Palm Sunday Procession

          Our Sunday service on 20^th March was challenging in a couple of ways.  First of all, our Vicar gave a inspiring, yet thought provoking sermon on dying to  ourselves. 

          Secondly, after the 8.00 am service, the sound system suddenly silenced itself!    For the 11.00 am service this meant those people speaking had to work at projecting their voices so all could hear.   I think those listening also had to pay more attention. 

          It was Palm Sunday.  The sides persons handed us palm crosses along with hymn books and newssheets as we came into the church.  At the end of the service the congregation was invited to join in a procession around the chancel and North aisle.  Some of the first in line added palm leaves to their crosses.  It was remembering Jesus riding into Jerusalem and to His death.  

          It is a beautiful act of worship.  I hope your Palm Sunday was full of awe inspiring moments too.

Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,

“Lady Helene”

Feasting on Friday, 18th March

          The great thing about friendship is that when your hearts are knit together, it doesn’t matter how much time passes between visits.  As Christians, we live in a kingdom of not only friendship, but also of family.  

          When I first arrived in England, “Maverick” was settled into and knit into the fellowship of Hillsong London.  When we had a car it was not an issue to travel into London and Leatherhead in Surrey to worship and serve.  We made friends with a young couple, “Dick” and “Lene”.  When we first met, they had no children.  They have since had “Milly” and “Jem”.  

          Last December “Lene” and “Maverick” were chatting through Facebook, so she invited him to the Hillsong Christmas programme at Wimbledon.   Joyously, he returned that night to share snippets of the story of three directionally challenged wise men.  He told me that the programmed was going to be aired on television on UCB closer to Christmas Day.  

          It was following the programme that “Maverick” made a concerted effort to schedule an evening with them.  On Friday, 18^th March, “Dick” collected us and drove us to their home in Surrey.  

          The photos show how lovingly the dining room was prepared for us.  We feasted on friendship, sharing “How we got together” stories and enjoying Chicken in sauce, rice, broccoli and green beans and garlic bread.  Dessert was toffee sticky pudding hot from the oven, served with custard.  It was indeed a special evening.

Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,

“Lady Helene”

Maisy's Thursday

Shining clean after the bath.

When I awakened this morning I had my list of to-do sorted.  It looked like this:

• Breakfast
• Cut "Maverick's" hair
• Fold dry laundry and put away.
• Write blog
• Finish sewing together baby blanket.  (No, it STILL  isn't complete.)
• Write some e-mails.

Maisy had dozed on the back of the sofa while I alleviated "Maverick" of his unwanted hair.  Since it had been a few months since his last haircut, the result wasa big bundle of hair--once I'd swept it up.  While I returned the broom to the airing cupboard, Maisy decided to rub her face in the wad of hair on the kitchen floor.  The once tidy pile was now three...but easily enough cleared up with a dust pan and brush. 

After "Maverick" left for a bike ride,  Maisy and I sat down on our bed to play.  It was good to see her in a mood to romp, as she'd been sick Tuesday and quiet on Wednesday morning.  In the middle of our game, she abruptly stopped and vomited. The sick looked like it was just fluid and hair!  Great! She'd not only rubbed her face in the hair, she'd eaten some as well.  The blanket which had been washed on Tuesday now needed washing again! Task number one not on my list--rewash blanket.

As the blanket washed, I checked my e-mail and the stats for my blog.  (I am about six blogs behind on hitting my quota for the first quarter of the year.)  Once I had hung the laundered blanket out on the line to dry, I collected the dry laundry and folded it.  

My habit of watching television whilst also doing other tasks does seem to distract and slow me down a bit.  Yet, I folded my way through the clothes on a consistent basis while watching:  Cats Make You Laugh Outloud.  I don't think Maisy was too impressed with it though!

Two items on the to-do list marked off.  Before sitting down to write the blog, I decided to take Maisy out to the park for a walk.  As we made our way around the grassy field, I noticed that she kept dragging her bottom on the grass.  During the observation it became clear that Maisy needed a trim under her tail.  Her "stinky-bottom" required removal with scissors!  Bummer!  Another un-expected task--requiring patience and persistence.

The plan was that I would immediately address the problem when we walked in the door.  Not to be...

"Maverick" held up his mobile so that I could hear a familiar, friendly voice.  It has been several years since we'd spoken by phone and it was lovely to hear "Miss Nann's" voice.  We chatted a few moments, enjoying the opportunity to catch up with each other’s news.  

I was beginning to think that blogging would not happen today.  Even though it would be reasonable to defer blogging for the necessity of grooming Maisy, I thought I would keep my hopes up and make the most of my time.

