Two weeks ago I let myself get talked into modelling at this evening's Fashion Show in the Old Church, part of an evening's focus on Fair Trade which included a buffet and a selection of stalls in the hall selling clothing, crafts, jewellery and food after the show.
It's been a nerve-wwrenching afternoon and the rehearsals between 2 and 4pm, were, to put it politely, absolutely shambolic.
None of us was really comfortable in our roles, including the children and the choreography and direction seemed all very hit and miss.
Came away at 4 praying for some inspirationa nd some gidance becasue really didn't seem to be happening.
And only a handful of tickets were known to have been sold by the organisers.

But of course, the grace of God shone down on us and the whole event (which only actually lasted twenty minutes) was a complete success and the 40-odd people in the audience all cheered at the end.
Me Flo and Alice all thoroughly enjoyed it.

It's a real buzz takingpart in something like this, and in the end we all got inspriation from each other. The timing was perfect, everyone did everything right and the improvisations we each added sparked off similar in someone else so even the minutest of improvistaions worked a treat.
It feels good to have done this solely in support of someone else and a cause I believe in, despite being very uncomfortable about and knowing that I would never normally consider parading round on a catwalk in front of peope to the f*kking Lamabada, for Goodness Sake!!!

Yesterday, I put together for a poster for the Concert in the building next weekend and came up with the title "Catch the Spark" for this event, a celebration of the musical and performance art capabilities of our congregation.
It seems such a perfect title now in the light of this evening's success.
There really is a spark there, flickering and bright.
If we can catch it, we can really bring warmth and light to the place and the hearts of those involved.

Knackered now to, so rather hoping that sleep will come this evening, having evaded me for a few nights this week.
Took all five kids out on my own this morning for the first time, for the scintiallting excitement of a trip round Sainsbury's to restock the freezer. Worke dout OK. Tiring, and the help wasn't perhaps quite as 'helpful' as it might have been from the older girls no doubt due to their own nerves about the Show.

But Stan is priceless. He makes me die when comes out with lines like this, with his twinkling eyes and a smile that knows he's being funny:-

"Are Sains-berries like black-berries, daddy.
Can you pick them at Tesco?"