tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83727278886674360782024-03-13T22:15:48.383-07:00Nicola Writes...nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.comBlogger227125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-86117266115553885662014-11-16T09:40:00.001-08:002014-11-16T09:40:26.392-08:00The Vicar's Tea Party has landed!Well, after that anvil sized hint in the last blog post you may have guessed that I am in the process of launching a new blog. You will probably also realize that this post is going to be one great big plea for all you lovely lot to come join me over on my new platform....<a href="http://vicarsteaparty.blogspot.co.uk/">ah go on!</a><br />
<br />
Should you need further persuasion here is the blurb for the new blog....<a href="http://vicarsteaparty.blogspot.co.uk/">Vicar's Tea Party</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oPwbZfVGY9I/VGjheTH0oII/AAAAAAAABLQ/4AOiboQIKeo/s1600/VTP%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oPwbZfVGY9I/VGjheTH0oII/AAAAAAAABLQ/4AOiboQIKeo/s1600/VTP%2B3.jpg" height="147" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
'Life eh? Sometimes it can be so darn crazy that we don't get a chance or the space to think about the big things in life, or sometimes the little things either!<div>
</div>
<div>
Enter <strong>Vicar's Tea Party</strong>. A place to relax. A place to think. A place to get ideas for revamping that old bedside table your Granny left you – because that is important too. At the <strong>Vicar's Tea Party </strong> you can mull over life's little eccentricities from how to grow your spiritual life to easy ethical life style swaps to how to bake a cake that makes Monday worth getting up for again.</div>
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<strong>Vicar's Tea Party</strong> is a place you can grab a brew, put your feet up and feel a bit more human again.</div>
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On the blog you will find four categories for whatever takes your fancy today: </div>
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<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b>Vicar's Sofa</b> – a place to curl up with a brew and ponder some of life's big questions</div>
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<b>Vicar's Kitchen</b> – a veritable feast of seasonal recipes sure to give your week a little extra something something.<br />
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<b>Vicar's Study</b> - a place to stretch your mind and spirit with book recommendations, news and reviews.<br />
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<b>Vicar's Craft Corner </b>– posts stuffed to the rafters with crafting ideas, tips for green living and second hand and vintage finds galore!'<br />
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<a href="http://vicarsteaparty.blogspot.co.uk/">See you there?</a> nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-7753814682813437202014-10-19T10:05:00.003-07:002014-10-19T10:05:40.919-07:00New Blogging Shores
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Confession time - I've
run a ground a bit on this blog. It makes me a little sad because
this blog has accompanied me through some of the best times in my
life. From starting out writing for the first time, to writing my
first short stories and seeing them in print, to being selected to
train for ordained ministry and all the ups and downs of that journey
so far.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have met wonderful
people, been inspired by the blogging community and given much needed
space to reflect on all the adventures that have been part of my life
over the last few years. It's pretty amazing to be able to look back
on where I've been and how much things have changed in that time. But
what I have loved the most is sharing that with you lovely people and
hearing how these simple stories have been an encouragement to some
of you. That is the best part by far.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In this blog I've also
discovered a love of writing that has run and run and allowed me to
branch out into other platforms in this magical world of the interweb
and partly it is this love of writing that is spurring me on to
something new. I've had an idea for a while now about a new blog I
might launch and I have this annoying nagging feeling that I ought to
just be getting on with it.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The problem is that the
idea is just so much more successful and brilliant in my head than it
might be in real life. Annoying that, eh? I feel a bit like I am
standing on the safe shores of this blog looking out to some distant,
possibly awesome/possible snake infested island of the new blog and
thinking 'Well, its no so bad here, really. Perhaps I'll just stay a
while longer'. But the thing is I am starting to drag my heels here.
Ideas aren't coming so easy for this platform but are coming thick
and fast for another.</span></div>
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</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My greatest concern is
that the new blog turns out to be a total snore fest and really is
better off in my head where it currently lives majestic in all its
glorious unreality. For that reason I'm going to be enlisting a few
of you to comment on this new hair brained scheme of mine. In the
meantime, watch this space, I still love you and I will be back!</span></div>
nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-69201981180180274142014-09-18T01:28:00.000-07:002014-09-18T01:28:28.951-07:00Diverse WorldI've been here on Uni
Campus for the last three days now and it has been quite the
education. It feels both nostalgic and like brand new territory. In
many ways it feels like just yesterday that I was arriving at
University and facing that horrible moment when your parents drive
away and you are sat on your bed thinking 'What on earth do I do
now?!' A few hours later and I was happily ensconced in the bar but,
still, it is a life changing moment, the feelings of which are still
etched on my memory, probably for all time.<br />
<br />
But there are also so
many new things I am discovering here. Though I have been interested
in multi-faith work for a while this is the first time that I have
been in a truly multi-faith setting where different religions work
together under one roof to serve a single population of people. It's
quite wonderful really. There is so much that is shared between the
major faiths that it isn't really so hard to find common ground and a
shared purpose of serving the student body, of all faiths and none. This
seems to bond people in a special way as they go for a shared vision.<br />
<br />
The chaplaincy here is
like a little hub of life with everyone popping in. I've chatted over
a cuppa with atheists, Muslims and Catholics in the space of a few
days - to name but a few. As well as just hanging out a huge range of
people use the space to pray and it strikes me that there is
something wonderfully ideal about a room where people of all the
major faiths, and of no faith at all, come to pray or meditate. It
feels to me like something we should be aspiring towards more in
society. Not an abandoning of our differences but an understanding of
our shared humanity. Seeing that difference, rather than being a
hindrance to relationship, can be creative and inspiring.<br />
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
It also reminds me of
how important a space is to reconnect with what it means to be a
human being rather than an employee or a role or a grade. Having just
emerged from the higher education bubble I know how easy it can be to
get sucked into evaluating your worth on the basis of your last essay
grade. Likewise whatever stage of life we are in it can be so easy to
equate our value with our latest appraisal. We're just worth so much
more than that though, right? And all these things are temporary and
nothing compared to the real value we have as people. It's great to
be part of a place, even for a little while, that seeks to remind
people of that.</div>
<br />
Another great
placement, another great adventure of Summer (can I still say that
now its gotten so grey!?) This really is the vacation that keeps on
giving!<br />
nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-4277739289387079102014-09-08T12:41:00.001-07:002014-09-08T12:44:19.460-07:00The Countryside...Continued!Still here! Still
alive! You know how I discovered last week that I really am a townie?
Yeah, well, now I REALLY know I'm a townie. Don't get me wrong, the
countryside is beautiful, especially with this revival of summer we
are experiencing here in Blighty but nonetheless I really miss coffee
shops and people watching and ready availability of supermarkets.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IQEK4CitZLg/VA4FzDymVZI/AAAAAAAABHM/9mfbJI3WcLw/s1600/Country%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IQEK4CitZLg/VA4FzDymVZI/AAAAAAAABHM/9mfbJI3WcLw/s1600/Country%2B1.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Its is rather nice!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Things have been going
well here though. In the nicest possible way I have learned what I am
not made for but that is valuable in and of itself, right? I think it
is safe to say that I am not destined to be a country Vicar cycling
from parish to parish and waving hello to all the tiny hamlets I pass
on my way. I miss the hustle and bustle and, well, shops and stuff.<br />
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Nonetheless there is
much that is transferable to my preferred habitat of suburbia.
