So, I just logged in to Blogger to write something, and had a blank moment and almost forgot my password! Ooops! I'd better not do that, as Blogger is unforgiving - and this is how I (shamefacedly!) got locked out of my last Blog!! (www.sayersupdates.blogspot.com)... however on reading Sayers Updates, you will find it amusing to note (as I did) that I spend most of my time promising to write more... something I said to myself I would NOT do on this blog!! Take me as you find me... one day I may want to write 4 times- and then not for a week... well... that's the way REAL life is!!
So this week has been quite eventful - for me; I came down with a vicious cold on Tuesday and spent most of the week at work feeling like any minute I was going to need to put my head between my knees to get some blood flowing back up there!! Minuting a meeting feeling like you're going to pass out; whilst constantly trying to blow your nose quietly is NOT fun. Especially not surrounded by your own department's managers and Consultant's from all over the Hospital. I could just hear them thinking "INFECTION CONTROL PEOPLE"!! While I proceeded to contaminate the room!! Still, these things have to be done. Someone suggested I take a tape recorder and record the meeting so I can minute it afterwards incase I forget some - however I informed him I don't think I could stand to listen to it all again!!
On Friday, on the way into work, Jon's car started crunching and by the time he arrived at his colleagues house in Coventry, it was a heap of smoking engine... later on that evening, the aa towed it to a local garage, after confirming the water pump and head gasket had bust... so on Saturday morning we arranged for a tow truck to come and tow the car away to the Crunchers... bye bye car! You served us well!
So next week, Jon is on the train into work - and car hunting!!
We have such a busy week coming up in the evenings; work will hopefully be quite quiet for me as Louise is not at work; but Monday night we're at Mum's for Nicole's birthday, Tuesday night we're seeing Sarina at Mums, Wednesday night we're doing Wednesday club; Thursday night Georgie is coming over for tea and Friday night we're taking a curry to Grandma's house. Saturday we are visiting Katrina, Andy and new baby Alex in the morning, Church anniversary service at 3.30 in the afternoon and then my cousin Catherine is coming over in the evening.
When I was younger, my Uncle used to pay me to go over and spend the evening with Catherine and Aaron while he and my aunt were out... he used to let us hire a film and get a pizza, so we would put little Aaron to bed and then watch a scary film - during which me (The mature babysitter) would curl up and hide behind a cushion, while Catherine laughed at me all the way through... Good Times!
Yesterday Jon and I had a trip into Birmingham City Centre. We got Nathan and Daniel's birthday presents- complete with noisy toys their parents will LOVE (lol). Maria at work got a lovely china cup which I will give her tomorrow for her birthday from Louise and me; and baby Alex got some cute bibs, which I will give to his Mummy on Saturday next week.. I'm told you can never have too many bibs?!?!?
I also got a massage yesterday afternoon, it was a birthday present last year and I have only just got round to using the voucher (as I hardly ever go into the City Centre these days!). It was a lovely massage, I really enjoyed it, and intend to get another one sometime soon!!
We also went food shopping and got some stuff in for the week. It was very amusing, as we were in my car - which is a tiny little thing - people gave Jon some very funny looks as he squeezed out of it!!
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Forfeits
I was just flicking through my previous blogs, and read the one where I mentioned about playing pass the parcel last Saturday...
Well I thought I'd amuse you, (and who knows, maybe give you some ideas!) by telling you the forfeits we were given...
- Pass the parcel with your feet for the next round
- cram your mouth full of marshmallows and sing 'Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes'
- Spoon feed someone jelly whilst blindfolded
- Blow chewing gum bubbles all through the next round
- Find 3 hats and wear them ALL for the rest of the game
- Keep up an ongoing sports commentary over the next round until the music stops
- Sit with your back to the circle for 2 rounds
- Tell jokes until the music stops
... I can't remember any more!
But they were great fun - Jon spilling jelly all over Jo's lap was fantastic!
Well I thought I'd amuse you, (and who knows, maybe give you some ideas!) by telling you the forfeits we were given...
- Pass the parcel with your feet for the next round
- cram your mouth full of marshmallows and sing 'Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes'
- Spoon feed someone jelly whilst blindfolded
- Blow chewing gum bubbles all through the next round
- Find 3 hats and wear them ALL for the rest of the game
- Keep up an ongoing sports commentary over the next round until the music stops
- Sit with your back to the circle for 2 rounds
- Tell jokes until the music stops
... I can't remember any more!
But they were great fun - Jon spilling jelly all over Jo's lap was fantastic!
No sweet things is sour!
Ok, so a bit of a rubbish title, and I know I know, at first you thought it was grammatically incorrect.. but it's not! I mean, no sweet things - is sour! I have decided to cut out anything sweet this week... I have been eating far too much junk food recently.. it's my fault, I keep making brownies and buying kit kats... but with my waistline rapidly disapearing from my sight and my stomach creeping into my sight, I need to take drastic action!!
To get rid of the craving for sweet things, I am removing them from my diet for a WHOLE week. After that the rule will be 'everything in moderation' !
