10 + things to do if you and your children are bored during the holidays

Why don't you...take the time to check who JESUS really was! Check out the truth of the gospels.  Take some steps of faith!

1.  Listen in to Jesus' Parables
2.   Begin a new life with God i.e. read this New Testament that you took back home (last hols in Devon)
3.    Ask a question i.e. find a vicar and ask him/her those questions about life that keep bothering you...
4.   Give to the homeless 
5. Pray for a friend
6. Light a light
7. Throw away a stone
8. Look at the cross
9.  Get with creation
10. Visit a church
11. Follow a prayer recipe What is praying? something complex? not at all
12. Don't worry Jesus himself gives us this advice!
13. Make a "why God ? " list
14. Join a local church course
15. Pray for an enemy
16. Give up something that matters 
17. Repent! I did and I felt so much better
18. Forgive someone and start anew 

Inspired by the rejesus website, click here and your life will be turned uspside down for the better! Don't forget to let us know how you got on! N.

Prayer vigil for the abducted Nigerian schoolgirls

There will be a Mass Prayer Vigil in support of the safe return of abducted Nigerian schoolgirls on Monday 19th May at 7pm- 9pm at Emmanuel Centre, 9-23 Marsham Street, Westminster, London SW1P 3DW

(nearest tube station Westminster - Jubilee line)

Organised by Nigerian Christian leaders in the UK, and

endorsed by The National Day of Prayer and Worship,

The Overseas Fellowship of Nigerian Christians, Christian

Concern and the International Strategic Alliance Committee

Father, we ask you that you look after our sisters and guide them, strengthen them and comfort them with your love. May your peace surround their families in this agonising wait. May you give wisdom to all the leaders involved so that they take efficient decisions. May our sisters be free speedily. We ask you in the powerful name of Jesus, our saviour and redeemer. Amen.

In the news: Pass It On

Who built the ark? It’s a good question for many of today’s parents and children, who are “unaware” of Bible stories. Almost three in 10 children do not know that the story of the birth of Jesus is a Biblical tale, research by the Bible Society found.

And many others are unable to identify Adam and Eve or Noah’s Ark as Christian stories.

Although many parents believe it is important for their children to be aware of what is written in the Bible, large numbers of youngsters have never read, seen or heard some of its most well-known stories.

The Bible Society said that these findings point to a decrease in Bible literacy and show that while many people still place great importance on the book, little is being done to promote it.

In the survey of 800 eight to 15-year-olds and around 1,100 parents, 29 per cent of children didn’t realise that the Nativity came from the Bible.

One in five (20 per cent) didn’t identify Noah’s Ark as a religious story and 19 per cent didn’t recognise Adam and Eve.

But almost one in 10 (9 per cent) incorrectly though that the stories of King Midas and Icarus came from the Bible, while 6 per cent thought the story of Hercules was contained in the book.

Nearly a quarter of children (23 per cent) had never read, seen or heard Noah’s Ark, along with 25% for the Nativity, 38% for Adam and Eve and 43% for the Crucifixion.

And parents did not fare much better. Nearly half of those questioned (46 per cent) failed to recognise Noah's Ark as a Bible story, while around a third were unsure of or did not recognise the tales of David and Goliath (31 per cent) and Adam and Eve (30 per cent).

Adults also confused modern day literature with the Bible. The report found that almost half (43%) of parents whose children had seen, heard or read Bible stories said it was important for a child to do so because these tales provided good values, while two in five (40%) thought these stories were important to our history and culture.

Three in 10 (30%) said it was important to ensure that classic stories and books were passed on to future generations.

It also revealed that over a quarter of children (28%) said they would like to read, hear or see more Bible stories.

The Bible Society published the research to mark the launch of its new Pass It On campaign, which aims to encourage parents to keep the Bible alive by passing on its stories to their children.

James Catford, group chief executive of Bible Society, said: "It's clear that parents want to give their children the best start in life. "The Bible's contribution to our culture - language, literature, the visual arts and music - is immense. "It doesn't matter who you are or where you come from.

"The Bible enriches life, and every child should have the opportunity to experience it.

"If we don't use the Bible, we risk losing it.

