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Wonderful Post about Social Justice!!!
Clearance Sale
FMF: SALE
Most Fridays, I join an online Christian writing community, Five Minute Friday. We are given a one-word prompt and write – unscripted, unedited, pure free-write – for 5 minutes. The prompt this week is SALE.
I work as a manager in a Charity Shop/thrift store a couple of days each week.
I love the work, which is constantly busy – sorting, pricing, cleaning, serving, tidying, chatting, encouraging…
People visit the shop for bargains, or to browse and sometimes looking to find a particular thing. Some people visit the shop to pass the time of day, or get themselves out of the house and to meet people.
They come in to us, where they are known and welcome, and maybe they will have a cuppa and a sit-down.
But this is all about to change. (Not too drastically for the community I hope.)
Our church is handing the shop over to another church. The shop is changing ownership, changing hands.
Our customers and friends will continue to come into the shop, I hope, but current staff and I will not be there to greet them.
New staff will hopefully greet them and befriend them and all will move graciously into the new season, with some sadness and loss, but also excitement for the new and for the life that change and growth brings.
But ‘sale’ is the word.
Yes, we are having a sale – a clearance sale.
A big sale of all that is still in the shop.
A sale of all that has been lovingly donated.
I had to smile at some shop floor banter on Wednesday, as one happy customer enthusiastically announced, to others coming in, that ‘EVERYTHING IN HERE IS HALF PRICE’ – then she looked abashed and added – except the people!
I laughed and said that truly the people in the shop were certainly not on sale, but were all priceless.
You and I, created in the image and likeness of our Heavenly Father, we are indeed priceless!
So much so that God Himself paid the unfathomable price of His own life to redeem us!
At Christmas we remember that God came humbly down from heaven, to be made flesh like you and I, that He might offer Himself up to redeem us from darkness and death.
He came to live with us, that we might live with Him forever.
That is precious! That is priceless.
Your life is precious – live it fully.
The 1st Christmas Woolly Jumpers
FMF: Christmas Sweater
The 1st Christmas Woolly Jumpers
Yesterday, my granddaughter introduced me to a new Christmas song, one that her class in school will be performing later this week.
The chorus goes something like:
‘We’re sheep upon the hilltop, baa
with our woolly jumpers on, baa baa
looking out over Bethlehem, baa
singing our little song, oh…’
They were wearing the first Christmas woolly jumpers!
The sheep experienced the glory of the Christmas good news, along with the Shepherds, who hurried to meet the Saviour of the world.
I imagine they all danced and jumped for joy!
The shepherds (and maybe a few lambs?) were the first visitors to the baby Jesus, and the first evangelists of the good news of Jesus, as they ‘spread the word… glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.’
Luke 2:8-20
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
This year, if you wear a Christmas jumper (sweater), remember that scene when the angels announced the Good News to those shepherds on the hilltop.
Ask Holy Spirit who He wants you to announce the Good News to this Christmas?
Nuts! O – oh, hazelnuts; Uh!
FMF: Chocolate
When I was a child, Cadbury’s milk chocolate was my favourite.
I think it was the nation’s favourite chocolate!
I still remember the lyrics from so many advertising jingles from the early TV adverts.
‘A finger of fudge is just enough to give your kids a treat. It’s full of Cadbury goodness and very small and neat…’
AND
‘Nuts,
ooh hazelnuts!
Uh!
Cadbury’s take ‘em and they cover them with chocolate!’
I always liked the ethos of Cadbury’s too. I remember learning as a child how good they were as a family run business – how they had provided a whole village with schools, parks, shops and all that the families of the workers in his factory would need.
I dreamed that one day I would work and live there.
Now it is 200 years old, though it was taken over in 2010 and no longer owned by Cadbury. It was founded in 1824 in Birmingham, England, by John Cadbury (1801–1889), who was a Quaker who sold tea, coffee and drinking chocolate. Mr J. Cadbury developed the business with his brother, and was followed by his sons Richard and George. It was George who was the philanthropist who developed the Bournville Estate, designed to give the company’s workers improved living conditions.
Now I learn that John Cadbury’s great great great grandson, a James Cadbury has taken the baton and is creating luxury chocolate that is ethical, sustainably sourced and everything it was meant to be – looking after those who grow it, pick it and at every stage of the way.
Isn’t that good?
200 years on, James Cadbury has inherited his family’s knowledge of chocolate and also their social conscience.
2000 years on, we have also inherited a mission from our King. The real good news is that Jesus has shown us the Kingdom of heaven and shown us how to love. His Word and Holy Spirit are our social and spiritual conscience.
Those who live in the Kingdom of God are to be working for community, meeting the needs of the poor, fighting for justice for the downtrodden, binding up the wounds of the broken hearten and bringing hope to those in darkness.
This is loving our neighbour as ourselves.
This is our calling, our mission.
This is the action that accompanies the preaching.
