I’ve a story to tell you. Are you sitting comfortably – then I will begin. Let me explain… I’m joining with a wonderful group of artists and crafters who weekly show their desk – in all states! – Julia, our hostess will tell you more here.

Firstly – let me show you my desk this late Tuesday evening! All sorts just dropped on it. A box of embossing folders, the pergamano box with the start of John’s Christmas card – as yet unfinished!, two mug trees found in a charity shop I thought may be useful for hanging arty things, to mention just a few.

It has a distinct air of neglect and abandonment – that’s basically because it is neglected and abandoned – but I’ll tell you why shortly…

I have been busy though, since I last posted at the beginning of November – and I’ll show you what I’ve done recently.

I made lots of little gift boxes and filled them…

 Oops – the candle is all wobbly in its holder!! Don’t the little boxes look great now they are finished, filled and labelled? The large boxes at the back are John’s Christmas presents to me – they sat there on the chair for some time waiting for him to wrap them – in the end, I have had to wrap them myself – I do promise I didn’t peek!!

I then made 20 more boxes for charity…

…and completed all my Christmas cards. Altogether this year I have done over 300 – most for charity, then our personal ones. Here are a couple..

 and…

Then, of course there were birthday cards to make. We have about 6 family birthdays in January, and they all need cards – not that they are all made yet. Still, I have a few more days til Christmas when they need to be given to the appropriate parents…

 and……all incredibly simple designs, but time constraints meant no more could be done.

A real highlight this past fortnight has been our eldest grand daughter’s baptism. She is 14 and had come to a decision for herself to follow Jesus and so wanted to go through total immersion baptism. Such a thrill for us as grandparents. Unfortunately, John couldn’t make it, but I travelled the length of Britain, had a weekend away, delivered all the family Christmas gifts and cards, saw lots of friends… and watched Beth being baptised. 6 of the church’s young people went through that water that day – including Beth and her cousin. Cards were needed!!

… and for Sophie…

The church was packed, much rejoicing as these young folk stood and stated why they wanted to do this, and much splashing as they went through the water. Excuse the quality of this next picture – I couldn’t get close so had to take the photo of the projected video image!!

So, having achieved all that, why the neglected desk? Because I have hardly spent any time in the house this past three weeks!  Because John has been seriously ill. He has been in Ysbyty Glan Clwyd for the past three weeks, and a week ago I was called to the hospital at 10 o’clock at night because he was very close to death. The senior nurse on the ward that night was a young lady our daughters grew up with. Amazing, hey? When I got to the hospital she said “When I found him I jumped on his chest”!!! I had phoned our elder daughter and had to ask her to speak to her sister – a horrid thing to ask of her, but unavoidable at the time. Both of our girls sorted their children and travelled the length of Britain that night to be with their dad. What a blessing to have family like that! They arrived safely, and were pleased to see that John had survived. He is very slowly recovering. He was literally choking to death that evening. He has no memory of it all – for which I am very thankful to my Father God – although he has since asked me to keep explaining what happened. He is regaining his strength, and his will to live. Today (Tuesday) I took him off the ward down to the little café for a drink and change of four walls, and he stated that he is beginning to feel better – sometimes! I have no idea yet whether he will be home for Christmas, or whether I shall be holding the fort here at home on my own. I look back on this past week with an enormous range of emotions. Thoughts of dismay as I contemplated a funeral and completely different life on my own after 43 years of marriage; unbelievable thankfulness at God’s compassion that the nurse found him when she did. Another 2 minutes would have been too late; the ridiculous pleasure of knowing my nature is to always get things done well in advance – Christmas can happen, I’m all set!!; the depths of pain as I watched him fighting for his breath that night; the thankfulness for friends who dropped everything to go to the hospital with me so I wouldn’t need to face the ultimate time on my own should John have died; thankfulness for staff with incredible compassion and for a nearby hospital with so many facilities; tears of desperation as I tried to give him into God’s hands and pray for His will to be done in our lives. A very steep roller coaster ride! I know John is in God’s hands. I know that God sets the span of our lives. Obviously John’s mansion isn’t quite ready for him!!! There is still a purpose for him here on earth.

Well, my friends who regularly read this blog, I hope that this finds you well and rejoicing at this time of year. I hope I haven’t taken an edge off things for you!! I hope I shall be able to post again next week – if only to wish you a happy Christmas…

Take care of yourselves as we are in this time of Advent- a time of preparation for the coming of the King.

God bless.

Margaret