hollands' place

Please join the Facebook group "Schools' summer break is too long". Both my kids and I agree that 6 weeks off in the summer is too long. (In the UK anyway, when summer seems to come in May only!) The kids get bored and the parents become desparate!
We propose that the summer break should be 4 weeks only with 3 weeks off at Christmas and 3 weeks off at Easter instead.
If you agree with this, (or if you don't) please join this group and add your comments / suggestions to the wall and we'll see where we can take this.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/U13979005
I am a wife and mother and believe that marriage and the family unit is the best structure for successful life in the 21st Century.
I am a Christian and believe that the Bible is the word of God and that Jesus Christ is God himself and has a plan and purpose for every person on this planet.
Since 1986 I have worked with children and adults who have learning disabilities. I am presently working in a unit in a secondary school for children on the autistic spectrum.
I believe that, given the right opportunities and support, all people, regardless of ability or disability, can live a full and meaningful life.
I believe that we were put on this planet to care for it, not to destroy it. As such, I wholeheartedly support initiatives to save this beautiful green planet.
I have a degree in English language / education. I believe language is a precious gift that should be treasured. I believe in maintaining lesser used and endangered languages. Since moving to Wales in 1989, I have learned, to some extent, to speak Welsh.
Owing to personal experience, I have an interest in the research into and treatment of bipolar disorder. I believe that the marginalisation in this society of people who have mental health problems should come to an end.
I have not travelled widely, but have visited Oman twice and feel a special connection with that country.
I enjoy fine red wine and Stella Artois brewed in Blegium.
My online name is Messyplay, from the days when I used to run a pre-school messy play group. I hope that readers of h2g2 will enjoy my articles.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Love
God is Love
All he does comes from love
All his actions are loving actions
He created in love
He rules in love
He judges in loved
All he does is done in love
Love is different for each individual
But true love never changes and is always the same, but is expressed in many different ways
Loves is only truly known when you have known God and continue to know him
Love is God in his very essence
Love is that which spring from the very essence and nature of God
Love is God giving his Son
Love is perfectly expressed among men in the Lord Jesus Christ
Love is Jesus being in very nature God, but not considering equality with God something to be grasped
Love is Jesus making himself nothing
Love is Jesus taking the very nature of a servant
Love is Jesus being made in human likeness
Love is Jesus being found in appearance as a man
Love is Jesus humbling himself
Love is Jesus being obedient to death even death on a cross
Love is Jesus laying down his life for us, while we were still sinners
Love is the fruit, of living by the Spirit, being led by the Spirit, and keeping in step with the Spirit
Love is for us to have the same attitude as Christ
Love is only known through the actions it prompts
Love is giving one’s self to God as a fragrant offering and sacrifice, pleasing to Him
Love is to obey our heavenly Father
Love is to lay down our own lives for our brothers
Love is to humbly consider others better and above ourselves
Love is placing the needs and interests of others in line with ours or even above those of our own
Love is going the extra mile, or two or three or four or five or six or seven..............
Love is actions and words given irrespective of merit
Love is sacrificial
Love is making the first move
Love is seeking the highest good of the one being loved
Love is patient and long suffering; it makes time, it has time, takes time and it never gives up
Love is making the phone call
Love is writing a letter or sending a card
Love is cooking for your brother or your neighbour
Love is listening
Love is speaking the truth
Love is remembering your bothers
Love is always thinking the best of your bothers
Love carries your brother while he is weary and down
Love is that which renews our strength
Love is kind and generous, always overflowing and pouring out
Love is infectious, infecting and affecting all of those around us
Love is irresistible, like a magnet pulling on the heart strings of men, drawing them ever closer and never letting them go
Love is that which generates the best in mankind and causes it to overflow
Love is rejoicing when we see your brothers flourishing and succeeding in life
Love is being united with your brothers in unity and in peace
Love is working as a body each person playing their part
Love is what we were created to need and desire
Love is what we were created to express
Love is protective; the place where we are secure, the arms of our father the arms of our bother.
Love is always trusting; seeing the best, without asking questions and without putting obstacles in the way
Love is seeing beyond the now and seeing to the future even to the end
Love is always hopeful
Love perseveres and never gives up
Love is that which we are rooted and established in.
Love is so much more than all of this; this is the tip of the ice berg, the beginning and not the end
My prayer along with Paul is:-
I, you, us, we may have the power (His Holy Spirit) along with all the saints, to grasp a fresh revelation of His love, daily, of how wide, long, high and deep this love is, this perfect, irresistible, bountiful, abundant love, expressed and poured out, in and through His son, our Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
This love is what binds us together and nothing in heaven or on earth, present nor future height nor depth or any power nor anything else in all creation, not trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger or sword shall separate us from this love.
This Love is God and God is Love.

