Fishermans Net Revival Center LinkEvery Tuesday, no matter where in the world I am, I think of the Women's Group at Fisherman's Net Revival Center in Venice, Florida. On Wednesdays, I think of two women's groups; one in North Port, Florida and one in Farnham, England. As I said in "Parent's on the Move!" when you move to a new location, it's important to have a support team.
A Ministry group, men's or women's, is one of the most important support groups you can have.
And I don't mean groups that just get together to socialize; though that has value, these groups are also about growing in your faith and addressing the immediate concerns in your life. The group needs to be large enough to encourage people to use and develop their gifts, but small enough to enable trust and confidentiality.
Still, as I am thinking about women's ministry in particulary today and while the group in Venice (and thankfully North Port and Farnham, England) is growing, it is sad to say that this form of ministry is dying out in many parts of the world. We are just too busy, or feel it is not important enough to be on our weekly schedule. Maybe we associate these type of meetings with women who have nothing better to do. Nothing could be further from the truth! Praying women impact their families and communities, and pass on valuable information that is priceless for women living far from home. And if they are like my women's groups, they know how to email and facebook etc and pray for all your adventures. If you can't find one that suits your approach to Bible study and prayer, or even simply your schedule; why not consider starting a group?
This week I have posted two photos of the Fisherman's Net Revival Center in Venice Women's Group. I'm sending my love! Pastor Joy, your leadership in women's ministry is appreciated! You ladies are awesome!
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
Prayer for a new friend!
For years Gay Mallam, my business partner at Childtrack
(education consultancy for financial community families in London) and I would pray for our "client-kids" to have a new friend on the first day of school. We prayed they would have someone to sit with at lunch, and someone to befriend them on the playground. Sometimes a quiet phone call would be made to the new school, just to check that the new school staff would be sensitive to "our kids" needs. As consultants, we could get away with this and protect the mother from looking over anxious.
No matter how old you are or sophisticated you have become, you need a new friend when you land in a new place. As a "prayer mom" who has retired from the City, my desire is to be a support for relcating families in a new and equally exciting way. Through the book I have written, Parents on the Move! you will see just how we successfully organised one week survey trips to locate that new school for the kids and worked with the best realtors/estate agents.
And we still pray. Today I am praying for a South African investment banker who has left Canary Wharf (only one?) and is starting his new job, and for a young English/Russian woman who is moving soon to Australia. Join me in praying that they have Father God's favour as they start work in their new location, and even for a friend or two for coffee, lunch, or someone to just show them the ropes!
(education consultancy for financial community families in London) and I would pray for our "client-kids" to have a new friend on the first day of school. We prayed they would have someone to sit with at lunch, and someone to befriend them on the playground. Sometimes a quiet phone call would be made to the new school, just to check that the new school staff would be sensitive to "our kids" needs. As consultants, we could get away with this and protect the mother from looking over anxious.
No matter how old you are or sophisticated you have become, you need a new friend when you land in a new place. As a "prayer mom" who has retired from the City, my desire is to be a support for relcating families in a new and equally exciting way. Through the book I have written, Parents on the Move! you will see just how we successfully organised one week survey trips to locate that new school for the kids and worked with the best realtors/estate agents.
And we still pray. Today I am praying for a South African investment banker who has left Canary Wharf (only one?) and is starting his new job, and for a young English/Russian woman who is moving soon to Australia. Join me in praying that they have Father God's favour as they start work in their new location, and even for a friend or two for coffee, lunch, or someone to just show them the ropes!
Friday, 15 January 2010
Freedom to Believe
It is always difficult to lose a family member, no matter how old and infirm they might be. Moments after arriving back in the UK my daughter sent me a text message that "granddad's not well," and that she would call me when they got home from church. By the time we spoke, her grandfather had passed away.
With all the snow, funeral arrangements have apparently been a challenge as many members of the family will need to travel quite a distance to get down to the "West Country" of England, Cornwall. My children's cousins have lived in Saudia Arabia for a number of years, but are now attending UK universities or working so all the "grandkids" will meet up. Funerals and Weddings as it is said, bring families together.
