A time for everything....

........ I've been pondering a lot recently on how life has so many different seasons. Seasons of happiness, sadness, learning, working, business, chaos, rest, giving and receiving.

I think this pondering has been triggered by the arrival of my favourite season, Autumn. But it has been heightened from being at home so much recently after the birth of my gorgeous little boy. This has been a season of thankfulness from the amazement and wonderment of the arrival of our little miracle, but along with that I have been taking a back seat on certain things that are important to me, and as a family we have been facing some pretty huge challenges and the last few months have been tough!

This season for me is one of joy and also of business... not only being mum of 2, but also co-running a business with Craig, and overseeing the kids ministry at church. This leaves little time for self indulging in time to myself! But this is only for a season, like the disturbed nights (I hope)! Its important that what ever life has for you now, you grasp hold of the joys as well as the challenges knowing that the challenges come and go, what is the saying, 'this too shall pass'. The joys of certain seasons can be hard won sometimes, other times they are so evident.... on my most busy and challenging days at the moment I can take a look at my kids and know a deep joy and thank God for the blessing they are to us.

Seasons are also reflected in our walk with God. We have times of refining, of acceleration in our revelation, and alsorts of twists and turns on our journey. Yet I would suggest that even though there are times that seem tough and, the cliched 'desert times' that our experience of God's love should not be seasonal. Whatever happens in life, God is still the same, he is still our loving heavenly dad who has nothing but good things for his children. As Tony Wastall reflects, "The bible never refers to our experience of God as seasonal. We go from faith to faith, glory to glory and increase to increase." Yes things get tough, but even in the darkest moments God still loves us and wants good for us! That never changes. As we teach our kids at church, "GOD IS IN A GOOD MOOD"

I was really touched by this story entitled:

The Refiner's Fire

There was a group of women in a Bible study on the book of Malachi. As they were studying chapter three, they came across verse three which says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." (Malachi 3:3) This verse puzzled the women and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.
One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study. That week this woman called up a silver smith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest in silver beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silver smith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot--then she thought again about the verse, that he sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.
She asked the silver smith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silver smith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?"
He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy--when I see my image in it."

Author unknown

So whatever the season is for you, whether its full of joy or sadness, rest or busyness know that God is still the same and he has nothing but good things for you and He never takes His eyes off you. Keep focussing on him and be open to all he has for you now.

Our new venture.....!

Following an interesting coulple of years on the job front we have started a new venture, something that has in the past been only a dream. So here's introducing CENTRAL FLIGHT TRAINING: http://www.centralflighttraining.com/

Central Flight Training was established in May 2011 with the intention of bringing advanced flight training courses to the Midlands. Ideally located centrally in the UK at Tatenhill airfield we offer high quality commercial flight training courses, multi- engine courses, instrument rating courses, flight instructor courses and flight examiner courses. Staffed by a small team of dedicated career instructors who between them have many years of experience within the flight training industry, the aim is to bring a friendly but professional approach to flight training, provide a first class Midlands flying school.

Following an initial inspection by the UK Civil Aviation Authority, Central Flight Training was approved as Flight Training Organisation (FTO) 1001 to conduct modular commercial flight training courses including commercial pilot licence (CPL), Multi- Engine Piston class rating (MEP), Instrument Rating (IR) and Flight Instructor (FI) Courses. In addition to offering a complete range of courses, Central Flight Training is also able to offer renewals and revalidations for Single Engine Piston Ratings (SEP), Multi- Engine Piston Ratings (MEP), Instrument Ratings (IR) and Flight Instructor Ratings (FI) from our Midlands flying school base in Staffordshire.

Central Flight Training as a small organisation specialises in offering flexible training courses to meet your individual needs. Our commercial pilot courses (CPL) can be completed in a single engine or multi- engine aircraft on a full time or part time basis.

We offer the same flexibility throughout our range of Single Engine and Multi Engine courses, using our large fleet of well- maintained aircraft, including the Diamond DA42 with advanced avionics and modern “glass cockpit” technology.

Central Flight Training is also able to offer a full range of flight instructor courses including Flight Instructor (Restricted) Rating, removal of “no night”, “no applied instrument” and “no aerobatics” restrictions, as well as the addition of multi- engine privileges to a flight instructor rating. Alongside this, we can also offer a standalone single or multi engine class rating instructor course, and a standalone instrument rating instructor course.

