World Book Night.

Let me introduce you to a dear, dear lady who runs the bookshop in Halifax - Fred Wade's Bookshop to be precise. We have often enjoyed a browse in this Olde Worlde Bookshop where unexpected delights await you around every corner and book shelf. So when I "won" 48 copies of Nigel Slater's "Toast" to give out on World Book Night and was asked which bookshop the books should be delivered to, Fred Wade's was of course my choice.
We picked up the books yesterday and found the ladies in the shop surrounded by, tripping over and drowning in boxes of books for the event, all "won" by Halifax residents. Were they dismayed at the chaos this had caused in the shop, for a number of days? Not a bit of it! They were: "delighted to be able to help and to be a part of it all!"
The assistant wouldn't hear of us carrying the box, but she grabbed it and took it to our car and then gave us an extra bag full of books for the children's ward!
I'd better explain.
 In order to "win" the books I had to apply at the beginning of January stating:
 1.) Which book from a selection of 25 I had a passion for.
 2.) Why I wanted that particular title.
 3.) Where I would be giving the books out on March 5th. and why there.

 As you can see, I chose "Toast" by Nigel Slater.
I have a number of reasons for choosing this title. Firstly I so enjoyed reading the book, as I enjoy everything by Nigel Slater. His cookery books are like novels to me and they completely absorb me when I read them.
I used extracts from "Toast" when I was teaching English. The Y11s had to produce a piece of imaginative writing and the extracts were a really good stimulus. Remember this when you read about the marshmallows in the book! You WILL read the book if you haven't already!

I wanted to give the book out to people in Huddersfield Royal Infirmary if I were selected to be a "winner". I explained that Duncan was a voluntary Chaplain at the hospital and that 'toast' had fond memories for me when I have been in hospital.
Firstly because when I had day surgery I wasn't allowed to go home until I could eat, and keep down, a slice of toast, but more importantly, the role toast played when I was in coronary care in Dewsbury hospital for 4 days.
Anyone who has been in hospital will know that days are like weeks and you soon become 'hospitalised' and part of the routine of the place. I was on a mixed ward with two women and two men and we had a fantastic time; we hit it off straight away and were soon firm friends.
Part of our routine was established on my first day - that of a cup of tea and a slice of toast for supper when the visitors had gone and we were settling for the night. We would lie waiting expectantly for it. If there was any doubt that we would be having our toast an atmosphere of great disappointment filled the ward - the nurses were too busy tonight? Would they bring our toast? Would we have to settle down to sleep without it?
                                                                                     We waited.
Then the familiar smell would waft through the double doors - warming, browning bread, soon to be smeared with a hint of butter (it was coronary care after all) and presented to us with our drooling mouths and rumbling tummies.
Well, I may be waxing a little lyrically here but it WAS so integral to our peace of mind and recovery! All was well with the world as we munched on our toast!
So it seems entirely fitting that this book which I am so passionate about, will be the one I am able to distribute on the wards next Saturday. Thank you NHS - for everything! Enjoy your toast!

World Book Day!

Next Thursday, March 3rd. is World Book Day. Then on Saturday it's World Book Night and the great book give away - 1 million books given away by 20,000 volunteers and I'm one of them! 

 More tomorrow on the blog!

Our Thursday Group Grew Tonight!

We had a great time tonight and also celebrated Pam's birthday.
If you want to join us on a Thursday you will be very welcome.
Harvester Church Halifax
King Cross Library
5-7pm.

After near-death experience, boy says "Heaven is Real" - KDVR

After near-death experience, boy says "Heaven is Real" - KDVR

Answer to Prayer!