English funerals are very private affairs, unless you are royalty or well known for some other reason. There is no tradition of simply showing up to pay your respects. Ex-wives are thoroughly NOT welcome at this funeral, and that means that I and my former sister in law, who is still living in Saudia Arabia will not be attending. We had a good skype chat about it today.
Skype is such a gift to global families. You download it for free and then you "telephone" via your laptop (with built in microphone) for free. It is one of the most worthwhile things to sign up for if you are considering moving out of state or overseas and intend to stay in touch with family. It means you can have more than a brief expensive chat. You can really talk. And write each other notes while you are talking; in our case, updating the kids contact details.
As the family prepares to fly in/drive/travel via train etc to remember a man who was a great challenge to family life and someone who spent much energy on mocking Christians, it is my hope that we all remember that we never know if someone called on the Father of us all, in Jesus's name at the last minute. What we do know is that God is gracious and if He remembered our transgressions, who would stand?
Celebrate Religeous Freedom Day on the 16th of January!
May you have a blessed weekend and remember to have a Sabbath Rest! Good Lord willing, see you Monday.
With all the snow, funeral arrangements have apparently been a challenge as many members of the family will need to travel quite a distance to get down to the "West Country" of England, Cornwall. My children's cousins have lived in Saudia Arabia for a number of years, but are now attending UK universities or working so all the "grandkids" will meet up. Funerals and Weddings as it is said, bring families together.
English funerals are very private affairs, unless you are royalty or well known for some other reason. There is no tradition of simply showing up to pay your respects. Ex-wives are thoroughly NOT welcome at this funeral, and that means that I and my former sister in law, who is still living in Saudia Arabia will not be attending. We had a good skype chat about it today.
Skype is such a gift to global families. You download it for free and then you "telephone" via your laptop (with built in microphone) for free. It is one of the most worthwhile things to sign up for if you are considering moving out of state or overseas and intend to stay in touch with family. It means you can have more than a brief expensive chat. You can really talk. And write each other notes while you are talking; in our case, updating the kids contact details.
As the family prepares to fly in/drive/travel via train etc to remember a man who was a great challenge to family life and someone who spent much energy on mocking Christians, it is my hope that we all remember that we never know if someone called on the Father of us all, in Jesus's name at the last minute. What we do know is that God is gracious and if He remembered our transgressions, who would stand?
Celebrate Religeous Freedom Day on the 16th of January!
May you have a blessed weekend and remember to have a Sabbath Rest! Good Lord willing, see you Monday.
Monday, 11 January 2010
Back in England
We left the cold but sunny Italy and flew into the snowiest England I have ever seen, and I have been living overseas in the UK for thirty years! We will have to add photos to this blog or even I won't believe what I am seeing out my window.
This weather makes me think of baking to warm up the kitchen on a winter day. On Saturdays I love to make either waffles or pancakes and this past Saturday was no exception, except that my step-daughter is absolutley a Level Six when it comes to her kitchen and cooking in general. This meant that everything was geared up to Italian ways and means....a beautiful Italian designed scale on the counter but no American measureing cups or spoons. Not even English measuring equipment and she is English! Thankfully my husband knows how to convert Italian to English to American recipes and I could work backwards from the Better Homes and Gardens recipe I found on the internet. I give thanks that we do not have to lug around cook books these days!
So....blueberry pancakes it was and today I am thinking about chocolate chips cookies, and my Level Four kitchen is all prepared! Just the thing to match up with hot chocolate and marshmallows after a lunch time of playing in this amazing snow that looks more like Colorado than England!
If you want to know more about Levels of Livng or Moving to another country, remember to order my book "Parents on the Move!" which is coming out in March, from Destiny Image Europe. As we start to build the website to accompany the book, you will also see weblinks to great cooking sites.
