And the second reason for not blogging recently is that I have been in a state of invalidity and shock! Yes shock!
You see as I was coming home from camp a week last Tuesday I crashed my car and wrote the blooming thing off! Now the roads around Milton Abbey are little country roads and it had been raining. I was listening to "Abide With Me" on my ipod (quite fitting really!) and suddenly a bend appeared before me which I knew I wasn't going to get round at the speed I was going. So the car skidded and went up on the bank on one side (just managed to stop it from rolling right over) and then back over to the other side, through a big hedge, down a bank and into a field! Amazingly, I was not hurt in anyway and immediately phoned my saviour from numptiness (as he's now know) - Adrian. Who advised me to call 999. They said they would get the police out to me asap and to flash my lights if I saw a helicopter in the sky (wow - how exciting, a police helicopter coming to save me). I avidly looked out for this helicopter but it didn't come (apparently it was too misty) - however, the armed police came in their car instead which was still pretty impressive!
I couldn't find a way to get up onto the road because of this whacking great hedge but the policeman managed to and helped me out. I then phoned the lease company to help recover the vehicle. The policeman took a look around the car to inspect the damage. It was then that I remembered that as I was on my way to camp the week before, I had stopped to meet my mum. We were chatting in front of Frank the Tank (my car) when I suddenly noticed that the tax disc said 31.01.07!!!! I had been driving around for 8 months with an out of date tax disc!!!! So thankfully, the day before this accident Adrian phoned the lease company to order a copy of the tax disc as I had no recollection of them sending it to me. Plus, with your own car you get sent a reminder when the new one is due but as this is a fleet car that reminder is not needed to be sent to me so it's not my fault really. Anyway, I was really panicking thinking that I was going to be arrested on top of everything else. When I explained the situation to the policeman, he said "oh don't worry about that!" can you believe that - all that nervous energy? Anyway, what if I had stolen the car? What if it was a bodged up car? What if...? What if...? I don't know, policemen of today, no wonder we have so much crime on our streets!!!! Only joking, I was very relieved really because I couldn't have coped with being arrested and was really and truly grateful for the kindness of the policeman.
So Adrian was driving to meet me as well. The police asked where he was and I explained that just before they had arrived he was at the Ferndown roundabout. The policemen estimated that it would probably take him another 30-40 mins to get there. However, I knew the concern that Adrian was showing when I called him and therefore, knew that despite me just having had an accident because I was speeding, it probably wouldn't have stopped him going slightly over the speed limit to get to me. So I pleaded with the police not book him if he did arrive before the estimated 30-40 mins, which they were very good about.
When Adrian (my saviour!) arrived the local bobby also arrived and the armed police then left. The bobby suggested that we got my stuff out of the car. It was now very dark and we couldn't see so a torch was suggested - can you believe the policeman did not have a torch? He was in a massive range rover car and there was absolutely no torch! However, Adrian (my saviour!) had one. So I started my mount up the hedge to get to the boot but it was quite difficult so Adrian (my saviour!) told me to come down and he would get it - at this point the bobby was just kind of watching. So I came down and stepped off the bank onto the road but as I did this, I went over on my ankle and fell to the ground! Can you believe it? I manage to write off my car and escape any injury but I then sprain my blooming ankle half an hour later just walking along the side of the road!!! Adrian (my saviour) suggested I got into his car (probably out of harms way in case I did anything else!) I got into the back so I could stick my leg up to try and stop the swelling - it also helped the pain. Adrian came and opened the back door to speak to me and then as he went away slammed the door shut - nearly injuring my ankle again!
Finally, after a while of waiting (and a tea and toilet break in a local pub) the recovery man came - unfortunately he came in a little van even though the police had advised the company that they would need a truck to hoist the car out over the hedge. The wee recovery man said that he would have a go with his wee van but would probably need some help so Adrian (my saviour) put on his Salvation Army emegency tabbard which excited him no end to help (he had nearly been knocked over by some maniac driving too fast along a wet country road earlier on so wanted to make sure he was wholly visible!!) As we thought, the wee recovery man with his wee recovery van couldn't get the car out and so we had to leave it there for the night to be recovered the next day by tommy truck. That, my friends, was the last I ever saw of Frank the Tank! Since then, no one (including the lease company and the accident management company/insurance company)seems unable to locate him! He's probably already gone off to that great garage in the sky.
Anyway, I got home at 2am to be then taken to A&E at about 6am the next morning because of the pain in my ankle. They x-rayed it but found no breaks. I had just sprained it and apparently sprains are often very sore the next morning. I have been waiting eagerly since then for a massive bruise to come out so I can take pictures but there's only been the smallest hint of one which is a bit pathetic really.
I've had a couple of shakey moments since - mainly due to my mum's driving - not giving way at a give way junction and going up on the curb does nothing for your nerves when you've just had a car crash. I've also had a bit of a pain in my chest where the seatbelt must have saved me and of course some pain from my ankle but apart from that I am fine. Amazing really. I think God was certainly looking out for me that night and has some ways still in which He wants to use me on earth.
A special thanks must, of course, go to my saviour from numptiness without whom I would have definitely been a complete mess and who was - as always - my Godsend!
I'm now off to put my ankle up!
laters
cx
Saturday 25 August 2007
Ah ha! I'm back again!
It's been a long time - in fact over a month since I last wrote in this blog which is quite disgusting but I have had a good excuse. Firstly, I have been preparing for Ministry and Mayhem 07 (MaM) which is the camp the SA runs for the children (8-12 yr olds) down in the Southern division.
The camp is held in the Milton Abbey School. It's an absolutely beautiful setting - out in the middle of nowhere which is great but a bit of a bummer to get a mobile signal.
