This year has been fascinating in many ways, and back in July I felt really challenged to make some monumental changes to my work pattern. Throughout the year I've been trying to put more trust in God and rely less on money and other things, and I'm not that surprised that I've been led to the point of giving up a regular salary, but that didn't mean the decision came that easily.
In 2008 we spent a lot of time questioning where we should live, and very clearly we came to the decision of Southsea (sorry Highlands & Bristol ;-), and that started us on a year and a half journey to the house that we now own and live in. I really felt that we ended up in this house for a reason, and ever since we moved to the area I've felt challenged to explore building more community, having lots of ideas, but little time to get on and try them. I've lived in much more deprived areas, and somehow community seems easier to come by, but the more well off areas need it just as much. We were born to be in community, and careers and mortgages often don't help us find time to connect with those around us.
Anyhow, back in July I decided that I needed to make more time available in my life to do some of the ideas that I'd been thinking of, and the only thing that was movable was the job. The reality is that I still need to earn money, and to free up time to do some of the things, I still need some child-free time. But we took the leap of faith that somehow God would help on that front, and I decided to hand in my notice. About 2 weeks after deciding that, I got offered a very flexible job with a charity that I already do some work for, and as ever, God pulled it out of the bag!
So the 3rd December is my final day working for the Council, and I'll then be embarking on a range of things in 2013 in the Wimbledon Park Patch area. I think we need to become more connected as locational communities and there is already lots of connecting going on, but still plenty more possible! I'm going to start with little things, but at least start, rather than just dream.
Things I'm going to explore are:
- connecting into the old people's home on our street (a hidden community with so much richness...how do we link them more into our community, what can we offer them, and what can they offer us?)
- connect with new uni students when they arrive in Sept (have seen an idea where you put on a free curry for them, and introduce them to neighbours)
- develop the herb network idea further (am planning on turning our whole front yard into a herb garden (not just the gate posts) so anyone can pop by and take a picking for their cooking, and hoping to get others involved...we have one neighbour who grows amazing coriander each summer!)
- spend some time just walking around our streets more, chatting with people, connecting, seeing where doors open
- invite our elderly neighbours in for a cuppa
- organise a 'Big Lunch' event in the park this summer.
I believe we were made to live in community with God and each other, and that we need to be more creative in how we rely on God and each other, rather than just looking to money or the public sector to keep things going. This time of austerity is a time of opportunity, and people seem really open to ideas of doing things a bit differently. I feel that God is somehow involved in the timing of this, and we'll have to see what happens next.
Life is never dull with God!!
