Morgan Family Travels - 20

Hello all!

Much better week this week - so good I'm actually writing early! ;-)

We spent Sunday afternoon on the phone with wonderful friends in Canada who gave us a good 'cheering up' by listening, praying with us and encouraging us that God was really still using us and working in us and guiding our thoughts, particularly given that some of the questions I mentioned last week are also being thought about by our church community back home (much to our surprise!) God is good, life can seem dark at times, and our christian communities are VITAL to our spiritual and emotional health (not to mention physical and provisional well-being, which we have also seen God provide for us at other times through our community). So, yeah God and yeah for community!

That conversation, coupled with some other factors have convinced us to try to settle down a bit for the next few months. Trevor has a contract job based in London starting Monday or Tuesday of next week, which he's very pleased to get. It may turn into a full-time, permanent, even-when-we're-back-in-Canada job, but for now its a good job, good learning experience and it will definitely help in paying for all of our galavanting!

Kaitlyn has been enrolled in a local school to begin on January 3rd. She's quite excited about it, as am I (though I'm a bit uncertain, too ... after all, I've never been to school in England, so I don't know what differences to expect). However, we've got part of her school uniform already, the rest should come by mid-week next week, and she is going to look very smart. She will also be taking school dinners, which is something we certainly didn't have, and I hope she will like. The school also participates in a program through the County I think that provides every child age 5 - 7 with a piece of fruit or vegetable every morning, which sounds like an excellent idea. I'll make sure that once I have her full uniform we take a few pictures so you can all see her decked out like a little Brit!

Hannah and I are also going to be making plans. I'm going to start taking Hannah to a playgroup once or twice a week so that she's getting some other 'kid' time, and am also going to look into a gym class for her, but that may or may not be feasible because of transportation. I've signed myself up for an on-line course on Street Photography through www.betterphoto.com. Its an 8-week course that's conducted entirely on-line, with weekly photo assignments, and Robin and Helen have graciously agreed to look after Hannah for me one day a week so that I can go into London to do the assignments. This will correspond almost completely with Kaitlyn's school term, so will be quite convenient. It will be an opportunity to do some learning with a guide, which I haven't really done very much of until now, and will be a bit of 'me' time and an opportunity to take advantage of living close to London while I have it by being in the city at least once a week. I'm hoping to choose a different bit of the city to explore each time so that I have a better idea of the city by the time its done.

This weekend we have things booked up Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday night, so I'll try to update on Monday.

Morgan Family Travels - 19

Last week is a bit of a blur. Monday the girls and I spent down in Havant with Trevor's sister-in-law Kim and her children. The children actually spent the day with Grandma and Grandpa and Kim and I hemmed curtains for her lounge (living room).

Tuesday we had Hannah weighed and measured in anticipation of her Wednesday dietician's appointment. Neither appointment was wonderful, but nothing horrid either - just no real answers for the outstanding challenges, and as she'd been ill for a week and on antibiotics her system is still slightly confused and a little bit lighter as a result.

One afternoon last week we did a load of Christmas shopping, which was fun.

Over the weekend we participated in Moot weekend retreat. We were at a place called Carroty Wood and it was a very low-key relaxing sort of weekend. It gave us a good chance to see what the community was like, get a sense of their vision, successes and challenges, and have the chance to talk to each other some more in the continuing Trevor and Heather search for who we are, what we're doing, and what this trip means.

Some of the things we are thinking about include the following topics - anyone want to weigh in with their own ideas?

1. The question of 'How Do We Live By The Spirit?'
Some ideas include:
*it must be communal
*it includes the practice of the Spiritual Disciplines and the Rule of Life

2. The question of 'How Do WE Seek First The Kingdom?'
Some ideas include:
*it is communal at heart (therefore 'we' not 'I' in the question)
*God is triune, hence communal, and invites us to be part of that community
*communities have upper and lower maximums of effectiveness
*it can't be vague of half-hearted
*accepted, loved, not left where they are -- the Kingdom is a DYNAMIC SYSTEM
*always journeying
*the values of the system include: a place of system where those on the fringe are invited into the center; where the lost are sought at the expense of those whose position are known; it brings about inclusion; people have infinite value, even if we don't like them

3. The question of 'What Is The Purpose For The Community Of God?'
The only point we have written so far is:
*it expresses Kingdom values

Any additions, amendments, comments or lively debate are completely welcome!