Making music

Last year my Gramma was promoted to glory. After she passed away we were informed that we had been left a significant sum of money. I was not sure what I was going to do with my inheritance until my little brother suggested that we buy ourselves our own personal brass instruments instead of using ones provided by the band we play in. As soon as it was suggested I knew that it was a great idea and started looking for the right instrument for me.

I finally received the instrument above on the 23rd of December after waiting 2 months for a hand built personalised cornet. Since then I have spent many hours practising and playing this beautiful instrument and enjoying every minute of it.

I talked to my Mum about spending my inheritance from her Mum on an instrument, what she thought and how my Gramma would have seen the investment. The reply I received was that my Gramma would have been over the moon that I was using the money she had left for me to purchase something I would use every week and something I would use every Sunday in worship at our Church.

This instrument is a beautiful thing, not only does it look amazing and have so many special meanings for me, from the tigers eye in the valve tops in memory of my Grandad and the message engraved on it saying;

live, laugh, love,

From Gramma

This instrument also produces an amazing sound and is simply said the best instrument I have ever played. The quality of the instrument is such that it makes me sound like a much better player than I actually am. This is a fantastic thing because it allows me to play this instrument in worship every week in thanks and celebration of God. Although God does not mind the quality of the music we play if our hearts are in the right place and we are doing it for the right reason. But for me, if I am going to be worshipping God I want to do so in the best way I can and produce the best music that I can. 

Today was the first time in many many years that I have had a music lesson, normally I practice and learn on my own in my own time. However now I have my own instrument I am determined to play it as well as I possibly can. If I could ask that you all pray for me and my progress in this new endeavour to be the best brass musician that I can be so that I can use this gift to worship God who has given me this gift, thank you.

Christmas is coming the goose is getting fat

There is an old rhyme I used to sing as a child;

Christmas is coming the goose is getting fat,
Please put a penny in the old man's hat,
If you haven't got a penny a Ha'penny will do,
If you haven't got a Ha'penny the God bless you.

It is just a silly nursery rhyme but for some reason it is one of the few I remember. I have no idea why I stuck in my mind so much, but I do have vivid memories of my Gramma singing this rhyme to my younger brother. But I do like the rhyme, even though it is a christmas rhyme which is about the trappings of Christmas with the geese and the ever present need for money to buy gifts. The best line however is the last one, it brings us back to the real reason for Christmas, God, specifically in the form of Jesus.

Last year we were blessed as a family to celebrate Christmas with a lovely 3 week old baby and a manic but memorable Christmas was had by all. This year it will all be a bit different, where as last year we had a lovely addition to the family, this year we will be missing two grand parents. Thinking about Christmas this year has been somewhat different for me in that all of the material things do not matter to me so much, and I have centred my thoughts on my family and the memories we have and of things with a sentimental value.

For me I think this is a lot closer to the real reason for Christmas. We are celebrating not just the birth of our Saviour but a family which he created. We are celebrating the fact that through Him we were all reconciled to God and that our family is now complete again with God as our Father. Although my earthly family is mourning a number of losses this year, we need to remember that they are not lost at all and that we will see them again when we reach the heavenly palace, when we are all born again through Jesus.

Christmas is a reason to celebrate, a time to realise what we have received, not just now, but also what we have received in the past too, the fact that we have been given Jesus and that it was the greatest gift of all. I have no idea what the people who read this blog will be doing for Christmas this year, but I hope that you can take a small amount of time to consider the baby who grew up and died just for you. Merry Christmas, I hope you have a God filled day.

Advent Challenge Day 23

This challenge is now complete, please feel free to browse all of the 

completed tasks via the Advent Challenge tab.

This challenge really has been a bit of a challenge for me, I know I have a lot to be thankful for but it is very hard to think of when we are all gearing up towards the first Christmas with out my Gramma and my Grandad.

But as I said, I know I have a lot to be thankful for and after spending some time reflecting on the things that will be missing this year I began to pray for the things I do have. The thing I am most thankful for is my family, after losing so many family members this year I am thankful for all the family I have left, specifically my nephew and Godson.

In addition to this I am thankful for the friends I have. These people have put up with a lot and been there for me when I have needed people most. My friends are a fantastic bunch of Christian people who really live out what they believe and who have been a great example.

I am thankful that I am blessed with a great job and the opportunities that it provides and the financial stability that comes from having a regular income for the first time in a long time. I am blessed to work in a challenging environment where I come in to contact with a huge number of different people with a range of issues to work with. It is a job that I enjoy hugely and have the opportunity to learn new things every shift and develop my skills and to grow as a person myself.

Most of all though I am thankful that I have come to know God this year. That through the examples and guidance of some fantastic saints I have grown to know the Saviour who was born at Christmas who went on to die that I might be saved. I am thankful that this year I will appreciate Christmas for what it really means, not just a time to look forward to presents and gifts.

