People ask Charles and me – How are you enjoying retirement? I smile when I hear that question, knowing that there is no such thing as retirement in the Kingdom of God. Changes –Yes – but oodles of time for rest and recreation? – not just yet.
Before the start of the evening meeting we were able to meet up with Sarah, one of the team from USA, whose family had been such a blessing to us when we were in Kansas City in June. We were able to eat a meal with the team and have a very short time hearing how God was helping and blessing Sarah, and meeting her needs.
We enjoyed the evening meeting, but knowing we still had to travel another hour to where we would lay our heads – we left before it ended and proceeded north to our destination in Morecombe. We were warmly welcomed and after a quick cuppa and catch up, we were in bed – grateful for friends and the gift of hospitality. Don’t ever underestimate, loving caring friends whose desire is to give and bless, to love and serve without fuss, there is a kingdom of God quality about such acceptance, which both refreshes and stimulates.
The next morning we awoke to the noise of oyster catchers and a wonderful view across Morecombe Bay – we couldn’t see the Lake District to the north because of the weather, but it was so good to smell the sea and see the foreshore.
Our friend Angela was able to come with us for Day 2 of the conference and again we were blessed as various ones shared the word of God and gave testimony of how God’s Spirit had enabled and taught them. We returned to Morecombe for the evening, sharing our lives with Angela in the context of a good meal and a blazing fire. We need each other; life has all sorts of challenges and it is good to have friends who will stand in faith when there are battles. Currently our friend’s daughter is being treated with extensive radio and chemo therapy after surgery to remove a tumour from her bowel. You choose faith above fear and press into God’s resources as you pray and support – but it is so good to be able to have those alongside who understand and believe for complete healing and victory.
We had a good sleep and were greeted by a day with even less visibility, and after breakfast we were on our way to Leeds to visit Gillie, our granddaughter who is at University. The weather cleared somewhat as we crossed the Pennines and as we approached Leeds a full rainbow arched over the landscape. It was amazing – all the colours stood out in wide bands proclaiming once again God’s faithfulness and blessing. Finding Gillie and parking in the centre of Leeds was somewhat daunting, but we did it and were able to have lunch together, see her student pad, hear her news and as her fiancé Erwin was visiting from Rumania for her birthday, he joined in the lunch too. We heard also how Erwin was linking his city in Rumania with Leeds and seeking to develop business and civic contacts – quite thrilling and again reminding us of God’s hand of blessing on the lives of those committed to him.
Our time was sweet, but too short and we were soon headed back down the M1 towards Bristol and were home early evening having covered a good few miles, protected and cared for by our loving Father. Back to the answering machine, the post and the emails, finding out how the family are settling in Cornwall, how the new schools were, etc.etc. – and so to bed.
Friday was spent preparing for a Marriage seminar in Taunton to be held the following day and for a 30th birthday party to be held in the evening. For this we needed 1920’s style costumes and didn’t have anything suitable in our wardrobe. As we prayed the Lord gave us the names Sally and Fraser who are in our church. We told them our dilemma and with great cheerfulness they produced exactly what we needed.
On the Friday I also spent time with some people who came to talk and pray and we also managed to squeeze is a short visit to the mother of a good friend of ours who was visit from Leicester who is 95 and totally with it – she had been shopping at Clarke’s village during that afternoon.
Over the past few months we we’ve been sharing our walk with God with a group of twenty something’s and this was a party to celebrate a landmark birthday for one of them, and we felt very blessed to have been invited, as we enjoyed their creativity and hospitality.
So to Sunday and it was great to be in Church with friends new and old. There were new folk, masses of young children, good worship, prophetic songs and pictures and a real tangible sense of God’s presence, and Daniel gave a great message on forgiveness. Where else can you span the generations and feel real love between people aged between 90 years and 9 months!
This is full on retirement … and we wouldn’t have it any other way!
So this was last week – Monday we were at home during the day, catching our breath after helping our daughter and family move to Cornwall, they had spent the previous weekend with us, so the beds needed changing, plus other practical jobs. We both made trips to the hairdresser and later enjoyed a friends birthday dinner in Bristol.
The next day we were up at 5am and on the road soon after 6am heading north, we arrived in Bolton just after 9.30am to attend a 2 day conference with a team from IHOP – International House of Prayer, Kansas City, USA. It was a good day in the presence of the Lord, and around 4.30pm we finished in Bolton and made our way through teeming rain to Salford, where the evening meeting was to be held. We needed heavenly resources to contend with traffic conditions and weather and some earthly help in the form of Sat Nav to get us to the right place.
The next day we were up at 5am and on the road soon after 6am heading north, we arrived in Bolton just after 9.30am to attend a 2 day conference with a team from IHOP – International House of Prayer, Kansas City, USA. It was a good day in the presence of the Lord, and around 4.30pm we finished in Bolton and made our way through teeming rain to Salford, where the evening meeting was to be held. We needed heavenly resources to contend with traffic conditions and weather and some earthly help in the form of Sat Nav to get us to the right place.
