#ThankfulThursday getting excited

Firstly I am sorry for the radio silence recently, time has been filled with Christmas dooo's, (three in three days was a bit much last weekend) work and preparing for our trip to Cambodia.

Secondly (clears throat)- This is a public service announcement, all of my posts for the next three weeks/month will be about Cambodia and will be very sporadic. I should be able to keep you all up dated with our adventures but don't panic if I don't check in too often, I am hoping to be busy either helping, teaching, outreaching, shopping, eating, playing, swimming, hanging with Jane and Greg or reading/sunbathing. (I have never before had the luxury of a winter tan -(I am going to be really careful in the sun, we have 4 different types of sun cream, but no matter how much sun cream I usually get some tan))

So this is meant to be a #ThankfulThursday post so lets get back to that...

I am thankful that I have the luxury of going to Cambodia, and that I have had a few months to get so excited about it! When I was growing up, every holiday we went on my Dad impressed on us how great it is to look forward to something and that the run up to the holiday is almost half of the holiday.

So now getting excited about holidays is something I am quite good at.

I will sign off with a few of the items on our today list for tomorrow:

Pack
Deliver Pigwidgeon (our hamster) to Rachel's (official Hamster sitter for the Christmas period) house
Use up/ give away perishable food
Clean the house (I like to return to a clean house, it makes coming home less stressful)
Clean the fish tank
Attend Christmas Soiree (I actually wrote that)

There are many more things on the list but you are probably already bored.

Sorry this post is a little rambling, has no picture or specific point and has many ().

Merry Christmas

x

#ThankfulThursday The Church of England

As I am sure most of you are aware, this has been a turbulent and trying week for the Church of England. I am not going to pretend I know the exact ins and outs of what went on in synod and the reasons behind why the vote went the way it did. But I do know that many of my non-Christian friends and colleagues think much less of the church and Christianity as a result.

The debate around allowing Female Bishops has been escalating for many years and it reached its climax at 5pm on Tuesday. It followed a day of speeches from many bishops, clergy, theologians and lay people who all felt strongly one way or another. I personally have never been too wrapped up in the debate for a couple of reasons...(I am going to be completely honest here)1. It didn't really affect me (the worst reason EVER) 2. I didn't necessarily understand myself as attached to the Church of England per se. I say didn't because my reaction and heartfelt sadness on hearing the result of the vote has made me realise otherwise.

I believe women should be 'allowed' to be Bishops for a number of reasons. But right now another debate is the last thing we need. What is important is that we remember and celebrate all of  the good in the Church and strive to love each other and show all of the fantastic vicars who happen to be female that we love, respect and value their work. (I previously wrote about the great institution that is the church here.)

This is a great blog post reminding people of the good things the church has done and is doing >> http://www.eauk.org/church/stories/10-great-things-about-the-church-of-england.cfm

 If you are interested in further reading this is a great and thoughtful response to Tuesdays events >> http://godandpoliticsuk.org/2012/11/20/women-bishops-an-honest-reflection/

Today I am Thankful for the Church.

#Thankfulthursday Family Traditions

  This week I am thankful for family traditions.

Nearly every year my Dad and I Make a Christmas cake.

 

The Christmas cake recipe we usually use is from a really old cookery book of my Mums, it is the same recipe that my Mum and I followed when making our wedding cake.

This year when Mum and Dad visited we made our Christmas cake, we had to use a different recipe because we didn't have Mums recipe book. but that doesn't matter. 

The tradition and the time together is what matters.

#ThankfulThursday My Job

I can't believe it is Thursday again already! 

This week has gone very quickly. It was Jamie's Birthday on Tuesday. 

He worked all day and in the evening so we haven't really celebrated yet.

I did make him a chocolate cake though.

This week I am thankful for my job....

I am thankful that I work for a great charity that really has an impact on the lives of the people it helps. 

I am thankful that I have a job. 

I am thankful that it is part time so that Jamie and I get some time together each week  most weeks.

I am thankful that it is rewarding and enjoyable.

I work for the Neuromuscular Centre and we help people with muscular dystrophy. If you would like to learn more about muscular dystrophy or the centre you can check out our website www.nmcentre.com

Check out this video from granada news.

 I had the priviledge to organise this event with the help of some of my colleagues and people from the centre. 

I promise to post more this week! I need to tell you about my parents visit for a start.

#ThankfulThursday Freedom

Today I am thankful that I am free.

Slavery and Human trafficking are on the rise. Many of us live believing that slavery isn't an issue for the modern world.

It is...

The A21 campaign is a charity who is fighting to raise awareness of slavery. Here are some statistics form their website: 

• Human trafficking is the second largest global organized crime today, generating approximately 31.6 billion USD each year. Specifically, trafficking for sexual exploitation generates 27.8 billion USD per year.
• There are 1.39 million victims of commercial sexual servitude worldwide.
•  Tragically, only 1-2 percent of victims are rescued, and only 1 in 100,000 Europeans involved in trafficking are convicted.

