Good Green Days

 We've had some busy days here recently. I've managed to get back to work after a couple of weeks off with a dodgy back and various things hit the calendar over the last week - notably telling a story to no less than 70 children - all of whom seemed to want to get as close as possible to me and the things I was using to tell the story! But it was a good experience anyway. I also preached for the first time in a long while. So, after these full days and with the ongoing need to pace myself, I was so grateful for the arrival of a weekend full of sunlight and distinctly unseasonal/unScottish warmth. We have all relished being outdoors, revisiting all our favourite haunts and soaking up God's green goodness.

I realised that the last time I posted a photo of myself in a hammock there was snow on the ground! And it was April! Yesterday was warmer than it sometimes gets in summer.

We managed to cram in two beaches in one day...serious relaxation eh?

 
Happy, happy on the shores of Loch Ness...Nessie must be off sunbathing elsewhere...

A Day of Gifts

In the UK we celebrated Mother's Day on Sunday, a bit earlier than the rest of the world, I believe. My lovely boys organised a splendid breakfast in bed, flowers and handmade cards. Lunch and dinner was cooked for me and it was a lovely gentle day.

We're still a bit behind with our Faces of Easter stories, but some things can't hurried...and now that we are getting the hang of finding things to help tell the story, we had a rush of ideas! Our box of nativity figures got raided, not only for Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, but also for a little pot of  scrolls (Isaiah's prophecies) for the story of Jesus in the temple, Zechariah and Elizabeth got connected to John the Baptist, as well as water and the dove. I like the way Godly Play helps connect Scripture together as a whole, not just the Bible as a collection of separate stories, which I remember being my perception as a child. I'm still making connections!

The rest of the day passed sweetly, watching the boys baby videos - oh so many memories! Enjoying the sun, a wee stroll and observing the signs of spring.

Meanwhile, my youngest dozed the day away, feeling poorly, on the sofa. He moves so much usually, that I can't resist taking pictures of him sleeping. I love those feet...

The day finished with another gift, a beautiful rainbow right in front of our house. Thank you.

Simple Days

 How was your weekend? Ours was pretty quiet, but there was a bit of chicken fun going on....

And a bit of baking - not the cat that got the cream but the boy that got the golden syrup - I'd share the recipe but it's not very Lenten...ahem, call it therapeutic...

A lot of slobbing around reading and a bit of knitting.

 For one reason and another we hadn't been able to share the 'Faces of Easter' stories from Godly Play the last two Sundays, so we caught up at last. And it was worth the wait as we had plenty of time to share the story and wonder about it. We haven't been doing this for very long as a family, but it feels like we are finding out feet and finding God in it all. The boys really responded to finding things in our living room to help tell more of the story. J chose a cross which I brought back from El Salvador years ago and T brought the wilderness.

 My beloved rummaged for a while in his overstuffed desk and brought out a beautiful big dried bean. He is gardener and this was one that came from last summer's crop. He placed it by the picture with baby Jesus. We all wondered a while about the significance of the bean, it's colour (you can't see so well but it is actually a rich purple colour), baby shape and, of course all the elements of growth. Then the boys suggested planting it, which seemed to fit so well.

So this is my mega-simple suggestion for the Lent Link-Up Party. Find some beans or other big seeds that a child can easily handle - sweet pea or nasturtium  come to mind and pop them in a little pot. Follow the packet instructions and keep watered. Hopefully, by Easter you should have some nice green shoots, the perfect picture of resurrection life and transformation.