So, yesterday I had a packet of Quavers for lunch (I said no sweet things - not that I had to eat healthily!!) and then some chicken wings for dinner.
I haven't eaten chicken wings since we all used to live with my nan. She used to get a huge bag of them from the butchers and roast them and give them to us to eat.. when I saw them in Morrisons last night, I just seemed to 'fancy' them somehow... so I confirmed with Mum how I cooked them, then covered them in sweet chilli sauce and roasted them for exactly half an hour in a preheated oven...
= YUM!
Today, I have been very organised and not only made myself a sandwich, but remembered to put it in the car, AND bring it into work (those 3 rarely happen all at once!!)
So with that sandwich in mind, I think I am going to go and get it and eat it (Tuna Mayo and Sweetcorn - MmmMMMmmm)
To get rid of the craving for sweet things, I am removing them from my diet for a WHOLE week. After that the rule will be 'everything in moderation' !
So, yesterday I had a packet of Quavers for lunch (I said no sweet things - not that I had to eat healthily!!) and then some chicken wings for dinner.
I haven't eaten chicken wings since we all used to live with my nan. She used to get a huge bag of them from the butchers and roast them and give them to us to eat.. when I saw them in Morrisons last night, I just seemed to 'fancy' them somehow... so I confirmed with Mum how I cooked them, then covered them in sweet chilli sauce and roasted them for exactly half an hour in a preheated oven...
= YUM!
Today, I have been very organised and not only made myself a sandwich, but remembered to put it in the car, AND bring it into work (those 3 rarely happen all at once!!)
So with that sandwich in mind, I think I am going to go and get it and eat it (Tuna Mayo and Sweetcorn - MmmMMMmmm)
Sunday, 21 February 2010
Randomness....
The thing I love about having my own blog, is that I can ramble on about what I'm doing and what's going on (like Jon just spending 20 minutes looking for the argos catalogue and finding it on top of the tv cabinet where only he puts things ...:D)
We had a fun time this afternoon having lunch with John van der Rest (I finally learned to spell that right!). He cooked us honey and mustard chicken with Rice and Vegetables- yummy yummy, well done John! Then after Mum and Nicole left to pick up Jo from work, Jon taught G, J and I a harmony to "All people that on earth do dwell"... we were very excited about giving it a go in the evening service... and then Georgie and I totally lost the note and couldn't find it again... we spent most of the verses mumbling a semi sort of harmony and then just joined in on the last verse... while Mr vdR gallantly held the fort and sang the harmony loud and clear all the way through from the front row! Bravo!
Pippa is currently sitting at my feet chewing on a pink rope and bemoaning the fact that we aren't going to take her for a walk at 8.30pm...
It's freezing cold outside, most of the snow is gone, but there are signs it may come back tonight. Now, don't get me wrong, I am normally a fan of snow - however I do not love the way that the entire country comes to a standstill and it takes me hours to get into work and my feet get cold and wet in the process...
As an American friend of my mum's said once:
"When someone told me England has 4 seasons, I didn't realise they meant all in one day" ...
We had a fun time this afternoon having lunch with John van der Rest (I finally learned to spell that right!). He cooked us honey and mustard chicken with Rice and Vegetables- yummy yummy, well done John! Then after Mum and Nicole left to pick up Jo from work, Jon taught G, J and I a harmony to "All people that on earth do dwell"... we were very excited about giving it a go in the evening service... and then Georgie and I totally lost the note and couldn't find it again... we spent most of the verses mumbling a semi sort of harmony and then just joined in on the last verse... while Mr vdR gallantly held the fort and sang the harmony loud and clear all the way through from the front row! Bravo!
Pippa is currently sitting at my feet chewing on a pink rope and bemoaning the fact that we aren't going to take her for a walk at 8.30pm...
It's freezing cold outside, most of the snow is gone, but there are signs it may come back tonight. Now, don't get me wrong, I am normally a fan of snow - however I do not love the way that the entire country comes to a standstill and it takes me hours to get into work and my feet get cold and wet in the process...
As an American friend of my mum's said once:
"When someone told me England has 4 seasons, I didn't realise they meant all in one day" ...
Joseph
We heard a sermon tonight about Joseph; and him resisting temptation when Potiphar's wife tries to get him to have sex with her...
It was a good sermon; and got me thinking about how these people are so real. Sometime's when I teach Sunday School I fall into the habit of 'Now children, today's story is...' The other week I asked the 2 boys in my Sunday School class whether they have history at school... they eagerly replied "Yes" and proceeded to tell me about the Romans, the Victorians, the Edwardians... I then explained to them that the man we were going to learn about (Jeremiah at the time)was also real, he lived and Sunday School is like a history lesson about people who love God.
It did me good to remind myself of that tonight. That Joseph was real; he lived, his temptations were as real as ours. David was mentioned as an example in the sermon tonight, and it really struck me about poor Uriah, being brought home to sleep with his wife and resisting because he knew his men couldn't have the same privelidge and then being sent into the heat of the battle just because David couldn't resist temptation. How sorry David must have been!
