A lot of spilled oil!
There's a big patch of spilled oil indelibly staining a bit of pavement outside on Powerscroft Road. Someone has used some of it and written "Ali" with a sticky finger alongside the puddle. Some birds have walked or hopped through it and left footprints. The monday night shopping trip which ended in a spillage of oil from the bag being dropped was partly to keep our household supplied with food - friends from over the road at the Manse. What is significant - we think - is that at precisely the same time that the bottle of oil smashed outside, Ali was being annointed with a tiny bit of oil as part of an impromptu prayer and singing moment here at 33. For Ali and me - well we made the link with "our psalm" - Psalm 23. "You annoint my head with oil, my cup overflows". God is keeping us supplied, no not just supplied, God is over-supplying - actually "spilling" grace around us!
Thank you for all those messages which keep coming, and the visits, chicken and rice from our next door neighbour, someone to help with changing bed sheets, loving and beautiful things being done, and for those who think about us, blog their thoughts, pray and hope.
Right now Ali is actually eating two mouthfuls of our neighbour's food offering the first solid food for days - sitting up in bed , just Sue and me around, Kirin in his cot for an afternoon nap. Ali is very very sleepy, but with lots of smiles today, very few words, but lots of long looks and plenty of smiles! Asha is coming home in a minute and will do some gentle massage and creaming of Ali's arms and feet.
Peace - unexpected peace,
and Grace - overflowing love
to you all out there!
Chris
posted by Ali at 2:51 pm
31 Comments:
Thank you Chris-with-Ali for so typically
thinking of all of us at this so testing time, in your words
"Peace - unexpected peace,
and Grace - overflowing love
to you all out there"
All our love and prayers go to you and for you - and for David and Anne and Sue and Mark and Kirin and Asha, and ALL others in family and close friends gathered around now.
from Johngee and Gwyn
3:25 pm
Dear Chris, Ali and all of you there....
That peace is so important and so needed, it helps everyone including the little ones. I hope Asha's massage with Ali is wonderful contact for both of them.
see you tomorrow
Loving you,
Manda xxx
3:43 pm
Dearest Chris and Ali, may our God continue to be felt so powerfully in no. 33. We continue to pray for your peace and wonder at life in all its complexities and beauty. Tell Ali we love her, Ali and Andy XX.
4:06 pm
Thank you for sharing. You are all in my prayers. Especially for peace and grace to keep on coming. with love to you all,
Fiona M.
4:30 pm
So good to hear that you have peace together today. Love to you both and all around you. Chris B x
4:57 pm
Dear Ali & Chris,
Your journey, sadly observed from a distance, has been an inspiration. The two of you have been very special people over these past years. I have very fond memories of those days in SU and Street level whereI watched the 2 of you get together and grow in love for one another. Every meeting - sadly so few in recent years- has been memorable. THank you.
As we are nowin Passiontide and approach Holy Week and Easter our reflections are on the Lord who suffered and died for us. May you know the fellowship of his sufferings and the wonder of his resurrection - and all the hope these bring - in these difficult days.
Paul & Rosemary
7:05 pm
WE ARE WITH YOU IN THE PRAYERS> GLAD WE CHECKED THE BLOG TONIGHT< SO MUCH SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING> SORRY ABOUT ODD TEXT THE COMPUTER HAS GONE FUNNY ON ME OLIVIA AND CO>
7:26 pm
I hope Peace will be with you throughout the storm. My prayer is that God bless you all as a family and especially Ali.
Cindy
7:37 pm
You are constantly in our thoughts and prayers, especially precious Asha. Hold fast to the rock of Jesus and take strength from Him. We are all there with you, Ali and Chris - so many people all round the world are holding you in their prayers tonight. Ali, you are such a special, special person and SO loved.
Hold each other tight,
Lucy S
9:30 pm
Dearest friends,
Before I read about the spilled oil in this latest message I had repeated Psalm 23 over and over to quiet my weeping seeing as I had to go teach at the seminary. During our small group time in the spirituality class, we were working with clay. I made a shepherd's rod and etched flowers on one side and Chris, Ali, Asha and Kirin on the other. I have hung it by my desk and that's where it will stay. May the Shepherd's rod and staff comfort you and the oil of peace and gladness anoint you and smoothe the path ahead of you. I love you more than I knew and I weep with you even as I rejoice in knowing you. With I could come and give you a neck rub. Love, MaryTN
9:40 pm
As we were doing our last Mystery of Marriage course in Bouwmeester this evening, the following quote from C.S. Lewis (The Four Loves) came up:
"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung, and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable."
Ali & Chris, you have chosen to love each other, and have taken the risk of your hearts being broken. You have given your hearts away, to each other, and cannot hope to keep them intact.
Having loved, you have not succombed to the fear of not loving, of hiding your love away, to protect yourselves from being vulnerable and hurt. Instead, you have shown us all what's going on in your hearts, and the converse is true: you have no fear. You have loved, as you have reflected the love of your Saviour and have been redeemed.
