WHAT DO YOU SEE? HOW DO YOU SEE?

I took a walk today - one of my usual, quick 4.5 miles in a circle around the local lanes. It’s quick (1 hour 10mins). It’s familiar.

There are pretty places, panoramas, rarely a person. And usually I take a few photos of the beauty to post on social media. I get feed back about the lovely place I live, the glorious walks I can take, how fabulous England is.

I never take photos of the not-so-lovely places I pass. I see the beauty and ignore the bleakness.

Today, it crossed my mind that in nature I only notice the glory. Yet in my life I only notice the gore.

You too?

I look at myself and I see all the faults, all the failures, all the falls.

So today I took photos of the not-so-lovely places I pass, to show you.

As I paused to wield my phone, I reminded myself that yes, there are ugly things in life. I have had times of failure and fall.

AND I have survived, AND I am stronger, AND I am still breathing, AND AND AND

AND … not BUT, AND….

What do you see when you look at yourself? The faults and the failures and the falls? Or the times you picked yourself up, the times you trusted God, the times you helped someone else, how loved you are - by God and by others.

Perhaps it’s not WHAT you see but HOW you see.

See yourself as a beautiful, as loved by God, as AMAZING.

Which direction are you looking - at the gore or the glorious?

Don't forget to sign up and get the free download of 5 ways to have a retreat with God.

And a few of the posts others have found helpful during these pandemically challenging times

• Thriving in online meetings

• heroic, disillusioned or hopeful at the moment?
  

How to plan a GFR for after lockdown

As heroic moves into disillusionment (see last week’s blog on these stages of lockdown) don’t we need some hope, something to look forward to? What better than to start planning for a Great Family Reunion. Or a get-together with friends. Or neighbours. Or everyone. 

2016 Cousin Camp

Me, I’m still hoping (against hope) that we can have Cousin Camp this year. All 6 grandchildren for two nights and three days, without their parents, who are allowed to go off in their pairs and enjoy some child-free time. We, the grandparents, do it every year, for as many of the grandchildren as we can – with 2 of them living in the USA it’s not always possible to have all 6, but this summer the American contingent were due to be coming here for a few weeks. This will be our fifth annual Cousin Camp; they love coming and anticipate it excitedly asking what this year’s theme will be and can they eat jelly with chopsticks again please please please. 

I first heard about Cousin Camp from my dear friend Susan Yates, when we lived in the USA. She and her husband John have 21 grandkids and have been celebrating Cousin Camp for over a decade. She has shared ideas and creativity and suggestions about it; and I’ve gratefully translated them into ‘English English’ (as opposed to what ‘American English’ Cousin Camp might look like).

Imagine my joy when she told me she was writing a book about how to do it! And kindly asked me to contribute some of my ideas.  

“COUSIN CAMP - a grandparents guide to creating fun, faith and memories that last.”

The book is easy to read, packed full of ideas and suggestions and is applicable not just to Cousin Camp but also to family reunions, friends’ get-togethers, marrieds or singles hosting ….  There are pages for your notes, suggestions as you read through on how to implement your own ideas and re-create those of others.   In fact, it’s a treasure trove and I highly recommend you hop on over (to your favourite on-line bookseller) and get a copy and start planning for your own event so that as soon as we’re able to see family and friends you’re ready to go with the Big Celebration. Looking forward to that with Hope and expectation! 

What are you planning to do once lockdown is over?

2018 Cousin Camp

AND – there’s another special box set available for you, to read while you’re not able to go for long walks.

Virtual Pilgrimage: 3 authors on their own pilgrimages: a box set with over a third off the retail price. Full details here. Only 20 sets available - GOING DEEPER, the first set, sold out in a week, so order this one soon.

TAKING MY GOD FOR A WALK by Tony Collins - battling inner turmoil while battling blisters on 400 miles of the Camino de Santiago

THE MAKING OF US by Sheridan Voysey - walking from Lindisfarne to Durham, while coming to terms with booked dreams and plans

WALKING BACK TO HAPPINESS by Penelope Swithinbank - crossing France on foot from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, rebuilding a marriage one step at a time

If you’ve already got a copy of one of them, why not give the new copy to someone for a birthday or Christmas gift?

Or order a set to be delivered to a family member or friend with a birthday in April as a lovely surprise parcel !

order your set here

Are you searching for sanity already?

Are we all going to go mad - either through utter loneliness or boredom or over-work? Through fear or anxiety or depression?

We don’t have to!

I’ve recently been writing about some ideas for these strange times, to help us readjust, make the most of the unexpected time suddenly available to many of us.  But not all, I know.  Some are working harder than ever – you might find this helpful, the first of this series on making the most of just a few seconds. Or the next one for those with oodles of unexpected time - on creating rhythm in these uncertain times.

