Sunday, February 25, 2007
'Drive as far as you can go, and then a bit further'
Well, that's Andrew's description of how to get to Wick. People keep asking how Wick is, and I have to answer: 'it's a long way'! There must be about 14 hours of driving from here to Wick! (Including stops)
When you get there, you don't really think you're far away from civilisation. The town is not too small, and certainly has everything you would need.
The one thing I'm struggling with right now is how distraught both my mother and my mother-in-law are about the whole situation. I think mother-in-law was hoping we were going to be moving up the road, about an hour away, and my mother is going to be 640 miles away, with 12 hours of driving. Multimap is fast becoming my favourite website! My only problem is that we're not really upset about the appointment. Yes, it's far away, but it must be where the Lord (and the Army) want us to be at this time. But then I feel guilty for not being upset!
Oh, I promised to share the story of my first visit to Wick, so here goes: In October 1993, the singing company at Edinburgh Gorgie did a weekend specialling at Wick, and this is the sum total of my memories from that weekend:
1. I billeted with Louise, and we stayed with this family who had 2 girls, and the youngest liked Louise and made her put her to bed.
2. We stayed til the Monday and visited John O'Groats and the Caithness Glass Factory (when it was still there).
3. The singing company sang 'Jonah Man Jazz'.
4. The coach kept breaking down. On the way back we had to go back to Inverness from Aviemore and sit in a car showroom, eating chips, and trying to get hold of my mum and dad who had gone out shopping and were supposed to be the contacts for the other families!
Well, that's about it, rather worryingly. I wish I paid more attention to things when I was younger, but I don't suppose I expected to be moving there!
Oh, well I better go. Pizza for supper yeah (!), in honour of Lucy & Dave's engagement. Congratulations you guys!
When you get there, you don't really think you're far away from civilisation. The town is not too small, and certainly has everything you would need.
The one thing I'm struggling with right now is how distraught both my mother and my mother-in-law are about the whole situation. I think mother-in-law was hoping we were going to be moving up the road, about an hour away, and my mother is going to be 640 miles away, with 12 hours of driving. Multimap is fast becoming my favourite website! My only problem is that we're not really upset about the appointment. Yes, it's far away, but it must be where the Lord (and the Army) want us to be at this time. But then I feel guilty for not being upset!
Oh, I promised to share the story of my first visit to Wick, so here goes: In October 1993, the singing company at Edinburgh Gorgie did a weekend specialling at Wick, and this is the sum total of my memories from that weekend:
1. I billeted with Louise, and we stayed with this family who had 2 girls, and the youngest liked Louise and made her put her to bed.
2. We stayed til the Monday and visited John O'Groats and the Caithness Glass Factory (when it was still there).
3. The singing company sang 'Jonah Man Jazz'.
4. The coach kept breaking down. On the way back we had to go back to Inverness from Aviemore and sit in a car showroom, eating chips, and trying to get hold of my mum and dad who had gone out shopping and were supposed to be the contacts for the other families!
Well, that's about it, rather worryingly. I wish I paid more attention to things when I was younger, but I don't suppose I expected to be moving there!
Oh, well I better go. Pizza for supper yeah (!), in honour of Lucy & Dave's engagement. Congratulations you guys!
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Some more distances
....Nearest...
Frankie & Benny's is 212 miles (Aberdeen)
Chiquitos is 210 miles (Aberdeen)
Dominos Pizza is 105 miles (Inverness)
Brewers Fayre is 106 miles (Inverness)
Nandos is 270 miles (Glasgow)
Yeah so I like my food, and I'm getting the feeling living in Wick isn't necessarily going to have the increased living costs I was expecting!
Frankie & Benny's is 212 miles (Aberdeen)
Chiquitos is 210 miles (Aberdeen)
Dominos Pizza is 105 miles (Inverness)
Brewers Fayre is 106 miles (Inverness)
Nandos is 270 miles (Glasgow)
Yeah so I like my food, and I'm getting the feeling living in Wick isn't necessarily going to have the increased living costs I was expecting!
Saturday, February 10, 2007
And you will be my witnesses...the ends of the earth !!
Well, Wick, to be precise! I'm assuming everyone (anyone?) who reads this reads Andrew's blog and there's no-one been waiting since Thursday to find out where we're going. Not really sure what I think about our appointment yet- will let you know!
But, here's some statistics I've researched for you (well, for me, but I thought I'd share them!)