People, after all, are much the same wherever you go. Same questions,
same worries, same ups and downs. I've done heaps here from leading a
whole load of services, giving a whole load of sermons and even had
the chance to entertain the local primary school with the first story
I have penned in an absolute age. It reminded me of how wonderful it
is to have a chance to be creative and even better when it is part of
the day job.</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1zRRxSeasaI/VA4GFKB844I/AAAAAAAABHU/n0CWMafH27Q/s1600/Country%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1zRRxSeasaI/VA4GFKB844I/AAAAAAAABHU/n0CWMafH27Q/s1600/Country%2B2.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer makes a welcome return!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
There have also been
challenges too. I am on a journey and a half when it comes to
preaching. I've mentioned before that I have been nervy, genuinely
knee knockingly nervy, when speaking in front of people until very
recently. I've overcome that now, such that people actually think I
am confident when I speak in front of them (that's called acting,
dahhhling!). <br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
And in a weird way I am
becoming more confident, fake it till you make it and all that. But I
still have a long way to go and the temptation to settle at 'just ok'
is so much stronger than I anticipated it would be. Turns out it
safer to hide behind a lectern clutching notes than to boldly emerge,
look people and the eye and tell them what you've got to say.</div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Still, now that I'm
here blogging about it I suppose I am committing myself to the harder
path, striving not for perfection but to being really bloomin' good
and that, I know, involves boldness, bravery and a whole lot of
practice. I have one last sermon here to give before I head off for
my next placement at a Uni in London for Freshers (ahhh, its like
returning to the mother ship!) so I suppose I had best make it a good
'un. Be brave....be brave!!!</div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Much love from the
country....!</div>
nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-40711288896804482532014-08-30T09:17:00.000-07:002014-08-30T09:20:16.815-07:00A little bit Country<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If I ever needed any
confirmation that I am an urbanite then I certainly got it today.
Navigating my way around rural Oxfordshire for the second half of my
church placement this summer was considerably more difficult than
navigating my way around super urban Barcelona. Hopping on and off a
metro - fine. Wandering up and down country lanes where houses are
named not numbered – not so much.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was even dressed like
a daft urbanite in high heeled boots dragging my supplies of Dolmio
stir in sauces and a bag of pasta behind me for my two week sojourn
here. It really is beautiful here though and we have been given the
sweetest little bolt hole to stay in by some kind people at the
church who took pity on us and so have saved us from traipsing across
Oxford every day. Its making me feel all autumnal and like I want to
hunker down for the season with a packed of digestives and a box set.
Shame I'm here to work....</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Speaking of work, I
kicked off my placement here with a quintessentially English event of
a country wedding. I love a wedding, even, as it turns out, when I am
working at one. I sat to watch the service in the choir stalls
grinning like a Cheshire cat as I thought about the fact that, all
being well, I will be doing weddings myself this time next year!
Tremendously exciting! As at every wedding I have ever attended I got
a bit weepy at the magic of the whole thing. All those promises, all
that hope. I'm such a marriage fanatic!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I then went for a walk
with my beloved (he gets a great deal eh, being dragged around with
me?!) to explore rumours of a pub only to discover that it didn't
open until six. That being the only public building other than the
church we made our way back to our little country abode where we are
currently watching a David Attenborough documentary on frogs (ah
married bliss.....?!) and making in roads into the tea stash we
brought with us.
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Country life eh?</span>
</div>
nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-9695804151670896042014-08-23T10:04:00.002-07:002014-08-23T10:15:32.734-07:00The Mind MakeoverAs I mentioned in my last post this summer has given me a great opportunity to get into some new books. Most of these have been gloriously unproductive but there have been a couple of books on my reading list this summer which have made a real impact on me. The first of these was 'The Mind Makeover' by Sharron Lowe which I wrote about a bit in a previous post - <a href="http://nicolahulks.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/the-feisty-fly.html">The Feisty Fly!</a><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-blvIY4NcBho/U_jJaHlkpGI/AAAAAAAABG8/ulzIS8AfnLM/s1600/Mind%2Bmakeover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-blvIY4NcBho/U_jJaHlkpGI/AAAAAAAABG8/ulzIS8AfnLM/s1600/Mind%2Bmakeover.jpg" height="320" width="209" /></a></div>
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<br />
The book explores in some depth how our thoughts can either limit or empower us. In particular I found her mantra 'Expect massive change' a revolutionary idea. I don't know about you but I often think about change as laborious, hard going, a mountain climb. I've certainly experienced that with learning to drive and the ongoing slog can make you feel like you will never really change and this problem will always be with you.<br />
<br />
After reading the Mind Makeover I felt a firm nudge of challenge to this idea. I knew what my goals were with driving, why couldn't I make a massive leap forward that week? Why couldn't I experience massive change in one day? I knew that most of my issues with driving were all in my head anyway. Lowe challenges the phrase 'I can't' suggesting that when we say this we usually mean 'I don't want to' or 'I don't know how to'.<br />
<br />
I live in a very hilly area and I realised that part of my 'I can't' with driving was 'I don't know how to'. I booked a lesson with my instructor and asked him to spent two hours making me drive up hills, explaining the mechanics of how the car responds in various scenarios. The next day I drove up to my college on my own for the first time up a massive hill. This was a goal I had set to be completed by Christmas and I had achieved it six months early, in a single day. Massive change indeed.<br />
<br />
Lowe also puts an emphasis on the importance of hard work, not luck, for success. I put this into practice in Barcelona when I was asked to lead a full service and give the sermon. I have previously been nervy about public speaking and I really didn't want this to show as I have experienced myself that nerves are contagious. I didn't want to put the congregation on edge.<br />
<br />
I desperately wanted to succeed and so I went downstairs into the empty church everyday and practiced. Even down to how I would get up from my chair, how I would smile, how I would stand during hymns. I crafted everything to give off an air of confidence and ease. The result? The Vicar told me it seemed like I had done this a hundred times not just once. In reality, with all my practicing, I nearly had! Though I stil lhave much further to go, hard work brought me success that day.<br />
<br />
And lastly Lowe talks convincingly about getting out of your comfort zone. It seems to be an unfortunate truth that much of what is worthwhile in life rarely comes easy. While I was packing my bags for Spain, desperately trying to make my baggage adhere to the Easy Jet hand luggage restrictions, my husband found me slumped on the floor tearily clutching a euro plug adapted wailing 'Why am I doing this to myself?!'<br />
<br />
I knew full well I could have gone up the road for placement and it would have been much less scary. But it was so much more satisfying to do something I wasn't quite convinced I could do. It was a time in my life I will never forget and one that just thinking of it gives me confidence for the future.<br />
<br />
So I very much recommend this brilliant book to you and will be back in a few days with another of my fave summer reads - 'The Happiness Project;.<br />
<br />
<br />nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-71113503110623880962014-08-21T09:47:00.000-07:002014-08-21T09:49:11.825-07:00Summer of Fun!There I was in my last post signing off for a week to 'dip my toes in the Med' and here I am a month later sheepishly popping my head back up wondering (again!) where the time has gone. In all honesty I've just been having such a brilliant summer that all thoughts of recording my thoughts have gone well and truly out of the window. Not a great trait for a blogger, I grant you, but a lovely luxury nonetheless.<br />
<br />
It's all been rather nice really and like any self respecting blogger I've drawn a bit of a lesson from it. That the chance to say nothing, to put planning, striving and being in any way productive to one side and instead indulge in completely frivolous activities is hugely restorative and very well advised. This, in my case, has involved eating out with friends, celebrating my 30th (again!) in Greece, buying a waffle maker and taking long walks along the river with my parent's spaniel. The later is quite well needed given that most of my other activities involve vast quantities of food. Ho hum....<br />
<br />
This summer has, in many ways, felt like one of those long lost summers of my Uni days. Having such a long stretch off is such a luxury. You can stack up a pile of books to read with the happy realisation that you might even have time to read them. Then you can promptly spend your time staring into space comfortable in the knowledge that you can read anytime you want to. This is an especially wonderful luxury when every book I've picked up in the last two years, thanks to my degree, had to be speed read and dissected for the important bits.<br />
<br />
Even though this summer has been well packed with placements even those have been invigorating because I chose them. How nice is that? To be able to choose a lovely little adventure for yourself with new people, new places and challenging new work. Since returning from Barcelona I've been struck over and again by just how brilliant it was. I'm not ashamed to say I wiped away a few stray tears when I left there and I'm still, several weeks on, marvelling at how well the situation worked out, how much I learnt and what a great bunch of people I found there.<br />
<br />
Most importantly it set my enthusiasm level to bursting for this church ministry lark and left me with the happy assurance that, despite how seemingly mad this whole journey has been, I was right to follow my instincts and I am, after all, on the right path. This is all pretty good timing as the job offers for my first proper job as a minister are starting to come in. I know! I can't really believe it myself either!<br />
<br />
But even as life starts to look more serious again and the temperatures start to plummet (sob!) I'm hoping to keep that summer feeling with me for a bit longer. To spend entire mornings, completely guilt free, in the quest for the perfect waffle topping, to learn something just because it is fun, to take on new challenges just because I can and, best of all, to take out some quality 'staring into space' time. Summer of fun, indeed!nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-89311671832243761722014-07-20T10:51:00.003-07:002014-07-20T10:56:47.954-07:00A very Spanish 30th<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, it's official.
