Wednesday - the kids are coming :@)

We've got our godchildren coming to stay this weekend and are out tomorrow night so have cleared flat up and got all the baby and child stuff out. Here's kiddicorner.

Tuesday - Bridesmaid dress shopping day

2 very happy chilled out babes after a hard morning shopping.

Monday's pic

Me at 7.15am about to embark on 4 days of madness - otherwise known as half term lol -x-

"Leftovers"

Mark warming up the leftovers from last night for lunch - this is what was left after we pigged out last night - how much food was there to start with then?

LOTS!

1st Photo

Valentine's Mansion just renovated with £2 million heritage lottery money.

It was a good day to start my new project. Walked from Mark's mum through Valentines park to valentines mansion for the open day. WOW what an impressive restoration!

Lovely day, lovely scenary, lovely restored 17th century house.

Doing a new thing

Well i've been sat thinking today and I used to always have my camera practically surgically attached to me (to the annoyance of many of my friends in my teenage years) but I seem to be taking less and less pictures. So I am going to endeavour to take a new photo everyday well at least average it out and take 7 new photo's a week (gotta give myself a fighting chance once the novelty wears off a bit as it always does with new projects)
Some days may not seem particularly interesting but I shall post everyday's photo on here. (again I doubt I will post it everyday but will do it periodically).
So as from tomorrow I should be blogging a lot more frequently at even if its just a picture on some occasions.

25 Random Facts

Thought I would also post this on here as I went to the effort of doing this exercise in the first place!

Mainly put it on here for those not on/no longer on facebook - Ed you are a pain! Lol!

Firstly explanation of how I came to do it-
Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

25 Random Facts

I am a nanny.The girls I look after are 9 and 11!

I do really enjoy the girls being off for the school holidays, but only 1 week at a time.

During the school holidays I usually only eat and sleep when I get home cos I’m knackered.

I’ve never wanted to do anything else career wise other than look after children.

I don’t work on a Friday.

I do have PROPER job despite what other people may refer to it as :@)

I got engaged 2 days before my birthday.

Getting married 22nd May 2010.

Really looking forward to my honeymoon – Holiday of a lifetime!

I’m not particularly looking forward to the long flight – I get too Fidegety

I really do believe my fiancé is my soulmate.

I never believed in Soulmates till I was with my Mark. (Yes I know it sounds slushy)

Me and Mark ideally want 2 kids.

We have a fair idea of what we’d call our children. Although it won’t stop us having fun with the baby names book.

I have played the tenor horn since I was 8.

I really do love playing my tenor horn (although I don’t get much opportunity to play it)

I am currently (technically) a percussionist in Thundersley Brass Band (much to my dad’s amusement)

I have 2 gorgeous Godchildren

They are the Children of 2 of our 3 best mates.

I hate washing up – with a vengeance.

I have a blog.

I would blog more often but don’t really have that much to say that often (in a blog that is)

My current favourite car is a Ford S-max, which I think makes me very strange. But I just like it and its practical, what can I say I’m very odd.

I’m very much looking forward to living in a house, having lived in a flat for the last 3 and a half years – need more space!

This exercise has really made me think, which I’ve liked.

Where I'm up to - Yes I know its been ages!

Well hi-de-hi here I am, yes Ed finally.
Day off due to snow so ideal time to update my blog.
So whats happened/ been going on since August?

Well I suppose I should start with the obvious - Yes I am engaged to my lovely man Mark yay :@)
January 24th top of the London Eye he got down on 1 knee and asked me to marry him woop woop yay :@)!!!!!!!
So on Saturday 22nd May 2010 I will become Mrs Hambleton.

(Pic taken 2 mins after he proposed)

On a slightly less impressive note I've rearranged my lounge so I now have floor space and everything has a home and nothing lives on the floor woo hoo!

Oh yes, I now have a new Godson who is the cutest little boy, his name is Mark :@)
Brother of my God daughter Bethany

Well thats about it really am happy with life, but not a lot else to report.

