Christianity

The Onion

Stella Holman - The ConnectorInt Leave a comment

This thought came to mind…

………….after a music weekend away with a friend I’ve know for many years.

She always felt she knew me very well we were best friends who would talk about everything and anything, but now she feels that I’ve  changed so much, but she has too.

Since Lockdown and COVID, I’ve spent time really trying to deepen my relationship with Jesus. I start my day with prayers for my closest family, my friends, Christian friends, work colleagues and people that cross my path in need.

Then throughout that day (lunch time & at home) I listen to various Bible plans on the Bible app. 

I have found this of great benefit and it has given me wisdom and strengthened my discerning spirit.

My day job is hard, listening to callers saying they are struggling financially due to our current risen energy prices in this country.  Issues with homelessness and pending homelessness due to rising rents amongst other things. 

As I am talking for over seven hours each day so I need quality time alone to recuperate. I can’t spend 100% of my spare time in the company of others without getting to a point of burn out . 

At the weekends I need some quiet time to myself. 

Over this weekend once we were awake there was no time to have that quiet time until bed time.  Then that time was noisy too. 

Tv 📺 

These days I’m only streaming my tv from apps. Not watching Reality TV or watching soaps.

I tend to read the news online.  I can’t miss the up to date info- we get told at work the state of play so we can advise callers accordingly. I listen to personal development audio books while travelling in the car, walking or washing up.

I also follow various organisations on Twitter for real time news. 

People and their personalities are like an onion – intricate with

many layers- and sometimes you need to peel back a few layers to really appreciate what they are made of. 

My friend told me she was worried about me, that I was living in a different world to her. Sadly, this turned into a heated debate.

Wisdom and discernment has effected my motivations and what I want to spend my time doing, now in my autumn years I feel life is short and I intend to spend my free time working towards something that will honour Jesus, give money to needy causes etc.

My day job role requires me to wear a mask. First layer of an onion. There are  certain ways I have to behave and appear when I interact with others. This makes me look more logical, reasonable and analytic personality even though sometimes I feel very emotional due to individuals situations.

I have to have a non bias opinion of what others do in their lives. Equality & Diversity is all around and I am not allowed an opinion on it.  Deal with people and not judge their choices. 

. 

I’ve spent the last 35+ years being Entrepreneurial and used the internet but most of my friends have no idea about this aspect of my life. Computers/technology haven’t been their interest but I love technology. I have learnt so much in all these years. 

Life is a journey and it’s important to move forward and embrace different opportunities and realise that our decisions to do different things shouldn’t make us wrong!

It’s important for us to say, think and speak in a positive way towards others and also about ourselves. Otherwise your life is difficult and you are drawing negativity to yourself.

I believe that Jesus has given me new friendships in the past year and I have got to know others who have been in the background of my life.

The second layer of the onion is where  your mask is taken off. People become more themselves when they are at home with  family, friends  or the ones closest to them. They are not  too cautious about how they are seen and communicate with others. In this layer we tend to take our mask off with our first connections.

The sub layers of this mid layer are personality, your values, your vision and your perspective of life.

People are here more open to talk about their real inner self.It is much easier to communicate at this layer. People are more friendly, more welcoming and open in building longer relationship.

The third layer is the deep layer which only you know yourself. It is where you hide your feelings, emotions, thoughts, desires, wishes, fears nobody can reach, It is also the layer where you hide your heart, loves, disappointments, burdens. It is called the bottom of  heart.

This layer is the sources of life time relationships and strong trust to each other.

There is another layer which is the  deepest and hidden that even people themselves  don’t know or not aware about it. Some people with so called 6th sense, can reach or read this layer. This layer has direct connection to subconscious. 



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Busy-Busy-Busy

Stella Holman - The ConnectorInt Leave a comment

This week went very fast, three days in the office, every other day thankfully. Getting up at 6am can be grueling. It’s been a nightmare getting to work with the torrential rain and flooding. A259 is normally a pleasant journey in the countryside but this week I see the fields all flooded with the rain alongside the river and it filled me with dread.  

Once on the A27 traffic jams due to accidents that seem to occur most mornings. I have been getting into work late! What can I do? I’m leaving my house at 7am!  

I wasn’t the only one, all my work colleagues were stuck in the same traffic jam. I’ve started to take a flask into work with my hot coffee so I can have a drink when I get there My work bag weighs a ton with my refreshments for the day and lunch pack. I’m feeling fit and eating healthily.


