Weight Watching

Well the diet wasn't working. I wasn't getting anywhere nearer to being a 'Little less round nice girl :-)' (thanks Mike)
I was getting miserable about it and looking at some recent photos made me grimace. It was once again my counselling course that helped me. We looked at action planning and setting goals in a helping relationship. In threes we had to tlak through an issue that we had and set goals. It was cathartic. It was good to be honest about my issues with weight and the way I can lie to myself about what I am eating. I am queen of 'one more won't hurt' as I shove another biscuit in my mouth. I have a sweet tooth and I LOVE food. E-Diets wasn't doing it. I was accountable to no-one but myself and it was easy to skip weigh in. So my group set a goal for me to join Weight Watchers before we meet again next Wednesday. Being the tight fisted Capricorn that I am the 'join free' before 28th May spurred me on and I found a local meeting the next day.
Surprisingly it was all OK. The people are normal, the leader is a real person with a sense of humour and the plan is fab. I've stuck to it so far and I even managed to have a bit of my boss' birthday cake. Now that's what I call a diet! H x

Camilla Hen and the Girls

Following Roddy's request below here are a couple of the earlier pictures from our weekend. Camilla is the one in the film staresque white trench and in the pub picture her mum is to her right. The day was a bit grey and chilly but it's amazing what a couple of glasses of good wine can do......!

Little Jack

This is a bit of a random one. I'll let the link below do most of the talking. Little Jack Wakefield is a three year old London Irish rugby fan. He has cancer. He was given twenty four hours to live on Friday and his parents took him home on Saturday morning. The rugby supporting community has drawn together in prayer and support for him and his family. Every day hundreds log on to the London Irish Message board to chack for messages and leave a note of support. At the time of writing God has not yet called him home, and through updates that get posted on the London Irish message board we found out that yesterday afternoon he was running around playing pirates. Once again I find myself asking God what's going on whilst desperately praying that His will be done in this situation.
London Irish Board

Hen Hiatus!

This weekend was Camilla's hen 'do'. I managed to organise, book and co-ordinate a trip to Oxford for ten lovely ladies with the key word being 'Classy'.
It has been a marathon weekend having driven to Worcester on Friday after work, slept for 6 hours, caught a train to Oxford somewhere gained another 6 and a half hours sleep, caught a train back to Worcester and then driven back to Croydon.
First panic of the weekend happened fifteen minutes after we were due to meet at the station: NO BRIDE, not answering mobile or land line - awful of images of hen in diabetic coma unable to be roused sprung into my mind. Actual cause was hangover and Bride made late entrance looking shame-faced in time to board train. All dressed in Yellow we bundled onto the 10.13 to London Paddington.
Brunch and Buck's (or should that be Hen's) Fizz went down a treat and passed the hour long journey brilliantly - thanks to Lil Sis for sourcing the plastic champagne glasses. Oxford Backpackers Hostel was five minutes walk, small and friendly - would recommend for short stay.
Our boat trip was just wonderful. Thanks to Giles at Oxford river cruises who even managed to accommodate our request for a place serving a cup of tea!
After a nap - yes I know sleeping is cheating - we all glammed up for an evening out in Oxford. Only one negative experience ensued with a large bouncer who had an elevated sense of his own importance. A good night was had by all with the last falling into bed at 4.30 am! oh yes we beat the boys!
The weather turned on us by Sunday but bleary eyed we trudged through the rain for a yummy brekkie, followed by a quiet and reflective train ride home.
Here's hoping the wedding goes as smoothly and the weather bucks it's ideas up.
H xx

Found this and liked it......

"...who am I to come to worship the Almighty and expect to get something? Yet that's what most of us do, turning up tired from a week's work and busy weekend, needing our batteries recharging, looking for a bit of a power-pack from God or to be caught up in some holy moment... (but) if worship is a gift, then it is absolutely not about what I am looking to get out of it, but what I am looking to give."
Kester Brewin's Complex Christ

Committed

I did it. I registered for the Hydro Active Women's challenge. I think I must be crazy. I am really not a runner. Anyway It'll give me a goal, and motivation to get my butt in the gym. Side effects should hopefully include weight loss and toning. 5K really isn't THAT far, but for someone who used to cheat at cross country is is rather daunting. James says he'll help me train but I fear that may induce shouting and bloodshed! Maybe I just need to change my approach and everything will turn out OK.