Blessings, Kathleen
This weather makes me think of baking to warm up the kitchen on a winter day. On Saturdays I love to make either waffles or pancakes and this past Saturday was no exception, except that my step-daughter is absolutley a Level Six when it comes to her kitchen and cooking in general. This meant that everything was geared up to Italian ways and means....a beautiful Italian designed scale on the counter but no American measureing cups or spoons. Not even English measuring equipment and she is English! Thankfully my husband knows how to convert Italian to English to American recipes and I could work backwards from the Better Homes and Gardens recipe I found on the internet. I give thanks that we do not have to lug around cook books these days!
So....blueberry pancakes it was and today I am thinking about chocolate chips cookies, and my Level Four kitchen is all prepared! Just the thing to match up with hot chocolate and marshmallows after a lunch time of playing in this amazing snow that looks more like Colorado than England!
If you want to know more about Levels of Livng or Moving to another country, remember to order my book "Parents on the Move!" which is coming out in March, from Destiny Image Europe. As we start to build the website to accompany the book, you will also see weblinks to great cooking sites.
Blessings, Kathleen
Friday, 8 January 2010
Christmas in Italy
If you ever want to know how much freedom you have lost with regard to celebrating Christmas, come to Italy! On every corner there is a miniture or even life sized nativity scene. Each store window is beautifully dressed, and ancient lanes provide surprises of donkeys and hay and parts of the Christmas story written on the wall for passers-by to stop and recall each step of this lovely story of the birth of Christ.
And it doesn't all happen on one day. Yesterday was 6 th of January....or, in other words, the visit of the Maji. We walked into the historic part of the town and it wasn't just the baby's eyes that lit up when we saw the lights in the town square.
Three elders of the town were dressed as "wise men" and they led a procession from one corner of the square to where "King Herod" was standing on some steps. At this point the story was told of how Herod wanted to go and kill all the "little boys!" which sent the boys delightfully screaming and running to hide behind parents.
From there we all prossessed into the church, with the priest continuing the story. By the altar sat "Mary and Joseph" (young parents with newborn dressed in swaddling clothes- well, a blue cloth) who told a little of what it was like to be "new parents." Then the older children were given the opportunity to ask the wise men a question or two. The first question was "Do you like being a maji!" Lots of laughter, family milling around talking (even on mobile phones) and then sweets handed out.
It wasn't too long before a "witch" arrived to distract the children and handed out more sweets/candy....and we had to think....where did that come from in the story!
And it doesn't all happen on one day. Yesterday was 6 th of January....or, in other words, the visit of the Maji. We walked into the historic part of the town and it wasn't just the baby's eyes that lit up when we saw the lights in the town square.
Three elders of the town were dressed as "wise men" and they led a procession from one corner of the square to where "King Herod" was standing on some steps. At this point the story was told of how Herod wanted to go and kill all the "little boys!" which sent the boys delightfully screaming and running to hide behind parents.
From there we all prossessed into the church, with the priest continuing the story. By the altar sat "Mary and Joseph" (young parents with newborn dressed in swaddling clothes- well, a blue cloth) who told a little of what it was like to be "new parents." Then the older children were given the opportunity to ask the wise men a question or two. The first question was "Do you like being a maji!" Lots of laughter, family milling around talking (even on mobile phones) and then sweets handed out.
It wasn't too long before a "witch" arrived to distract the children and handed out more sweets/candy....and we had to think....where did that come from in the story!
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
Coffee in Italy
Coffee in Italy is what tea is to England. It is taken seriously. Giovanni, my step-son in law says that coffee made the Italian way is the only thing he needs when travelling out of Italy. He has never found it properly made (out of Italy) and that is mostly due to the way the stove tops are made. You need a gas stove with specially shaped "ring" to fit the small metal coffee maker.
On our past visits I have learned about the paraphenalia that goes with expresso and started learning the fine art of making it myself.On this trip I am undertaking actually making it for Giovanni as part of my supporting this new dad as he and Alison care for baby Daniel. So far, my coffee making has been labelled "OK" and at least he has been kind enough to drink it!
