Sunday's word

Today we went to a new small church in Larchamp. 
The singing and the word were in French so I only understood a few words - those bible verses that were used. 

These ones stood out to me today:

Luke 14:33
So you cannot become my disciples without giving up everything you own. 

Matthew 6:33 
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 

Psalm 127:2
It is useless for you to work so hard
from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat; 
for God gives rest to his loved ones. 

https://www.biblegateway.com

All we like sheep have gone astray - Handel's Messiah

Fungi

Fantastic fungi

Growing on wood and other rotting material

Stereum hirsutum

Sulfur Tuft (Hypholoma fasciculare)

Turkey Tail

Waking up on the first day

This morning was damp, windy and cold. The sun shone through breaks in the cloud and the clouds bounded along in the sky. 

Young Archie 

Update on our adventures (2)

During this 2015 we have been on quite a journey.

I went on "Dare to Dream": an interactive course which helped me discover and fulfill more of God's dream for my life, allowing plenty of space for reflection and listening to God which has enabled me to give voice to my deepest desires, to listen more closely to His "still small voice" within me, to be inspired by the lives of others and to take concrete steps towards achieving my revealed goals. 

Also Roger and I joined Richard and Kathy Pitt at Aldermoor Farm and together we formed a new Connect Group (house group). We have met and shared life's journey with some lovely people; the group growing from four to seven members.

We have been on holiday to Wales in early June with Roger's brother John; helped out at Le Vay, Maisoncelles La Jourdan, France in July; to Ireland on a Mission trip to Kilorglin, Co Kerry with 5 other people from church and to Gibraltar to see my old school friend and her family.

I left the University of Southampton in June and had 3 months not working in the summer and started a new job at Fareshare in September.

The 23rd December was the last day at work for us both. We plan to spend up to a year in France at LeVay, the house that our Church owns. It's a 7 bed-roomed farmhouse, with 3 acres and animals etc and guests throughout the year. We will be living in community with another Michael & Amanda and journeying together. 

So now we are off to France on the overnight ferry on Tuesday 5th January 2016. 

We have let out our house for the long term covering our mortgage and house expenses.

Meanwhile since we made our decision to help out there, the church has decided to sell the house with the last booking for people to stay being early August. So we will be returning to England to we don't know where or what to..... exciting ....homeless and jobless.

Our address in France will be:

Le Vay, 

14500 MAISONCELLES LA JOURDAN, 

France. 

Tel: 02 31 68 90 93.

Berry picking...

Yesterday Grace and I went berry picking, it was her first day outside after her operation so we took it slowly. 

We went down to the Oakley Beat on the River Test. Roger used to work here as a River Keeper for the National Trust Mottisfont.  

Looking towards the Oakley Hut  where Halford spent all his summers in the early 20th century until he hies in 1914.

Closer view of the River Test

One of the oaks on the river bank

The Mottisfont Oak, thought to be between 800 to 1000 years old!


Crocuses under the gate

Looking down stream towards Mottisfont

After looking around we drove up Back Lane and into the car park for a walk in the woods.  As we were walking we were looking and listening to the sounds of the wood... squirrels jumping from branch to branch... birds calling to one another... movement in the undergrowth, could have been Blackbirds foraging for worms and beetles... and then a larger group of rustling - we saw a herd of Deer run off to our right. 

We picked lots of berries - Hawthorne, Sloe, Blackberries and rose hips. 
I think I will make this Hawthorne Jelly recipe. 

Update on our adventures...

We have been and visited the town we were hoping to go to... no change at the moment. 

However we have gone and prayed in the church, and prayed with the Minister, who is feeling devastated at the moment. We will go for another visit in October and then November and see where that leads. 

I have finished the job I have held for seven years. I am glad to have finished and I am looking forward to some new challenges. 

 I eventually prayed for a  good job with the temporary agency my employers have and the day after I had prayed I was having some discussions with some senior managers who identified a problem which required someone with the knowledge I have for a short period of time to make some improvements. I offered myself and they have created a 3 month temporary job at my grade with the same day off I currently have...  God is good all the time.

I start on Tuesday 7th October and am looking forward to the new challenge while we wait for God's plans. 

This last week or two has been hard for both Roger and I...  we have been questioning what we have heard and is this opportunity right for us...  I have come to the conclusion that we mustn't listen to this.. The Lord has prepared our hearts and we feel called.... We must go in HIS timing. 

... What has been happening?

Well we are in August now, we have finished the Ignite course. 

We have had an opportunity to work with a church in the South West. We have had meetings with the minister, whose projects we are on-board with, he wants to set up a food-bank, teach people to cook, encourage the local community and those with learning difficulties into worship. We have met some of the church stewards and they are keen for help and assistance. We have visited the town twice now. Roger has even applied for a job at the local University. We had coffee with the minister in a local coffee shop there and a lady who none of us knew handed us a piece of paper and written on it was Numbers 6:24-26, the priestly blessing. Everything looks good for going ahead. We have both resigned from our jobs, tenants lined up for our house, started looking for accommodation there. 

Then yesterday I received a phone call from the minister to hear that the whole project has been pulled. 

As you can imagine, we are shocked right now. 

BUT God has a plan, a good and perfect plan for our lives, in that I do not doubt. 

So we are waiting, contemplating, praying...