As it's written elsewhere: 'Perfect love casts out fear'
and
'even though I walk through the valley of death I will fear no evil.'
As we approach Holy Week and walk with Jesus, re-living his passion, so we all walk together with you, people of faith, people with a little faith, and people with no faith... we walk together and share your passion.
Mark C
10:11 pm
Thinking of you all so much and lifting you constantly to God - praising God for his gift of miraculous peace.
Our love and thanks for happy times.
Fiona, David, Alice, Grace, Lydia and Ben
xxx
11:20 pm
My love and prayers
Stefan x
11:57 pm
Dear everybody this blog is so wonderful. The tears are rolling down my face, like MaryTN with the deep deep deep sadness and joy of it all.
Julie
12:22 am
Such awesome family and friends you have - a little bit of heaven on earth!
xox to all,
Carol, John, Keith, Astrid, Annie, Christopher, Sarah
6:22 am
chris and ali,
our prayers and thanks go out for you all. the turners are keeping us up to date with everything and we appreciate you blogging so regularly and graciously.
love,
geoff and sherry
6:24 am
Dearest Ali and Chris,
Your blogmessage touched me deeply, what a priviledge to live into this heartrending time with you. I hope Asha was able to gently cream mummy's arms and feet - what a beautiful act.
I lit a candle for Ali upstairs in Karen's home room and spent some time through my tears, in silent prayer for you all.
May love and comfort and blessings surround you all.
Maria Grace in Newbury xxxx
10:05 am
Dearest Ali, Chris and Family
My thoughts and prayers are with all of you. Thank you so much for encouraging methrough your adversity. Thank you also for showing me that We can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us. I just wanted to leave these few words of a song to maybe encourage you also
"When Peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot thou has taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul
But Lord ‘tis for Thee, for thy coming we wait
The sky not the grave is our goal
The trumpet of the angel, the voice of the Lord
Blessed hope, blessed peace of my soul
I hope this helps in some small way that He holds us in the palm of His hands and He knows all things and why they happen.
I wish you all love, joy, peace, laughter and above all love.
Dawn Nelson from St Ann's Hospital xxx
10:33 am
Dear Chris and Ali and children
Our thoughts are with you everyday. We are amazed how strong you both are, you continue with blog and tell us of all those positive moments during what must be a diffiuclt time.
We send lots of love and prayers.
Patricia, Duncan and boys
10:49 am
lots of love and prayers Arthur and Jan
Keeping in touch with your Mum and dad and walking a bit of this with them
11:15 am
Yesterday was the anniversary of my beloved Isobel going to be with her Lord and Saviour last year. And psalm 23 was also our psalm, especially the last verse, "goodness and love" (mercy in old Bibles); add to that "peace and grace", may they continue to follow and surround you both. All my love, Grandpa
3:55 pm
Just wanted to let you all know that even in Zambia people are thinking about you.
Love from Chas and June
6:40 pm
Dear Ali, Chris and family,
We are surrounding you all with our love and prayers.
Thank you so much for sharing with us.
With much love
Jayne and Derek
7:20 pm
Ali your smile will live on forever in my heart and I saw the same smile in Asher tonight
A shower of Love and Peace
Nicole
9:46 pm
Chris and Ali.....Love to you and your family, both immediate and extended. Thinking about you round the clock.
Mark and Mary
10:36 pm
Thank you Chris for the very recent regular updates, sharing your rollercoaster with the vast loving community of bloggers. The honesty, courage and love you both show is inspiring beyond all measure. The four of you are in my thoughts day and night.
With oceans of love from Victoria (and Khamani and Benedict too)
11:20 pm
Dearest Ali,
I have lit a candle for you in our house tonight - it is shining brightly, just like your inextinguishable beauty.
We are thinking of you, Chris, Asha and Kirin, and all your family and those who cherish you.
Sending you our love and prayers always,
Angela, Wondi and Lili
1:31 am
Chris and Ali and the little ones,
You are such a lovely family with amazing strength and courage.
Every day that God sends I check up on the blogg to see how your doing, and i must admit that most times i have tears in my eyes. I love you all so much,all our thoughts and prayers are with you here @ The Round Chapel.
Ali your beautiful smile will live in our hearts always.X
Much love from Claire and all the staff @ The Round Chapel.
10:23 am
Never posted something on a blog before... and what better way than in prayer for you, your friends and your family. I dont know you or need to... God is cradling you in the palm of his hand, knowing you, understanding you, feeling and sharing in all that you are going through.
12:34 pm
A bit random maybe, but I read this bit of the Lord of the Rings and thought of you guys at No.33.
Frodo Baggins: I can't do this Sam.
Sam Gamgee: I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.
All our love and prayers every day. spruce and martin
1:59 pm
We pray for you - for grace abounding, to be held by everlasting arms, to rest in the God of all comfort and the Father of all compassion.
Jason & Linda Clarke (Sheffield)
10:20 pm
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