RuthyD

Water, water everywhere....

2007-07-23T14:03:00.000+01:00

Hmmmmmm, hope the Gloucester Echo (or was it the Citezen?) don't see that - completely nicked that headline from one of their papers today!
It's all gone a little crazy here - we've had a LOT of rain (what we'd normally get in a month we got in a day apparently), so we first of all had loads of flooding which wasn't that great. Now since yesterday, as the river still rises, one of the water pumping stations has had to be flooded, so the water supply is gradually running out (I still have it at the moment, but Glocuester doesn't), and then the power also was cut for a bit today as one of the electricity stations also got flooded. It has since come on again for some parts of Gloucester and the surrounding area (which includes me).
It's so weird how much you rely on power, as an aside - I was in Churchdown, internet down (that's also been flooded), TV off, Radio off, phone off (have a cordless so no power = no phone apart from mobile). I didn't have a clue what was going on, so had to rely on talking to people on my mobile, which then started to loose its battery!!
And people have gone mad - I guess understandably so (I have joined them to some extent!). You're lucky to find a super market that is a) open and b) has any bottle water/bread/milk left on its shelves. People have begun to panic buy petrol (as I joined them in that I happened to chance upon a garage which had just had a load of bottled water delivered..............I couldn't resist - I got 9 Litres!!!!! - it's ridiculous, I'm going away on Friday for 4 weeks!)
Anyway, to give a bit of a flavour, take a look at these pictures. I especially love the first one!

But I guess if anyone is feeling like all is lost and that life is terrible (and I must admit I've had moments of that today!), don't panic, because it's not all doom and gloom in the world..........check out this story......Wow, I feel so much better!!!!! (sarcasm is a little lost in a blog I feel.............!)

Must get rid of the spider......

2007-06-07T07:39:00.000+01:00

I am getting fed up of seeing that disgusting fried spider on the screen every time I log in, so I thought I'd post something new to move it down a bit. (yes I know I could delete it, but that would be unaccurate to get rid of a post!!)

Last night I did something really cultured (or perhaps 'old). In some ways I still can't believe I went!). On Sunday our church had advertised a piano concert that was going to be held there last night. We decided to go to it as something different to go to and it actually had moments of being fantastic! We dropped the average age of people there considerably (it was sponsored by the Christian Buisnessmens' fellowship which is ironic as all the 'buisnessmen' there must have been retired, there's no way they were still working!!). But the guy who played was very good. He was from South Africa (always nice to listen to a different accent) and had written 'I lift My Eyes, to the Coming King, to the Great I AM, to You I sing......' (that's all one song, I didn't think anyone would recognise it from just the first verse!). So it started with a bit of worship before him playing a few classical pieces and then telling his testimony but linking it to various bits of music. So when he was talking about playing in clubs, he would play a bit of music that he would have played at that point of his life. He was a fantastic pianist. And the piano we have at church is a gorgeous one and sounds even better when it's played by someone who can actually play. (the only thing is that they had moved it out into the front of the church, it's normally at the side, at a certain angle.......I'll bet they haven't moved it back as it was - annoying, a group of people had been subtly moving it an inch at a time to have it at the right angle without certain people finding out.)

Ewww ewww ewww!!

2007-05-24T08:10:00.000+01:00

Yesterday as part of my literacy lesson we were looking for animals on Google. We are going to be writing poems about them. One of the girls wanted to do a spider so to get a picture of a nice big hairy spider we decided to search for a tarantula. I was letting the children decide which pictures they wanted to choose to illustrate their poem. Most of them went for the obvious pictures that really showed the animal to all its glory.

This is the one that girl chose. If you're thinking the tarantula looks slightly strange.......it's coz it's been deep fried! Seriously. Ewww!

Catch up

2007-05-16T07:49:00.000+01:00

Thought this morning that I really should sit down and write a post, but now that I am sitting here looking at the screen, I am feeling the pressure! Can't think of anything to say!

Have got that bleary early morning feeling at the moment - I have joined the rest of the staff who are fighting off a cold at the moment. Am determind to win the fight!

Mum and Dad came up to visit me (and properly meet Luke) this last weekend. With one thing and another they haven't actually come to see me since before Christmas, so it was nice that they came, although because of the above bracketed comment it was the teeniest bit nerve-wracking! They've recently bought a caravan so instead of staying with me they camped in a nearby site. Is that really cheeky of me?! They seemed to enjoy it though - and it was a lovely site - next to a field of cows and sheep so all very country like and picture-esque.

It's class photo day today. Wish I could post a picture of the photo up on here, but would hate to think of the potential mine-field that could cause. But I can just imagine the kind of photo that will be the outcome of those 30 seconds. There will be at least one child looking the wrong way. Probably two children deliberately not smiling - in fact sulking. At least 2 children will be cross-eyed. I would be surprised if I didn't have 3 children not in uniform. 2 children will be talking to each other, and I will have noticed and will be giving my 'evil eye' to them JUST as the shutter clicks. Great. Another year, another class photo. Will let you know how it goes!

Ah, another day at work.

2007-05-01T07:51:00.000+01:00

I have to admit my attention has been drawn away from blogging recently. Apart from being distracted by the excitment of life away from the computer, I have discovered the wonders of facebook. How exciting to be 'in touch' with people you haven't seen or spoken to in 15 years! (Although it has to be said that this so-called being 'in touch' with them is pretty much just the initial "hi, how are you" before resorting to having a nose at their profile every now and then....but it's great that should the need arise, I could contact loads more 'nepal' people now then I could 2 weeks ago - has it only been 2 weeks?!)

Anyway, it's 8am and I'm sitting in my classroom on the internet - have been for half an hour - the only thing I've done that's actually productive is water the seeds we've planted for a science experiment. Might have to fiddle the results for that one - the one with no air is growing and the one with air isn't.....the one with water isn't growing at all either...........(and no, before you say it, it isn't me being corruptive - I can't have a class full of children thinking that watering a plant will kill it or that they don't need air to grow!)

My head has just walked down the corridor humming - I know from past experience this is a bad sign.........

My child geniuses.....sort of!

2007-04-02T16:24:00.000+01:00

We've just been doing a topic on scultpure, and I wanted to show you some photos of the sculptures my class have been making. They're based on the sculptures we saw on a class trip to the sculpture trail in the forest of dean.

Trust me, works of art they are (not)! This is the 'Observatory'

This is the 'Giant's Chair'
This is the 'Heart of the Stone'

2007-02-20T10:42:00.000Z

Ahh, half term, a chance to sit back and relax, sleep in until mid-day, watch bad morning TV.......let's face it, it's probably the reason most people become teachers. So why am I feeling crazily busy and rushed off my feet?! Anyway, thought I would force myself to find some time to post something coz it's been a while.
I'm back at Mum and Dad's for 2 nights and once I've got over the initial shock of not being in my own house in my own space, it's lovely to be back! Last night I spent some time with them filling in a form for short term mission and I was once again struck by how blessed I am to have parents that I respect and who share my beliefs. This morning I dragged myself out of bed when they got up for work (see, no mid-day lie in!) and joined in with their daily bible reading and prayer time round the breakfast table. I love that time, it used to be nice as a child, but there seems to be something more special about doing it as an adult now. Today's reading was Psalm 139 - a Psalm that's probably overquoted, but reading it again today reminded me why it's so popular. It's a slightly weird one for me because whilst I find it really comforting to read how much God knows about us and our lives, it's also slightly disconcerting that he knows my thoughts because I know a lot of them aren't honouring to him. But at a time when I needed to know HE is in control and has a plan for my life, it was the perfect Psalm for me this morning. So I thought I'd share it with you.