Before the start of the evening meeting we were able to meet up with Sarah, one of the team from USA, whose family had been such a blessing to us when we were in Kansas City in June. We were able to eat a meal with the team and have a very short time hearing how God was helping and blessing Sarah, and meeting her needs.
We enjoyed the evening meeting, but knowing we still had to travel another hour to where we would lay our heads – we left before it ended and proceeded north to our destination in Morecombe. We were warmly welcomed and after a quick cuppa and catch up, we were in bed – grateful for friends and the gift of hospitality. Don’t ever underestimate, loving caring friends whose desire is to give and bless, to love and serve without fuss, there is a kingdom of God quality about such acceptance, which both refreshes and stimulates.
The next morning we awoke to the noise of oyster catchers and a wonderful view across Morecombe Bay – we couldn’t see the Lake District to the north because of the weather, but it was so good to smell the sea and see the foreshore.
Our friend Angela was able to come with us for Day 2 of the conference and again we were blessed as various ones shared the word of God and gave testimony of how God’s Spirit had enabled and taught them. We returned to Morecombe for the evening, sharing our lives with Angela in the context of a good meal and a blazing fire. We need each other; life has all sorts of challenges and it is good to have friends who will stand in faith when there are battles. Currently our friend’s daughter is being treated with extensive radio and chemo therapy after surgery to remove a tumour from her bowel. You choose faith above fear and press into God’s resources as you pray and support – but it is so good to be able to have those alongside who understand and believe for complete healing and victory.
We had a good sleep and were greeted by a day with even less visibility, and after breakfast we were on our way to Leeds to visit Gillie, our granddaughter who is at University. The weather cleared somewhat as we crossed the Pennines and as we approached Leeds a full rainbow arched over the landscape. It was amazing – all the colours stood out in wide bands proclaiming once again God’s faithfulness and blessing. Finding Gillie and parking in the centre of Leeds was somewhat daunting, but we did it and were able to have lunch together, see her student pad, hear her news and as her fiancé Erwin was visiting from Rumania for her birthday, he joined in the lunch too. We heard also how Erwin was linking his city in Rumania with Leeds and seeking to develop business and civic contacts – quite thrilling and again reminding us of God’s hand of blessing on the lives of those committed to him.
Our time was sweet, but too short and we were soon headed back down the M1 towards Bristol and were home early evening having covered a good few miles, protected and cared for by our loving Father. Back to the answering machine, the post and the emails, finding out how the family are settling in Cornwall, how the new schools were, etc.etc. – and so to bed.
Friday was spent preparing for a Marriage seminar in Taunton to be held the following day and for a 30th birthday party to be held in the evening. For this we needed 1920’s style costumes and didn’t have anything suitable in our wardrobe. As we prayed the Lord gave us the names Sally and Fraser who are in our church. We told them our dilemma and with great cheerfulness they produced exactly what we needed.
On the Friday I also spent time with some people who came to talk and pray and we also managed to squeeze is a short visit to the mother of a good friend of ours who was visit from Leicester who is 95 and totally with it – she had been shopping at Clarke’s village during that afternoon.
Saturday we travelled to Taunton and enjoyed a great day – “Investing in Marriage.” We had fun and fellowship, shared principles and testimony with a good group of varying ages. We were really blessed by the thoughtful care of Andrea and David who hosted the day. They later took us to see their new home which is an amazing story of redemption and restoration following severe water damage after burst pipes flooded their property. After many months of building, plastering, remodelling, painting, decorating and re-equipping they at last are in residence. Both have full time jobs so only God could have given the wisdom, strength, creativity and stick ability to achieve this!
So we returned home and had about an hour to spare before the party. What a party! Good fun, good food, good company and a murder mystery to solve. We were so glad we had managed to get the right gear to wear – everyone had made supreme efforts and we felt transposed into the 1920’s.
So we returned home and had about an hour to spare before the party. What a party! Good fun, good food, good company and a murder mystery to solve. We were so glad we had managed to get the right gear to wear – everyone had made supreme efforts and we felt transposed into the 1920’s.
Over the past few months we we’ve been sharing our walk with God with a group of twenty something’s and this was a party to celebrate a landmark birthday for one of them, and we felt very blessed to have been invited, as we enjoyed their creativity and hospitality.
So to Sunday and it was great to be in Church with friends new and old. There were new folk, masses of young children, good worship, prophetic songs and pictures and a real tangible sense of God’s presence, and Daniel gave a great message on forgiveness. Where else can you span the generations and feel real love between people aged between 90 years and 9 months!
This is full on retirement … and we wouldn’t have it any other way!
