The sequel to this journal is continued here!

I know that my next entry will be taken up with Steve and Lynsey’s wedding so I thought I ought to write a post in here before the big day. Arrangements are all going really well while Steve is taken up with major renovation changes to his house, in particular the kitchen, which we hope will be ready in time! I can’t believe how long it is taking me to find an outfit! I have had 3 trips down to London, made more fun due to being able to meet up with Ben who has been working for ‘Men’s Health’. We enjoyed a coffee and green tea in a tucked away café near Bond Street station and then last week a chat in a tiny park sitting on the grass by some pink bluebells!

I think the most major news since I last wrote in here is that Julian has accepted a permanent job 4 days a week in his old firm in Sandhurst. It’s extra worthwhile for him at the moment because he gets to spend more time with Ben! But our thoughts turned to investing in a property down that way and the house hunting saga started all over again! Our first visit was to a lovely little cottage in Church Crookham which is near Fleet but that wasn’t quite perfect enough although it did back onto the beautiful Basingstoke canal. We spent a lovely day in Tongham, near Farnham, and found another little cottage which backed onto farmland but that one hasn’t worked out and we are now pursuing a run down property in Ash! It has to be run down so that Julian can have a hay day doing it up and following family tradition! The area is so beautiful. I easily managed to get lost along the country lanes following a map, let alone attempting the public footpaths.

But visiting the extremes of the countryside and London aside I do need to mention the lovely family get together we had in March for my Uncle’s 90th birthday. All his nieces and their husbands were there together which has never happened before so it was lovely catching up and reminiscing over ‘old times’.

Oh dear! Another catch up is long overdue! Those of you following this blog know not to hold your breath!

Possibly the next event of importance on my calendar was the carol service in the marquee on Charles and Tanya’s lawn. Everyone had worked hard, the marquee went up without any problems and Julian was looking forward to a nice rest on the day itself and enjoying the service in the evening. No chance!
The first snowfall of winter appeared during the night, to which the marquee roof took objection and part of it collapsed! Not easy to rectify. A hog roast on the menu sounded simple. Many things sound simple in theory. It duly arrived and Julian was asked to buy a car battery to enable it to be turned on the rotisserie. Said battery lasted 5 hours with 3 hours further cooking to go. So followed an attempt to remove the battery from Charles’ bus with no success but fortunately Penny’s car proved easier. All this time they were waiting for the generator for the heating which turned up 3 hours before the service started only to be found not to work! So another one had to be called from London. This one worked but only if someone stayed out in the freezing cold to kick start it every time it gave up…which was quite often! With one problem after another Julian and I eventually managed to make the service just in time to hear Charles; but the sound of Ben’s playing, along with Tanya on the cello, Simon on the flute and the girls with their violins accompanying the singing could be heard from the multi-storey car park and it was beautiful. In spite of the snow and many people sadly not being able to make it the marquee was mostly full and we are grateful to God for such a lovely atmosphere…and that the hog roast was perfectedly cooked. We are still eating it every church lunch and it still tastes delicious! Jimmy I don’t know if you are following this but if you are then thankyou for coming! It was great you and Kathy were there.

Christmas found us making our way down to spend a few days with Steve and for me to see his new house for the first time. That was due to the fact I was waiting for the heating to be installed! He assured me there was a bath, for us only to find that it was actually in a cardboard box in the breakfast room! Not exactly much use there! So Christmas Eve saw Julian and Steve using all their plumbing skills and by the end of Boxing Day (less than an hour before we were due to go out!) it was actually ready for use with running hot water! (They didn’t work on Christmas Day!) So we were all able to turn up sparkling clean to be with Lynsey’s family where we had a really enjoyable evening playing cluedo! We spent Sunday with the Rees family and Monday Lyn and Ben went shopping (a bad idea!) while I stayed behind to carry on with some much needed painting. We travelled home that evening with a huge mirror and wooden nest of tables and several rugs (bought in the sales) along with Christmas presents (including an antique gramophone found by Steve for Ben) and we tried to squeeze into the tiny spare places wherever we could.