1 O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.
5 You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.
19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD,
and abhor those who rise up against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

2007-01-29T16:15:00.000Z

A bit worried. I have a new Teaching Assistant now who's Polish (she's fantastic, works hard and can communicate with all my Polish children, yay!), and she's doing an ESL course. It's really hard! I've been helping her with some of the homework sometimes - really hard - the English language is stupid! It's really hard to explain why we say "he didn't have" instead of "he haven't"..... Just found out today that some work that I helped her with last week I got wrong! ARGH!!!! And that's my first language!!!! Have no hope! (well, that's a lie, I DO have hope, life's GREAT right now :) , but you know what I mean!)

The Greatest School in the World...

2007-01-11T07:43:00.000Z

Yesterday I was showing my class how to use a program on the computer which helps you write stories. To show it properly, we had to write our own story. I let them come up with whatever they liked.........and this is the finished result!! (I know this makes me sound like some doting parent who shares things that no one else thinks are amazing, but tough, I'm still doing it!)

2007-01-01T12:17:00.000Z

When we lived in Butwal, we were surrounded by a kind of forest/jungle which became our playground. I remember countless times when we went off the 'beaten track' to play in the piles of dry leaves, climb trees or rocks, slide down water pipes or build houses in bushes. We would be walking along the path and would suddenly spy a new bush/vine/hole/rock to explore amongst the trees and the result was hours of fun!
It's funny how those opportunities seem to come less and less frequently as an adult. I don't know if its because you're that much taller so you miss the exciting things that are now at knee level, or maybe we're just to busy, or too worried about the consequences - now I know how much snakes like them, I don't think I'd go near a pile of leaves in Butwal! But today I had one of those oppotunities! I was going for a walk near my house up this hill that is quite 'foresty' and as I was walking along I saw through the trees a massive tree on top of a steep bank. It had to be done! The result wasn't exactly HOURS of fun, but it was at least minutes of mild amusement! The child in me was definitely well and truly awake - it was such fun! And I didn't care how muddy I got (until I got home and realised how dirty my shoes were and how clean my newly hoovered carpet was....!)!

Happy New Year!

Scrooge is alive and well......

2006-12-19T15:38:00.000Z

The message that greeted us on the staffroom whiteboard this morning:

"Please make sure that all signs of Christmas have gone by the end of the day".

So there you have it, Christmas is now well and truly over in school! (And I haven't got to open any presents yet!!)

2006-12-18T15:48:00.000Z

I think I might have just found the coolest game!! Don't know if you remember the game Operation where you had to use tweesers to get bits out of a doll's body without touching the sides else it'd buzz? Well I found it (in Asda of all places), but a 3 ft long, blow up version of it! You have to pull out a card to decide what you're fishing for, then you have to put your arm in the hole and find the right object before the buzzer goes off! Genius! My class absolutely love it, and so do I!!!

Christmas at school

2006-12-07T16:05:00.000Z

I don't know if this will bring back good or bad memories of time spent in primary schools, but this is what ours looks like now that we're getting into the mood for Christmas (although I think we're actually all just in the mood for the holiday that comes with it!!)

2006-12-06T16:46:00.000Z

It's about a week until the Christmas play. We learned the last song today (yes, you could say it's cutting it fine, but at least it's fresh in their minds!!), the children know their lines, they are bringing in their costumes, it all almost seems to be falling into place. (you just know I'm about to tell you something that's gone wrong!). I was sitting in my room with the 'band' in the middle of literacy, practicing their parts (even they know what they're doing now), when I decided to show them the programmes (is it actually program?!) with their names on - just to give them a bit of a boost. As I was looking at the programme I suddenly realised I couldn't see the lead character's name at the top of the list. So I carried on looking down it, and it wasn't there! And we'd started selling them this morning! So now tonight me and one of the year two teachers who I'm having dinner with anyway, are going to be folding 200 new programmes. Wish I'd kept my mouth shut! (kind of)

Home group epitaths!!!

2006-12-06T07:53:00.000Z

Last week at my home group, we started off with a really interesting and awkward exercise. We were all asked to write down what we would want written on our grave stone. Then we put the paper into a hat and randomly pulled them out and had to guess whose it was! So I thought I'd share some of the ideas people had - I wonder if you can guess which one is mine (I won't necessarily tell you if you're right, wasn't too impressed with mine, it was one of those annoying things when you're put on the spot and can't feel inspired!).

And now life begins.

Would have been good if they could be bothered.

Lived with integrity.

Lived and laughed.

Sought Jesus.

Made a difference.

Followed His path.

Sweet Memories

2006-12-03T20:13:00.000Z

I was talking to a friend today about Christmas and got to sharing memories about how we used to celebrate it as children. It was so nice going down memory lane and thinking about Nepal again - hadn't really done that in a while. It's weird, sometimes life in England seems so normal and everyday now that it's like I've been here forever, almost as if Nepal never happened, and then I get into conversations like today when I remember that life used to be so different! It's been almost 14 years since we came back - but when I sit and think about it, the memories are still incredibly fresh.

Anyway, it was nice to share the memories of Christmas with someone's who were completely different (not that her's were typically English, she grew up in Albania), and to remember what used to happen in Nepal - church picnics, games and goat curry in Butwal....fireworks, random short termers and backpackers over for lunch in Kathmandu....sharing the Scandinavian celebrations in Butwal (fighting over who would be Santa Lucia!)....long distance phone calls back to England on Christmas Eve or Day - whenever the connection worked!....Nativity plays in Nepali at our church in Butwal (one in particular stands out where the star moved on a pulley across the ceiling of the church, but got stuck - all the characters were frozen, staring at it for ages before they got it moving again!).......Nepali Christmas carols - one in particular is going round my head at the moment (aha khoti ramilo khoosi kho din ayo.....I used to love that one!).

Ok, so it's quite a random post, but I thought I'd share the memories!!!

2006-11-29T15:36:00.000Z

It's started - it's the run up to the christmas play and we're all eating, breathing and sleeping the songs and script (was lying awake at 3 this morning trying to get 'Mend the Manger' out of my head - it's one of the songs). My job is to make sure everyone knows the songs and that there is an orchestra up and running (and by orchestra I mean a few bells and triangles!), which made it even worse when today in my literacy lesson I put on the CD of the songs for the children to sing to while they were working. We came to the song 'Lots to do', and they were all singing 'Lots of doo.'
So that will be my nightmare tonight - the children singing about poo in the Christmas play. Puts a new twist on it anyway!