And for all of us – at any place, at any time. Whether we are self-isolating and all alone, or stressed and overworked as an essential worker (essential workers, you are loved and we are all SO grateful for all you are doing for the rest of us) or stuck at home with a houseful of children needing to be home schooled when you once vowed never ever to home school your kids …

photo from Alamy


We all could do with one of these:

THE ONE MINUTE RETREAT

Do anything meaningful in just one minute?

Yes.  You can – YOU can.

Take just a minute, anywhere, anytime, and RETREAT into God and His promises.

Susannah Wesley had 17 children. She homeschooled. Ran the parish (her husband, the Vicar was often in prison for outspoken preaching). Her house burned down (twice).

She is reported to have had daily times alone with the Lord in the middle of all the chaos - she apparently just threw her voluminous apron over her head, and the children knew not to interrupt her for those few precious moments. (Of course, if you have that many children, the elder ones look after the younger ones … in theory, any way) You might need to get hold of a voluminous aron. Or lock yourself in the bathroom for a few moments.

Image by Stonegable

Here’s a suggestion:

Stop. Do something different. Turn away from whatever you were just doing, put down the pen, turn off the computer, move your hands ….   You might like to place them palms up, resting gently on your knees if you’re sitting, then close your eyes and take a deep breath.

And another deep breath.

Go somewhere else – mentally. In your mind’s eye, go somewhere beautiful, peaceful, life giving, that means something to you – a favourite beach, a mountain top, a woodland track ….

As you do so, give thanks to the Lord – for He is good and His love endures forever. (Ps 118:1-3)

Allow yourself to BE  in His love. Accept it. It’s always there for you, surrounding you and holding you and accepting you. Relax into it. Drop the shoulders, ease the neck, straighten the back …. relax!

Another deep breath.  

And as you breath out, cast all your cares on the Lord – for He cares for you.(1Peter 5:7)  Imagine throwing something – a stone into the water, a rock over the edge of the cliff, a heavy branch hurled away from you. Mentally turn your back on it and thank Him that He can deal with all of that as long as you leave it all with Him. So leave it with Him.

A deep breath. You are continuing in His love, your cares are left with Him, you can relax.

Now think about what you are returning to. It lies ahead of you. But you know that you are in His love, your cares have been left with Him. And now He tells you, Don’t worry about the future. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life …. Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
(Matt: 6:25-27)

Commit what lies ahead to Him, for “I know who holds the future, and He holds it in His hands…. I do not know the course ahead,
What joys and griefs are there.
But one stands near who fully knows,
I'll trust His loving care.”

Another deep breath. And as you breath in, take in the power of the Holy Spirit. I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you ….  For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:6-8)

Gently come back to whatever you were previously doing,  thanking God for what you have just experienced of Him.

Take it with you as you continue today.

And know that a one minute retreat can be made anywhere at any time. It’s free, quick, easy – and soul restoring.

Thank God that there are so many minutes available each day!

What are you doing to keep in His Presence regularly? To maintain intimacy with Him in these weird times?

What might you do in a moment of retreat?

One person tried and sent me her photos … we agreed she needed the 18th C voluminous white apron we had each visualised!

* * * * * *

Needing something to read and take your mind off the current situation?

How about a walk right across France - from the comfort of your own armchair!

“I have been on three walks/pilgrimages with Penelope, two in England and one in the Finger Lakes of New York State. Each time I was amazed at her strength, insight and ability to teach and inspire along the way. Walking Back to Happiness gave me the opportunity to see her present herself in a more vulnerable way and just added more to my admiration of Penelope as a Christian, wife and friend. I loved the descriptions of Kim and Penelope’s walking experiences, villages, people they met and food they ate. I loved this book and recommend it to anyone who wants to see what can be accomplished if one sets ones mind (and body!) to it.” - KP, on Amazon

To order your signed copy, go here

How to create rhythm in times of uncertainty

Is it really only the start of week two? This time of fearful uncertainty and world pandemic - haven’t we been here for months already? How will we keep going for another month or three or more?

Maybe you’ve been practicing the 30 second retreat - the post on my blog last week has been shared and commented on more than any other. (if you missed it, it’s here - just click) Making the most of this unexpected time. Unexpected - we’re either self isolating with little to do to fill our days, or even busier than ever if we're key workers struggling to cope with what’s going on.

photo from Unsplash by Anthony Tran

Life is different. The world is different. The situation changes from day to day. Hour to hour. And Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

So I thought it best to concentrate on the One who never changes, and not on what’s going on around me. i no longer listen to the hourly news. Once a day in the evening is sufficient, thank you. I’m self-isolating - walking and reading and writing; tidying the house and the garden, phoning friends and rediscovering the lost art of writing proper letters. And the days fly past. if I’m not careful, the moments fritter away, I forget which day it is, and my eyes no longer keep looking to Jesus.

I need a rhythm. Not routine - that word sounds far too rigid and disciplined and frankly boring! “I broke lose for one day from routine, from drudgery and harness,” says a character in Jessie Fothergill’s ‘The First Violin.’ We don’t want drudgery, harness, routine .

