Amazing Grace

Back in September, young Sam Riddall was killed by a hit-and-run driver on his way home from the youth group at Westbury Community Church. Today in court, that driver was detained indefinitely in a secure mental hospital.

Outside the court this afternoon, his father, a committed Christian, read this deeply moving statement.

Martin Riddall, said: "In four days' time we celebrate Christmas and it's going to be our first Christmas without our Sam.

"It's going to be very hard for us indeed, because we still miss him very much. At Christmas we remember that God sent his son Jesus into the world to bring peace.

"It's the same God that is giving us the strength and helping us to forgive Hannah for the terrible thing she's done to us by killing our son. It's not easy, it's not going to be easy. But with God's help we know that it is possible."

Thank God for the clear and gracious witness of these brave parents, and pray that God continues to comfort those who mourn.

Eschatology Books Reduced by 80%?

Borders finally closes tomorrow. The madness round here continues...

The Window Man ["I'll be there by 9am Monday"] is having problems with his van.

Knowing the weekend would be frenetic, I prepared my Advent Reflection and left it to post itself on Sunday morning. Well, you can forget that line about "On Tuesday my girls will be home..."

Liz and Jon who went for a romantic 2 day pre-Christmas break to Paris on Friday morning are still there, because Eurostar is not running. They have discovered that if no trains run tomorrow, then they will not be running till Boxing Day at the earliest. Liz and Jon have just spent a fortune on the only plane tickets they could get, hoping to fly back to the UK tomorrow night. But their train tickets home to the midlands will be worthless as they were pre-booked for Tuesday morning. Let us hope the weather conditions do not force the planes to be grounded!

But I am grateful they are warm and dry, have credit cards to pay for things, and were not among those stranded inside the Tunnel over the weekend. And thankful for Jon's brother who has volunteered to drive down from Nottingham to fetch them from London if necessary. Also grateful to Rich and Ed for looking after Monty the Cat, and Steph for keeping in regular touch with us.

But for now the sun is shining, although it is very cold, and Bob and I are just off to our first funeral of the week...

Advent Reflections #4

On Tuesday, my girls will be home - and on Friday, we will be all together in Church on Christmas Morning. That is always one of the loveliest moments of the year for me, and very precious. With Dad and Bob both being in ministry, and therefore 'at work' Christmas Morning, I had very few Christmas Days in the company of my parents after I got married.

I still miss my Mum on Christmas Day.

For lots of reasons, I am pausing today to pray for Mums who are  separated from their children, or children apart from their Mums at this Christmastime. For some a temporary separation - for others, sadly, the deeper pain of bereavement.

For Elizabeth, working out in the Mission School in India, whose Mum is a member of our fellowship here, working in a local school under threat of closure, and whose lovely grandmother has been in hospital recently.

For Scott and Anjanette, our missionaries in Peru - and their Mums back in the UK.

For all those Mums whose children are in the armed forces, and will be serving overseas at Christmas. And for all those young men and women who would much rather be at home in snowy, cold Britain than out on duty in Afghanistan.

For Barbara, the mother of Olaf Schmidt, bomb disposal expert, killed last month in Afghanistan, and all other mothers who mourn.

For the little boy from the school where I teach every Thursday, whose Mum died of cancer just two weeks ago.

My Mum was particularly fond of this Johnny Cash song [it's the first couple of minutes on this YouTube video - ignore the stuff that follows!] It reduces me to tears every time.

Lord bless all mothers and children this Christmas time- whether together, or separated - and remind them that nothing can separate us from your love.

Like Webster's Dictionary...

...we're Morocco bound. So sang Bob Hope and Bing Crosby

Unlike Liz and Jon, who went to Marrakesh last year, I haven't actually been to Morocco [although I have sent some baby clothes there via my good friend Dave Ford -  see here]

but I do like some of their food. I came across a recipe for a Tagine in a BBC Good Food book, using duck and cranberries, by the chef Alastair Hendy. It said it reheats well - and serves four. So I decided to make one for today/tomorrow.

