Last few days in London

Well, I am 3 1/2 days away from finishing my year in London. This week there have been several goodbyes already and people have been generous to me. I have some lovely flowers among other bits and pieces at present!
I have the Haven tomorrow and then just my farewell service on Sunday- after which we are going out for lunch.

The last week has been manic, I visited Queens last week which was great. It was great to see where I am going to be, everyone was really friendly and they seem to have really good resources as well! I am going to do an MA in Applied Theological Studies- which is exciting and scary. I have really missed study this year! Which has surprised me! So I will be moving to Birmingham in early September.

At the weekend I had my final Guy Chester weekend, which I was only there for on the Friday. Last week my Grandma (Dad's Mum) was 80 and there was a big family party on Saturday night. It also conincided with Dad's Birthday. It was a great night and to me really important to celebrate life! It was great to be able to be with family again! I will put a picture up at some point! The last song of the night was "You'll never walk alone." It seems to have become our family theme tune, it was played at my cousins wedding (An avid Liverpool fan!) just after Dad had finished his radiotherapy and Grandma said that those words were for him. So it gets a bit emotional now.

Then back to London on Sunday, yesterday it was nice to see Steve (my university chaplain) who was in London and then last night I had my final women's group. Today I finished my time at the Hospital. I plan on reflecting next week on some of the inspirations of the last year, so will write them here!

Steve asked me yesterday what are the two things I am going to take away from this year?! A good question- i've learn't so much but haven't processed it all yet! I do know that part of me this year has been learning to live with tensions. Whether it be the tension of living and working in the same place! The tensions between social work and Church, between Hospital chaplaincy and circuit ministry! The tension of also not always being able to do much, especially in hospital chaplaincy! I can pray, but physically I cannot relieve the pain, I cannot stop the person from dying. Its hard and there isn't much you can sometimes do apart from be alongisde. Which I guess is part of the incarnation. The tensions also of the Criminal justice system.

I am already starting to realise just how much I have gained- now I need some time to process!

Any way, need to get some rest! So will write again shortly!