What we need is a life-giving rhythm to our days.

Monasteries and convents and holy places have rhythms of prayer, or the Liturgy of the Hours, often called by their Latin or Greek names - Matins (middle of the night!) Lauds (dawn) Prime (first hour of daylight) Terce (third hour) Sext (noon)  Nones (ninth hour)  Vespers (sunset) Compline (end of the day).

Lovely - except that there’s no way I’m going to be doing all that, if I’m totally honest.

But three times a day I eat - that’s life giving. Why not three times a day to have life giving moments with God? Morning, noon and night. I’m bound to forget - so perhaps an alarm on my iPhone set to remind me. That’s what the church bells are for - to call people to remember to pray. We just do it digitally now .

And how to spend a few moments at each of our three set times? Four suggestions - and you’ll have your own ideas.

- pray for our world; for family and friends; for our key workers; our church family ……

- read through the Psalms. I like using the 30 method. Day 1: read Psalm 1 plus 30 several times = Psalm 1, 31, 61, 91, 121; Day 2: Psalm 2 plus 30 several times = Psalm 2, 32, 62, 92, 122. Right through to day 31 when you read the whole of Psalm 119. Maybe divide up your reading between the 3 times a day?

- BE. Sit and just BE. Maybe enjoy looking at signs of the burgeoning of spring. Invite Jesus to BE with you and relish his company.

- Sing. Listen to a worship song; or bird song; or the song of your heart. Sing out loud or silently. (better out loud?)

What will you do? And when will you do it - when will you have the times that give your day rhythm and joy? That will be life giving?

And when you’re needing to get away from it all why not read a book about a long walk in France, to take your mind off other things?

“I wanted to send you a quick note to tell you how much I have loved reading walking back to happiness at bedtime the last couple of weeks. I have really been blessed by the story and by your wonderful writing style Penelope. I really think it can be such a great encouragement to people ….. I love Everything about it😊” - JY, pastor in Virginia, USA

Order your copy of WALkING BACK TO HAPPINESS here

Does love mean never having to say you're sorry?

and - a Valentine's Day special offer for you right at the end  .....

LOVE MEANS NEVER HAVING TO SAY
YOU'RE SORRY

 It’s the famous line from the 1970 film, “Love Story” which Vanity Fair magazine later judged to be one of the 25 greatest love stories the movies ever told. The American Film Institute ranked it  number 9 in the most romantic films list. 
 
“Love Story” has its 50th anniversary this year – really? How ever is it 50 years since I sat and sobbed through this film?

The anniversary is being celebrated in movie theatres in the US this February. How romantic is that! And we will all be reminded that love means never having to say you’re sorry. 
 Is that it? Is that true love?  Love means never having to say you’re sorry?

I know from personal experience that the phrase must be one of the worst things to believe or practice, one of the saddest definitions ever of love. 
 
Because I find apologising, saying sorry, to my nearest and dearest one of the most difficult things to do, I’ve relied on that phrase to see me through. Oh, I may not have really believed you never have to say sorry to those you love; but I certainly acted as if it I believed it. They love me, I reasoned to myself; they understand me. They forgive me, I’m sure, or they’ll know I didn’t mean it.
 
Life goes on and we’ll be fine.
Except we weren’t.
Things began to go wrong in my marriage, and I took it for granted that we had a good marriage and that after all those great years, loving years, nothing could touch us.
 
Well, it did, as you know if you’ve read my book, “Walking Back to Happiness.”  And so we separated…..

To read more, hope on over on this link: http://bit.ly/2tNZGxf

Want to do a long walk – from the comfort of your armchair? 
WARNING: reading this could change your life!

Click HERE to order your signed copy of
WALKING BACK TO HAPPINESS:

I'm speaking at a number of events during 2020 - click here for full details
and if you'd  like me to come and speak at your event, contact me here.

Not One But Two Special things - and one is free!

Not one but TWO special items today -
a thank you for your support, encouragement and readership 
over the past months. 
You are very much appreciated.

The first is a gift for you this weekend only

WALKING BACK TO HAPPINESS
(the story of walking right across France to help restore a broken marriage) is

FREE to download on the Kindle today.

Perhaps download it for free now;
and save it to read and savour after the
busy-ness of Christmas?

A whole book to read for no cost. 

Happy Christmas!

Part travelogue, part memoir, this is a book to enjoy from your armchair! Easy to read, even for those with dyslexia, and with colour photos included.

Hop over to this link to download it on to your device

And the Second special offer,
also this weekend.
Perhaps a good stocking filler?
Or might solve some Christmas
present dilemmas? 

Two signed copies of
Walking Back to Happiness for just £20
(RRP £12.99 each)

Available online only here
 

Sending Christmas greetings to you.
This Christmas may you know 
God's Greatest Gift to be your Greatest Joy

- Penelope x