"We're calling on parents to pass it on." 

Have a blessed week. Yours in Christ, N.

 Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/children-and-parents-dont-recognise-famous-bible-stories-9114255.html

A dad who loves his daughters.. to share in the UK!

The story behind the trail of Mackintosh's short-shorts photo is as old as the Internet, beginning when
his daughter posted it on Tumblr; and as of Thursday it has received over 130,000 notes from fans of the image. “My mom told me to change my ‘slutty’ shorts before we went to dinner,” was how daughter Myley described the photo. “I said no. So my dad cut his jeans to fit in. We went to dinner and then mini golf like this.”   
Then Mackintosh, a father of seven, published his side of the story on his wife's blog, Becky Mack’s Blog of Mild Chaos. He wrote:  “I know the world has varying degrees of what is modest and what is not when it comes to clothing. In our family we have pretty definite modesty guidelines; No mid-drift or low-cut shirts, no short-shorts, short skirts and we even go as far as saying no sleeveless shirts unless playing sports or on the beach. Having raised four daughters and three sons, I’m a bit protective. Some may call me old fashion, but I call it “A Dad who loves his daughters” (and sons too) I know some of you may be rolling your eyes and that’s okay, my daughter does it all the time. I’m a firm believer that the way we dress sends messages about us, and it influences the way we and others act.”
That said, he went on to describe how the short-shorts incident began one evening as the family prepared to head out to dinner and to play some mini-golf. His wife, Becky, asked Myley to change out of her inappropriately short cutoffs, but she refused.

“Instead of turning her response and disrespectful attitude into a major battle, I decided to make a ‘small’ statement on how her short-shorts maybe aren’t as ‘cute’ as she thinks!” Mackintosh wrote. That’s when he cut almost the entire legs off of an old pair of jeans and pulled them on, certain that his point would be instantly made. But Myley didn’t even notice at first; she remained stoic all through dinner and mini golf, but finally broke when they made a stop for post-game milkshakes, refusing to get out of the car with him.

“There was no ‘Dad I get it’ or ‘Dad you’re the best…. thanks for that awesome lesson,” he admitted. “I don’t think my object lesson of ‘modest is hottest’ made the statement I had intended. But no matter if social media gets the story mixed up and twisted, my daughter will always know that her dad loves her and cares about her enough to make a fool out of himself.”
He later told local KSL News, “She’s dressed a little better since then, yes she has.”
And fellow parents have been impressed with Mackintosh's attempt to get his message across, with Twitter fans writing, “Drastic, but brilliant measures” and “Good dad!” On Becky's blog, one 19-year-old fan wrote, “I just wanted to thank you, your caring husband, your sweet sons, and the rest of your family so much for setting an example for the whole world.”

What can I say! This dad is brave and he is setting the example. Share this here in the UK, drop me a line pls.

Pick of the week: Woman wakes from coma, finds out she’s 12 weeks pregnant

Photo credit: Newsy/ITV

A woman awoke from a coma after a horrific crash to find that she was four months pregnant.
Last September, Gemma Holmes was on her moped in Hilperton, England when she crashed into a parked car. Holmes suffered severe head injuries and a broken back. When she arrived to the hospital doctors did not think the 26-year-old would make it.
About three months after the crash Holmes awoke from the coma and was told she was four months pregnant. Holmes suffered amnesia as a result of the accident and she could not remember what had happened going back several years including who the father might be. "I was just in shock," she said of hearing the surprising news.
Doctors advised her that keeping the baby could pose a risk to her health and that the surgery she required to fix her broken back could to be done while she was pregnant. Doctors apparently suggested terminating the pregnancy while Holmes was still unconscious, but her mother, Julie, wanted to wait for her daughter to wake up before making any decisions. Gemma decided that she would carry pregnancy to term, according to the Wiltshire Times "I just thought that if this little baby inside me had managed to survive the awful crash, then he was meant to be," she told ITV.
In May, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy named Rueben Miracle Holmes via cesarean section.
"I couldn't stop crying when they first showed him to me, because he is my little miracle baby. I was just so happy to see him after everything we've been through," she told SWNS.com.
Holmes is preparing for surgery that will correct her back and hopefully lean to walk again.
"Rueben is the best thing to ever happen to me. I may not remember how he came to me but I've got the rest of our lives to make up for that," Holmes told Reveal.co.uk in May.