If I think of anything else I will blog again

August 08

Well here I am at the end of my 2 weeks holiday from work.
Thought it was about time I updated.
Over my 2 weeks off I have done next to nothing and its been absolutely great!

Yesterday I ordered a new sofa, and although its pretty sad i'm well excited. I've been living in my flat 3 and a half years and have never bought my own let alone a brand new sofa.
Here is my new sofa, it won't be cream it'll be "camel" which is a browny cream. Well happy.

Anyway update on the girls. Every year they go to a holiday club in the 2nd week of the summer holidays, its run by churches together in Hornchurch and I have to say its fab, anyway i digress. This year one of the new songs they learnt really stuck and Jess asked if they could get it on Cd I of course obliged and so they sang it all the more actions and all of course :@) That weekend Mark and I babysat and low and behold of course he has to endure/enjoy a performance of said song, but it was well worth it. Following the song Jess asked if we would read the bible with her :@) :@) :@) so we sat down and went over one of the passages they learnt at holiday club (about walking on water) and Jess had a real grasp of it and completely understood it and had remembered it perfectly. I then asked Jess if she knew what the words of the song meant, she had a vague grasp and Mark and I filled in the blanks and associated it with a paasage in the bible as well as an illustration using a candle that sits on the table everyday.

The words of the song are;

Shine, from the inside out, That the world will see you live in me,

You know me, and you love me, you fill me, so send me.

Shine from the inside out, so that the world will see you live in me

Know me, love me, fill me, send me.

I think the song is awesome, so simple yet profound and gave us a great talking point. I was grinning from ear to ear for the rest of the evening. God really gave us a fantastic opportunity and we used it to the best of our ability. Not only was I able to share that amazing opportunity of sharing the bible and God with Jess mark and I did it together and it was a great experience.

Later that week completely out of the blue, jess once again asked if i'd read the bible with her. We must have sat there for over an hour reading and chatting and sharing I was in complete awe of the opportunity God had given not once but twice in one week.

More update to follow at a later date........

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Just completed the spiritual gifts questionnaire (last one I did was 3 years ago)
Sitting thinking and evaluating in my head, just wanted to get down my thoughts.

In a period of limbo.
Of waiting.
Of sitting and waiting God's time.
Learning in a period of rest and stillness.
Not able to DO.
Just having to BE.


Could say a lot about the situation at the Corps, but i'm not going to.

Just the above thoughts.

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Encouragement and Opportunites Update 1 WOW!

Well what a week! I've been so encouraged and thankful for the opportunities that have been put in front of me.

Following my blog last week Jessie's bible arrived the next day and I gave it to her. She wanted to start from the beginning, so we went out in the sunshine last Wednesday afternoon and I sat with Jessie reading her bible - WOW!

She read the first 7 Chapters of the bible in her first sitting. She stopped occasionally and passed the occasional comment like "I understand that now" or "that makes a bit more sense now" I was just beaming from ear to ear and thanking God for the inquisitive little lady I had the priviledge of introducing to the bible and to God - WOW!

There was one question she asked (I think it was about the intricasies of Cain and Abel, and I was just honest with her and said to be honest Jess I don't know the answer to that, but I can find out if you'd like.

When Jess and I went inside I had the chance to have a chat with Becky who asked if she could have a bible like Jess's. So Ipromptly ordered her one and got it delivered to her house as I would be awasy at the weekend. I went to work yesterday and it had arrived and she'd read about creation and Noah already and then went on to read up to genesis 7 yesterday. Wow!

I had a brief chat with Julie (their mum) and said I hoped it was alright that i'd bought Jess a bible and explained the conversation i'd had with Jess. She then went on to tell me that Jess had also asked mummy and daddy if she could have a bible and they were going to get her one, so she thanked me for getting one for her! Thank you God for willing parents.

I really do feel honoured, excited and nervous about this new doorway God is presenting to me. I spend 4 days a week with these girls and love them to pieces and am really excited about them genuinely wanting to know and find out more. It's all coming from them and i'm taking it slowly - baby steps, prompted by them and where this may lead I am not sure, I am just so happy and pleased that we're going down this road at all. I'm trusting God step by step after all tiny mustard seeds and all that!

