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The writer in me woke up. Full post in the bio.. Yesterday I was reminded to be kind to myself. To take things slow. To be gentle to these parts of me that other parts of me find lacking and in want. I am my own worst critic. I absorb the voices that say you should do better, you must be more, do more, push through this pain to produce and be a force for change in this world.Yesterdays shout, bang, clatter and cry day would not have made good pictures. Thankfully the joy returned and we found some wonderous beauty to fill our souls once more. Phew. Especially heartening to hear the youngest loving this world. He struggles so much to do the things he loves and it is music to my ears to hear his squeals of joy at rocks and streams. #bloodybridge #mournes #wonder #rocks #scrambling #joy #nature #getoutside #worthitClimbed my first ‘Slieve’ today. Slieve Meelmore is my new friend. First time out on the Mournes proper and it was an insanely pretty day. Stunning views and a perfect introduction to wandering around these hills I look at everyday from my window. The beginning of a beautiful friendship. #mournes #slievemeelmore #firsttime #mountains #blueskies #happy #hiking #discoverniOne of those January mornings where you discover Spring’s ‘I’ll be back soon’ notes. High right now on cold water, sunshine, good coffee at my destination, a chat with a brilliant friend and a long walk on a sunny Wednesday morning. #endorphins #dundrumtonewcastle #walking #sunshine #paddling #joy #grateful #wherethemournessweepdowntothesea #murloughbeach #murloughnaturereserveI’ve lived in Northern Ireland for 2 whole months today. This is the tree I walk past each morning and I’m looking forward to seeing how this tree will change over the coming year. Winter trees are, for me, signs of hope and proof that flourishing looks like so many things. Standing waiting, waiting for the right time for the buds already there to open, waiting for the warmth. Here we are. Flourishing as we wait for many things and flourishing as we hold steady, reach out in love and are recipients of love. Here we go into the next couple of months. #time #flourishing #wintertrees #northernireland #dundrum #love #movingSnowy park of wonder this morning. Apparently we are in the mess of deschooling. This looks like the eldest at home doing a coding course plus a walk with his Daddy. Me and the youngest had a coffee shop date and some fun trying to break ice. Mainly we are focusing on trying to regulate emotions and adjust to the move. On mornings like this it doesn’t seem so bad :) #snow #northernireland #montaltoestate #amazingpark #goodcoffee #deschoolingArchives
Tag Archives: hope
A change is gonna come…
It seems only right that there should be a blogpost reflecting on the end of the second year of my Spiritual Direction course, and I think, to headline where this might be going, that it might also signal the start … Continue reading
Posted in Life on the journey
Tagged blogging, change, freedom, hope, husbandface, love, spiritualdirection
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Stamping out some lies for Mental Health Awareness Week 2021…
Apparently it is Mental Health awareness week, a week where we get to remind each other that our Mental Health is important. Where we say YES it is vital to take care of ourselves, to recognise what is going on … Continue reading
Posted in Life on the journey
Tagged freedom, hope, love, mentalhealth, mentalhealthawareness2021, selfcare, selfcompassion
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Resurrection Eggs
A friend asked about our Resurrection Eggs on Instagram so here’s the file where I’ve put together what we do. We nicked the idea from countless others but the basic idea is we have some eggs into which go a … Continue reading
Advent 14
It’s kind of felt like we have lived about 5 days today. Lockdown without being able to go for walks is not all that fun. Still. There was wonder to be found in all the lovely friends we have asking … Continue reading
Advent 5
Wonder hunting on a weary day of pain. It was found in the blue sky glimpsed through parting clouds, in the joys of a Christmas garden centre trip with the youngest, the stack of books exchanged for more books at … Continue reading
Advent 2020. A different kind of Advent, same Emmanuel to walk with us…
And so Advent slowly silently slips into the room. Yesterday we put our Christmas Tree up, I think the earliest we have ever done that. Yesterday I shed tears for the lack this year, for the grief, for the difference … Continue reading
On nurturing hope.
I sat in the shed. Turned the laptop on and clicked the zoom link. I wondered at what kind of strange world we live in where we conduct services through a screen. Thankful for the chance to connect despite the … Continue reading
Posted in Life on the journey
Tagged bestillandknow, contemplativeservice, hope, martynjoseph, Music, peace, songs, soulfood
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Thoughts from a week off…
I’ve had the last week off work, leaning into the space afforded by the 5 hours a day the boys are at school, enjoying the extra time to walk around the beautiful places near us, to read more books, to … Continue reading
Holy Week
It’s Holy Week, lent is almost over and with Palm Sunday yesterday and Good Friday in a few days time we have this week between. A time where we sit and remember the events of over 2000 years ago, the … Continue reading
Advent 19
It’s that time of year when I get to say we used to look like this: And now we look like this: Still smiling like goons. Today marks the end of our first decade together. 10 years ago we set … Continue reading
Posted in Advent, Life on the journey
Tagged 10years, Advent, anniversary, hope, husbandface, journey, joy
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The Long Walk Home 