I'm old! Reaching the grand old age of thirty was helped somewhat by
spending the day in beautiful Barcelona. A place which has now well
and truly won my heart.
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We started the day with
a trip to the Sagrada Familia, a church designed by Gaudi. It might
sound a bit odd to come out of the mouth of a trainee Vicar but I'm
generally not that keen on visiting churches. I tend to find them a bit
oppressive and the architecture makes me feel squashed rather then
liberating in the big Gothic buildings full of dominating statues. I
wasn't expecting too much from the Sagrada Familia but had been told
I absolutely must go inside of it, and man alive, was I in for a
surprise.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r3i9h1McoPE/U8v9-P5HApI/AAAAAAAABFY/wEjS1OLk6Ms/s1600/DSCN2093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r3i9h1McoPE/U8v9-P5HApI/AAAAAAAABFY/wEjS1OLk6Ms/s1600/DSCN2093.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can confidently say
that this is one of the only church buildings I have ever been into that has
knocked me for six. I wonder if it is the combination of the passions
in Gaudi's life which are somewhat replicated in mine – a love of
nature, a love of the Bible and a desire to see the church re-magined
for a new generation – but it connected with me deeply.
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pNNjv6Q0c2U/U8v-nW2uyTI/AAAAAAAABFg/-8MemJUGYlk/s1600/DSCN2085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pNNjv6Q0c2U/U8v-nW2uyTI/AAAAAAAABFg/-8MemJUGYlk/s1600/DSCN2085.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I loved the use of coloured light in the church in the stained glass. All the colours of the rainbow.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the first time I
felt that my faith had been replicated right there in a work of
architecture and it was quite overwhelming. Gaudi was commissioned to
build the Church when he was 32 so it all seemed to come together
somehow. The thirties, a new decade, many new hopes and this
extraordinary place testifying to the power of a vision and a good
dose of tenacity!</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4uyQT_QCpcg/U8v_SvI8zVI/AAAAAAAABFw/jC_0zv5mitA/s1600/DSCN2071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4uyQT_QCpcg/U8v_SvI8zVI/AAAAAAAABFw/jC_0zv5mitA/s1600/DSCN2071.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hwYeIJ3rkeg/U8wAFIBdcwI/AAAAAAAABGA/UeTs3cB85OQ/s1600/DSCN2097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hwYeIJ3rkeg/U8wAFIBdcwI/AAAAAAAABGA/UeTs3cB85OQ/s1600/DSCN2097.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matthew's gospel carved into the doors</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We then went on to
slightly less holy pursuits of shopping along the Passieg de Gracia.
As a long time devotee of Mango I was thrilled to go to the flagship
store and even more thrilled to visit the place where Mango clothes
go for one last hurrah before the end, the outlet store! Oh. My.
Goodness. This place is wall to wall with loveliness, Mango's finest,
in perfect condition but at a fraction of the price. Only the teeny
tiny hand luggage restrictions of Easy Jet stopped me from going
truly mental and I managed to emerge, a paragon of restraint, with
just a neon yellow skirt and a red dress.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We finished the evening
with dinner on top of the bullring followed by the amazing fountains
and light show at Placa d'Espana. The light show was spectacular and
the soundtrack was eerily like someone had broken into my Spotify
playlist. It was amazing to jump about, get sprayed by water and have
a good old sing along. Honestly, how cool is this city?!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Xt-OlBs2z4/U8wAjSARBOI/AAAAAAAABGI/4TAAMOxeuMo/s1600/DSCN2099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Xt-OlBs2z4/U8wAjSARBOI/AAAAAAAABGI/4TAAMOxeuMo/s1600/DSCN2099.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wn5H9vtKANc/U8wBgX-hjmI/AAAAAAAABGU/TE836zmhj7I/s1600/DSCN2111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wn5H9vtKANc/U8wBgX-hjmI/AAAAAAAABGU/TE836zmhj7I/s1600/DSCN2111.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And now, sob, my last
night here is upon me. We're heading off to the beach for a few days
know because, well, why wouldn't we? Then we are off to Madrid to
feast ourselves silly and possibly do something cultural in between.
I have loved it here. I felt comfortable from the moment I arrived
and I have had some genuine milestones in my working and personal
life. Who would have thought such a short trip planned somewhat on a
speculative whim would turn out to be so special.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> But now I'm signing
off to dip my toes in the Med! See you in a week or so!</span></div>
nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-22291767174660442412014-07-13T13:02:00.001-07:002014-07-13T13:02:44.474-07:00Fear and Trembling<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'I came to you in
weakness, with much fear and trembling'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So says the Apostle
Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians (in the New Testament
for non Bible geeks...) and so say I! Today, as I mentioned in my
last post, was my first time leading a full service with a sermon in
church, and in a packed family service in Barcelona no less! As I got
ready to step up to the lectern I looked out on the congregation and
wondered, for what must be the hundredth time, what on earth I was
doing to myself. I practised all week not wanting people to feel my
nerves and so be put off from what they were there to do but there
they were, those pesky nerves, always bubbling up when you least want
them to!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Enwka1e9wJY/U8LhzoBXk0I/AAAAAAAABFI/DDYMWhZTYng/s1600/10374445_10152142558982413_6360872160845485248_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Enwka1e9wJY/U8LhzoBXk0I/AAAAAAAABFI/DDYMWhZTYng/s1600/10374445_10152142558982413_6360872160845485248_n.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The church in one my MANY practice sessions!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">People say 'fake it
till you make it' but I've never been much of an actor. I had one
terrible attempt at secondary school where I forgot my lines about
two scenes in and and just kept repeating the one I remembered over
and over again. Not my finest hour! But today, as I started to speak
and felt the now familiar words forming on my lips from all my
practice, I realised that the one thing I had going for me, bad
acting aside, was that I really meant these words. I really wanted to
welcome everyone there 'In the name of Christ' and really wanted to
talk about love and peace and joy and blessing. Speaking those
opening words made me smile and then I knew I was going to be ok.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fear and trembling
seems all right this side of things. It's the evidence that, finally,
I am doing something that really means something to me. After the
service, and gathering some feedback from the congregation, I went
upstairs to my room, and the spectacular view it gives me over
Barcelona, and had a little cry. Not because people were critical
(except for my preaching speed which, quite frankly, is comparable to
the speed of light! I'm working on it!!) but because they seemed to
understand. They seemed to see my heart and what this means to me
and, most amazingly, seemed to think that I have something to say
worth hearing. I had a little cry because it is amazing, and
exhausting, to finally care so much about something. It's amazing
when what you want so badly to communicate gets through and for it to
help someone.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I already know that I
am going to miss this place. Its not unusual for me to get very
attached to churches. Whether its the ladies that I learned how to
set up the church with in Barton or the group I chose a new Vicar
with, there are all these memories, all these things that changed me.
One of the ladies asked me today if I would come back here one day to
work when I am all fully trained. I laughed and said I'd love to but
lets see what God has planned for me first. Still, the future aside,
its strange to be in a place where you can feel yourself changing,
when you know, even as you live it, that these moments are going to
be something you look back on as important, even life changing.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fear and trembling
isn't really something any of us seek out but sometimes perhaps it is
what is needed after all. Next week I'm preaching again and I'll be
practising over and over again this summer if nothing else but to get
that 'word per minute' quota down! I think I'll always remember this
first time, though, and that happy little feeling bubbling up in me
even if it was accompanied by much fear and trembling!</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">P.S if you'd like to read my sermon (second attempt at a sermon in my life time, mind you!) then you can find it <a href="http://nicolawritesgodchat.blogspot.com.es/2014/07/the-parable-of-sower_13.html">here</a>.</span></div>
nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-3206829606098110822014-07-09T08:59:00.001-07:002014-07-09T08:59:58.169-07:00Spanish tales<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are certain
things that are almost obligatory when spending some time in another
country. The first of these, of course, is getting lost. I managed to
do this pretty spectacularly on my second day here whilst heavy laden
with shopping bags. I nearly reached the point where I thought I
might just have to give it all up as bad job and accept that I was
now homeless with nothing but a bag of macaroni and a bottle of Rioja
to my name when I remembered someone mentioning that the road the
Church is on is split in two as some bright spark decided to built a
hospital smack bang in the middle of what was once one long street.