Please continue to pray for me and Becky and Jessie and their mum and dad and I'll keep you updated :@)

Encouragement and Opportunites

Whilst I could blog about roots, i'm still processing all that stuff but the current thing occupying my thoughts is to do with a conversation last week.
I was taking the girls (Jessie age 8, Becky age 11) out bowling last Thursday as it was polling day and as they climbed into the back of my car noticed my bible on the back seat, they've seen it a fair few times before and so didn't think anything of it - or so I thought. Until we'd got a little way down the road and Jessie asked me "Do you have to have to take a bible to church" I replied no you don't and whilst thinking about what I was going to say next Jessie chirps in with "you just like to take it" so I said yes I did. Now the girls know I go to church every Sunday and also go to 1 or 2 church related things during the week. So little conversations about choir practice, band practice and bible study occasionally crop up. But this was a new one on me and I was and still am challenged and encouraged by what Jess said next. She told me she didn't have a bible which I queried so she explained that she did have one but it was a small one that she got at her Christening. (Becky then chirped in that she only got ornaments at her Christening - which is a whole other blog altogether) Jessie said that she could read the bible she had because the writing was so small. Then she went on to say that she'd really like a bible so she could read some of it and read about Jesus.
Well, there's a whole load of directions I could have taken the conversation. Knowing the girls as I do I kept it simple and relaxed and simply asked if she would like me to buy her a bible. She said yes please i'd like that. So having thought about which one to buy her I have now ordered Jessie a bible. I am now praying that God will give me the right words in conversations with the girls and the right approach for this situation. I want to be a positive encouragemnt to the girls without coming across to the parents as trying to "convert" the girls. Both parents attended church when they were younger and the girls go to church for church parade, so I'm sure it won't but I am wanting to tread carefully, yet effectively.
So I had what you could call a WOW moment last Thursday, and am looking forward to seeing where God wants to take this. Please pray for me and Becky, Jessie and their parents as it seems God has opened a doorway for me and I thank him for that.

Where I'm at.

Have just been preparing the material for small groups this week and wanted to note down a few things I have drawn from it.
So although these verses may not make sense to anyone else reading them. Wanted to share them and also get them down somewhere I could easily refer to them.

Selected verses from Matthew 5, 6 and 7.

God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.

Pray for those who persecute you. In that way you will be acting as a true child of God
By loving and praying for our enemies we can overcome evil with good.

Watch out, don’t do your good deeds publicly to be admired by others. Give your gifts in private, and your father, who sees everything will reward you.
Do things because they are right and you mean and believe in them, God knows your heart and will reward actions that come from your heart.

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for.
Keep on seeking and you will find.
Keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you.

Please pray for me that I'll not just be able to tolerate those who are "enemies" but that I will be able to love them and treat them in the way I would wish to be treated and not in the way they are treating me.

Sorry heavy blog but just "where i'm at" as the title says.
I'm generally happy, just would appreciate your prayers for this one area.
Love to all who read this -x-

New Year, New Experiences?

Well yes and no.
The start of 2008 has been how shall I say hmmm INTERESTING.

Well I entered 2008 in a new relationship, which of course is a good thing - at least for me. However to some people it is a controversial relationship for many different reasons.

I realise people will and do have some concerns and issues with the situation and if you are one of them reading this then please feel free to talk to me about it and we can chat it over. I'd much rather that than have people stew on it, or worse still react in a negative way about it. I don't bite.

So the start of 2008 has had its ups and downs. Its been very much a mixed bag both experiences and emotions and also reactions.