I found this story wonderful, Gemma was so brave to take the decision to go ahead with the pregnancy, It is also said that she suffered excruciating pain, since she was unable to take the usual high doses of painkillers. as these might have harmed her baby.  Doctors told Gemma that she couldn’t have a natural birth because it would likely cause her death. Her broken back would not be able to cope with the contractions.
But Gemma’s pain and sacrifice paid off when in May she met Ruben Miracle Holmes for the first time, delivered by caesarian section.
To read more, click here!  

Friday: best read in my blogroll!

Many thanks to Warren Baldwin for the following post about children

Children at the Center #1
“My Children are my world. They are the center of my universe.”
But, I still cringe when I hear parents say, “My Children are my world. They are the center of my universe,” especially when the children have gotten older. Here’s why. Bonnie had her first child when she was an older teenager. She missed out on having a first year of college, dorm parties with classmates, and spending long weekends at the homes of her girlfriends. When her high school friends left for college, she stayed home to care for her daughter, and soon after other kids.
That is ok! Even most of her friends who went off for school eventually married and had children. They just waited a few more years to start. For Bonnie, though, the loss of missing out on those older teen experiences was hard to accept But, for awhile she could forget the pain because she had something new to celebrate: the center of her universe, her precious baby daughter.
Bonnie worked hard to be a good parent. She was, except that it was hard for her to allow her daughter to grow and transition from one stage to another. It became especially difficult when her daughter was in high school and had her friends over. When they stayed up to watch late movies, Bonnie joined in, trying to function more as a teen friend than as an adult parent. It was probably unconscious, but through her daughter Bonnie was actually trying to create some of the teenage experiences she had missed out on years before. Bonnie’s daughter was her best friend, her pal, her center.
Then the daughter graduated, went to college, and never returned home again...Read more, click here

And many thanks to the owner of Simply helping him for the following post about marriage

In my childhood dreams, I watched my marriage play out beautifully.
Laughter, devotions, alone time together, kisses and cuddles all abounded.
Conflict and differences were seen, but didn’t need to be addressed.
We were perfect together, our differences didn’t cause issues.
In my life…………..boy do I see things otherwise.
Opposite personalities, different upbringings, age differences, and conflict seem to abound at times. Throughout the last 9 years, we’ve learned to discuss things much better than in the past thankfully.
Yet our marriage is nothing like my childhood dreams.
He likes tennis, I prefer basketball.
He likes alone time, I want us time.
I like having friends over, he wants the couch and remote.
I love trying new recipes, he likes the same meals.
We are like night and day different.      Read more, click here

Happy birthday Imogen!

Dearest Imogen,

Congratulations on your 18th birthday

with lots of love.

You really are a daughter
Who fills our home with cheer.
And you grow more beautiful
Each year.

We hope you'll always know
That we love you and we're proud of you.

At times you drive us crazy

It's like living in a zoo

But we really do love you.

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord makes his face shine upon you and be gracious to you:

The Lord turn his face toward you.

and give you peace

Numbers 6:24-26

Bring the fattened marrows

and cut them.

Let's have a feast and

celebrate.

I adapted Luke 15:23 because Imogen has been a vegetarian for five years. On her card, I wrote, the fattened cucumber however, Steven pointed out that marrow do grow bigger!

Last night, we went out for a meal at Pasta di Piazza in Stone even though her birthday was today because she'd planned to spend the evening in Liverpool with 8 of her friends. We had a lovely time, the food and the service were excellent!

This morning, our 'baby' made some 'american' vegan pancakes with oats for herself and the same for us with an egg and 'normal' milk, not this soya stuff (lol) though I'm wondering if soya milk is a good idea but that's another story!

 After Liverpool, she will keep on the celebration at Bristol with Camille, her older sister (23) who is so pleased to spend the Bank Holiday with her round!

Imogen, Sadie, Abbie, Shanice, Beth, Tian and Molly

Girls, have a blessed day full of fun and may your friendship blossom.