A VERY BUSY AND BLESSED DAY

We left home before 9 o’clock this morning as we had a Church Breakfast, so needed to set up everything before people got there.  We thought we wouldn’t get that many for breakfast today, especially as it is Mothering Sunday,, but I think we had more today than I have known, so we were kept very busy.  Before people arrived we had to heat up croissants and Hot Cross buns, make sure the coffee machines were filled and switched on, sort out bread for toast, filling the fruit bowls and for Mr. HCB, make sure that the dishwasher was switched on and “ready to roll” once the dirty crockery came back into the kitchen.  But it all got done and the Pastoral Care Team were all on good form.

There was a great vibe with lots of conversations taking place and it was so good to hear it. 

Today is Mothering Sunday, more commonly known in the UK as Mother’s Day, and it is always on the fourth Sunday of Lent.  Traditionally, those who had moved away for work, would come back to visit their “Mother Church” and their own Mothers too, so it was called Mothering Sunday.  Of course, it was then hi-jacked and commercially called Mother’s Day, so it is now big business on the High Street.

In our Church this morning, I don’t think I heard mention of Mothering Sunday or Mother’s Day, although at the end all the children, who had been out in Kidzone, came back into the service with a small gift for every lady in Church.  It’s good that we are sensitive toward those who, for whatever reason, don’t have children or for those whose mother has died and for whom this is a very difficult day.  

I decided that I would take shots for my Blip today of “hair” and as you may remember, we have many and varied hairstyles within our Church family, so these are a few of them - both men, women and children - all of whom were happy for me to take photographs.  

We had a great service with the re-introduction of the “Birthday Basket” with a small gift for those with a birthday in the current month - and then, after hearing from the Swindon Street Pastors, and how they help in the community, an excellent sermon on “The Prodigal at Home” which very poignantly majored on the situation in which the older brother found himself in the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  Most sermons seem to be preached about the actual Prodigal Son, so it was good to hear one from the perspective of the older brother.

Following the service, we had coffee as usual, where once again, lots of chat could be heard - and that was where I took many of my “head shots”.  

I have felt very “loved and blessed” today, having heard from both sons, one sent a card and one a message, and also messages from several friends, together with a card and gifts from another couple of friends - see the middle photograph - and the gift made by one of the children.  I also managed to bless several people with a heart today - but need to write on some more because I have now given out over 100.

When we got home, Mr. HCB wanted to watch his team, who were playing football, so I decided to go out for a walk.  I met a father and son, who were walking/running and engaged in conversation with them - and of course, gave them both a heart.  I also met our new neighbours, so gave them a heart each.  

Whilst out walking, I came across a little wooden box outside a house containing boxes of freshly laid eggs, that were £1 for 6.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have a £1 coin on me and didn’t think they would appreciate if if I left just a heart, so I walked home to find a £1 coin and then walked back again - but of course, when I did, I also left a heart in the little money pot.  I was thrilled because some of the eggs are blue - my extra shot shows some of them and also a shot of the chickens that I took through the wall blocks, as I walked back home.

The good thing about all this is that with the work done at Church this morning then walking back over to buy the eggs, I have now done almost 6,000 steps - nowhere near as many as the father I met, who told me he had done 17,000 but 6,000 is good enough for me today.  

Have a happy day wherever you are in the world - and be blessed.  M xx

P.S.  Just to say we really enjoyed the Organ Concert last night at St. Andrew's Church at Shrivenham - you will see in the second extra that Catrina sat in front of the poster, which used my photograph,  she having jumped into my bag just before we left.  We didn't know many of the pieces, but we aren't really organ scholars - and it was rather cold, but I felt we did our bit for the Restoration Fund, especially as Lucy Laird, the Administrator, had been very helpful back in December when I wanted to know more about the organ.