Half term holiday

The children are off school for the week and we had a lovely trip to Thorpeness and Aldeburgh over the bank holiday weekend. However we nearly didn't go as Lulu went missing. She didn't come home the night before we were due to go and eventually came home at 4pm the following day! Our neighbours had agreed to look after her so as soon as she came back we left. It took us 2 hours to get to Suffolk and we had a great time. The weather was glorious on the Sunday so we went to the beach and then out for a meal before returning to the hotel. The hotel was reasonably priced and included breakfast the next day. We were all in one room but it didn't feel too cramped. After breakfast the next day we borrowed the hotel's bicycles and cycled to Aldeburgh along the beach road. We stayed on the beach all day before returning to Thorpeness about 6pm when we set off home. I felt so relaxed and chilled afterwards- we all did.

On Saturday we bought a BBQ! Can't believe we have never had a bbq before. So we invited friends round and had a good evening- think that's why the cat disappeared as we were so noisy! 7 lively children in our garden playing hide and seek is enough to make anyone run for cover. Thankfully we didn't upset the neighbours this time.

A lot has been happening in my life over the last week where God has really been moving. It has been so exciting, and I should have written about it when it happened. My niece had major surgery on Monday for endometrial cancer. She had a hysterectomy and bowel resection which will be followed up with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, whilst all this is terrible, I believe God has really turned the situation round. From being told she had ovarian cancer with a tumour on her liver to having endometrial cancer which is treatable , I believe and know is an answer to prayer. God is an awesome, supernatural God. My sister asked me to ask my friends to pray for my niece. So I sent a text to about 20 people asking them to pray. Some of them also prayed in their home groups, as did we. The next news I had was from my sister to say that the prognosis was now much better and that the cancer was not ovarian cancer as was originally diagnosed. She also said that she had been praying and that was pleased to have been reminded that even though she has faith as 'small as a mustard seed' God will hear her prayers. She then told me about finding a piece of twine which some flowers had been wrapped up in on her kitchen floor in the shape of a cross! She had left the twine ( which was circular in shape) on her kitchen unit and could not understand how it was on the floor and had changed into a cross shape! She felt peaceful following this and then that day had the news that her daughter's cancer is treatable. I was also able to read two psalms over the phone to her ( 100, and 121). From having no faith, my sister is now on a journey with God.

Whilst all this has been happening, a friend of mine who I took to a ladies event at church has been to church with us for the last three weeks and is coming to a short Alpha course next week!

Anyway, must finish here as we need to go and feed various pets of friends who are away. We've been looking after ( in total) 4 hens, 3 cats- excluding Lulu, 1 rabbit, 3 gerbils, I hamster and i goldfish!!

I'm also preparing for my 2 presentations next week- can't think about it too much as I won't sleep. I know God will be with me and that ' I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me'