The good thing to come out of this (other than my relationship with Mark, who I click with more than anybody i've ever come into contact with before) is that due to some peoples behaviour its pushed me even closer in my relationship with God, both as me but also as part of a couple. I've never had the experience of praying with my other half before and yes it was strange at first but its a great thing and can only help to bring as closer as a couple as time goes on.
The thing that is strange yet comforting is that however people react good or bad when they find out whatever happens this just feels right. Its hard to explain but it just does, with all the issues that go with it it just feels right and with all the turbulance going on around me at times inside i feel at peace. God's pretty amazing sometimes. I've always said God has a sense of humour and I believe that now more than ever. I just know God must have something pretty amazing planned and is using this situation to mould, train and equip us for whatever lies ahead. Which in itself is pretty scary. But my life is in his hands and thats where its staying so hey lets see what happens next.

Time

Ok so here I am again 2 months on - ah that'd be whoops then!

Truth is I suppose i haven't really had anything interesting to say so just haven't said anything.

Well, its now the 11th December (14 sleeps to go by the way) and my main thought at the moment is (other than the hundreds of little ones) Where does the time go?

I'm half way through the Christmas programme. 2 carolling stints done, 2 to go. 2 Sundays in advent gone, 2 to go. Less than 2 working weeks till Christmas and I suppose more importantly 2 weeks today till Christmas Day.

I was chatting with some of my friends on Sunday about the "headless chicken race" and where we were at. At th moment in the grand scheme of things yeah its nice to think we're half way through, but at the same time we're still climbing to the peak of the mountain. Work and preparation wise we haven't yet completed the big tasks, we're half way through at the army time wise but not work wise. We will have reached the peak of our "mountain" and be sliding leisurely back down the other side from Sunday.

Saturday is the big one. Me and Alan and Mark put the stable up (that is after 2 hours of carolling and once we have counted the money) So long day Saturday but once its done we can then relax and enjoy the winding down before Chrismas.

The start of the Christmas season also got me thinking I will have been doing the band for 2 years in January! I was astounded by that 2 YEARS. It's certainly been an interesting 2 years and in some respects its been a long 2 years but really its whizzed by.

Some the question i'm still asking and continue to ask is

Where does the time go?

(Hope this was ok for you Liz :@)

Rambly Blog, but just how it spilled out of my brain - Hope it makes sense

Well, well, well, here I am again. Think i must be aiming for a once a month blog lol.

What a weekend! The Main Event has been and gone, and it was fantastic. I spent the weekend in the kids venue which was totally awesome! God is great! he really blessed the children and the team over the weekend. Keeping kids from 5 - 12 years happy, interested and in touch with the love of God on their own level is no mean feat but i believe by the grace of God it was managed during the weekend.

It really did bring home to me how much i miss being part of childrens ministries on a week to week basis. But at the same time I know God's timing is perfect - let me explain;
I really do miss doing what i did over the weekend at Ilford. But at the same time I know that with my current commitments - both army and work, it just isn't feasible to add another thing - it wouldn't be fair to me or the kids at the army. But I also don't believe that God is going to waste my talents and that part of my calling. Coming home from the weekend (and subsequently being ill (I thank God that my cold didn't take complete hold until Monday - when i then lost my voice) its given me time to think and evaluate.
I truly believe (and have for a while) that I am where God wants me to be, doing what he wants me to do at the moment. I'm currently leading the band and am a small groups leader and I'm loving and getting a lot from both of those things. But i think that at some point in time there will be a shift and I will have the opportunity and necessaary time and focus to be able to fulfil the other part of my calling, which i believe to be in childrens ministries. So I am waiting Gods time, but i know time is never wasted when you are doing what God wants you to do.
I am in the place God wants me to be, doing what God wants me to do and will endeavour to continue doing so by not limiting God and by continuing to listen to him and following his leading down whatever paths he chooses.

Thanks to Liz for giving me the chance to be a part of the kids main event and hopefully I will get the chance to be part of many more kids events in the future.

The Summer is over and Bec is blogging!

Well what do you know i'm blogging for the first time nearly 2 months.

Well a lot has happened in that time yet also not a lot has happened!

