Gentle Fullness…

Has it only been two months? Have I finally done an update on schedule?? We’ll see…

Well! The past few months have also been quite full, but I sometimes wonder with what??  The pace of life being back in England is far different than that which I’ve lived for the previous five years, even if we’re not counting the re-emergence of life from a global pandemic!

I am still finding that change of pace an adjustment and find that although compared to many people I have a fairly ‘relaxed’ schedule (c’mon, I get to play with a 2yr old as ‘work’…), I still find it very full!  But generally, full of really good things!!

For the most part, April and May have consisted of fairly ‘normal’ life, moving between my days with Lara & Becky to overseeing the final weeks of this year’s Ancient Pathway’s course and beginning to think about next year’s course; continuing involvement with our European ‘Touchpoint’ Zoom sessions; helping refresh the Prayer Room for a new season, etc.

ducklings at the nearby Broadwater Park 

Lara instructing Bunny on sliding...

showing how it's done!

a watcher as I watch, from my favourite spot at Waverley

Montague (Monty) applying the 5 second rule for seats...

Lara and her "Crew" chilling at home...

For Easter I suddenly remembered that I’m only a 2hr drive from my Aunt’s, so with fairly short notice ‘bolted’ up to Essex to spend a lovely Easter weekend in the sunshine, enjoying family and friends as they enjoyed their annual “Cottage Egg Hunt”.  

the bluebell wood near my Aunt's coming into bloom

my niece Rosie's "Easter Bonnet"!!

Mini watching over the festivities...

Barely a week and a half later, I then had my Dad arrive for 10 days, during which we (finally!) headed off on our much delayed “Cotswold Way Tour”!  The Cotswold Way is quite a famous long-distance walking trail through a beautiful region of the UK, which my Dad & I had planned to hike back in the spring of 2020…as with everything else that spring it got “bumped” until 2021…by which time I was leaving Germany and heading to Canada for the summer so it got “bumped” again…so this spring we were determined to “tick it off our list” and managed to have a lovely time!

Unfortunately, about three days before he arrived, my Dad had managed to “tweak” his ankle…not quite a sprain but something which definitely interfered with long-distance hiking, so our ‘hardcore 50 mile hike’ became more of a gentle ‘Driving Tour with Walks along the Cotswold Way’…which in the end probably turned out far more enjoyable as we were actually able to enjoy the places we did walk, and we were able to explore far more of the area than we would have if we were continually trying to “hit the next mark” on the trail!  It also meant that we were able to spend a few days based in Cheltenham with my friends Graeme & Hannah McClelland, who help lead the Cheltenham House of Prayer.  It also meant that we could be flexible enough to take a detour out of the Cotswolds for a quick overnight stop in the Malvern Hills with my 2nd cousin Mary, which was LOVELY!!  (I have seen Mary more in the last 3 months than in the previous 8 or 9 years, and each time I ‘fall in love’ with her all over!!!)

Dad in my favourite spot at Waverley Abbey House, looking across to the ruins from the Prayer Garden

Dad nonchalantly enjoying the wisteria in Broadway

Beautiful view near Dursley

My dad, cousin Mary and I in the Malvern Hills

our traditional attempt at a "Selfie"...as successful as usual...

We finished our time together by me dropping him at my Aunt’s for a few days before he flew home, which meant I got another flying visit to The Cottage, which I’ll never turn down!

Mini enjoying the patio garden

After he left, I was left realising that it was already mid-May, and now the anniversary of my departure last year from Germany…which definitely carries a bittersweet ‘tang’ with the thought.  I am so very glad to be where I am, involved with Waverley Abbey House (some VERY interesting, incredibly exciting possibilities in the offing, but nothing that can be advertised yet…but I may be able to move back into the big house come the autumn…), with the Seed Community and how we’re continuing to grow and develop, getting to reconnect with Emmaus Rd Church, with Chris & Becky, being within easy reach of and regular visits to my Aunt’s again…there are so many things I’m grateful for in being back in the UK.  But I still miss Germany and my polylux family there IMMENSELY.  I miss the friendships, the community of Datzeberg friends and neighbours, the slower, more gentle pace of life, my beautiful little flat with it’s wonderful Balkon, and so many things…BUT, in the coming weeks I will both receive a visit FROM some of those friends (the wonderful Zaddach’s are coming THIS WEEKEND to visit) as well as getting a visit TO polylux, the Datzeberg and Neubrandenburg at the end of June.  It’s a bit of a flying visit, as I’m really just tagging along on a “Check In” visit with Ian Nicholson for 24-7 Prayer, but I’ve managed to add 2 extra days, so I will take what I can get!!

I can NOT believe that we’re almost into summer (regardless of how confused the weather might be!), and I’m definitely aware that my ‘pace’ doesn’t look like slowing down particularly anytime soon…but again, it’s all filled with GOOD things (the polylux visit, a trip to our Loretto Movement friends in Vienna in July, helping with events and happenings at Waverley, Lara & Becky, and hopefully a week or two “holiday time” with my Aunt in August), so hopefully I’ll be able to balance it with quiet days and manage a few catch-ups with friends closer to home, too!

Thank you for continuing to ‘journey’ with me, and for reading this far!!  

Till next time!