Encouragement Consequences Night

We had so much fun last night.
Encouragement Night with a bit of a fun twist:-)

We all loved our goody party bags with a few extra surprises inside and each turned up with a small gift for each other and had written a verse or some things down about how we that person encourages us.
I was very blessed to get a lovely candle, some dusky pink icing colouring and some lovely notelets! I also had some very encouraging words written down to go with each gift, that I will treasure, use and try and put the words of life into good practise in my life!
After we had shared our gifts and verses and thoughts with each other - and eaten cake and drunk tea - we played our game of consequences - with an encouraging twist!
We each wrote one line or so to answer each question and then folded it over and then passed it on to do the next. We wrote each of our names on the bottom of the paper so that we didn't write on our own!

There was a lot of sniggering, laughter, giggles shared, exchanged and enjoyed.
Here is the list of the questions we did for our Encouraging Consequences Night!
1. what qualities and strengths does this person have
2. name a funny moment you had with them
3. describe this person in 3 words
4. what famous person does this person remind you of
5. what colour do they remind you of
6. how does this person make you happy
7. what animal would they be
8. what would you say this spiritual gifts are
9. what flavour cupcake would they be
10.If you could spend a day with them, what would you do
11.say something random about them
12. if they were a sport what would they be
13. write the first object that reminds you of them, that comes to your mind.
I have some amazingly encouraging friends, do you?
How do you encourage your friends?
Maybe you would like to encourage one of your friends...?
Have fun playing Encouragement Consequences!
I did x

Getting Ready for Encouragement Night

Tomorrow night is Encouragement Night for us ladies.
I can hardly wait!
We meet each Thursday and eat loads of cake and laugh til we cry at the stories of our lives for this past week but this week is extra special! Every now and then, we try and actively encourage each other, nurturing the gifts within us such as laughter, creativity and encouragement.
It helps us celebrate and enjoy life and our adventures, mis-haps and to affirm each other for how we see each other's gifts, skills, talents and value our friendship.
We try and be creative!
One time we did it as pass the parcel, where we each wrote out a favourite verse and had a wee gift to go with it. All the wee parcels were wrapped in between layers of paper. You pass the parcel round and when the music stops, you undo a layer! The prize for that layer is revealed, then the music starts again and the parcel continues to pass until the music stops again.
Get it?
It is a classic British childhood birthday party game!
We love it!

So, in our variation of pass the parcel, the encouragement cards and gifts and verses formed the layers of the parcel.It was a bit random and surprisingly, no-one got their own verse. The one I got was a real encouragement to me: about God binding up the broken hearted. The verse was written on a cloud in the shape of a heart and came with some funky plasters with words like OWW, or OUCH!

Other times we have picked names (out of a teapot) and prayed for that person during the week and written it down in a card for them. This encouragement was the verse about the Son shining on the righteous, complete with some rather yummy smelling body lotion called: "Righteous Butter"

This time, we are doing a bit of a game based on the childhood game of "consequences". With a twist of course!
In the original game each person has a piece of paper and writes an answer to a question, for example favourite holiday place, most embarrassing moment, boy's name etc. After each category it is folded down and then passed on to the next person. It can be done with drawing people, with each fold being parts of the body like head, neck, etc.
When every one has had their turn the paper is unfolded and shared/admired/read out etc making no snese at all for the snetences, or for the drawn figure, producing lots of laughter.
Tomorrow, we will do things like write down the funniest thing the person has done, what verse reminds each of us of them, bringing an object/gift/homemade craft for each person to encourage them.
Oh, and I almost forgot.
Party bags!
We are each having a party bag that by the end of the evening will be filled with Encouragements for each of us.
We have written a list of things to write/bring to go inside during the evening!
I can't wait.
More news to follow- of course I can't spoil the surprise, yet!
How do you encourage your friends?

My Wish Upon A Star List Update

How, how, how have the months have flown by, since October, when I started My List?It is now May and I have quite a long way to go and half way through the year.
In an endeavour to encourage myslef, I will share with you the things I have now achieved and have crossed off My List.
Here goes.