Stella Artois: “Belgium’s Premium Beer”

The one on the left was brewed and bought in Belgium. The one on the right was brewed and bought in the UK.

Do they taste the same? NO, not at all! The Belgium Stella has a soft, barley taste whereas the UK Stella has quite a bitter, sharp taste. Which is best? The Belgium Stella of course.

Information for Parents

Unclaimed Children’s Tax Allowance for 2002/3

The year before Tax Credits were introduced there was a

different non-means tested allowance available which was never

advertised by the Inland Revenue.

It is called the Children’s Tax Allowance for the Year 2002/3.

You can still claim this tax allowance before the 31 January

2009 deadline.

You need to phone HMRC on 0845 302 1437 (or preferably phone your local tax office) and ask them to check whether you have already

received this allowance and, if not, enquire as to what action

you need to take.

You are eligible to claim £520.00 allowance if;

*You have a child born between 6 April 1986 and 5 April 2003

*The child lived with you for all or part of 2002/2003

*You worked and paid tax for all or part of 2002/2003

*You or your partner earned £6,000 plus in the year 2002/2003

tax year

You are eligible for the £1,040 allowance if;

*If you can answer yes to the four questions above, and

*One of your children was born between 6 April 2002 and 5

April 2003

Notes:-

Making a claim does not affect your current or future

entitlement to Working or Child Tax credits.

Your Marital status is irrelevant

You cannot claim the allowance twice and if your final tax

code on your April 2003 P60 ended in a H or a T, you have

already had the allowance.

This is an easy claim for you to make so do not get duped into

paying someone to do it for you because they are likely to

charge a large percentage for their services.

Spread the word as this could be something which gives you a

little extra in these difficult times!!

Good luck!

Well, here we are at the end of another year. I’ll bring you this year’s highlights plus any relevant stuff from last year, since I’ve neglected to do a newsletter for two years.

As a family, our extension was finished in time for last Christmas. We now have a garage big enough for both cars with an en-suite ‘playroom’ above, which is great for us to play pool, darts, PS2, but especially to get rid of the kids with their friends on sleepovers!
We went to Oman in March which was a truly unforgettable experience. It was part of the ‘Mission 193’ programme (go to www.mission193.com to see my blog entry) but also an incredible visit down memory lane for me, since I had visited Oman in 1977 to see my Dad, who was working over there at the time. We had a fabulous holiday in an amazing country and also were blessed when we visited the Church in Muscat.
In June we were host to Mio, a student from South Korea. Along with others, she was working at our high school as part of a United Nations Organisation venture. We now have a new friend in the East!
In August we stayed with my folks in Wakefield and went to Blackpool and the Lake District.
We are still part of All Nations Church Cardiff, but have also been encouraged by, and hopefully been an encouragement, during a number of visits to King’s Church Wakefield and Nation Changers Church Merthyr.

