tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34958574415982305312024-03-09T18:46:08.613-08:00FeatherglenFeatherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.comBlogger177125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-30245155934989686412015-01-16T09:37:00.000-08:002015-01-16T09:37:55.188-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Newish Year! From a land of snow and ice! This has been the first time my feet feel like they have touched down so far this month, with travels to London and France then back into the rush of our usual life. The weather this week has been dramatic - wet, wild, windy, freezing and snowing by turn. However, today gave the gift of time to enjoy the beauty and magic of snowy woods. My resolution is to get into them as often as I can.<br />
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Yes, it's been a loooong time since I was in this space, but I notice that many of my favourite bloggers have also had their quiet seasons, so that frees me up to come and go too. And after so much time, what to say? We are still part of L'Arche, enjoying a peaceful and happy time in the Community with a renewed sense of calling. But the professional side also has its demands, lately some studies to be fitted in somewhere, somehow. Personally I'm not very motivated by them, but they need to happen so...deep breath and get stuck in. </div>
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Our lovely chaps are growing and J is moving towards High School this year, he's probably more ready than I am! He is getting ready to spead his wings a little, and seems to be responsible when he does. For us, it is harder to know when the time is right but we are thankful for good friends who tread that path ahead of us. <br />
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Our younger son is continuing to be the creative, artistic inventor. Years ago, I had a feeling school would cramp his style a little. I'm happy to say that his school is great and his teachers have been really lovely. However, for a while we were noticing that he was losing confidence and interest. We considered a number of options. Home education wasn't possible for a number of reasons - and he does actually enjoy school most of the time. Then we came across 'flexischooling' and this was a lightbulb moment for us. So, we took the decision to try keeping him at home one day a week, to spend time with him on the things he struggled with <em>and </em>to focus on the things he is interested in. He loved it! And I do too, it's been wonderful to spend this time together. And his big brother has been fantastically supportive, not envious in any way. And it turned out that this was just the right thing to do, as earlier this year he was diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum. The one day at home just gives him enough breathing space and time to be himself, to manage really well the rest of the week. How long we'll continue, I don't know, but I think that's probably up to him. For now, I'm grateful to have this time together and to enjoy the moments of grace.<br />
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Other parts of life sqeeze in here and there too. Still loving being part of our wee church community locally. Godly Play hasn't had the attention I would like to give it, but the stories sit on the shelf and when I pass them, they give me a sense of promise. Advent gave some beautiful moments for revisiting the story. On the crafting front, there were a few projects finished for Christmas, and for now, just a little bit of simple knitting, warm and uncomplicated. That's probably going to be the way ahead for 2015, trying to keep things warm and uncomplicated! And you? How's it going so far this year?</div>
Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-6548144507735118502014-04-17T11:29:00.001-07:002014-04-17T11:29:33.126-07:00The Art of Easter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For this Easter...something different. My husband and I were invited to offer some work to an art exhibition held at our church over these days of Holy Week. The whole building has been turned into a gallery, and the collection has been put together beautifully, with the theme 'Love.Loss.Hope: The Art of Easter'. You can see a little more <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArtofEaster">here</a>. If you are in the Highlands, do visit! My piece is a photograph entitled 'Cross Light'. <br />
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For me, it represents my walk with Christ. He calls me to 'take up my cross' which has something to do with surrendering myself and sometimes walking a hard path in trying to follow Him. However, the reality is, wherever I go, His light and presence is there. On the cross, He has already been to the darkest place imaginable for a human, and whatever I experience in life, He walks with me through it, giving me light and love all the way. Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-49524148716586413472014-03-21T06:12:00.000-07:002014-03-21T06:12:40.374-07:00Purim<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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How time flies! Life continues to be full-on for the Featherglen family, but I thought I'd pop up to say a wee hello. There hasn't been time or energy to do an Easter Club, which I'm a bit sad about, but some other good things have been happening instead. Lent is being lived here in a very simple and low-key way, so I'm grateful to have L'Arche as a place to live it out in Community. I'm still doing Godly Play here and there, and managed to get the stories of Jacob and Joseph made. <br />
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I also made these little characters, with inspiration from<a href="http://webloomhere.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-book.html"><span style="color: #cc0000;"> this</span></a> lovely book. I made them as a gift for some very kind friends, who enjoy celebrating the Jewish festival of Purim each year. Like us, they are not Jewish, but as I have discovered this year, it is a wonderful way to spend an evening. We were invited to dress up in fancy dress, the children were given craft activities, including mask making, while the adults read aloud the whole story of Esther, a fantastic biblical story of courage. It is the only story in the Bible where God is not overtly mentioned, so you might say he is hidden, despite being present in the life of Esther, hence the dressing up to celebrate! We went on to share lots of good food and to relax with friends. You might enjoy <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgJInVvJSZg"><span style="color: #cc0000;">this</span></a> song about Purim - and some other brilliant covers by the same group, The Maccabeats. Emily also shares her experience of celebrating of Purim <a href="http://watkinseveryflavorbean.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/purim.html"><span style="color: #cc0000;">here</span></a><span style="color: #cc0000;">.</span><br />
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The peg dolls were a very enjoyable project, and I found a nice box to put them, so they could be used to retell the story or just have as decorations. <br />
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In the meantime, happy springtime! We've had the mildest winter for years here in the Scottish Highlands, but ha, ha, today it snowed! They call it the 'lambing snow' here, and it can hit us any time over the next two months. However, the garden has resolutely decided it is time to flower, and I'm loving making new discoveries each day,Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-37267232563417622122014-01-06T04:36:00.001-08:002014-01-06T04:36:35.340-08:00Happy New Year! Happy Epiphany!After a lovely Christmas, holidays and many visitors, it's time to settle back into our usual pattern of life. However, one lovely tradition my husband brought into our family is the French way of celebrating of Epiphany, and this is a wonderful way to round off the holidays - the final feast and gathering before easing back into school and work. <br />