Nice Surprise

2006-11-23T22:10:00.000Z

Tonight was my home group night. I so didn't want to go - I've been out every night this week so far and there seemed to be 101 other really nice things I could do instead. But I was persuaded to go so I went, and (why am I suprised?!), it was a really good evening!

We were talking about serving, looking at Jesus washing the disciples feet. We discussed loads of questions that I had been thinking about lots recently when trying to sort out my own life and think through my motives for serving. Unfortunately my questions weren't necessarily answered, but it was useful to talk through them!

Some of the things we were talking about - just for you to have a think!
Is it easier to serve, or to be served?
Do we ever resist doing what Jesus wants us to do?
When things seem impossible, can we accept Jesus saying 'don't worry, I'll sort it."
What do you do when what you want clashes with what you think God wants? (SUCH a big question!!!! - would LOVE to know the answer to that one!!!)

oooooo, and update on next door neighbour situation - she came back tonight and seems to be there with no furniture..........

It's all a bit sus.........

2006-11-23T18:20:00.000Z

The other day I had someone knock on my door from the council looking for my next door neighbour with an overdue bill in her hand. She wanted to know what time of day was the best time to catch her!

Then last night I came home about 10pm to find my neighbour moving her stuff out! Who moves out at 10pm??? There's something dodgy going on here......

A change of tone

2006-11-22T08:00:00.000Z

My blog has been a bit deep and slightly depressing recently - I was thinking this on Sunday night at about 3am when I couldn't sleep (is it just me or does time pass REALLY slowly in the middle of the night?!).

So, with that in mind, I have been trying to think about funny stories from school to post, but to be honest, it's been hard to find something this week! And then yesterday happened! (it's not that funny, but at the moment I'll take anything I can get!)

I brought some lovely new boots on Saturday which I wore to school yesterday. I have never seen the girls (and worryingly, some boys) go so mad! They spent the whole day going on about them, it was very sweet. Then at playtime, I was on duty and as I was walking around, two girls from my class came up to me on tip toe and just started following me around like that. When I asked what they were doing, they said 'we've got new boots like you!' They did that for the whole playtime - their feet must have hurt!! (as did mine at the end of the day - but they are lovely!)

What a day

2006-11-17T15:12:00.000Z

Sometimes you get to the end of the day and you just think "I NEVER want to have to do that again."

About a month ago, the older sister of one of the girls in my class was at a party when she pulled a pan of boiling chip oil onto her. She was in ICU for a month, but we heard today that she died last night. Her sister obviously wasn't in school today but a lot of children who knew her were and were very upset. It's been so weird at school because of it - no one really knows what to say/do as is often true when someone dies. I've never had to deal with death in the classroom before and it was quite hard.

But as is so often the case, children are so innocent and sweet and just want to do all they can to make it better. One of the boys in my class who has caused me the most grief this term who also has quite a hard home life suggested we made a paper bunch of flowers for her, which we did this afternoon, then I got them to suggest what we could say on a card. These were their suggestions

"Get happy soon"
"Are you Ok? We hope you're Ok"
"We love you lots"
"Don't worry"
"You're nice"

They were so worried and so eager to try and make the girl in my class feel better about it that they worked for ages on these flowers (which look so cute).

It also then raised the question with one of the teachers - how can you believe in 'someone up there' when something like this happens? I hate that question and feel I did a pants job at answering it. It's such a hard one to answer when everyone's emotions are so raw.

Cress Sheep

2006-11-07T16:01:00.000Z

Yesterday I was telling a friend in Australia about the cress sheep that I am making at school for my Literacy (English) class. We are 'doing' instructions, so today's lesson was to follow instructions in order to make their own cress sheep. As you seemed quite excited at the thought of it Phili, I thought you might want to see how they turned out! (some of the sheep are a bit wobbly and skew-wif, but you can just about tell they're sheep and not big clouds!) If the cress actually starts to grow, I'll post a picture so you can see how they look when they have mouldy green plants sprouting out of them! (Two of the sheep are mine, can you guess which?!)

The end of the rainbow....

2006-11-02T07:51:00.000Z

The other day I was driving home from work when I saw a rainbow. That was nice enough - I love rainbows, they always make me think about God - I wonder what they make people who don't believe in Him think of? Anyway, as I was driving it kept getting nearer and nearer which made me start to think about the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and made me wonder if people would actually chase one trying to find it (isn't it funny the things you start to think about?!). Then, as I drove a bit further - I SAW THE END OF THE RAINBOW!! It was two fields away from the road, SO close! I was so tempted to try and find a way to drive to the field, not to find the gold, but just to see if you could actually see the colours on you if you stood 'in' it, or if it would always move away from me! Unfortunately, I was running a bit late and had to go on to a Light Party at Church (the Halloween alternative), so I had to keep going......

2006-10-30T07:22:00.000Z

Half term is almost over! I'm going into school today to start getting ready for the children on wednesday, it's definitely back to reality!
But before I have to come back to earth with a bang, I thought I'd leave some pictures of a masquerade ball I went to on saturday night. I had gone to see Jen in her new house in London, and this ball happened to be going on at her church while I was there, so I went along! it's a funny thing, dressing up, the thought of it never appeals to me, but when you get to do it with a friend, it turns into this fantastically girlie time which is actually quite fun! I have to mention Hannah who did a fantastic job of decorating the masks that Jen and I wore, they looked very cool! THANK YOU!

Yes, this picture WAS taken in the toilets!!! Part of the randomness of the evening!

slightly worried.....

2006-10-25T08:10:00.000+01:00

I was driving home last night down one of the back roads from Cheltenham to Churchdown which was really dark, so I went to turn on the full beam headlights, but couldn't find them! How long have I been driving this car? (the answer is almost 4 years!) I use full beam loads now I'm in the country, but for some reason last night it took me ages to find them - I kept switching on my windscreen wipers instead! I started off just thinking 'oh silly me', but then when I put the wipers on again, I was really like 'where have they gone? Has someone stolen my full beams?!'

Maybe I haven't caught up on my lack of sleep as much as I thought I had..............!

2006-10-24T09:41:00.000+01:00

Whoever came up with the idea of half term needs to be knighted! It could not have come at a better time and has been very much well received by me!! The last week of school was a bit crazy - busy, stressful and quite a few late nights - so to suddenly have space to do what I want to do, and to catch up on sleep has been bliss!
I'm going back to Mum and Dad's tomorrow for the rest of the week - the plan is that Dad and I are going to build a bathroom cabinet together for my bathroom! Could be very interesting I reckon! But hopefully it will also be a nice time to catch up and chat about life, the universe and everything, it's always nice to spend quality time with Dad - he's usually quite busy. And then there's the pampering from Mum..........can't wait! Thank you God for parents!

Playground drama

2006-10-19T07:50:00.000+01:00

Sometimes it's nice to see some innocence left in the world! I had the cutest thing happen to me the other day at school. I was on playground duty when one of the girls from my class last year came up to me crying her eyes out and blood dripping from her mouth (no, this isn't the cute bit!). When I checked her mouth I saw she'd lost a baby tooth, so I said, 'oh, you're tooth's fallen out', at which point she started screaming in panic. It turns out she knew nothing about the fact that you get wobbly teeth which fall out! It took ages to calm her down, and it involved all her friends crowding round and pointing at the gaps in their mouths (HOW did she not notice them before?!), and the teeth growing back. Once she was calm though, she was so excited that she was growing up and that the tooth fairy was going to visit her (dilema - was I right to not say she doesn't exist?!).
I love that teaching isn't always just about how to write sentences and number bonds to 10!

