Ikea

Our internet has been playing up the last few days, disappearing at 10am and coming back late evening. So blipping has suffered badly! Have got the last couple of days up though If you want to take a look. Friday is a lovely picture! Still a few days missing from the other week though which I need to get pictures off my phone for :)

Went to Ikea this afternoon after church. Was not entirely a pleasant experience, although it could have been much worse. I got to do all the product hunting and Steve got to chase Ben around. I think that was a good division of energy, personally. And we got what we went for, which is storage for under the stairs so we can do yet more sorting out of the dumping ground that is our middle room downstairs. And a set of shelves for the kitchen/dining room too, to sort out the dumping ground that is my area of the kitchen table!!

I think Ben enjoyed going round Ikea. It definitely needs more than a couple of hours though, it was such a rush. And we couldn't just let Ben wander round because we needed to get from one end to the other in time to buy the things we'd picked up or noted down.

He came away with quite a haul though. Fabric toy food (veg, fruit and something else), an abacus (which we ought to learn how to use really!) and more bits for his train set. We nearly got him a tool station. Nearly. As in, probably would have done, if there had been any there when we got to the self serve bit! Nowhere to be found so it will have to be a birthday present or something - and hopefully by then we might have the space to put it. It was rather fabulous though, and would be perfect for all his tools and things.

We were late to church this morning because I was feeling rough and in a grump because I'd been unable to wash my hair for what felt like years. But it got washed and we made it to church, late, but still we made it. And God did his thing again. I'd been talking about how frustrating it was being told all the time that God wants to heal, that sickness isn't what God wants, that we can claim this healing etc etc etc and I have been praying for healing (on and off) for 8 years for this diabetes. To be honest it had got to the point where I didn't really mind one way or the other, whether I should carry on praying for healing or whether it was just God's plan that I wouldn't be healed in this life; I just wanted to know either way and then I could get on with my life. So, rather unsurprisingly at the prayer meeting the other night God pretty much told me not to give up praying for healing. It was quite clear. And then this morning, very clearly, people who had been struggling with things for years and not getting answers or not seeing anything happen from their prayers, "now is the time" was the call. To stand up and open your heart. So I did. And I guess I've moved on from where I was a week ago. Now I can open my heart again and not be hurt when things don't happen - because I know that one day it will. I will keep on praying for healing, and I won't shut down and close myself off. I have learnt to be open. And I'll have to keep learning to be open...