"Maverick" was preoccupied with our newest toy--a juicing machine--which had been delivered while I was in the park with Maisy.  Occasionally I would get a bit of narrative on his progress. 

In the meantime, I used treats to bribe Maisy onto the couch and work on brushing her.  Because,  I had decided that once the "stinky bottom" had been trimmed, Miss Maisy would get a bath.  Finally, I succumbed to the need of a second person to hold Maisy while I applied my barber skills to her specific need.  “Maverick” interrupted his juicer unpacking to assist me.

Maisy’s dislike of grooming made her restless.  Therefore I had to work quickly, yet gently and precisely, so as not to cut her.  All of us were glad when I was done.  And Maisy made quick work of the cheese/beef nibblet.

Bath towels were procured, the faucets turned on and Maisy lured by treats into the bathroom.  She left the treat on the floor. Poor Baby, she whined constantly, and tried to crawl up the sides of the porcelain tub while I applied the shampoo, conditioner and rinsed with the shower nozzle.   But she endured.

I wrapped her in the towel, grabbed the camera and then turned her loose.  I was going to capture her version of “tumble dry”.  I’m sharing the three videos—as they are short.  The first is on the bed with the towel.  The second is of her eating the treat she’d left of the bathroom floor.  The third one is of her drying herself more on the back of the couch. 

 Maisy Post Bath on the Bed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TJSKkGO4bQ 

Maisy on the couch 

I hope you enjoy.

And it looks like I did get my “to-do” list completed after all.

Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,

“Lady Helene”

A Wry smile

          In the early 1990’s I was working two jobs; as a clerk-typist for Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation and as a part-time barber/hair stylist.  I enjoyed the barber job, but the administrative job with the state had better health insurance.  And I needed the extra money for make financial ends meet. 

Things that stay put!

          I was living alone, which was why I was stretched financially.  But I preferred living on my own. 

          One evening, as I was working at the franchised hair styling shop, I was sitting and chatting with one of the girls.  Jacqui, (not her real name), was married with two teen-aged boys.  As we were eating our dinner, we were discussing the differences of living alone verses living with other people.

          “I’m glad it’s slow tonight.  I’m really tired.”  I say. “At least when I get home tonight, I can go straight to bed.” 

          “It was busier earlier.  That’s why I went to the KFC.”  Jacqui said.  “My husband will probably want to talk.  But that’s okay.”

          “I guess that’s one good thing about living alone.  I can go to bed whenever I want.  I can even lie spread-eagle in the middle of my queen-sized bed  if I want.”  I mentioned casually.

          “My husband’s pretty flexible about when we go to bed.  Plus we’ve got a king-sized bed.  Plenty of room to spread out.”

          “What’s really nice about being single is that I’ve got enough clothes—including socks and underwear—to last me a month.  I go buy a roll of quarters, take the clothes down to the laundry room, load up four washers, then go back to my apartment. Thirty-five minutes later I go downstairs, transfer all four loads into the dryers.  Go back upstairs and watch tv for a while.  An hour later I go back down to the laundry-mat, hang up everything on hangers, except my smalls.  Then I take everything upstairs, dump the socks and underwear on the bed, hang up the other stuff in the closet.  Then I can watch television and finish folding the smalls.  All done in about three hours,  for the month.”

          “Oh, laundry isn’t a problem for me.”  She eats a fry, then continues.  “I taught my boys to do laundry when they were younger.  So they take care of their own.  And my husband takes care of his own laundry.  Plus he does mine as well.  I don’t do laundry because he does.”

          “Can’t argue with that.”  I nod and take a drink of my diet coke.  “At least I have sole control of the remote to the television.”

          “The boys have televisions in their rooms.” Jacqui explains.  “And there is a large tv in the master bedroom as well as our living room.  So if I want to watch something else, I can go to the bedroom.”

          I dipped another French fry into ketchup and pondered a minute.  “At least I don’t have to worry about cooking meals for the family.  I can cook or just have a bowl of cereal for when I’m hungry.”

          “My sons like to cook, so they will do their own thing.  And my husband is good at cooking as well.  I only cook if we are getting together on the weekend or if I want to.”

          I was beginning to think she had an answer for everything.  I took a bite of my chicken sandwich.  About then someone came into the back area, looking for something. 

          “There is a big advantage though about living alone.  When you put something down, it is still there when you go back for it.”

          Jacqui paused a moment, pondering what I’d said.  She nodded and said, “Well, you got me there.”

          I gave her a wry smile.  It wasn’t triumph I felt, but comfort that I’d found a true blessing in my singleness that was irrefutable. 

Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,

“Lady Helene”