A photo collage app... Loving it!

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Selling down the Pantiles

Cold but fun!

Some old photos and mucking around on an app again

A collage of some photos from Wheaton.



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Location:Chestnut Walk,Tonbridge,United Kingdom

New life... Old life

Just heard about someone who has recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. He recently had a baby.

Another told me how he was filming 3 people. The first a person losing her husband. The second a couple that miscarried and lastly a person who has been coping with unemployment. Each were sharing how they cope and continue to cope in such adversity. One was sharing about placing a rose in her garden. His film was about being accompanied in those lonely places and simple things that remind them of greater perspectives than their immediate situation.

This year has certainly had it's share of challenges for many. Going through such times alone reminds me of the desire we each have for deep companionship for someone who simply accepts and understands us.

That couple who miscarried, the chap who told me about his film project, continued to share that they are expecting again.


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Christmas parties

Just got back from a wonderful party put on by Family Action for families they are working with in our area with social services. I was asked to help lead on some of the games and loved seeing the fun had by parents and kids.

So much joy and fun in the games, finding Santa the crafts and all come about from collaboration between agencies working with the families.

I was told during the build up some of the parents were repeatedly asking whether they had to pay for such a party and they were answered no its an opportunity to let their families have some fun and enjoy a few of the festivities over this season.

Well done Bore Place, Family Action and VSU for putting this on... A privilege to serve with you.


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i love this house

Joshie just pushed his hands in the air and exclaimed "I Love This House!"

He continued "I was really angry ... and now I'm Happy".

I love it. It a simple joy. A great reminder especially when I see all that is wrong with this house and all that I want and would like to see happen. Even some degree of anger at some of the challenges that I face.

Thanks Joshie for reminding me that I, too, love this house.

A winter's day at Bedgebury

We're cold... But smiling!

Location:Lady Oak Ln,,United Kingdom

Lurgy

It's that time of year when feeling rough is part of the day to day.

Familiarity of the symptoms: sore throat, feeling achey, lethargy, knowing others are succumbing and it's a waiting game.

My solutions are hot drinks with ginger and honey with a splash of brandy, extra sleep and a whole lot of sharing the battle with others :)

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... And they have a Xbox here too

:)


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Location:Herbrand St,Camden Town,United Kingdom

Funky offices

I've been to a few funky offices recently. Today's one is like sitting in a magazine. I'm sure I'm the only one wearing a suit. The other week had one with an amphitheatre where people were sat with their MacBook air and pros on their phones.

Here's a pic from where I'm sitting awaiting my first of five meetings for today:


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Location:Herbrand St,Camden Town,United Kingdom

mucking around on iMove: a wedding trailer

so there's some funky trailers that you can make in iMovie. i had a crack using the footage from our chicago wedding. a lovely reminder of a superb wedding:

Early starts

Sunday morning. 6.58am. Lying on the fold out bed watching tv with Caleb & Joshie.

Love these moments.

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Santa's grotto

At school Christmas fair waiting to get into the grotto...



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Location:Tedder Rd,Royal Tunbridge Wells,United Kingdom

Movember

My Movember efforts. Started a week late... But here's about three weeks effort.

Audrey

All I keep hearing about from caleb is his friend "Audrey". He's recently been holding hands at playtime, writing his name and drawing pictures for her.

Certainly this is a first for me.


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Mucking around with a photo app

The 3 amigos

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The journey...

These days have been really challenging and heavy. A lot of things have been going on causing some deep questions. It's not a new place nor unique to us.

I've found myself meditating on the journey that we each undertake. Which way do we go. What do we choose to do. The choices. Man, the choices.

As I look back I'm surveying my decisions and reflecting on the rightness of these. Once someone said to me that it's not the right decision that is important to dwell on but rather the ensuring you are serving it with your all.

Personally, I've been plagued with the memory of not doing things... And what I should have done. I yearn to one day tell my boys about giving all that they have to serve and follow that path, that dream, that journey, which has their name etched on it and, I hope, what I've done may, in just a small way, inspire them to strive to get there with all their heart, soul and strength.

What we do says a lot about who we are. Ralph Waldo Emerson said:

“I can't hear your words because they are drowned out by your actions”

I can't say decisions come any easier though.