Ten minutes late I found the right place, had a little chuckle to
myself and promptly collapsed on the sofa.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've also been treated
to some of the curiosities of Catalan culture. On Sunday night on my
way home from lunch (at nine pm, nine pm!!) I stumbled across a huge
group of uniformed locals forming human pyramids in the town square
topped, about five levels up, by a five year old in a crash helmet.
Only in Spain! I'm slowly adjusting to the different timing of life.
Lunch mid afternoon, dinner later evening and everything being done
at a gentle pace. Being on the Metro is like being on the London
Underground but running at a quarter of the speed. I haven't seen a
single person run through a station since I arrived! </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-me6zHu_QEqU/U71mm6_DCII/AAAAAAAABE4/qm1u2H7EEag/s1600/10549723_656366471099028_1340244621_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-me6zHu_QEqU/U71mm6_DCII/AAAAAAAABE4/qm1u2H7EEag/s1600/10549723_656366471099028_1340244621_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Relaxing on the rocks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By far the greatest
part of this pace of life is the conversations you can have with
people. Rather than a snatched half an hour where you barely cover
the small talk topics of job and family long lunches and late warm
nights give a chance to talk about things at a depth that is
impossible when everything is on a schedule. I'm reminded that time
where no one is looking at their watch is precious indeed. The only
factor driving people to get moving seems to be that the metro,
Cinderella like, stops at 12 or pumpkin hour!
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">So, getting lost and navigating meal times aside, I'm getting rather comfy indeed. Luckily the church is keep me on my toes with a big challenge of leading my first </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">solo service in the church this weekend. Its
both daunting and thrilling to be putting the first part of my
training into action. Still, there's only one way to learn to lead
services and give sermons and that's to give them. The great
advantage of living above the church comes into play again giving me
time to do an awful lot of play acting to empty pews before I 'go
live' on Sunday. There will be a large glass of celebratory Rioja after that! See you on the other side!!</span>nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-88266091255387361842014-07-03T14:31:00.000-07:002014-07-03T14:33:38.150-07:00A Room with a View<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tonight has been one of
those evenings, quite unexpectedly, when a moment, a single view,
makes me wonder how on earth I have found myself here. The view from
my window in Barcelona is pretty spectacular. The sea on one side
with the city unfolding before it. The mountains on the other topped
by a church. I can see the lights streaming out from what I'm pretty
sure is the football stadium, lighting up the whole sky like some
sort of night time rainbow. And right below my window is another
sight I hadn't anticipated I'd be looking out on, a simple one with plain
black lettering reading - 'St George's Church'.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oddly enough I have
lived in the roof of a church before and I loved it. I loved the
coming and going of people below, the sound of the band rehearsing,
and a two minute walk down the stairs to church wasn't bad on a
Sunday morning either. But I never really anticipated that I would be
staying in a church in this capacity. That I would ever, in my
lifetime, be standing up on a Sunday morning in front of a bunch of
people I don't know and saying prayers or giving sermons. It still
has somewhat of a surreal quality about it. How did the atheist
biology graduate end up training to be a church leader and in
Barcelona of all places?
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think these moments
are good, though, and that they come all too infrequently. Or perhaps
we only allow them to come all too infrequently. A change of scene
helps. It somehow throws everything into the light, making the
ordinary clear again for what it really is, pretty darn extraordinary
really. Its nice to be reminded that taking risks is worth it. Every
thing that has brought me here has been a series of risks. The risk
of entertaining such a mad idea in my world as faith and God. The
risk of going into an unknown and unfamiliar church (someone tell me
when that is going to change?!). The risk of looking foolish, often.
The risk of seeking after doing something that I really, really love.
The risk of being told 'no' when I thought I had found that thing and
a million other risks besides.
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All I can hope for is
that these risks will continue to be worth it as they have been so
far. At the very least they have made life rather interesting and it
strikes me that it is a wonderful thing to be surprised over and over
again about where you end up. As I wrote in my last post it sets the
future wide open and full of unnumbered possibilities. I just hope to
be looking out of another window in ten years time and thinking 'How
on earth did I get here?!' That seems like a very good thing to hope for indeed.</span></div>
nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-74177496164670817762014-07-01T03:04:00.001-07:002014-07-01T03:05:20.944-07:00The Feisty Fly<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well here we are, the
eve of my big trip to Barcelona! I can't believe it is finally here,
the chance to explore a new city, a new people and to test out some
ideas and inklings for the future. In the run up to this next
adventure I have been reading a great book called The Mind Makeover
by Sharron Lowe. In particular I have been struck by her chapter on
smashing out of your comfort zone. This is, of course, particularly
relevant when you are about to hop on a plane with just an address on
a slip of paper and hopes of a good time!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lowe gives a great
example about comfort zones that I hadn't heard before, that of flies
in a jar. If you place flies in a jar with the lid of you can pretty
much guarantee what will happen, they will fly away. If you then
cover the top of the jar with clear plastic film then they can only
try to escape, unsuccessfully. Interestingly when you take off the
film, after one day of trying to escape, the flies no longer make a
bid for freedom. They no longer
believe that there is life outside the jar and so sit, comfortably,
in the confines of the jar for the rest of their lives.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NYCQL2sy7iQ/U7KHNAclVEI/AAAAAAAABEo/N_K5R3sJACY/s1600/fly_fly1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NYCQL2sy7iQ/U7KHNAclVEI/AAAAAAAABEo/N_K5R3sJACY/s1600/fly_fly1.gif" height="266" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="irc_dsh irc_msc"><a href="http://www.alternativeanimal.com-/">Source</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For me that sounded
worryingly familiar!! It is so easy to get caught up in the narrative
of the world around you, even the one you have created for yourself.
It happens at every age but turning 30 seems to be rife with this
kind of thing. Suddenly life ought to look a certain way because
'that is just what people do.' The partner, the house, the kids, the
good job, the nice car - the whole shebang. But what if that doesn't
happen for you? And what if you are not sure if you even want it?
Then you simply find yourself living 'unsuccessfully' under rules you
never even made in the first place.
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being in Church
ministry is wonderfully liberating in a way. It comes with its own
'glass jars' and you have to be a very feisty fly indeed to get
beyond them sometimes. But it does also offer the opportunity, even
the expectation, to fly free, live differently and chase after what
is out of the ordinary. Its very exciting to be on the cusp of that
again. To be looking out and thinking 'Well, this is wide open.' Now
its just time to muster the courage, ready my wings and fly up to the
top of that jar. Who knows what is on the other side?</span></div>
nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-63501459597963098032014-06-24T08:48:00.002-07:002014-06-24T08:48:49.682-07:00I'm back!
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Forgive me for very
much sounding my age but, where has the time gone?! One minute I was
hot footing it to Florence for Easter celebrations and the next I am
in my garden basking in a gorgeous English summer. It seems like the
last few months have been swallowed up into some time bending
parallel universe of books and essays and trying to write an awful
lot of words in a very short space of time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But now exam season is
over and a whole new season is beginning. This week, perhaps at this
very moment, the powers that be are meeting to decide my fate with
regards to my first Vicar-ing job which I will start in a years time
(assuming they don't kick me out before then!!). They are actually
quite a good bunch and I'm pretty sure they have the measure of me so
I'm confident if they offer me a job in this area then it will be one
that fits. But at the same time we are still looking out into the big
wide world beyond Oxfordshire and wondering if that is where we are
heading.