Speaking of David's repentance, I have seen recently close to my own life the effects and consequences of sin and the grief those who commit sin endure. David lost a son, and one of his best soldiers - and most likely his witness and the respect of the people around him at the time... but once he had repented he didn't mope around; he didn't play the victim, he got on with his life and started instead to honour God with every fibre of his being...
Do you mope over sin? I know I can tend to... oh I'm so bad, I'm so wrong, I'll never be good enough for God. I had a conversation with someone a while ago about how guilt is a sin as well... think about it. God commands us not to worry - and guilt - guilt is worry over sin. If we have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins, then He HAS forgiven us our sin, past present and future. Yes we do right to grieve over our sin, to repent of our sins and to feel the consequences of our sin. But to wallow in guilt? Surely that is not God's plan for us!
It was a good sermon; and got me thinking about how these people are so real. Sometime's when I teach Sunday School I fall into the habit of 'Now children, today's story is...' The other week I asked the 2 boys in my Sunday School class whether they have history at school... they eagerly replied "Yes" and proceeded to tell me about the Romans, the Victorians, the Edwardians... I then explained to them that the man we were going to learn about (Jeremiah at the time)was also real, he lived and Sunday School is like a history lesson about people who love God.
It did me good to remind myself of that tonight. That Joseph was real; he lived, his temptations were as real as ours. David was mentioned as an example in the sermon tonight, and it really struck me about poor Uriah, being brought home to sleep with his wife and resisting because he knew his men couldn't have the same privelidge and then being sent into the heat of the battle just because David couldn't resist temptation. How sorry David must have been!
Speaking of David's repentance, I have seen recently close to my own life the effects and consequences of sin and the grief those who commit sin endure. David lost a son, and one of his best soldiers - and most likely his witness and the respect of the people around him at the time... but once he had repented he didn't mope around; he didn't play the victim, he got on with his life and started instead to honour God with every fibre of his being...
Do you mope over sin? I know I can tend to... oh I'm so bad, I'm so wrong, I'll never be good enough for God. I had a conversation with someone a while ago about how guilt is a sin as well... think about it. God commands us not to worry - and guilt - guilt is worry over sin. If we have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins, then He HAS forgiven us our sin, past present and future. Yes we do right to grieve over our sin, to repent of our sins and to feel the consequences of our sin. But to wallow in guilt? Surely that is not God's plan for us!
My Husband
Ok... so I may be biased... but I just had to tell the whole world that I think my husband is the best husband in the whole wide world! (He'd have to be to put up with me!)
He is currently tidying up the kitchen whilst I am sitting here blogging and drinking tea (which he made me)... now isn't that proof that he's the absolute best?
:D
He is currently tidying up the kitchen whilst I am sitting here blogging and drinking tea (which he made me)... now isn't that proof that he's the absolute best?
:D
Sibbes - The Bruised Reed
A friend recommended this to me, and I have enjoyed starting to read it.. (I've not got very far, but intend to continue!)
The 2 things that have spoken to me so far, are:
Christ most mercifully inclines to the weakest. He puts an instinct into the weakest things to rely upon something stronger than themselves for support. The vine stays itself upon the elm, and the weakest creatures often have the strongest shelters. The consciousness of the church's weakness makes her willing to lean on her beloved, and to hide herself under his wing.
... If we have this for a foundation truth, that there is more mercy in Christ than sin in us, there can be no danger in thorough dealing. It is better to go bruised to heaven than sound to hell. Therefore let us not take off ourselves too soon, nor pull off the plaster before the cure be wrought, but keep ourselves under this work till sin be the sourest, and Christ the sweetest, of all things.
The 2 things that have spoken to me so far, are:
Christ most mercifully inclines to the weakest. He puts an instinct into the weakest things to rely upon something stronger than themselves for support. The vine stays itself upon the elm, and the weakest creatures often have the strongest shelters. The consciousness of the church's weakness makes her willing to lean on her beloved, and to hide herself under his wing.
... If we have this for a foundation truth, that there is more mercy in Christ than sin in us, there can be no danger in thorough dealing. It is better to go bruised to heaven than sound to hell. Therefore let us not take off ourselves too soon, nor pull off the plaster before the cure be wrought, but keep ourselves under this work till sin be the sourest, and Christ the sweetest, of all things.
Friday, 19 February 2010
Lent
I was listening to the radio the other day and they had an advert for a Lent challenge, where they would txt you Words of Christ every day for Lent.
It crossed my mind to give up Facebook for Lent... (but then - I probably don't have that much self control :S!!)
The other thing I thought is - why Lent? I mean, I know I know, it's Easter at the end etc - but surely if I want to give something up to focus more on prayer and Christ, I can do that anytime right? I should be reading my Bible and the words of Christ every day. I should be a living example of His love EVERY DAY, not just at Lent.
