Coming in on a Wing and a Prayer!

I love Radio 4 - yesterday's morning service was from Albany Baptist in Cardiff, with our friend John Weaver preaching a great sermon. Then Clive James was really funny about giftwrap, and on PM tonight they interviewed a girl from Glenfield Methodist Church [just up the road] about her sleep-out for the homeless. And I won't even mention the Archers! All good stuff, keeping me company whilst I have been getting meals ready or preparing for church stuff.

Yesterday's Praise Party went far better than I had hoped - here is the Christmas Bunting which the children made

Each triangle has a sticker saying "Jesus is born" or "Worship the new-born King" or similar. It now  festoons the church hall!

The Carol Service last night was splendid, and all the people who took part were superb - the musicians, and the choir and the readers, and the people speaking of "What Christmas Means To Me"

Our Christmas Offerings are being divided between Mission Aviation Fellowship and our local Air Ambulance - an angelic/aeronautic theme, coming in on a wing and a prayer. Bruce spoke about his horrendous motorbike crash and how the air ambulance helped save his life - but Christmas was important, because it marks the birth of Jesus, his true Saviour, it was incredibly moving.

This morning, Bob and I went [with Gillian, Helen, Ellen and George] to sing Carols at a local Neighbourhood Centre. There is a daily group there for people with learning difficulties and for about 4 years, Bob has gone and led a Carol service for them. They were such friendly folk, and their staff work incredibly hard.

Then back home to get the house ready for tonight's party. Off to collect Steph from the station [one daughter home, one to come] She promptly got stuck into preparations, bless her!

Here she is in suitable Nigella pose, preparing dips for the crudites!

Bob is getting back to normal, glad there there are not many services left to do before Christmas.

Thrifty tip of the day - take a pack of six cake bars. Sainsbury's budget range are fine, but I got some fancy ones on offer.

Unwrap them, and with a sharp knife, cut each bar into 3 - they come out almost cube-shaped. Pop into petit fours cases, and voila!

  On a fancy plate they look really good and make eighteen mini cakes [or 15, if there were five bars originally]

Last time I served these up, someone asked if I had bought them in M&S!

Liz gets home tomorrow, and then we will be truly ready for Christmas!