A Collection of Plates - Coffee & Conversation

Well it was time to Declutter!


A kind of favourite saying of mine is

A Place for Everything & Everything in it's Place

which sometimes just invokes a smile from Fred or other times a laugh from the kids.

Of course you may have seen me write about that phrase before in A Place for Everything  and in  Everything in it's Place?

But why would they smile or laugh at me?

You see I have been known to collect things.

Yes in the past I have collected:

• Plates
• Books
• Magnets
• Anything to do with Arks
• Dvds
• Teddy Bears
• Jig Saws
• Wedgewood Pottery
• Aynsley China
• Scrapbooking items
• Notebooks

and the list could go on...........


In the last few years I made a decision on the plates

THEY had to GO!

I had collected plates from all of the States we had visited in America and there were quite a few between Fred travelling there for his work and then us living there for 3 years.

I decided to keep 1  -  the first one Fred had ever brought back from a work trip and it was from Delaware but the fact that we later ended up living in Delaware made it extra special.


However I didn't just get rid of the rest of them easily, it took a bit of time and as I went through them I set some aside to think about and finally had these 4 that I thought the kids might want me to keep from very special trips we had made.

You have to take into consideration the fact that they are no longer kids but are all in their 30's now but their reactions were "no - get rid of them all" - why did I ever think they might still be interested in these?

Obviously I am far too sentimental!

So Fred made a trip down the hill from where we live to the nearest charity shop and gave them the rest of my collection of plates from America.

only kidding there were not that many - maybe a bit more than half of that!


There had been a small amount of small plates from around the UK as well but after this they went too.  It was a little while later but the decision was easier to make because I knew I had made the right decision about the larger ones.

The right decision has to be made.

In Philippians chapter 4 we are told to think on things that have a good value to them and obviously forget the rest.

Spending our time on these things is important and not cluttering it up with the unimportant or unworthy things that will not bring us peace and help us rejoice as is written of in the verses leading up to verse 8.

It's a decision that has to be made.

Gotta get rid of the ones that clutter up our minds and don't leave room for the good things  because it is much better for us to dwell on the good things.

Which Way Will You Go? - A Dose of Encouragement

Today I want to tell you about another picture God once gave me.

Imagine a wide, very wide set of stairs.  

On the left-hand side a narrow section has a set of footprints going up the stairs. 

The rest of the staircase is full of lots of footprints coming down the stairs side by side. 

Can you picture it?  


It definitely appears to be easier to come down those stairs than to go up, because of the wider space and because there is the feeling of lots of others coming down with you.  

You’ll probably get caught in with the crowd and almost helped down in the crush.  

Will there be any help from others to go up though?

Those going up will be few and far between and going slowly because they will have to go against the flow of the crowds descending.  

One thing is certain;

 you have to make the decision to either go up or down on the stairs.

         

This is how many Christians feel at certain times in their walk in life. 
They have decided to go on this upward journey and they know that they are going against the main stream of people in this world.

Going down would be easier.
So many others in the world ready to encourage and help along the way.
We wouldn't have to consciously keep our mind and body alert, it would be a simple carefree journey down.

The footsteps leading up the stairs are like Christ’s steps, as we follow them we will be following His example and not following the crowd’s steps. 

                    “Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example,

                   that you should follow in His steps.” 1 Peter 2 v 21.    (RSV)

You may think it will be a lonely journey going up with no person by your side. 
Sometimes it feels like there just isn't room for anyone else to go in that direction beside you.  

Yet there is someone who wants to go up with you. 

The Holy Spirit wants to guide you and help you along.
  
The Holy Spirit’s power will help you up those stairs even when the natural reaction would be to give in and not endure the loneliness you feel.

So we each have to make the decision for ourselves.

  

Which way will we go on the stairs?  

Once we do our part in starting the upward climb, God does the leading each step of the way.

“A man's mind plans his way but the Lord directs his steps.”    