And the Bible says that prayer and fasting should be done in secret... that God sees in secret and rewards openly. In the Bible, it's the religious zealouts, the Pharisees who pray and fast openly... surely that's proving man's strength not Christs.
Paul says in the New Testament that it is easy to give ones life for a friend, but hard to give your life for an enemy... not exactly the same, but this principle - it's easy to do something (like giving up Facebook, Chocolate, Tea, Alcohol...) when everyone knows about it and is egging you on... But to do something in secret? and not just to do it for doing it's sake, but (as I was hearing on UCB the other day) to REPLACE the time we would have spent doing this thing, with Christ and reading more of the Bible and praying...
So here's my challenge (to myself as well as you...!) give up something... in July. Or September. Or November. Or anytime! Don't tell anyone you're doing it. And the time you would have spent on it... spend it in prayer :) xx
It crossed my mind to give up Facebook for Lent... (but then - I probably don't have that much self control :S!!)
The other thing I thought is - why Lent? I mean, I know I know, it's Easter at the end etc - but surely if I want to give something up to focus more on prayer and Christ, I can do that anytime right? I should be reading my Bible and the words of Christ every day. I should be a living example of His love EVERY DAY, not just at Lent.
And the Bible says that prayer and fasting should be done in secret... that God sees in secret and rewards openly. In the Bible, it's the religious zealouts, the Pharisees who pray and fast openly... surely that's proving man's strength not Christs.
Paul says in the New Testament that it is easy to give ones life for a friend, but hard to give your life for an enemy... not exactly the same, but this principle - it's easy to do something (like giving up Facebook, Chocolate, Tea, Alcohol...) when everyone knows about it and is egging you on... But to do something in secret? and not just to do it for doing it's sake, but (as I was hearing on UCB the other day) to REPLACE the time we would have spent doing this thing, with Christ and reading more of the Bible and praying...
So here's my challenge (to myself as well as you...!) give up something... in July. Or September. Or November. Or anytime! Don't tell anyone you're doing it. And the time you would have spent on it... spend it in prayer :) xx
Snow!
It snowed again yesterday, and what's more, it stuck.
We now have a good few inches of snow on the ground.
I learnt 2 things this morning:
1) My boots leak
2) My boots have no grip
Not such fun things to find out when you're walking up a steep snowy hill on the way into work!! Here's hoping it thaws out by the time I go home, otherwise I'll be taking a tray from the kitchen and sliding all the way back down to the car!!
We now have a good few inches of snow on the ground.
I learnt 2 things this morning:
1) My boots leak
2) My boots have no grip
Not such fun things to find out when you're walking up a steep snowy hill on the way into work!! Here's hoping it thaws out by the time I go home, otherwise I'll be taking a tray from the kitchen and sliding all the way back down to the car!!
Thursday, 18 February 2010
How are you... How am I?
Do you say to people “How are you”?
Do you really mean it? I mean, do you really care about how they are? What they are feeling? How their life is going? When you ask, do you have the time to stop and listen to the answer?
On the other side of the coin, have you ever answered someone honestly when they’ve asked “How are you?”
I have a friend. (Yes I do, don’t laugh) our conversations regularly start like this.
‘How are you’
‘Fine’
‘How are you really’
I try and say “Good morning” or “Hiya, nice to see you”... and if I ask ‘How are you’ ... I try and mean it.
You know, you don’t have to be scared....
if someone answers you honestly and it’s sad then say “I don’t know what to say, but I’m sad for you”.
If someone answers you honestly and it’s happy, then say, “I don’t know what to say but I’m happy for you”.
So next time you ask someone how they are... think first... do you really want to ask? It’s ok if you don’t!
And you – you constantly wearing that fake smile and saying ‘Fine thanks!’ ... why don’t you consider trusting one person to hear your honest answer?
Do you really mean it? I mean, do you really care about how they are? What they are feeling? How their life is going? When you ask, do you have the time to stop and listen to the answer?
On the other side of the coin, have you ever answered someone honestly when they’ve asked “How are you?”
I have a friend. (Yes I do, don’t laugh) our conversations regularly start like this.
‘How are you’
‘Fine’
‘How are you really’
I try and say “Good morning” or “Hiya, nice to see you”... and if I ask ‘How are you’ ... I try and mean it.
You know, you don’t have to be scared....
if someone answers you honestly and it’s sad then say “I don’t know what to say, but I’m sad for you”.
If someone answers you honestly and it’s happy, then say, “I don’t know what to say but I’m happy for you”.
So next time you ask someone how they are... think first... do you really want to ask? It’s ok if you don’t!
And you – you constantly wearing that fake smile and saying ‘Fine thanks!’ ... why don’t you consider trusting one person to hear your honest answer?
My filing is done! (well... nearly..)
Today was Thursday, which is good, because it’s 1 step away from Friday... which is one step closer to the weekend!
Filing had to be the subject of this blog, as I have had a fairly productive day at work today, I managed to finish the filing I wanted to do. I am now sick of it, and my filing cabinets are all beautiful on the inside. (Is there anyone else out there who appreciates the beauty of a well organised filing cabinet?? ...... just me then....... !) I also managed to cross a few things off my to do list – always a good feeling!
