Let us leave 2007 and enter 2008 with our eyes fixed on Christ

Oh nooooo! I just totally forgot about two chocolate souffles that I put in the oven over an hour ago. They are reduced to charcoal. You see they only needed about five minutes. I got distracted. I've been knitting. In my slippers, under my duvet on the living room sofa, listening to a mix of chilled out music and HTB sermon podcasts. I feel like a granny, all I'm missing is the rocking chair and the open fire. Oh and a husband, and married children with children of their own. Not quite yet. Give me time. On the subject of fire though, can I just say one would be most welcome in my flat just now, as it is cold. So cold in fact that the corridor from the main door to our front door is warmer than our flat. Impossible you say? Nope. All you need is a rubbish boiler in Scotland, and you're all set.

On that chillsome note, let's move on... This is how a part of Christmas was spent in the Lambert household... fun times! I particularly like the trick of "let's all put our hair up" to see Joe's face for the first time in a good couple of years. I am a genius if I do say so myself. That said, I didn't expect my magic plan to actually work. But there you go, enjoy Joe's face, it's probably the last you'll see of it for a long while yet.






I am content. I haven't been able to say that often in my life. It involves putting God at the center. Everything then revolves in its right orbit, because God is in His right position. It's difficult to keep up, impossible by human effort alone. But for right now, I am content.

My favorite song just now is called Hosanna, by Brooke Fraser. Not only is the intro fantastic, the melody catchy, but the lyrics are beautiful. The bridge particularly. This is my prayer tonight:
"Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdom's cause
As I walk from Earth into eternity"

Today was such a wonderful day. I have had a few of these recently. Days of pure fellowship and fun. I went to church which was good. I love Carrubbers so much. Unashamed Bible teaching and gospel exposing. Fantastic. After church I went for lunch at Alan's with Alan's brother Peter, Jen and Tim. I'd missed them all. Well, I hadn't missed Peter, because I didn't know him previously, but it was also lovely to meet him. We hung out there for the afternoon, Jen and I often bursting into fits of laughter over nothing or not very much and the boys looking at us, a confused expression on their faces. It was good. It is such an amazing privilege to be a part of the Carrubbers family. People often say it, and I totally concur. Just thought I'd say that! :o)

One of my problems recently seems to be waiting on God's timing. It is, admittedly, a problem I have regularly, but this bout of it is lasting quite a while. There are times where I just wish I knew His plans in advance. There are times I wish I knew what the next few weeks hold. This is one of those times. I find my thoughts getting completely ahead of Him, and my thoughts get ahead of reality, and it's just not helpful. I was talking to Nadia about the whole issue, and she just gave me this one verse which I have to keep on clinging to. It's Isaiah 52:12 which says "For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight, for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard." What a promise.

I will leave one last though for this end of 2007.

I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken. [...] Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.[...] He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him for God is our refuge. [...]
Psalm 62

Say Hello to Alfie

Alfie arrived a week ago today. He is beautifully shiny, white and very slim. He takes pictures, plays music and surfs the internet, can tell you the time and the temperature amongst many other things. He's very intelligent. And this is my first blog post using him. So welcome Alfie, my lovely macbook. I love you already!

Messing with Photo booth

Pete and my Christmas meal on Saturday.

I would also like to say that tomorrow is my last day at Morningside Montessori Nursery and at Little Foxes After School Club. It's the end of an era and the beginning of a new one.

It's been absolutely freezing here the past few days. -6 has been the minimum temperature, so not quite Moscow, but close. We are, after all, on the same latitude. It's been frosty, which makes the meadows look snowed on, but there's no yucky post snow slush, which is nice. Best of both worlds. Though I can't really dance in falling frost. Will took some pictures out at Blackford Hill this afternoon - enjoy!





I had the best conversation with Dave Nixon the other day. Rarely have we been so honest with each other - I mean we are honest but we generally joke around and make fools of ourselves. But Sunday night we were serious and had a deep conversation. It did me alot of good. Conversation is one of my favorite things. On Saturday night Nadia stayed over and we also had a long chat. It was so good, and I could hear God speaking through her about matters big on my heart right now. I've been tempted to compromise and settle for second best, but she spoke truth, telling me again of what best sounds like, and it made me realize that second best is nothing close to best, and all I want is best. Our God is an awesome God.

It is the night of our dear saviours birth (soon)

So it's been a while and alot has happened. I guess. I graduated on November 27th, and mum, dad, Joe and Ben came up for the occasion which was lovely. It was so good to see them again and be reminded that brothers are one good reason why I don't want to live at home, ever again! Parents are cool though. I had Mikey and Emily over one evening while they were there which was really lovely - I learned alot about mum and dad. I guess they've told me stories in the past but it was good to see a little more of how they all fit together in time and to be told of God's work when they were younger. The following evening was homegroup evening which I always love, and I hosted it so that mum and dad could be there also to see how that happens (I talk alot about these things when I'm on the phone to them). So that couple of days were really good and not just because I was hit on the head by a cap that's been to space and got to join the parade of graduates out of the McEwan Hall. Hehe. I quit my job at the after school club this week. I've been in high spirits ever since and feel free as oposed to trapped. it's funny. On Thursday evening the thought first popped into my head to leave without a job to go to. So I prayed about it a wee bit then opened my Bible to let God speak to me. And the first verse I stumbled across was Jeremiah 29:11. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for good and not for harm. Plans to give you hope and a future. Amazing. So over the weekend I wrote my letter and plucked up the necessary courage to give the enveloppe to my manager. I did so on Tuesday. Big smiles ever since. And I have an interview for an other job on Monday morning which is exciting. It sounds lovely. It's a bit further than I'm used to (both my jobs just now are a 7 minute walk down the road) and I'd have to take the bus, but that's fine, if it's a job I love and am passionate about, I can deal with a bus ride. And christmas season is in full swing. Today I am at work. Well.... I am at the nursery in the office doing what I want and occasionally pointing someone to the bin or printing a sign off for the christmas fair. They're trying to raise money for a set of real expensive bells they want to get for the nursery and donating money to Barnardo's. On Thursday I went to the german market with Derek but we didn't realise it closes earlier on weekdays so we never actually got any of the german market atmosphere. But we did get to go on the big wheel. It was an.... interesting ride. It didn't really know which direction to go in, nor who to let on and let off... but we got our money's worth. We're going to see The Snowman at the theatre on Thursday. I've been wanting to go for the past 2 years but never got round to it, so that's exciting! Sunday is the start of Christmas season at church, though we sung one carol last Sunday. 9 Lessons and Carols, Carols by Candlelight, Carols through the Centuries and the Children's Christmas Production. AMAZING, can't wait. And tomorrow evening marks the end of Index for 2007 with a fantastic White Elephant Christmas Party. So it's much festiveness, which is not too early, not too late. me likes. I don't think I'll be fed up with christmas before it arrives this year. Always a good thing. My new computer arrives on Monday or Tuesday, it's a white macbook. Sweet. So lots of news for (nearly) a new year. Probably by the time I next write it'll be 2008. Unless something totally amazing happens and I can't possibly wait comes up. Like the return of Jesus. But then would I really care about a blog then? I think... not!