Red sky in the morning......

2006-10-17T07:58:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I was moaning with someone about how it's dark now when I get up and start going to work (I hate that, it makes it so much harder to get up when it's dark!). But today, while it was still quite dark, there were the most incredible streaks of red across the whole sky. I wish I could have taken a photo of it, but that would be wrong and dangerous as was driving at the time.
Anyway, just thought I'd share that! Posts are few and far between at the moment, have not had time to sit and think of anything intelligent to say for a long time!!! But hey, it's half term coming up soon, maybe some inspiration will come from that!

2006-10-09T08:10:00.000+01:00

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

Ephesians 4:29

Last night the youth group led the service at Cambray, it was really encouraging to see some of the gifts that are coming up through the church. The verse above was something that really challenged me in the talk that was part of the service. Was also thinking about it in relation to what a friend was saying on her blog about how easy it was to join in with backbiting that goes on at work. I'm so easily sucked in with that, especially at school, and I really hate that I give in so easily to the pressure of bad mouthing whoever's in charge. So through what my friend said and the talk last night, I really felt God was talking to ME, need to try and shine a bit brighter for him.....

"do not give the devil a foothold."

(And as an extra, here's a verse I felt someone might need to hear.....)

2006-10-04T16:55:00.000+01:00

"The sky was awash with a treasure-chest of colours and light. THEN the sun rose. My heart stopped. God had just said good morning!"

I got this from another blog and I love it so much! I've been taking a new route to school each day recently, one that goes more along a country road rather than the boring dual carriage way, and the views that I get are amazing. Each morning as I see the sun coming up over the hills, I think of this quote. Cheers me up no end the picture that my Creator is saying good morning to me each day!!!

Top of the World - almost

2006-09-15T15:30:00.000+01:00

I think that this view is absolutely beautiful - God did a very good thing when he created mountains!

Don't know how to make it open straight away like some brainy bloggers can, so you'll have to click on the link to see it, but it's quite cool. I love this site!

2006-09-12T08:12:00.000+01:00

Hebrews 3:14

If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, we're in this with Christ for the long haul.

I love how God will sometimes direct us to verses that are really what we needed to hear. I got this from the Message weekly verse and it was perfect for me.

Thank you God!

Treadmill-Dance

2006-09-02T14:48:00.000+01:00

Hee Hee!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bpNoEopPdM&mode=related&search=

2006-08-30T15:58:00.000+01:00

We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next.

Romans 5:3-4 (The Message)

It's funny how when you're completely focused on your troubles that you forget that in amongst them all is GOD. Sometimes I get so blown away by the fact that He doesn't ever give up on us. Even when life sucks, and we feel completely alone, He's always there, guiding, moulding, comforting, loving....

I love this verse from the message - it's so easy in everyday life to allow God's opportunities to slide on by because you're too busy or too wrapped up in your own problems to notice. But this is what I want - I need to be alert and ready for what He's going to do in my life next!

Festival Spirit

2006-08-27T14:32:00.000+01:00

Has been a while since my last post. This weekend was Greenbelt which is held at the Cheltenham Racecourse really near me. I went for the day yesterday and had a blast. I love the festival spirit! Everyone's there, very chilled, and having a very good time! There were some really random things going on, here's some of the things I got up to....

Drumming workshop with the Psalm Drummers
Discussion panel about reality TV (Big Brother etc)
Watched the Manchester Passion
Ate loads of yummy stuff!!
Drank Chai!! (never tastes as good here though!)
Chatted to a clergy guy from the York Minster who knew my godfather - just met him while eating dinner outside!
Saw Daniel Bedingfield perform (absolutely brilliant!), and then got a 'hi-5' from him afterwards!
When to a comedy thing after the concert which was ok, but left that a bit early coz it wasn't the best!
Came home and went to bed!

Think I might go again next year!

Tyddewi

2006-08-18T19:43:00.000+01:00

That's the Welsh name for St Davids which is where I've just been on holiday to with some friends. Had a lovely time even though the weather was decidedly British. Roll on moving abroad!!

Long lost poem

2006-08-04T10:45:00.000+01:00

I was looking in one of my drawers for something just now and came across this poem that a guy wrote for me at uni. He is not a Christian, and one day when we were talking about my faith, I said something which wasn't politically correct (can't remember what now), and I remember apologising for it. The next day he came back with this poem he'd written for me. Now I know very little about poetry, but I think it's quite good and I find it quite a challenge in places......

Do not apologise for one's faith,
Faith is beyond the rational,
Don't count the logic of one's belief,
Let a proud soul have a proud faith,
and let both grow within one.

Let your eyes wonder,
perceive visions of light and wisdom
seek beyond the illusion of this reality
Do not fear what is there,
purely embrace and accept.

Take up the gift of enlightenment
use what is bestowed to you,
use it with heart and kindness,
show others beyond this illusion.

Follow the word that is shown to you,
be a guide to those that are lost,
help them through their disillusioned questions,
help them through this illusion.

Jon Bacon

2002

Mero Nepal

2006-08-03T19:02:00.000+01:00

Ok, a big part of me was really laughing when I saw this video - I have never seen a Nepali pop video before, but the more I watched it the more stunning I found it - it gives such a snapshot into life in Nepal - especially the landscape outside Kathmandu valley.

Mero Nepal means 'My Nepal'..........
I was very chuffed that I recognised a few words from the verse about Everest (Sagamartha).......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNynDfqJ0QE&search=Nepal

Wow, I miss it.

A little Comic Relief......

2006-08-02T19:27:00.000+01:00

OK, I was just reminded of this sketch today by a friend and could not stop laughing over it. I love it! Especially at the end when she says, 'I ain't McBothered'! hee hee!! Have a look!!

(Just to explain, McFly are a band in the UK, as were Busted, another band mentioned in the interview!!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnocm6Msz-E&search=catherine%20tate

Life beyond football.....

2006-07-20T07:59:00.000+01:00

So life continues! It's been a while since my last post, but I have noticed that there seems to be a general lull in blogging on both sides of the world, is it because it's the summer and we can't be bothered?! (actually, no it can't be because it's your winter!)

Anyway, life is ticking on here at the moment - a day and a half until school breaks up and boy am I ready for it! Can't wait to get away from a boss who is doing my head in and children who are too young and tired to be in school in this weather anyway. We're going through a heatwave at the moment - crazy temperatures, can't believe that this is only going to get worse - what are we doing to the world?

Speaking of the world, also on my mind is Lebennon (how awful, I can't even spell it!). Some friends of mine are over there and I'm worried about them. It all seems like such an over reaction to respond to 2 soldiers being taken hostage. But I'm sure there's more to it - in some ways I hope there's more to it than that because if that's all it is, it's ridiculous. My friends are hopefully being evacuated soon but there are complications - she's Lebanese - what an awful feeling - knowing you can leave but knowing you have to leave behind your family who can't leave. At the moment I'm reading a novel about the 2nd World War and there are so many parallels with people being faced with that choice of feeling like they need to leave, but then having to leave behind people. That's always the worst bit.