                                                          Proverbs 16 v 9.    (RSV) 

                                                         

Then we should be aiming at all times in the future to be able to tell the Lord that we have not left His way up the steps for the wider descent. 

Also we must be an encouragement to others to continue in the right path.

           

         
       So let’s get going in the right direction and persevere on the journey.

                                               

Daddy ........ Chips??? Decision Time - A Dose of Encouragement

Decisions, decisions, decisions!!!

Who likes to have to make them? there must be someone?

Several years ago there was a television ad in the UK for McCain oven chips

Daddy ........ Chips?

Our family loved it and forever, yes even still now we go "Daddy.......chips", when there are two things we would like but have to make the decision between the two.  It's our way of saying this is very tricky as we really like or want to do both and a sort of plea of

Do we have to decide?

Oh why can't things be simple we often say. Sometimes I am heard to complain why do things all happen together, why can't we have events spaced out more? Why does one week have to be very busy and the next one relatively free?

Why is it that when you want to go away for a while there will be something just have to occur in the middle of that time frame?

One month we were so busy and made several trips back to our birth town of Londonderry each just for a few days but for several months before that we weren't back there at all.  Then I saw the clippers were coming into Londonderry at the end of that month but just felt that we couldn't really justify the 2 hour journey each way to go back yet again.

Sad to say we missed a really great event.

Sometimes I like to make the effort to do different things even if they are sort of smaller things but may turn out to be quite enjoyable.

The first Sunday of the this month we went to Belfast to have lunch there with our son Daniel and then went on into the city centre to see the street theatre the circus school were organising. Fred was a bit dubious but I assured him we would have a relaxing time and be entertained. Well he enjoyed it - I could tell by how he clapped and laughed.

Now do we mention the restaurant or not?

Daniel says it is what you call modern /cool but I didn't think it was either. The food was okay, but I think that if I am paying to go somewhere and eat that I want nice surroundings and comfortable seats. I really don't want to be in a room where they have mismatched, chairs, plates etc.
Okay so I'm not cool!

We didn't have time to sample their coffee however and as it was an Italian place 

the coffee could have made a big difference.

I would have liked to have been able to go back to Belfast each Sunday afternoon this month and enjoy the Street Theatre & I am hoping for good weather.

But  

It did make our Sunday rather busy with Church in the morning, driving to Belfast, lunch, street theatres, driving home again, preparation for the music for church in the evening and then church itself again.

However 

Every day can be busy and we need to remember to keep time in each of those days for God

                    especially on Sunday

                                        but not just on Sunday

And 

That is often where we have to make another of those  Daddy ........ Chips? decisions

Bible Reading & Prayer  ....... TV, Book, Tidy up etc.

I know for some people first thing in the morning is just not the suitable time for us to read and pray regularly so some other time in the day needs to be found.
This is also not always easy with busy homes, families, work schedules and we are often left feeling tired, too busy ..... and it is so tempting to go for the Chips decision - you know the one where we get to have what seems nicest and tempts us with relaxation and a treat maybe.

But

Look at that other word in our phrase

Daddy

and think of how spending time with God our Father can teach us, refresh us and encourage us for the next busy day, week, month .....

At that decision time let's be ready to plump for the one that is going to be a lasting help and comfort and not the temporary one.

Do you have a Daddy ........ Chips? decision time?

Well we also had tea and biscuits after the evening service that Sunday so we didn't get home until after 9 o'clock to be greeted by the phone ringing and our oldest son Jonathan declaring

 "Are you only getting in now?   

What kept you?    

Well my day has been busy!"

He just had to hold on for a while until I made a cup of tea for Fred and got a coffee for me and then we sat down and listened to his day.

There could have been the temptation to say.

Coffee ........ Jonathan? 

but fortunately for him there are some pleasures you can have together and not have to make the big decision, because that could have been a difficult one, seeing how fond I am of my coffee.

Do you have a Daddy ........ Chips decision time?



You are very welcome to read my other  Doses of Encouragement