Cardiff Cashier Kindness!

The cashiers of Cardiff were on form today - at least 2 were above the average levels of friendliness!

My favourite one was in Boots, I found it quite touching!

Me: purchasing Halls Soothers.
Cashier: Looking at my purchase of choice "Sore throat?"
Me: "A little bit, yeah"
Cashier: Genuine sympathy "Aww, I hate having a sore throat, can't get rid of them!"
The purchase is made, cash exchanged etc.
Me: "Thanks, bye!"
Cashier: "Hope you feel better soon!"

How kind!!! Hooray for Cardiff cashiers!

My crazy, crazy friend Alison Williams

This week we officially said goodbye to our Team Leader and friend Alison Williams. She isn't leaving quite yet...but since we got into the farewell mindset I thought I would write some reflections on here now.

Well, I say write...actually I just want to show you some photos...there are some things words can't even get close to describing!

 

One of my favourite things about our Team Days together is how we just laughed and laughed....and laughed....and laughed some more!

 

Thanks Al - we're going to miss you!!!

Thai Stationary: RE-VISITED! (part 2 - coming to join in my wonderful!)

For some reason there is a whole range of milk themed stationary...here are some of my favourites in the writing-paper range:

Thai Stationary: RE-VISITED! (part 1 - Let's listen to our piano voices!)

It's been a while since I shared any Thai stationary with you. I thought it was time...

Folder - 'Let's listen to our piano voices'
Pencil-case - 'Thread gently on the earth'

 Writing paper - 'Pigi and Pogi: We are mini pig!'

 

Beauty in the Breakdown

"So let go, let go, jump in,what you waiting for?It's alright,
'cause there's beauty in the breakdown.
let go, let go, just get in
Oh, it's so amazing here.
It's alright,'cause there's beauty in the breakdown."

- Frou Frou (Imogen Heap), Let Go

For the Christian there's beauty in the breakdown.

 How else do I grow? 

 To break down is to move forward. 
In my brokenness to find His strength - there is no greater privilege. 

 'Let me learn by paradox that the way down is the way up, 

that to be low is to be high, 

that the broken heart is the healed heart, 

that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit, 

that the repenting soul is the victorious soul, 

that to have nothing is to possess all, 

that to bear the cross is to wear the crown, 

that to give is to receive, 

that the valley is the place of vision.'

- Valley of Vision  

 Beauty in the breakdown.

"Love it will not betray you, dismay or enslave you,
It will set you free,
Be more like the man you were made to be.
There is a design, an alignment, a cry,
Of my heart to see,
The beauty of love as it was made to be"

- 'Sigh no more', Mumford and Sons 

Word Search

It's been a long time since these thoughts got dressed in ink and stepped out onto the page.

It's easier inside my head; thoughts unbound by words and ink. But clarity often comes only through the hard work of forming sentences and paragraphs, committing them to the page and exposing them to the light of Scripture. Thoughts can be evasive. Left to themselves they hide in the shadows. And weariness within me whispers 'leave them there'.

But in this broken, feeble act of chasing thoughts I am brought low. Effort fails, words slip out of reach, and my head is lifted.

There is Light.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
 John 1:1-5