 

I substituted chicken for the duck - and replaced half the parsnips with carrots [Bob does not like parsnips much, altho I love them]

CRANBERRY DUCK TAGINE

• 2 tbsp unsalted whole cashews , lightly toasted
• 300g small parsnips , peeled and halved lengthways
• 1 tsp each ground ginger and cumin
• 3 large onions , thickly sliced
• 280g couscous
• 100g fresh or frozen whole cranberries
• 2 tbsp cranberry jelly
• 1 tsp plus 1 tbsp caster sugar
• handful fresh mint leaves
• 1.2l hot chicken stock
• 2 sticks cinnamon or cassia bark
• 4 duck legs [I used chicken]
• 4 strips orange zest
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp sunflower or olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/ gas 5/fan 170C. Put the duck legs in a shallow roasting tin and rub with salt, pepper, ground cinnamon and the oil. Roast for 25 minutes. Heat the cranberry jelly until thick and syrupy, then brush all over the duck and return to the oven for 20 minutes, until burnished and mahogany brown.
2. Put the onions and parsnips on the bottom of a heavy based shallow casserole and sit the duck on top. Sprinkle the spices and 1 tsp sugar over the duck and tuck the orange zest and cinnamon sticks around. Pour over 600ml of the stock, so the duck sits in a shallow puddle. Cover and bring to a bubble on the hob, place in the oven and leave to murmur away** for 1 hour. Add the cashews, cranberries and 1 tbsp sugar and cook for a further 30 minutes, uncovered, to let the skin crisp up.
3. Meanwhile, to prepare the couscous, tip into a heatproof bowl. Pour over the remaining 600ml of stock. Leave for a minute or two, then fork it through. Leave for 4 minutes, then fluff through with a fork, with extra seasoning.
4. To serve, pile the couscous on to a plate and top with a duck leg, some vegetables, nuts and fruits, then spoon over the rich juices from the pan and scatter with mint. Or, if you make in advance, simply reheat for 30 minutes in a moderate oven.

Mine looked like this...

The cranberries were wonderfully juicy - but we concluded that chicken portions being much smaller than duck, even though I'd upped the quantity of carrots/parsnips to 400g, it didn't yield terribly generous portions. I shall probably cook another vegetable tomorrow to bulk it out for Sunday lunch. But the flavours were lovely. I didn't have any mint, so threw some parsley over it instead. Not quite as authentic, but never mind.

**Bob suggested that possibly it was murmuring too loudly and I should have turned it down a little!

The Guilt And The Gingerbread

Well, actually it is shortbread. and the guilt refers to the fact that over five years ago, I bought this pan and it has remained pristine in its cardboard sleeve ever since!

We were in our Silver Wedding Trip to the USA in 2004, and it was reduced to about £3 in a kitchen shop [What a bargain - I must have it, I declared] It weighs a ton, it is made of cast iron and Bob and the girls were convinced we would have to pay excess baggage at the airport. We didn't. And I was convinced it would be 'ever so useful'

Every so often, I am gently reminded about this - and asked when exactly will I make the shortbread I was so adamant I needed the mould for? And a sense of guilt washes over me ...

So this afternoon I climbed up and fetched the pan down from the top cupboard. And...

...made it!

I used the recipe on the back of the card and they are not like any shortbread biscuits I have ever tasted before - they're more like cookies - and despite my best efforts, the letters went over the edges of their moulds. I shall try again with a proper British recipe. But not just yet - may wait another five years!

Bob has sampled one letter. He says they are now officially Christmas Biscuits - because there is No 'L' !

Be Prepared!

Bob went out quite early to do some Pastoral Visiting, and I put Carols on the CD player [why do they always sing 'wind' to rhyme with 'find' and not to rhyme with 'sinned'?] and started on the housework. I did lots of laundry and I had just finished off the cake when Bob came back.

I'm not very pleased with it this year- the icing wasn't quite right and the Magi all started sliding drunkenly over the edge. Anyway, Bob said we should go next door as the teenagers were having a tabletop sale in aid of the Scouts. It is FREEZING out there, I don't imagine they will get many punters. We did want to encourage them though - so we bought a few books...

...and a useful resource for school

...and a copy of Sir Jacob Astley's Prayer Before the Battle of Edgehill in 1642. This Royalist soldier came from Norfolk originally - and was appointed Commander Of The Infantry on the morning of the battle.

The words seem quite appropriate for our hectic life this month...

They also had a string of cute bunting in a box under the table. "You don't need it. You have bunting. If you want bunting, you can always make your own" said Bob. The lads only wanted £4 for our haul, but were very short of change, so we gave them a fiver and went home for lunch.

