Back to the day job...

Well, the art exhibition has been taken down.  The silk paintings have been rolled up and packed away in their plastic sleeves and the frames dismantled and loaded ready to transport back to Anne's studio. 

If you've been reading my blog this week you'll know what an amazing fabulous time we've had. But like all amazing fabulous times this one couldn't last indefinitely.  The realities of life, the everyday sometimes hum drum routine has to be resumed at some point (certainly for the majority of us).

But life as the saying goes is what we make it. I was not looking forward to going back to work yesterday.  Don't get me wrong, I'm very fortunate.  I have some lovely work colleagues, some I consider have become friends. I work in a nice open plan office, at a comfortable desk with all the modern technological bits and pieces necessary for communication in this emailing, scanning, bespoke software programme world we  live in.  But, like a lot of people the thing which occupies me , 8-10 hours out of every day, 5 days out of 7, roughly 46 weeks a year is not what I'm passionate about.  It doesn't 'float my boat'.  It doesn't make me want to leap out of bed in the morning and shout 'Great - off to work I go!'

But that's OK.  Because I know it won't be forever. Nothing ever is in this world which is why I love this journey we call life.  You never know what is round the corner.  Sure, sometimes you run straight into  a whole load of hassle, heartache, worry and upset.  But then at other times, often at the most unexpected times life throws up a golden moment, a precious new friend, the answer to a prayer, or the long awaited answer to many.  This week has given many of us all of those things.  Thrilling, exciting and exhausting all at the same time!

And for me that is what Jesus meant when he said 'I have come to give them Life, and Life abundantly' (John 10v10).  I know a lot of people consider they have an abundant life without the need for God, without the need of spiritual input, with no reason to think they are missing out on anything.  But oh, how much richer life is when we share it with the one who created us.

The things I write here aren't out of theoretical, theological based, bible bashing knowledge.  They're born out of experiencing life - at times insisting on 'going it alone', thinking I have all the answers, being stubborn, proud, self seeking, greedy and at times cruel.  Thank God despite me giving up on him a few times he's never given up on me.  Now I'm finally in a place where I know whatever happens for the rest of my life here on this earth I won't be walking my path alone.  He will be with me all the way, as he always has been, but from now on I won't be compromising the promises he's given me, won't settle for less than an abundant life, whatever my circumstances.  

As I've said the things which have happened this week, the people I've met, the stories I've heard and the images of those pictures will all stay with me for a very long time.  I pray it will be the same for the 500+ people who also saw the pictures this week, who stopped for a coffee and chatted, or quietly slipped away without speaking to anyone. I pray this week will be a significant one for them all.

If you get the chance at any time to see any of Anne's work I would urge you to check out her website (see link on the right of this page) for details of any future exhibitions.  Or it may be you're feeling the call to think about staging an exhibition of your own.  It doesn't have to be in a church.  I know Anne has taken the paintings into all sorts of venues including schools, shopping centres, community centres. You can either contact Anne direct via her web page or send me an email and I'll pass on your details.

Anyway, I started off talking about the day job, which I'm going to be late for, again, if I don't get this finished! 
OK, the prospect of heading off to the office doesn't exactly fill me with the joys of spring but I am grateful to have a job.  I know for many it isn't the case at the moment so I do count my blessings. 

But a I said, this is what I love about life's journey.
It's a brand new day, stretching out before me and I may not know what is going to happen today but I do know I'm not heading off into it alone....................How exciting!

Whatever day you have my hope and prayer is it will be an abundant one.
God bless
Jules xx

Final, fabulous, amazing last day of the exhibition

I just wanted to quickly get something down this morning about the art exhibition (see previous posts this week).  We are having the most amazing, fantastic time here.  As I look up from my PC the main area is filled with people, some I recognise, some I've never met.  Some I'll never see again, others who will become life long friends. 
But all absorbed in the paintings, pausing in front of certain ones, asking questions about others, in some cases walking quietly past others.

Out in the welcome area we're set up like a coffee shop.  People are chatting, having a well earned rest. Meeting old freinds and new ones.

And laughing.  We have laughed so much this week........and cried.........and remembered........and all the spectrum of emotions in between.

And right in the heart of everything has been Jesus.   Laughing along with us, holding us as we've wept, sharing in our stories, bringing people together.

