Nearly Advent 2020

Wow – 2020!

What on earth can we say that’s different from anyone else’s year?

We know this year has been much harder for many, and how we would have struggled more with this pandemic in other years.

We hope that 2020 has not been too difficult a year for you, and that you have found some comfort amongst the challenges.

In all the change of this year, we believe God is faithful and unchanging. We pray that you will experience love and hope this Christmas.

If Christmas doesn't feel normal this year, check out this video, shared by our friend Anne.

With our love and best wishes for 2021,

David, Debbie and Jamie Hawker

To find out more about our year, click on one or more of the headings below

Covid Bingo

Which of these also featured in your year?

Did you miss seeing us this year, or wish you could see more of us?

You can!

Jamie

on youtube - with thanks to Auntie Margie

Jamie's youtube channel

Jamie's movie reviews

Debbie

Debbie speaking at a social distance about resilience during a pandemic

Dave

Dave singing We'll Meet Again with jazz hands

What we have not enjoyed this year

Home schooling. Especially having to spend 10 science lessons on growing cress, including an hour on ‘doing a risk assessment on growing cress’. What??? One of Dave’s friends provided a 17-page risk assessment of cress growing!

Cancellations - Jamie’s birthday party, wild camping, a trip to see family in Scotland, a train trip to Spain, and more

All getting Covid (we think) as the first lockdown began – thankfully mildly, all recovered now, and with no lingering symptoms

For Jamie, buying David Walliams’ new book ‘The world’s worst parents’ only to find that mum and dad were not even in it!

What we have enjoyed this year

We’re grateful for many things – having each other, having enough work and a home we can do it from, the Picking of the Raspberry Ceremony (to celebrate our harvest of one raspberry), and for the times we got away from home

to visit family in Scotland (including staying in a desolate but surprisingly comfortable hotel which appeared in Trainspotting 2)

to the Lake District with aunts, visiting Uncle Sid’s signpost in some wild weather

to beaches facing north, east, south, and west

to the south, seeing family and sharing a socially distanced online Greenbelt Festival with friends

(photos at the top for most of these)

Quiz

Can you guess which of us:

1. For work, prefers using (a) Microsoft Teams (b) Zoom (c) Skype

Click for the answer

(a) Jamie, (b) Dave, (c) Debbie

2. Has written a book on climate change

Click for the answer

Debbie, Dave and Jamie have written a book together. Called ‘Changing the climate’, it is due for publication by BRF in June.

3. Gave a talk on ‘Coping with cancellations and disappointments’ which was nearly cancelled the day before

Click for the answer

Debbie

4. Learned to make fire without matches or a lighter, using just natural substances

Click for the answer

Jamie (and Dave) - with thanks to Uncle Richard