Hanging Out

Posted on June 30, 2007
Filed Under community | 2 Comments

We had a great time last night. We hosted a BBQ at our house for some of our friends from church. Jonathan and I were actually too emotionally and physically drained from the week we’ve just had to really soak up the evening, but it was good. Kids were running around our house and the garden chasing each other, and parents were chilled and relaxed. There was no program, no routine to get through, it was just community. Two of our friends who came are expecting babies within the next three weeks. It was great to rally around them, and continue to support and offer them advice as they prepare to bring new life into the world.

When we host things like this I’m always left thinking about Jesus and the disciples, the way of life they led, the community they must have had. The disciples were centre of something really special, really loving, totally of God, despite some of their gaffs that we read about in the bible, I wonder if they knew?

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My Book List

Posted on June 28, 2007
Filed Under book, blog | 3 Comments


Emerging Grace has asked people who read her blog to list seven books they are reading. I figure from a booklist it is possible to get to know a person a little better, what do you think? Anyway, I’m in a light mood today, so here are mine:

Exiles - Michael Frost

They Like Jesus But Not The Church - Dan Kimball

The Forgotten Ways - Alan Hirsch

Charlotte’s Web - E.B. White (I’m reading this with Ben)

Field Notes From Catastrophe, (Climate Change - is time running out?) - Elizabeth Kolbert

100 Top Picks For Homeschool Curriculum - Cathy Duffy

The Complete Guide To Asperger’s Syndrome - Tony Attwood (as of when it arrives next week!)

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Tears and Joy

Posted on June 27, 2007
Filed Under God, family news | 7 Comments

I will never forget the day just over five years ago when Ben was having a routine check with the Health Visitor (Community Nurse) and she looked at me and said “Mrs Hallewell, I think there is something wrong with your son.” At that moment my world came crashing down around me, what was it that was wrong, what was it he couldn’t do? The past five years have been constant paediatrician appointments and battles with the education system. It felt like our sons future rested upon someones financial budget. THAT was not good enough for us, we have fought for him, for no one else will. When we moved here in November we were not really sure why God has asked us to come. Now I wonder if it was for Ben. God brought into our lives a wonderful paediatrician, who is a Christian. For the first time we felt like we were being heard and taken seriously, she was on our side. We’ve been climbing an uphill mountain with Ben, and today I think we reached the top. Ben has today been officially diagnosed as being on the Autistic Spectrum. He is what is classed as high functioning, which basically means he communicates and can cope in some situations. They are leaning towards the Aspergers side of the spectrum.

A weight has been lifted as, even though we’ve known for 6 months that he was likely to get diagnosed, it’s only with today that we are able to access the support that we need as a family. We will now be taught how he thinks and functions - get inside of his head a bit. I say that we have come to the top of the mountain, and in some ways today has closed the doors to the chapter of uncertainty. A new chapter begins now, with another mountain to climb. As we were driving home tonight we had our friend Dean Salyn’s song “He is Yahweh” on in the car. I felt like God was saying to me “I’m bigger than all of this” Thank you for your prayers, we are very grateful. Ben is such a blessing to us, through having him we have become parents who are not hung up on grades and achievements, we are not pushy. We want Ben and Grace to experience and love life, however they come.

We’ve been on an emotional rollercoaster today, and are feeling pretty exhausted now. Now we can build up the scaffolding around Ben and help him to reach for the sky. It’s been a historical day for the UK as a nation today, with Tony Blair resigning and Gordon Brown becoming the new PM. It’s been a historical day for us too. God is good.

He is Yahweh

Who is moving on the waters?
Who is holding up the moon?
Who is peeling back the darkness,
With the burning light of noon?
Who is standing on the mountains?
Who is on the earth below?
Who is bigger than the heavens,
And the lover of my soul?

Creator God: He is Yawheh
The Great I Am: He is Yawheh
The Lord of All: He is Yawheh
Rose of Sharon: He is Yawheh
The Righteous Son: He is Yawheh
The Three-in-one: He is Yawheh

Who is He that makes me happy?
Who is He that gives me peace?
Who is He that brings me comfort,
And turns the bitter into sweet?
Who is stirring up my passion?
Who is rising up in me?
Who is filling up my hunger,
With everything I need?

Creator God: He is Yawheh
The Great I Am: He is Yawheh
The Lord of All: He is Yawheh
Rose of Sharon: He is Yawheh
The Righteous Son: He is Yawheh
The Three-in-one: He is Yawheh

You are holy and eternal
And forever You will reign
Every knee will bow before You
Every tongue will confess Your name
All the angels give You glory
As they stand before Your throne
And here on earth we gather
To declare Your name alone…

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Canada Day

Posted on June 26, 2007
Filed Under current affairs | Leave a Comment

Canada is celebrating 140 years this year!  Canada Day is on Sunday July 1, on June 29 in Trafalgar Square, London, Canadians will be celebrating.  The line up looks good.  We might go along - here’s the info for any of you this side of the pond interested!

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Apologies and links!

Posted on June 26, 2007
Filed Under blog, family news | 2 Comments

I’m sorry that my blogging has been so bitty over the past few weeks, things here have been quite hectic. I promise I will get my act together once we get through Ben’s Paediatrician visit tomorrow! On a good note I had my preliminary visit with the Education Department yesterday in regards to home school. The lady who visited said that she thought I was doing a great job, and was very well organized etc. So I got my first gold star! I have the Education Inspectors meeting in September/October though, which is the big assessment!

Following my post on the Episcopal-Muslim priest I see that Matt Stone has posted this interesting post. Erin has posted her own thoughts for TPFKA series, which is a very honest account of being wounded. The Naked Pastor has an excellent post on ten tips for increasing church growth and income. Jonathan compares church to a pizza base. Len writes about moving from old into new.

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