Major Job Announcement

Just over a year ago I wrote this post: Calm
It included the line: 'I just really feel that I have given it all to God and He will deal with it. ' with regards to my job situation.
Since then I have remained at my current organisation working with people who have physical and sensory disabilities in Lambeth trying to promote and develop Service User Involvement. Funding finally came through at the end of June after living on month to month notice from early March. That small amount of money was only up until the end of March 2007.
So I've spent this year in a flux, a state of unknowing, uncertainty and unfulfillment. I've applied for several jobs. I've had interviews with The National Autistic Society, Shelter, The City of London, Diabetes UK, and a christian charity. I got offered one job, but it wasn't right in many ways.
All this time I've felt strongly that God has it under control. I've prayed before every interview please God let me know if this is right. Let Your will be done. Never was this more necessary than when I was offered a job. My head was saying take it it's a job but God was saying this is not the one. Wait. So I did. Job adverts dried up, time ticked on. Lambeth announced huge voluntary sector cuts. My job looked insecure. The thought of being out of work, and getting married was not appealing. Leaving the people I work with was not appealing either because I really like them all, I like the organisation I work for and I feel like I have more to offer.
So last week after a Friday off I returned to find an email from my boss saying that he had news about User Involvement Funding and we should talk.
There is money! For nearly three years. For a User Involvement Post - joint disabilities and Older Persons. And they offered me the job. And I accepted.
I HAVE A NEW JOB WITH SECURED FUNDING UNTIL JANUARY 2010
WOW
The details are yet to be worked out, but basically I will be joint managed by my current Boss and the CE of Age Concern. Because the money is longer term there will be more specific work plan, targets and deadlines. The stuff I thrive on. I will have purpose and drive. Hooray.
And in the midst of it all I can see God sitting there, arms crossed saying 'Now do you understand?'
He has provided for me in a truly amazing and unexpected way. In a way that fits me and suits me and feels perfect for my life right now.
Thank You God. Sorry that I doubted you. Thank you for believing in me even when I wavered from you. Please help me to use this job opportunity to glorify You further. Amen
H x

Got to Goal!

At my Weight Watchers meeting on Thursday March 15th I weighed in at 12 stone, 2.5 lb giving me a BMI of 24. I had originally wanted to get to 12 stone. Well I like round numbers, but after a great chat with a lovely leader I reset my goal at 12 stone 3 lb. The top end of my BMI is 12 stone 6lb, which is the weight I could have become a GOLD member.
OK science bit over.
I joined Weight Watchers on May 25th last year and I have been a member for 43 weeks. In total I lost 46lb. The challenge now is to stay this weight.
I know I sound like an advert but Weight Watchers has changed my life. It has taught a whole new attitude to food. I can honestly say there has never been a time when I've felt like I was missing out on something. As I've lost weight it has been easier to exercise. Running the Hydro Active in September was a major achievement for me, the former cross country cheater. I feel better about myself, and I have learnt how to have time for me, a challenge for someone as perpetually busy as me.
I'd love to say that losing weight was really really hard but it wasn't. There were times, and weeks when it was a struggle, or days when I'd eaten all my points and I still wanted more food. There were weeks where a visit to the gym didn't materialise, or I stopped counting points or stated deceiving myself about how much I'd eaten. These were the weeks, I stayed the same weight, or put some on. Christmas was difficult but I accepted I would put on weight, and I did. I don't think I ate as much as I have in former years, and nor did I want to. James has been very very supportive and I couldn't have done it without his help. I love him very much for this, he has never had to lose weight in his life!
I have been counting points for the whole time I've been doing Weight Watchers, but there is another plan called 'Core' which is a list of foods you can eat freely until you are full at meal times, and snack on fruit in between. My plan is to stay on points until after the wedding, then learn how to maintain using a mixture of Core and Points. I am determined that this is how it is going to be from now on. Food and I have an uneasy relationship, and I will be easily seduced again if I am not careful. However I am happier with the new way of things and I am positive about the future.
So here are some before and after photos:

March 24th 2007

March 24th 2007

A picture of me

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

I wasn't going to skank this from the several blogs I've seen it on but I like it, and it's broadly accurate. Have a go yourself if you want....

Anti Slavery Links

Sign the anti-slavery internation declaration here: Anti Slavery

and Stop the Traffik here: stopthetraffik

Thanks Liz, Beckie and Daddy!

Cargo

On Saturday night James and I joined his parents and lots of other people at church for a preview of Cargo, Paul Field's new musical production looking at slavery. It tells the story of the end of the slave trade but then turns its attention to slavery today.
Stop the Traffik, an international charity focused on ending people trafficking, estimate that there are 12 million people in slavery today. A large proportion of these are children under 16.
I'm angry, and upset, and annoyed, and disturbed, and shaken.
Cargo was amazing. It wasn't fun or frivolous but it rocked me to my core, challenged me and nagged me. I spent a large proportion of the evening on the verge of tears, trying to comprehend the facts, trying to understand the feelings of the slaves, both of 200 hundred years ago and now. God was challenging me, nagging me to DO something.
It feels quite hopeless, and a strong sense of apathy creeps up on me, an apathy that infects too many of us today. I find myself asking the question 'What can I do?' 'What difference can I make?'
Well I'm going to try and find out. The worst offence I can commit is to do nothing.
The visual presentations that accompanies the music and spoken words of Cargo included this quote from the anthropologist Margaret Mead:
‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world’
Gosh. Now there's a challenge.
H x

You are mine

I don't usually post pieces of scripture but I wanted to put this here as a reminder to myself. I am not mine, I belong to God. God has called me by my name to live and work for him. In return he will be with me always. He will protect me and comfort me. He will love me like no other. He has saved me, and will be my saviour every day of my life. My mum, as part of her recovery from cancer, made a healing quilt. She asked both Alice and I to write our favourite comfort quotes on fabric to be included.. This was mine. I still take great comfort in it. I can almost feel myself being calmed and comforted by God's almighty grace as I slow my breathing down and hear God' still small voice of calm saying these words directly to me.

'But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour; " '
Isaiah 43: 1-3

March On!

Well it's been an emotional week that has left me feeling drained. Wednesday night saw the full meeting of Lambeth Council to set its budget for next year, including 132% rise in Community Care Charges, cutting the eligibility criteria from Substantial and Critical to Critical only and cutting £3/4 million off the Voluntary Sector. If you clicked through the link in my last post you will see that we have been campaigning under the banner of Lambeth SOS.
The petition that ran off and online was signed by over 7000 people! And we decided to march from our offices to the Town Hall in time for the meeting. We thought we would be lucky to get 150 people. Over 350 disabled and older people, and their carers turned up and marched with placards and whistles through the centre of Brixton in rush hour. Now that's user involvement! It was awesome. I was a marshal so could take a good over view of the progress of it. At one point I got quite emotional knowing that so many people cared and had turned out to help us show the Council how much.
You can read the rather partisan account of the rest of the evening's happenings here:
South London Press Article
Sadly not one Labour Councillor voted against the proposals, although four did not attend the meeting, which could be seen as a sign of opposition. So the campaign continues, and my job, although not definitely coming to an end at the end of this month hangs in the balance.