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Location:Marvels Ln,Lewisham,United Kingdom

you wanna see something really scary

quite sad really. trick or treaters come every year to our door. or as caleb used to call them "tweeters". this year joshua was scared out of his wits when he saw a little boy in a skeleton outfit and his father behind him in his pinhead mask. caleb, eager to see who was there darted to the door. his minions (joshua and reuben) followed. i was not able to get there in time and all i heard was a shriek and the some pattering feet. after handling the "tweeters". the father did express his apologies i went to where joshie was. he was hiding. curled on the sofa with his head buried down not wanting to see what was around him sobbing away. helplessly i watched as he battled his fears inside. we could offer comfort and assurance that we were here. that night, for the first time ever, he wet his bed. we just had to stand there and go through this with him. the following evening we were decided to take an action and light a candle. it was in the form of a lantern that we all lit together and launched it into the night remebering the proverb that it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness. as it went off we asked joshie what he prayed for. he said that there would be no more monsters.

October on the beach

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An early start

Off to brussels for an Aid exhibition. Early start 3.45am. But some rewarding sunrises views made it worthwhile.











And inside the exhibition is a mobile hospital tent:



And this is what it looks like inside:




Ever thought about toilets:









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Joshie's birthday snaps

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Whoops

So I gave Joshie the wrong pack lunch box. He should have had a lovely honey roasted fine cut, taste the difference ham with a smooth cream cheese sandwich made from delicious oat bread together with yoghurt covered raisins followed by an innocent squeezy smoothie.

He instead got left over mash potato.

I only just found out whilst checking the fridge. Over 24 hours later. He neither complained nor mentioned it.

Here he is... Take 2:



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Location:Reynolds Ln,Royal Tunbridge Wells,United Kingdom

Cousins at the park

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Strength in adversity

Staying strong in times of adversity are real marks of character. I certainly am utterly inspired by such people and such testimony to persevering under hardship.

I recall one of my colleagues tell me of a particular time when life was just too hard and how the family stepped in to help. It was during their family singing time when the father said he could not sing the words they usually sing. The sons replied if you can't sing then stay with us and let us sing for you dad. It carried him.

When leaving the house this morning I said to our boys that we would need their help over some of these days. Joshie, without hesitation, interjected "I'll be strong for us papa". I'm inspired.


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Diary of dying pt 2

The final moments of death have been somewhat a rollercoaster. There are certain logistics of palliative care. There's the multitude of emotions. The host of family and friends that are there supporting and standing with each other. Then there's the preparation of what next.

In the past few hours I heard the words that I've been expecting for the past year.

It is over.

My thoughts right this moment are of gratitude... I'm glad that I knew, that I know, you. Goodbye mum... I'll see you later.




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Location:Taylor St,,United Kingdom

A diary of dying pt 1

"You are important because you are you and you are important to the day you die" this is a paraphrased quote from the founder of the modern hospice movement Dame Cicely Saunders. I remember hearing it and nodding in agreement as I heard it.

Our lives are precious. How we use the time that we have says a lot about each of us.

Today I sit as Joshie is swimming pondering our significance, the time we have, our legacy as we, as a family, prepare for a death.

There are several main thoughts that weave between a tapestry of others. These are some of the major threads:

1. Inevitability.
It's the 100% stat that stalks us. We all know it is going to happen. We mainly live choosing to push the thought to the back but dictates a lot of how we interact and it brings a level of fear with it. Fear can both be healthy or unhealthy. For example a healthily fear is to plan how to avoid mortality incidents through protective measures. An unhealthy example is the pursuit of the elixir of health.

2. Justice
This is twofold. First, In simplicity: Life is fair and death is unfair. Second, there is also a justness to feeling the "innings" are over and it is right for this to happen. The justice is there in eating the last spoon of the pudding and saying "thank you very much I enjoyed the meal, but now it's over". The justness comes from being rewarded for all the effort and energy to get to the last spoon of that sweet desert.

3. Finiteness
Our time is brief and has an end. The end is there and always near.

4. How we have lived
As these days come I am staggered by the love and people that have come to help. It's testimony to a person who put people before others and demonstrated this in their behaviour. The legacy was building the character in others.

5. What's next
This is twofold too. What's next for them and us. Certainly the loneliness is looming. The thought of not being near them or at the end of an email or phone. There's also a sense of hope. I've not died, nor am I God to know specifics of details. But I recognise humbly that i do not presume to know such details that only an author or creator can know.

Well time's up and off to get Joshie now.

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Location:Sandown Park,Royal Tunbridge Wells,United Kingdom

Some more photos from the wedding