Easter

Well Happy Easter everyone.
For me Easter starts every year at the Maundy Thursday service at Church. I love this service. For me it is my favourite service of the whole year, the one I cannot miss. The Maundy Thursday communion service commemorates the night of the last supper, the washing of feet, the breaking of bread and the sharing of the wine. As I take part in the service, say the liturgy and sing the hymns my breathing slows down, my mind clears and I try to imagine myself in that upper room two thousand years ago. Taking myself back to that night refreshes in my mind what Easter is all about. Instead of skipping forward to the celebration and joy of Easter Sunday I force myself to think about the events leading up to it. Jesus' word in the upper room are full of hope and promise. Going to the Maundy Thursday service sets my footing right for the whole of Easter weekend. Usually we go away, back to Worcester, and Sunday sees us celebrating in a church that is not ours. It doesn't matter, the Good News is worth celebrating wherever we happen to be but there is something about starting off in the familiar pews in South Croydon, taking the bread and drinking the wine and calling to mind the disciples doing the same that grounds me and anchors me.
This year I went to the prayer room twice after the service. Once late at night and once early on Good Friday.
I spent time reading the Gospels' accounts of the last supper, and of Jesus' betrayal. I allowed myself to be wowed, and challenged.
As I drove to the prayer room early on Friday morning, before the sun was up again, I felt tired, and considered turning back (I knew there was someone else signed up) but as I turned the corner I saw the moon, bright and full. I took it as a gentle reminder from God that he was the way and the light, and I thanked Him.
Easter weekend was quite hectic. Driving to Worcester, then to South Wales to see family Capper, seeing Milla and Chris in their new house, walking 8 miles in training with my sister in the sleet and rain, meeting Alice's boyfriend. There weren't many moments of quiet calm and reflection. I am glad I stopped on Thursday and really pondered the Easter message, it has renewed my hope and given me purpose again. H x

Room for Prayer

My alarm went off at 4.40 am this morning and as James and I grunted at each other and pulled on the nearest clothes I found myself asking why on earth I had signed up for a 5am prayer slot in Emmanuel's 24-7 Prayer Room.
If you go back through my blog archives you will remember that I set up a prayer room in July 2006. At Christmas Dan got excited about Prayer and ran a room for 24 hours praying into the New Year. It was great. It was like a little seed had been planted and when Dan started working for church it started to grow. Well it's growing still and on Sunday evening Emmanuel started a week of prayer 24-7. Right through the night. Person to person. An unbroken chain. God had already spoken and as we kicked off every single slot was filled.
I went to the launch. We prayed and sang and invited God in, not that He needed inviting as He reminded us "This is my territory."The room was buzzing.
However none of this excitement encouraged me as we set off, in the darkness, to pray.
James came too, he hadn't signed up for a slot and was quite grumpy about me removing him for bed before 5am.
After having the room handed over in prayer we sat for a while together in prayer. We prayed about our weaknesses, and our shortcomings, our hopes. We thanked God and we said sorry to God. WE prayed St. Patrick's Breastplate together and then spent some time apart. I am quite often tempted to rush around in a prayer room, reading the walls, trying things out and not actually stopping to talk to God. This time I paused, sat in front of the wailing wall, and waited. I was honest, which is tough before the One who knows you inside out. I told God that I wanted to do more for Him but it's quite scary. I asked for His help.
Then I spent some time praying for Croydon, and Emmanuel and our Parish. FOr a community, for our church to be a heart and a furnace. A place of love and hope.
And then I prayed for my friends, family and colleagues. The ones who don't know Jesus yet. That was really hard. I was confronted by a mixture of emotions, anger, frustration, regret, despair, longing, confusion and sadness. There was also Hope and the message that it is God ultimately who brings people to Himself. He stands at the door and knocks, not me. He is the one who heals, and comforts, who loves and gives with abundant Grace. And me, I am called to pray, to fall on my knees, to intercede and most of all to live and love with my eyes on Jesus.
As james and I grabbed another half an hour in bed, I realised why I had signed up. To talk to God in the early morning light, before the day has got in the way, is a privaledge. James thanked me for encouraging him to get up and come with me, he was glad he came and I'm glad he did too.
As I made my way to work, a strong and peaceful smile spread over me. "I am not of this world" was the message in my head. Now to live a life worthy of that.
H x

Weigh In

Well I finally have a net loss. I recorded a 2.5 lb loss on the WW scales this week. Hooray. It's feeling normal again and I am motivated to do my best this weekend.

