Be inspired

This week I read a fabulous book, one of those ones you can't quite put down, a "just one more chapter" type. Following the loss of her husband to prostate cancer, Rosie Swale-Pope ran around the world, 20000miles over 5years, on her own, through Siberian and Alaskan winters, at times with broken ribs, and all this at the age of 57! What comes across so clearly in her account is not just her determination and love of adventure, but her attitude towards life and people. Every challenge is overcome, and negative moments are not dwelt on but turned into positives. Even when confronted by armed robbers she refuses to surcumb to fear, holding on to memories of the kindness of those she has encountered on her journey.

So if you're looking for some inspiration, restored faith in humanity or just a good read check out 'just a little run around the world'.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Just-Little-Run-Around-World/dp/0007306202/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358094395&sr=8-1

Happy New Year!

How did you see in the new year? With friends or family? In a large party gathering or shared exclusively with someone special? Or perhaps, you missed it all together for an early night in bed! I saw the new year in from the inside of a tiny convent tucked away somewhere in Newcastle. It wasn't where I expected to be, but through a string of events I ended up there, with five nuns and about 20 others, enjoying the peace of the presence of Christ - Immanuel God with us! Sometimes God whispers to us through the cracks in our busy lives - drawing us away from the humdrum of life to sit at his feet and listen to his voice. Jesus knew the importance of time alone with his father, that he had to withdraw from time to time from the needs and demands of his followers, and early in the morning or late into the night find solitary places...the desert, the mountains. It's a good principle to learn to apply in our lives, it refreshes us, it equips us, it builds spiritual character and it places Jesus in the rightful place of honour in our lives. So for 2013 my challenge is to find the time to slip through the gaps in the rush of life and spend quality time alone with Christ. 

---

Luke 6:12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.

Develop maturity

What do we do when stuff goes wrong in church? What do we do when other Christians let us down? Woah, wait a minute...that happens in churches??? Yep. And your church is probably no exception! 

Don't be surprised when things go topsy turvy - the enemy is out there - he comes to steal, kill and destroy and his biggest target is the bride of Christ - the church. So be prepared for the storms, decide in advance how you will deal with situations that arise. Hey, here's some examples...

You think God is calling you to preach, but your church leader has said he doesn't think it's the right thing for you now. 

The worship leader has just moved away, and in all honesty the worship last Sunday morning sounded dreadful. 

You've been in hospital for three days - no-one from your church family has come to visit you and you're feeling pretty lonely. 

Just one person has turned up to your home group again...

Human nature is to take offence, to criticise, to throw a pity party, to quit. But here's the great news - we have the mind of Christ! We can choose to see each situation from a different angle - we can choose to see others as Christ sees them. Be patient, if God is calling you to preach in church he'll open the doors for you in his time, and just maybe your pastor is right and preaching is not what God is calling you to! And yes, the worship sounded dreadful - but that doesn't mean you have to tell the band, have you thought about thanking them instead, for taking on the extra responsibilities? Does anyone from church actually know you're in hospital? Why not use this time to write encouraging letters to friends who may be going through tough times too. Thank God, that one person has turned up at your house and remember that the number that turn up isn't going to change how much of God's presence you can experience. 

It takes maturity of faith to choose to respond differently - Jesus asked us to love our enemies - it's a no-brainer then that we should love others in the family of Christ! Choose to forgive...just as you have been forgiven. Choose to love...just as you have been loved. I know I often don't get this right - and I'm thankful for those who have been patient with me over the years! Maturity doesn't come overnight - it will grow as we spend time in God's word and in his presence - but lets strive to make our lives and our churches more and more a reflection of our saviour Jesus. 

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

England's green and pleasant land

St Bees

Our Coast to Coast adventure began in St Bees - an hour late due to delayed trains - not something we had to concern ourselves with for the subsequent 14 days as we endeavoured to journey on foot to Robin Hoods Bay on the East Coast. Grey skies loomed ominously above, but we escaped with very little rain as we skirted around the coast line before heading inland and detoured around Dent hill by road to avoid the thick mist and ensure we arrived at the campsite before dark!

Heading to Enerdale Water

Day 2 started with a marvellous full 
English breakfast at the farm before we set off in the direction of Enerdale water. The mist and occasional drizzle cleared by mid morning to become the first of four glorious sunny days through the lake district. Having made good progress around the lake and refuelled with tea and cake at Enerdale YHA we opted for the high route option of Red Pike and High Stile before dropping back down into the valley to spend the night at Black Sail. The route provided some steep climbs (not easy with a 14kg backpack!) and fantastic views (see below). 