I would love to attribute my none blogging to the summer holidays but alas that would be an outright lie. Although I have still been keeping up to date on other peoples blogs I have simply been lacking the want or need to blog. But as I am child free as of 8.45am this morning thought that I would. I don't usually necessarily relish in the girls going back to school but for some reason this year I have. This morning I dropped them both off just before 8.45 (the doors always open earlier on the first day back - silly teachers, more fool them lol) and decided to treat myself to a sit down in one of the cafe's a hot chocolate and half an hour pure indulgent me time. I then did some bits in upminster and now here I am.

Well, what has been going on since I last blogged? Thats a very good question! I'm not actually that sure but looking at my diary here's a quick round up (Sorry for lack of pic's and photo's am at work so there aren't really any.

Since July 11th -

New Harry Potter Film came out - saw it the day before public release (so no-one could spoil it for me

Took the girls to see the Simpsons Movie 2 days before it officially came out - they were most impressed by that! (easily pleased hey?!?)

New Harry Potter book came out and read said book.

Took the girls to Southend for the day (which we do every summer) always a knackering but absolutely fantastic day and this year was no exception. As there are 2 of them I usually enlist the help of one of my friends for "a day of fun" and also cos the girls like different rides and more to the point dislike different rides logistacally I need another person. This year I let the girls suggest who we should invite and they chose my friend Mark ha ha ha ha. Now I know he enjoyed the day and the girls certainly enjoyed having him there but although I tried to describe what he was letting him in for - words just aren't adequate - you have to experience it - and experience it he did! That's what I call a baptism of fire lol!

Had a Christmas programme planning meeting - so yes in the summer holidays i have had to think about Christmas! But worse than that, due to the new practice schedule at Ilford we have half the amount of practices we did last year so will have to start Christmas music that much earlier. So not only have I had to think about Christmas, wait for it........................................................... I've had to listen to Christmas music!!!!!!!!!! Well for anyone who knows me quite well they will know I don't like to think about Christmas before I really really have to usually October or November but this year it was August!

Played family rounders in Upminster park.

Have been on holiday (yes again) this year I may have had a few holidays but have been away for no longer than 4 days at a time - Next year I am having 1 holiday that lasts the very least a whole week :@)

I had my "end of summer holiday massage"

And now the girls are back to school and will be back to some kind of normality. (Whatever "normal" is)

Well thats a BRIEF run down of what I've been up to.

Not particularly interesting blog I know but hey its a blog and we all know its been an absolute age since I last blogged so its an achievement.

Am still loving Facebook, have been having fairly long conversations with people I haven't seen or heard from in years so its a great.

Have also got to add that I am loving Glyn's new blog/ vlog long may it continue but I have to say I neither have the time nor the technical knowledge to be able to manage something like that so hat off to glyn but does he ever do any work? lol

Well thats about it for now, hopefully won't be as long till my next blog.

Long time no blog!

Well i can't believe its been a month already! A month since I last blogged - whoops! Well been very busy and haven't really had a lot to say i suppose. Have been to Portugal and to Scotland on holiday since i last blogged, had a great time relaxed in one place hiked up to the top of a mountain in another.

View from my tent

Well I made it to the top of Ben Nevis!!!!! Me, Bec, I hiked to top of the tallest mountain in britain - well I never. 4 1/2 hours up, 3 1/2 hours down - not bad going so i'm told but i'm not sure if they were trying to flatter my ego. But boy did I know I had legs (and a bum) the following couple of days. But it was amazing and breath taking. My real life mountain top experience!

I can't quite believe there is now only a week and a half left before the summer holidays ahhhhhhh!!!!!!!! Well we'll see how they go. I do enjoy my job but in the summer holidays my job is practically my life as once i've finished work all i'm good for is my bed and thats where i head more or less straight after my dinner! So its hello summer goodbye life he he he



Well thats me, other than the fact that i am finally becoming less addicted to facebook, although i'm probably still on there more than i should be but hey!

Books

This never quite made it onto my currently reading list. But can COMPLETELY recommend it. I read it in a week and only really read on Fridays. Fantastic book, just need to find another book to read now DOH!

Facebook is more addictive than blogging !!!