I have been so encouraged. since my last post we decided to sit down in the evenings and have a prayer and study time with the kids. it went so well I had to be amazed not only encouraged.

The children actually came and asked if they could read to us because a cool book '50 of the Wierdest Bible Stories' had given them half the story and they had to read the other half from the bible.

We all sat down and hence were able to do the study that we had planned for the period from Christmas day through the 6th Jan.
We decided we would use the Catholic song 'The Twelve Nights of Christmas' .... My true love sent to me...

It has been a fruitful study and well recomended to anyone.

The children have been taken up their aunts and so we are left with baby mima and a messy messy house. We have taken time to tidy and to sort out the finances.

We have debts that we are trying very lazily to sort out and this year really needs to be the year we get it sorted. It is not that we spend too much it is that we purchase things without planning and saving and this includes things like the window replacements, kitchen etc when we were moving house.

We have also realised that we have not had the time to sit down together and really sort out where we want things to go and how we are getting things done. We seemt o just let life take us along its path and then hope that we can bring the children up in a way that is not too far from our hopes for them.

We have realised that this is really not working and we need to come up with a better plan.
stand strong on a decision especially if we feel the Holy Spirit is guiding that decision... Recognise that we need to pray as we make decisions where we feel the Holy Spirit maybe involved.

Have regular times for family prayer and Sabbath as we have been sporadic.

Ensure that the kids both study each evening and we are involved with their studies.

have a regular meal plan to save money

spend more time having fun with the kids

pocket money and banking plans

I did a talk for the crib service which did not go as I had planned. But I can only hope that for some a message sparked a thought which God may prick for his glory.

I need to practice talking and doing 'sermons' but it is difficult to get time. I wonder how others do this. I feel that with time and practice I will be ok, which is a good thing!

This is what I hope actually came across:What was actually said:

We have made these lanterns and they can hopefully hang on your Christmas trees as a reminder of what we have been thinking about this evening. We hope that the Light of Jesus, the light that Jesus can give our lives will be with us this Christmas.

It can get so busy with making the Christmas dinner, the clearing up, the snacks and all the other things that go on with all the stress that we end up not having the Joy and the peace we hoped and looked forward to all this time. We gear up for this one day and then it passes without us actually having any peace or joy, we miss the kids opening their presents.

We hope really that you as families will support and help each other this Christmas so that you can spend time together. Jesus is that light that can help and be there with you even if you are spending Christmas alone, no matter what stresses or what Christmas may be for you this year we hope that– the real meaning of Christmas, the life and light of Jesus, will be with you.

When we were in Norhtern Ireland we were guided by God we feel to read the Old Testament in the light of its meaning to the Jews. So we spent time trying to discover what meaning the Jewish people took from books, chapters and verses.

It was a wondrful time and what we learned will continue to be our aim and foundation in our family life.

The Sabbath being one of the most cherished parts of our week.

Asher and I have been talking tonight as I was asked by the DDO what would your gospel message be if someone asked. My reply was I don't have a gospel message as such.

This is because i feel that it is not my gospel message it is God who has a message and we are those who know and love him. So my message has to be that which God is speaking. And to whom I am speaking.

So I think that as asher said if someone asks this of you your best answer is 'I am my gospel message. I do not have my gospel message as I am not God. It cannot be my message and though I am a rough picture and one in the making I am part of Gods gospel message.

Asher and I are thinking over our times in the various places that we have lived and worshipped.

something I want to really remember is that:

we enjoyed being part of the Baptist fellowship so much. One aspect I really appreciated while with them is that they always approached the family rather than the individual in a family.

I thank the Baptist fellowship so much for all they have gaven us in the different areas of the country in which have lived. I hope to take all they have given us and hope to continue to reflect on what we have learnt.

Creativity
Children's work
prophecy
fellowship
preaching
women in ministry
activity of all members in life of church in community.

Not getting to church today I read through in the Church times by Martin Warner. he mentions that the media are able to judge people without actually taking responsibility for their words face to face.

I am placing this into the context of the family, both extended and nuclear. We can find the family situation either a wonderful and blessed haven or a tense and fragile see-saw. Perhaps part of the makeup of families is that our human desire to judge is so raw with those who know us so well. From my experience family members though they do know you well often miss very important aspects of our character and make up.

Perhaps is is partly this that moves us to judge and allow our opinions and 'wisdom' be known.

Jesus said about his own family 'I do not have a family' he said about his good friend 'get behind me satan'. He certainly did not mix his words. Of course we need to watch what we say and when we say it but surely then it is our behaviour also that needs to be slow and kind and respectful especially around family. Hard though it may be it is a lesson I need to learn.

Judge as others would judge you.

The Mahmoods:
Thank you to Badri and Ruhamah for hospitality and care.
with love

An experience vs Being Quietly Bold

I went to a coffee shop this week that I thought was going to have some Christian books. I went to look for Christmas gifts. It was a shame that though I think it was christian run there were no christian books it was all rather materialistic useless stuff. It got me thinking how often we dub down our faith so that people will 'enter'.

It reminds me of 'Why Go To Church' somewhere Radcliffe mentions that our society is now an 'experience' culture. We do not just go shopping we want a 'shopping experience'. When thinking like this how easy is it for us to try and get an 'experience' for people.

I am suddenly faced with a myriad of ideas for events things I would love to do but then I realise that this is not what I would like to produce at all. In fact I realise that if I were a producer then perhaps I would try but as it is I am best in my lounge praying and learning about how I can be bold from my own faith and experience rather than trying to meet a need in a culture that I am not sure is a lasting trend.

Whether it a lasting trend or not I feel that to be quietly bold and ready to spend time with people is better than producing 'experiences' that attract people.