Adrian is now 39 and still working for the same construction firm as a managing quantity surveyor. However, the company has been badly affected by the recession, so things have become quite difficult. Adrian is really fit! Yes, I’m biased, but he walked the 3 peaks as part of a team last June, raising thousands of pounds for Tenovus Cancer Research and he now swims 5-6 times per week. He has also just finished decorating and laying a new oak floor in our dining room ready for our new table and chairs in time for Christmas.

Annie is 12 now. Although she won’t admit it, she loves school and is excelling. She has won 3 ‘1000 Club’ awards and a ‘Glan Lloyd’ award for services to the school. Her favourite subject is science. She is also on the school council, takes part in numerous after school activities and was recently in the school’s production of Wizard of Oz at the local theatre. She gained highly commended in her gold freestyle disco test in January but unfortunately was forced to give up dancing afterwards due to no longer having a dance partner.

Joseph is 11 and in his final year in primary school. He admits to loving school and his favourite subject is maths. He has represented his school in swimming (third place), rugby and cross country. He continues to play the electric guitar and passed his grade 3 in July, just 2 marks off a distinction.

Myself, Sharon, I turn 41 this month and have had to have reading glasses since January! I am still a learning support assistant at our local high school, working with children aged 11-16 on the autistic spectrum. Last year I turned down the opportunity to become a qualified teacher, but it was the right decision as I am happy in my position. I was also elected parent governor at the school (since it is also Annie’s school) in September.

Floppy, our bunny, is nearly 7. He’s getting old, fat and lazy, but we still love him.
See the photos at http://www.kodakgallery.co.uk/I.jsp?c=2law45z31.39dh0v76h&x=0&h=1&y=-4gcg35&localeid=en_GB click “View Slideshow”.

What should we do when we find ourselves in the middle of a terrible storm and fear that we are going to drown?
I was read this morning Psalm 107:28-29 they were at their wits' end.
"Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed".
This reminded me of another passage in Luke chapter 8 (also Matthew 8 and Mark 4)
"One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and set out. 23As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm".
If you’re in the middle of a terrible storm and fear that you are going to drown, it’s not enough just knowing that the Lord is there with you. You need to actively cry out to him in your situation and then he will respond and calm the storm completely.
If you haven't got a Bible to hand, go to http://www.biblegateway.com

Too great a sinner to come to God? Do you feel that God won’t love you because you are not “perfect”? Or that He could never use you because you are not good enough? Don’t feel slighted; you’re in good company…….

Moses stuttered

David’s armor didn’t fit

John Mark was rejected by Paul

Hosea’s wife was a prostitute

Amos’ only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning

Jacob was a liar

David had an affair

Solomon was too rich

Abraham was too old

David was too young

Timothy had ulcers

Peter was afraid of death

Lazarus was dead!

John was self-righteous

Jesus was too poor

Naomi was a widow

Paul was a murderer. So was Moses.

Jonah ran from God

Miriam was a gossip

Gideon and Thomas both doubted

Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal

Elijah was burned out

John the Baptist was a loudmouth

Martha was a worrywart

Mary was lazy

Samson had long hair

Noah got drunk

Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse?

So did Peter, Paul – well, lots of folks did.

But God doesn’t require a job interview. He doesn’t hire and fire like most bosses, because He’s more our Dad than our Boss. He doesn’t look at financial gain or loss. He’s not prejudiced or partial, not judging, grudging, sassy or brassy, not deaf to our cry, not blind to our need.

As much as we try, God’s gifts are free. We could do wonderful things for wonderful people and still not be …… wonderful.

Satan says, “You’re not worthy.”

Jesus says, “So what, I AM”

Satan looks back and sees our mistakes.

God looks back and see the cross.

He doesn’t calculate what you did in ’78. It’s not even on the record. Sure, there are lots of reasons why God shouldn’t want us. But if we are hopelessly in love with Him, if we hunger for Him more than our next breath, He’ll use us in spite of who we are, where we’ve been, or what we look like.

Step out of your limitations into the illimitable nature of who God is.