Thanksgiving for September and October 2025
In particular in this blog I give thanks for all the answers to prayer, for those things/people for whom I have prayed (sometimes hours before, sometimes weeks, months or even years before), and about which/whom I have heard a positive answer to that prayer, this month.
These is my thanksgiving for answered prayer acknowledged during September:
For healing/removing the mucous cyst from my finger.
For blessing my trip and visit to E.
For the benefits of my smartphone enabling better communications with family and friends abroad
For helping J structure his work for the thesis
For healing the bitter roots of mistrust and fear of punishment, that I could bring to the cross and for setting me free
For giving me a word for the FC devotion
For healing the bite on my neck
For inspiring and enabling all the outdoor work C has done, supervised by S
For saving C’s nail
For continued strength and blessings to D and M
For the healthy, good merge of the toddler groups
For the privilege of accompanying others on their journey to freedom
For the 4 wonderful testimonies accompanying the joyous baptisms
For a blessed day at a lovely spa with C
For the 8 days D and I spent together
That D had justice and got money back and a new vehicle
For Your inspiration to apply for a new job
For an excellent journey by car, trains and flight to Vienna
For the very warm welcome from J and L
For constant inspiration, guidance, ideas and words to bless others
During October these answers to prayer are what blessed me and are what I want to give God thanks and praise for.
For a great time with J & L in Vienna and for a safe and swift journey home.
For my home, my space and my bed!
That E and S were both able to have their operations successfully
That S’s car passed its MOT
For giving me the new job (admin) provisionally (3 month trial for us both)
That P is still on GBC books, but meanwhile has a sofa to surf
For our 4 new additions to home group!
For S’s safe and timely journey back and for their team retreat in B
For helping J to grapple and for turning it to good
For lots of successful sleepovers with kiddos this month
That you have given me/Your disciples all authority over the power of the enemy
For holding, teaching and carrying me through all the blows that circumstances in October presented, but that You gave grace to overcome through the power and fruit of the Spirit.
For the opportunity to rest and provision of all that we needed
For S being able to help H
For speaking into the young hearts and minds in the Sunday lesson on Zaccheus
That I could provide a good place for C’s birthday to be all it needed to be for everyone
For the inspiration to go collect a donation to the shop
For a good start to the new admin job
For a good turnout to the family film night.
All glory to God!
“Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24
“Whatever”!
Despite seeing so many answers to prayer, and though I give God all the praise and glory for all the blessings that I am aware of when I pray, still this Scripture challenges me.
“I believe, help my unbelief”! (Mark 9:24)
Does it challenge you?
Smell the coffee!
FMF: Coffee.
‘Wake up and smell the coffee’ they say, meaning to get real and get out of one’s day daydreams.
When I was growing up in the 60s and 70s we didn’t really have coffee, certainly not in our home. To me, coffee was a sweet chicory liquid in a bottle. ‘Camp’ coffee. It lived all year in the back of the cupboard until my birthday, when mammy would make me my requested coffee and walnut cake. My favourite!
Other households had instant coffee powder in tins and jars, but it wasn’t until I went to live in Germany in my 20th year, that I lived in a household that percolated fresh coffee through a filter machine several times a day!
Needless to say, I brought that tradition, and a filter coffee machine, back to the UK and have not been without coffee since.
Coffee reminds me of my sister, too as she doesn’t travel without her cafetiere, or nowadays without her coffee machine, complete with special latte coffee pods.
Coffee also reminds me of a blogger friend, who uses coffee shops as his workshops – he drinks fresh black coffee, writes creatively and shows people the love of Jesus, all from a coffee shop. His name is Matt, from Jesusluvsall – see his blog here.
People can be very particular about the coffee they prefer, just as they can about tea.
But despite this, at this stage of my life, ‘going for a coffee’, isn’t so much about the beverage itself, ‘meet me for a coffee’ is an invitation for some quality chat time to build friendships and relationships.
‘Lets meet for coffee’ means ‘I care about you’, ‘I will make time for you, because I want to get to know you a little more’.
Coffee is rather special.
So don’t just dream about a world where people live in community, invite someone out for a coffee, or invite a neighbour into you home for a coffee, even if you only drink tea!
Most Fridays, I join an online Christian writing community, Five Minute Friday. We are given a one-word prompt and write – unscripted, unedited, pure free-write – for 5 minutes. The prompt this week is COFFEE
I do read through my script afterwards to correct my mistakes; to check scripture references and to find an appropriate image to illustrate the topic.
Usually this site is hosted by the lovely Kate, but in her temporary absence, valiant Andrew has stepped in to host this wonderful little group. I think we will be able to link with other writers on his blog, which I am hoping to find and post below.
Recognising the truth
FMF: Recognise
The first step to healing – certainly in the Elijah House prayer ministry model – is to recognise that there is a problem!
In fact, in Alcoholics Anonymous it is the same.