Anyway, with global warming and war in the middle east, this isn't the most entertaining of posts, but it's what's on my mind. God, what must you be thinking? Please have mercy on your world.

My worst fear?

2006-06-21T16:00:00.000+01:00

Ever since I became a teacher, my worst fear has always been that some nutter might burst into the classroom one day weilding a knife or gun and do serious damage (I know that sounds weird, but whenever I've heard about it happening elsewhere I've always wondered how I would cope with it. Well today it has happened about 500 metres from my classroom. The police are (as I speak) in a seige with some guy with two samorai (spelling?) swords who's in one of the houses nearby. My classroom is at the front of the school, so you can see it all from our window. To be honest it'd had been going on for a few hours before we even realised(!), and they obviously didn't think it was enough of a problem to evacuate, but it is still scary seeing all the police vans, dogs and riot gear. Home time was fun as no one could get down the road to pick up their kids, they had to go the long way. It's all quite scary!

Life, the universe, and sunsets......

2006-06-10T08:11:00.000+01:00

Last night I went out to help with one of the youth groups from church. They were having a BBQ at a place called Crickley Hill which is a park on a hill that looks over the valley that Gloucester, Cheltenham and Churchdown (and a few other places) are all in. I had never been there before and it was absolutely STUNNING! I mean as far as hills go it was nothing - it takes a lot for a hill to impress me as a PROPER hill, but it was just lots of glorious English countryside - absolutely fantastic. At the end of the BBQ (can you tell I'm in a lazy mood - can't be bothered to write out the full word!), we were all waiting in the car park for parents to come, and the sunset was AMAZING. I was so gutted my camera wasn't there - I took pics on my mobile, but I can't figure out how to e-mail them to me. It was one of those blood red suns that was glowing beautifully. The sky was a rainbow of colours, wisps of clouds seemed like they were on fire. Absolutely amazing. God is an artist far above all the other artists to create something like that.

It was a lovely end to a lovely day really - we had a football day at school (of course - what else would you do on the day the world cup started!). The children came in dressed in red and white, or as a footballer, and paid 20p to have an England flag painted on their face (although some assistants in the school thought we shouldn't do that for fear of offending all the children who are from a different culture - which admittedly there are quite a few - but to be honest, I think us turning round and telling them they weren't part of the English culture would have probably offended more......). Anyway, we did it, no offence caused to anyone! It was so cool! In assembly, looking around at everyone in red and white - I must admit I felt ever so slightly patriotic (probably something to do with a little football game happening today!). The children were so excited (as only children in my class could be - I've told them that their homework is to watch the game and find out the result!!!), and it was GORGEOUSLY sunny (and a little too hot - the head has brought us all fans for the classrooms!). What more could you ask for?

So, going back to the youth group thing - the question that remains is.......should I take them up on their offer to help out in September? Do I really want to get involved with youth work again? Answers on a postcard please................

Light

2006-06-04T09:08:00.000+01:00

Jesus said: "I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life". John 8:12

Last night I was burning candles (I made a random trip to Ikea the other day, JUST to buy candles that would be cheap and nice!), and as I was lying on the couch, I was so struck by how beautiful they were, especially as it was getting dark outside. They looked incredible, so once agian, I sat there for about 20 minutes with my camera taking lots of different photos of them!!! thank goodness for digital cameras, I delete LOADS on mine!

Holiday musings

2006-05-30T10:14:00.000+01:00

Once again, I am on holiday - if you read this blog, it always seems to be holiday time for me! It is definitely one of the perks of being a teacher - people complain we're not paid enough (and that may be true), and that the job's really stressful (again, not really arguing!), but one thing we CAN'T complain about is the holidays (although having said that, it is annoying that you can never get a cheap deal because you have to take your holidays with everyone else!!!). Holidays are perfect times to just sit back, relax and re-charge your batteries! And what better place to do that then Mum and Dad's!!!

I came back yesterday (stopping along the way to see GORGEOUS Josh - and Hannah and Tez - toddling about - SO CUTE!), and I am REALLY enjoying being here! I think I forgot how much Mum looks after me - tea, biscuits, cake, neck massages, washing.......fantastic! I like being independent but it's definitely worthwhile regressing back to living with Mum and Dad every now and then - I think because I'm the youngest and not all grown up like Hannah with a hubby and a child I fall back into the routine of being looked after very quickly!! :) And what's great is that I've been promised another neck massage tonight!! Woohoo!!!
(Just in case you're reading this thinking 'how self-involved is she?' I just want to point out that it's not all take, take, take on my part, I did actually put my own washing in the machine, and hang it out yesterday, and I helped with the washing up, and I drove Mum to work this morning, and I'm taking her to the airport tomorrow morning when she and Dad go to Sweden.......!!)

You are not an accident

2006-05-24T20:15:00.000+01:00

I am 'doing' The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren at the moment - 40 days of bible study about the purpose of our lives. Here's what I wrote in my prayer journal for today.

One thing that's really blown me away about today is that God has created the whole world to fit his purpose. Not just that, but he has created it with us in mind. See, THAT makes sense, but when I say that he's created it with ME in mind, I get blown away. Is it really true that millions of years ago GOD knew that I had a place in his world?
Did he create certain things a certain way because he knew that in 2006 I would be around? According to the Bible, that's how it is: "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world...." (Ephesians 1v4)
It's a wonderful thought - God's plan for me - he's been thinking about it for ages!!! It must be a good one!! He's had time to perfect it!
How exciting to be able to see it unnfolding in front of me.

What next? In some ways I can't wait to find out.......in some ways I'm terrified I'll get it wrong.

At the end of the day, I can know this: I am alive because God WANTED me alive! I am no accident!!!

Vanity at a mission conference!

2006-05-23T16:12:00.000+01:00

Last weekend I was at the Interserve Conference in Swanick (waaaaaaaay up north), and towards the end of the weekend I was packing in my room with Jen and realised that my camera had sat in my bag the entire weekend, so I sat on the floor and proceeded to take photos of myself in the mirror for the next 20 minutes or so. Very vain I know, but how fun!!!!! Quite chuffed with this one - wanted to place it on my profile so it would be by my name, but unfortunatley I am technologically challenged!!!!

Anticlimaxes.....

2006-05-17T07:50:00.000+01:00

Isn't it horrible when you've been waiting for ages for something to happen and you think that it's going to be amazing, but then it happens and you feel a little bit let down by the event? I had that this week and I left feeling incredibly deflated - and it wasn't like the thing was really THAT amazing! I'm not going to say what it is just in case one day the people involved read this and get incredibly hurt! I think that I had big expectations about the people that were going to be at the event, and they didn't really deliver........

I don't know if this is all related, but I am feeling incredibly BLAH at the moment - reality of life setting in maybe? I don't know - I just feel like curling up in a small ball under a duvet and crying! Life just feels incredibly............I dont' know what the word is - boring? - maybe like it's not leading anywhere for me right now. I don't know.

