Well...

The cold bug has hit me, complete with the runny nose, sore throat, and no voice to speak with. Super bummer due to the fact our Christmas concert is this weekend. I'm due to sing a solo and am praying the Lord will restore my voice for tomorrow and Monday evening.

I have been blessed this week with the gift of people. My birthday was Thursday, and the cards I've received over the past two weeks have been both a surprise and a blessing. The day was an uneventful one, but I enjoyed my time and spent the morning with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, in You've Got Mail.

There was a sight to behold this week, when we looked out our Alley window and saw the beautiful snow-cap-mountains in the distance. For some reason I don't think I had ever recognized they were visible from here. So pretty.

Have a blessed weekend! 

Sidewalk Queues.

For a day off, today, I had the opportunity to visit Manchester. That's correct, thee Manchester; home of Manchester United. This means: Christmas shopping is accomplished, Christmas Markets were visited, a steak burrito was eaten, and Primark was shopped at. Now, I have never been in a city that was as bustling and busy as this was. You know when you go see a film at the cinema, and after the movie you file out of the theatre, kind of in a line, slowly shuffling your way out the door? Well that is the best way I can describe today. Not just in the stores, but on the streets and on the sidewalks. You literally moved at the pace that you would if you were in a queue. Ridiculous! 

After returning to Capes, we had an evening full of Christmas music, hot Apple Cider, Christmas Cookies, dancing, wood fire burning, and games. 

What a fun day! To finish it off...here is another Christmas gift tag:

Happy 1st of December!

With Thanksgiving past and Christmas soon to follow, Christmas-y things have been happening around here. Christmas music is now acceptable (to most) and decorations have been taken out of storage. I myself have been in the mood for some classic Christmas movies (already)! I don't know what's so different this year, but I'm ready for the holiday season plenty early this time. I am already missing home for Christmas, but know I'll be there next year! 

I happened upon these brown present-tags a few weeks ago and felt a little inspired. I don't have loads of presents to decorate and tag, but had to make some I can send in a card anyway. I'll be posting a photo of each: one-a-day. I already know who is receiving which...is Christmas here yet?

A Day Off - Saturday.

Today was a "1/2 Day" of work for me. I always love Saturdays, mostly because we have Brunch on Saturdays: a Full English Breakfast. Complete with: bacon, hashbrowns, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, baked beans, eggs, yogurt, fruit, toast, and cereal. Did you know breakfast is my favorite meal? So Brunch is a never-miss Saturday affair.

After working for the morning, I had the day as my own. That's so nice. I couldn't decide what I wanted to do today: nothing, veg, watch a movie, take a nap, crotchet, research, read, pinterest, or all of the above. The day sure does fly when you're having fun. So I decided...
Come January, I have the privilege of using my two-week Holiday. I will be going to London and Ireland. I've been London three times previously, so I know the goods and what needs to be visited, but Ireland (Dublin) is all new to me. So today was a research day. Days like this, I'm really thankful for this thing called, the internet. I am officially even more excited for January to arrive, if that's even possible. Besides exploring Dublin, I have found two places that have been starred as a, "Must Do!". One is a Day Tour to the Cliffs of Moher. Please look them up on Google. Oh I am excited. The other, is a place called Powerscourt Estate. Visit the website to check it out and name that movie (one of my favorites), that filmed at this Estate. Tonight I will be attending the Orchestra with other staff members. I'm real excited about going and doing something different. I'm sure I will be blown away.

Of course, did some browsing and pinning.

In an upcoming post, I will be describing a detailed 'typical day' for me here at Capernwray. So be on the look out for that!

In other news, I received a parcel today. I cannot express the joy the contents have brought my heart, tongue, and tummy. 

Parcel Goodness!!!

Ephesians 4:2 - Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

1 John 3:18-20 - Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

John 16:33 - I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

Isaiah 26:3-4 - You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.

Lamentations 3:32-33 - Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children men.

Psalm 145:8-9 - The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

Lamentations 3:22-23 - Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Psalm 145:13-14, 17 - ...The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.

Bits and Bobs.

I was just waiting for the post I could use that as the title. It's actually a phrase they use here, along with the title of a pack of scrape pieces of crafty paper goods; you can buy it at Pound Land, for a pound, I bought a pack. This is only relevant because lately, I've been using some 'bits' for letters and 'bobs' in my artsy journal. It is the strangest thing...I have never considered myself as a crafty or artsy fartsy person, but within the last month of being at Capes again, I have discovered a like for being crafty. It's probably because I want to maybe express the way I'm feeling so I make something. Like a crafty looking card, envelope, or journal entry. Does that even make sense?

I have started writing more letters though, that's for sure. That is one thing I wish I would have done more of last year, so I've begun that this time 'round.  I'd like to be better as a pen pal this year.

Today marks one week since students have arrived. Their longest, (sometimes) hardest, first week is finally over and hopefully a routine has begun to set for them. Today also marks my one-month since returning to England. Now that it's been a month, it feels like just two weeks. That is encouraging when I'm really missing people. Only nine more times before I'm home! 

Last year I had such a real experience with the peace and comfort from the Lord that I had never really personally experienced before. Returning this year, I believe I thought going back to a place that is so familiar to me, that I love, I would naturally feel peace about it. But when I actually arrived, I felt far from that. I was relying more on my own experience and feelings of the previous year, that I had forgotten I need to rely on the Lord and not myself. I felt in control leaving home, but once I was here the Lord reminded me I wasn't and that I needed Him. It seemed such a simple thing to return here for another year. I had prepared myself so well...mentally...I completely neglected the preparation the Lord needed to do in me: body, soul, and spirit.

Isaiah 26:3

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you,

all whose thoughts are fixed on you.

"Students out of bed! Students out of bed! Students in the corridor!" Name this movie. You could win a prize!

Students have arrived! Yesterday 172 students arrived from all over the world, ready for the next six to nine months at their new home Capernwray Hall. At the welcoming time, the Bible School Principal read the words from Neil Diamond's song, "America". But in place of the word 'America' he read 'Capernwray'. Check it out...it was true.

It was a chilly-sun-shining day on arrival day. At least it wasn't raining for them!

This verse has crept up in my mind on a few occasions this week so I thought I'd share it. I'm especially reminded of it today with the Lord's people that have gathered from all over the world to live in community with each other to learn more about Him. Do places like this actually exist? I love it.

Gungor "The Earth is Yours"