Even in a physical sense, I have to recognise that something is wrong before I will seek help to rectify it, even at the doctor.
This is common sense.
Surprisingly, one of the biggest barriers to health and well-being avoids common sense.
The barrier is denial.
We deny having a problem.
We deny the ‘ouch.’
We refuse to recognise the problem in us, the plank in our own eye.
We refuse to admit that we have a problem.
Why? Because to admit and to recognise it is to make it a real thing, that we then have to face and do something to change it.
And that is scary!
It was many long years before I would recognise and admit my drink problem.
It has taken years to recognise and face many relationship issues that I was having.
I was afraid that I could not change, and afraid that to face anything would hurt so bad that I would not survive the pain.
I didn’t face the pain of my ongoing problems, because I was more afraid of what seemed to be a greater pain – that of facing the truth.
‘You will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.’ (John 8:32)
It was a difficult journey.
But I recognised many truths. I admitted the truth. I faced the truth.
What surprised me was that once the light of truth was shining on me, those shadows were not really scary at all. It took some courage and perseverance, but it was more than worth it.
I recognise myself now and I am growing to love myself.
And now I can recognise and love you too.
It is appropriate now to finish with this:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know (recognise) the difference.
Most Fridays, I join an online Christian writing community, Five Minute Friday. We are given a one-word prompt and write – unscripted, unedited, pure free-write – for 5 minutes. The prompt this week is RECOGNISE.
I do read through my script afterwards to correct my mistakes; to check scripture references and to find an appropriate image to illustrate the topic.
To read other FMF posts on this subject click BELOW.
A lesson in capacity
Teaching the concept of capacity to 4year olds in the Foundation Stage was always fun. The little ones always thought that the tall, thin container would hold more than the squat wide container.
Today I thought a bit more about capacity – about how much we can contain.
My friend always likes to remind me that we should ‘do what we can, not what we can’t’.
I have found this a very helpful check in my spirit and it gives me courage to do something!!
As humans, we tend to want to have infinite capacity to do everything and do it perfectly.
This is a very flawed expectation and it will end in tears, or burnout!
Likewise I have to expect of others what they have the capacity for.
And some days we have more capacity than others.
This last few weeks, I have had the cough/flu, lurgy that is doing the rounds. My capacity for anything but resting has been severely compromised.
And then a couple of tragedies hit some very close to me. My capacity became increasingly fragile and I thought I would collapse…
Then I acknowledged that the needs of those very close was greater than my own and from a strength greater than my own, a strength in me arose…
I conclude that actual capacity is much more complex than the potential capacity of any given vessel.
It depends:
1 – what is already in the vessel and how much space is left
2 – what the vessel is made of
3 – the nature of that which needs to be contained
4 – presence or absence of additional support.
I’ve run out of time.
Remember, do what you can, not what you can’t.
Most Fridays, I join an online Christian writing community, Five Minute Friday. We are given a one-word prompt and write – unscripted, unedited, pure free-write – for 5 minutes. The prompt this week is CAPACITY
I do read through my script afterwards to correct my mistakes; to check scripture references and to find an appropriate image to illustrate the topic.
To read other FMF posts on this subject click BELOW.
The Fourth Man Still Walks Among Us –
Post by Fay Ann of fayannswearing.wordpress.com
There’s a lot of folk going through the fire at the moment. This spoke a lot to me. Thank you Fay Ann.
Can you please explain?
Explain
17:58
Someone once said I have ‘an investigative mind’.
I certainly like people to explain themselves. I like to understand.
I have to be sensitive and not ask as many questions as I feel I want too – I don’t want folk to feel interrogated!
But I want to know how and why and I need folk to explain, so that I can better understand them.
If you tell me you are sad, I have compassion and am sorry, but I really want you to explain how that sadness feels and what you think has caused it and when it began. I don’t always ask you all of the questions, but I want you to explain, so I might begin to empathise more and understand how to pray better for you.
I’m sorry if it comes across as nosey!
I like to explain to others too – maybe that is why I became a school teacher?
I am always asking God to explain Himself too. When I read the Bible I am frequently asking Holy Spirit to explain what He meant and how it applies now.
When things happen in the world around I ask Him to explain the how, when and why of it all. I know God doesn’t mind me asking for explanations.
Sometimes with Bible passages, Holy Spirit does explain to me and I am very grateful. Sometimes He asks me just to trust Him, because my little brain is not ready to have such mysteries revealed.
18.06
Deuteronomy:29:29
New Living Translation
“The LORD our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.
Most Fridays, I join an online Christian writing community, Five Minute Friday. We are given a one-word prompt and write – unscripted, unedited, pure free-write – for 5 minutes. The prompt this week is EXPLAIN
I do read through my script afterwards to correct my mistakes; to check scripture references and to find an appropriate image to illustrate the topic.
To read other FMF posts on this subject click BELOW.
dawnfanshawe 