Life after REAL

I can't believe it's already a week since the excitement of REAL but we should really see it as the beginning and not the end. First of all we can now listen to the podcasts giving us an opportunity to soak it all up again & maybe hear something we didnt quite take in the first time. We also now have an opportunity to put some positive things into action.

I really just wanted to quickly share what I got from REAL but I will no doubt add to the list once I've listened to the podcasts. So here goes....

Make more time to sit quietly & listen to God
Make important career changes (biggy)
Whilst making decisions of what to do think about what 'really fires me up'
Spend time with my kids on their level & not missing crucial opportunities to hear about their day.
Think about my close friendships & be brave enough to have some important conversations with those friends that continually fall short of what a friend should be.
It's ok to take time for me.

I'd love to know what everyone else got from REAl too.

Esther xx

End of term madness

At the REAL conference Shauna Niequest spoke about the crazy end of school year stuff that goes on. I want to just say that I feel her pain!

My inbox is full of emails to action, I have forms to fill in and consequently children's money boxes to raid in order to have the correct change (yes I do replace it!) for various activities & day trips. Fete duty rotas, bringing weekly donations for the fete & praying you've read the date right for non uniform days. Yes I have got it wrong before and it was not a pretty sight.

In addition to which I have a Son that's leaving primary school this year so we have the year 5/6 production, leavers assembley, year end assembley when year 6 get presented with a bible, leavers BBQ, induction day at new school & disco at new school.

I know that when the kids are grown up that I'll look back fondly at this time but for now I don't mind admitting that I'm a worn out Mummy that's finding it tricky to squeeze in her day job!

I do have to remember I'm not on my own, Jesus has told us to go to him at times just like this. I'm just not very good at it...yet.

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." (Mark 6:31 NIV)

Esther xx

Keeping it REAL

I haven't blogged much lately & if I'm honest I'm having one of those weeks where things get you down and that's not really what people want to read.

Luckily I have a very supportive Husand and family but what I'm also finding great, everyday of my life through the good and bad, is my church family.
In a church family you can be yourself completely. If you're a mum you won't find the usual tiring pretence that we've all got perfect children & husbands. We tell it how it is which is much more helpful & won't leave you feeling like a failure. Having someone to laugh & cry with without being judged is very special indeed & my friends are very important to me.

I'm so looking forward to our REAL women's conference this weekend and just know it's going to be just the kick up the backside I need right now. Spending time with friends & listening to wonderful, inspiring preaches & seeing what God has in store for us all.

I'll be praying for us all to meet with God in a powerful way this weekend.

Esther xx

Lets look at the bigger picture

So how many people have mentioned the weather to you today? Yes it is cold, yes it has been raining for days and no we really shouldn't have to have our heating on in June. It was definitely boiling hot on 12 June 2001 when I was walking around with swollen ankles, 6 days away from giving birth. Don't worry I'll leave it there....


But come on guys....let's just get over it! We're all perfectly safe, God promised us that right? Even my 5 year old knows that. There are people who have been affected badly by having their homes flooded and for fellow fans of springwatch on bbc the affect on wildlife has been devestating. We have to remember that there are people suffering with terrible illness, debt,bereavement etc and I just feel a little perspective is called for. I for one am pleased that I haven't spent money on getting my air con fixed in my car!

The sun WILL shine again but in the meantime I'm putting on my lovely purple wellies & zipping up my raincoat. Might even get myself a new brolly!

Who's going to join me splashing in puddles? Obviously it wouldn't do any harm to pray for a little sunshine while we splash:)

Esther xx

Such a fab week!

Haven't the jubilee celebrations been great fun? I love seeing Britain celebrating together amidst the doom & gloom of our current economic climate to prove that we are still GREAT Britain.

We had one of those whirlwind weekends with lots of visits to great friends and I had the rest of the week off too. This is so special as my own children get to have me to themselves with no little people for me to look after. I'm very blessed to work for a couple that understand that my own children need me too.

Wednesday my boys went to BUILD at our wonderful church. The team just give them the best time ever and they were just buzzing when I picked them up. They made some fab prayer boxes & I might make one for myself! On Thursday & Friday they spent a few ours with both sets of Grandparents and that doesn't happen too often. I'm usually have them home with me for all the holidays & rarely get time to myself.

My boys & I had very lazy starts to the morning & besides doing lots of domestic duties & errands I was feeling like I hadn't achieved much during the week.

Then I read this on twitter:
Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." (Mark 6:31 NIV)

Not only once but twice in one day! It makes perfect sense, we do need to be by ourselves in a quiet place from time to time and we most certainly do need rest. As Christians we need time to pray, sit quietly and be with God and as people we need to re-charge our batteries.

Don't pretend that you can keep going without stopping, you'll have much more to offer everyone by taking time out now and again.

Esther xx

No more coincidences

 I just wanted to share this.

I was making a card this afternoon and went into the tin that I store some of my supplies in and found a card with a verse on that was handed out during our church's verse for life series. I have no idea how it got in there, it was quite far from where I keep the others.

If you can't see what it says from the photo it's:

Praise be to the God and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of compassion

and the God of all comfort,

who comforts us in all our troubles,

so that we can comfort those is any trouble

with the comfort we ourselves

receive from God.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Reading it I was particularly drawn to the 'comforts us in ALL our troubles' that's key and I also got a strong sense that someone may need me this week from the 'so that we can comfort those in ANY trouble'

There comes a point where you hold your hands up and say 'this is no coincidence, God is speaking to me' and I absolutely love those moments, it strengthens my faith & let's me know God loves me.

Esther xx

The power of The Holy Spirit

Mothers will always have a hard time letting their children go out into the world. We know that we must give them independence & the opportunity to experience new things.

I've always struggled & been a nervous wreck when it comes to my children to the point of not being able to sleep sometimes. They're not even teenagers yet so I know I have lot worse to come!

As this has been a big deal to me I've prayed and been prayed for to help ease my mind.

My son went away with school last week and it certainly was an action packed week, including coach travel, water crossing, abseiling, canoeing, quad biking & much more! This would usually have kept me awake for the entire week but this wasn't the case. I missed him very, very much but I felt calm. I felt mainly that The Holy Spirit was with me and with my Son and I can't discribe how amazing it felt.

Esther xx