It was a real joy to stop off at Ben’s both on the way down and on our return to break the journey and see all the improvements he has made. It is homely and cosy…except we know to wear most of the clothes from our wardrobes because of the cold. How come it has been the coldest winter for 30 years and he has survived in a house with no central heating or double glazing! Some mornings there has been ice on the inside windows and temperatures indoors noted as freezing!

Our news for January was the engagement of Steve and Lynsey with a wedding planned for June. We are hoping to get down to see them all next week to hear about all the arrangements so far!

And not to be outdone with excitement Ben managed to get himself arrested for breaking and entering his own house! In the end it was actually the police who forced entry but it is such a long and funny story you will need to ask Ben for details! The best thing of all is that the very next morning after breaking 2 panes of glass a firm had been booked to fit his double glazing. Perfect timing so well done Ben and thankyou for the laughs!

I am so sorry for such a long gap. I have been writing a blog for our church website (you can link to it through my profile) and so I am determined to update in here too. So much has happened since I last wrote that this will only be a very brief summary.

Saturday club now has a completely new intake which is proving challenging but also rewarding. The majority of the children come from a non-Christian background and we are finding this very different from the last 3 years. God is so good in entrusting us with these young ones and we pray that lives will be thoroughly turned around as we see these children so in need of the Saviour.

Stephen has just returned from another stint in Azerbaijan to return to his own house in Bristol! We are soon to see it and also help to work on it as it needs a lot of updating...particularly putting in some kind of heating!

Ben’s house in Reading is a gem! We went to take a look at it back in the summer just as a last minute addition whilst viewing other properties and fell in love with it.! I shall never forget standing by the front gate after the estate agent had gone just knowing it was the right one. So came the testing time… plenty of other people wanted it as well! But after a roller coaster ride the keys were finally in our hands. It is a family home and has been in the same family for over a century. It has known love and laughter, births, weddings and funerals and has character which has to be felt to be appreciated! The pantry, the outside toilet, the coal bunker, the birds in the attic, the air raid shelter…well, you get the idea. The first visitors of course had to be the Bancroft family on their way home from Dartmouth. Harri had a scary time helping clear out the shelter and came away with a first class presentation for back-at-school. Next on the list is to light the fire and hope that soot doesn’t spread back into the rooms over the freshly plastered and painted walls! History already casts its charm throughout the house. Furniture from Daniel and Grandma; Mum and Steve. Items from Tanya, Joe and Bronny, people from Hurst and the church at Hertford. Even items from when our church was the gospel hall 100 years ago. And now that it is beginning to look more up to date by the day Ben has bought a one-way ticket to Australia. Never a dull moment!

So Julian has been up to his eyes in house work! After Dan’s house was completed and sold early this year he has worked on our house, knocking down a chimney breast single handed; then on Ben’s house; then on the church; then ‘Granma’s house’ as we still call it and soon on Steve’s. But it’s all been fun, well, most of it, and he’s still been using his computer skills at the same time.

A joyful event this year was Susie’s baptism on Daniel’s birthday. Very poignant as he was the one to lead her to Wormley free church where she has been so blessed and has been a blessing. It wasn’t exactly a very warm day but the outdoor swimming pool provided a wonderful baptistery and the service was truly beautiful. Another event which stands out in my mind is the meeting in London with Naomi and Rita, my childhood friends from primary school. We spent a lovely few hours catching up and intend not to leave it so long until another time. Then of course there was the snow which fell on Dan’s anniversary and our precious Amanda took the opportunity to build a snowman on his grave.

I have a note found in Daniel’s bible on my fridge…he wrote we “need to realise the whole point of being a super-hero is not to please yourself but to help others.” Dan you were one of the many unsung superheroes in my life. We look forward to seeing you and Andy again….

Thankyou to everyone who is following in here.
cilla.