Slavery isn't just sexually motivated. The exploitation and slavery of children is wide spread. in countries like Ghana and the Ivory coast that supply 75% of the worlds cocoa industry, child labour, trafficking and slavery are rife. (www.foodispower.org)

I know it is easy to feel overwhelmed with these figures and to believe that we can't do anything.

 Here are a few suggestions to start with:

* never pay for sex.

* raise awareness - share this information with friends, colleagues etc.

* Don't deny it is happening and stay informed.

* Give money to charities that are fighting the slave trade (It is well known that the Animal charities get a much larger proportion of charitable giving than charities that fight for human rights - this in my eyes this is disgusting)

* Buy Fairtrade -Yes it may not be the answer to all the problems but by buying fairly traded chocolate, tea, coffee, cotton we are more certain that the money we are spending is not fueling the slave trade) 

 

I know this isn't a comprehensive list, but it is a start.

For more information visit these websites:

http://www.thea21campaign.org

http://www.antislavery.org

http://www.unseenuk.org/ 

#ThankfulThursday Rainbows

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow

Today I am thankful for Rainbows because as I was driving home today marveling at the rain falling from a bright sky I re-realised how extravagant our God is.

God did not have to make creation beautiful, He could just have made it functional, The sun and the rain are necessary for the life cycle of EVERYTHING. God not only came up with that awesome self renewing cyclical system, He made it that water and the composition of light are just so that when they interact in a specific manor, prism dispersion occurs causing a rainbow or two.

That is the nature of our awesome and extravagant God.

#ThankfulThursday An Autumn Harvest

Early Autumn is great for free fruit.

For this I am very thankful.

This year I managed to get Jamie on board with the foraging.

We managed to pick many juicy little yellow Plums, Black Berries and 2kg of Elderberries.

 

 With this haul I made: Apple and Blackberry pie

Plum and Chili Chutney

 

Apple and Blackberry upside-down cake, obviously inspired by the Great British bake Off. 

Unfortunately I didn't cook it for long enough, I had to  re-cook it before we ate it - it still tasted good, but did not look as pretty.

With the elderberries we are making wine.

 I will let you know how that goes in about a year. 

I have discovered that wine making is not a quick process!

I have also discovered food photography is really not my thing.

#ThankfulThursday Autumn

#ThankfulThursday

This week I am thankful for and looking forward to Autumn

I love autumn, it is my favourite season

Here are 10 reasons why

The trees are beautiful

Comfy Jumpers and cardigans

source

My slippers

Pies and stews. 

My Birthday (I love it and get very excited, as the photo suggests)

Snuggly bed (couldn't resist this burger bed!)

Crisp sunny walks with friends

An extra hour in bed when the clocks change

Fallen crispy leaves

 Bonfire night and camp fires

#ThankfulThursday

This week after a nearly two weeks of resting with family

My ThankfulThursday this week has to be spending time with

FAMILY!

#ThankfulThursday

Today I am thankful for holidays! 

It has been a little quiet here because we are away enjoying time with family, friends and each other.

Also my parents don't have any photo editing software so I haven't been able to bring you my week of dresses yet.

Today is my last enforced day of skirt/dres wearing. It feels a little odd that I might wear shorts or jeans tomorrow...

I will update you soon, until then

Happy Holidays!

#ThankfulThursday

This week it's a no brainer, sorry to be obvious and oh so British but....

This week I'm thankful for the SUN!!!

I found this photo on a science blog that has lots of cool facts about the sun.

It was interesting, but for now I just want to warm myself in its lovely rays.

What are you thankful for this week?

#ThankfulThursday

Time for a new blog idea...

I got this idea from twitter (you can follow me @Emily_Advntures) every Thursday people use the Hastag #ThankfulThursday (If you don't understand twitter jargon, and want to, read this.) people talk about people who have been nice to them and things in their lives they are particularly Thankful for that week.

I love it. It's great to see people being so positive and encouraging. Being thankful is definitely something that many of us could do with practising. I am terrible if I'm feeling a little down everything is dramatically bad! Whereas in actual fact My life is pretty cushty (no I am not Delboy I just like the word cushty) and only small things are hard or difficult.

Because I am a Christian I see being thankful as a way of giving God the Glory for the good things in life and actually making a point of remembering that all good things come from HIM. 

So every Thursday I am going to try and remember to post something I am really thankful for. Sometimes it will be a person, sometimes something big and serious and sometimes something a little ridiculous. 

This week I am thankful for my bike and people who cycle with me.

This photo was taken monday, half way through a 12 mile ride to a wonderful warm and friendly farm for lunch.

We were very wet but happy!

I'm going cycling again today, lets hope it is a little less wet!