Alice and I are even going walking together on Sunday, witih Daddy's lunch as the motviation to keep us going!

Have had the ming the last few days, feeling really lethargic, headachy and sore throat. I gave in this morning, rang in sick and slept until noon. I am much recovered and restored, sleep is amazing.

Our House

This is our house.

We exchanged at 10.55 am and will complete in three weeks.
This is our first home.
I am so excited.
I can't wait to put our pictures up, to move our stuff in, to fling open the door and invite people in.
I can't wait to get in the kitchen, to bake and cook, and entertain people.

Praise God for all his help in getting this house. His hand has been on it the whole time and whilst we have wavered and panicked He has been strong.
I pray that we can use it as a blessing, to us, our marriage, our families, friends and community.

So when are you coming to visit? Hannah xx

Start Again

Weightwatchers.

Last week I put on a pound. I didn't know why but it might have been because I wasn't eating enough.


This week I put on half a pound. This was because I had a fab weekend.


I am back where I started.


I am starting again.


Minigoal: 12 st 3 lb by May 5th

The Great Escape

Last weekend James and I ran away! Ages ago, before Christmas we looked in our diaries and realised we needed to book a weekend away. Weekends get sucked up into life and before you know it it's Monday morning again. We are very good at giving our time to our friends, our church, our Scouts and very good at forgetting to give time to us.
So we booked the intriguingly named Windsor Room here: The Pearl Fisher in Whitstable and on Friday evening James picked me up from the station and we went on our adventure.
It was so lovely. We went out for dinner in a sweet little bistro, drank good wine, ate too much food and slept in until after nine. The breakfasts were superb. On Saturday morning James and I both had smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, which was cooked fresh at a time of our choosing and was placed in front of us with heart shaped toast after scrumptious cereal and fruit.
Saturday we mooched -round the harbour, and the little boutique shops. We ate seafood, and had tea and Lemon Curd cake overlooking the beach. We chatted, and walked. James skimmed stones. We had oysters. We watched the rugby :-(
We read the weekend papers on Saturday and Sunday :-)
On Sunday morning, instead of returning straight home we took a drive to the tip of Kent and spent an hour or so in Broadstairs, on the beach and promenade, and NOT playing crazy golf!
It was a lovely weekend and much needed us time. I love my husband and running away with him is so much fun. H x

Come and join my Flora London Marathon Cheering Squad

When: Sunday April 13th 2008
Where: Mile 17 - Mudchute DLR Station. Easy access from central London
Why: Because I am volunteering for Leukaemia CARE and I need your help.

At 8am on April 13th I will be staking out a spot on the Marathon Course to cheer on (primarily) Leukaemia CARE's 200 or so runners. I will be joined throughout the duration by friends and family members. It would be WONDERFUL if someone could join me at 8am to help me gain a space and keep me company for a few hours. If not then anytime from 10.30 am until about 2.30 pm. For as long or as short as you can do.

We'll have flags, and rattles, baloons and banners. I'll have a cool box full of snacks, and there are some pubs nearby so we might even manage a swift half!

Come and soak up the marathon atmosphere, cheer on the runners (I bet you know someone who is running), spot celebrities, and take bets on whether Paula Radcliffe stops for another wee! What a great way to spend a few hours on a sunny Sunday in April - and all for a great cause.

Email me on huggyhannah@hotmail.com if you can make it. I look forward to seeing you and thank you in advance.