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Epiphany marks the later arrival of the wise men to visit Jesus. Having packed away the other Christmas decorations, it's nice to have something to cheer up an empty looking house. I also like to have a flowering bulb to put on our table after Christmas - just to help point us toward spring and to take the place of the Advent wreath.</div>
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The little boxes contain Frankincense and Myrrh . I used them in our final Advent Club. I think the children enjoyed discovering their scents. You can hold the grains in the flame of a candle and they release a scented smoke. I love the smell of Frankincense, it is so rich and beautiful. <br />
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This year I remembered a story for Epiphany. As a child we welcomed a young woman from the Bruderhof Community into our home for a while. She gave me a copy of this book 'Behold that Star' which is a Christmas anthology of stories. Most of the stories are folk tales but with Christ at the centre. Lovely black and white illustrations accompany the text. I lost it during a move so I was thrilled to discover it still in print a few years back. One of the stories, 'The Three Gifts' explores what might have happened to the gifts the wide men brought.<br />
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Along with some simple decorations and a story, the thing we enjoy most is a 'Galette des Rois'. This is a truly scrumptious French concoction that my husband makes for us each year. A recipe can be found <a href="http://www.traditionalfrenchfood.com/The-King-Cake.html"><span style="color: #cc0000;">here</span></a> but we usually omit the rum. It is topped with a gold crown and a bean or little clay model of the baby Jesus is hidden inside. We always invite a few friends or neighbours to share it with us. The youngest sits under the table and calls out everyone's names as the cake is served. This ensures total fairness! The person who finds baby Jesus in their slice is the wise man - or woman. </div>
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That person can either keep the crown for themselves or give it to someone else to be their king or queen. One of our neighbours found Jesus, and with the wisdom of Solomon offered the crown to my two sons, to have for six months each! <br />
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I must confess that I'm not really one for New Year resolutions, as I'm dreadful at keeping them. But this year I have decided to get more into the Gospel of John, and I've already bought 'Water into Wine' by Stephen Verney which was recommended to me.<a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2014/01/scripture-memorization-for-the-rest-of-us-the-jesus-project-memoryproject2014/"><span style="color: #cc0000;"> Ann Voskamp</span></a> has produced some lovely printables to help memorise some chunks of John, so I will be heading over to her blog often this year. And you? Any hopes or plans for this coming year?</div>
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Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-65207914952057168192013-12-15T07:09:00.002-08:002013-12-15T07:09:41.705-08:00Advent Club - The Names of God<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For the second week of Advent I tried out another new story on the children. As we don't have liturgical church I can play hard and fast with what we do in Advent! This story is based on the book 'In God's Name' by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso. It explores the different names for God and how each person has their own special name for God. At the end, the people of the world come together around a mirror-like lake, they see themselves and others reflected in the mirror. Their voices join together as they discover that God can have many names and yet be the One God.It's a beautiful book with wonderful artwork.<br />
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The story has been put together by some of the Godly Play trainers in the UK and I have it on loan for a while. It is still in development. It has the usual wondering questions but then I asked the group to bring something to place in the centre that expresses who God is for them.<br />
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As part of our activities we try to have an outward looking focus. This year we decided to make a banner to decorate the local community hall where we meet for worship. We'll be inviting guests for a couple of events this coming week, so we decided to make something that communicates who God is for us. So, building on the children's ideas, we took a long length of paper, sponged it with red, yellow and gold. As it dried, each child took a letter, spelling out JESUS, and then collaged it in the way they wished to. I provided a pile of different materials and glue and let them get on with it...Everyone was very engrossed.<br />
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Finally, when the letters were dried, they were cut out and glued on the background. I waited a week to do this, and the children had put a good coat of PVA over each letter, so they dried really securely.<br />
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This week - just yesterday, the group started the Club by writing on many names of God - the ones they chose - around the big letters. It was a good way to get ready. The banner looks superb! There is a lot of sparkly material used which doesn't show up in these photos - the light is so poor at the moment.I'll tell you more about Week Three in my next posting...<br />
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<span id="goog_673347724"></span><span id="goog_673347725"></span><span id="goog_13119300"></span><span id="goog_13119301"></span><br />Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-10413382244586090832013-12-06T09:58:00.001-08:002013-12-06T09:59:49.566-08:00Back at last..in time for Advent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hi folks...oh my goodness it has been a long time. Our computer died and we've been limping along with a variety of solutions, we're not all sorted yet, but hopefully soon! And we have had a lot going on. We are all well but life has been very full. Hopefully more of that soon. In the meantime we find ourselves back at Advent! When did that happen? But, no matter how busy, it's always a special time of the year. We started with a celebration at L'Arche, and then my lovely local children asked if we could do Advent Club again. So, here we are. At a recent Godly Play training day, Alex our trainer showed an alternative way of telling the Advent story. I called it The Story of the Advent Wreath.<br />
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Afterwards we all made Advent wreaths using oasis rings, loads of greenery and candles. <a href="http://goodgroundpress.com/free_printables.aspx">here</a>. Some of the girls work really fast so I have learned to always a few extra choices! I forgot to take photos of their wreaths but they were much like the one we made last year:<br />