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the short term that
is definitely where I'm going as in just nine days I'll be arriving
in Barcelona to spend three weeks at the Anglican church there and,
like all good self respecting students, spending ten days after
travelling around Catalunia. I can't wait to see church in action is
such a different context to my own and in a place where so many
nationalities and traditions are represented. It seems deeply right
that church should be a place where you have to get over yourself and
get along with those who are on a different page from you and even
better where it is a necessary part of being a diverse bunch. How
interesting is that for starters? And what a great lesson for making
community work in each and every setting.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I've been sending
last minute emails to my hosts I feel a bit like one of the apostles
of biblical times (ok, except for the email bit....!) eagerly
anticipating to meet the 'saints in Barcelona'! Ready to spread my
wings, get a bit lost and learn something brand new. So who knows
what is in store over the next few months. I know I'm going to be
giving A LOT of sermons. I know I'm going to meet some great people.
I know I'm going to get an insight into areas of church life that
I've only ever imagined before. I know I'm going to turn the big
three zero! And I know I'm going to be taking you along for the ride.
Ahhh it feels good to be back!</span></div>
nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-34781366650275886392014-04-23T09:55:00.000-07:002014-04-23T09:55:10.373-07:00Back to Life in Italy<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I spent the Easter
weekend in Florence, officially the best city in the world as voted
for by....well...me! Life has been rather hectic of late. It's all
piles of notes and exam timetables, MOT tests and driving practice. I
was very much in need of a rest, yes, but more than that of being
shaken out of what was feeling like a stifling routine. I wanted to
be surprised, a bit uncomfortable. To see something new.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And what better time to
embark on that kind of thing but Easter, a time of new beginnings,
certainly a time of surprise. In England I have always found Easter
celebrations to be pleasant, if a little bland. For me I've been
waiting to experience something that really captures the occasion,
that celebrates in a way that is as outlandish as the Easter story
itself. Something extravagant and colourful and brand new.<br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H5AZpLMFG5g/U1fvf1JISaI/AAAAAAAABDk/1RvjJSxVYt4/s1600/Italy+2014+225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H5AZpLMFG5g/U1fvf1JISaI/AAAAAAAABDk/1RvjJSxVYt4/s1600/Italy+2014+225.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Florence did not
disappoint. The day began with a parade of about a hundred people all
dressed in national costume in every colour of the rainbow, some
waving the Florentine flag, others throwing flowers into the crowd,
one of the Priests up front with a cross. Everyone was beaming. The
bells rang out over the city as four white bulls were led the crowd
each wearing a head dress of flowers pulling behind them a dark red
17<sup>th</sup> century cart over nine metres high. </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F374KBFE3M8/U1fvuM0wesI/AAAAAAAABDs/5WeAfGqMurI/s1600/Italy+2014+240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F374KBFE3M8/U1fvuM0wesI/AAAAAAAABDs/5WeAfGqMurI/s1600/Italy+2014+240.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3qioPZcl4ho/U1fv-CIMwvI/AAAAAAAABEA/q0iRAzt6P_0/s1600/Italy+2014+253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3qioPZcl4ho/U1fv-CIMwvI/AAAAAAAABEA/q0iRAzt6P_0/s1600/Italy+2014+253.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The service, played out
to us in the crowds, was in a language I didn't know (Italian,
Latin?!) but I recognized some parts through the responses of the
congregation as the same parts we have in our services at home. There
was something beautifully familiar about it, something joyful about
people in another language, a whole other world really, speaking the
same words I do week in week out. Pressed up together in the crowd I
grinned at the people around me who spoke to me in Italian to which I
nodded and laughed, completely non the wiser but not too worried
about it really.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-obBJRtTw7eo/U1fv9DQ1WuI/AAAAAAAABD4/CjyF_G_bgiI/s1600/Italy+2014+259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-obBJRtTw7eo/U1fv9DQ1WuI/AAAAAAAABD4/CjyF_G_bgiI/s1600/Italy+2014+259.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, the service
over, we heard the wizz of the (wooden!) dove running down a wire
that ran the length of the cathedral out to the cart. All of a sudden
the cart was alight, firing off fireworks into the sky. It was like
nothing I had seen before. Not like English fireworks that are all
colour and spectacle, but just banging and bright light and sparklers
flying everywhere. It fitted the moment somehow, it was loud, in your
face. There was nothing to do but laugh and clap and whistle.<br />
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OmUu99WLnPM/U1fwB9sqG5I/AAAAAAAABEE/xrIN8y1snkE/s1600/Italy+2014+266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OmUu99WLnPM/U1fwB9sqG5I/AAAAAAAABEE/xrIN8y1snkE/s1600/Italy+2014+266.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So Italy, well, it
didn't let me down. It fed me very well indeed, it blew my cobwebs
away by its sheer exuberance and it made my Easter great. Now its
back to the books but with a little something extra in my tank.
<br />
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy Easter to you and
yours! x</span></div>
nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-14305591467989761692014-03-23T10:06:00.002-07:002014-03-23T10:07:46.232-07:00Little Girl in Barcelona<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last year about this
time I went to a conference called 'Talitha Koum'. Translated this
means 'Little Girl, get up!' and is from a gospel story where Jesus
restores a little girl to health and draws her back onto her feet
again. It's a powerful story and it was a powerful conference with
the aim of saying to a generation of young women: wake up, step up
and go into the future that is waiting for you. Lead, be bold, have
confidence in yourself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For me that event was a
big deal. I was a couple of terms into college and still feeling shy
about being there. I'd arrived fresh from six months of running a
church, alongside the church wardens, after beginning an admin job
and being promptly told two weeks in that I was on my own as the
Vicar was retiring! Suddenly I was the one filling out the marriage
registers and booking in the Baptisms. I planned the services, fought
with the printer each week over the news sheets, assisted at funerals
and even had the great joy of swinging open the church doors for the
entrance of the bride on a good friend's wedding day.
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But despite all this
the feeling of finally stepping into a role as daunting as offering
leadership to a church congregation, many of whom are infinitely
wiser and more experienced than I am, still left me decidedly wobbly.
Who am I to stand up and give a sermon each week? Who am I to help
shape the future of a community, to develop and to train people? I
felt decidedly like a little girl in some oversized robes. And yet I had been selected for this role and in many ways prepared for it. I really
needed to be told, 'Little Girl, get up!'</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now I look at the role
I am going into a little differently. A place of leadership in the
any organisation is one role among many and no more valuable than any
other. Leadership is about encouraging and enabling. If you have felt
like that scared little girl (or boy!) then you are in many ways even
better equipped to lead. You understand what holds people back, you
know what it is like to have obstacles and you know how to overcome
them and how to help others do the same. I have been invested in and
theologically trained to a level where, quite frankly, my brain is
swimming. But I know I am enriched, that I am always pushing on to be better at what I do, and that what I have been given is a
gift to be taken out into the places I go next.
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So the next adventure
for this little girl is another spell in a church without a Vicar but
this time in Barcelona. I'm very excited, with just a little bit of
wobble, and busy reminding myself of the things that I've been given
in these last few years that I can take with me into this new
challenge. My tutor reliably informs me that by the end of my exams
in June, when I will be heading off to Spain for those few weeks, I
will be at be my intellectual peak so if nothing else they will
hopefully get some good sermons out of me!</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tV5cXHUpkio/Uy8UFfXCmOI/AAAAAAAABDM/9NDnVPEZ4aw/s1600/8_8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tV5cXHUpkio/Uy8UFfXCmOI/AAAAAAAABDM/9NDnVPEZ4aw/s1600/8_8.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm also reminded that
this is just the beginning and soon I will be going to interviews for
my curacy (an assistant vicar type to you and me!).The challenge is
set, then, and I'm getting ready to go. It looks like this little
girl just got up!!</span></div>
nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-18677108367510204452014-03-06T06:32:00.002-08:002014-03-06T06:32:39.954-08:00A life that's good
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It seems rather surreal
to say it but I am now fast approaching the end of my fifth term at
college and I am more than half way through my Vicar training. In
some ways it feels like I have been there for ever. So many long,
dark nights out yonder in the countryside! So many, many essays! And
yet in other ways it is as if I have just arrived. The whole thing
can still be mightily mysterious even on my best days.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I find that I am
changing so rapidly here that it's hard to keep up with myself and my
own thoughts and feelings. One of the great blessings of my time at
college so far has been the chance to study theology to a depth where
my whole world view has been shaken up and reordered again. I feel
more uncertain and yet oddly more sure. Best of all I feel so much
more in awe of this world and of God. I feel like I'm setting out on
a new journey and a lifetime of learning.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My experience of
training has been given a major boost this year by the church I have
been going to and helping out at a bit. There I am reminded of all
the things I love about Church. It is down to earth, passionate,
brilliant fun, a force for good in the community and a place where I
feel happy and rested. When the going gets tough it is good to have a
place like that to remind me of where I am heading and that working
in church really is a place where I feel fulfilled and at home.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a great comfort
when, like me, you wander round church practically wearing a sandwich
board with the word 'Why?' plastered across it. I really believe that
we have to get happy asking 'why' and happy answering it if we are
going to make faith and church in any way understandable to a new
generation. This is the blessing (and sometimes the difficulty!) of
being an interloper into the church as one raised outside of it. I
have little attachment to anything but God and his goodness.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, my heart is tugged
more often by very ordinary things and I'm learning to love that.