Then I went back for the bunting by myself!

And now I have run out of excuses for prevaricating, so I shall go and do the ironing, like the true submissive spouse I really am.

 

A Very Christmassy Cake

This evening, I made a lovely cake, using a recipe from my niece's blog - and I have to say, it has turned out extremely well.

The cranberries and diced apple in it give a very festive appearance to the slices, and the spices add to the general Yuletide flavour.

It would probably be gorgeous served slightly warm with best clotted cream - but even on its own it tastes good.

Kate is much better at food photography than I am - but I am still very pleased with the final result.

 

Cranberry Apple Spice Cake
Adapted by Kate Almond from Joy the Baker
375g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups (375ml) flavourless oil (sunflower, vegetable or similar)
3 large eggs
300g caster sugar
110g brown sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1 tbsp rum, or other spirit [or orange juice ]
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tart apples (Granny Smith, or Bramley) peeled, cored and cut into little cubes – about 1/4 “
1 cup (probably about 125g) fresh cranberries, very roughly chopped.

Preheat the oven to 350F or 180C or Gas Mark 4.
I used a bundt pan but this could equally make 2 loaves or a 7” square tin. Butter and flour the tin (or line with greaseproof) and knock the excess flour out.
Then in one bowl, mix up the oil, eggs, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, alcohol and vanilla. In another, sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Then fold the flour mix gently into the oil mix, until only just combined. Overmixing once the flour is in there develops the gluten and leads to rubbery cakes.
Carefully fold in the fruit before transferring the mixture to the prepared pan. Bake for about 1hr 15mins until a skewer comes out clean. Then leave in the tin to cool for 30 mins before transferring onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Dust with a light snow of icing sugar before serving.

Personally, I always have problems with 'light snow of icing sugar' - I am too enthusiastic and heavy handed and end up with avalanches in places.  But that is better than Mae West, who said "I used to be Snow White, but I drifted"

The whole family is into cooking at the minute [I blame The Hairy Bikers, Hugh, Jamie, Delia and all these Christmas Cookery Specials] Steph is fast becoming the Brussels Sprout Princess, and Bob has just discovered hidden talents for mincemeat - but that is a story for another day!

Yo-yos, Triangles and Irises

I was in school briefly today, to take the end-of-term Christmas assembly. The Year 6 children were very keen to show me the decorations they had been making this week.

First, they had produced Christmas wreaths using fabric yo-yos

A very simple idea, and then embellished with stick on 'jewels'

I really must do some yo-yo crafts myself, having purchased a yo-yo maker in a sale a few months ago.

The display of wreaths hanging on the wall looked very striking.

 

  Then they had made Christmas cards, with folded pieces of card and different coloured triangles for Christmas trees. Again another very simple idea which produces effective results.

Finally they had done 'Iris' folding, to make designs to decorate calendars which they are going to give as gifts to Grans, Mums and Aunties!

Having removed the net curtains in the lounge, in anticipation of the Window Man, I decided things looked a little bare. So I strung some golden baubles instead [another bargain - £1 for 48 from B&Q January Sale 2009]

Looking at the photo, I have just realised that I've put three golden balls at each pane - hope passers by do not think this is a row of Pawnbrokers!

Matthew 25:35

My niece Kate is involved with the Menu For Hope Campaign - an annual enterprise among food-bloggers which is supporting the UN World Food Programme.

If you want to know more about this, and Kate's generous offer - home baked goodies for a whole year - [And she is a member of the Almond side of the family, so they will be very good goodies!] - check out her posts here and here

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in

Wake Up To Wogan, Weather, Windows...

Britain has woken up to Wogan for the final time.

Sir Terry Wogan is presenting his last breakfast show on Radio 2 [so I have deserted 'Today' on Radio 4 for once to listen to him!] He is a gifted DJ with a wonderful command of the language, and will be missed by many.

Other parts of the country have woken up to snow [must contact brother, daughters, cousin in the Southern and Eastern areas, who seem to have had the worst of it]

But unfortunately, we have not woken up to this...

The window man has been in touch and said that due to forecast of snow later, he will not be here till next week.

I should have put the Christmas Tree up in its usual place after all!!

Tying The Knot

This morning I dashed to the Bank, and then called in to a nearby poundshop in order to get some new black shoelaces for Bob [changing one set between best shoes/black trainers is a time-consuming business!] "I need 90cm, black, please" I said to the guy.