Take a look at the site and contact us for further details http://www.centralflighttraining.com/ 01283575106

the funniest baby laugh i ever heard!

Brummies galore

Can't quite believe its been 5 months since my last post! Mad! But then things have been!

We are now moved to the West Midlands, and I get to see Craig every evening again! It has been a rough road to get moved we ended up having 2 days notice as the chain was about to fall apart. Also because of people putting ridiculous deadlines completion fell on the day we were going away! So we moved out 2 days b4 (moved the entire lot of stuff our selves!) and I stayed with the in laws for 3 weeks before we could get chance to move down there (again moving ourselves!) Then the hard work began totally redecorating, but we are really getting somewhere now and it definately feels like home.

Its hard work getting to know people again... (and undstanding the accent is tricky!) but we have wonderful neighbours which is a great start!

the unknown

Its all too easy to become comfortable in life isnt it. Yes, there are always things that come to try us in all areas of our life but its easier to overcome those things from the stability of a settled home life.

I guess as a Christian I have always been aware of the need not to become 'comfortable' in my faith or life for that matter. Its easy to slip into the blinkered approach to those in need and I never want to be in that category of people.

I've been thinking such alot about this whole issue recently. With our house now sold it feels like my world has been turned upside down as we don't have a clue where we'll be ending up! Its easy to say that it'll work out but at the moment my job is to be at home raising my daughter so my home is really important, and I think the nesting instinct is still very prominent!!! It feels alien to be uprooting and starting afresh. But despite some set backs in finding a place to live, I feel excited about what is in store. God has his hand on our lives, and we were reminded by someone reading out the passage in Matthew about God taking care of the birds in the trees and the wild flowers, so what is there to worry about. Of course God will take care of us! Putting that into practice is difficult sometimes, but isnt it amazing!

Some one said that "courage isn't the absence of fear, its the mastery of it."

Its time then to move on, to start afresh and to follow God's leading. BRING IT ON!

A New Year, a New Me???

Happy New Year to you all! (all 3of u who actually read this blog!)

I've snatched a few minutes to myself and have decided that a new year requires a new look blog. While sorting the new blog layout I've been pondering the whole thing of new years resolutions! Many a year I've made resolutions to work harder, to be on time, to budget, to lose weight. Some I've kept to in some shape or form... others really not! And in some ways although I wouldnt call it a resolution I will be joining a slimming club tomorrow night!

So I was musing... is this going to be a new year, a new me? There are many challenges in the year ahead. Yes, losing weight is one. Making a good progress in physio to get good strength and mobility back is another. We'll be moving house to a new area sometime soon hopefully so many a challenge comes with that, but with it much to look forward to. Also I have the immense privaledge of seeing my daughter grow and develop everyday... she is such a blessing and brings me such alot of happiness.

So in some ways, yes there are many challenges and things to bring joy in the year ahead... but a new me? Maybe I'll look better once I shed the excess pounds (which Id like to blame on having a child, but they were already there!), and maybe I'll live somewhere different... but I'm afraid folks, I'm resigned to the fact that it''ll still be the same old me... like it or not! All the faults will still be there what ever resolutions are made, so lets forget striving to be someone we're not and embrace all that is good, bad and unique about us all!!!

All the best for 2008, i hope it brings you much fun and laughter, love and happiness xxx

taking for granted...

Do you ever sit back and take stock of things, or get reminded by someone and realise that there is SO SO much that we take for granted?

This has happened to me over the last week, actually prompted by the sermon at church on sunday (even though it was pretty unrelated!). There are so many things that I have been taking for granted, having a house, a baby, a wonderful husband and loving family. But the main thing that I realsised was that I totally have been taking for granted God's amazing goodness to us. Dont get me wrong, I have been constantly aware and thankful for all the ways he has been working, but I havn't been acting on that thankfullness. And this is something that has to change.

Christianity is not a passive faith, it is dynamic, and although faith and love of God doesn't require us to do anything as such - if it is a real faith then it COMPELLS us to action. Thats the key, if our faith is real it causes a stirring in us that compells us to act. It gives us a desire to hear and learn more about God, to find out more about His character, about His will and His love for His creation.

So it is not something to take for granted, as I have been reminded of once again. And my thankfullness for all things good is continuing even in the midst of the tired haze of today!