I am looking forward to tomorrow, for one, it’s a Friday and also Jon and I are invited round to Mum’s for tea with some friends... we weren’t sure whether to be happy or take offense when we were informed we’d been invited round specifically to play pass the parcel. I know I know, what’s offensive about pass the parcel... well nothing ... except when it’s pass the parcel with forfeits written with you in mind..... hmmmm – you see the dilemma? Happy / Offended ? I’ll go with happy; because I am looking forward to spending the evening with my Hubby, Mum, Sisters and J&H D!
Also looking forward to Saturday, when we will be spending most of the day in Bedford. Jon’s cousins are being baptised – which is wonderful! They have been married longer than us, and have been through a really hard time recently after receiving some bad news. I am looking forward to hearing their testimonies of God’s grace, as well as catching up with the rest of the family.
Sunday should be fun, we’ve been invited out to lunch, and no Sunday School in the morning means that we get a lie in... nice one!
Filing had to be the subject of this blog, as I have had a fairly productive day at work today, I managed to finish the filing I wanted to do. I am now sick of it, and my filing cabinets are all beautiful on the inside. (Is there anyone else out there who appreciates the beauty of a well organised filing cabinet?? ...... just me then....... !) I also managed to cross a few things off my to do list – always a good feeling!
I am looking forward to tomorrow, for one, it’s a Friday and also Jon and I are invited round to Mum’s for tea with some friends... we weren’t sure whether to be happy or take offense when we were informed we’d been invited round specifically to play pass the parcel. I know I know, what’s offensive about pass the parcel... well nothing ... except when it’s pass the parcel with forfeits written with you in mind..... hmmmm – you see the dilemma? Happy / Offended ? I’ll go with happy; because I am looking forward to spending the evening with my Hubby, Mum, Sisters and J&H D!
Also looking forward to Saturday, when we will be spending most of the day in Bedford. Jon’s cousins are being baptised – which is wonderful! They have been married longer than us, and have been through a really hard time recently after receiving some bad news. I am looking forward to hearing their testimonies of God’s grace, as well as catching up with the rest of the family.
Sunday should be fun, we’ve been invited out to lunch, and no Sunday School in the morning means that we get a lie in... nice one!
Status Updates, Thursday!
Ok, so here's some more status updates I thought of on the way home and the 10 minutes I've been home...
Beth Sayers has finally started a blog
Beth Sayers wishes the left wing mirror on her car was still there
Beth Sayers thinks SNOW is pretty!
Beth Sayers thinks her husband should re-set the heating to come on at 4pm so it's warm when she gets home
Beth Sayers is glad Pippa is back to normal
Beth Sayers is wondering if Jo has got a car yet?
Beth Sayers isn't sure what to have for tea
Beth Sayers is contemplating making more chocolate Brownies..
Beth Sayers has finally started a blog
Beth Sayers wishes the left wing mirror on her car was still there
Beth Sayers thinks SNOW is pretty!
Beth Sayers thinks her husband should re-set the heating to come on at 4pm so it's warm when she gets home
Beth Sayers is glad Pippa is back to normal
Beth Sayers is wondering if Jo has got a car yet?
Beth Sayers isn't sure what to have for tea
Beth Sayers is contemplating making more chocolate Brownies..
Pippa
Pippa will be 4 in November, and is the lovliest, friendliest, loopy dog I have ever met. She is a Springer/Cocker Spaniel cross and loves everybody. I reckon if we ever had burglars she’d lollop up to them with a goofy grin that said “Hi!!!!! Who are you?!!!!!!! I LOVE you!!!!! Will you take me for a walk?!!!!!!”
Have you ever seen the film ‘Up’ ? Pippa is THAT dog!!
A few weeks ago she had to be spayed; which really knocked her about. It was my fault for being such an expert at procrastination that she was older than she should have been; and took it quite a bit harder... she spent 10 days in a delightfully big cone, which, once the sadness of it wore off, was hilarious! (apart from the bruises we had on the back of our knees when she ran into us!!)
Have you ever seen the film ‘Up’ ? Pippa is THAT dog!!
A few weeks ago she had to be spayed; which really knocked her about. It was my fault for being such an expert at procrastination that she was older than she should have been; and took it quite a bit harder... she spent 10 days in a delightfully big cone, which, once the sadness of it wore off, was hilarious! (apart from the bruises we had on the back of our knees when she ran into us!!)
Funny Memories
Funny memory 1)
So, I was driving home the other night, and I suddenly remembered that I fell asleep during Jon’s graduation... don’t ask me why my brain chose that moment to remember...
I was sat in a large hall full of people... Jon’s parents were at the back (hope they didn’t see me) and I was somewhere towards the middle... after a very late night the night before, spending all morning rushing Jon around to get to the right place at the right time, and cooking lunch for future in-laws in Jon’s student flat, the man next to me reading a newspaper he was so bored..... I was shattered... and 3 hours into listening to boring speeches and watching name after name walk across the stage, my head just nodded....