Daniel, I miss your soft brown eyes. I miss our talks. Our ‘mum and son’ chats when you told me to believe in myself and I told you to continue to aim high and to follow your dreams. Because if God was in your dream then it would materialise. Since you have gone I realise more and more how much you meant to me. How much you cheered me by your visits and lifted me if I was feeling low. How you told me what you had been doing and who you had met and what you talked about. How you looked for opportunities to reach people with the gospel. And how you always wanted to know what I had been doing too. You did such crazy things and seemed to live life on the edge, but although you were so impulsive with earthly decisions you possessed spiritual wisdom. Your desire was to grow closer to God and now you truly have.

I remember your loyalty. How without fail you faithfully set up on a Thursday night for the youth work, however tired or busy you were. How you were always there on time. How we prayed beforehand in the kitchen and how I always felt safe when you were around. Even when the kids were throwing chair leg rubbers and custard creams and were high on drugs. Somehow I always knew things would be alright when you were there because they loved you. I remember the time when you were so tired that you lay down across the chairs and nearly fell asleep and how good they were that evening. How sometimes it would be just you and me and that was when I felt the safest. I remember how you didn’t want a break all year even at Christmas. And I remember how you threw a BBQ in the car park on our last evening and around 80 people came. No one else would have done anything like that and yet you did it because you believed you could and your faith was strong. I saw Brad this week and he hadn’t heard. I will keep praying for them all. Maybe you are too.

I remember your loyalty to the Tuesday night prayer and bible studies round our house. How you could always be relied upon to come. And you would always have plenty to say and it was always helpful. And how you used to pray so beautifully.

Dad and I visited your grave today. The headstone stands out well with your special verse. ‘You are very precious to God’. Amanda’s pot of pansies gives soft and cheerful colour. Dad is working on your house right now. You made such a grand job of that and he will make sure it is finished. I miss you baby and wonder what you are doing right now.

Love you for always and right through eternity. Xxx

It is so long since I wrote in here that I have no idea where to begin so I’ll work backwards and see just how far back I can remember.

The news hot off the press is that Ben is in Hong Kong! At least we hope so. His flight was scheduled to take off 23 hours ago. He has been given a job until the end of May teaching English to children, which should be a real experience. Especially as he is hoping to get in plenty of travelling during their school holidays!

Stephen came home from a 3 week stint in Pakistan just before Ben was due to leave so that was good timing. We were able to spend quality family time together. Steve was sent home early for safety reasons—fortunately we didn’t know anything of the trouble in Pakistan until he was safely on English soil. After 2 days at home he was off again, but this time on holiday, to Vienna and Budapest!

Daniel’s house is coming along beautifully, and Julian is still working for Charles and for Sandhurst.

And now for Saturday club! Maybe we should have a blog just for Saturday club! Last week we didn’t arrive home until 10 minutes past 11 as Hannah was determined to get the latest project up on the walls. Last term the girls had painted individual letters on A3 paper using every colour and pattern available. These were then cut out and mounted on card to give a 3D effect and finally stuck (we hope) all around the church building. The verse we have displayed is Psalm 136 v 1 – “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever.” I will link to our efforts as soon as the photos are on the church website but it really does make for a colourful display. Hannah never being content with just one project at a time had a couple more on the move! In another corner the girls were busy at work on our Good Shepherd poster which is nearly ready to go up. Becky hadn’t been well during the evening and I was worried we would have to take her home. But just as we needed her expert ‘sticking’ help she appeared looking very white and decided to begin work. Three hours later when finally the last letter was up on the wall and the worst of the litter tidied away I said to her what a good thing it was that she was able to help just when we desperately needed her. The reply came back ‘I asked Jesus to make me better’. Oh the beauty of childlike trust. Tanya reminded us of Peter’s mother-in-law, how ’she arose and served them.’

It was altogether a thoroughly fantastic evening. I have set them the task of memorising the whole of Psalm 23, a section at a time, so we firstly went through the Psalm talking about the meaning and then tried to enforce the first verse with the help of a bean bag! We played ‘bible bingo’ and Emily hit on the idea of calling out ‘Jesus’ instead of bingo! It was her third week with us and a real delight to see her so happily joining in and so ready to learn. Another success was a new singing DVD and once it was watched all the way through we had the singing on in the background as we worked on the craft. 4 ½ hours of Saturday club was great although a tad tiring! And Becky was a wonder kid in making it to Sunday School only 11 hours later!!

