Jumpin' around the Country!

Hi again. Well, I did not reach my goal of blogging for a few days in a row! Just don't know where time is going and every day seems to speed by. Crazy. In the last week we have been zipping up and down the motorway in Scotland meeting people and presenting the Sefton Village report and vision. I wanted to bring a constant stream of blogs about all different things, but it seems as if I am just giving a weekly report! Anyway, here's what's been going on.

* Last Friday was a busy day. Mary's mum & dad were here and we had a great time. I was invited by my brother Paul to take the chapel service at the Teen Challenge Rehab Centre in Sunnybrae. Paul works there and is doing an incredible ministry. I am so proud of him. A good friend of mine called Kenny Ross also work there and I was so blessed by what he is also doing.

I was instantly amazed at the sheer beauty of the place. They have built 3 new bungalows for the guys in rehab and the gardens are spectacular. I saw the handiwork of Paul everywhere! He is responsible for training the guys for work. I took the chapel service and shared my story with them as well as the vision of Sefton. Really felt the presence of God. One guy was really touched by the Lord and I had the honour of leading him to Christ. I ended up praying for everyone in the room. Definitely a God-moment!

In the afternoon I came home and whisked Mary and the kids to the Birthday of a lovely little girl called Shannon. She is the daughter of my best friend Mark (Ben) Ritchie and she has become very friendly with oor Lydia!

At night, we spoke and shared at the Fraserburgh AoG's kids club - GLO! What a joy to see around 200 kids enjoying a great night where Jesus is the centre. Lisa Ruth, the local Children's pastor is doing an amazing work there.

* On Saturday we drove down to the Central Belt to a tiny village called Fauldhouse, where our ex-agents and good friends Keith & Anne Pointon stay. What a journey ... fog as thick as treacle. Glad to get there.

Sunday was a busy but great day. We had arranged to meet Matthew and Claire Kerr with their beautiful daughter Madeline. The picture of them was taken by Lydia!! They are from Shetland and they came with us on our travels on the Sunday. We went to Livingston AoG, led by Pastor Peter Cochrane. Tell you what, I love the people there. They have always been behind us in so many ways. Had a great service and felt the presence of God.




Went back to Keith & Anne's for a bite to eat and drove in mid-afternoon to our friends Thomas & Grace Lewis in Paisley. Guess what, more food! They went with us to East Gate Church (AoG) in Elderslie, Glasow, led by Arthur & Linda O'Malley (above). Their building is an old church that Arthur and the team have completely renovated. It is the most beautiful church building I have ever seen. Had a great service there and people really touched by what God is doing in the Philippines. We were so blessed!

* Monday - did some practical admin stuff at Norman & Gillian's house. Spent rest of day with the Kerr family. Went to amazing soft play area in Livingston. Great place - parents sit down and eat, drink & talk ... and the kids run around silly. Met close friends Davis & Jenny Thomson at night and went to theirs for dinner.

* Tuesday - said goodbye to Kerrs and spent morning & most of afternoon with Steve and Molly Ritchie from Musselburgh. Had great time catching up. They are going to Sefton to cover for us in November and they have helped us so much. Spent rest of day with Keith & Anne.

* Wednesday - MEDICALS!!!!! Spent most of day at Care for Mission in Musselburgh. All four of us had medicals an wee Lydia & Josiah did great getting their injections for their blood tests. Mary doing well but the Doctor told me some news that I was not expecting ... I'm overweight! What a shock (not)! Seriously, I know I have to shed a stone or five! Aaagggh!

After medicals went for a lovely meal at a local Brewers Fare. Diet starts tomorrow! The last Supper was great. Drove back up to Fraserburgh, waiting an hour at Forth Road Bridge!!! Patience mark.

Tonight, went to Powerhouse Kids Club at the Elim Church. My brother David is the leader of Powerhouse and is doing an incredible ministry - not only on a Friday night, but he is pouring his life into so many young people's lives. So proud of David and I know that there are great days ahead for him.

So here we are, back in Fraserburgh. Guess what? Tomorrow morning we are driving down to the Central Belt again... feel like a long distance driver! On Sunday morning we are at All Nations in Edinburgh and in the evening we are at the Bridge Centre, Musselburgh. Never mind, we have a wee holiday next week with the Ritchie clan, so it should be great.

