✝️UK Christian Mum✝️

Life is busy with work, an 11 year old daughter and a 7 year old son. I'm increasingly finding ways to praise God during my everyday life and trusting in Him to guide me through.

[xpressobn]

[xpressobn]

[xpressobn]

[xpressobn]

[xpressobn]

[xpressobn]

One of those days.

You think you're having a good one as you brave your son's bedroom, tidy it, change the bed covers and manage your daughter's high sleeper with it's collection of over 100 cuddly toys. (yes we counted them, and wrote them all down on a register at one point!)

You're feeling good when you at last relax in a bath with no one else in the house for the first time in over 5 months. (I have bathed in the last 5 months but there's something different when there's no one else around, a deeper sense of relaxation).

Somehow you still manage to get brought down when your husband wants to check whether I put my son's favourite breakfast product on the shopping list or not on Sunday. Who cares? He does apparently and not about to let it lie. I was wrong. For the first time in months, I did not write breakfast products on the shopping list. So we obviously didn't need them this week despite rhem having been on the list every week beforehand.

Sigh!

At least through my faith and my spiritual journey I have learnt to not dwell or let other peoples opinions or hurtful chatter bother me. It does sadden me that it's my husband that I have to rise above. Unfortunately, this is what depression can do to him. I don't take his outbursts personally anymore but an apology or acknowledgement that it was all ridiculous would go in the right direction occasionally.

[xpressobn]

[xpressobn]

Today was the day my son went back to school. He's been looking forward to this day for so long. It's his first day back since March and he needed to go. He needs to talk to people his own age. Lockdown was particularly tough for him. Me, my husband and even my daughter carry friends around in our pocket and we probably take for granted the contact with friends we get from social media. It's not the same as having a proper catch up in the pub or over a coffee but it is a form of communication with people you like.

My son at the age of 7 doesn't have his own mobile. He gas no need for one but it has meant that he has craved social interaction. The highlight of his weeks have been zoom church as there are people. No one else his age but people to talk to and show an interest in his recent lego model for example. I am so thankful for our congregations patience. Some members saying it is one of their highlights every week.

Hopefully he'll continue to want that contact as well even though now he's got his friends back.

Now we are all back to work and school however our health is in God's hands. As it always is but the risk and worry is greater now. Stay safe everyone

[xpressobn]

[xpressobn]

We've had a lovely day spending time with my parents today. They live on a narrow boat. We had a lovely walk on the tow path, enjoyed wild growing fruit like blackberries and then had a bbq tea together. The current pandemic has made all these things that I took for granted really special.

Thank you Lord for family, for the beautiful wildlife and for the simple act of sharing food with others.

[xpressobn]

[xpressobn]

It's a bank holiday weekend here in the UK. It's the first August Bank Holiday that we've not been away camping for a very long time. I had hoped that it would give me an opportunity to join in the parish walk which goes to all the churches in our parish but we didn't manage to join that owing to it starting earlier than practical to get out and then not knowing the route to catch up with them. I'm quite sad by this as it was the first opportunity to get together for worship that we've had since March.

Unfortunately I am finding it difficult to express this disappointment in a way that feels right.

In fact my whole writing mojo seems to have left me at the moment. Hopefully I'll bounce back soon, with God's grace and guidance

[xpressobn]

[xpressobn]

Todays challenge: one of my daughter's school friends had been in contact with at least one, maybe four, young men around the age of 17. Just to remind you, my daughter is 11. Her "friend" had been pretending to be 19.

We'd discussed this ridiculous behaviour yesterday once I found out. Which happened accidentally as I went to meet my daughter and the next door neighbours daughter off the bus as neither of them had coats and it was raining really hard. They both walked back with the girl who'd been talking to these boys and she was showing off the picture of one of them to my daughter and the next door neighbours daughter.

I asked my daughter about it later and she told us what this girl had been doing. I asked my daughter what she thought of this behaviour and my daughter thought it was silly. We agreed that at the very least the boys would figure out she's not 19 and not be very happy or it could be worse and they could really want to hurt this girl. I didn't go into any further detail. I didn't know the girls mum well enough to let her know what was going on so I left it at that.

Later today my next door neighbour came round, I'd taken a parcel in for her, and asked if I'd heard what had been going on. She'd told me there was a "secret" WhatsApp group and the girl had been asking for advice about what college to say she was going to etc. This was news to me so I thought I'd best check it out. My next door neighbour had also told the girls mum.

It's then that it occurred to me that I should have discussed this with my next door neighbour last night. I really do need to think of the whole situation and not just my little bit. I'm hopeful, as my daughter reassures me that she was in the group but only said Hi and didn't get involved and has since left the group that this issue is over but not even one whole week of senior school and we're already dealing with some potentially big issues I need alm the help I can get.

I want to thank God for giving me the strength, the calmness and the understanding to have dealt with this situation in a reasonable way. Going forward I ask for the insight on how I can help others affected by these issues.

[xpressobn]

[xpressobn]

Tiring day here. My 7 year old son helped me clean the bathroom which was great and hugely rewarding. Later on he flew into a rage about cheese not being in a sauce as a sauce was liquid and cheese is solid. I'll never understand the mind of a 7 year old boy!

Meanwhile my 11 year old daughter who has just started secondary school got annoyed with me and my hubby for checking that everything is OK with her friends.

Parenting is a fine line of being there but not doing it for them. I only have 2 kids. When I think of Our Heavenly Father and how he perfectly moulds all our lives to His plan I am awed.

[xpressobn]