I want it now society.

We live in such an incredibly fast world now. My children will never have to wait to save up money then wait until Saturday to go & buy the latest record (on vinyl) because they will just download it from the iTunes credit they already have from Christmas or birthdays etc. The gap from wanting it to owning it is virtually non existent. Where's the fun in that? Then we have the need for answers. Answers to almost anything you want to know are just a search engine away. No need for libraries or finding the peron you hope will know. Simply tap it into your computer, phone, or iPad & away you go. We don't even have to wait to fire up a computer anymore, listening to the whirs, clicks & singing of a dial-up connection. It got me thinking that this could be the root of why some people become disillusioned with God. When we go to God with a problem we are not going to get a list of possible answers to our prayer up. There's usually (although not always) a wait, sometimes years. But when the answer comes there will only be one & it will be the right one. Our options then only extend to whether we go with that answer or ignore it. Perhaps this is also why Christianity is on the up in less privilaged nations. They are not conditioned to having it all right now. Their lives are more focused on waiting as nothing comes to them easily. They don't even have the luxury of instant water out of a tap, even the bare necessities take patience to achieve. So it leads me to conclude that waiting leaves time for spiritual growth. When everything else is stripped back it leaves Him & all the 'stuff' represents The Enemy whispering in our ears telling us we won't be happy until we have a new car, bigger house, lose those extra pounds, go on that big holiday or whatever it may be. Let's be still, let's wait & try & ignore the urge to rush out & buy the next thing. Whilst we are still we may just hear God's voice telling us what we really need to hear. Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions." (Luke 12:15 NIV) Esther xx

The lost art of conversation

My Mum has often told me stories of what food shopping was like when she was a little girl. She said my Grandmother would give her a shopping list and the shopkeeper would get her items. This could obviously not take place in silence.

Clothes shops would have counters too & endless little wooden drawers crammed with items to sell but the assistant would know exactly which little drawer contained the item you asked for. Again,  lots of chatting would take place and you would need to engage with the assistant to get your items. Then would come payment, in cash no doubt and despite it not being worked out by the till the correct change would be given.

I know we're all in a hurry and believe you me I want to get out of Tesco (other supermarkets are available) as fast as humanly possible but at what price?  It's all super fast, pre-packaged & sterile. There are lots of supermarket checkout staff who like a bit of a chin wag and I'll gladly oblige, especially as I don't always see that many 'grown ups' on a day to day basis.

Now we also have self service check outs where you don't have to speak to a soul. I was self serving it the other day to buy a bottle of wine which needed to be authorised and the assistant came over and without so much as a side ways glance pressed the 'customer looks over 25' button.  Rude.  The quick assumption about my age I mean, not the silence.

My mission is to try to get everybody to say at least a couple of words during an everyday transaction, we don't need life stories but let's just re-connect with people.

Esther xx

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