Got to Bannatyne’s once this week, will do my 2nd time tomorrow after church. Next week I need to take my gym stuff to work and go there on my way back from work to fit in my 3 days. These days travelling in the dark it is easier to come back via the A27. There haven’t been any flash flooding along that road yet and back in Eastbourne by

6pm.

Survived the works party- had to go directly after my working day. I got to catch up with a few people and meet some new ones. Tried to put faces to photos but it was impossible – though I sure most would say my works photo is nothing like me face to face hahah!  

Glad my work colleague met me there after all – he was able to introduce me to some people that we speak to most days. I said I’d have been lost without him.!!

I can’t be there for everyone, as everyone isn’t there for me either – all trying to get though their life challenges 

I am very lucky to have supportive Christian friends in my life that support and pray for me.

All going through challenging times at the moment with how life is financially. Some people struggling with health issues too. 

I begin each day with prayer before I touch my phone. I know that the Lord is always with me through what ever I have to endure in my life, my heart is glad with this and from this I can draw strength. Ps 16:8

October

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This month seems to have past by quite fast.

I only have one regular commitment in the week because my working weeks and days for locations are never the same. If I could do three days working from home and two in the office I could have regular commitments.

Healthwise, I try and squeeze in going to the health club either morning before work at 6am or in the early evening after working from home about 18.45pm. My daughter goes twice a week so I can go with her. A bit gruelling after work but easier going with someone else.

Spiritually –

keeping strife out of my life ‘requires willingness to constantly communicate and confront issues… prayerfully ask for the Holy Spirit’s help to be a person who avoids strife and restores peace everywhere. It’s not a simple task, people have their own inner convictions on what is right or wrong for them.

I have the calling on my life – Servant Leadership – selfless love in everything – : “(Philippians 2:4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others”

Galatians 5:14 – Love your neighbour as yourself – have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit.

(John 13:34-35).

Love one another as I have loved you.

My daytime job as public servant in the local government requires me to uphold their services and not be judgemental which is in line with my faith. Not to discriminate against anyone even though I do not always agree with their way of life.

I walked another ten miles to raise money for Tear Fund – a charity my church – All Saints Church supports. – Tearfund Disaster Relief is a Christian charity working in more than 50 countries 🌎such as the Ukrainian humanitarian crisis, the East African food crises & the Pakistan flood crises. I raised £90 thanks to the generosity of my friends.

A great contrast in weather conditions here in Eastbourne . September was really lovely weather and I really caught the sun and it was sweltering hot.?This walk was a challenge with the blustery wind, rain and muddy conditions.

Someone gave me a bin bag to put over my head. 😀

Have to keep the fitness regime going as I’ve committed to walk again next September this time 50k this time up in London walking along the Thames.

Yesterday I walked into my town and back.

Now the clocks have gone back and it’s officially Autumn/ Winter it will be important to take a walk lunch time every day while the sun is shining or even if it isn’t otherwise the mornings will be dark and evenings too. Shorter days.

This Tuesday is All Saints’ Day (Or All Hallows’ Day in old English) which means that Monday evening is All Hallows’ Eve – known by nearly everyone these days as ‘Halloween’. Traditionally All Saints’ was a day to remember and celebrate those who have “Died in Christ”- those who have lived lives reflecting Jesus’ love and have now “gone to glory.”  Indeed, in countries such as Poland, All Saints’ Day is still celebrated by families gathering together to put candles on the graves of loved ones – and by Monday evening Polish cemeteries will be aglow with the light of millions of candles.

Our British Halloween traditions originate from village communities where local children would dress up to mock the “powers of darkness” on their last evening of influence before their defeat when All Saints’ Day dawned. 

These celebrations weren’t a sign of evil’s power – quite the opposite – they were a celebration of Christ’s victory over evil.

But modern Halloween celebrations seem to have turned in a much darker direction, with shops filled with increasingly dark and unsettling costumes. Gone is the light-hearted teasing of a defeated enemy. Instead there seems to be an embrace of wickedness, with none on the light of All Saints’ Day.

We live in a world where evil and pain really exist and whilst many will see this years Halloween celebrations as harmless fun, it may come at an unseen and unintended cost. Are we looking towards the light or are we wrapping ourselves in darkness?

See you in November….