Posted in Church, tagged Advent, Christ, Christianity, Christmas, Christmas in Dark Places, Church, download, faith, Glen Scrivener, Jesus, mp4, spoken word, summer, video, winter, YouTube on 13 December, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Glen Scrivener has produced another great spoken word piece this Advent. Christmas in Dark Places reminds us that:
He took on our frailty, he took on all comers
To turn all our winters to glorious summers.
Such a fantastic reminder as I gaze out on our bleak and misty winter churchyard, looking like a scene from Great Expectations. You can download the mp4 for use too.
Posted in Church, tagged camping, Cold, dog, faith, homelessness, Inner city, man, Vicarage, winter on 15 October, 2013| Leave a Comment »
A sweet wee dog called at the Vicarage again today. With his owner, of course. We see them from time to time – always polite, good to chat to, usually asking for a little food. And homeless. His man is beginning to think it’s too cold to keep on camping out. But his man hates staying around other people. He likes his tent in the woods. We invited him to come back tomorrow to think about housing options. It really is getting too cold for camping. We sent them both on their way with a packed supper and a torch. Praying their night isn’t too uncomfortable as I listen to the wind whistling outside.
The dog had a coat on too. Needed it.
Posted in Church, Inner city, tagged Beauty, dog, frost, Fun, Inner city, photos, Sandwell, tower blocks, winter on 17 January, 2013| Leave a Comment »
It’s been a bit of a busy start to the year so I’ve been rather off blogging. But yesterday I went for a walk with Dreamer and Freddie the Pooch. We headed to our local park and the frost was so beautiful that I took a couple of pics. Glorious, eh? Only slightly marred by the three young couples snogging under separate trees. At 3pm on a Tuesday. Not sure what that was about.
Tower blocks looking mysterious in the frost
Freddie pooching about
Posted in Inner city, tagged alchoholic, Alcohol, Frosty Jack, Gone, hedge, homeless, homelessness, Housing, Inner city, prayer, sleeping rough, thanks, Vicarage, winter on 16 November, 2012| 1 Comment »
Gone, our occasional hedge lodger, has been under the hedge for the last couple of nights. Brrrr – very chilly and damp in the fog. He rang the doorbell very drunk on Wednesday evening, but we didn’t chat for long. This morning he was on the doorstep as I took the boys to school and there again when I returned. I was despairing about his housing situation.
Not the comfiest bed
As usual, he was drinking a bottle of Frosty Jack and listening to a cheap radio on headphones. But he was also mellow and happy. He asked me to take care of his new debit card that allows him access to his benefits. I declined, thinking that he’ll forget what he’s done with it, but I gave him a wallet to keep it safe.
Wonderfully, I also found out that he has does have somewhere to live – he’s in a hostel and has his own room. But he’s been too drunk to get himself home the last couple of days – hence the hedge sleeping. I’ve made a note of his address and am hoping we’ll be able to keep an eye on him. And that he’ll manage a winter without prison this year. The needs of the homeless are always complex, and Gone is extremely vulnerable, so I am very thankful that our prayers for him have been answered at last. And am praying that he’d keep it together enough to keep himself housed. He knows that he needs to but the confusion and anger brought by drink and mental illness always means that his home situation is precarious.
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The Vicar's Wife 