naw deg dau

Big cwtch from Luc.

Nana: "Oh no, you're not going away for two weeks tomorrow? And then you're home for a few days and then going again? Oh no it's too quick, you've spoiled my day now." [Not that I wanted to spoil my nana's day, but i appreciated the underlying sentiment.]

Ilovemynana (sorry Ed)

and we didn't know everything

naw deg un

Colin and Sylvia's hospitality.

Seeing Pug again. Seeing family I haven't seen for ages (namely, Rachel and Jon + rapidly growing Stormie and Kira; Tim and Tara + rapidly growing Joshua and Caleb; followed later by Clive, Gill, Russ, Chelle and a rapidly growing Ethan).

Stormie dusting the church in the middle of the service.

trusty old friend number 24

naw deg

Mr and Mrs Oliver and Naomi Gross.

Colin and Sylvia's hospitality.

feeling a little out of focus

wyth deg naw

American tourist outside Caerphilly castle: "I just lurrrve the cars here, they're so cute - they're so small!"

Sitting on the grass outside the castle, in the sun, reading 'Future Grace' and marvelling at God. And then a dog running up to me trying to get at my sausage roll. His apologetic owner comes along and as he makes a grab for the dog, the dog runs to the other side of me. There follows a very funny (for me, and I think for the dog too) few minutes where the dog and his owner run in circles around me chasing each other.

"I'm just gonna go see my apples"

wyth deg wyth

Gethin's GCSE results.

Spending the day with Helen and Ros. I've missed those guys.

Three holes in the ground and turn left here

wyth deg saith

Shredding stuff. It's SO much fun!

Exchanging crazy emails with Kath and Jess.

relics from a mis-spent youth come back to the future for fun

wyth deg chwech

Chat with Sandra.

"You're a church wotsit aren't you?"

wyth deg pump

Ed enjoying S4C!

Leftover spabbage anyone?

wyth deg pedwar

I know it's early and I've regretted posting early before but I really don't think anything can beat:

Chatting to Daveril in church: God IS our provider;

Gift from Mel and Margaret;

How excited I am that Nana's coming up for dinner.

knock knock

wyth deg tri

Chats with Emily.

I'm sorry, I don't speak cat

wyth deg dau

Getting a belated birthday card from Steph!

**EDIT** (because I blogged this way too early yesterday. Tut tut.) Also:

Text from Ed: Yo dude, Isaiah 41:10 innit.

Hanging out with Emily.

why do all the bin men work in Cilfynydd?

wyth deg un

Doing the housework made oh so much easier (and even fun) by listening to my new Chris Tomlin CD and praising God while I was doing it...

elastic colourful bands

wyth deg

A good night's sleep last night, for the first time in ages :-)

A free book in the post! (The Jesus Gospel). Made even better by the fact I'd totally forgotten I'd clicked on the special offer tab at beginningwithmoses. Thanks to them and 10ofthose.com!

The BBC Sport Wales advert.

Text from Bethan telling me her nana's lent her a book called 'Welsh and proud of it'. Hehehe...

nice to see you, to see you nice

saith deg naw

Conversation with Issy.

Can we hang out tonight, underneath your ceiling?

saith deg wyth

"I lift up my eyes to the hills -
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your footh slip -
he who watches over you will not slumber;
Indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you -
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm -
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forever more."
Psalm 121

"That is about as basic and bottom lineas it can get. He is. We can worship Him because He is. Because He is I can live today. Because He is, I can get through tomorrow. Because He is, I can have joy...When you let all else go and just 'be' with God, when you simply worship Him because He is, He will elevate you to His perspective and give you His joy and His rest." - Stormie Omartian.

Sitting on my bed pouring my soul out to God, seeking Him when there seems no clear way, when I just don't know what to do, not even sure what I think/feel, and just plain scared. Being reminded that God is God; that He has plans to prosper me; that I cannot and nobody else can thwart His plans; that He is my help, strength, shield, guide, counsellor, sustainer, deliverer, prince of peace...need I go on?!

shoulda, woulda, coulda? doesn't matter now

saith deg saith

Watching Narnia - old styleee.

Walking in the Malverns, deep breaths of fresh air and feeling all energetic, even if it did only last long enough for me to run down the hill.