1. Visit hummingbird bakery
2. Sort out photos for scrapbooking. Done!
3. Sort stuff in Trunk.
4. Memory Box
5. Start Scrapbooking - Done!
6. Paint Bathroom
7. Sort and throw out old statements.
8. Increase my working hours - Done!
9. Find new and fulfilling job. Done!
10. Start A Blog - Done!
11. Mum and Dad Artwork.Done!
12. Make blind for Kitchen.
13. Tidy paperwork on desk.
14.Sort Teaching box into files and chuck out the unwanted paper for recycling.
15.Investigate loft/attic conversion.
16. Make some leaf Art.
17. Do a course.
18. Visit friends in Scotland.
19. Write child/youth curriculum.
20. Scrapbook existing photos.
21. Put nice photos in photo frames.
22. Wear a nice dress to a nice occassion. Done!
23. Start swimming again. Done!
24. Girly Shopping Day in a lovely city.
25. Jump in some Puddles. Done!
26. Get a dog. (maybe)
27. Eat in a lovely Restaurant.
28. Discover more about my family roots. Done!
29. Sort, recycle, file child and youth box of stuff.
30. Go for a picnic - at the zoo!
31. Go and see a play.
32. Go and see some live music.
33. Write messy church Stuff down, maybe as a blog?
34. New Relationships.
35. Travel somewhere on a plane.
36. Write down storytelling/circle time stuff done in the last few years.
37. Ditch Denby and buy new china I like. Done!
38. Holiday
39. Sort through Memorabilia of Mum and Dad.
40. Play in the snow. Done!
41. Have a Spa Day - facial, nails - relax. Done!
42. Direction for this new season.
43. Have a Massage.Done!
44. Explore possibilities.
45. 6 x boxes of Junk. Clear out, throw out, give away, keep a little.
46. New system for craft stuff. Done!

15 done.
31 to go.
Do you have a list of things to do this year, or a set of goals?
What is on your list?
How are you doing with your list?

Thankful Girly Cake Chicks

During this last week, my friends (the Girly cake chicks) and I have been focusing on being thankful. We meet together every Thursday as we are a house group, as part of our local church. There is always cake and laughter, sometimes tears and often something creative to share.

I wrote my list on being thankful on my blog, so I had my laptop for my show and tell!
Read it here
Here are some of the things the lovely Girly Cake Chicks, are Thankful for:

First up was Jen to share. She couldn't make it so she sent it to us!
She said she was thankful for us! (Aww!) Friendship is powerful isn't it!

Emily had an interesting choice, including loo roll!!!
Her list of Thankfulness had begun with the inspiration for the book: Love Mercy, about a lady and her journey from following the "American Dream" to discovering the Kingdom of God.
So she was very thankful for Loo Roll and flushing toilets.

Abbie shared her top 10 favourite things to be thankful for and included this book that had helped her. The book that inspired this was " If you want to walk on Water, you need to get out of the boat" by John Ortberg.

We still eagerly await hearing from the lovely Rachel and Anna, who also couldn't make it.

We did have plenty of time to eat cake! my party political Election Night Cupcakes.


Isn't it great to have a chance to take a fresh look at thankfulness?

Want to share your thankful list?
Post it here with this link.

Encouragement Night with the Girls

It is great to encourage each other isn't it? We girls look forward to our encouragement nights very much indeed! We try to do them as something special and fun regularly as part of our weekly gatherings every few months. Sometimes we do a pass the parcel game with a favourite verse and something as a reminder like a small gift to go with it. This time we decided to do individual encouragements and picked our names from a teapot! We had to do it several times because some people kept getting their own name! We prayed for our named person during the week and asked God to remind us of the things about that person that we are special to us and perhaps a verse from the Bible to go with it to encourage them. We then wrote it out in a card and if we wanted to put it together in a creative fun way to share with them the following week.
We were all very encouraged. I love the verse that Abbie had about God shining on the righteous - complete with some righteous body butter that smelled fabulous! Flowers for Emily for God bringing colour and vibrancy, The word Joy on a card and I loved my card from Emily for me. A beautiful handmade card with a heart and things growing out of it. An encouragement for me that God's blessing does not depend on happiness but comes from His heart of love with the verse from Psalm 86 v 11 and 12:
"Teach me your way, O Lord and i will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that i may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name."
we love Encouragement Nights and there is always plenty of time for the usual tea and coffee and cake! This last week we had Cheese and even individual cheesecake cupcakes! Yummy!
Do you do Encouragement times with your friends?
I'd love to hear your ideas!
This week we are doing an Easter egg hunt around the house!

