Goodbye 2012. Hello 2013!

Happy new year!!

What a year 2012 was… We saw the Olympics being hosted in London! The Queen had another Jubilee and the world didn’t end! 

2012 was quite a bizarre year! I had the best birthday I’ve ever had! My friends and I went to West Midland Safari park and I fed a giraffe! (I love giraffes) I also got an awesome picture of an elephant who kindly posed for me! 

I learned how to play the guitar! Something I’ve been planning on doing for years but never got around to do it… I’m far from amazing but I can pick up a guitar and play most songs as long as they don’t have the dreaded F chord in them! 

I became Worship Leader at our church! A responsibility that I thought would be much easier than I was aware. I’m told Leadership within church always looks easier than it actually is… I do love it though. Last year we prayed for musicians after our old Worship Leader decided it was time for her to move on… So, not only has God blessed me with my new found skill but two musicians got saved when the New Hope Atlanta and Holland Road Baptist mission came to Wales in July and we have recently formed a Worship group! Which is awesome! We’re not brilliant yet but by God’s grace we are improving every time we worship together! 🙂 

I was blessed with a new guitar! No one has ever been so kind to me! When I started playing my guitar in church (I have an old classical Spanish guitar) It didn’t come through well on the PA system. I didn’t have the money to buy a new one so I would play without being plugged in… It then came to my attention that someone in the church had anonymously donated money for me to buy a new guitar and it is BEAUTIFUL! 

So what does 2013 hold? Well, also in 2012 I actually got a passport which was music to my friends ears as they have been asking me for years to get one, and I finally did! I’ve been invited to Atlanta this year to visit the New Hope Baptist church, I’m actually going next week! I’m very nervous as this is my first time properly abroad (apart from a family holiday to Tenerife when I was eleven) so please pray for me!

Now I have a passport in hand though, I intend on using it… Germany and maybe Paris are on the cards for this year and if I can squeeze together some more pennies, who knows where else! 

Very excited and very blessed! x

Prayer and apologies.

Has it really been that long since I last updated my blog? I’ve been so busy! Sorry about that…

I’m quite excited about a lot of things at the moment. Especially what God is doing not only in my life but our church! I’ve been more involved in the worship and it’s been a lot more work than I anticipated but I love it. I really feel that God has placed worship on my heart and I long to worship our Lord and Saviour. I’m still finding my feet and sometimes the responsibility and the new pressures do kinda get to me, so please pray for God’s guidance and patience.

x

It’s a fine fine line…

Hello fellow bloggers…

Thank you once again for stopping to look at my infrequent posts, I do once again apologise for this but what can I say, I’m a busy bee and a little bit of a workaholic! It has become apparent to me that more people look at my posts than I anticipated. My blog was meant to become a place for me to rant and express my views but now I find myself trying to come up with some witty entertainment for you all, please don’t get your hopes up though, this will probably not be my successful outcome.

Going back to me being a workaholic it seems that my work has told me that I NEED to take my holidays before April so I’ve just enjoyed one week off and will have next week off also. It’s quite alarming that this thought has planted a seed of dread in my mind, am I going crazy? It’s also been great not having anything to do although it has slowly made me go crazy and have bursts of enormous energy where I must dance around my room or just generally act like a fool (I guess you can’t take the drama out of the drama student). It has also given me so much time alone with my thoughts and as many of my friends know, this is not, I repeat, NOT a good thing!

Jamie and I went to see Avenue Q last night and it is undoubtedly one of the funniest productions I have ever seen. We had such a blast but it’s rather elusive that I had a profound thought during one of the musical numbers. Please take a few seconds to listen…

It’s made me think about the current friendships I have at the moment and my life in general. I’ve come to the realisation that you need to put as much of yourself into a relationship for what your willing to get out of it… I guess I feel a little let down by certain people but I’ve probably let down a few too… Focus on the people who are willing to make an effort with you and always strive to make your friendships work otherwise it may become lost and insignificant and what you once wanted more than anything could become tattered remains and leave you feeling as empty as ever.

Anyway, enough of that depressing stuff! If you’re not easily offended have a look through some Avenue Q clips on YouTube! It’s sure to put a smile on your face, even after reading this blog! 😀

Dream world

I am known for living in ‘Stacey land’, basically this is referred to when I come out with the most unimaginable places, names and ideas known to man! I quite like my little world but I do realise it is through my constant use of watching too many Disney, fairy tale stories and trying to escape reality once in while.

Friday night a friend came over and wanted to watch a film, to my utter surprise he wanted to watch the Princess Bride, I had never even heard of this film (mainly because it was made a year before I was born). The reason why I was shocked at his choice was because this guy thrives off action, thriller and purely gross films. Nevertheless I grabbed some popcorn, we sat back and watched the movie.

I am all for slushy love stories, romantic comedies and most importantly hunky heros but this film got me so frustrated I felt like throwing my popcorn at the screen! The way Princess Buttercup (what a name?!) was portrayed was bugging me to death. Yes, Wesley, her charming English hero comes to her rescue but when Wesley is captured and ‘the machine’ is taking fifty years of his life… Princess Buttercup does nothing. She does not venture out of her castle to try and look for her love, knowing very well the prince she is betrothed too wouldn’t do as she wishes and send him on his merry way. There is also a scene where this ghastly rodent appears and tries to chew Wesley’s leg off and Buttercup manages to pick up a stick and gently tap the fiend on the head, what is that all about? If the love of my life was being eaten by this disgusting animal I would not gently tap the little monster I would do everything in my power to destroy it! I think the most recognised line in the entire film, apart from, ‘inconceivable’ was ‘Wesley will rescue me!’, Why should Wesley rescue you when you didn’t care about him down in the dungeons!

