Would you have passed The Test? - CFN Newsletter Week 141

CHRISTIAN FAMILY NETWORK NEWSLETTER 141

> The Test that helped bring two people together

> News:
> Teenagers 'need to debate abortion'
> Narnia art contest: can you draw Aslan?
> Worry over school meals standards

> Sites:
> Help for gamblers
> Reflections on Hollywood's golden couple split
> The words of Jesus - for you and for seeking friends
> HiKidz - children's outreach

> Marriage MOT: Are you prone to jealousy?
> You've got to laugh: How men and women differ ...
> Members' Zone latest

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> FROM THE EDITOR

Hi all

Hope you're making the most of half-term! We've got plenty of good ideas, advice, resources, news and info in this latest update and we're also hard at work on the Spring issue of Families Together, which will be with you just before Easter.

May the God of all strength, peace and comfort guide you in your parenting this month.

Take care

Russ Bravo
Christian Family Network
info@cfnetwork.co.uk
http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk

PS Christian Family Network is here to direct you to the best in parenting, marriage and family resources; to link you up with other Christian families up and down the UK; and to help you make the most of life as a follower of Christ - at home, at work, at school and college, at play and online.

Your feedback, positive and negative, enables us to develop CFN in the way that is most useful for you - so please tell us if we're off the rails or on the button!

And don't forget - if we can pass on material (sample copies of Families Together, leaflets) which will help you tell your friends and your church about CFN, just mail Lyn Bedford at marketing@christianmedia.org.uk and she'll be glad to help you out.

RELATIONSHIPS

THE TEST

John stood up from the bench, straightened his Army uniform, and studied the crowd of people asking their way through Grand Central Station. He looked for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn't - the girl with the rose. His interest in her began 13 months before in a Florida library.

Taking a book off the shelf he found himself intrigued, not with the words of the book, but with the notes pencilled in the margin. The soft handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful mind. In the front of the book, he discovered the previous owner's name, Miss Hollis Maynell. With time and effort he located her address. She lived in New York City. He wrote her a letter introducing himself and inviting her to correspond. The next day he was shipped overseas for service in World War II.

During the next year and one month, the two grew to know each other through the mail. Each letter was a seed falling on a fertile heart. A romance was budding. Blanchard requested a photograph, but she refused. She felt that if he really cared, it wouldn't matter what she looked like. When the day finally came for him to return from Europe, they scheduled their first meeting - 7pm at the Grand Central Station in New York.

"You'll recognize me," she wrote, "by the red rose I'll be wearing on my lapel."

So at 7pm he was in the station looking for a girl whose heart he loved, but whose face he'd never seen. I'll let John tell you what happened:

"A young woman was coming toward me, her figure long and slim. Her blonde hair lay back in curls from her delicate ears; her eyes were blue as flowers. Her lips and chin had a gentle firmness, and in her pale green suit, she was like springtime come alive. I started toward her, entirely forgetting to notice that she was not wearing a rose. As I moved, a small, provocative smile curved her lips.

"'Going my way, sailor?’ she murmured.

"Almost uncontrollably I made one step closer to her, and then I saw Hollis Maynell. She was standing almost directly behind the girl. A woman well past 40, she had greying hair tucked under a worn hat. She was more than plump, her thick-ankled feet thrust into low-heeled shoes. The girl in the green suit was walking quickly away. I felt as though I was split in two, so keen was my desire to follow her, and yet so deep was my longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned me and upheld my own.

"And there she stood. Her pale, plump face was gentle and sensible, her grey eyes had a warm and kindly twinkle. I did not hesitate. My fingers gripped the small worn blue leather copy of the book that was to identify me to her. This would not be love, but it would be something precious, something perhaps even better than love, a friendship for which I had been and must ever be grateful.

"I squared my shoulders and saluted and held out the book to the woman, even though while I spoke I felt choked by the bitterness of my disappointment.

"'I'm Lieutenant John Blanchard, and you must be Miss Maynell. I am so glad you could meet me; may I take you to dinner?' The woman's face broadened into a tolerant smile.

"'I don't know what this is about, son,' she answered, 'but the young lady in the green suit who just went by, she begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should tell you that she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across he street. She said it was some kind of test!'"

www.mikeysfunnies.com

> THIS WEEK'S NEWS

> Teenagers 'need to debate abortion'

A TIMES Educational Supplement (TES) poll has demonstrated that 47% of teachers oppose confidential counselling to girls under 16 who become pregnant, with 45% backing private advice.

Go to http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/news.asp for the full story

> Narnia art contest: can you draw Aslan?

NARNIABECKONS.COM has announced the launch of an art contest to focus on the Chronicles of Narnia book series of C S Lewis, especially The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

Go to http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/news.asp for the full story

>
School meals standard is ‘very worrying’ says NCH

Following the Government announcement that new nutritional guidelines will be introduced in schools in England in September, a national children’s charity has hit out at standards.

Go to http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/news.asp for the full story

> MARRIAGE MOT

Jealousy

Are you jealous of some relationship your spouse has with someone else? Perhaps you resent the closeness between your wife and a girlfriend or parent, or you don’t like your husband going out with lads and you think he puts them before you.

These things may seem small but they can grow and disturb your relationship, especially if they are buried and not spoken of. But how do you bring the conversation round to such a difficult topic? Perhaps you think you shouldn’t feel that way or that your partner will be hurt or angry with you?

How would you like them to broach the subject if you were behaving that way? With gentleness and tact? This is where talking about your own feelings and thoughts rather than accusing your spouse of things will help. "When you go out without me, I feel lonely. I do enjoy having you around. I know you like to go out with the boys, but perhaps you could make it once a fortnight and I’ll get a babysitter in so we can go out together alternate weeks."

"I know your Mum is very important to you, and I really appreciate her too, but sometimes I wish I was the one you turned to more often. Sometimes I feel quite hurt. I want to be the one to support you when you have concerns. Perhaps we can stay home this weekend instead of going over there and do something special. What would you like to do together?"

Facing up to issues between us involves courage and taking a risk, but ignoring a problem rarely means it will go away.

> Check out our archived marriage tips in the Members' Zone, plus stacks more marriage resources at http://www.2-in-2-1.co.uk

> EVENTS

> YOU'VE GOT TO LAUGH ...

Marriage

A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.
A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change and she does.

Natural look

Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.
Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

Offspring

Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dental appointments and romances, best friends, favourite foods, secret fears, and hopes and dreams.
A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

Head for www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/resources.asp for more!

> CHRISTIAN FAMILY NETWORK THIS WEEK
(MEMBERS' ZONE) - http://www.cfnetwork.co.uk/members/default.asp

> Advice

> Kate's Marriage advice - are you prone to jealousy
> Eric Spellmann on the internet's hackers
> Joni on cultivating God's accent

> Resources

> Elisabeth Corcoran's Moments for Mum
> The Derbyshire farm reaching troubled youngsters
> Meet the grandfather behind Kwik-Fit!
> New couples event planned
> How men and women differ ...

> News:
> Teenagers 'need to debate abortion'
> Narnia art contest: can you draw Aslan?
> Worry over school meals standards

> Sites:
> Help for gamblers
> Reflections on Hollywood's golden couple split
> The words of Jesus - for you and for seeking friends
> HiKidz - children's outreach

> Events: What's on near you

> Webwatch index: more than 700 sites categorised at your fingertips

> Site Search Engine: the easy way to trawl our 1,000-page plus archives

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