From Wick, the nearest
IKEA is 265 miles (Edinburgh)
ASDA is 145 miles (Elgin)
M&S is 105 miles (Inverness)
WESLEY OWEN is 105 miles (Inverness)
And if one more person says to me 'Andrew will be happy to be going home, I think I'll get very cross'- people just don't understand Scottish geography- it's 300 miles from Wick to Irvine and multimap says it takes 6 hours 6 minutes), compared to 381 miles at the moment (6 hours 17 minutes)!!!
So, in 6 months time a new chapter of the Clark adventure will begin!
But, here's some statistics I've researched for you (well, for me, but I thought I'd share them!)
From Wick, the nearest
IKEA is 265 miles (Edinburgh)
ASDA is 145 miles (Elgin)
M&S is 105 miles (Inverness)
WESLEY OWEN is 105 miles (Inverness)
And if one more person says to me 'Andrew will be happy to be going home, I think I'll get very cross'- people just don't understand Scottish geography- it's 300 miles from Wick to Irvine and multimap says it takes 6 hours 6 minutes), compared to 381 miles at the moment (6 hours 17 minutes)!!!
So, in 6 months time a new chapter of the Clark adventure will begin!
Labels: Wick
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Where is home?
This has to be one of the hardest times in Salvation Army officership!! You know: forget the funerals, the difficult pastoral situations, the big annual events, like Christmas. NO, this week is the worst- waiting for that letter to land on the door mat on Thursday morning. I just wish they could do this another way, but I don't know how. I just seems so cruel, for so many people to know our future, but we don't!
A few weeks ago, it wasn't so nerve-wracking. Andrew was chairing our corps council, and planning for Christmas. Half the people on the corps council knew we wouldn't be at Pill by Christmas, but half didn't, so it was quite fun.
But, now I just want to know where we'll be by Christmas. God has been very gracious, and really helped me with peace and patience over the past week or so, but it's waining a bit now, so if you're reading this, please pray that I will concentrate on the next 3 days, and use them wisely!
Oh, and Wednesday's my birthday, which I keep forgetting about, because Thursday seems so much more important, but then I suppose it's not every day you turn 27, and realise you're really getting into your late 20s, is it?
Anyway, back to the title of this blog- where is home? My answer is:'home is where your stuff is'. You see, I never get used to this moving thing. Even though I've lived in...18 (I think) houses in my life, it still doesn't get any easier. I laughed yesterday when I heard an Officers' Kid saying he came from 'lots of places, but most recently, London'. I never have an answer for people when they ask me where I come from!
So, we wait patiently for the letter to arrive.
Today's theme song:
I'm in his hands,
Whate'er the future holds,
I'm in his hands.
The days I cannot see
Have all been planned for me
His way is best, you see,
I'm in his hands.
And as for whether being in the Army's hands is the same as being in God's hands, I have to believe it is. There is no other possibility. If we start to wonder whether some decisions are made without God's direction, then we lose faith in our leaders, so I have to believe that wherever the letter tells us we're going, it's God's will. Please pray for us as we wait.
A few weeks ago, it wasn't so nerve-wracking. Andrew was chairing our corps council, and planning for Christmas. Half the people on the corps council knew we wouldn't be at Pill by Christmas, but half didn't, so it was quite fun.
But, now I just want to know where we'll be by Christmas. God has been very gracious, and really helped me with peace and patience over the past week or so, but it's waining a bit now, so if you're reading this, please pray that I will concentrate on the next 3 days, and use them wisely!
Oh, and Wednesday's my birthday, which I keep forgetting about, because Thursday seems so much more important, but then I suppose it's not every day you turn 27, and realise you're really getting into your late 20s, is it?
Anyway, back to the title of this blog- where is home? My answer is:'home is where your stuff is'. You see, I never get used to this moving thing. Even though I've lived in...18 (I think) houses in my life, it still doesn't get any easier. I laughed yesterday when I heard an Officers' Kid saying he came from 'lots of places, but most recently, London'. I never have an answer for people when they ask me where I come from!
So, we wait patiently for the letter to arrive.
Today's theme song:
I'm in his hands,
Whate'er the future holds,
I'm in his hands.
The days I cannot see
Have all been planned for me
His way is best, you see,
I'm in his hands.
And as for whether being in the Army's hands is the same as being in God's hands, I have to believe it is. There is no other possibility. If we start to wonder whether some decisions are made without God's direction, then we lose faith in our leaders, so I have to believe that wherever the letter tells us we're going, it's God's will. Please pray for us as we wait.
Labels: birthday, moving, officership