It's official, Duncan got the call last night - he has been offered the teaching post and has had great pleasure in accepting. We were very excited about a lot of things yesterday, but then at 7.15pm when we got the call it made a good day perfect.
As you may have read on our church blog (Harvester Church Halifax - link below) Duncan had been spending a lot of time searching, applying and being interviewed for various jobs in the last few months, so in frustration he prayed: "Lord, let me just walk into a job!" and that is exactly what happened! In the natural, things like this don't happen and this job is so what we needed: enough to pay the mortgage but not all-consuming so that we can concentrate a lot of our time and effort on the church God is building in Halifax with us. This is that job!
So, not so many lazy walks along the canal for us! He starts after the half term break, initially for 2 days but possibly becoming 3 if funding allows!
Our other good news is that we are to host Apostle Jan and his wife Chantal who is a prophet, at the beginning of April. We met this wonderful couple when we were in Cape Town so we are very excited that they are coming to minister in our church.
God is so good and has such perfect timing! Well He would have, wouldn't He?!
Do make a date to join us with Jan and Chantal. April 1st-4th but more specific details will follow!
If you're around Halifax this evening you would be very welcome at our meeting in King Cross Library at 5pm until 7pm. Worship, prayer and Bible study! We meet every Thursday in the Library. Sunday meetings are at our house at the moment beginning at 10.30 but that will not be so for much longer. The other good news was related to finding a bigger space to rent for our Sunday meetings. God's on that prayer request too! As I said on Face book - Thank you, Jesus!

RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms

Week End of Culture!

We had a busy but very enjoyable week end in which we were treated to excellent food and fine entertainment!
On Friday evening we had a lovely meal with Pam and Pete and then went to the preview of the Dewsbury Arts Group at Batley Library. The complimentary glass (well two in our case!) was South African and we spent a pleasant hour with family as Mark, Elizabeth and Esther also came as Mark was exhibiting some photos. Then back for coffee and chat which rounded off a lovely evening.
On Saturday we had been invited to hear the Halifax Young Singers in concert at Carlton URC Church. We had been invited to tea first and were treated to another splendid meal before setting out in the wind and rain for the concert.
Truly excellent! The singing and the solo performances were so very good, as was the overall standard and execution. The music director, Lynn Hudson was, for me, the epitome of a great teacher. The students obviously loved her and were keen to please her but she was firm with them and they were a very well disciplined bunch who obviously enjoyed what they were doing. She had a natural and warm wit and sense of humour which drew everyone in the audience in- those who were old-timers when it came to the Young Singers and knew what was going on, and also those, like us, who were first-timers! What a gift!
So, I salute you, Lynn Hudson. If all teachers were like you there would be far fewer problems in our education system and far fewer incidents of truancy!

Wear and Tear!

Saw a very nice doctor this morning at Hebden, where I'm becoming a familiar face, and he explained arthritis to me! Osteo arthritis which is what I have, apparently, is really just good old wear and tear which we all get with age! So I have some anti-inflammatory pills and some other pills to protect the lining of my stomach from the effects of the said anti-inflammatory drugs! I am to take these for a month and then I can have an x-ray to see what is going on in my knee!
Now then, anyone else suffering the effects of osteo-arthritis, ie anyone of around my age who has joint aches and pains with differing degrees of severity - if you want to be pro-active and ward off the oncoming painful effects, here was the advice I was given:
1. Don't smoke (OK there! :-) )
2. Watch your weight (oops...moving swiftly on...)
3. Reduce the amount of alcohol you consume (........!)
4. Be active and exercise (I try, I try...)
So, I really am going to make a determined effort with 3 of the above and try not to be too smug about the 4th!

Early Hours!

I was up in the night again. I sleep well as long as I don't turn onto my side - either side, as when I do I get the most excruciating pain right down my left leg, from my buttocks to my big toe. It's like a red hot lightning strike ripping through my leg and then it throbs and there is nothing else for it but to get up and move about. The physio, Karl (with a K!) has explained that I have some bulging discs in my lower back and as I sleep they fill with fluid which sort of presses them onto the nerves and traps them; well, in this case the sciatic nerve which runs the length of my leg.
So, rather than lying moaning and whimpering and keeping Duncan awake, I get up, make a cup of tea and read and pray. As I commented on Face book this morning, I then have the luxury of returning to bed to catch up on missed sleep. This I did this morning and slept until 9.30, when I turned over and was woken again by the pain.
There is something about the early hours of the morning that is peaceful and very restful - when you aren't having to worry about a day at work after a sleepless night, of course. It makes me remember a book I used to read to Harry when he was very young, called "In the Middle of the Night". A lovely book which showed all sorts of things which go on in the wee small hours when the rest of the world is sleeping. I remember the page which showed people slipping quietly and peacefully away into death in the early hours; not a subject we usually deal with, especially in children's books, but beautifully dealt with in this case.
When I awake and it's not due to pain, when I simply wake up and am immediately wide awake, it's amazing to note that the numbers on my digital clock very often read 3:16! I always see that as a nudge to pray!