Places I have lived in the UK - Bideford, Devon

I lived in Bideford for three years. This was my first appointment in the Salvation Army. It was a very small congregation of about 25 elderly people but gracious enough to accept our inexperience. They loved us as if we were their grandchildren, rather nice! My son, Philip, was born there. Unfortunately I spent most of my pregnancy in hospital but God was with me and my son was born weighing 3.8 lbs. He was very fragile at first and I could not breast feed him as he was born too early by Caesarean section. He was in an incubator for some months and was able to go home at 5lbs. He is now a very handsome junior doctor!

One winter the frost was so thick trees glistened for days. The people were very nice but it took me awhile to understand their accent. We enjoyed taking family and friends to nearby Clovelly. Members of the congregation would often bake for us specially cornish pasties which were as big as a dinner plate! The Salvation Army now meets in the Baptist Church in Mill Street and is run by local salvationists.

I pray God's Blessing on them as this is a demanding task.

The Pearl Of Greatest Price

My son Philip recently told me he was jealous of my simple and childlike faith. I'm currently going through my faith with a fine toothcomb to see exactly what he means. Maybe my simple and childlike faith is actually the Pearl of Greatest Price:

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. Matthew 13:44-46 NIV

Interestingly, these verses have been my all-time favourite parables! Food for thought, eh?