This is what our lives are made up of after all. We need to
understand that the holy place is right where we stand. And so last
week my heart was tugged by this song on Nashville. It struck me that
through all this time with fancy theories and ways of doing things,
for all the 'oughts' and 'shoulds', I find myself, deep down, only
wanting to return to the simple. To live a life that's good. Nice one, Nashville!</span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/3ml4jzQHpxE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-38288178928875759192014-03-02T08:59:00.003-08:002014-07-03T14:44:25.755-07:00Sunshine! Quick, get gardening!<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Growing stuff, ah it's
great isn't it? As the sun decided to make a brief appearance this
weekend I took full advantage to do a bit of pruning and feeding of
my little babies. I find it significantly easier to give a monkeys
about my plants when they are doing something in return for me,
namely feeding me and, ideally, looking pretty at the same time. Even
then life on the Hulks plot can be tough what with our fondness for
swanning off round Europe for weeks on end and our definite lack of
fondness for watering. </span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aeWS-vmfz44/UxNiBQqgQHI/AAAAAAAABCo/GwyhTjCT4Ck/s1600/Garden+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aeWS-vmfz44/UxNiBQqgQHI/AAAAAAAABCo/GwyhTjCT4Ck/s1600/Garden+007.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tried some peas last year!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm generally pretty
challenged in the gardening department but I don't see that as any
reason not to have a go. It is amazing how many plants will survive,
and even thrive, with completely inept caretakers. Like pretty much
everything in life I take a 'try and see' approach to gardening and
three years in my fruit plants are all still alive (pretty
much...don't mention the gooseberries!) and as they are in tubs they
can come with us from house to house which makes a lot of sense given
our slightly nomadic lifestyle!</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you fancy a go then
these are my top five, seeming unkillable plants to try!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>1. Mint</strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stick it in a tub. It
will grow. And grow. And grow. And grow! It needs a bit of watering
in the summer but I often forget and it always springs back. My mint
plant once entirely proved its worth by saving a Church garden party
when someone forgot the mint for the Pimms. I also enjoy it all
summer for mint tea.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Rosemary and Thyme</span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I planted these into
tubs about five years ago and they survive very well indeed under the
arid and unpredictable conditions of my gardening regime! Plus they
flower, so look pretty, and smell great.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Blueberries</span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I love my blueberry
plants. They need ericaceous compost (you can get little bags of this
at the garden centre) and apparently prefer rain water to tap water
but mine aren't that lucky! I put my plants near the house so I can
grab a handful of blueberries when I want and so the birds keep off
them. They like company too so buy a pair.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Lavender</span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lavender is a bit
'treat it mean keep it keen'. It doesn't like too much water and so
far has grown happily on my patio. Lavender bags and lavender
biscuits are my go to uses for the plant and I have dried lavender
all over my house! It likes a good trim so go for it.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>5. Lettuces</strong></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the easiest
thing to grow EVER. Just sprinkle a load of seeds on some compost,
stick it on a window sill and watch them sprout up! When they are a
few centimetres tall then 'thin' out the seedlings (i.e. remove a few
so that each one has a good few centimetres around it to grow). Sew
them a few weeks apart in any containers you have hanging about and
you will have a constant supply of lettuce for the £1 price tag of a
bag of seeds. You will never buy a bag of limp lettuce again!</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nx0-CCGM8wA/UxNjTfvOxlI/AAAAAAAABC8/C1DYtHtEc14/s1600/Garden+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nx0-CCGM8wA/UxNjTfvOxlI/AAAAAAAABC8/C1DYtHtEc14/s1600/Garden+009.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosemary in bloom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year I have actual
real flower beds to grow in. I know, get me! Going up in the world
eh? This involves a whole new level of gardening know how and, I'm
sure, comedy mishaps. Still, I do love getting out and tending to the
plants. There is something very therapeutic about it. Fresh air and
the excitement of Spring just around the corner again. Seeing the
bees buzzing around in the summer. Dashing out like a mad woman to
scare birds away from the blueberries. Good times!</span></div>
nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-946300491391900882014-02-16T12:41:00.000-08:002014-02-16T12:41:06.352-08:00Love the life you live
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you ever have those
moments when you flick on Facebook, spot yet another new
job/engagement/baby/new house/great holiday announcement, and have
that sudden sinking feeling, 'What am I doing? What is happening in
my life? Why am I so 'behind'?' This is the curse of social media.
Suddenly we know the ins and outs of people lives we've long since
stopped hanging about with. Lovely to catch up perhaps but so often
it becomes a game of comparisons and don't you always come up short?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In many ways I think we
would all be a lot better off if we took more of an honest approach
to our interactions online. When a friends comes over for a cup of
tea I don't list them my achievements of the week. No, I tell them
how it is, the highs and the lows. The boring bits, the bits where I
made an idiot of myself (what me? Never!) as well as the bits I'm
pleased with and want to celebrate. Wouldn't life online would be so
much richer if we poked fun of ourselves a little bit? Told the truth
about the fact that, as we type, we are wearing old jogging bottoms,
circa 1998, with an indiscreet hole that we STILL can't be bothered
to sew up (Just me? Ah.....)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of my favourite
sayings from the book of Proverbs, that I often repeat it to myself,
is this: 'Trust in God with all your heart and lean not on your own
understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your
paths straight.' Because who knows why I have one lot and someone
else has another? All I know is that I don't want to live my life in
negative, in constant awareness of all the things I don't have.
Rather I want to be where I am, feet firmly on the ground and looking
about me for the possibilities and opportunities that MY life is
offering ME.
