The Wedding

Mandy and Rob are now Mr and Mrs Campbell.

The wedding of the century didn't start very well for me, I was up at 5, a combination of nerves and excitement and being cold woke me up. So I was more than ready when I got picked up at 7.50am for the hair appointment and make up session. It was nice to sit in a quiet salon and chat with the other ladies...watching Mandy get made up was amazing, she looked really beautiful. I can't wait to see the photos that the photographer took! He was there from very early to very late - check out his website here.

We had a few little problems, but kudos to Mandy and Rob for planning so meticulously...the things that didn't go too well were entirely out of their hands... everything else was really good...smooth and mostly stress free.

I enjoyed being a bridesmaid, I really liked my dress and my bouquet is hanging in the airing cupboard drying out because I love it!

We had a real laugh with the people on our table, a bit of a Billericay school reunion! And danced the night away... Five lakes is a nice place to have a party, but we were down in the basement with a member of staff who was a new employee...bad move to leave him on his own! The best part was being joined by Chris...


Aren't we gorgeous? He's not too well at the moment (bad tooth), so I was really happy to see him.

The beds were comfortable and the room was a good size, and the breakfast looked yummy though I was so exhausted that I couldn't really eat a lot. 22 hours awake is tough... but I did it and I was really please that Mandy asked me to be a bridesmaid!

I'm looking forward to the next wedding, but seen as Mandy didn't throw her bouquet, we've got no idea who it might be!!

Never Forget

I'm currently listening to 'Never Forget' and it's not coming from my CD player...but from my brother's! Interesting choice of music for a 20 year old boy...

The last four weeks has literally disintegrated before my eyes... we are days away from the Wedding of the Decade. I can't believe that it is just around the corner, I really don't know what the day is going to be like and I am grateful that there are so many people around me who have been involved in weddings more recently than I have. I'm trying to think of the last time I spent a whole day at a wedding and I can't actually remember. I think I'm fortunate that I often spend days with a lot of people, so a wedding with all of my friends should be easy, right?

We'll find out in a couple of days.

The election campaign rumbles on, with news that an egg has been thrown at the Conservative Party leader, the Labour Party leader is down in the polls and the Lib Dem leader has done well at the first national television debate, though the Scottish and Welsh front runners aren't happy that they were left out of the 90 min debate.

The churches in the town have gotten together to hold a hustings...and invited the main three parties to it. I wasn't in this county the last time there was a general election... May 2005 was midway through my degree and I should've voted but didn't. I remember paying attention and talking about the various billboards around town...but when it came to voting I didn't. Maybe because I was busy raising money or in yet another different county - it didn't even register on my radar in the blogsphere it seems. May 2005 was busy and May 2010 looks to be busy too...I'm preaching, there are school trips, working with Chris, another birthday or two and meetings.

Tonight I'm on my own at home because Chris had his tooth pulled out by the mean dentist! So I'm trying to work out the next couple of months...Successful!

With everything that has happened recently, I know I'm living in a world where God is looking out for and listening to everyone all of the time. There have been so many cries for help recently, I can't hear them all, but God certainly can and He is the only one that can do anything about it.

On this day

On this day, the 6th day of the 4th month of the year of our Lord 2010, something major happened... Her Royal Majesty received a request from Gordon Brown, Prime Minister, to dissolve Parliament on Monday 12th April, for a General Election to take place on Thursday 6th May.

So we now have a month to listen, look, discover what each party has to say for themselves, what their policies are and how they are going to change this country to be the best it can. and then make a decision and use our vote wisely.

Gordon Brown said to the country that he is 'just an ordinary man'.

David Cameron is calling this 'the most important election of the generation'.

Nick Clegg is saying that it 'will not be a traditional two-horse race'.

In the next four weeks, the country will be bombarded with 'we can do this, we can do that' and a little bit of 'you don't want them to be in charge of the country'.

It's going to be an interesting couple of weeks. I'm going to have to keep an eye out for the stuff that is coming through the door and what is in the newspapers.

We're called to a moral decision as Christians, which makes it harder.

In other news...my Aunt gave birth to Adam, 19 years ago today! The family is growing old and we're starting to figure out where we all fit.

Eastingle

This year Easter was wet... That's more for me than you!

This year we ended the Walk of Witness at the Catholic Church, it didn't rain on us, we didn't get shouted at and I found that the service at the end gets better every year. It was really good to see everyone, some who I saw last week, others I haven't seen for a long time.

I ended up going for coffee with some of them, and then headed home to get ready for Eastingle.

For three years in a row, Christ Church has held a service on Good Friday, specifically aimed at children and families, in the middle of the afternoon. We are going to keep doing this and we are going to provide the materials for other people to do it as well, so if you'd like to know a little bit more, write a comment and I'll contact you!

I'm the youth worker at Christ Church, so I get to do some of the fun things... like leading a service. I still panic some times, I get nervous, but apparently I'm very good at hiding it. What I had to say was very important, I can't remember what I said though, I'm sure if I read it back, I'll be able to fill in some of the blanks, but when it comes to telling God's truth, the Holy Spirit takes over and I'm left speechless afterwards!

We had over 150 people this year - we almost doubled in number from last year and we started with 25 people the year before that.

I am pleased... and in other ways I am pleased with this


This is scrumptious Eton mess - yes that is chocolate, strawberries, cream and meringue... yes, only an hour after it was put together, it got eaten by six hungry friends!

Making meringue takes it's time, a serious amount of time, so only do it if you've got a couple of hours to spare - it took 5 mins to consume!

I have a better understanding of cooking every time I'm let loose in the kitchen, I have a better understanding of my faith every time I'm asked to explain it in church, taking time on my own is the best...

It is now time for bed and a well earned day off!

P.S. I'm liking lea & perrins a lot at the moment!