Saturday 20 April 2013

Contentment Rhythm Take it Personally

I am working through the IF contentment rhythm

One action is to reflect on the verses below:

Philippians chapter 4 verse 11-12 

"Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with  whatever I have.
I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little."

I enjoy eating yummy healthy food and I don't think I would like to go hungry! However, the verses remind us that we can be content with very little. Lots of things don't cause happiness or contentment, on the contry they are often a distraction from the things in life that are more important, people and relationships.

Monday 15 April 2013

Raspberry and Lemon Curd Roulade

I made and adapted James Dugans clean and lean raspberry and lemon curd roulade for Sunday lunch pud!

My first attempt at making meringues and the results were epic!

Whisk 4 egg whites until white.

Add 250 grammes of caster sugar a spoon at a time until mix is stiff.

On a baking tray lined with baking paper spread the egg white mixture and sprinkle with almonds.

Bake at 180C for 20 minutes remove from oven.


Mix 200 grammes of lemon curd and 200 grammes of Greek yogurt together. The original recipe uses double cream.

Flip the cooled meringue onto a sheet of baking paper dusted with icing sugar. 

Spread the lemon curd and yogurt mix over it.

Scatter with raspberries.

Roll the roulade up!


It was eaten up instantly!

Sunday 14 April 2013

God doesn't do waste

Just finished reading Dave Bookless' book God doesn't do waste.

An amazing story about their transformation of a 90 acre landfill site in west London into a country park exploding with wildlife!  I am really looking forward to visiting Minet park in Southall soon as near us.

 

Easter Egg Flapjacks!

 

We used up a lot of leftover chocolate eggs to make very yummy, gooey, sticky, moist and chocolaty flapjacks

12 oz oats
6 oz brown sugar
6 oz golden syrup 
6 oz butter 
a lot of broken up chocolate

Melt butter, stir in syrup and sugar.
Stir in the oats and chocolate 
Put into a baking tin about 20x20 square
Cook at 180 for 40 minutes 
Leave to cool in tin or will break up
Tip out, cool briefly 
Top with more melted chocolate
Cut into pieces before set solid



Thursday 11 April 2013

Recycled Beaver Jumper

Older son J is now in cubs and had a beaver jumper covered in badges he had received.



We pondered what to do with it for a while. We decided to remove all the badges and re sew them onto a piece of fabric which he can frame and hang on his bedroom wall. There is also lots of space for future badges he receives.


We had wondered about the scout badge blanket idea but were concerned that it may get damaged or badges lost at camps.

He has no attachment to the jumper but he worked hard to receive the badges.

I was able to give the empty jumper to a fellow beaver leader for a new beaver.

Wednesday 10 April 2013

The Promise of Life

Because life is a gift we live thankfully,
Savour what we have,
Pray for what we need.
No longer hurried, distracted or worried,
We walk through each moment with God.

Because everything is a gift, we live with open hands,
Tread lightly on the earth,
Share freely our homes and our things.
No longer restlessly chasing identity,
We'll be known by our love not our logos.

Because giving is a gift, we give generously,
Give ourselves deeply to family and community,
Give joyfully to those in need.
No longer caught in the consumer dream,
We'll invest in the kingdom of love.

www.breathenetwork.org

Saturday 6 April 2013

Enough food for everyone IF we live differently

The world produces enough food for everyone, but not everyone has enough to eat.  One in eight people across the globe are hungry.

But IF Wilberforce could end the slave trade, why can't we be the generation to confront the big IF of hunger?

Check out the intro video and others from the campaign.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi38ZtG4NhM


So, I am joining with Spring Harvest, Tearfund and over 150 churches and charities as part of the IF campaign to call on you to do all that you can to fight the injustice of hunger.

Contact your MP to represent our views and pressure David Cameron to use the opportunity of the G8 UK meeting in June to push for progress on aid, climate finance, transparency, tax and land grabs.

Another campaign is Rhythms, which is a Tearfund initiative that helps you explore how to live a life of justice every day.

http://rhythms.org/

There are four rhythms each with a group of actions for you to follow over 30 days to change the way you live.
  1. Connection
  2. Advocacy
  3. Generosity 
  4. Contentment
I have started on the contentment  rhythm and am enjoying reading the book Consumer Detox by Mark Powley.  Will keep you updated with my progress!

I also emailed my MP Zac Goldsmith and received an email back of support and involvement in the IF campaign.

Friday 5 April 2013

Good Good News

Photo taken last year when it was much warmer
Spent the last six days in a very cold and blustery Butlins resort in Minehead but leaving with a warm heart.

Butlins might seem like a strange place to spend Easter but it hosts Spring Harvest an annual Christian event.  Spring Harvest exists to equip the church for action and create opportunities for people of all ages to encounter God, be changed by that encounter, then go and change the world.

http://www.springharvest.org

This year's theme was The Source: Encountering Jesus Today and focussed on what Jesus being the Good News means in today’s world.  Over the course of a few days we were encouraged to discover how we embody the good news and what it means to Be, Say and Do the gospel.

Each day started in a very large circus-style tent called the big top which hosted the big start an all age interactive worship, drama and prayer to intorduce the theme for the day.  This year they re-worked Pkays gangam style song into Good News Style.
I'll say good news, its good for sharing
Makes me feel so brave and daring
I can shout about his caring
GOD LOVES ME!

Jesus is the source of the good news, the good news
He made us and he calls us to be it too, to be it too
So we'll be and say and do the good good news, news, news, news....
Good News Style!

Perfect Love video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQSdhtNpJis

I am very excited about how as a family we can implement Be, Say and Do within our simple lifestyle within our community.   Will keep you posted...