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All of this is neatly
encapsulated for me in a single image I have from being in Greece,
age 18. There my favourite early evening past time was to leap off
the rocks into the sea. I'd just swim out in that clear, perfect blue
water and feel totally alive, totally free and so deeply,
unwaveringly bold. It's so easy to lose that exuberance under all the
pressures of life, the shoulds, the oughts, the 'by nows', but who
wins then? The life you could have had, your very own, remains
unlived. Those straight paths are untraveled.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">No, I'm reminded again to celebrate my one weird and wonderful little life. My chances, my opportunities, where I am right now. So bring it on Monday, I'm ready for you! Let's see what this week brings!</span></div>
nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-9222819501286915832014-02-12T13:39:00.000-08:002014-02-12T13:57:00.653-08:00Home made....car!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ok, so I'm not exactly making my own car but I am making my car super snazzy with some home spun crafts. Partly this is in a effort to make friends with my new car which, despite now being the proud owner of a full drivers licence, still fills me with a degree of horror particularly as I am now driving solo for the first time.There was a time I couldn't wait to see the back of my driving instructor now I wonder how much it was cost to have him live permanently in my passenger seat. In fact, scrap that, how much do drivers cost these days?!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But anyhow, I digress, my jazzing up of the car is not only to get a bit more friendly with it but also to introduce a little humour to this whole driving thing and some 70s pop colours to a boring grey interior because, well, when can you not use some 70s pop colours? Never, I hear you cry! So here is a cross stitch I knocked up which I am attaching to some bright flower power fabric to make a cushion for my back seat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xeNi-c4r-LY/UvvoXWvhFdI/AAAAAAAABB4/XfQlJHXDrQU/s1600/Cross+stitch.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xeNi-c4r-LY/UvvoXWvhFdI/AAAAAAAABB4/XfQlJHXDrQU/s1600/Cross+stitch.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm also mid knit to created a patchwork blanket to accompany it. Chuck on my white rimmed aviators, some Donna Summer on the decks and I'm good to go!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All this crafting has been greatly enhanced by the publication of my first 'home made home' article today. As well as contributing the hints and tips I took the photos which was not only brilliant fun but was the first time my snaps have been used alongside my writing outside of this blog. Double whoop! Here's a shot of the spread (I love the design and layout) and a couple of the snaps featuring in the article. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You really can do anything with a tin of old paint, some fabric scraps and a tiny, weeny bit of crafting know how. Pick up<a href="http://www.womanalive.co.uk/"> Woman Alive</a> to find out more!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks for reading, now go retro up your ride! :)</span><br />
<br />nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-84605055604450321012014-02-04T10:25:00.001-08:002014-02-04T10:27:19.156-08:00Why I've abandoned femininity for humanity<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A good while ago I
wrote a rather angst ridden post for <a href="http://nicolahulks.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/international-womens-day-women-and.html">International Women's Day</a>
particularly focused, in the wake of the failed women bishops
measure, on women's lot in the Church. I signed off saying I was off
to do a little exploration on this subject and a couple of months
later I started a dissertation on the ideas about gender underlying
arguments against women's ordination. It has been an enlightening
time!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I recently submitted my
first draft to my supervisors so now, though I am far from an expert
in the subject and my views are still, of course, developing, it
seems like a good time to talk about some of the things I have
discovered. In particular the reading I have done about gender has
prompted new thoughts on that question of what, if anything, does it
mean to be a woman today?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gender is fluid</span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first, and probably
most startling, discovery I made was how fluid a thing gender really
is. Without even going into the 4% of live births in the UK which
cannot be categorized as male or female on the level of anatomy and
genetics, sociologists widely agree that our concept of what it means
to be male or female is largely shaped by our culture.
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was first shown by
anthropological research studying different cultures around the
world. What it means to be a man, or what is considered to be
masculine, in one culture is vastly different in other cultures. This
can be seen in typical behaviours, work patterns and child rearing
practices. In some cultures child rearing is a male dominated
occupation. In some manual labour is women's work. These expressions
of manhood and womanhood are often deeply held but also extremely varied.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are many
'kinds' of masculinity and femininity</span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has been argued that there is a dominant expression of femininity and masculinity
in Western cultures and if you live in this culture the
characteristics of these will be immediately obvious to you. Yep, in a
nutshell, the macho, assertive man and the pretty, co-operative
woman. </span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These types are favoured, and society exerts pressure
on various levels for people to conform to these stereotypes, but
within society there are actually multiple expressions of masculinity
and femininity. One size really does not fit all and no
one masculinity or femininity can be seen as natural or more ideal
than another.
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Men and Women are as
alike as they are different</span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Within
this idea of multiple masculinities and femininities it has also been
found that in many qualities and abilities there is more variation
within the genders than between them. Of course, as gender is largely
created our culture, we can also create differences
between genders by how we are socialized but this does not make men
or women biologically better at one thing or another. Such
differences are remarkably rare and the similarities between the
sexes emerges much more starkly in research of this kind. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All
this has made me reflect on my original question, way back then, what
does it mean to be a woman today? My explorations have in some ways
pulled the rug out from under me as many of the differences I
consider there to be between men and women can be shown to be
variable across cultures and not fixed at all. In many ways I think
this is a positive thing. Rather than seeing individuals as something
you can stick a label on saying 'Man' or 'Woman' and then expect a
certain set of behaviours through this research the diversity and variety of humanity can
be recognized and, one day I hope, treasured.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Women
don't have to be more sensitive or less assertive. Men don't have to
love power tools or be some great rescuer for the women in their
lives. The door is opened to greater responsibility on the part of
both genders, for themselves and for each other. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have so much more
to say on this subject and so much more reflection to do,
particularly on the place of femininity in faith and how this has
both advanced and hindered women, but my thoughts from the last year
have arrived in a place of stressing our mutual calling as men and
women to good human, rather than gender specific, values.
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="en-NRSVA-29169"></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">In the Bible these are described in
one passage as the 'fruit of the spirit'. Galatians 5 reads, 'the
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control'. These values
are gender neutral. Rather than seeking what it means to be a good
woman or a good man I feel confident in saying that if you seek these
human values, you won't go far wrong. By bringing kindness and
generosity into our encounters with each others difference perhaps we will indeed
find more joy and peace. By bring gentleness and patience into our
relationships, regardless our gender, better things will surely come.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So
that is where I am right now and your thoughts are always appreciated. I
will continue to think and debate and be back on this again, I am
sure!</span></span></div>
nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-86310892981534815112014-02-02T11:40:00.002-08:002014-02-02T11:42:56.993-08:00We are full of Wonder<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm having a jolly good
time in my studies at the moment. The first few weeks of term were,
as always, fairly stressful as I started a new section of my course
and learned to navigate a new set of requirement that came along with
my latest unit in Modern Theology. My tutor put a new spin on my
struggles, however, which has really affected my outlook on it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rather than seeing
these big questions (y'know simple things like the nature of God and
what not!) as things to be anxious over or pin down instead I can
see it as play. I can enjoy feeling small and exploring something so much
bigger than me. Instead of worry, I can wonder. Since taking this approach
I've really started to enjoy myself and my work has improved because
of it.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This mini-academic
breakthrough made me wonder how much more fun things might be if I
took this approach more often in the rest of my life. We take
ourselves very seriously don't we? Always stressing and dashing about
as if our lives depended on the next task on our To Do list. And yet
these things rarely matter as much as we make out that they do. The
ironing will wait for tomorrow, the essay will get done at some
point, dinner from the freezer will be fine again.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bdlj_g9flac/Uu6eqbmt15I/AAAAAAAABBo/g_6EUy9b3G0/s1600/Oregano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bdlj_g9flac/Uu6eqbmt15I/AAAAAAAABBo/g_6EUy9b3G0/s1600/Oregano.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The garden. Always seems like a very sensible place to wonder!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And yet while we are
dashing about, trying to force an answer out of the mysterious or
structure into the chaotic, I wonder if we are missing the things
that we can know right here and now in the ambiguity and messiness of
our lives. As I've tried to wonder more and stress less this week I
have found that the answers actually flow a little faster. When I
stop trying to pin God down he pops up all over the place, taking me
by surprise all over again.
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To me it seems that it is often the most
human of things that we deny ourselves. So what do you
think? Time to wonder this week? I'll be the one with my head in a bunch of flowers and my mind on the mysteries of the Incarnation! Life, eh?!</span></div>
nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-9390557163907092012014-01-27T10:50:00.002-08:002014-01-27T11:12:39.206-08:00I am Afraid<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In my life I've been
afraid of quite a few different things. I'm trying to overcome a
number of fears right now and it is HARD. But the thing with fears is
they don't go away if you avoid them. Like a kid with a monster under
the bed they just get bigger and hairier and grow horns. No, these
things are better out in the open when they can be seen for what they
are, away from the shadows and the distortions of the imagination.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been doing a bit
of reading around phobias and intense fears and have discovered that
they normally arise due to a trauma or when a, perhaps seemingly
insignificant, event occurs around the same time as you are
experiencing a period of high stress. This was particularly the case
for me with public speaking. I used to love it. I spent a summer just
out of University working at a zoo where I gave the Giant Tortoise
keeper talk every lunch time. I can still picture myself clearly
leaping about around the outside of the pen with my 'Britney mic' on
feeling totally at ease speaking to whoever I could cajole into
staying to learn about the global plight of the tortoise.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A couple of years later
I was interning for a church and going through a particularly hard
time. Some negative comments were made about a presentation I gave
and I fell apart. I didn't speak publicly again for three years. It
seems excessive and in a way I have always blamed myself, considered
myself weak, for giving up in the face of criticism which I could
have, should have, just taken it on the chin.
