I'm back!

Well the last week has ended and normality resumes - kind of! To make last week worse, my daily readings focussed on, of all things REST!!!!! Obviously the writer has never spent time in The Salvation Army during Annual Appeal! Still I have really enjoyed the week.

Door to Door Collecting on Monday and Wednesday was actually pretty enjoyable even though we did get soaked on Wednesday! I always enjoy it when I get going and its good to share with people on their territory. I pray that the Annual Appeal is more than just a money raising exercise and that even me saying God Bless when I leave will resonate in the peoples minds in the days ahead.

Youth Club on Tuesday was mad, tiring, but great fun. Went home completely shattered from playing football, hockey and dodge ball all evening but really enjoyed it. Getting to know the guys at club as well and they're also getting to know me which is great. Its all a time process with Youth Work and God is doing His stuff really well with the guys there. Cooking for them this week though so I'll get to rest in the kitchen - well that's the plan anyway!

Youth Chorus practice on Thursday was really good. Been finding some time to put my music writing skills back into action and did a couple of songs for Youth Chorus including an arrangement of a new version of I'm in His Hands. We only used that one this month but it went really well - always a relief! Hoping to get a few more up and running for them in the times ahead and will eventually put PDF files of the music on our resource site www.caldjr.info

Also been on a First Aid at Work Course and really enjoyed that too. More to the point, I passed! Learnt lots of useful info and tips which hopefully I'll never have to use but still, its another certificate and a badge too!!

Still can't tell you what I did Saturday morning but it went well. I'm sorry for being vague but its important to be so at the moment.

Now, here's the great bit of the last 8 days or so and links back to my Bible readings. During the thing I was at on Saturday, I noticed the day was turning out really nice. Had hopes of doing some gardening work but suddenly thought I should take my family out for the afternoon. So when I got home, I got changed and we all went to the Glenrothes Town Park. Its a lovely oasis of calm - just what we needed after a busy week. Childrens play areas (still calm!), riverside walk, wildlife pond - all shouting out Gods Creation. We had a great time together and Kathryn loved the swings.

Church was great Sunday morning then in the afternoon, we all tackled the gardening together. There was an out of control ivy growing around our porch and it had to go. So we set to it - even Kathryn helped as best she could although enjoyed playing with one leaf for too long!! Before long, we were joined by half a dozen children from neighbouring houses who all helped too - one even played with and cuddled Kathryn on our driveway while we worked! Another picked up a broom and started sweeping up saying he loved cleaning! Must track him down again!!! Before long, the porch was bare and the brown bin full and just in time for the children to go off for their Sunday Lunch from MacDonalds (don't get me started on that one). It was great sharing with the local kids who always say hi or wave when we go past. There's a great family feel around here and its great to be a part of. So, even though it was a pig of a job, I still count it as a bit of rest cos it became a really fun activity.

The weekend rounded off with a Divisional Youth Fellowship on our patch in the evening. We all went and had a great fun time and can only give praise to God for that. Challenging word too from Hannah who works at Granton (Salvation Army Youth Church).

So thanks God. I know I don't rest all the time but thank you for helping me really enjoy the times of rest I do get.