View from Red Pike

Outside Black Sail

 After a good meal and night's rest in the peaceful (if midge-infested) location of black sail YHA, we started our longest day of walking yet over to Grasmere and beyond. Again more of the magnificent views the lakes are famed for. By the time we hit the outskirts of Grasmere, we were both pretty hungry and settled on eating in the first place we came across - a vegetarian restaurant in a fairly posh hotel. We felt a little out of place as smelly grubby walkers, but the food was good and we left with enough time to head out of anti-camping Grasmere to wild camp on tongue gill.

Looking down towards Grasmere from tongue gill

Day 4 was our shortest day - just a mere 7 miles up to Grisedale tarn then down to Patterdale. No sooner had we begun our descent we started meeting other walkers heading the other direction, including two cyclists carrying road bikes who turned round when we told them it would be another 3hours before they reached the nearest road! Patterdale turned out to be the first of many places on route I would describe to Jonny as a 'nice little place' and we stopped at the post office to buy postcards, replenish food supplies and have lunch before checking into the YHA. Here we met and shared stories with several other coast to coasters who we would continue to see over the next couple of weeks, and we began to realise that we were very much in the minority carrying our own luggage each day!

Grisedale tarn

Woodland near Patterdale

Kidsty Pike

 Day 5 and suddenly more and more coast to coasters are appeared as we followed a chain of walkers up to Kidsty pike and down to Haweswater reservoir. A final farewell to the lakes and the good weather! At the top of Kidsty pike we made the error of offering to take a picture of a large group of Americans...and got given 10 cameras! They did take one of us in return - but declined our offer to let them carry our bags down the hill!

Top of Kidsty Pike

 At the end of Haweswater reservoir the coast to coast signs started to reappear, and we started to have to pay more attention to the map to navigate our way to Shap, until the ruined abbey became visible in the distance. At breakfast the following morning a fellow walker told us he had got thoroughly lost here ended up in a village 2miles off route and had to be collected by the B&B owner!

Shap Abbey

(This is not the first example of 'cheerfully cheating', as Martin Wainwright coins it, that we had come across - at breakfast on day two a couple of ladies were feigning injury to get a lift by the packhorse bus with the intention of heading to a spa!!)

Cold in Keld.

In the tent

Thursday, and as forecast the good weather changed, giving us two days of continuous rain and wind whilst we trudged over the bleak landscape of the North Pennines, thankfully the campsite in Kirkby Steven had a tumble dryer and a 5* toilet block, but once up on the moor we were soon soaked through again. So after relying on the GPS to get us to the road and off the moor we stuck to the road all the way into Keld, where sadly there was no room in the bunkroom so once again it was camping. 

The caravan!

It's amazing how much rain saps your energy and morale, so after a bowl of hot curry and rice I curled up in my sleeping bag and slept for about 12hours! Discussions between different groups about bailing out were had the following morning but with the wind having died down and the rain stopped briefly we packed down the tent, put on wet socks and boots and set off for Reeth. By the time we had stopped for a good bit of Yorkshire food on route we were feeling much better. We received a wonderful welcome in Reeth (another nice little place) by the campsite owners who keep a caravan for coast to coast campers to use and we were delighted not to have to pitch the tent that night.

Over halfway now and the landscape had considerably changed again, gone were the mountains and moors to be replaced by fields and valleys. The sunshine was back too, as we waded through mud and over stiles to the little village of Colburn and the Hildyard arms. When we arrived the pub was completely shut up but at 7pm signs of life appeared and soon the place was full of football supporters ready to cheer England on in the quarters finals, we joined them to watch the match, though were far more interested in the takeaway curry we had ordered for dinner!



 Some of the signs we found on route - keeping us going in the right direction!

Day 10 was our second 20 mile day, and the flatest of the whole route, crossing the vale of Mowbray and the A19 before arriving at Ingelby Cross and the Blue Bell Inn where I had my first cup of tea in 4days and we both enjoyed a night not under canvas. The day's walk took us through some beautiful villages and woodland areas, and we faced the only field crossing that defeated us (a very narrow hedge which even with taking our  bags off we may have made somewhat wider!) 

Bolton on Swale

Day 11 was a day of ups and downs - as we joined the cleveland way winding across the heather strewn landscape of the Yorkshire moors. The landscape may have changed again but the sheep are still present, as are the low flying military jets similar to ones we had spotted in the lake district. We had some difficulty making our way off the route to our campsite at Beak Hills farm due to very wet boggy ground, but eventually found a way through and set up camp...once again in the rain! This cleared though and we had a three course meal (of dried food packs!) prepared by boiling water on the kelly kettle.