If you can get here today then do.  The artist is here and would love to meet you.  There's a warm welcome and everything is free.  If you can't come today then check out the link to Anne's web page on my list here and see if the exhibition or one of her others is coming to a venue near you.  I guaranttee it's worth the effort.

Need to get off here now as the place is heaving and I've got a coffee going cold (again!)

God bless
Jules xx

Easter

The sun is shining and it is a glorious day. I really must get out and enjoy this lovely weather but I’ve been ‘hooked’ by the IT bug this week.  I’ve recently managed to download the software so I can upload the photos from my phone.  Now I know to some people this sort of this is second nature but I have to learn by trial and error (more error than anything really) but eventually I usually get there. Having downloaded all my photos I’ve started to sort them into folders this morning, adding tags, dates and other bits of info.  I also discovered in Windows Gallery even though you’ve saved copies under ‘Pictures’ in different folders it’s not a good idea then to delete them out of the bit at the top where they’re stored in date order because they all magically disappear out of the folders you’ve just spent 2 hours lovingly creating!  Fortunately one of the first things I learnt to use was the ‘Restore’ function from the recycle bin........  J 

This is a fairly short post this morning because I am going to get myself out in this lovely sunshine.  But I wanted to take a few moments to remind everyone this is Easter Friday, or Good Friday to some. 

This long weekend off for many is just that, a time to unwind, meet up with friends, maybe to start getting down to some serious DIY or gardening. And that’s great, nothing wrong with that, lovely to spend time with those we love and I’ll certainly being that.  But for a huge number of people, including me, it’s the most important date in the Christian calendar.  This is the time of year when we especially celebrate the events at the heart of our faith.  The culmination of a time over 2000 years ago when a man named Jesus, after 33 years on this earth, fulfilled his divine mission.

Put very simply he obeyed his Father even though he knew it was going to be excruciatingly painful, he was going to be jeered at, spat upon, flogged and finally laid on a rough hewn piece of wood and massive 6” nails were going to be rammed home through his hands and feet.  Then he was going to be hoisted up and left to die.  That’s the events which are remembered today by thousands of Christians around the world.

And sadly totally ignored or dismissed by many more.

The most amazing thing is He went through all of that because of love.  Love for his father, love for all those around him and love for all those yet to be born; which is why those events over 2000 years ago are so completely relevant today because ‘those yet to be born’ is you and me.

If you’re thinking anything right now – why did he do it? did it really happen? what’s this got to do with me? I’m not really interested, or even ‘here she goes again’.........anything, any thoughts.

Then I urge you - explore them.  Grab a bible and read any of the gospels towards the end, ask a friend, google crucifixion – do something.

But don’t be one of the crowd who just ignores Him.         

Let him show you that this isn’t the end of the story, the chain of events - as they say in the movies ‘the most exciting bit comes next...................’

And if you’re anywhere near Bromham Baptist Church this Easter, or even if you’re not, come and gaze at his face.  Let Him give you the answers to your questions, let Him reveal himself to you through the pictures on display.......... (see earlier posts)

I’m off to enjoy the sunshine now.  Wherever you are and whatever you are doing have a wonderful, love filled break this Easter holiday.

Blessings

Jules xxx

Early morning

I've been woken the last two mornings by the dawn chorus which starts around 5am!  For those of you who have read some of my previous blogs you'll know I live on the the top floor of an old shoe factory.  I consciously don't have any curtains at any of my windows because I love natural light and with 3 huge Georgian sash windows in my bedroom and lounge I can't bear to shut out any hint of sunlight we might get, especially after a few grey, dull English winter days.


So as you can imagine with the onset of spring the birds are making the most of the early sunrise.  I'd forgotten how much noise they can make!  I'm sleeping with the window open now with the warmer nights ( and yep - still getting the hot flushes!) but there's something very special about laying awake that early, just listening to all the different beautiful bird calls and watching the sky slowly turn from deep inky blue through to a bright clean fresh almost blue/white in places as the world outside my window comes to life once again.  I listen for the first car or lorry - wondering where it's going, who's driving, are they going to work, or are they off on an adventure?  Will they have a good day, or is there something on the horizon they're dreading or don't even know is awaiting them?  It's a very precious, 'time all to myself' hour or so before I usually drift back into sleep before the alarm rudely awakens me again around 6.30am for work.