"Oh, there is an assortment of black and brown on this card" he said.

Which there is indeed - but I am intrigued that the card proclaims assorted sizes- but every pair of laces is 90cm long. For £1 I am not complaining [and even if they snap, bob will have plenty of replacements!]

I am way too busy to worry about shoelaces at the minute - so have no time to check out this website. Ian, whoever he is, is obviously obsessed with the issue, claiming that "Whether you want to learn to lace shoes, tie shoelaces, stop shoelaces from coming undone, calculate shoelace lengths or even repair aglets, Ian's Shoelace Site has the answer!" Bizarrely, that is the second time in a week I have come across the word aglets. It deserves to be used regularly!

Stars, Snowflakes And Tear Drops

Just a very quick post about a Christmas Idea which I read about back in October, and have been teaching people [almost ad nauseam] ever since.

I first read about it in this magazine, and made one straightaway.

The basic shape makes an attractive teardrop.

Six joined together make a stunning star/snowflake.

Today I have read at least three other blogs about the idea!

Here's one picture I found online

  And a simple tutorial

Go on, find some scrap paper and try it out!

Carols In the Close

It was cold and wet this evening, and the drizzle was relentless - but over forty of us gathered on Pat and Peter's drive for Carols.

Bob was on guitar, and the "Hiss and Boo" Jazz Band played too, and we sang loads of carols, and raised money for Cancer Research.

Gillian led the singing, and Bob was MC for the event. Mince pies, mulled wine and other refreshments were served from the garage.

The Carol Sheets got Very Damp - but it didn't seem to bother anyone. Then everyone drifted off home, and we went next door to enjoy Camille's excellent chilli with a crowd of friends from the neighbourhood. Altogether a good evening.

Now I have to finish preparing for tomorrow's Carol Service!

Q; What do you get if you swallow your Christmas Decorations?

A; tinsellitis!

Because Of Jesus, Miss!

This morning I was working with one of my 1-1 pupils, and we were reading Michael Morpurgo's Book "The Dancing Bear". MM is a brilliant writer of children's stories [enjoyed by many adults too]. If you don't know about him, check out his website here.

I admire him not just for his writing, but also because he puts his money where his heart is - funding the charity "Farms For City Children"

This is another great story, combining a trad fairy tale with a very contemporary plot-line. It worked really well as a book to read together with this little girl - the narrator is a teacher, and the heroine is a young girl, so she and I have enjoyed comparing our own experiences with the characters in the story. Today we got to the end of the story, and in true Morpurgo style, it was a poignant, bittersweet conclusion.

But at one point in the session, I had one of those precious moments which has stayed with me all day...

The glamorous popstar wants to take the girl away from her village [and her pet bear] because she has a wonderful voice, and he tells her that the world would love her if she only sang to them.[shades of Simon Cowell/Susan Boyle?]

We read this extract

"She smiled nervously at Niki, 'I am not sure' she said ' I live here. I belong here'

'No-one belongs anywhere' said Niki 'and who wants a little place like this, when you can have the whole world...'

I asked my pupil "Do you agree with Niki, that no-one belongs anywhere?" and she replied, straightaway

"No, I don't" "Why not" "because of Jesus"

I was baffled. This child is not from a Christian family, and it seemed a bizarre answer.

"Can you explain?"

"Well, at Christmas, Mary and Joseph had to go to Bethlehem, because that is where their family belonged, and Jesus was born there"

This seemed superb logic to me, and we went on to talk about where she felt she belonged [Leicester born and bred!] and places where I felt I had belonged during my life."It is where your home is, Miss, and the people who love you"

And as she went back to her class, I was rejoicing inside, at the truth that wherever I might live I know I belong somewhere, I have an Eternal Home, because of Jesus.

In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

For The Good Of Us All

In a byre near Bethlehem ,
Passed by many a wand’ring stranger,
The most precious Word of Life
Was heard gurgling in a manger,
For the good of us all.

And He’s here when we call Him,
            Bringing health, love and laughter
            To life now and ever after,
            For the good of us all.

By the Galilean Lake
Where the people flocked for teaching,
The most precious Word of Life
Fed their mouths as well as preaching,
For the good of us all. And He’s here.....

