there's nothing in the the fridge
or the cupboard, and I even make my own tartare sauce for the fish
finger sandwhich.

And I cut fabric out in nice rounded shapes, and fold pleats and iron
and tack ready for when I haul out the sewing machine and make this
batch of Christmas presents.

I jokingly ask for steak and chips for tea, and Tom cooks it, and we
sit in our lovely little house watching sci-fi and just being, and
everything is grand and will be ok. Essays are written, and God
reveals tiny trickling parts of her grace as I take sustenance from
the hallowed activity of the ordinariness of small days.

Small days

Mornings are full of rush and worry and I can't find it. Not finding
it is difficult when it's the dvd of songs we're supposed to play at
church today because the worship leader is away. Then the computer
doesn't work at church, and we don't have the words in the old hymn
books for the chosen songs. But someone turns up who was supposed to
be working or can play guitar, and sing, and the curate's nt bad too,
and the computer magically finally turns on.

So there is a service, and there is music, and it is good. We hear
about the healing of the man with demons where Jesus casts them out
into the pigs, and we hear about healing our own demons through God's
love, and how words and memories can be things to you need to be set
free from.

And I think of my own difficult memories. What would I like God to
heal me of? I want to let go of the me in the past that wasn't so
nice. I want to be able to forgive that old me and concentrate on
being a better me.

And I want healing for the memories of earlier this year, of the
things I'm still not sure how to think of, and deal with. I had to
have an operation earlier in the year that has lead to me having
reduced fertility.

I want God's grace to see this as part of my journey and not as
something that sometimes makes me catch my breath when I notice my
scars or suddenly get hit by a burst of sharp pain when I twist
awkwardly to reach something. It still hurts that there was a tiny
parasitic life that I didn't even know existed that caused me so much
pain, and was ended swiftly, but now should I ever want to have any
children has reduced my chances. I don't even think I want them as
they are smelly, and expensive and make you miserable, but for a
moment I had one.

So God, if you're listening, if you're there, please can you help with
this one? Please give me the words to say when mothers in law make
jokes about grandchildren I might not be able to have and possibly
don't want. Please give me you peace and your calm.

You knew this one before it was made and started being knitted together.

So I go home, and I make food out of there's nothing in the the fridge
or the cupboard, and I even make my own tartare sauce for the fish
finger sandwhich.

And I cut fabric out in nice rounded shapes, and fold pleats and iron
and tack ready for when I haul out the sewing machine and make this
batch of Christmas presents.

I jokingly ask for steak and chips for tea, and Tom cooks it, and we
sit in our lovely little house watching sci-fi and just being, and
everything is grand and will be ok. Essays are written, and God
reveals tiny trickling parts of her grace as I take sustenance from
the hallowed activity of the ordinariness of small days.

Posted via email from Alex Tarling

Friday, October 22, 2010

I found this blog...

... and read it from cover to cover so to speak. And then I lost the
link. The beauty of her writing, and the simplicity of her life are
both so inspiring:

http://www.aholyexperience.com/

I found this blog...

... and read it from cover to cover so to speak. And then I lost the
link. The beauty of her writing, and the simplicity of her life are
both so inspiring:

http://www.aholyexperience.com/

Posted via email from Alex Tarling

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

A hospitable challenge

I saw this and it hit me. I want to be this person. When we were on honeymoon, the lovely people who leant us their holiday house, also gave us bags of groceriess, fresh veg from their massive garden, and a painting by a local artist as a wedding gift.

That was the second time we'd met them.

Such huge colossal generosity. I could see the love of God through it. It touched me, hit me, unconditional, without motive. Just love.

I wanted to know what translation this uses, but I can't find it.

1 Peter 4:9 (NRSV)

9Be hospitable to one another without complaining
1 Peter 4:9 (New International Version)

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
1 Peter 4:9 (Amplified Bible)

Practice hospitality to one another (those of the household of faith). [Be hospitable, be a lover of strangers, with brotherly affection for the unknown guests, the foreigners, the poor, and all others who come your way who are of Christ's body.] And [in each instance] do it ungrudgingly (cordially and graciously, without complaining but as representing Him).
1 Peter 4:9 (Contemporary English Version)

Welcome people into your home and don't grumble about it.
1 Peter 4:9 (New Living Translation)

Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.

So here's my challenge to you. Want to join me in finding ways to be hospitable, because well, it's the thing to do?

And how can I be hospitable to you?
1 Peter 4:9 (The Message)

Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully.
1 Peter 4:9 (New Century Version)

Open your homes to each other, without complaining.

Posted via email from Alex Tarling

A hospitable challenge

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I saw this and it hit me. I want to be this person. When we were on honeymoon, the lovely people who leant us their holiday house, also gave us bags of groceriess, fresh veg from their massive garden, and a painting by a local artist as a wedding gift.

That was the second time we'd met them.

Such huge colossal generosity. I could see the love of God through it. It touched me, hit me, unconditional, without motive. Just love.

I wanted to know what translation this uses, but I can't find it.

1 Peter 4:9 (NRSV)

9Be hospitable to one another without complaining
1 Peter 4:9 (New International Version)

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
1 Peter 4:9 (Amplified Bible)

Practice hospitality to one another (those of the household of faith). [Be hospitable, be a lover of strangers, with brotherly affection for the unknown guests, the foreigners, the poor, and all others who come your way who are of Christ's body.] And [in each instance] do it ungrudgingly (cordially and graciously, without complaining but as representing Him).
1 Peter 4:9 (Contemporary English Version)

Welcome people into your home and don't grumble about it.
1 Peter 4:9 (New Living Translation)

Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.

So here's my challenge to you. Want to join me in finding ways to be hospitable, because well, it's the thing to do?

And how can I be hospitable to you?
1 Peter 4:9 (The Message)

Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless???cheerfully.
1 Peter 4:9 (New Century Version)

Open your homes to each other, without complaining.

Monday, October 11, 2010

I love my husband

This is what greeted me when I came in from my driving lesson today.

Posted via email from Alex Tarling

I love my husband

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This is what greeted me when I came in from my driving lesson today.

I had a birthday.

I almost I forgot I had a birthday, because of the wedding. But with lovely people like Mel, and Martin, and Rob and Louise making special appearance, a good time was had by all.

It was especially nice to have Ellie, my sister there. Now we're grownups, we have so much in common, and I didn't know. It's a thrill to discover a good friend I had all along.

Posted via email from Alex Tarling

I had a birthday.

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I almost I forgot I had a birthday, because of the wedding. But with lovely people like Mel, and Martin, and Rob and Louise making special appearance, a good time was had by all.

It was especially nice to have Ellie, my sister there. Now we're grownups, we have so much in common, and I didn't know. It's a thrill to discover a good friend I had all along.