A time for everything under heaven

Hi you wonderful people ( yes this is me on top of Mount Victoria in Chin State Burma looking fairly pleased with myself!!)

Much love for 2010 and may it be a year of new horizons, blessings, peace, fun and joy for us all as well as stepping into new areas and maybe out of our comfort zones. Here I am in Kew in December at an amazing purple and green pub called the Botonist and I KNOW it will be the first of many visits to it. I also found one of theres in Sloane Square when I went up there after Kew so must try it this year. Definately wow setting, food and brilliant company Anita you gem! Also at Peter Jones's in Sloane Square ( where I found my comfort and joy candle) there was a quartet playing wearing amazing purple and green outfits! I had also got chatting to an incredibly good looking guy on a station so with Kew, a heart light in a church in SS, and music what a great day and much to celebrate!!

Being a very sad person I did not go down to Kent to see the wonderful Val and Ian for New Year's Eve but spent it watching the Painted Veil, reflecting on the past year and the one to come and had a glass of SB that I bought when I got the wine box which I bored you with on the last blog. You must be thinking "how sad not to be sharing it with anyone" but I can honestly say I enjoy that reflective, symbolic time in between Christmas and New Year as the rest of the year is so manic. The photo above with the sun is where I catch the tube at 6. 45 am on 2 mornings. I think I am picking up that even in the mundane there is such beauty and gifts to us even on our local station! I want to keep looking this year for the wow factors each day.

As my dad always gave my sister and I money at Christmas I bought a bracelet in his memory which has the fruits of the Spirit on it and hearts in between. It has the wow factor and is me to a tee. I know that last year it was patience and love and it is ALWAYS love and will be every day of my life but I also feel the Lord wants to help me with another aspect which I will not say what it is and see if people guess at the end of the year.!!!As He is the great Lover He will be teaching me what it means to love every day of my life but this quality is key too!!!

I know the snow and weather are a nightmare for so many, but I have loved walking with friends this week. Katrina and I had the MOST GLORIOUS sunny day on Wednesday as we walked in the snow and the peace was spine tingling! Yesterday at St Michael's ( above) which I have not been to for over a year, was glorious too and Janette you are THE most generous person with your Christmas gifts which I do not deserve. Brilliant to see my ex -colleague Fiona from my previous school and well done about being disciplined when we met! You always cheer me up. Thanks to everyone for your amazing kindness in giving me such great gifts at Christmas and I think I have nearly finished all my thank you notes so apologies if I have been late.

At Christmas 2008 I remember listening to Ecclesiastes being read out at the Carol Service by the Head and remember thinking what a funny choice, but actually this year I have been thinking alot about it from the section "There is a time for everything under heaven". Today guess what Dolly P was singing on the radio For everything there is a season from her song Turn Turn?Interesting I thought. SURELY Lord I have learnt about waiting and patience in the last year which would last me a life time but evidently not!!!One of my Year 11's instantly mentioned patience when I was discussing with them on what I would be thinking about this year!! Out of the mouths of babes!! I have also been challenged by "pray without ceasing ... for this IS the will of God for you" and when I apply that to my life that interests me!!

I have finished The Return on the Spanish Civil War which set me thinking about so much, as my dad grew up in Gibraltar and we have Spanish family but not blood related. It is a great picture of unselfish love in the book. I also loved John Humphrey's book In God we doubt for his refreshing honesty, lack of fear in pointing out inconsistences and flaws with some of Richard Dawkins's views and I will probably write to J.H.

This year I would like to visit the only state in Burma which I have not travelled to which is Kayah but the airfares are twice what I paid for the summer. However if I am meant to go all will be well. Also Thuzar has exams in February and so I would not be able to go with her which I would like to do. I want to go to the theatre more as well as classical concerts which were awesome last year, continue taking friends to the Ritz, visit Shrewsbury where I was born, learn about loving people and walk into EVERYTHING the Lord has for me this year. The heart boots symbolise the walking and in the last 3 days they have been invaluable. The lights are from Burma and I bought them for 90p 7 years ago and they are still wow!!

Here are some quotes on friendship I found in a book. It has been brilliant to get to know 4 new people this year. That never ceases to amaze me and He brings new friends to me each year as well as keeping the amazing old ones who I love to bits of course. Thanks so much to Lisa and Gail for sparing your time recently. All the best to you and Claire C in Cambs for Ofsted!! Thanks to Lisa, Barbara and many others for time recently.

A friend is someone who knows all about you but loves you anyway - Elbert Hubbbard

A road to a friend's house is never long from Judith's lovely little Christmas present.

Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are. Russian Proverb

True friendship is a plant of slow growth and must undergo and withstand adversity before it is entitled to that appellation. George Washington which I found when I was 18 and still like

Thank you to all you wonderful people who have blessed my life over so many years with friendship, love and grace. I am truly blessed.

With much love for the coming year. I will tell the wine box story on the next blog as it is pretty funny and I have bored most people with it. God can even speak through wine boxes!!

Fliss xxx