Signs of recovery

I missed writing my blog last week as I fell asleep on the sofa.  In my defence we did have a very busy weekend - Sport relief on Friday (OK so only watching it on TV but it was a late night!) then I worked on Saturday and we went to Wembley on Sunday, so no chance for a lie-in.

The weather was good all weekend and the day out at Wembley started so well.  Sunshine as we sat and ate our picnic outside the ground.  Good seats, vocal crowd, then the game started and less said about that the better.

Family day out

The cutting back of the apple tree seems to have given the tree new life (You were right Kate about miracles in nature).  God's amazing creations has shown that even when something seems dead, with the right care new life can be seen.  Not sure if the branches will bear fruit this year they look very small, but we can only wait and see.

Projects in progress (PIPs)

As we start the school holidays I have realised that I have lots of projects underway that need my attention this week.  I read on another blog recently about PIPs so I thought I would share with you what I have on the craft table at the moment:

Christmas Organisers x2 (some of my friends are more organised than I am and are chasing me up on these)

Easter Cards

April birthday cards

Bible verse crafts

Frames for Bible verse craft

Notice board

Menu planner

Teatime rota

However I have finished my new word for the month, which was changed over yesterday as we entered Holy Week, celebrating Palm Sunday.

I found some left over acetate to stick the letters onto this time.  I felt the symbols to replace the "A" and "T" really captured the meaning of Easter for us.  The A as an egg reminds of the new life that we have in Christ and as we open chocolate eggs next weekend we are reminded that the tomb was empty that first Easter, the promise of eternal life.  The naturally "T" lent itself to being the cross, the reminder that Christ died for our sins.

I will also make a new word for the remainder of April, but more of that later in the month.

Andy has started work on the new patio at the bottom of the garden and our organic plants have arrived ready for planting. So here a couple of shots of the bottom of the garden with its newly painted fence ready for further transformation.

Preparing for the patio

Waiting for the vegetables

That brings us to this week's Bible verse which is from 1 John chapter 5 verse 14:

This is the confidence we have in approaching God:

that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.



A timely reminder about prayer and the promise of his love for us.  I shall look forward to crafting this idea.

Our prayer as a family this week is that as the nation celebrates Easter with bank holidays and chocolate, something of the real message will reach out to our people.  May we, his children, show his love for the world around us so that others want to know more about the God in whom we trust.

With God's blessings from my family to yours, Jo x