The point I’m getting too, there is one I promise… Is that why are women still being cast into these roles? Why is it we’ve been stereotyped as the Louis Lane’s of society where we need a strapping man to be our hero and rescue us from every little thing that has gone wrong? Why are these characters not seen as feisty women? Yes, we all want our prince charming (me, more than you know) but in today’s society, that just simply isn’t going to happen as much as I have dreamt about it in Stacey land, and I have come to terms with that . Maybe Hollywood should look at women such as Emmeline Pankhurst, Marie Curie, Helen Keller, Mother Teresa, and understand how these women changed the world and really, we don’t need to be rescued all the time, however how nice it feels.

*Yes, I know I didn’t focus on the Twilight Saga as they could be seen as casting women back in these Hollywood scenarios but I’m allowed to like those, because I say so! 😛

A much happier Stacey

Sorry for wallowing in my last post. I’ve been so busy I didn’t have time to kinda say everything is okay now. I have had an awesome couple of weeks. New things are ahead and I love it. Feeling very excited for the new year and what it holds.

I have moved on in my job, I’ve moved stores, I actually work in my home town now which is awesome! Although I do find it rather bizarre when I walk out of my shop and find that I’m actually in Merthyr.

I went to visit a dear friend a couple of weeks back and we had the greatest time together. Really put a smile on my face! 🙂

I’ve had a few knocks but I think it has made me into a better person. I’ve become non reliant and just taking things in my stride. I don’t want to give everything to someone who isn’t willing to give it to me. I may have put up some barriers but I’m doing it to protect myself in the long run… Maybe some day someone will be ready to smash those barriers down, we’ll see, for now… I’m just living everyday as it comes and wishing, hoping, praying.

 

Is this really me?

Lately, I haven’t been feeling myself, which is pretty odd for me because as anyone will tell you, I’m happy, bubbly Stacey. Most of the time.

I don’t know why I’m feeling so lousy, which is the frustrating part. It doesn’t help when everyone keeps asking what is wrong and I simply don’t have the answers.

Please pray for me if you’re reading this.

Thanks

Chooseday Giveaway

Hey guys!

Just thought I would let you into a little secret! My wonderful friend Samantha otherwise known as Mrs. H has the most divine handmade items for sale! You can find her at folksy.co.uk and now she’s even available on Etsy! But the secret is, is that she currently has a competition on her blog where you can win an amazing £15 off any order with her and also on her blog is a code incase you want 10% off any of her items! Isn’t that nice of her?!

Here is her blog where you can read all about it and see what Samantha or Sammy as I know her, get’s up to in her day to day life! Simples! 🙂

Happy shopping 🙂

http://networkedblogs.com/lK612

Here are a few of her items below…

Riots

Okay, so it’s no new news to you that there have been riots happening here in the UK. Let’s be honest, it was bound to happen sometime given the effects of our economy and just the situation that we find ourselves living in today, it’s nearly de ja vu of the big depression in the 80s.

What’s getting to me is WHY people feel they have to riot in this way. People are making excuses and feel that these excuses justify their actions… I have news for you, you’re not the only people in the UK going through some pretty tough times at the moment.I live in one of the most deprived places in the UK and you don’t see us breaking into shops and smashing up communities to make our points, we just hope that things change.

The most devastating tragic loss that has come out of these riots is that four men have died, houses have been burned to the ground and peoples livelihoods have been completely demolished. It’s heart breaking and yet they stand up and say the government has had it coming.

I completely and utterly understand that there isn’t much out there at the moment but we must continue to try and do our best otherwise what are we living for?

My personal opinion is the reason why society has hit an all time low is because we have pushed God out of our societies and man has thought that he can handle this world on his own! What a huge mistake… God is the creator of the world, not only that but He loves every single person (even rioters) in this world. I know that Christians all over the world at this time are praying for God to intercede but sometimes you have to realise how can God intercede or why should He want to intercede somewhere when His world has shut him out? We all know that our Lord is a God of love and mercy but he is also the God of wisdom and strength and at this time we need all the wisdom we can get to restore our World. Prayer is our most powerful weapon as a Christian, we need suit up in the armour of God and lean on Him for the decisions we make.

My prayers are with you all.

I was so saddened on Friday when I received a text message from Jamie asking me to turn the news on. This tragedy in Norway has hit me pretty hard and I have no idea how the Norwegians must be feeling or the families of the victims. This is a time where a country needs our prayer the most.The same goes for East Africa and the terrible drought that is happening there

. It’s so easy to take a step back and wonder what is happening to our world and ask the more important question, ‘Why is this happening!’. The answer is, well really I don’t have all the answers. I can just offer up the greatest gift of all and pray for those in need and pray for comfort for those lost and hurting at this time.

Father God, I pray that You will be with the people who need You most at this time. I pray that they will receive Your grace, love and most importantly Your strength. I pray that they will endure Your peace that surpasses all understanding. May they stand still and know that You are God. You care so much for Your people and pray that they will feel You close to them at this time. In your Heavenly name. Amen

New Hope – Atlanta Georgia

I just had to share with you how immensely blessed I have felt this past week by the New Hope Baptist church from Atlanta Georgia!

This church has such a strong passion for the South Wales valleys and even stronger passion to see God move in the lives of the lost here. NH come over every year and put on numerous concerts and events to reach the hearts of the people who need a touch from God. I’ve been so overwhelmed by their love, compassion and spirit. This is an amazing missionary and so many people have responded to their plea. I can’t begin to thank them enough for their amazing heart for our country. I pray an equal blessing on their church and the States in which these people have traveled from.

THANK YOU!