CONTEXT = a London Hostel:: TIME 10pm:: PRESENT:: Teenagers.

I started by giving each member of the group a little Christmas tree the size of a thumbnail.

Then I asked what feelings they had 

- seeing - feeling this little Christmas trinket.

 

As usual, many have difficulty to contact how they feel. 

THEN::

Out-slipped words like 

'I hate Christmas', 

'I don't like Christmas', 

'I have no money to buy, not even, one present.'

I then moved to asking them 

'who the main human characters were in the Christmas story'? 

The first word uttered was 'santa'. 

Soon after there was a list of eight mentioned - 

(come on - you can do this as you read)

Their names/descriptions went into a hat, 

Jesus too. 

Each drew one and I went around the group 

asking how they thought their one character 'felt' - feelings question.

Here are some stand-out feelings;

Mary - stressed

Joseph - scared/worried

Innkeeper - guilty

King - good-to-give

Shepherd - in awe

Angel - 'yes'! - sorted!

Three of the above were noted as having negative feelings and 

they were the main focus of the whole affair as responsible adults.

The rich - feeling good to give not receiving.

The tough rough/simple life style shepherd - awe - overwhelmed.

The last one was a "dead pleased”  Angel who really knew that this was pretty good news ……

..... "YESSSSSSS"

Why do this?

• am on a journey to cultivate in myself, and others, an increasing ability to be able to get into contact my/their own feelings.

• Looking at others and empathising is a learning process into sensitivity.

• Articulating those feelings is a process of 'owning' such powerful things as feelings.

• A human identification with a powerful historical spiritual human story. 

Reality at Christmas - to escape the tinsel for some small moments ........ and it was stinking good ………

Why not try it on humans around you?

Transpose into your own context - of course.

You never know, they may be pleased to talk 'real' midst the rest of the Christmas slippery slope.

I am 'being' with humans who are;

Visibly self harming

Severely depressed

Lost and uncertain

Lonely and afraid

No place like home to go at Christmas

Refugee

ALONE at Christmas

Deep feelings and disturbed

(the last one is me and I want to be disturbed!)

BHP

How I describe you::

Talk to yourself like this :-

Youth Work = who I am, is also called:: Informal Education.

Life is difficult ...... MORE

I Don’t Believe in the Virgin Birth

I Don’t Believe in the Virgin Birth 

I don’t believe in the Virgin Birth

But, Mary, what a mother

She was only 16 when the angel spoke to her

She was only a teenage lover

I don’t believe in the Virgin Birth

There was sweat and tears in the straw

She was no super-cool saint

She was gutsy, she was scared, she was poor

I don’t believe in the Virgin Birth

But Joey – what a geezer!

He trusted his missus when she said

That the Holy Spirit had seized her

I don’t believe in the Virgin Birth

It’s was completely out of control

God became flesh, screaming and peeing 

He didn’t do what he was told

I don’t believe in the Virgin Birth

It’s a trick to get your money

With Mary in blue and the donkey too

It’s worse than the Easter bunny

I don’t believe in the Virgin Birth

It’s another crazy story

This Jesus kid who escaped Herod’s knives

To be hung on a tree of glory

I don’t believe in the Virgin Birth

And I hope that you don’t too

God came all the way down here

Just to say ‘I love you’?

Well, I don’t believe in the Virgin Birth

Or the angels, the shepherds and the manger

If I started following this baby 

I could end up in danger

I’d have to give up slagging off people

And stop spending cash on myself

I’d have to start thinking about others

And start sharing some of my wealth

I’d have to start thinking about the homeless

And the poor and the refugee

And trying to change the world

By starting with the world in me

No, I’m better off not believing

In people who were brave and had balls

I’m better off in the shadows

Hiding in the cattle stalls

Looking over the shoulders

Of three rich blokes with gear

Laying perfume at his feet

He’ll need it – it stinks in here!

You know having a kid is hard enough

Never mind in a stable with sheep

No clean maternity ward here, darling

This is delivery on the cheap

That Mary she was tough alright

She loved that kid like mad

If you’re expecting a baby at Christmas

Then you’ve got a reason to be glad

It don’t matter about presents

Because that’s not what you’re worth

Love’s the gift that matters

Delivered by a virgin birth

by
Peter Barrett

What if ................. & Christmas ......

Every-time

you tell someone

'you are beautiful'

with meaning

with words

with body posture

with facial expressions

with tone of voice

with eyes - 

you are living Christmas

you are demonstrating Christmas

you are exhibiting Christmas

you are being Christmas - 

gifting

others

with acceptance

with value

with love.

BHP

I was moved by this:: by Jo Bega

So even on a pretty dark day in December I've found reasons to hope. I was shopping in Tesco when I overheard an elderly man asking a member of staff whether the box of teabags he'd selected were definitely 'fair trade'. 

It touched me so deeply. 

That in the chaos of Brexit, climate catastrophe, racism, divisions and despair, it was still important to this man that he was doing his bit. 

We mustn't stop doing our bit, we really mustn't. 

Then I visited Mum's grave and found signs of new life in sprouting buds, and looked up to see shafts of light coming through the grey clouds. 

We must hold onto hope in the darkness. 

There are always things to be grateful for. 

There is always kindness to be shown. 

There is always a hand to be touched. 

There is always a candle to be lit. 

Keep the faith, my dear friends. 

❤️❤️❤️

What do we do when our heart hurts?

A little catchup from me today. Big thank you to all who have sent messages and promises to pray.

Hospital today for me.

Joan & Ann riding shotgun.

1 wife / 1 daughter.

Giving support to me and each other.

Oncology department.

Full of people of all ages.

Limping

walking sticks

mobility scooters

strangers ...........

I don't know their stories.

but will spill mine.

I had a hormone drug planted in my belly yesterday

It will do good things for me until the next one

in four weeks time.

Today we spent 30 minutes with the consultant.

He spoke gently to us

asking lots of questions too.

He showed pictures of me

NOT like the one above

snapped by Ann after it was all over.

The ones on the Hospital screen 

were an inside job.

MRI / CT / BONE scans showing all innards

Bones, body parts, different shades & colours.

He talked us through each area and what it does -

or what each is created to do.

Starting with the prostate.

He pointed out to cancer parts

including those I expected

but did not want.

Simply - he showed us where the cancer is.

In the pelvis

In the spine -
One rib -

the bones.

There would be other options for a younger me

but he explained that the best is what I am on now =

Hormone Theraphy via yesterdays injection

and thereafter monthly for three months.

NO chemo - or anything  intrusive.

The expectation is to stop the cancer multiplying.

This will be tracked by blood tests & my PSA.

The expectation is that I will soon see a reduction 

of the bad cells - it is not a cure 

but a halt to the growth.

I still feel 'not ill'

I still feel normal and alive.

Today a bit of an ordeal but I am focused.

There's a lot more details

about possible side effects

and what symptoms to be aware of

and what to report back with any troublesome

and how to manage them.

but for now that is enough ........

Thanking you again for your

support

affirmations

good wishes and those kneeling with me.

SHALOM