No. I didn’t miss Jon... I proudly watched him walk across the stage to collect his qualification.
I then pinched myself to stay awake for the rest of it... thankfully S is at the end of the alphabet so there wasn’t that long to go....!
Funny memory 2)
Joan was teaching Sunday School, and she asked the children whether they could cross an ocean, anticipating the answer to be "NO" so then she could come back with the amazing miracle of what God did. However children being children, this is how the conversation went.
"So, imagine a huge amount of water. Could you cross it in a tractor?"
"Yes"
"Well a boat or a plane maybe, but not a Tractor"
"Yes, I've seen tractors in the water"
"60 feet of water?"
"Yes"
"Do you know how tall 60 feet is?"
"No"
"It's taller than 10 Mr Sayers standing on top of each other"
"I could just jump across on my pogo stick"
Funny memory 3)
We had the joy of seeing David and Liz over the summer, we miss them now they’re in Kenya and it is amazing how much the children have grown every time we see them again. We took every opportunity we could to see them while they were in the UK, and 2 conversations with Joy and Isaac stand out in my mind.
1) In the car
Jon “So, have you seen Mr Bob while you’ve been here in England”
Isaac “No, Uncle Jon, Mr Bob is dead”
Silence...
Jon “Are you sure Isaac”
Isaac “Yes”
Joy “No Isaac, Mr Bob was working in another country”
Isaac “No Joy, Mr Bob is dead, he has done the work God wants him to do and now he’s in heaven”
Joy “No, Isaac Mr Bob is in China”
Jon - Trying to avert an argument... “What does Mr Bob do Joy”?
Joy “He makes aeroplane engines”
Silence...
Isaac “Uncle Jon, how do you make aeroplane engines”
Jon “Well, a long time ago it was a propeller, but I’m not sure now”
Isaac “I know how. You put a big battery in them”
2) After Isaac had been made to apologise to Joy
Isaac “I don’t like girls”
Beth “Well that makes me sad, because I’m a girl”
Isaac (thinking) “Well, ok, I like big girls. You know, like Aunties, but I just don’t like little girls”
Joy (in a wounded voice) “Oh Isaac, you know Mummy said I’m not a little girl anymore, I’m a big girl”
Isaac (thinking again...) “Well ok... but Gracie is annoying”
So, I was driving home the other night, and I suddenly remembered that I fell asleep during Jon’s graduation... don’t ask me why my brain chose that moment to remember...
I was sat in a large hall full of people... Jon’s parents were at the back (hope they didn’t see me) and I was somewhere towards the middle... after a very late night the night before, spending all morning rushing Jon around to get to the right place at the right time, and cooking lunch for future in-laws in Jon’s student flat, the man next to me reading a newspaper he was so bored..... I was shattered... and 3 hours into listening to boring speeches and watching name after name walk across the stage, my head just nodded....
No. I didn’t miss Jon... I proudly watched him walk across the stage to collect his qualification.
I then pinched myself to stay awake for the rest of it... thankfully S is at the end of the alphabet so there wasn’t that long to go....!
Funny memory 2)
Joan was teaching Sunday School, and she asked the children whether they could cross an ocean, anticipating the answer to be "NO" so then she could come back with the amazing miracle of what God did. However children being children, this is how the conversation went.
"So, imagine a huge amount of water. Could you cross it in a tractor?"
"Yes"
"Well a boat or a plane maybe, but not a Tractor"
"Yes, I've seen tractors in the water"
"60 feet of water?"
"Yes"
"Do you know how tall 60 feet is?"
"No"
"It's taller than 10 Mr Sayers standing on top of each other"
"I could just jump across on my pogo stick"
Funny memory 3)
We had the joy of seeing David and Liz over the summer, we miss them now they’re in Kenya and it is amazing how much the children have grown every time we see them again. We took every opportunity we could to see them while they were in the UK, and 2 conversations with Joy and Isaac stand out in my mind.
1) In the car
Jon “So, have you seen Mr Bob while you’ve been here in England”
Isaac “No, Uncle Jon, Mr Bob is dead”
Silence...
Jon “Are you sure Isaac”
Isaac “Yes”
Joy “No Isaac, Mr Bob was working in another country”
Isaac “No Joy, Mr Bob is dead, he has done the work God wants him to do and now he’s in heaven”
Joy “No, Isaac Mr Bob is in China”
Jon - Trying to avert an argument... “What does Mr Bob do Joy”?
Joy “He makes aeroplane engines”
Silence...