If you are living at Level 6 in Italy expresso is enjoyed all day...but capuccino only up until 11 am! Expats living here who venture to have a cappuccino after lunch in a restaurant risk the raised eyebrows. I think we will stick with the expresso with its iconic stove top coffee maker. French press coffee makers and Mr Coffee are not needed and not insight!
On our past visits I have learned about the paraphenalia that goes with expresso and started learning the fine art of making it myself.On this trip I am undertaking actually making it for Giovanni as part of my supporting this new dad as he and Alison care for baby Daniel. So far, my coffee making has been labelled "OK" and at least he has been kind enough to drink it!
If you are living at Level 6 in Italy expresso is enjoyed all day...but capuccino only up until 11 am! Expats living here who venture to have a cappuccino after lunch in a restaurant risk the raised eyebrows. I think we will stick with the expresso with its iconic stove top coffee maker. French press coffee makers and Mr Coffee are not needed and not insight!
Tuesday, 5 January 2010
Travelling to Ancona
According to my step-daughter Alison, Italians often clap when the plane lands, but even the English and this American clapped this morning when the Ryan Air pilot managed to find his way (yes, praise God there are instruments) through the fog and over the oil refinery...having slopped down from the alps and across a very misty, foggy Adriatic Sea...to a smoothe landing.
I know I am a step granny (Granny Smith) and not a biological granny to Daniel, but my heart just melted when I saw him at Arrivals with his American flag baby cap. Blending multiple-passport famiies has its challenges but also amazing joys.
We had so much we wanted to bring for this new grandchild, so it is easy to complain about only being allowed one carry on bag (as part of your flight price) but travelling this light also makes the journey much less stressful. Still, most of Chris's bag was loaded with baby toys and clothes that we had picked up in the States and the UK.
Having family provide all we couldn't pack (extra winter clothes, bath robes etc) is much appreciated. It makes me think about the challenge a young family faces with all the much needed baby items. I'll start scouting around for high chairs, car seats and whatever is needed when the Italian-English part of the family visit the states!
We give thanks for this time together.
I know I am a step granny (Granny Smith) and not a biological granny to Daniel, but my heart just melted when I saw him at Arrivals with his American flag baby cap. Blending multiple-passport famiies has its challenges but also amazing joys.
We had so much we wanted to bring for this new grandchild, so it is easy to complain about only being allowed one carry on bag (as part of your flight price) but travelling this light also makes the journey much less stressful. Still, most of Chris's bag was loaded with baby toys and clothes that we had picked up in the States and the UK.
Having family provide all we couldn't pack (extra winter clothes, bath robes etc) is much appreciated. It makes me think about the challenge a young family faces with all the much needed baby items. I'll start scouting around for high chairs, car seats and whatever is needed when the Italian-English part of the family visit the states!
We give thanks for this time together.
Monday, 4 January 2010
Global grandparenting!
Happy New Year! May you and your family be blessed in 2010.
This blog is just getting started and tomorrow morning Chris and I are off to Italy to see our recently arrived Italian-English grandson. Daniel is Chris's first grandson living in a country other than the UK; and I think we need to put Jo Parfitt's new book ,"Global Grandparenting," at the top of our reading list.
Main Event for 2010: Families in Global Transition Conference in Houston Texas
March 4-6
Check the link on this blog below!
Up EARLY in the morning to get the EARLY flight out of Stansted.
Chow!
This blog is just getting started and tomorrow morning Chris and I are off to Italy to see our recently arrived Italian-English grandson. Daniel is Chris's first grandson living in a country other than the UK; and I think we need to put Jo Parfitt's new book ,"Global Grandparenting," at the top of our reading list.
Main Event for 2010: Families in Global Transition Conference in Houston Texas
March 4-6
Check the link on this blog below!
Up EARLY in the morning to get the EARLY flight out of Stansted.
Chow!
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