But not today! (work I mean).  Have been having a great time sorting out this blog, my twitter account and adding links etc (check out the side panel for twitter link). You can also email me clicking on my profile which would be great.  Please feel free to leave comments on this blog - I'm always interested in other peoples thoughts.


I'm off to see my family this morning then back to the Art exhibition later.  It's a real privilege to be involved in this amazing project and to meet the people coming to see the pictures and how they engage and react to them. 


Must get on otherwise won't get to my daughter's on time - but hey, whats new!!


My prayer for you is to have a great, uplifting, love filled, inspirational day wherever you are, whatever you're doing and whoever you are with.


God bless, as always
Jules xx

New Generation art exhibition

Well, the art exhibition has been taken down.  The silk paintings have been rolled up and packed away in their plastic sleeves and the frames dismantled and loaded ready to transport back to Anne's studio. 

If you've been reading my blog this week you'll know what an amazing fabulous time we've had. But like all amazing fabulous times this one couldn't last indefinitely.  The realities of life, the everyday sometimes hum drum routine has to be resumed at some point (certainly for the majority of us).

But life as the saying goes is what we make it. I was not looking forward to going back to work yesterday.  Don't get me wrong, I'm very fortunate.  I have some lovely work colleagues, some I consider have become friends. I work in a nice open plan office, at a comfortable desk with all the modern technological bits and pieces necessary for communication in this emailing, scanning, bespoke software programme world we  live in.  But, like a lot of people the thing which occupies me , 8-10 hours out of every day, 5 days out of 7, roughly 46 weeks a year is not what I'm passionate about.  It doesn't 'float my boat'.  It doesn't make me want to leap out of bed in the morning and shout 'Great - off to work I go!'

But that's OK.  Because I know it won't be forever. Nothing ever is in this world which is why I love this journey we call life.  You never know what is round the corner.  Sure, sometimes you run straight into  a whole load of hassle, heartache, worry and upset.  But then at other times, often at the most unexpected times life throws up a golden moment, a precious new friend, the answer to a prayer, or the long awaited answer to many.  This week has given many of us all of those things.  Thrilling, exciting and exhausting all at the same time!

And for me that is what Jesus meant when he said 'I have come to give them Life, and Life abundantly' (John 10v10).  I know a lot of people consider they have an abundant life without the need for God, without the need of spiritual input, with no reason to think they are missing out on anything.  But oh, how much richer life is when we share it with the one who created us.

The things I write here aren't out of theoretical, theological based, bible bashing knowledge.  They're born out of experiencing life - at times insisting on 'going it alone', thinking I have all the answers, being stubborn, proud, self seeking, greedy and at times cruel.  Thank God despite me giving up on him a few times he's never given up on me.  Now I'm finally in a place where I know whatever happens for the rest of my life here on this earth I won't be walking my path alone.  He will be with me all the way, as he always has been, but from now on I won't be compromising the promises he's given me, won't settle for less than an abundant life, whatever my circumstances.  

As I've said the things which have happened this week, the people I've met, the stories I've heard and the images of those pictures will all stay with me for a very long time.  I pray it will be the same for the 500+ people who also saw the pictures this week, who stopped for a coffee and chatted, or quietly slipped away without speaking to anyone. I pray this week will be a significant one for them all.

If you get the chance at any time to see any of Anne's work I would urge you to check out her website (see link on the right of this page) for details of any future exhibitions.  Or it may be you're feeling the call to think about staging an exhibition of your own.  It doesn't have to be in a church.  I know Anne has taken the paintings into all sorts of venues including schools, shopping centres, community centres. You can either contact Anne direct via her web page or send me an email and I'll pass on your details.

Anyway, I started off talking about the day job, which I'm going to be late for, again, if I don't get this finished! 
OK, the prospect of heading off to the office doesn't exactly fill me with the joys of spring but I am grateful to have a job.  I know for many it isn't the case at the moment so I do count my blessings. 

But a I said, this is what I love about life's journey.
It's a brand new day, stretching out before me and I may not know what is going to happen today but I do know I'm not heading off into it alone....................How exciting!

Whatever day you have my hope and prayer is it will be an abundant one.
God bless
Jules xx