I can't decide whether to publish this or not - I've written it when I'm feeling quite low and it's 7.55am (ish), after a very late night, so I don't think my brains' quite switched on.........hmmmm, do I dare leave something this personal??????

Oh stuff it, I'll publish!

Student ramblings

2006-05-01T08:22:00.000+01:00

I have once again woken up much earlier than I meant to this morning - it's a bank holiday (again - woohoo!), and I woke up at 7 - what's that about?!
Last night I had such a fun time with my student group - we usually go to the other student worker - Luke's house after the evening service, but for one reason or another it hadn't really happened since they all got back from the Easter holidays, so this was the first in a while.

It was such a nice evening, just sitting around and chatting really - no particular structure (again, woohoo!). But one of the students was in quite a philisophical (sp?) mood and as a result we ended up talking about such random stuff (well, not random, deep maybe!).
We were talking about things like what heaven would be like - would we have jobs there? did you need to repent in order to be forgiven? what language did Adam speak? who decided blue would be blue? would you rather be a girl or a boy? what would we look like in heaven......? There was more but they were the things that stood out! But it was actually really cool to hear this guy in particular and Luke give their opinions - us girls (there were 3 of us), were quite tired and spent most of the time just listening - don't know about you but I like to do that sometimes, mainly because once they get started I start to think, do you know, I'm actually not that well informed about these things, I wouldn't sound very intelligent if I started to join in the discussion!

...............so which would YOU rather be - a girl or a boy......?!!!!? (I'm sticking with being a girl, quite happy about thanks God!!!)

2006-04-06T08:34:00.000+01:00

So last night I was feeling a little bit fed up and really wanting to do something (it's amazing how quickly I get bored of holidays - I think stir-crazy is the word!). I had been out shopping all day with a friend which was really nice, but when I got in, I was a bit like 'oh, nothing to do now!' So I kind of mooched around until about 6.30 and then decided to go for a walk to the top of this little hill that we have in Churchdown. There's a bench near the top that you can sit on and look out over the Gloucester valley and it's really pretty. So the sun was shining and I thought why not? I went with my Bible so I could have a bit of a read and a pray. It was really nice! My only company were the sheep! I was reading the Bible - Psalm 91, spoke to me, thank you God! - and praying and listening to my walkman. It was lovely - I can't wait for summer, coz I'm going to do that every evening and won't feel the need to really wrap up warm!
Anyway, on the way back I thought, you know what, it's still pretty nice, the sunset's beautiful, I am going to take the long way home. So I started walking and was on the main road which kind of loops away from my house before coming back towards it. But after a while, the sun had all but gone, it was pretty cold and the road was quite deserted. I was feeling just the tiniest bit like it wasn't such a good idea to be doing this by myself. So I walked a bit further and saw a footpath which, if you thought logically, should cut out a big chunk of the loop if I took it. So I took it! Of course now I had to walk double time becuase it was quite a dark footpath, but at least I (thought I) was heading home quickly. Then the footpath changed direction, heading away from where I knew my house was. I thought 'this isn't right,' but didn't want to turn back becuase at that time there was a guy walking quite a way behind me and I didn't really want to go towards him. Anyway, so I prayed and carried on. Eventually the foopath came out on quite a dodgy housing estate. I didn't even know Churchdown had a dodgy housing estate! I walked onto it thinking, 'have I made my way to Gloucester somehow?!' At that point I thought, 'ok, I might need some help here!' and so phoned Sarah, the girl I go to football with here, and admitted I was lost in my own 'village'. When she had stopped laughing, she very kindly directed me back to where I should be!

Teach me for feeling bored!!

The wonder of holidays!

2006-04-05T07:34:00.000+01:00

I love holidays! They give you so much time to do really random things that you've been putting off in the term time because you haven't had the time to do them.
So here's my list of random things I hope to do in the next two weeks:

choose some new taps for my bathroom (am REALLY fed up with the old ones dripping!)
change my noticeboard around - when I moved it ended up on the wall on it's side because of space, but I haven't ever changed the stuff that's on it, so all my photos and memories are on their side. It's been like that for eight months now! Really should do something about it!
Take random sticky-backed plastic back to school - I brought it home in the first week of term in September to do some resource making with. I ended up never making the resources but leaving the plastic under my piano. School's never missed it, but it should go back.......It's a huge roll as well!
go to the tip
go and visit Gloucester Cathedral (they filmed some of Harry Potter there apparently)
take a trip to wales

Hmmmmmm, wonder how much of that list I will have done by the end of the holidays?!

I have just come back from a lovely time with Hannah and her family. Josh (my nephew) is so cute! He's learning baby sign language and it's so cool to see him joining in with some of the songs they have learned at their classes. When I was there he put together some of the signs he had learnt, which apparently he hadn't done before! Very exciting! We went to a play gym together which was really cool - I tried to get him to play with these huge bouncy balls, but he was having none of it! He did go on the bouncy castle though with Hannah and seemed to enjoy that! It was quite a cool place, lots of babies!

And then last night, after I had got home, I had a really nice evening cooking for a friend from church. It was really cool - I made pizza! (there's something really satisfying about eating pizza which you have made from scratch rather than one you've defrosted! It also feels a lot more healthy!) Also it was just really nice to again get to know someone else from church a bit more. She's an ex-MK as well (there are quite a few at Cambray), so it was really cool to share some of the stuff we both went through.

Anyway, it's now morning again, day 3 of the holidays (if you don't count the weekend), and I need to get moving! What shall I wear.........................................? Ah, life's big choices!!

Why am I awake?!

2006-04-01T07:27:00.000+01:00

It is 7.30 on the first saturday morning of the holidays and for some inexplicable reason I am awake! This is crazy! I am so tired but just can't sleep! I think it probably has something to do with me knowing that my house is a tip, so hopefully if I spend the whole day doing housework i will be able to relax (or maybe just be so exhausted from that I'll sleep!). I love the holidays, such a perfect excuse to catch up with stuff!

Domestication!

2006-03-27T19:51:00.000+01:00

Can I just say - how domesticated am I being today?! I made bread!! I was absolutely chaotic, but the end result is really not that bad! What I had to show you though was how I am cooling it down - I don't have a cooling rack, and only realised this as I was taking it out of the oven, so looked wildly around my kitchen and got the inspiration of using the plate shelf!!! oh, better go, the beeper's going off to tell me that the loaf is ready too!

Our God is an Awesome God

2006-03-15T17:05:00.000Z

On a completely un-related note, I just wanted to say how AWESOME God is. As I was driving through the forest today, the beauty of it was just incredible. It was just such an awesome reminder of the beauty of our Creator. He has the power to create and be Lord over EVERYTHING in this world, and yet he's interested in ME.

"The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad;

let the distant shores rejoice.....

....His lightning lights up the world;

the earth sees and trembles.

The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,

before the Lord of all the earth,

the heavens proclaim his righteousness,

and all the people see his glory."