Isaac “Uncle Jon, how do you make aeroplane engines”
Jon “Well, a long time ago it was a propeller, but I’m not sure now”
Isaac “I know how. You put a big battery in them”
2) After Isaac had been made to apologise to Joy
Isaac “I don’t like girls”
Beth “Well that makes me sad, because I’m a girl”
Isaac (thinking) “Well, ok, I like big girls. You know, like Aunties, but I just don’t like little girls”
Joy (in a wounded voice) “Oh Isaac, you know Mummy said I’m not a little girl anymore, I’m a big girl”
Isaac (thinking again...) “Well ok... but Gracie is annoying”
Lady Jane Grey
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In a recent Facebook post, I told a few people that I was watching the film Lady Jane Grey with my sisters, and I found it highly amusing that they didn’t know the ending... I mean, it’s like asking what happens at the end of Titanic?!
However, I realise that I may have to eat a bit of humble pie, as there are several periods in history that I know absolutely nothing about either... and were they ever to make a film about King Charles – the fugitive king who had to hide in an oak tree.. well let’s just say I had to use Google and Wiki to ensure I actually got his name right?!
It’s not their fault that they don’t love the Tudor period as much as I do... therefore I thought that I would wax lyrical for a while about the history around Lady Jane Grey – and hopefully give you a better understanding of who she was, and when she lived.
So – you all know Henry the 8th right, he was the tyrant with 6 wives?
Well, his first wife was Catherine of Aragon, she was mother to Mary (a devout Catholic)
his second wife was Anne Boleyn, mother to Elizabeth (a protestant)
his third wife was Jane Seymour, mother to Edward (a devout protestant reformer)
Henry didn’t have any more children after that, even though he went on to marry Ann(divorced) Kathryn(beheaded) and Katherine (she outlived him).
Well, in order to marry Anne Boleyn, Henry had to divorce Catherine of Aragon, and in the process disinherit Mary from the throne. He claimed his marriage with Catherine had been unlawful and therefore Mary was a bastard. Elizabeth therefore became first in line for the throne.
When he beheaded Anne Boleyn, he did so by accusing her of adultery – and therefore making Elizabeth also a bastard. (Even though her red hair and fiery temper proclaimed her a Tudor through and through!)
When Edward was born then, he became heir to the throne. Jane Seymour’s brother was also Edward, and as uncle to the future king, given lots of privileges at court.
What you may not know is that Henry the 8th had 2 sisters, Margaret and Mary.
Mary had been married to the King of France, however when he died, she married a man called Charles Brandon in secret.
Mary and Charles had a little girl called Frances (Henry the 8th’s niece – are you keeping up!)
Frances went on to marry a man called Henry Grey, and they had a daughter – Jane.
Jane Grey was born at roughly the same time as Prince Edward, so they were about the same age.
Well, on his deathbed, King Henry the 8th had a qualm of conscience, and although he had declared both Mary and Elizabeth bastards, he wrote up a document called ‘The Act of Succession’ which stated that Edward would be king, should anything happen to him, the throne would pass to Mary, should anything happen to her it would pass to Elizabeth. The next step of course was that if anything happened to Elizabeth the throne would go to his sister Mary’s descendants; his niece Frances Grey – or by default to her daughter Jane.
Once Henry the 8th died, Jane then was 3rd in line for the throne.
When Henry the 8th died, Edward became King. He was of course too young to rule, so his Uncle Edward Seymour declared himself ‘Lord Protector’ and basically ruled in young King Edward’s place. This, plus the reformation of England at the time, gained Edward Seymour an awful lot of enemies; one man in particular was a man called John Dudley.
John Dudley bided his time, won over King Edwards confidence and eventually led a rebellion against Edward Seymour, who was eventually executed sometime later.
John Dudley got rid of the title ‘Lord Protector’ and set King Edward up a parliament, however still influenced the boy – King Edward was merely the mouthpiece for John Dudley. To gain King Edward’s confidence, one of the things John Dudley did was to keep him away from his sister Mary, and also to press forward Edward’s reformation plans for England, which meant Mary was forbidden from following her Catholic beliefs. John Dudley knew if Mary ever got to the throne – he wouldn’t have his head on his shoulder’s for very long!!
Not so great then, for John Dudley, when King Edward contracted measles. Although the measles didn’t kill him, they left him extremely weak with a compromised immune system. King Edward was pushed back into state visits too soon, and it became apparent that he was now so sick he wasn’t going to live very long.
Grasping at straws to keep Mary from the throne of England, John Dudley’s mind turned to Henry’s great-niece, the Lady Jane Grey, 3rd in line to the throne. He reasoned that if Mary and Elizabeth had been declared illegitimate, that then made Jane 1st in line to the throne, not second.
This was no use to John Dudley though, if he had no way of controlling the Lady Jane... so he approached Henry Grey and between them, they hatched a plan to marry Jane to John Dudley’s eldest son Guildford and put Lady Jane Grey and Guildford Dudley on the throne of England.
Cruelly prolonging weak King Edward’s life with the use of arsenic, John Dudley wrote up King Edward’s will, declaring Jane Grey heir to the throne, trying to overruling the Act of Succession written by Henry the 8th. John Dudley bullied, bribed and blackmailed parliament into counter-signing it, and persuaded King Edward to sign it, most likely by emotionally blackmailing him about how all his Protestant Reformation would be worth nothing if a Catholic Queen came to the throne.
