And God Bless Us Every One! Reflections on 2008

Wow, okay I thought for sure that it hadn't been nearly 3 weeks since last I wrote.  I could blame it on moving and the holidays, but I honestly should have looked.  I know so many of you live and breathe for my blog update (wink).  Well, here you have it then.  

The past three weeks have been comfortable.  I moved into my new house and am enjoying having my own space and my two new housemates Fliss and Kate.  I'll be hitting up IKEA in a few weeks for a few accessories.  So far I've been able to figure out most English appliances.   Like for instance, the fan ovens over here should be set 20 degrees below the estimated cooking temperature and may cook sugar cookies in 4 minutes, not 8.  That is a good thing to know when baking Christmas biscuits for your life group.  Never fear, the smoke detectors in my house are fully functioning.  

I'm not sure the same can be said for the radiators in the church building that we rent for the weekly Sunday gathering.  But the carol service went extremely well anyway.  Sometimes I think the English are accustomed to being slightly chilled at all times.  But we had many visitors and during the children's story time, Weslie, wonderful jumble of two-year-old-girlishness that she is, danced around the front of the stage whilst listening to the book.  Isn't it a joy to see children bask in the joy of life.  Dostoyevsky says that the soul is healed by being with children.  I quite agree.  

 (Weslie)

I wasn't really worried about Christmas, and I don't know why.  As long as I had a place to belong, it made it easier to be away from my family.  God is my sustenance on most days, so I figured He would take care of it.  And He did.  Christmas Eve, I spent with the Fanchers, a couple on the church-plant team, and a varied group of internationals.  Ironically, we only had one Brit present.  We read the Christmas story with two Chinese girls who had never heard it, a Romanian girl, and a Nigerian who is a strong believer.  There's something different, holy, or 'other' about sharing the story with people who've not heard it before.

(Tolu and Nora)  

Christmas morning dawned and I even had a present to open:).  I spent the morning with the lovely McElroy family.  They even bought presents for me (and yes one can go through four boxes of Amazing Spiderman candy sticks in one sitting-they're small boxes).  Destiny, the youngest McElroy child, had asked me earlier in the week if I would come for Christmas.  I thought I might go to a Christmas morning service at the Anglican church by my house and she said, "Aw, we wanted you for our Christmas."  Who can argue with that?  That evening I dined on a very traditional meal - enchiladas and chicken soft tacos.  Apparently my sopapillas were a hit; they even made their way into the sermon on Sunday.  I may be making loads this coming year.  

Who can even believe that it will be 2009 in a mere few days?  Apparently I will be celebrating Scottish style.  Although, I'm not sure that I can stomach haggis.  I'll let you know:).  A new year and a new job in a new country.  We'll be having a staff retreat at the beginning of the year, so I've planned to talk with the rest of the team about vision for the children's ministry.  I even have my first volunteer!  And I got to dance in the back of the sanctuary with the children this last gathering of the year.  I know children's ministry is not all fun and games, but I am so 

blessed in the calling of the Lord.  Holding babies is in my job description (well it should be).  

(The Darbster)

Thanks for all who sent Christmas cards!  I love to hear updates from all of you.  Please let me know if there are ways I can be praying for you all.  You never know what God will do in a year...You never know what God will do...Thanks be to God for all that He has done and will do!

J-

The Hoity Toity Angel

It's been a pleasantly full, but not too crazy past two weeks in Sheffield.  I realized today that tomorrow marks my one monthiversary.  I've felt the time pass, but it's been a comfortable passing of time.  From putting up the Christmas decorations, to traveling to a concert with a carload of English people, and finally attending one of the children's Christmas plays, it's been quite a fortnight.  My time of stay with the team leaders will be drawing to a close within the week, and I will move into my new flat.  I'm excited to be thrown in the mix of life with two British girls and will certainly have more insight about cultural differences:).  We'll see what Christmas brings.

I LOVE Christmas!  It's a time when Christ is a little closer on our minds and hearts and people are more open to hear about the helpless babe that came to save the world. So putting up the tree was a real pleasure for me.  I even wrapped the banister myself!  

And, we put it all up before Thanksgiving, as they don't celebrate it here.  We've included some English in our celebration, and I think they quite like it:).  

One month, and I now "know" many people.  I say that, because I want to know these people more intimately, to walk and grow with them as we become more like Jesus.  That said, I hopped into a snug, five seater with four Brits to travel to Derby (no 'e' sound in there) to see Jason Upton in concert.  It was a sweet time with the Lord and with some new friends.  Jesus is moving in the United Kingdom!  I am so blessed to be a part of what He wants to do in this nation.  So, I keep hoping and believing for restoration in some of the uglier parts of culture, like televised assisted suicides and a thriving pornographic industry.  May the world of our children be different, better, because of our prayers and relationships!

(Luke, Phil, and Victor at Jason Upton concert)

The children are such a blessing!  I'm not fully in charge of them yet, but I got to go in as the surprise guest on Sunday.  It was a free-for-all question and answer session.  Of all the questions the kiddos asked, I think my favorite was, "Do you pick your nose?"  Children are awesome!  They are learning about Jesus coming to Earth.  Maddie, was even in a children's nativity called, "The Hoity, Toity Angel."  Although the play took place in a secular British school, it was all about Jesus.  Praise the Lord for His hand in the lives of our children!  

This upcoming Sunday is our carol service, and it is an outreach for the community.  Families that might not otherwise come to church, will often come for Carols and Christmas puddings.  The children will hear the "Tale of the Three Trees" and then learn about how God wants to use them, too.  Prayers are greatly appreciated.  May your holy-day season be full of the love of Jesus, who came to this world in innocence, so we can be restored to the Living God!  Happy Christmas!!