The week before was great fun too. Lydia brought some sparklers and a tub of water in line with fire regulations (her words!) and we had fun with them in the garden, followed by huge, yummy slices of chocolate cake for Joannie’s 10th birthday. This past term we have been working through some of the parables including the lost coin, the lost sheep, the Good Samaritan and the great feast. We will cover at least two more and that should take us back to the Christmas story. We have come such a long way and I know I am so blessed seeing these young girls week by week and watching them grow in their understanding of the Saviour Who loves them so dearly.

So to move away from church (although there is so much more to write!) I must mention the wonderful holiday we had at the end of August and into September. We spent just over a week with my dear cousin Marion while Bernard was away and again had such a good time. Julian enjoyed his walks, or runs, with Meg along the cuckoo trail and it was so refreshing just to make ourselves at home, enjoy seeing the family again and of course all the homemade fruit and veg from the garden. Talking of fruit reminds me that our freezer gave way after over 20 years service the very day before we were due to leave. We managed to salvage most of the contents and I took down all our home grown fruit to Marion’s. We made pound upon pound of jam with raspberries, blackberries, rhubarb and cherries all mixed up together and very delicious it is too! On the August bank holiday weekend Anne had a REALLY big family get together at the farm. A time when we caught up with folks from years back and noticed how all the children had grown so quickly. It was a lovely summers evening and we will certainly be down for next year!

After a thoroughly lovely time at Marion’s we went on to spend a few days at our beautiful Polzeath which seems to be more beautiful every time we go if that is possible! The weather was perfect and we spent a wonderful day with Nick and Mary who we haven’t seen for something like 29 years! We had plenty of news to catch up on and I will link to some photos as soon as I can.

Well, I think that is long enough for now or no one will read it!! Thankyou in particular to Naomi for encouraging me to try and keep this up!

Written on 9th August.

As I write up the next instalment to my blog I am feeling sadness mixed with joy as my Mum was called Home to be with her Saviour on July 16th. We were called to Bethany on the 13th at 6.30 a.m. and left straightaway to see her. The carers didn’t think we would arrive in time and had already kissed her goodbye. Ben was able to cut across country and reach her first and she rallied at the sound of his voice! We were able to spend a quality couple of hours with her and she talked of her dear sister and brother who had gone on before. At one point she calmly said ‘I’m waiting. Help me.’ To whom was she talking? Was it a coincidence that Ben noticed that the verse on the calendar for the following day read ‘I waited patiently for the Lord.’? We read to her from John 14 and Isaiah 45 and it was an experience I wouldn’t have missed. She was able to say goodbye and I know that the Lord graciously gave us those extra hours. He was ready to take her, she was ready to go, but the Lord gave treasured memories for those left behind. Ben got in to see her right up to the day she died. He read to her and held her hand and talked with her and I feel sure gave her much comfort in her final hours.

We were surprised to see so many at the funeral as so many of her friends and family are dispersed all over the country and the majority in heaven but people travelled long distances to come. The day went so well and just as she would have liked. Pink and white carnations were in abundance as a poignant reminder of her wedding bouquet, and the sun shone warmly as we sang around the graveside.

The following day Steve travelled out to the North Sea and is still there as I write. He came home from a holiday in Morocco to the news of his Grandma’s call to Glory.

Daniel has been hard at work in his new home. He has knocked down a dividing wall, made one big kitchen from three small rooms and moved the bathroom upstairs. Church continues to go well for him and they had a good turn out for the fun day last Sunday.

Ben had a wonderful time at the wedding in Tunisia and we enjoyed seeing all the photos.

Saturday club finished at the beginning of July and it is good to relax and spend time in the garden, but September will come round soon enough and the stories of Jesus studied again. Throughout June we were very encouraged to take Gemma along with Becky to Sunday School. Sophie enjoyed coming to morning and evening church to sit with Elsie and we hope the interest of these children will be just as strong when they return from their holidays.