For those of you not on Facebook, here is the video ....... Radio Devon broadcast a Sunday Service on 02 May with the Revd Darren Pike (Okehampton Baptist Church), and an interview with Sharon. It's about 30 mins, Sharon is on after about 20 mins.
You can see it here

Hello Diary

Well we made it through the winter and now it's April first.  Not very warm yet, but it's such a pleasure to see flowers and new green leaves coming on the trees.

There are a few new developments in our lives....I'm still busy, and have a added a new item to my "busy list".  We have a local Food Bank in our town, and now I'm volunteering for that.  It's been a VERY busy time as three of our local manufacturing firms have made their workers redundant.  (That means laying everyone off to you back home)  For a small town that was catastrophic and over 300 jobs were lost.  Needless to say the mood was very somber on the streets.

The national newspapers picked up on the story, and for a while the town and the Food Bank was on the front page!  Never mind they didn't quite tell the truth in some cases (after all they ARE in the business of creating news)  But we made it through that and were able to get back to the business of feeding people.  Volunteering for this project has certainly put things back in proper perspective for me and I've received a few blessings that I hadn't counted on.

On the home front....Dave has started the process of retirement.  Yep!  He's gonna do it!  There has been (and will continue to be) much to discuss regarding this.  It's a big step and will require a few changes in our life style, but we both are looking forward to it.  This is something he has wanted to do for a long time and I'm looking forward to seeing him free from the shift work and it's terrible hours.  After years doing it, it certainly takes it's tole on the body and general health.

And as for family life....our grandson is growing by leaps and bounds and is gaining new skills almost daily. (not all of which are very easy to deal with I might add!)  But...it's all part of growing up isn't it?

I still love it here...I have a full rewarding life...and wouldn't want it any other way.  I can still remember people saying  "Give her six months...she'll be back."  Guess I fooled you huh! 

Granted....there are some things here that I don't like....but there were things I didn't like in the states too....and as I've said before...I believe in "blooming where you're planted."  So here I am...blooming and growing...And life keeps getting better.

~Sharon~

Hello everyone,

A new year is upon us.  We had a fantastic time in the states.  It just wasn't enough time to do everything we had planned.  Next time (in 2 years) we are planning to stay 2-3 months (hopefully including Thanksgiving). But that's in the future and anything could happen between now and then.

two days after our return, I had orthopedic surgery on my foot.  That turned out to be more of a hassle than I had planned on and I was more or less off my feet for a month.  Of course still suffering from jet lag may have had something to do with it!  I have now been released by the surgeon and (gingerly) have begun my walking program again.  Yesterday was the first day and I must say it's going to take a while to get back into shape!

Our Christmas was quiet.  I was involved in the church celebration by accepting the role of "Church decorator".  It was fun and the day we started, we played Christmas music.  Everyone was drinking tea and singing along with the music....it was great fun and everyone really enjoyed themselves.  The church looked lovely for our candle light service.  Next year I'll plan things a little better by starting the window decorations ahead of time. 

The remodeling of the sanctuary is now complete with the hall downstairs nearly done as well.  We are very proud of our little 100 year old chapel.  It's really lovely and something to be proud of.  The hall  will be used for not only church activities, but will be utilized for outside activities as well thus adding income to our budget.

Dave and I are still growing in our love for each other.  I can't believe that our second anniversary is next month!  I was telling him in some ways it seems much longer than that.  It feels like we've always been together.

The extreme winter weather has finally released it's hold on us.  For a while the entire country was encased in snow and ice and we had the coldest December on record!  Up north those poor souls are still having snow, but it's not to the extent that it was.

Last evening we started planning our Summer holiday with intent toward going to the west coast of Scotland.  It's a lovely area to see and we can take a small ferry to a couple of the isles off the coast.  My kind of vacation!  :)  Hopefully the weather will be as warm and clear as it was last time we went.

You can still keep up with me/us on Face Book....I'm there most days, and would really enjoy hearing from you.  It's great fun talking to folks back home.

Life is good

~Sharon

Wow!  Here it is almost the end of September....and on 3 October we are flying to Tulsa!!!  What can I say?  It seems like just a few days ago I was in the middle of planting, watering, and working in the garden....and now suddenly we are gathering things to pack.

Our trip promises to be a good one with many blessings already.  We've been afforded the use of the wonderful old house I rented in Tulsa as a "base camp" for our wonderings.  Then the loan of a car thus saving us many many dollars. 

We are both so looking forward to being there and are anxious to go to our favorite places where so many wonderful memories were made.  In my musings I've wondered several times just how hard it will be to leave again and come back to our home in England.  I'm sure it will be easier this time, as there won't be so many things to do like uprooting my entire my life and moving to a different country.

And as for my new country ???  It feels like home now....I've really settled in easily, and having friends and church here certainly gave me a "home base" and support that made it easier.  I've still got a lot of places to see and things to do here....This is a fantastic landscape to explore and even Dave has seen a few surprises himself since I've been here.

Dave is still a fantastic husband and best friend.  We just continue to grow closer as time goes on....I  wish all other women could have the life I have.  Abundant blessings....yeah...that's it! 

See ya'll in Tulsa!!!!