Wainstones

Rain again for putting the tent down and setting off along the Cleveland way, for another day on the moors. Less walkers out and about today, apart from occasional other coast to coasters and school groups. We had to smile at the looks we got from the children when we explained what we were doing - I don't think they could fathom what had made us even consider such a venture! After a break for lunch (where a sheep made a bid for our sausage rolls) we left the Cleveland way and joined the old railway route across the moors, this being much flatter - but as a consequence winds around all the contours. At last on the horizon the Lion inn on Blakey Ridge came into view, this is the highest pub in England and a very nice one at that. Popular with both walkers and motorists, we enjoyed a good meal and drinks by the fire after pitching our tent for the last time.

The Lion Inn

Last night pitching the tent! 

View from the tent on the last camping night.

Day 13 - penultimate day of the walk and we hoped to see the sea before reaching Glaisdale but mist prevented this. It was a mixed day of walking terrain, first moors, then though villages and woodland, followed by a climb up the hill out of Grosmont and away from it's steam railway to more moorland, where we stopped to rescue a lamb that had got itself well and truly tangled in the wire fence (a bit of 'grass is always greener on the other side' syndrome'). Finally, we walked through a series of fields to reach intake farm where we had booked to stay for a final night. It was wonderful to be welcomed by Judith with a cup of tea followed later by a fabulous three course meal of beautiful home cooked food. We both agreed this was the best night of the walk.

Final day and just 12miles to Robin Hoods Bay to go! After some delay watching the cats and kittens at the farm and then getting lost on the way to falling foss waterfall, we made it out of the woodland and over to Hawsker where we were overtaken by a guy who was completing the coast to coast in just 7days and had set off that morning at 3.30am from the Lion Inn! We rejoined the Cleveland way for the last stretch of coastal walk down to the finish point, just as we were approaching the rain came down for one final time and we spotted a very wet welcoming party of three humans and a dog walking the other way to meet us! To complete our expedition we walked down the steep lane through the town to the beach and threw the pebbles we had brought with us from the other side into the sea. 192miles finished!

Falling Foss

Woodland

We can see the sea!

Dipping our boots in the North Sea

Disclaimer: Most photos (particularly the good ones) taken by Jonny! :)

Lampshade project

Orange and cranberry cakes

This is my latest favourite cake recipe!

3tbsp caster sugar
3tbsp soft brown sugar
4tbsp of soft margarine

Beat together then add:

Grated rind of two oranges
2 eggs
Juice of one of the oranges
2tbsp golden syrup
2tbsp milk

Beat together and then mix in approx 300g of self raising flour (or as mum helpfully put it, 'enough to make it look like a cake mixture')

Soak 100g of sweetened dried cranberries in the juice of the second orange for approx 10minutes then mix them into the cake mix.

Either pour mix into a medium size cake tin or into cupcake cases, (makes about 20small cupcakes). Bake at 150-180 degrees C for 15-20minutes for cupcakes and 40-50minutes for a single cake.

Whilst cooling pour the remaining orange juice over the cake(s), and decorate with cranberries and icing sugar.

Enjoy :)

Jesus gave it all

The Father gave his Son...the Son gave his life...

Today I've been reflecting on two women, one a poor widow who 2000years ago caught the attention of Jesus when she gave everything she had, and the other a friend of mine, who this week has given away her bed to someone in need.

Mark 12 tells us Jesus went and sat near the collection box in the temple and watched - Jesus sees what you give - but more than that he sees the givers heart! Many rich people walked past and deposited generous contributions, but it was the two coins that the widow dropped in that drew the attention of Jesus - she gave everything she had to live on. Wow! What faith in the provision of her heavenly father.

My friend Lydia told my church connect group last night how she had felt challenged by God to give away something precious to her - her bed. After not having a proper bed for years growing up, she had spent her first  pay-cheque on a lovely bed. It has been something she's really loved having, but obediently she has acted in faith and offered it to a friend as a gift. It might not have been easy, and now she is again with just a mattress on the floor, but she gave cheerfully and selflessly and it's this sort of giving that moves the heart of God! Look at Mary pouring the perfume on the feet of Jesus, to the disciples it looked foolish but Jesus saw her heart and commended her actions.

We are made in the image of God, and his nature is to give, and not to count the cost. Therefore it is built into us to be givers too - but greed, fear, and indifference sometimes hold our hearts back and sadly we miss out on the joy and blessings that follow those who give.

Giving is not about comparing what you have to someone else, a little given with faith in the hand of Jesus will always be multiplied - look at the boy whose lunch feed 5000!  Nor it is begrudgingly letting go out of a sense of duty, no, it stems from a heart of love.

So today, I'm asking God to give me a heart to give, and to expand my faith and experience of his provision.