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The children did really well, especially at helping one another. Two of the wreaths were given away to older people in our village, which really touched me. I also gave the option of making a nativity set using some beautiful Holy Family Cutouts from <a href="http://goodgroundpress.com/free_printables.aspx">Good Ground Press.</a> As usual Sheila has lots of lovely inspiration <a href="http://exploreandexpress-sheila.blogspot.co.uk/">here</a>. I'm sure I'll be using some of her ideas. Hopefully I'll be back again soon. For now, it's time to snuggle in with knitting by the fire this evening. We had plenty of snow today - winter has begun!Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-31355879006864181822013-04-12T09:46:00.002-07:002013-04-12T09:46:53.068-07:00Easter Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's become a family tradition to make an Easter Garden, usually on Easter Saturday. We take the Lent Garden and transform it with from sand and rock to plant and seed filled soil. One of my sons came around the woods to gather some of the natural elements and the other helped sow grass seeds. Little jars are tucked in place to hold flowers and candles. For the Saturday we put a big stone across the moss-covered 'tomb'.<br />
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On Easter Sunday the garden comes alive with added flowers, figures, candles and Easter decorations suspended from budding branches. The boys wooden eggs from Easter Club take pride of place.</div>
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What I love seeing is how the garden changes over the weeks that we will have it. Already a few little chicks and some eggs have crept in, thanks to my younger sons. I know there will be a variety of visitors to the garden! But somehow it brings the story of Easter into our everyday, announcing good news to all! The grass has sprouted, and now ten days later, it has had it's first haircut, with the trimmings going to our real chickens, happy for some spring greens. If we remember to water the garden, it should be with us for the whole six weeks of Easter, reminding us of new life daily.</div>
Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-26771727273158810952013-04-08T03:46:00.000-07:002013-04-08T03:47:28.258-07:00Back to the 80s!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Some good friends turned 50 recently and threw an 80s party in our village hall. As we were teenagers then it wasn't hard to come up with costumes. I was very happy to spend the night dancing with one of my teenage crushes, Robert Smith of The Cure! And doing his makeup, no less (his and hers black eyeliner, yikes!). The boys went as Luke Skywalker and a Teenage Mutant Hero Turtle. I just went as my younger backcombed self, a look that can only be described as Oxfam chic. It is amazing what still lurks in old jewellry boxes. Thomas wore my Dad's old dinner jacket, which I used to wear myself in the 80s. The other costumes were brilliant too, ranging from Margaret Thatcher to Wonder Woman. There was a mixture of wonderful and truly awful music - which surely sums up that decade, it was all so over the top and theatrical. And no longer being angst-ridden teenagers, we enjoyed it all so much more. </div>
Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-36834394474642574572013-04-05T12:36:00.000-07:002013-04-05T13:01:54.373-07:00Easter Club Week Six<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Easter! Last weekend was so full of celebration that we needed a day or two to recover! Now is the school holidays so between time with the family I am slowly catching up. Our final Easter Club was on Easter Saturday, not quite the end of Lent, but I wanted us to enjoy the celebration of Easter together, so it had a festive feel. </div>
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I told a Godly Play story about real Easter Eggs, using the <a href="http://featherglen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/pysanky-making.html">psanky</a> that I had made. I also made lots of flat egg shapes with many of the traditional Ukranian designs, colours and their meanings. The children each designed their own, on paper, then on flat wooden egg shapes. They worked so hard! They finished them with ribbons to hang as Easter decorations. <br />
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I had also found these lovely card baskets to make. They were perfect for their eggs and some Easter candles.<br />
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And the sun shone! So we were able to head out to the garden to hunt for chocolate eggs - an essential way to finish! It was a lovely end to a lovely few weeks. I shall be happy to have my Saturday morning lie-in again, but the children have asked to get together for a Pentecost Club...of course! But I'm not quite sure what you do at one of those...I'll have to have a think about it. </div>
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Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-82597037525731138462013-03-23T11:04:00.000-07:002013-03-23T11:04:49.914-07:00Easter Club Week Five - Brunch Club<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJWsN3KOHgWV6YkC0lCLxnEgxJ26FzRxqtXI3QPlB3YINEnFnjYMkVlhldgoOctC_iJHpWr5jZMM2i8tEHqh-ANK_IDVsdqdh28qKvF3PBP90jCsU5nOitRt5A9U8T4kCtduaN05kZnUZ_/s1600/march2013+033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJWsN3KOHgWV6YkC0lCLxnEgxJ26FzRxqtXI3QPlB3YINEnFnjYMkVlhldgoOctC_iJHpWr5jZMM2i8tEHqh-ANK_IDVsdqdh28qKvF3PBP90jCsU5nOitRt5A9U8T4kCtduaN05kZnUZ_/s400/march2013+033.jpg" ssa="true" width="400" /></a></div>
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For our fifth week, we decided to do something different. We invited parents and neighbours to join us for a fundraising brunch for <a href="http://www.blythswood.org/">Blythswood Care</a>, which is administered locally. My boys have enjoyed helping out at their annual shoe boxes event, where thousands of boxes, filled with practical presents, are checked and packed into lorries before being sent off to countries acroos Eastern Europe and even India. Blythswood help support many small Christain run projects, and we had heard that they were looking to raise money for nutrious breakfasts for an orphanage in Romania. It seems like a little money can go a long way. </div>
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The children all brought along their home baking - as you can see from a the impressive array above! Everyone worked hard setting up the kitchen, decorating menus, a moneybox and cakes. We buttered lots of rolls - bacon rolls are very popular around here.</div>
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It was really lovely having all our guests, including Danny from Blythswood who shared some photos of the place where our money was going - we raised enough to give a child a good breakfast for a year!</div>
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We did also have time to finish the Faces of Easter and to marvel at how fast our rye grass cross has grown this week...oh and to try out some those wonderful cakes!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9OH_dUunYWih3tnRZpCyESXhhU9LRHAx3bgjrqphLtcUpcPAPi9R6Rijp1ZZkdUVXNQTAf1cXJ4ow2HEdG6na2AZdWtIkQAuK2FIKXSZECOpty2oucUxi-cBkE7IKMU9Oj-F4tJ4ZIMUL/s1600/march2013+058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9OH_dUunYWih3tnRZpCyESXhhU9LRHAx3bgjrqphLtcUpcPAPi9R6Rijp1ZZkdUVXNQTAf1cXJ4ow2HEdG6na2AZdWtIkQAuK2FIKXSZECOpty2oucUxi-cBkE7IKMU9Oj-F4tJ4ZIMUL/s320/march2013+058.jpg" ssa="true" width="213" /></a></div>
Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-76204732493373462492013-03-23T09:33:00.000-07:002013-03-23T09:33:04.471-07:00Proud - Fier<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguP0gTlygsmidC0K9Wp-4WnPMsJpqsnslonZyEuN3azA1M0OozEXxftbgZCwD9hOJmdOVvDPNnyp8BoyejjaX6R3ZH8PdJmayjaGBf82AKlwjoKn525M2-tI70K-o65ENvFkIBwTDHbdbB/s1600/march2013+027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguP0gTlygsmidC0K9Wp-4WnPMsJpqsnslonZyEuN3azA1M0OozEXxftbgZCwD9hOJmdOVvDPNnyp8BoyejjaX6R3ZH8PdJmayjaGBf82AKlwjoKn525M2-tI70K-o65ENvFkIBwTDHbdbB/s400/march2013+027.jpg" ssa="true" width="266" /></a></div>