Want to join us in the unlikely places?

The other day, I shared with you how I had been reading Punk Monk and how I had been challenged to ask God to teach me in the unlikely places. I was encouraged to have an open, teachable and humble heart and to ask God to teach me as I go about my daily life: work, people, cooking, cleaning, listening to the radio etc.
It was then suggested that I write the ways God teaches me down in a journal during the week.I regularly write a journal, but it was quite refreshing to focus on the God who is omnipresent and able to speak in and through me in my normal every day life.

I was very encouraged with the ways God taught me.

It was like a breath of fresh air.

You can read my full blog post here

We have just started as a group or new girly chick cake group Journal, where we write down things that we want to pray for each other and the ways God answers our prayers. I was sharing about my unlikely places journalling experience with the girlie chicks at our weekly groovy girlie cake chick gathering on Thursday night.

They were really excited about it!

We decided to do ask God to speak to us in the unlikely places, during this next week. We will share back next week as a group, as we eat cake, the next time we meet together. I will let you know how we get on!

Maybe you have a group that you could do the same with?
You can join us too if you like!

Here is how you can join in this next week-10 days:
1. Ask God to speak to you in the unlikely places this next week.
2. Write the things God teaches you down in a journal this next week.
3. Share it here.
4. Eat some cake whilst you read other's posts!
5. Please remember to place a link to your blog post.
6. encourage others who share here too with a comment.

Have a great week in the unlikely places and I look forward to reading your posts by Monday(that's after Thanksgiving for you all in the USA)
Luci x

Remember to be thankful for unlikely places

I have been reading a book, recently, that encouraged me to ask God to teach me in unlikely places. I really love that phrase, don't you? The suggestion was to have a humble and teachable heart into each day and to be open for God to speak to us in our daily lives and to keep a journal of this for a week.
I quite liked the idea of asking God to speak to me in new and fresh and probably simple ways. So, last week, I did!
Here are some of the things I think the Lord reminded me of and taught me, based on what I wrote down at the end of each day.
I hope that it encourages you to see things in fresh ways, how God speaks in and through us in simple ways and teaches us in the unlikely places.
A bit like a breath of fresh air, really!

Please let me know if you decide to do this too and let me know what you have learned in the unlikely places too. Id love to hear.

Day 1
Girlie chick cake group night. As we shared our gifts and encouragements for Rachel for her birthday, I was reminded of the power of words - to give life - to speak words of truth and life, as we encourage each other.

Day 2
I have been blessed to read comments on my blog! I am blessed to be a blessing by encouraging and inspiring others to start their own blog too! Who would have thought?
Thank you!

Day 3
Sat chatting with my big sister, over a cuppa and she enlightened me to the significance of fig trees in the Bible. It was where people sat under them to read and study The Word of God. It was the story of Nathanael - I saw you under a fig tree. God sees and He knows. what a great way to be reminded of my desire to "sit under His shade", whilst drinking tea with my sis!

Day 4
drinking tea - again - and eating teacakes with my friend Abbie and we decided to start a girlie cake chick journal, to encourage ourselves as we look back on it, that God, faithful God, answers our prayers.

Day 5
I went for an interview! I said that some of the bright accessories they sell could act as a great mood lift and brighten any dreary rainy day! It reminded me that words of encouragements and kind words really do lift the soul. I then went out for coffee and cake with a friend. I am very thankful for my friends here. I am not isolated and I am experiencing the love of God and the gift of friendship unfolding before my very eyes. Immanuel, God with us. My coffee with cream.

Day 6
Friends coming to stay. The joy of hospitality. I really do love it and love the way that friends actually like coming to stay!