Everyday the children spend the morning in collective worship and bible teaching. In the afternoon they do ministry and mayhem workshops. They choose which ministry workshop they want to do for the week (stomp, dance, multimedia or puppets) and the the mayhem workshops they all have a go at (Craft, T-shirt printing & sports). In the evening we have different activities such as a games and quiz night, the big games night (with inflatables and giant connect four etc..), a video night (it was High School Musical this year), the talent night with a disco and the final celebration.
As it was my last year, they organised a cheeky little surprise party on the Monday night which was good fun - thanks guys! It proves as the camp director that I have absolutely no knowledge of what the staff or the kids are doing really nor do I have any control over them!!
Each day we have a theme day which we keep a secret from the children and then wake them up in our fancy dress. Monday was Pirate day, Tuesday was Wacky day (an old favourite), Wednesday was Circus day and Thursday was Wild West Day. We try to decorate the theatre and dining hall accordingly and do extra little bits during the day to fit in. On Wednesday for circus day in the afternoon we had people come to teach the children circus skills such as juggling, plate spinning and acro-balance which was really cool. We also had a surf simulator and Jackie face painted for four hours!!!!
The theme for the week was I'm Livin' It! and we looked at what it means to live out God's greatest commandment: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbour as yourself" . We looked at a different parable each day which fitted in with the love that we were looking at that day eg: love with heart: the Pearl of Greatest Price and the Hidden Treasure; love with soul: The Barren Fig Tree; love with mind: parable of The Talents; love with strength: the parable of The Sower and finally love your neighbour as yourself: The Good Samaritan. When you truly think about what it means to love God in these ways - it's actually really difficult and was a massive challenge to us adults as well as the children.
Each morning during our collective worship there was an opportunity for us to spend time on our own with God. Everyone was given a prayer journal and a daily devotions booklet to help focus our thoughts for the day if needed. At the end of the day we had our Quiet Celebration where we did the Fanfare of the Day (when we celebrated something 5 different children did for the 1st time that day - they receives a specially made medal, we gave them a standing ovation and they lifted the trophy up accompanied by the Olympic anthem - it's fab!) and then in groups the children discussed what they had learnt that day and whether they had managed to live out that specific love for God.
The staff team as usual were absolutely fab and I love them very much. God has given them such amazing gifts and it was really amazing and heartwarming and encouraging to see them using those gifts to encourage 65 children in their relationship with God.
At the end of the week as Adrian drove me home up along the beautiful main drive he stopped the car, made me get out and look back at the school and we prayed. As he prayed in that evening light - just as the darkness was closing in - the most perfect, bright and single star was shining right at the centre above the school. I believe it was God's sign that he had set his seal on MaM and was well pleased!
laters
cx
The camp is held in the Milton Abbey School. It's an absolutely beautiful setting - out in the middle of nowhere which is great but a bit of a bummer to get a mobile signal.
Everyday the children spend the morning in collective worship and bible teaching. In the afternoon they do ministry and mayhem workshops. They choose which ministry workshop they want to do for the week (stomp, dance, multimedia or puppets) and the the mayhem workshops they all have a go at (Craft, T-shirt printing & sports). In the evening we have different activities such as a games and quiz night, the big games night (with inflatables and giant connect four etc..), a video night (it was High School Musical this year), the talent night with a disco and the final celebration.
As it was my last year, they organised a cheeky little surprise party on the Monday night which was good fun - thanks guys! It proves as the camp director that I have absolutely no knowledge of what the staff or the kids are doing really nor do I have any control over them!!
Each day we have a theme day which we keep a secret from the children and then wake them up in our fancy dress. Monday was Pirate day, Tuesday was Wacky day (an old favourite), Wednesday was Circus day and Thursday was Wild West Day. We try to decorate the theatre and dining hall accordingly and do extra little bits during the day to fit in. On Wednesday for circus day in the afternoon we had people come to teach the children circus skills such as juggling, plate spinning and acro-balance which was really cool. We also had a surf simulator and Jackie face painted for four hours!!!!
The theme for the week was I'm Livin' It! and we looked at what it means to live out God's greatest commandment: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbour as yourself" . We looked at a different parable each day which fitted in with the love that we were looking at that day eg: love with heart: the Pearl of Greatest Price and the Hidden Treasure; love with soul: The Barren Fig Tree; love with mind: parable of The Talents; love with strength: the parable of The Sower and finally love your neighbour as yourself: The Good Samaritan. When you truly think about what it means to love God in these ways - it's actually really difficult and was a massive challenge to us adults as well as the children.
Each morning during our collective worship there was an opportunity for us to spend time on our own with God. Everyone was given a prayer journal and a daily devotions booklet to help focus our thoughts for the day if needed. At the end of the day we had our Quiet Celebration where we did the Fanfare of the Day (when we celebrated something 5 different children did for the 1st time that day - they receives a specially made medal, we gave them a standing ovation and they lifted the trophy up accompanied by the Olympic anthem - it's fab!) and then in groups the children discussed what they had learnt that day and whether they had managed to live out that specific love for God.
The staff team as usual were absolutely fab and I love them very much. God has given them such amazing gifts and it was really amazing and heartwarming and encouraging to see them using those gifts to encourage 65 children in their relationship with God.
At the end of the week as Adrian drove me home up along the beautiful main drive he stopped the car, made me get out and look back at the school and we prayed. As he prayed in that evening light - just as the darkness was closing in - the most perfect, bright and single star was shining right at the centre above the school. I believe it was God's sign that he had set his seal on MaM and was well pleased!
laters
cx
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