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This one is for Granny Poppy in France! C'est pour toi, Granny Poppy, il etait si fier d'etre dans l'equipe! Regarde comme il est beau dans ses vetements sportifs. Il a beaucoup aime le concours, malgre la neige! Bisous xFeatherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-17557404421070393192013-03-21T06:14:00.000-07:002013-03-21T06:14:26.079-07:00Pysanky Making<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEXq1jNuXfFXNyNjfvyKAJ0eVHtY9WZ4TcuRoBMuhFjbt66NERbwpDvMDn6_GMw8T4LUthKNJrpacOiwDQVAVXQNCpX4tl73qN8BfNtOrYl7pmNWgU802DbjZBlPqrj6TOhrAHsNYGOoi/s1600/march+2013+013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEXq1jNuXfFXNyNjfvyKAJ0eVHtY9WZ4TcuRoBMuhFjbt66NERbwpDvMDn6_GMw8T4LUthKNJrpacOiwDQVAVXQNCpX4tl73qN8BfNtOrYl7pmNWgU802DbjZBlPqrj6TOhrAHsNYGOoi/s320/march+2013+013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Although I would love to get out to the garden and start clearing the way for spring growth, the weather has been pretty horrible recently, so at weekends I have spent some happy times playing around with eggs. Pysanky Eggs are a Ukranian folk tradition. Eggs are decorated using a batik style, with wax and layers of dyes. A finished egg can be kept for many years.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUUzyoDTO-jUqxmBL2IJugfq9ef07FMy4zJW-GuSE6IP4PsFw3lX7SPJnunfIGjnF5uxMm70Y2g0Hy1o3XbS_-J6EnG95PY4dsAiT5dqownZTN93iGhYg1OVBpHNk6muAlz9MPGufOqOw/s1600/march+2013+014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisUUzyoDTO-jUqxmBL2IJugfq9ef07FMy4zJW-GuSE6IP4PsFw3lX7SPJnunfIGjnF5uxMm70Y2g0Hy1o3XbS_-J6EnG95PY4dsAiT5dqownZTN93iGhYg1OVBpHNk6muAlz9MPGufOqOw/s320/march+2013+014.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
The hardest part is controlling the flow of wax. Traditionally the tool used is a kistka, and these are readily available on the internet. However, what I have to hand is a batik pen, given to me a long time ago. It is similar - a wooden handle with a metal nib and reservoir. Some beeswax pellets are put into the pen, which is held over a candle flame until melted. Then you draw the pen over the egg, in whatever design you like.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnaG88Ded3XtLbI_TmcCM4cdt5wbMkBFH_UaLAdrGR-X9J1i7FeA5NIrtWA1nATGCpC1mrT7Fn-0CDs7dVJKWWe8loWN4kD1cUfxM13jT7ffsGL06nyVL_zVXwC9EXPV7ricnMh0G6058/s1600/march+2013+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnaG88Ded3XtLbI_TmcCM4cdt5wbMkBFH_UaLAdrGR-X9J1i7FeA5NIrtWA1nATGCpC1mrT7Fn-0CDs7dVJKWWe8loWN4kD1cUfxM13jT7ffsGL06nyVL_zVXwC9EXPV7ricnMh0G6058/s320/march+2013+016.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
I found this helpful book at a jumble sale just before Christmas. It has lots of helpful tips and wonderful drawings of traditional motifs, as well as descriptions of Ukranian Eater customs. I also found <a href="http://www.learnpysanky.com/getting_started.html">this site</a> very helpful - a great introduction to Pysanky. There are some some good colouring pages too.<br />
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It is lovely seeing the pattern and layers of colour build up. The instructions help you to build up to complex geometric patterns but there are also many traditional folkloric motifs which draw from nature, and are more freeflowing.</div>
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Finally you melt off all the wax and get the big reveal! This is the exciting part! And addictive too...<br />
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A friend recently challenged me about the pagan origins of egg painting, but as I thought about it, not only are these eggs lovely objects in their own right, they are, in the words of Jerome Berryman 'real Easter eggs...the eggs were trying to say with colours and words what had happened that day'. If Christ is in the business of making all things new, then I think that can apply to our art and celebrations as Christians too.</div>
Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-71290958016177919732013-03-20T03:46:00.000-07:002013-03-20T03:48:28.582-07:00Easter Club Week Four<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another lovely week with our group. The children really got the idea of finding something in the room to tell a little more of the ongoing story The Faces of Easter, as you can see from the picture above. I was pleased that they are starting to feel comfortable with going to my story shelf and pulling things out from other stories. They also picked up some everyday objects, including toys and were keen to explain the connection with the story - a lego Samurai reminded us of the Roman occupation of Israel, for example. My husband was really intrigued by some of the observations they made. It kept us thinking long afterwards.</div>
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I offered a few choices this week for our response time - we are fortunate to have plenty of time and it is so lovely not to rush anything. We marked out the shape of a cross with pebbles in a box of compost, then sowed some rye grass seeds. Already some little sprouts of growth are showing. We will use it for our church service on Easter Sunday then give it as a present.</div>
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I have been trying to share something about different ways of praying, and this week talked about praying when we don't have any words...a very common experience isn't it? Sometimes when I struggle to find words but still want to intentionally pray, I just sit with a wee wooden cross in my hand. I just wanted the children to know it's OK to pray like that, and sometimes very powerful! So I offered them some wooden crosses to sand and wax, to use like that if they wish. We had a short practice at the end - cue some giggles, of course! </div>
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A friend who does Messy Church kindly gave me a big bag of leftover Easter crafts - Easter week bracelets, cards, bookmarks and so on. Although these types of crafts are very structured, they seemed very popular and engrossing. Yet again, I am struck by the importance of the process, rather than the product. My boys really enjoyed the beading - but show little interest in what they have made! A couple of the older girls (in their early teens) remarked how relaxing colouring in is. I guess that they probably don't have much chance to do it now, but this simple activity is indeed very satisfying. I am going to keep my eyes out for colouring which might prove attractive to older children. </div>
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Next week (Saturday 23rd March) our Easter Club is planning to have a brunch for friends and neighbours, in aid of Blythswood Christian Care. If you live in the neighbourhood and want to join us for coffee, cake, bacon rolls etc, you would be very welcome to come along at 11am to our house.</div>
Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-65159903822814157812013-03-10T14:06:00.000-07:002013-03-18T13:12:24.115-07:00Easter Club Week ThreeOur group met again yesterday, a little smaller than usual, but I don't mind, as there is always more time for each child in a smaller group. I took a little extra time to help the group get ready for the story. It is a wonderful group as they are so enthusiastic and participate in everything, but I realised that they also need to know about being ready on the inside - which isn't about being quiet and sitting still - although that can help! We talked about being quiet on the inside so we don't miss something which may be just for them. This is such a helpful part of Godly Play, and respectful of where each child is at. It helps them to learn about themselves and prepare themselves internally. <br />
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I started telling the Faces of Easter story, which can be told over several weeks. Last year my material was very simple - laminated pictures, but this year I am so happy to have the artwork mounted on boards and a nice wooden rack. There are a few people in Inverness and the Highlands starting out with Godly Play. We have got together a couple of times to make some of the materials together. I will have to share about those days another time but they have been great fun and very enjoyable - especially all the cake that people bring along!</div>
