Skip to main content

Plan the Diary

Hey my friends is it too late to say Happy New Year?! I guess it's a bit late..but it's still January! It's taken me a while to feel ready for a new year, but I think I'm there now - particularly excited to start to think plan and prepare for Real 2011! There's exciting news coming about our guest speaker; also about the theme I feel God's given me for us all. More soon!
In the meantime, please save the date! Friday evening 1st July and all day Saturday 2nd July. Get it in your plans, calendars, blackberries, whatever - but make it a "non negotiable". You need to be there - it's for you!

So Simon and I had "the talk" the other evening...not that talk...but the "Dates for 2011" talk. Mmmm... let's just say it finished far better than it started! Seems like I had thought it was more of an "event" than my significant other did - for him it was a task that needed to be done - can anyone relate?
Let me backtrack - we have a large white board..we write up all the days and months...and put in dates of preaching / conferences / holidays / trips away / meetings - all the commitments we already have for the year ahead. We put in the monthly prayer meetings / the special church dates and conferences. We talk about places we'd like to visit; conferences we'd like to go to; and Retreat days-away. We also (and this was the fun bit) plan for family breaks and two weekends a year where Simon and I go away together. No kids, no dog. It's fun, but not too fancy - often c/o Tesco vouchers or some other special offer, or the generosity of friends. Highly recommended!
Reality for us is, if we don't plan it now, it won't happen because our year will fill up with great and good things. So in prioritising these dates by putting them in first, the other great things have to fit around them.
Do it your way..plan your things, but why not have"the talk" (with your partner, family, friend or yourself) and get planning and prioritising.  Prioritise your time - so you do have time for the important things. Time for challenges and opportunities to grow in our faith. Time for people, for rest and relaxation.

Popular posts from this blog

Guest Blog: Esther in Indonesia

I'm delighted to welcome Esther Ross-Watson to my Blog today! She is a dearly loved member of our Kerith family. She and her late husband Michael served as missionaries for many years. Esther bravely made the decision to travel again, and she has recently returned from Indonesia. Here's her story:  Whilst Michael was on his last days on earth in August 2017 he received a request from the Island of Madura, Indonesia asking us to return to the town of Pamekasen, Madura, Indonesia where we had begun our Missions work in July 1973 exactly one year after we were married. They were keen to have us see what God had been doing in the years since we’d moved on and we excitedly said ‘Yes’ we will come!   Obviously that had to go on hold for a while because I didn’t feel I could, or even wanted to go alone! Anyway around March/April time 2018, I begun to feel a gentle nudging of the Holy Spirit urging me to think some more about it! It was like a feeling of wanting to know...
Read more

Our Living Hope

Not sure what happens with my blog...or me writing my blog! Can't believe I've been away from it for almost two months. Oh well, no condemnation! Let's pick it up and start again :) Yesterday was a great day in Church! I was so challenged and encouraged - I love Sundays and all the different ways God shows His love and who he is to us. Natalie Jones preached at both our morning meetings in Bracknell , she gave such a good message on generosity, be sure to catch it when the podcast comes on our website, but for now, watch a  summary of Natalie's preach At the 6pm meeting, we had Paul Manwaring sharing about culture : the 4 Gamechangers - again, a really challenging message to check out if you didn't get to hear it live. I wore my HOPE earrings yesterday - sometimes I deliberately  choose to wear them as a practical symbol that I am choosing HOPE - that I choose Jesus, I choose trust, I choose hope. I'm so glad I did, as throughout the day I felt God speak ...
Read more

3 Little Bottles

Thought I'd mix it up today and do something lighthearted here. I popped into town this morning (as an aside, anyone else still incredulous that "new Bracknell / The Lexicon is so great and that it's really here to stay?!)  Anyhow, I popped into town for a quick wander and bought 3 "essentials" I'd run out of, so I thought I'd share them with you - and of course I'd love to hear about your 3 recent essential purchases. 1 Contact lense solution I've worn glasses since Secondary school, and contact lenses since I left Uni. Gas permeables - great for me - slightly perilous in swimming pools / the sea / other people's sinks (£80 to replace). They work for me - and so a couple of bottles of solution each month keep me going.I ran out a couple of days ago, so it was £4.70 well spent for clean lenses and clear eyesight. 2. "Buffet" by The Ordinary This was a new one for me, a present I received last Christmas. I LOVE it and ca...
Read more