Psalm 97 v1-6

I absolutely LOVE that passage. The God of THAT MUCH majesty, has chosen ME to be his child. His power is so AWESOME, and yet, "he knit me together in my Mother's womb". He knows my thoughts, my deeds, he knows what my future is, he has plans for me. I need to rest more securely in that - stop worrying about where I'm going, when I'm going, who I'm going with, and just REST IN HIM.

THE FOREST

2006-03-15T16:47:00.000Z

Today is a beautiful day! The sun has decided to make an appearance, and I got to come home from work early! I was on a course - 'in the forest', and it finished at 2 which was fantastic (and I feel I deserve it - I worked out the other day that I average a 9-10 hour day at school!! Craziness! What do I do all day?!)

But going 'into the forest' was definitely an experience! It's part of the Forest of Dean which boarders Gloucestershire and Wales. It's very hilly, village-y and farm-y. Apparently everyone in the Forest is related to each other because (apparently) when you're born in the Forest, you stay in the Forest. I'm sure that's not true, but it is definitely another example of the different cultures that there are within the English culture! I had to find some random school to go on my course (a dance one, very exciting, got to pretend to be an umbrella and rain!), so of course I "multimapped it"! I got the directions and the roads looked pretty normal, and off I went.
All was fine until I had to turn off the main road. From there the road just got narrower and narrower and steeper and steeper. I had to turn into a road called 'High Street' which in my naivete (how DO you spell that?!), I thought would be a fairly main road, and when I came to it, I actually drove past it twice because I couldn't believe that this farm track was the high street! It was SO narrow, and seemed to go straight up, I couldn't believe that my car didn't slide back down again! I was so scared thinking, what if I meet another car?! I haven't been in 'the country' long enough to fully understand the etiquette behind meeting another vehicle in a country lane, let alone one that seemed to be leading me up the side of Everest! To top it all, it was really foggy and I couldn't see very far!
By the time I got to the top of it, I was SO relieved and shaking! I couldn't believe it had affected me that much!
Then I get to the school, signed in and told to go to another entrance to a kind of youth club thing for the course, so off I went. It was about 8:45 by this point, most of the kids were in school (it was a high school), apart from quite a large group hanging around the door I needed who seemingly had no intention of actually going IN to the school! But I thought, this is cool, I will go round them, which I did. Then, just as I'm going into the door, they bundle themselves (and me) inside and start screeching 'they're coming, they're coming'. Whoopee, had just stumbled across what seemed to be a Forest Turf War!!!!! Inside the club were two rather nervous looking teachers and the course leader! Thankfully it got sorted out. When I finally got to sit down, I was completely shell shocked!!
Welcome to the Forest!

Out of the mouths of babes.....

2006-01-10T12:19:00.000Z

Ok, I know it's been AGES since I last posted, but I HAD to share this coz it made me laugh!

In my class today, a boy had a toy motorbike which I was looking at and I was saying how nice it was and how I wanted one just like it. I said (in typical, probably patronising teacher-style), "Shall I ride it home today?" and one of the boys said......."no you can't, your bottom's too big!!!!"

.......am going jogging tonight!

Narnia

2005-12-17T13:34:00.000Z

Have you seen it? What did you think? I went to see if on Monday and thought it was fantastic. I was so pleased that they had kept so much of the book the same and hadn't messed with it all that much. And Aslan was just how he should be. Very good!

affordable solutions for a better living

2005-10-22T09:07:00.000+01:00

That's the slogan of Ikea - I don't really know why I felt I had to include that but there you go! A bit of randomness for an early saturday morning at the beginning of half term!

I drove down to bristol and went to ikea with my friend Caroline on Wednesday - a chance to see what Christmas decorations they had (I know, it's early, but I hate the crowds that gather nearer the time!), and also to chat. It was so nice - it's so huge, so we were wandering around just browsing (which is rare for me - I'm usually bombing round on a mission to find a particular piece of furniture amoungst all the baffling displays!), and we got to chat loads. Then we went to the market area and brought some random things

My mini spending 'spree'

a set of cutlery
a cutlery draining thing
small red and gold baubles
Christmas lights
Glogg

Coz it was quite early still, we then sat in the cafe in Ikea and discovered the delights of their 'bottomless hot drink' - so we enjoyed a hot chocolate AND a cup of tea while we talked and talked and talked and talked. How is it that you can see someone once a week, know them for 12 years and STILL have LOADS to talk over?! I love it! And who would have thought that Ikea could be the setting for such a nice social time?

How scary that I've been in England for 12 years now.

I've got to be more original!

2005-10-08T19:39:00.000+01:00

I just published that last post and realised that I've actually already used that title!! If my current record is to go by and I keep forgetting to update this, if I'm not careful, I'm going to have all my posts titled 'it's been too long!'

Can I also just take a moment to completely gush about modern technology!!!!! This morning I used my computer to have a chat to Phili in Australia - for free and on a really clear line. It was amazing! Who makes up this stuff? Because they're really clever! My computer was talking to me and sounding like a very dear Australian friend, it was great!

(and the second thing, I think I might take one of the pairs of trousers back, they're actually not that comfortable to wear for any length of time - I should have kept them on a bit longer in the changing room!!)

It's been too long!

2005-09-11T08:01:00.000+01:00

Ok, so it's been almost a month I think since I last wrote anything! Craziness! The big thing is that I have now started my new job. Last week was my first week and it feels like it was quite eventfull!!! I have a class of 28 5 and 6 year olds, all from quite a socially deprived area. I have twins from the Czech Republic who don't speak any English, a boy with OCD and my class is overun with boys, all of whom seem to have specific behavioural issues!! Put that together with the fact that last year, in their first year of school, they were just allowed to play all the time (it's a 'learning through play' year) - they really struggle starting this year when they have to sit down to do structured work, and you get an EXHAUSTING week!!! I seem to have spent my time making weird miming gestures whenever I'm talking to try and get the twins to understand what is going on, then having to repeat my instructions 2 or 3 times to the boy with OCD who has to ask again and again "what did you say?" "Do I have to sit down?" etc, and then having to deal with all these boys who have VERY dodgy behaviour! For the first time since I started teaching I was told to F*** off by a child (who is only 5). Oh, and I also had a child stick his tongue out of me because he was so mad that I had taken him away from his 'choosing time' because he was misbehaving!
I think I'm going to have my work cut out for me! I don't like this time of year with teaching becuase you're trying to get used to a new class (which you invariably don't like becuase you compare them to your last class who you were of course used to), and you're trying to sort out behaviour as well.......it just gets a bit crazy!

I hope it gets better!!!!

Church update

2005-08-25T10:20:00.000+01:00

So I've been going along to the church that's a bit further away but has more people my age in it. Having great fun there so far and getting to know people quite well......I have a feeling this is where I am going to stay (for the time being anyway).

The other night I had a nice experience of 'belonging' (it's always nice when you get that for the first time in a new place). I went to play badminton with some people from the church, but the place was shut, so we went to a pub for a drink, then went to play volleyball in the park. By this time it was about 8.30, and had started to get dark, so we had such fun trying to see the ball, the players or the net! It was so nice because it ended up being one of those crazy evenings that you have with friends - but for me it was with people who I hardly knew, but were making me comfortable enough to feel like I was with friends. If that makes sense!