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At the end of the story, instead of the usual wondering questions, the children are asked to find something else in the room that helps tell the story. They were very enthusiastic about that! As it was in our living room there were many items they could choose, and their reasons for doing so were very interesting and beautiful.<br />
As this first part of the story focuses on the birth and childhood of Jesus, I asked the children if they wanted to make a gift for Mother's Day. In Great Britain it is always three Sundays before Easter. I supplied some simple cloth bags, pens and fabric paints and let them create a special bag for their mothers. They worked really hard on this and everyone produced a gift to make any mother's heart fill up.<br />
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Of course I had to be very careful not to look too much at what my boys were doing! I'll show you their's in another posting, but if you were celebrating Mother's Day today, I hope, like me, you had a wonderful day.Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-7542229440399446762013-03-03T14:03:00.000-08:002013-03-03T14:03:16.313-08:00Weekend WorkNo Easter Club this week, as I was invited to go and do a bit of storytelling at a local church that's considering using Godly Play. However, I did find time to carry on a little with my woodwork project...lots of sanding, sanding, sanding...can you tell what it's going to be?<br />
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I have a busy week ahead...but I hope there'll be time to enjoy a few peaceful moments. Have a good week too!Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-86613302599477832352013-02-28T10:21:00.005-08:002013-02-28T10:21:31.342-08:00More Godly Play at L'Arche<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Here's a <span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://larcheinvernessblog.blogspot.co.uk/">link</a></span> to a post on the L'Arche Inverness blog about a Godly Play session I ran this week. I didn't take the pictures - the first one will give you a laugh - my boys think I must have found something scary in the desert! There, you can't resist looking now, can you?! It's almost worth a caption competition!<br />
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I had a chance to use my new Desert Bag - which is a big strong bag with cords to pull up and safely transport the sand used for a number of the stories. I told the story of the Exodus, as we'll be having a Passover Meal in a few weeks time and I thought it would be a good way to help understand the meaning of this meal. Then we really get to 'taste the story'!<br />
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Another view of the bag - a bit of an odd angle, not sure what happened there...I made it using <span style="color: #990000;"><a href="http://www.godlyplay.fi/des_bag.html">these instructions</a> </span>from Johanna at Godly Play Finland. Instead of making it square as suggested, I went for a rectangle as I think it's important to have plenty of space. However, the instructions were great, especially the corners which are really strong and nicely done. I had to think about them for a while to 'get' them, but they are brilliant. I had to use two lengths of thinner cord doubled up, and ended up with 3 layers of cloth for strength. It was what I had in my stash and I'm really determined to use what I already have for making things. I'm very pleased with the result and got some enthusiastic help with pinning and cutting from my youngest. Another reason to love Godly Play! Both boys enjoy the finished product too...although I have seen the odd dinosaur creeping in...not surprising really!<br />
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<br />Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-25917104806102325972013-02-24T09:29:00.001-08:002013-02-24T09:29:37.898-08:00Easter Club Week TwoJust a few pictures from our second week of our Easter Club. I told the Parable of the Good Shepherd, which was the second time for this group. They started to recognise it, which gave me a good opportunity to ask them if they could go a bit deeper with it, which they did.After I tell the story, I ask a number of 'Wondering Questions' which are completely open-ended, but encourage the children to make their own response and connections to the story. There are no 'right' answers and the observations the children make are sometimes truly amazing. <br />
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For the Response Time, I decide to give them a few choices, including the chance to make a <span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://exploreandexpress-sheila.blogspot.de/2012/03/lenten-prayer-pots.html">prayer pot</a></span>, a lovely idea that Sheila came up with. Four of them decided to do that and they seemed to enjoy working with the clay. We talked a little about coil pots and thumb pots...took me right back to pottery lessons at school, happy days!<br />
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In addition everyone wanted to paint with some watercolours I'd provided. This was very popular, so I will have to get a few more sets for the future. As we all work together around the kitchen table, we do chat quite a bit. Talking about the paint gave me the chance to show the painters what happens when you try dropping paint onto wet paper. I'd love to get some really good quality water colour paper for them to enjoy working with. Despite the lack of space, it was a very peaceful time, and everyone became absorbed into their work<br />
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I didn't manage to take any photos, but some of the group also worked a while with wool roving, making pictures onto hessian. This also seemed to be very satisfying for them, so I will offer that as an option again in the future. <br />
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Each time we meet, I learn something new, what works, what doesn't. I don't get it right every time, but I am so encouraged by this group who give me a safe place to learn, as I hope I give them a safe place to learn and grow too. I'm encouraged by their generosity - the home made cakes that are brought for our feast - and their desire to think about people outside the group too. We can't meet next week, but I'm already looking forward to seeing them again in two weeks. In the meantime I'm looking forward to storytelling at L'Arche and a local church.<br />
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Sheila, at Explore and Express, who inspired me to run these clubs, is also running an Easter Club in Berlin. You can read about her group <span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://exploreandexpress-sheila.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/easter-club-2013-part-1.html">here</a>. </span>Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-39828966684177000122013-02-23T06:17:00.000-08:002013-02-23T06:17:45.453-08:00Simple Stitching<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As the days inch their way, a little longer, and as I have more and more precious natural light, then I know it is the time to return to my sewing machine. It's always a lovely feeling, a rush of energy and creativity. And with good reason, as several friends and family members get ready to welcome their new babes.<br />
