April 25th! Ever since I can remember I have always been excited to see the calendar turn onto April 25th! A bit like December 25th only today has always been all mine!
Today I am 56 years old! I've outlived my dad by 7 years.
Despite the fact that I'm a bit creaky of joint and stiff of limb, (well, actually more than a bit!) I don't feel old! I'm still in my 30s inside - early 30s at that!
It's 4am and I've been up a couple of hours because of this wretched sciatic nerve which seems to trap itself after I've been asleep a few hours and I have to get up, take some pain killers and wait for it to subside! In the quiet, wee small hours of the morning it's a good time to think, take stock and blog your thoughts!
This time last year we were up too! Up and on the way to Manchester airport for our flight to Cape Town. We flew on my birthday - scroll back through the posts on this blog and you can read our experiences of the time - the delays because of the volcanic ash, the preparations and finally the take off and landing for our 3 months which changed our lives completely!
A year on and we are in a very different and very exciting place. We have begun a work, a Harvester Reformational Church, here in Halifax and anticipate signing the lease papers on our building tomorrow!We started as 2 and have grown to 7 and expect further growth once we are in our new building. God is speaking to many people about the reform He wants to bring about in His church!
We have had one ministry visit from friends in South Africa and in June have another planned - a weekend of worship with Apostle Aje, Teacher Chantal, Apostle Leigh and others who are coming to minister with us.
Duncan and I have just celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary and are very happy and content with our lives; even though the times can be challenging, we know we are in God's hands and that He is in control.
Harry is in his pen-ultimate year at Durham University studying medicine and is off to Cape Town for an 8 week placement in June. He than has a year's research in London at Imperial College Hospital - he was awarded one of only 5 places nationwide so we are very proud and pleased for him. He then will complete his final year and graduate in 2013. Dr Corker! The second doctor in the family.
So, stocktaking complete, sciatic pain subsided, I think I'd better return to bed and try to get a bit more sleep so I can enjoy my birthday to the full!
All in all, taking stock of all I have and all we have experienced, remembering all my family and all my friends around the world - of how much I love and am loved - I know that this will indeed be a very happy birthday (aches and pains notwithstanding!).
I am so very blessed.Thank you, Jesus.
Exciting times, yes! Transition is over now, and we're off into the deep sea :-)
ReplyDeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY BEVERLY!!
ReplyDeleteGod is good ALL THE TIME- even in the midst of our afflictions He can bring us His Joy. Today I was thinking about how wonderful seeds are and how Amazing is our God to have created everything so that we could live, explore,experiment, increase our own knowledge and understanding of our world around us. Life is so exciting here and now - think of what it will be like in Heaven. I never lose my sense of amazement now - the more I discover the more I am amazed - So Beverly - onward and upward the best is yet to be. Lots of love on your special day - from Pam xxxx