The next task in the challenge will be task number 7. Attend a Christmas service. Check back tomorrow to find out about what happens in this task, but until then Merry Christmas.

Advent Challenge Day 6

This challenge is now complete, please feel free to browse all of the 

completed tasks via the Advent Challenge tab.

Well I am not sure if yesterday's challenge was a failure or a partial success.The task I was supposed to complete was to tell my loved ones how much they meant to me. The reason that I am unsure how to classify the outcome of this task is that although we did spend a lot of time together as a family yesterday I never specifically told anyone what they meant to me.

However we did spend a lot of time talking about the family we have, the family we have lost. We spent time playing with my Godson and had a very enjoyable day. We had such a good time and spent most of the day laughing with each other and enjoying each others company.

My family are not the greatest at communicating with each other when it comes to our faith and our feelings. We have been raised in a family that while we understand that we all love each other and that we are always there for each other. This last year has been tough for everyone in my family as we have lost three family members within five months, two grand parents and an aunt. However this has cause us to become closer as a family, we are spending more time with each other, trying to heal past grievances and ensure we keep the family together.

So although I did not explicitly say to anyone yesterday that I loved them it was clear in all my actions that these people are the most important to me in the world and that there is nothing that I would not do for them. Some people may see this as a cop out and that I should make the effort to say the words "I love you" to my family. To them I would say that if I did talk to my family and tell them that I loved them they would ask me why I was saying it. When they asked me I would not be able to lie and would have to tell them that I was doing so for my Advent Challenge which I feel would cheapen the action of saying "I love you" to them. Therefore I feel that showing them how I feel is much more fitting than saying it, but I can also see how people may say I have not completed the task, but for me I believe I have in spirit if not in action and they key with this challenge is to make a difference rather than being legalistic.

Today's task has been chosen by my friend Dan who selected task number 2 which is to buy a gift for someone you wouldn't normally buy for. This task should be fairly easy to do as I am going shopping with my parents tonight and will be able to buy something for someone while I am there. All that is left to do is decide who I buy for and what to get them. Check back tomorrow to find out what I bought and for who, but until then Merry Christmas guys.

More from Gramma

Praise God for what He's done for me!

     Once was blind, but now I see;

     I on the brink of ruin fell;

     Glory to God, I'm out of hell!

For what the Lord has done for me,

I'll praise Him through eternity

I spurned His grace,  broke His laws,

     But Jesus undertook my cause;

     Bad as  was He cleansed me soul,

     Healed my disease and made me whole.

For what the Lord has done for me,

I'll praise Him through eternity

The Lord has pardoned all my sin,

     And now to praise Him I'll begin;

     I never praised the Lord before,

     But now 'll praise Him more and more

For what the Lord has done for me,

I'll praise Him through eternity.

                                                 (Anon.)

I was given some of my Gramma's old books today by my Mum and was looking through one in particular. There was a page marked in the book and so  decided to look at what it was. When  did my eyes fell straight to this song. Those who read my blog often will know that  believe God guides us in all things, and that there are no such things as coincidences.  believe that God is speaking to us always and it is only us who need to learn to listen in order to have a conversation with Him. Because of that  decided to share this song which  feel sums my life up quite well. I have no idea if it was this song that was marked or if even my Gramma marked the page as it appears to have belonged to my Great Grandmother from the inscription. But I do know that there was a reason for me to find this song today, now I just need to pray about it until God tells me what it is.

Message from Gramma

My Gramma recently passed away and her Bible was given to me. Well more along the lines of I asked for it first, but anyway it is now mine. It is a wonderful thing to have from my Gramma, an inheritance that is more personal than anything else, this was her guide to following God! Gramma was an incredibly organised, tidy and uncluttered lady, everything was always just so. Therefore it is no surprise that her Bible was similarly neat and organised. There was a bookmark in the Bible and when I opened it to read it a few short verses stuck out for me.

Colossians 3:1-4 (GNB)
     You have been raised to life with Christ, so set your hearts on the things that are in Heaven, where Christ sits on his throne at the right side of God. Keep your minds fixed on things there, not on things here on Earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Your real life is Christ and when He appears, then you too will appear with Him and share His glory.

Gramma was a quiet, reserved woman. She would never say a huge amount, but what she said you knew was gold. She had an amazing ability to make silence into something to be shared and treasured. There was always a stillness about her, yet power and strength was never far away. For such a tiny woman she had a huge influence on me in my life, I know she loved and cared for me as no one else could. But most importantly I know she was a Godly lady, a true and solid Christian always working in His name and following His path through life. I am glad to have been blessed with so many strong Christian role models in my life and I look forward to meeting them in the future and hope I will be able to stand amongst them sure in the knowledge that I also was the best that I could be. Thank you for everything Gramma, we will miss you always.