Day 7
Shopping day! I love shops and going with a friend too, for fun. I went to Liverpool too. A beautiful and special city, for me. I led an amazing outreach team there a few years ago. A city famous for the Beatles, has a history of trade, slavery, gangs, china Town, trafficking, crime as well as God's heart for the people of this city to be full of vibrant colours of life and creativity, to go into the nations. A reminder too, of how great it is to relax with friends and to enjoy coffee and being there for each other.

The book, is called Punk Monk: by Andy freeman and Pete Greig
It is about "New Monasticism and the Ancient Art of Breathing." I have loved it and will write more about other bits of the book soon.

Remember to be thankful for encouragements!

Last week at girlie cake chicks we tried to encourage Rachel, as it was her birthday! Here is how we did it:
1. During the week, we each prayed for Rachel and asked God to remind us of a quality,skill, talent or gift that we have seen and loved in her and that we appreciate her for.
2. We then thought of a verse form the Bible to go with this.(God is a really big help here too, in helping us find just the right verse!)
3. Then we thought of a gift to help illustrate this for her - it could be handmade, shop bought or something that we already had that we could give to her.
4. We then wrote out the verse on a funky card and wrapped the gift and brought it along to our girlie chick cake group!
5. We had loads of fun watching her open her gifts in turn and reading out the encouragements we had for her.
She was really encouraged, but she did also cry too!
It is such a blessing to encourage others in really fun and creative ways.
Sometimes we put all the gifts together, individually wrapped in between layers to make a really big parcel and pass it round, listening to music. When the music stops, you take off a layer to reveal each prize/gift/parcel. In England, this would typically be a childhood game called pass the parcel!
We, as groovy girlie cake chicks, love it!
Last week, to save time in wrapping, we each brought separate gifts for Rachel to unwrap.
Here are some of the things we gave her and the encouragements. I hope it inspires you to encourage someone today in a creative and fun way!



The chocolate lollipop and some tulip bulbs to plant went with this:Ephesians 3:16-19Prayer for an ever growing faith and that Rach would remain firmly rooted in the love and knowledge of Jesus because it is what really really makes her special and cherished. And she is a fab, loving and faithful woman of God.
The funky red mug went with an encouragement for Rachel to continue finding quality time, just for her - especially she just had her 2nd baby a few weeks ago!
My encouragement to Rachel was Daniel 12 v 3 about being a star, because she is!!!
she has so many pearls of wisdom for us,in such a natural and non-bossy way! So my prayer for her is to continue to grow in righteousness and wisdom.
Who will you encourage today?
enjoy being blessed to be a blessing to someone else today x

Remember to be thankful for a gift!

When Rachel, one of my girly cake chick friends, had her birthday this week we decided to encourage her with a card expressing either the qualities we see and enjoy in her or a verse from the Bible. We decided that we would give her a gift that could be bought or handmade or something we already have that we wanted to give her, preferably connected in some way to the encouraging words we had for her!
Choosing the gift for her was the easy part,for me.
Bread. I would make bread.
Rachel recently and generously gave me her bread maker and I just love it. Everyone did laugh, however, when I made my first loaf: chocolate bread!
So I made chocolate bread for Rachel, with chocolate chips! Yummy. (Her 2 year old son thinks I am very clever to make chocolate bread!)
Simple: I followed a recipe!
There are loads of bread recipes to find on the Internet, just follow your own manufacturers guidelines for the order you put the ingredients in the pan.
Here is the basic recipe I use... and then a Luci adaptation for chocolate Mocha bread that is also proving popular.
chocolate bread recipe for 1 1/2 lb loaf:
1 cup water
1 egg beaten
1 tbsp skimmed milk powder
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
2 1/8 cups strong white flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp dry yeast
add 1/4 cup chocolate chips, part way through the cycle - my machine goes beep!!!

For the creative Luci adaptation.... Chocolate Mocha bread:
replace strong coffee for water. I use strong coffee from my cafetiere.
Enjoy!

I wrapped the bread once cool, in parchment/greaseproof paper and then brown paper, tied it up with string and put it in a used gift bag I had. The gift bag had the name of the store on it, so I tore 2 strips of gift wrap and stuck it on the 2 edges of the bag. a great way to re-cycle those lovely paper gift bags from shopping trips!