Will be back soon .. take care!

On the Road at Last!

What d'ya think of these cheeky faces??

So many things have been going on in the last couple of weeks that it would take a large chunk of your day to read it! So I won't ... I'll do the smart thing - Bullet Points!

* We started our itinerary on September 3rd. Meant to be a couple of weeks before that, but the printers could not get the literature on time. To be honest, we needed those extra few weeks! But feeling better, stronger and coherant now!

* Listen to this for crazy: Finished the printing of some of the leaflets at 3:30am on Saturday ... went to bed and got up at 5:30am to start our itinerary. Drove 3hrs to Whitburn, did our presentation and then had a 45 minute bite to eat before driving 2 hrs north to Aberdeen. Did our presentation, had coffee with Mary's brother and drove 1 hr home to Fraserburgh. Mad. Really mad. Don't advise it, but achieved it!

* Aberdeen AoG - what a place! Amazing! The building is an old traditional church, but Iaian and the gang have totally refurbished it. (Totally=100%!). The front of the building is truly beautiful - automatic glass doors looking out on to the main street. You can see as well as hear the people worshipping as you walk by! The service was amazing - great music and a packed church! They were so receptive and were challenged by what the Lord put on our hearts to say. Well done Aberdeen .. you guys are doing brilliant.

* Big thanks to our agents Norman & Gillian - they have been working hard behid the scenes to get everything ready for itineray.

* AoG Weekend - September 8-10 in Aviemore. Great to see 600 people get together for a God weekend. Met almost everyone I wanted to meet in one go. It took mary over one hour to reach our table for the evening dinner... she was speaking to everyone (even the Lithuanian waitress!) What a girl. Phil Baker from Oz was speaker. Very funny and witty.

Example: How many men does it take to change the toilet roll?
Answer: Dunno, it's never been done!

* Dundee - We had to get an extremely early breakfast on Sunday so we could make the long trip to Dundee AoG. Lovely drive down the A9 ... breathtaking. Blessed by what God is doing with Des & Sharon in Dundee. So many new people meeting in the big hall. Many young people and different spirit there now. Encouraging.

* Camera - at last! I now have a new Canon Ixus 800IS camera. Lovely. Look out for some noce shots. Tested it out at my favourite place - Gardenstown (Gamrie for the uncultured). Look how beautiful this place is in pictures below!

* David & Wilma Flett - yesterday Mary's mumk & dad came down for Wick. Wilma is 60 today - Happy Birthday. She is now officially an OAP, but don't tell her! Had a good day but tomorrow we will celebrate with the whole family - family portrait, special meal etc. Roll on!

* TB Clinic - if I have to see that place one more time I will scream very loudly! We went through to Aberdeen on Friday afternoon for me and Mary's check up, through again on Monday for Lydia's test and through again today for Josiah's appointment. Why can't they realise that we are actually a family who live in the same house! We can actually organise ourselves to drive through together on the same day!!! But good news - Lydia has no TB and the Specialist is very happy with Josiah. Praise the Lord.

Well, that's us about up to date. One of these weeks I am going to get my act together and do a few blogs in a row! Don't believe me???

Crikey!

Crikey, it's me again!

Yesterday, I, like most of the world was absolutely shocked at the death of the great Australian conservationist and TV star Steve Irwin - The 'Crocodile Man'. What I cannot really believe is that this amazing guy works every day, face to face with huge crocodiles, venomous snakes, deadly comodo dragons ... as well as his fare share of lions & tigers.

And yet, what gets him in the end? A stingray. Stingray. A fish. A creature that has hardly ever kills anyone and is quite insignificant compared to the ferocious animals I have mentioned.

Quite a lesson for us. We can be facing huge 'giants' in our lives and even be successful in overcoming them. We can often overcome cancer, or unemployment, or the death of someone we love ... but sometimes the little stingray are the things that bring us down.

Remember David. It wasn't a lion that finished him off. The bear was no problem.. Even the giant could not stand in the presence of little David with his huge God.

It was a woman bathing. No giants around ... but that one glimpse brought pain, heartache and disaster into David's life, as well as his kids' and grandkids'' lives.

So today, keep fighting the giants in front of you, but keep your eyes on the small stingrays around you. But most of all, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus!

G'day ....