If I only knew what I was thinking I could tell you what I mean

saith deg chwech

Mr and Mrs Oli and Rachel Herbert.

Having SO many ex-Reading-ites at the wedding.

Luke (1/4 of the best men) getting the gospel into his speech.

Getting back from the wedding thoroughly exhausted and needing a hug - cue Kat and Jess!

Strangely nice but slightly odd

saith deg pump

Fishfingers and potato waffles. Mmmm.

The arrival of Sir Jimmy.

That was unexpected

saith deg pedwar

Being back in Upton upon Severn...lovin' the countryside and chilling with Kat.

I know I had a good 'un but it's disappeared into the mists of time

saith deg tri

The piece of card that arrived in the post. More specifically, the envelope it was in. More specifically, who it was from. Crazy kids.

Dave T: "Mate, this is a huge favour, are you sure? Tell me if I'm being a joker. But I appreciate it so much."

Not that big a deal. I like doing stuff for my friends.

the bells! the bells! woof.

saith deg dau

Waking up feeling silly but also grateful for friends who listen to your darkest moments and crazy insecurities and still love you...and make you laugh. Lots. Yet another demonstration of God's amazing grace to me.

Mr Fletcher is engaged. Finally!

Portsmouth's where it's at. And Ed so wants to be Welsh.

saith deg un

Gathering for prayers in work this morning. Being reminded of how Good God is. Then all singing "God is so good, God is so good, God is so good, He's so good to me" together.

Ok, a little repetitive. But sometimes that's good. Drums it home. And boy did I know it this morning as I let those words sink in: God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.

Ok, I got nothing. Can I just buy your imagination then?

saith deg

Finding out that my uncle walked away from a serious crash in a rally car just with bruises (and no memory of the event, or of helping his driver out of the car, or of calling the paramedics) but is OK, didn't have to stay in hospital and is recovering at home; and also that his driver escaped just with a broken arm.

Truly a miracle, thankyou Lord.

Little squirt with attitude

chwe deg naw

Finishing 'Cross Examined' by Mark Meynell and starting 'Future Grace' by John Piper (albeit a little later than scheduled!)

Wow: the cross. Wow: Jesus. Wow: grace.

Amazin'.

it's all about Tesco...barefoot baby

chwe deg wyth

Talking to Becky in work about Relay. "The thing is, since Phil and I have been married he's been on the sick and we've been surviving on my wages but it's amazing the way God provides. And we've learnt that God doesn't always provide for your wants, but He always provides for your needs."

It's the Mars bar kid

chwe deg saith

Sitting here in work (sssh!) thinking "I wonder what will be my 365 for today?". Then thinking "Wow, isn't it exciting that I've got a whole day in front of me to experience God's amazing gifts to me."

Promptly followed by "Well, there's my 365 then."

Just put a bounty on his head and he'll turn up in no time

chwe deg chwech

"Hello! Just wanted to say, hope you had a very happy birthday yesterday, I was thinking of you!! (And I hope I got the date right!) Lots of love, Jo xxx"

(currently in Nigeria!)

to me to you

chwe deg pump

Walking into work to find my desk covered in a banner and balloons. Followed at coffee time by cake and presents. The card from Jess that made me laugh out loud. Coming home to an answerphone message from Luc - Penblwydd hapus i ti! Being thoroughly spoilt by my family. Chilling with them in the evening over a Chinese meal and Nana's stories.

Ilovemynanasstoriescoztheymakemesmile.

How dare you move my house

chwe deg pedwar

The random couple randomly dancing in a random layby on the side of A470.

Trying to find a shortcut to Deri from Quakers Yard. Finding it - over the mountains with a road to close to the edge and a view too breathtaking. Mam's repeated "be careful's" and grips of the dashboard (I wasn't driving dangerously, we were just very close to the edge!)

But this topped it - the view when we got to the top of Bedlinog mountain. The misty haze, after an hour of pretty torrential rain the sun comes out and the sun rays bouncing and reflecting off the puddles and wet grass makes it all seem so beautiful. It's more beautiful than a blazing hot summer's day when the weather is like that. Maybe that's why it rains so much in Wales - so that when the sun comes out everything looks even more beautiful than it already is! Or we see it in its true beauty. Anayway, amazin'.

Run rabbit, run