Grace Under Pressure 2

 It's all about this. Still one of my desert island discs  

So after over three weeks of following Mary, Joseph, the donkey and off course little baby Jesus on their posada, it's back to the real world and a little bit of a catch up. Over the past couple of weeks I have been out and about enjoying various running jollies. Well when I say ' enjoy' you know what I mean. On 20th December alongside 40 or so suitably festively dressed runners from Hucknall Harriers I completed the world famous (well in Hucknall at least) Reindeer Run. This is a 4 mile jolly around the street of said town, which when completed had traced the outline of a reindeer. And the fun of course is trying to decide what part of the reindeers anatony one happends to be running at any one time!!   A couple of days later, I switched alliances and ran with just over a dozen or so Youlgrave Harriers on a 6 mile cross country (wet, muddy and claggy cross country) jolly from the Thornbridge brewery just outside Bakewell. Under leaden skies we managed to avoid the rain as ...

    Or maybe on second thoughts, a little trip away would be for the best for everyone??

  The young family think about going to the Christmas sales to spend some of the gold left by the Wiseman

  The birthday party was great but no one looked forward to tidying up the next day.

    One Wiseman was certainly keen to get in on the act

  Despite only receiving 'one star', the stable turned out to be fit for a king

  At last, Mary, Joseph and the donkey managed to find one friendly inn keeper with a room to spare    And were soon warming themselves by the fire    

 Mary's unexpected item in the bagging area was in need of a rapid check out

 At Ravensworth Road  At Pulp Friction   At East Side  

      Mary, Joseph and the donkey got to know some of the locals

  Even before he was born, Jesus was having brushes with 'the law'

 Just time to nip into Hall Park Care Home to hear some heavenly singing

    Bathed in God's glorious light at the Church on Rise Park craft morning      

  Donkey couldn't help but think that Mary had overdone it with the packing.

    With plan A disrupted, Joseph wasn't convinced that 'these boots' were made for walking. Especially not all the way to Bethlehem.

  Mary, Joseph and the donkey discover that their travel plans have been de-railed...literally

  Joseph had even packed for the journey

Mary thinks it would be nice to go from Nazereth to Bethlehem in style    

 A letter from the Emperor Augustus makes life even more difficult for Mary and Joseph.

  Having felt the baby leap in Elizabeth's womb, Mary belts out a banger in praise of God

  Mary seeks some space and receives sisterly support from Elizabeth.

  After a heart to heart and some angelic advice, Mary and Joseph decide to 'let go' and just 'Let God' be in charge as the donkey looks on wondering what all this might mean for him.

 Joseph hears a comforting voice assuring him not to worry because every little thing is gonna be alright.

  Joseph struggled to deal with his conflicting emotions

  Joseph receives the 'good' news that Mary is pregnant!!

  'Do not be afraid!' announced the angel 'Easier said than done', thought Mary as her knees began to knock.

Mary, Joseph and the donkey settle down for a cosy evening in front of the TV as they plan their new home together.

So having left things to the last minute to prepare what was going to be a sermon for one of my local churches and a 'double up' for tonights circuit service, I was up at 6am to get my fingers to the keyboard and produce a magnum opus. Or at least something that would be 'good enough' Inspiration eventually arrived and I finished with an end product that was more than adequate. Then I opened the curtains to discover that the possible frost I had been expecting was actually several inches of snow. Uhm.  Not long after the phone rang to say that my morning service was cancelled and one by one the other churches in the circuit started to fall like dominoes. As did my three care home services because to be honest I am not venturing out on the roads if I don't have to. Those have been rearranged for next week. Last to fall was the circuit service over here in Hucknall tonight, one that we had organised to launch Advent and our use of the materials produced by the Methodi...

    From Lee, to Chris, to Patrick, to Jonathan, to Dominic, to Jenny, to Michael, to the other Dominic, to Matt and now onto Boris. The game continues....

The new floor at The Church on Rise Park caught in some early winter sunshine.