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I now understand
that I reacted as anyone would under the circumstances. I was weighed
down by a whole world of sadness and this was the straw that broke
the camels back. In these situations an intense fear can centre
around an object or activity that, especially if that object or
activity is avoided, can intensify with time. Its like all your pain
and fear from that sad time gets trapped up in one neat package
labelled 'public speaking' and your lip quivers even at the thought.
I'm still overcoming that fear fully. I don't enjoy public speaking
right now but I know that one day I will again.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've also been reminded
this week that being courageous is not an absence of fear or never
letting anything get to you. Sometimes life throws you a whole load
of rubbish at once and you respond in the only way you can. You get
the hell out of there until you can cope with it all again. But it
takes real courage, in the face of that fear, to not allow that fear
to define you in the long term. To take steps to reclaim what you
lost, to reclaim your future for yourself again free from fears that
paralyse you and hold you back. To do what is knee-knockingly, jaw
clenchingly hard for you.
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I was in Zambia I
discovered a fear of heights. Half way up a mountain. After breathing
into a paper bag for ten minutes and being roused with a glucose
syrup I was faced with the option of climbing on or staying alone on
the mountainside until the group scaled the mountain and came back
down. I was leading that group and so I decided I had to go on, if
nothing else to show them that you can do things that you don't even
believe yourself are possible. That afternoon I abseiled 60 metres
off the edge of that mountain, blubbing the whole way down like a
baby, but I still did it. One of the instructors who was lowering me
down said the kindest words anyone has ever said of a snotty nosed
thirty year old weeping on an abseiling rope – 'that is true
courage'.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U5njXOJXYDc/UuaqPEDOs_I/AAAAAAAABBY/wbvUXzdQeRQ/s1600/Abseiling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U5njXOJXYDc/UuaqPEDOs_I/AAAAAAAABBY/wbvUXzdQeRQ/s1600/Abseiling.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, hanging off a rope. Crying, shaking but braving it out!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So if you, like me,
have moments when it seems like everything is bigger, scarier and
harder than you can ever handle, then take heart. You are the
courageous one and conquering that fear you have is just around the
corner.</span></div>
nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-88399070723057574062014-01-23T09:32:00.002-08:002014-01-23T09:33:09.738-08:00Adventures on the interweb<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'Ello 'ello! This week I've been all over the internet talking politics on <a href="http://www.threadsuk.com/god-and-politics/">Threads</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cUnGnKGsMKQ/UuFRJz0bDeI/AAAAAAAABBA/yqD68pae8XA/s1600/God+and+Politics.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cUnGnKGsMKQ/UuFRJz0bDeI/AAAAAAAABBA/yqD68pae8XA/s1600/God+and+Politics.PNG" height="195" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> ....and doing a bit of story telling over at <a href="http://village.rhythms.org/square/stepping-into-the-story-of-poverty/">Tearfund Rhythms</a>. So, dear blog readers, I send you in their general direction. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DorTTOVLDCQ/UuFRjqdrrII/AAAAAAAABBI/wv72Aht2ac8/s1600/Rhythms.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DorTTOVLDCQ/UuFRjqdrrII/AAAAAAAABBI/wv72Aht2ac8/s1600/Rhythms.PNG" height="221" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Read, comment, see you soon! x</span><br />
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<br />nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-83409100571941910882014-01-12T08:30:00.002-08:002014-01-12T08:30:41.691-08:00Sewing Box Restoration<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For Christmas I was given a very lovely gift of an old vintage sewing box that I came across while on a trip to the in laws in Kent. The lady from the second hand shop there is well aware of my weakness for all things old and sewing related and, spotting me on the street, lured me to her car where this lovely little specimen was in the boot. A bit unloved. A tad forlorn. I had to have it. Manfully, however, I resisted but luckily my mother in law didn't and so, hurrah, on Christmas day it arrived at my house and a brand new project was born. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The inside of the box was very ragged and needed stripping so I first of all ripped out all the lining and then sanded it all down to get rid of the glue marks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After stripping it out and giving it a sand all over I painted it using an eggshell in light blue. I got the paint from a junk shop so it cost me 50p! And here are the results!</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_aFWWk7ANh4/UtK-3iyrNZI/AAAAAAAAA_g/no39NNtT9eE/s1600/DSCN1683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_aFWWk7ANh4/UtK-3iyrNZI/AAAAAAAAA_g/no39NNtT9eE/s1600/DSCN1683.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I lined the draw with some oil cloth I had hanging about. Always worth picking this up when you see it. I got his from Cath Kidston for £6 in the sale a couple if years ago and it has been used for many, many projects.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n04l7ATUNec/UtK-3AZu6UI/AAAAAAAAA_c/aXL3BkvUgbw/s1600/DSCN1685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n04l7ATUNec/UtK-3AZu6UI/AAAAAAAAA_c/aXL3BkvUgbw/s1600/DSCN1685.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I painted the inside, the handles and the bottom shelf area in a more aqua blue using a little paint tester I thieved from my Pa. Oh the joys of having a decorator for a Dad!</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n_CJJxfjLPc/UtK-784m2MI/AAAAAAAAA_0/BdGy7EthW8k/s1600/DSCN1689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n_CJJxfjLPc/UtK-784m2MI/AAAAAAAAA_0/BdGy7EthW8k/s1600/DSCN1689.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then came the joy of organising. I don't know about you but this cold weather is making me inclined to nesting and organising. A happy afternoon was spent ordering all my bits and pieces into my new box.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The drawer now houses all my threads.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My books look lovely all stacked up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My fabrics are all 'filed', a genius idea I saw on Pinterest for clothes but works well for fabrics to and means you can see what you've got going on in there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And my buttons in a tiny, weeny jar. Too. Cute.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've said it once (ok, a hundred times!) and I'll say it again. Why buy anything new when you can get such fantabulous stuff second hand?</span>nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8372727888667436078.post-84089424025820225202014-01-04T10:41:00.000-08:002014-01-04T10:41:01.071-08:00Theatrical Adventures<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the college vacation draws to a close I've been taking the opportunity to get out and about. For the last few days we have been in Bristol, where I did my undergraduate degree ten years ago. We caught up with old faces and haunts, sampled some fruit beers at a micro brewery and frequented a few of the best second hand bookshops. I picked up this guide to Oxford just on the off chance that the diocese are mad enough not to keep me next year and I have to leave my beloved city (sob!). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">A piece of my heart is definitely in Bristol so it was wonderful to be back and even to mull over perhaps heading back there one day. That is one of the best aspects of this way of life for me. We anticipate many moves ahead which, though involving the sadness of separation, also means the excitement of new places - or perhaps even back to old ones. It was also great to reflect on how far things have come since my time in Bristol. My favourite quote of the trip was from my room mate of ten years ago who said I was the least likely person from Uni to have ended up a Vicar! Claim to fame! Or at least a testament to the way of God to use the most unlikely of people!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">After Bristol I hopped on the bus to London to see the Royal Shakespeare Company perform Richard II staring one David Tennant. After performing my own standard trick of emerging from the tube station in completely the wrong direction and so walking an extra couple for miles for funsies, I found the Barbican, and my good chum Lou, waiting for me. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">The performance was spectacular with all the usual ingenious set design of the RSC. David Tennant just lit up the stage. It was hard to even compare him to any other role he had been in before as he so inhabited the character. Even a foolish and selfish young King became likeable in all his fallibility. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8x8bCDLcCls/UshT6J5V6RI/AAAAAAAAA-w/Qi1b9k23190/s1600/dt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8x8bCDLcCls/UshT6J5V6RI/AAAAAAAAA-w/Qi1b9k23190/s320/dt.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From <a href="http://www.rsc.org.uk/">http://www.rsc.org.uk/</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I always find a trip to the theatre so inspiring. There is nothing like simply seeing people live in front of you bringing a story to life. To pour themselves into something, and even better into those ancient words full of beauty and meaning, and do it so well. Acting has never been my calling. I had a single ill fated performance in secondary school where I forgot my lines and just stood on the stage repeating the only line I remembered. But to see people put their all into something, to be fantastic in their work, it inspires me in my own work to shoot for the best.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I also got to crack out my old Handy Volume Shakespeare from 1892, swoon!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">All in all, a good few day. Ah holidays! Can't they just last forever?!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>nicolahulkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07335711992183795114noreply@blogger.com0