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The only thing I bought in the sales this year was a copy of Anna Maria Horner's book <a href="http://www.annamariahorner.com/productbooks.html"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Handmade Beginnings.</span> </a>This is a lovely book, full of projects and not just for babies! Her techniques and construction are really good, with attention to detail and some wonderful ideas. I've made a pile of 'Quick Change Trousers' which I would have loved for my boys when they were that tiny. Fully reversible, which is a such a good idea for speedy transformations of mucky little ones. <br />
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Boys clothes are often not very exciting, so it was great to be able to go a bit wild with colours, which I think their parents won't mind. Also for another wee one, a simple jumper on the needles, now almost finished.<br />
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Small and satisfying, just perfect for brushing away the winter cobwebs.Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-11372545280940328082013-02-16T10:30:00.001-08:002013-02-16T10:34:20.079-08:00Easter Club Week One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The wee group of children that came to Advent Club in December asked me if I could run something else for Easter - with pleasure! This sort of rhythm suits me well - rather than plug away at something every week. So, as before, we will meet on a Saturday morning in our home. When the children arrived they were rather surprised - to see this nativity set up 'But it's not Christmas'...well no indeed. However, in Godly Play, a pared down nativity plus a figure of the risen Christ, takes centre stage as a focal point all year round, reminding us that Jesus 'grew up to be man and died on the cross. That is very sad, but it is also wonderful in an Easter kind of way...He is not just back then, in this place or that place. He is everywhere and in every time'. <br />
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I told the story of the Holy Family using the nativity. The wondering was very animated. When I asked what we could leave out and mischieviously removed a figure, each and every figure - person and animal was very staunchly defended. If it had been a balloon debate I don't think we could have thrown anyone out! <br />
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One of the mothers kindly lent me her olive wood nativity from Bethlehem, but we are slowly making our own...it takes time and a few legs getting cut off by mistake! I am learning which way to have the grain of the wood going and how to be less afraid of the jigsaw blade! My husband made the baby and the sheep for me. They proved irresistible to a visiting child last week, which made me very happy. I am also very happy with the risen Christ figure I cut from an old ikea desk that friend was throwing out. New life indeed! Together we made a very sweet donkey this afternoon - although it took us a few goes and a few missing limbs to get it right...<br />
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Instead of an open response time - something I will offer next week - I suggested the making of Lent 'gardens' as a way of getting ready for Easter. We talked about the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert and the children filled dishes and trays with sand. I had provided some bare twigs and most of them decided to make a cross with them. They enjoyed using a small hammer and nails. Everyone filled a dish with pebbles - it was mild enough to go outdoors to hunt for them. When they go home they can put a pebble in their desert for each day between now and Easter.<br />
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I also let them choose a roughly cut out figure to represent themselves.They have some sandpaper to work on it, and we talked about how God's love works in out lives, transforming us and smoothing off our rougher edges. They took these home with some readings for each day.<br />
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I also told the Mystery of Easter story. Some of the children chose to work with some paper crosses or to take one home.<br />
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We finished with a very un-Lenten feast! But it was wonderful, as one of the families had made us cakes and peppermint creams to share, and was really enjoyed. After sweeping up all the sand, we now have a pair of desert gardens to grace our kitchen table. Watch this space to see how they develop!</div>
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Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-74097150463413877332013-02-13T12:17:00.003-08:002013-02-16T10:34:58.604-08:00Ashes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today is Ash Wednesday. Not something I grew up with, and even a couple of years ago I was trying to get my head around. Lent, yes, but Ash Wednesday? Being part of a L'Arche community gives me the great growing experience of meeting and knowing Christians of many, many different backgrounds. Where else would I have ever met an Armenian Orthodox or Mennonite in the north of Scotland? And seen them praying together? Such an experience tells me that the fruit of a life ranks much higher than what people say they believe. So...Ash Wednesday has entered my spiritual world as a significant and meaningful day.<br />
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We had a simple service at L'Arche, with help from Fr. Mel, an Episcopal priest from the Black Isle. The ashes, he explained, remind us we are human and that one day we will die. The shape of the cross reminds us of the amazing deep love of Jesus, sent by God to save us from sin. And the dust also reminds us we are precious, like gold dust, to the Father. <br />
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Today I'm reminded of my humanity and frailty, but also of the depths God's love. Lent calls me to come away and spend time with my Father. Lent in L'Arche reminds me this also a joyful time!<br />
<br />Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-42152213426297254532013-02-10T13:17:00.000-08:002013-02-10T13:17:26.079-08:00Meandering along<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy New Year - yes, rather belated I know...is there a cut off date? I like the French habit of sending New Year cards instead of Christmas ones. It seems to be a much gentler way of doing things - no missed last posting dates, or mad dashes to crowded post offices. </div>
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I'm a bit late, partly because it always takes a little time to settle into a new year - the shock to the system of going back to school after gloriously slobbing around for the Christmas holidays, and partly because yet again our computer is on the blink. It won't connect to the internet, so I can only blog with a borrowed computer, which doesn't have all my pictures on it - it's all a bit fiddly for my non-techie wee brain</div>
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Do you like this lovely card we had from my mother-in-law? She's a truly wonderful artist, and I have had this card on our kitchen table ever since it arrived. One thing I love about this time of year is the tiny lengthening of the days, and as the light returns, I see our energy and creativity returning too. So a broken computer has also been a great reason to get outdoors or start on the things I have had gently brewing in my mind for a while. More about them next time...in the meantime, come and have a wee wander around and see where I live, now it's light enough to get outdoors. </div>
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Do you know about our ridiculous-looking chickies? We do love them - not so much the big holes scratched into the garden - but their sweet nature and crazy looking hairdos. They are always a good sign of life! And they are still giving us a few eggs.</div>
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There are lots of lovely places to go for a wander around here, even in winter, it is really beautiful. I feel very blessed to live here. My children have taught me to look up close and not miss the details. I'm not sure I would have seen these amazing ice formations if they hadn't been shown to me.</div>