Quiet was Gethsemane,
Camouflaging priest and soldier;
The most precious Word of Life
Took the world’s weight on his shoulder,
For the good of us all. And He’s here.....

On the hill of Calvary -
Place to end all hope of living -
The most precious Word of Life
Breathed his last and died forgiving,
For the good of us all. And He’s here.....

In a garden, just at dawn,
Near the grave of human violence,
The most precious Word of Life
Cleared his throat and ended silence,
For the good of us all.

And He’s here when we call Him,
            Bringing health, love and laughter
            To life now and ever after,
            For the good of us all.

[this carol, by John Bell of the Iona Community, is set to the lovely old folk tune "Wild Mountain Thyme" - we sung it on Sunday night, and I thought it was excellent]

Sing Choirs Of Angels...

It is Carol Singing 24/7 round here at the minute.

We sang Carols at the Nativity yesterday morning, and again at the evening service.

They were playing them in the shops this morning and on the Radio this afternoon.

We are about to go and sing Carols at the Care Homes [there are LOADS in the Parish and so we join with the rest of "Churches Together" tonight and break up into six groups and visit each one]

Tomorrow I am booked for Supply Teaching - and will walk with my class to the Parish Church in their Village for their School carol event - meanwhile Bob will be at our church, where our village school are rehearsing. Wednesday we have the Open Air Carols across the road, and Thursday I am leading a Carol service for our Coffee Drop In Group...the list goes on and on...it is a good job that I truly adore singing Carols!

My friend Julie has posted some helpful advice from the Health and Safety Executive for those of you obsessed with risk assessments [check here] I have read it carefully and will take note of what it says [perhaps!]

How Did THAT Happen?

Apologies for the double posting.

Well, we did ask for PAIRS of socks!

Sock It To Me, Baby!

I've hung my Christmas Stocking up, AND Grandma's too

I've written to old Santa Claus to tell HIM what to do

I asked my Grandma what she wants,

She put on her specs and shook her head -

and "Fiddlesticks!" was all she said

I don't know what she wants them for - she wouldn't say

She hasn't GOT a fiddle, and I'm SURE she couldn't play!

Not sure who wrote that ditty - but my grandmother taught it to me when I was about 5! I remembered it after Sunday's service when I saw all these socks hanging up at the front of the church. They look quite festive, don't you think!

We are collecting warm socks and gloves to send out to our missionaries, the Williamsons, in Peru. [their blog is here] It gets incredibly cold there in a few months, and they will be able to give these warm items away. We put a big basket in the Church Vestibule, and folk have dropped stuff in for the last few weeks. At the end of the Nativity Play, four Sunday School Teachers pegged all the pairs of gloves and socks on the washing line during the last hymn! People have been really generous - I counted about 100 pairs in total, and I think there are more items to come.

The children were brilliant this morning, and acted out their parts really well. It must have been the shortest service ever - but that gave us lots  of time to talk over coffee and mince pies!

Sock It To Me, Baby!

I've hung my Christmas Stocking up, AND Grandma's too

I've written to old Santa Claus to tell HIM what to do

I asked my Grandma what she wants,

She put on her specs and shook her head -

and "Fiddlesticks!" was all she said

I don't know what she wants them for - she wouldn't say

She hasn't GOT a fiddle, and I'm SURE she couldn't play!

Not sure who wrote that ditty - but my grandmother taught it to me when I was about 5! I remembered it after Sunday's service when I saw all these socks hanging up at the front of the church. They look quite festive, don't you think!

We are collecting warm socks and gloves to send out to our missionaries, the Williamsons, in Peru. [their blog is here] It gets incredibly cold there in a few months, and they will be able to give these warm items away. We put a big basket in the Church Vestibule, and folk have dropped stuff in for the last few weeks. At the end of the Nativity Play, four Sunday School Teachers pegged all the pairs of gloves and socks on the washing line during the last hymn! People have been really generous - I counted about 100 pairs in total, and I think there are more items to come.

The children were brilliant this morning, and acted out their parts really well. It must have been the shortest service ever - but that gave us lots  of time to talk over coffee and mince pies!

Theological Statement For the Week

I got to church unbelievably early to prepare everything for the Children's Nativity Play, and sorted out costumes props etc. But there was something missing...

"Bob, I've looked all over the church, and I am really struggling to find Jesus anywhere!"