Snow!

Paw prints in the snow

Snow makes everything beautiful and clean.

"Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD,
"Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool".
~ Isaiah 1:18

A bit of snow

Flickr

Hello, I haven't posted for a while, my apologies. It's been a strange week or two.

The UK is beset by snow, except near us! I love snow, snow days, snowmen, snow-angels, sledging, snowball fights...*sigh*. We've had a light dusting which has frozen in this freezing weather (it's been around -6 C but it's warmed up a bit this evening as there is some cloud tonight). I hope for more snow, but we're not scheduled to have as much as in Scotland and the North East (we're central North West).

Things have settled down a little bit here. I've been low, but that's to be expected. My Dad and Granddad, and my Auntie, are really in my thoughts, especially my Granddad with Christmas coming up. I would appreciate your continuing prayers.

I'm reading a few books at the moment, but mostly The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas and Working Children in Nineteenth-Century Lancashire edited by Michael Winstanley. I'm not far enough into The Three Musketeers to form a considered opinion, but I'm really enjoying Working Children in Nineteenth-Century Lancashire. It's fascinating to get an insight into life in those days. Children had always worked in the family businesses (where they had a business), weaving, farming, etc. But once the big mills were opened the whole family often had to work to make ends meet. However, there were clashes between those who wanted to improve the lot of children and families who relied upon the wages their children could bring into the home. The book also covers children who worked away from the mills - errand boys, newspaper sellers, 'van boys'. Children who worked in a shop for example could work up to 60 hours a week on top of their schooling. No wonder they fell asleep in lessons. Children working on farms and in coal mines are covered too. I'll write some more when I have more time.

Hope you are having a blessed week.

Hugs.

Thank you so much for all your love and prayers. My Nan passed away this morning. Please continue to pray for our family, particularly my Granddad, my Dad and my Auntie.

Motherhood - they don't always thank you

I found this beautiful picture via Stumbleupon*.

*It linked straight to the picture and I couldn't work out what site it came from, if you know where it's from I can credit...or remove if necessary.

Update

Thank you so much for your prayers.

I had my ultrasound scan yesterday and praise God my gall bladder, liver and pancreas are fine. So it's just the hiatus hernia that is causing me gyp*.

*gyp
n
Brit and NZ slang severe pain; torture his arthritis gave him gyp
[probably a contraction of gee up!; see gee1]

I love words.

Anyway...

My nan isn't improved. Now they think her hip has come out of its socket. It's causing her great pain, she can't sit up now. She could go for an x-ray and then go through the pain of having it reset. But, they believe that the cancer is causing her bones to soften so it would simply pop right out. My nan is terrified of hospitals, so for now they are treating her with pain killers.

My poor granddad is really down about everything, he needs lots of prayer too.

Chatterbox is still sad about losing her best friend, although they do seem to be on speaking terms now. Squidge is doing better at school and hasn't cried when I drop her off at school for three days now. Praise God!

I do have an additional problem that there may be hours cut and even maybe redundancies at work. But I feel peace about that.

I know there's a lot to ask you all to pray for but I would be grateful if you would also keep my husband in your prayers. His knee is playing up. The other day he bent down to pick up something from a shop shelf and it seized up causing him great pain. It's been bothering him for months now.

*sigh*

Thank you so much for your prayers and good wishes, it really blesses me and my family. If there's anything you want me to pray for then just ask.

Hugs.

Difficult times

I'm really struggling with things at the moment, it seems everything has come at once.

Ever since I had that gastroscopy my stomach's been worse. Now I have a weird virusy cold. Couldn't eat my tea last night - urgh the smell of it cooking was yukky-, was in bed by 7pm. I feel so tired and down at the moment. I think part of it is a virus, but I think part of it is stress. Next Tuesday I'm going for a scan on my gall bladder, I pray fervently there's nothing wrong with it, because right now I could really do without it!

Both my kiddiwinks are having a hard time at school right now, every morning Squidge doesn't want to go to school and I have to leave her in the classroom crying every day. I've been meeting with the teacher about it, I've even been to the doctors', but she's still unhappy. It breaks my heart. She just tells me the work is too hard, but she is doing absolutely fine.

Chatterbox has been suffering recently too, her friend has been taking things off her and because I rang her mother about it she's taken some pens from Chatterbox and won't give them back and has now fallen out with Chatterbox. Chatterbox is so open and friendly that sometimes she gets taken advantage of. My little treasure. I hate to think of her breaking up with such a long time friend. I spoke to her teacher too, I'm not sure why this has suddenly happened.

My nan is worse. We had a phone call this morning from my auntie that neither of her legs will work now. She can't get out of bed, she can't stand and she can't make it to the commode. We are wondering if it is time she went into the hospice as she needs proper nursing care now, but nan is frightened of hospital environments, so we are not sure how she will take it. Added to that my granddad fell last night at 3 in the morning.

My grandma (my mum's mum) has also fallen recently and can't bend one of her legs, so she is struggling too now.

I know I need to get close to the Rock, my Saviour, and as I said in my previous post He is with me and within me. I just need to stay focused on that.

I would covet your prayers right now not just for me, but for my family.

Thanks xxxx