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Some of the neighbours...they look fierce but they are softies really, the calves look like teddies. </div>
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This is our local castle - a tiny little one, as castles go, and not really designed to keep out invaders. I'm sure the heating bill is horrendous, but I wouldn't mind the views from the top floor. Do you see the stepped gables? I wonder if the crows use them for hopping up and down on? <br />
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Just down the road is the local Free Church. I love the simplicity of this building, it fits right into the landscape, every bit as much as the castle, perhaps even more so. </div>
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Well, I'm loving the longer days, my little wanderings around and the rising urge to be creative, the sense of new possibilities for the year . And you? What's happening in the beginnings of this year? Hopefully I can be back again in this space again soon to catch up and mark the days before they speed away. </div>
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See you soon. </div>
Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-22514813167903766952012-12-08T10:41:00.002-08:002012-12-08T10:41:33.523-08:00Advent Club with St Nicholas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today we have been enjoying the story of St. Nicholas. We're a day or two late, according to my Dutch friend, but I thought Nicholas should definitely get a place in our Advent Club, and as my children get older, I am gently shifting their attention to towards him - not that I have anything against Santa -but Nicholas provides a different emphasis for them. There <i>is </i>a Godly Play story about St. Nicholas that I have seen, but I don't have that book. Instead I used this <span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://www.barnabasinchurches.org.uk/st-nicholas/">story </a></span>which is from Barnabus in Churches, who provide some wonderful resources suitable for use at home or church, many of them freely available online. Quite a few are inspired by the Godly Play style of story telling.<br />
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Here are the materials I used. The story suggested using a red felt underlay, but to tie up with Advent, I decided to go for purple, which I believe is the colour used for the official Godly Play version. The objects I used to tell the story were a wooden cross, some coins (next time I would maybe use some foreign or old coins to deflect away the excitment at seeing cold hard cash!), a model of a boat - not having one handy I made a simple paper boat, which seemed to satisfy the children greatly.<br />
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To explain Nicholas' work as a bishop, Barnabus suggested a woolen stole, but that would not have meant anything to our group. Bishops don't feature in their understanding of church, but I was able to say that this is a type of church leader, and that leaders are there to look after people like a shepherd. So I thought I would use the figure of the Good Shepherd - the perfect role model for any leader. <br />
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Part of the story talks about Nicholas' work defending and explaining the Christian faith, helping people to understand what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Nicholas may have been part of the group that wrote the Nicene Creed. Again, this is something unfamiliar to the children, but I read a little of it out, and interestingly, one boy decided this was the most important part of the story - a budding theologian, I wonder? <br />
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For me, one of the things I especially love about this style of story telling is the chance to make the objects used. Here are the three money sacks that Nicholas secretly threw in to through a window to proved dowries for three poor girls. Made from felt, with leather thong to tie them (I sewed the thong into one side seam, so they wouldn't get lost), and filled with a few copper coins, they make satisfyingly tactile objects. The children were very keen to touch them! <br />
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Finally there is a 'present' which I kept fairly plain, in order that it wouldn't detract too much from the other objects, and St Nicholas himself. The story called for an icon, but I already had made this figure a year ago, from wool felt, pipe cleaners and roving. Seeing his red bishops clothing and pointed hat was a bit of a lightbulb moment for some of the group...<br />
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The wondering was interesting, and the questions Barnabus offer are good. One is ' I wonder what Nicholas found hardest about being a bishop' - one child replied, with great perception, 'leading the church' - something I'm sure most bishops and other leaders would agree with! <br />
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Following the story we continued around the kitchen table with a variety of crafts, making decorations to hang on the wonderful sparkly trees we made last week. This Friday I will take them to decorate the tables for the Christmas dinner of our local Seniors club.<br />
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Something new for us all was making apple cinnamon dough. This was a bit messy but brilliant fun. These decorations can't be eaten but once dried, should last for several years. There is an excellent tutorial <span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://www.homemade-gifts-made-easy.com/cinnamon-dough-ornaments.html">here</a>.</span><br />
We also strung some dried orange slices on ribbon, and by popular demand, glittered some more pine cones. <br />
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As the children left, they found their shoes had been filled with a satsuma, some chocolate coins and also a little Nicholas card. <br />
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Sometimes a little word is all that's needed. The boys have their own advent calendars, but inspired by <a href="http://www.homemade-gifts-made-easy.com/homemade-advent-calendar.html"><span style="color: #cc0000;">this</span> </a>I made some paper pockets which I paper-clipped to a string. For each day there is a very short Bible reading for Advent, just a verse or two. I compiled the readings for use at L'Arche, with simple themes such as hope, peace, joy and love. We have been pulling the readings out at breakfast and reading them then, then again at the start of dinner. In these busy days, with my mind in a hundred places, they have been the perfect nourishment, sustaining me and coming back to me often. I try some other Advent books and they are good too, but sometimes a little word is <i>all </i>that's needed.<br />
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Hope you're enjoying Advent too!Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-17563604246066904692012-12-01T07:14:00.002-08:002012-12-02T14:01:21.178-08:00Just in time for Advent!<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">
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The last time I took any photos was back in early September - a glorious day spent on a local beach - the pictures tell of swimming, rock-pooling, kite flying, beach combing and frying up bacon and mushrooms for sandwiches. What the pictures don't say is that there was a <i>very</i> strong wind that day or that sand got into my camera lens. The poor thing was understandably rather unhappy and made ominous crunching sounds. Oh dear....Three months later and one (almost) new lens later and I'm reunited with my precious camera again, feeling wiser and poorer!<br />