The best bit is that I get to raise some cash for the lovely folk at Leukaemia CARE so they can keep on doing their thang. It feels good to have a goal and to be doing something positive. I'd like to raise about £100 so if you're feeling generous and you want to contribute to that you can find my fundraising page at www.justgiving.com/huggyhannah Follow the instructions and remember to Gift Aid it if you are a taxpayer.
Come back in a few weeks to see how the training is going! H x

Weather Forecast

At my counselling course on Wednesday evening we all had to give a weather report of how things are for us at the moment. Mine went like this:

"After a torrential downpour on Sunday afternoon skies have been grey and heavy with showers. However this seems to be clearing with an outlook of sunnier spells to come."

Its been an odd week. I do feel quite cloudy. I have no reason to really. Life just carries on. I feel a bit like I am on the treadmill in the gym and because I don't want to fall off I just keep going even though every bit of wants to stop.
There have been some sunny bits though too: home group started again, I had a facial and an eyebrow shape, I went to see my friend Chan in her lovely lovely new house. She is such a great person with a wonderful family, and now she's just round the corner.
I have my Rugby Club end of season dinner, unlike the one my sister is going to I won't be sharing the company of the man who will lead England on their tour to Australia - nice one Pat - but I will be surrounded by a bunch of women, and a rabble of men, who've played a large part in my life over the last three years. I know it won't be good bye forever but it is the ending of a chapter. I always enjoy the end of season dinner up till the end of the awards. Then the drinking gets silly and men seem to always get naked, I hasten to add that the women don't suffer from the latter part. I have asked God to help me shine this evening, I want to be a light.
And finally... I have a job interview on Monday at 15.50. It's with a national charity doing user invovlement work. If you're a praying type a few choice words would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers, H xx

Taken too soon

God threw a curve ball last night that completely felled me and I don't know why. To make this story flow I need to give you some background.
About six weeks ago: I got a group email from my friend on the leadership team of a large evangelical church in Cardiff. It was a forwarded message from Rob Lacey's PA asking us to pray for him and his family. He had suffered, and been cured of cancer in 2001 but the cancer was back with a vengeance. His wife was 36 weeks pregnant at the time of the email, with their second child. He had been offered chemo or surgery as a last option and although neither were appealing with his wife so pregnant he took chemo. After reading the email I googled Rob to find out he was the author of the Street Bible which became the Word on the Street and was a performer also. I prayed on and off for a couple of weeks and heard nothing.
Fast forward: Last night at church the Vicar preached on Luke 11: 1-13 entitled 'The God you Pray to.' The sermon was about God as Our Father. The Vicar made reference to several well known people who did not know their earthly fathers through death, abuse or separation and described how their writings show a difficulty in relating to God as Father. After a time of reflection one of our Readers got up to speak - unplanned. He spoke about Rob Lacey - as someone who had performed at our church early in his career, and a personal friend. He shared the news that Rob died last Monday aged 43 leaving a wife and two children 5 years and 4 weeks old. I was shocked, angry and hurt and could not stop the tears. I don't understand why the news affected me so badly, my only association with himwas through my prayer for him. I have never read his work, met him or his family. Maybe it was simply news that tipped me over the edge, I have been feeling delicate and far from God. I am wrestling with Him over my job, my purpose, my future. It's tough. I'm a bit down. The tears streamed but I still felt a need to worship God. Singing and crying is tough. Without trust in God I am a ship without a rudder.
The news of Rob's death hurt and saddened me. God has called him home and all of us left behind are standing open mouthed staring to heaven and asking 'Why?' I don't know if anyone will get the answer in this life, but meanwhile we are forced to trust Him, even when we cannot begin to understand.

Tinglings

I have started reading the 24-7 prayer manual in preparation for my meeting with the vicar in two weeks. It has created some neural tingling. I am excited. I fell like this could be somethign big. I feel like my heart is in it, I want to share my enthusiasm, I want my church to take a big step and pray like never before.
Life as whole is irksome at the moment, it is difficult, I am tired and finding it hard to gain pleasure from anything. Bizarrely yesterday's Tesco shopping trip, followed by food and TV - oh yes LOST is back - was lovely. James and I snuggled on our sofa made for midgets and watched as the most annoyign TV drama ever got back underway - still with no answers!
The weekend was good. I went to the Woo Town and watched our boys beat the Falcons - the kids singing 'I'd rather be a Warrior than a bird' certainly had it right. I saw my bestest friend and did some Bridesmaid stuff including taking my oh so beautiful dress round to hers.
On Monday James and I saw Ice Age 2 - not as good as the first one but still good. Is it bad that I cried when the two mammoths got together at the end? I need to get my life sorted!
H x