Tossed around in the storm but waiting with faith 2nd Dec.

Hi complete gems

Much love to you on 2nd December. It seems ages since I contributed to the blog as still finding it tough to feel so exhausted 3-4 days out of every week. I know the other days I look like I have just come back from a holiday and am glowing, which is extremely frustrating.

Since the last entry I have worked out why Thuzar in Burma cannot communicate with me via email or I with her. It is the problem with AOL and silly Fliss did not even twig that, since I stopped the school address in August ,this is when the problems started. I also see that Tutu and Havel are still putting pressure with the USA on the military junta and the UN Security Council. The junta, of course, argue that nobody should intervene in their internal affairs and we have seen that argument with Iraq although slightly different or is it? Any comments via email would be appreciated.

Sir David Frost was on Desert Island Discs today and one of his records was in praise of America and I was also interested to see he did not take the Bible with him, although his father, a Methodist minister, had a profound influence on him. I liked the way he came across and was interested in that he would like to be remembered "for being even half as good a father to his 3 boys as his own father had been to him. " Last Friday it was the philosopher Mary Midgely who came across really well and was once labelled the "most formidable philosopher in England" and she had numerous disputes with Richard Dawkins on genetics. If she had lived in Oxford I would have been cheeky and asked her if she wanted to take tea at the Randolph but she lives in Newcastle. Of course I would be out of my depths in conversing with her, but I think she would have been gracious enough to overlook that. A level Philosophy is hardly in the same league!! I will probably write to her and waffle on about this and that.

I went for an interview for the Hanover Foundation (has its own website if interested). It is for coaching students in schools in London where they are in risk of exclusion, C/D grades, gifted and talented - the whole range. Their results are impressive and it DOES appeal to me. I had a peace during the interview BUT I can see from their viewpoint that some of my answers could have been difficult to understand. Travelling will also be a real issue as sometimes they want us to be a Parent's Evenings which could be hard if out in the sticks and coming back late. I have therefore after praying said "Lord give them wisdom and IF they offer me a place I will take it as this is YOU"I can only do 3 days maximum as that is one of their conditions.


After the interview I popped into Somerset House and saw the ice rink which looked magical in the early evening light, lights on, Mozart playing and people having fun and some falling painfully on the ice. I should go up and have a go but if I had fallen my trousers would have split ( the same material as the ones which split on the flight to Kuala Lumpur and I had to wrap my jacket around my waist to hide the whole of my backside!!!) How embarrassing but still managing to stroll through KL airport looking like I did not have a care in the world.


I also went for an Indian with Sue and Cedi and it was great to see you both. It is a shame time goes so quickly and the months go by so quickly since we met. I also saw Janet today in Old Hemel who I used to play hockey with and if you are reading this Jan you were a fantastic player but not as patient as me on the hockey pitch!!! Of course you were the model of how people ought to behave on the pitch and I was not!!! I also went to the Grove with a friend from school which is the first time since Burma although their cake was a little disappointing and rather dry.

Last week there was a cheese and wine tasting at Soul Survivor and believe it or not I only guessed one wine correctly out of five! I must be out of practice. Also at Soul Survivor which has a ball this Saturday a friend Liz had the following picture when praying for me:

A tree was on the edge of water and suddenly it was uprooted and was being tossed around in the ocean. Branches everywhere, bark a mess, loads of dead stuff and a time of real turbelence ( can't spell). The next picture was the tree on a beautiful Caribean island the sun was bleaching the tree and ..... I am not telling you the rest just yet......!!!

I am now reading the next in the series called the Sacred Romance by same guy as Waking the Dead so we will see how it compares. The first chapter has me already so I look forward to some great parts and being challenged and refreshed. ALL you reading this go and buy WAKING THE DEAD BY JOHN ELDREDGE. This is the last time I will go on about it.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe comes out on film on 8th December and I am going to see it with a friend on 12th and my sister and niece over Christmas. I think C.S. Lewis's step son had alot of influence on the film and the London critics I have read so far have alot of good things to say about it "thrilling the heart" etc. I would encourage you to go and see it and possibly have a glimpse of magic in the midst of the lost innocence and commercialism of Christmas. C.S. Lewis would never have guessed that his book would have sold 95 million copies and been translated into 14 different languages but I know Someone who would have known the impact it would make and all of you if you see it will immediately spot the relevance to Easter!!

Oh dear someone has just been murdered on Poirot!! David Suchet is superb- the best one. I also like Miss Marple with Geraldine McKewan who is very different to Joan Hickson but still great. Yes I know you can tell my age.

Just been shoving loads of leaflets through doors for Soul Survivor ( every sympathy for postmen and women!!). We have got Christmas services coming up with mulled wine etc, a ball, what is Christmas talk, wrapping in Harlequin so it is a busy time for the church.

I will do one more blog before I go to Dad's on 19th.
I am still struggling with uploading the photos and on Friday night tried 4 times without success.
Lots of love
Fliss xx

PS If you want to be able to comment via blog let me know and I will put your email in otherwise I do not think it is good use of time if only 3-4 want to and I add all my address list!!