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So in the record of our family life we go straight from sand to snow, and right into Advent. The autumn has been a strange one anyway, and I have a lot to ponder this season. My husband was diagnosed with a form of epilepsy, which causes him to have a type of 'absence' for a couple of minutes at a time. We had seen the symptoms building up for a while, with no conclusive diagnosis last year, but with time it became obvious. Actually having this diagnosis gives us a lot of peace, because it could be a lot worse, and the medication he is able to take is working brilliantly well. The only downside really is that he is unable to drive this year, which sometimes requires a bit of planning, but we have been so grateful for assistance from friends, who have also been praying deeply with us. Thom has had to make various adjustments to his life, especially to have more rest, but in some ways it feels like a season of growth for him.<br />
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For me, Advent is very welcome, reminding me to wait and welcome the ways of God in our lives. I have felt very run down and especially tired this year, and it causes me to wonder about the one life I have to live. How I can live it as well as possible, in step with God's Spirit and the yearnings of my heart?</div>
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However, a particular source of joy has been the continuing discovery of Godly Play, and the possibility of doing small things well. I'm always so inspired by the Godly Play community, and especially by Sheila over at <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://exploreandexpress-sheila.blogspot.co.uk/">Explore and Express </a></span>. As our church situations are very similar - just small seeds beginning to grow - we don't have weekly services, so often we do Godly Play at home as a family. However, Sheila's Advent Clubs seemed to be something we could offer to a few other children.<br />
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So today, and for the next three Saturday mornings of Advent, we are meeting in our home with five or six children. I can't tell you how nice it is to get to know these children better! Today, as it was our first time together, and we come from a totally non-liturgical church, I took the time to explain what Advent is, using the Godly Play story of the Circle of the Church Year and the Advent wreath - they were fascinated!<br />
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I also told the Parable of the Mustard Seed, which does feel very appropriate for Advent, all that waiting and growing...</div>
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In stead of an open response time, we were working on making some table decorations for the local Seniors Christmas Lunch, and for some house-bound folk in our church. The group responded really well to the idea of giving in this way. Today we took some rounds of a log, which the older ones drilled holes in, then 'planted' some twiggy stems. We all spent a very happy time painting, gluing and (lavishly!) glittering the branches, as well as some pine cones to hang on them. The photos don't do these wonderful looking trees justice! They really echo the icy ones outdoors. Next week we'll make some more decorations<br />
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Another possibility for the children was to make a gift for the birds - which they had loved and wonderfully named in the Parable. We used more pine cones dipped in soft vegetable fat and then rolled in bird seed. You can find a simple tutorial <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/birdfeeders/pineconefeeder.shtml">here</a>.</span> We enjoyed a well-earned feast together, but it was just wonderful watching the crowds of different birds coming to enjoy <i>their</i> feast.<br />
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Wishing you a very joyful Advent!</div>
Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-70091517336709998662012-07-05T13:07:00.002-07:002012-12-01T07:19:45.977-08:00A story with a view<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">
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One for the Godly Play community...in the most recent GP newsletter they included a few stories about unusual locations for storytelling - on a frozen lake from Rebecca Nye probably comes top! However, I recently had the chance to tell The Great Family in one of the world's most beautiful - and famous spots. </div>
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The team I am part of at L'Arche had the rare opportunity to spend the
day together - with the previso we didn't go too far and didn't spend
much money! Hmm, a challenge. Happily we are less than ten miles from
Loch Ness, so we planned a day on the beach there, with a barbeque.</div>
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There is always one tiny problem with planning such days in Scotland...the weather. But we prayed and hoped and trusted. And had one of the most beautiful days possible, it was calm and wonderfully warm. Being on a beach, albeit a rocky one, was a good place to wonder about Abram and Sarai's journey, as we pondered on our journey together in L'Arche. Seasoned and sharp-eyed Godly Players will spot a few extra stones in the desert. Each of us placed one in response to ourselves in the story. </div>
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We also broke bread together and thought about the hospitality of Abraham, and what that means for us in L'Arche as we welcome folk, well known and new, each day. This icon sits in the house at L'Arche and often reminds me to go beyond the necessary in my welcome, as well as to take my own part in the feast to which I am invited.</div>
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PS No, Nessie did not come to join us for the story - maybe she's just not ready yet!</div>
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Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3495857441598230531.post-59528790805113329342012-07-04T02:22:00.001-07:002012-07-04T02:22:12.521-07:00Emerging<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">
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This is just a wee post to pop my head up and say 'hello!' - our last month has been overfull and a few things just have had to be dropped - poor old blog - it's you again. The days have been packed with birthday celebrations, Jubilee parties, family reunions, work on our house - new flooring at last - hurray! There has also been lots and lots of storytelling, and baby steps towards a new Godly Play Circle in Inverness. Finally the school holidays have arrived - and my own, so high on my catch up list is Featherglen...emerging from its' cocoon. </div>
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My youngest son is an avid observer of wild life. Our house and garden is full of jars - which we <i>try </i>to get emptied out each day - of his catches. A month or so back he found a huge furry caterpillar, a real beast of thing, which we managed to feed until it built its cocoon. And then we waited...and waited...it looked dead...very dead. But what did we know? Suddenly, there it was, a strikingly patterned and utterly beautiful Garden Tiger, <i>Arctia caja. </i>They are a bit unusual, so we spent time enjoying its' unfolding before releasing it - in the hope of more to come. </div>
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I'm grateful that my son draws my attention to things so small. So very small, but with its' own story to tell, one that touched me deeply.</div>
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<a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div>Featherglenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211955784679938965noreply@blogger.com1