King Edward died in July 1553 and 4 days later Lady Jane Grey was proclaimed Queen.
Jane was as shocked as anyone else. She proclaimed she didn’t want the crown, it rightfully belonged to the Lady Mary. Her parents and John Dudley soon hushed her up, and again used the argument that Jane would not want to see a Catholic Queen on the throne again...
Jane resigned herself to her duties as Queen, however refused to let Guildford be crowned King (he threw a temper tantrum). Stories of undying love between Jane and Guildford, especially the film with the gorgeous Cary Elwes and Helen Bonar Carter(?) are not true! It is true that Guildford did carve the name ‘JANE’ on his cell in the Tower of London.
When Jane was proclaimed Queen, the people were sullen and confused – Jane had spent most of her life in the Country, they didn’t even know who she was! They wanted their Queen Mary, daughter of Henry the 8th!
Meanwhile Mary was not idle. As soon as she heard her brother was dead, she refused to go and walk into the trap John Dudley had set for her, instead she gathered an army about her and marched on London.
It was, as they say, a very close call. Had Mary fallen for the trap John Dudley set her, had John Dudley’s army won, had Parliament not deserted and run to Mary’s side, Queen Jane may have ruled for many years! However we know that it was not God’s plan, as Mary’s army won, and 9 days after Jane was proclaimed Queen, she was removed from the throne and placed in the tower of London.
So that is the story of Lady Jane Grey, the 9 day queen of England.
Are you still with me? Do you want to hear more?
Ok... well Mary was not inclined to start her reign as Queen with executions; besides which she had known Jane as they were cousins of sorts and Mary had a soft spot for Jane. So after John Dudley had been executed, Mary pardoned Jane’s parents, Frances and Henry and left Jane and Guildford in the Tower; inclined to free her once Mary herself had heirs and Jane was no threat. Mary’s parliament and advisors begged her to execute Jane, but she wouldn’t.
A few months into her reign, and Mary’s popularity was waning. Taxes, Catholicism and the rumour she was going to marry a Spanish prince had made her pretty unpopular.
It wasn’t Jane’s fault that her father Henry, with a taste of big things in his mouth, was not content to live a quiet peaceful life in the country. With Mary’s popularity waning, he formed an army and marched on London with the intent of putting Jane back on the throne.
Again it was a close call, but Mary won the day – and of course after that she had to listen to her advisors.
Lady Jane Grey was beheaded on February 12th,1554, after being found guilty of treason.
She was 16 years old.
Before she was executed, Jane said that she had never wanted the throne of England and that she would die a "true Christian women".
Status updates!
So, I got home from work last night at about 4.30, and Jon was home early too...
After a little bit of tidying up, I decided that I would update my Facebook status (as you do..)
I then realised that my life was way too varied and exciting to sum up in one simple facebook status, as my problem was not thinking of one, but limiting it to one..
Here are a few that crossed my mind...
Beth Sayers:
Beth Sayers is home from work early
Beth Sayers is very tired today!
Beth Sayers forgot to have pancakes on pancake day so is having them tonight
Beth Sayers sister's left loads of stuff at her house last night, they need to come and pick it up
Beth Sayers has lost her slippers... or can't be bothered to go and find them
Beth Sayers is making pancakes
Beth Sayers has a new red apron, which is now covered in flour
Beth Sayers is going to watch Ocean's 13 tonight
On contemplation... perhaps those aren't that exciting.
They seemed way more exciting last night!!
On the plus side, Pippa is back to her normal self, after being spayed and then a bout of D&V... she is back to her lively (and unfortunately windy) self.
While I type, I've just seen an e-mail announcing the Chief Exec where I work is retiring in August... hmmmm good man. He's earned £200k a year for the past 6 years, so I suppose he can well afford to!
Me... I've got a ways to go!!
After a little bit of tidying up, I decided that I would update my Facebook status (as you do..)
I then realised that my life was way too varied and exciting to sum up in one simple facebook status, as my problem was not thinking of one, but limiting it to one..
Here are a few that crossed my mind...
Beth Sayers:
Beth Sayers is home from work early
Beth Sayers is very tired today!
Beth Sayers forgot to have pancakes on pancake day so is having them tonight
Beth Sayers sister's left loads of stuff at her house last night, they need to come and pick it up
Beth Sayers has lost her slippers... or can't be bothered to go and find them
Beth Sayers is making pancakes
Beth Sayers has a new red apron, which is now covered in flour
Beth Sayers is going to watch Ocean's 13 tonight
On contemplation... perhaps those aren't that exciting.
They seemed way more exciting last night!!
On the plus side, Pippa is back to her normal self, after being spayed and then a bout of D&V... she is back to her lively (and unfortunately windy) self.
While I type, I've just seen an e-mail announcing the Chief Exec where I work is retiring in August... hmmmm good man. He's earned £200k a year for the past 6 years, so I suppose he can well afford to!
Me... I've got a ways to go!!
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