Anyway, this church that I am going to go to (I think) is called Cambray Baptist Church. I've never been to a baptist church, so should be interesting!!!

Right, well my stomach is telling me to go and get breakfast already!! What shall I have - cereals or toast?

The virtues of parents.........!!

2005-08-21T01:54:00.000+01:00

Just had Mum, Dad and Ashok (our dog) up to visit for the night. I'll be honest, it took a while to get used to having people around me all the time again, but now they've gone, I feel a bit quiet and by myself. I'm so looking forward to term starting again - summer holidays can drag by a bit at the best of times, but when you've just moved and don't know anyone, it's like time's stopped!

It was so cool how excited Mum and Dad (and I think in his own way, Ashok), were about the house and the village. I loved showing them round and getting them to look in the estate agent's window to see what kind of house they might be able to buy.........................!!! (I would LOVE them to move into this area, it's so THEM!) And as well as showing them everything, they (mainly Dad and his drill!) did LOADS of jobs round the flat for me - shelves have gone up, locks fixed on doors, holes drilled into walls, fuses checked, and I at LAST have my bookcase (I saw this lovely tall one at IKEA over a week ago, but it wouldn't fit in my car, and the cost to deliver it was almost as much as the bookcase!! But Mum and Dad saved the day!!!!) - so all in all, a very profitable weekend (and they took me out for a meal which is fantastic!!)

THANK YOU MUM AND DAD!!!!!!!!!!

an afterthought - completely unrelated though!

2005-08-18T18:58:00.000+01:00

Can I just say how depressed I am that we lost the football last night to Danmark (this is an example of my rubbish spelling, that CAN'T be how you spell that!!). This is the first time I think I have EVER said this about the England team, but we played RUBBISHLY.

Thank goodness it was just a friendly.

Bring on Wales (in a couple of weeks), we have to regain some pride!!

ps - I've changed the time so that you don't think that I'm sitting up in the middle of the night writing this - just in case you were worrying about that!!!

pressure pressure pressure!!

2005-08-18T10:36:00.000+01:00

So obviously, I've moved to a new area, one of the things I'm trying to do is find a new church. On Sunday I went along to a church in the village. Full of really friendly people, but no one my age. Also, the service didn't have much meat to it - it was only 45 minutes long!! But anyway, the people were so friendly, but ever-so-slightly desparate for a new person in their church. So I was given phone numbers, invited to things and told that I could help with music and their youth groups if I wanted (my fault for telling them I'd done that in my old church).
This whole finding a new church thing is actually laden with lots of feelings of guilt! I was invited back for lunch with a family (which I think is fantastic - not many churches in England show that level of welcome to people), and there was another couple there too who go to a church in one of the towns nearby that I'd heard good things about and wanted to try, but the family who'd invited me for lunch were like 'no, we saw her first'!!!!!! I feel so bad! But I shouldn't feel bad - I want to be somewhere where I will meet people my age, but I NEED to be somewhere where I feel God's word is preached in a challenging way, and this place really didn't provide that for me. But then I've just come from a church that was finding things hard and was desparate for new people, so I really know where these people are coming from.
Anyway, what sparked all this off is that this morning I got a phone call from one of the ladies at this church to invite me to a coffee morning this morning (only of course she rang at 9.30, and because it's the holidays, I kind of wasn't quite up and doing yet!!!) - and I don't know whether to go because I don't really want to encourage them. But that's so stupid of me!!!

It was never this hard when it was just up to Mum and Dad to find somewhere, all I had to do was turn up.............!

Why does the time say 2.36am when it's 10.54????

A Level results and stuff!

2005-08-17T11:48:00.000+01:00

Just been chatting to a girl in my old church who is getting her A Level results tomorrow, so she'll be finding out if she got into her uni or not. Got me thinking about when I got my results - and I worked out that it was SIX YEARS AGO!!!!! I'm getting old!
It's so weird how six years seems like a long time - so much has happened in that time, but I can remember things that happened then as if it was yesterday! So that's got me thinking - what are the top 10 things to happen in the last 6 years........

1.learning a lot more about God and getting closer to him
2. Josh being born
3. Going back to Nepal
4. Hannah's wedding
5. Going to Australia
6. CU at Uni (especially the formal dinners!)
7. Graduating Uni
8. Buying my house!
9. Getting involved in youth work
10. Whale night and operation 45-11 (I will have to do a post explaining that one day!)

Actually there are loads more but I think these are some of the most special and are the ones that I remember with a smile!
Ok, going to go and have lunch!

I love my village - life in the countryside.

2005-08-17T11:29:00.000+01:00

I went for a walk last night and a run this morning around Churchdown, the village that I have just moved into. It is sooo nice to be so near the countryside now! Last night my friend and I were walking through the fields dodging cow pats and looking at all the blackberries growing - in Ashford we would have been on the road the whole time dodging the 'Staines Massiv' who would be driving around with their speakers drowning out our conversation and making the pavement vibrate beneath our feet. Then this morning I did a run around the fields and down the footpaths - the sun was shining and it was just gorgeous!! I love it!
The other day I went to the shops and as I parked my car outside, I saw a horse 'parked' next to me!

It's quite funny how excited I get about it - Caroline and I were saying this last night - every corner we turned we'd see a gorgeous view in the distance, or we'd walk by a lovely house and garden and we just couldn't stop commenting on them all! I guess eventually I will stop being such a 'towny' and turn into more of a country girl (I hope so - there's a walk I really want to do but the path goes through a field of cows and and bulls and I kind of feel a bit nervous about going through that field right now!!). But for now it's like I'm rediscovering it all - and I always thought I was quite a city girl! Oh well, I suppose you learn something new about yourself all the time!

This is me

2005-08-16T11:42:00.000+01:00

I said I'd be back, and I am! It's kind of hard to know what to write! I kind of feel weird about writing an introduction to me coz I'm thinking that most people will already know who I am - but just in case you're some lost surfer who has stumbled across this blog, this is me.......
My name is Ruth,
God is very important to me - I'm a Christian,
I'm a primary teacher - just about to start my 2nd job teaching 5&6 year olds which is a bit young, even for me, but we'll wait and see how it goes....!
I have just moved into my first house near Wales in England, it's all very exciting!
I LOVE chocolate! (I saw Willy Wonka last night at the cinema and was thinking, wouldn't it be amazing if his invention of chocolate from the TV actually worked?! Free chocolate whenever you saw it on screen!!!!!! Fantastic!)
I am an ex MishKid - I grew up in Nepal where my parents were missionaries - brilliant experience, would reccommend (that CAN'T be how you spell that - my spelling's terrible!) it to anyone!!
I have an absolutely GORGEOUS nephew called Josh who is 6 months old and I miss him loads since I've moved (it's only been a week!). He's more online then I am and has his own website already - Josh's pics - so cute!!

Jumping on the bandwagon

2005-08-12T11:57:00.000+01:00

I have decided to jump on this bandwagon and make my own blog. The only thing is now I don't have time to write very much in my first posting!! I have just moved house and don't have the internet yet, so I'm at the library and my time is going to run out REALLY soon. So bye for now, but I will write later!