Spring Hope

The bus reached one of the main roundabouts on its way into town.  As we went around the roundabout one lady said , 'Oh look aren't they lovely?' pointing out all the daffodils and crocuses in bloom in the centre of the roundabout.  Another lady said,'Yes, they bring a smile to your face don't they?'  And it's true that spring flowers bring cheer and hope to a dreary, monochrome winter.  They herald a brighter future.  Even the shape of daffodils indicates the trumpeting of something better on the horizon.  How many of us, when we see the daffodils in bloom, think of those words of William Wordsworth - 10 thousand saw I at a glance - even if that short phrase is the only part of the poem that we know? 

A taste of my garden bringing a smile indoors

The interesting thing is that daffodils are not expensive flowers.  You can buy a bunch for a few pence.  They are possibly the cheapest flowers on sale.  To plant them, you buy a whole pack of bulbs - not like some plants that are extremely expensive for only one.  Maybe that's one reason why they are planted so profusely in our green spaces in towns - there are lots of them!  They don't have the perfume of a rose, the beauty of an orchid, the deep meaning of a poppy or the scarcity of some exotic bloom in danger of extinction.  They are just ordinary, abundant, nothing special and yet are so welcome as they burst into life after the dark, cold days of winter.


The other day I came across this picture of two small boys.  The older one was comforting and encouraging the younger one, bringing a smile to his worried little face.  He wasn't some great preacher with much knowledge or someone with 'film star looks'.  By his appearance, he didn't seem to be wealthy and yet he was able to bring a smile to another.  We can follow the lives of stars; we can listen to great preachers; we can look up to others who have great knowledge beyond our understanding but when we are feeling low, it's the one who cares and listens that brings a smile to our face.  When I think of Jesus and the stories we read of how people flocked to see and hear him, it's evident that he was someone with whom people wanted to spend time, he encouraged, he cared, he listened.  Sadly I often find that non-church-goers do not have the same opinion of Christians, often the opposite.  They come across as judgmental instead of welcoming.  They seem negative, full of 'don'ts' - don't do this, don't say that, don't go there.  Many are very quick to let you know where you are going wrong and how sinful you are - 'God says ... ... ', the Bible says ... ... '  And yet Jesus had the opposite attitude, always caring and welcoming, not for ever telling people how bad they were.



Someone once said that God must love ordinary people as He made so many of them.  When you look at the ordinary plentiful daffodils, you are not immediately struck by its beauty or think of it as being some expensive or rare flower.  What comes to mind is what it points to - Spring, hope, encouragement of more to follow.  That is how we should be living - just ordinary people bringing a smile to the lives of others by caring and encouraging.  You don't have to appear knowledgeable, clever, good looking or important in the eyes of others.  God loves to use and smile through HIs presence in the ordinary.  God in the ordinary, God of the everyday.

Busy, busy

The first half of this past week we have had some lovely weather and I managed to get into the garden and plant quite a few things - a few potatoes, carrots, peas and garlic.  At least I have made a start and hopefully over the next days and weeks more will get planted.  The lawn has had its first haircut of the year and my new lawn mower got used for the first time.  The other day my son said that he wanted to help me in the garden.  This was a bit of a surprise as he doesn't really like gardening but I wasn't going to argue.  Maybe he's taken pity on his old mother!  He did a great job in cutting down an unwanted tree and I'm sure I'll find many more jobs for him to do.


The latter half of the week has been quite cold with a great deal of fog well into the afternoon.  But still the men came and finally mended the roof, replacing the tiles that had been dislodged and broken during the last storm we had.  Slowly but surely it seems that life is taking on a more pleasant aspect.  This week I also managed to finish the jigsaw puzzle that I started a couple of weeks ago.  The trouble is there are 2 pieces missing and so that is now going out with the cardboard recycling next week.   On the whole it has been a week like any other week - always busy, doing the odd jobs to keep the home running and even when not busy with some activity, there's planning, thinking ahead, sorting out and catching up with emails and blogs.  One blog mentioned about someone who had returned to America after living in a country with a much slower pace of life.  She commented how she noticed the difference:

I saw there was a direct correlation between an obsession with self and an exhausting pace of life, even when the obsession was on good, churchy things. ... ... centering an entire day around productivity or effectiveness as a goal equaled very little focus on other people.  On relationships.

(Taken from http://www.aholyexperience.com, post entitled 'Why slowing down is paramount if we're ever to be the Body.')


It's so easy to get caught up in doing and achieving that we don't spend time slowing down.  Even in the everyday, same old, same old.  It is so easy and tempting to fill every minute with some activity to improve our situation or at least not to appear lazy.  And even when physically we stop doing things our minds are often sorting things out so that we have slowed the body but not our inner selves.  We still don't give our minds the space to just be and soak up God or give our time and attention to really listen to people without our minds half listening and half focusing on the next thing we need to be doing.  As Christians our objectives should not be all about monetary gain and profit but about Kingdom values of relationship one with another and with God - a good lesson and one I need to constantly remember.

Sowing for Harvest

Last year the winter seemed to go on for ever.  We had really cold weather right up until June so the things that I planted either didn't come to very much or were very late.  This year is quite different.  Although we have had many storms and very wet weather it has on the whole been quite mild as winters go and things are beginning to grow as spring emerges.  This week I've been to the garden centre and bought loads of compost, canes, seed potatoes and packets of seeds.  If the weather forecast is correct then I will be able to sow quite a lot over the weekend.  At least that's the plan.  Over the next few weeks my garden should start filling up with flowers, fruit and vegetables.

Some things I've moved around in order to make room for other things that I want to plant.  I'm attempting this year to grow a few more, different vegetables than I did last year and other things less than I have before.  You learn as you go along just what works and what doesn't, depending on your individual taste and energy levels for gardening.  We love strawberries (who doesn't?) so I'm making the strawberry patch larger.  We're also losing a small strip of lawn to make room for vegetable plants.  It's really a case of planting things in the required place; sowing the seeds where you want the harvest to be.

I was reminded of this when I read a post entitled Where to Sow? on a blog I follow (Martin Scott)  He puts it very well:

I ask if we have been seeking to sow too much inside the Promised Land and not enough in Babylon.  I wonder if we have been wanting a harvest but have not sown in the right places ..... maybe God is answering the prayers for harvest by relocating many into Babylon.
  
On the whole, I feel that Christianity for many centuries has sown within the system itself.  The emphasis for many is that once you're 'in' the system it's really only a matter of staying there, safe and secure until we die to have an assured place in the eternal Kingdom.  Meeting together to encourage each other and sing praises to God is great but let's not kid ourselves that this is bringing in the harvest that God wants.  The fields are white unto harvest but we stay in the house (of God).  It's almost like we're in the house, looking out of the window at the garden while keeping the seeds safe and secure in the packet on the shelf.  That way we will never have a harvest.  We need to go out there and sow the seeds where they will bring fruit.  So in answer to our prayers, many like myself find ourselves now 'in Babylon'.  Yes, there will be disappointment sometimes; yes it requires effort and work; yes different types of plants require different kinds of nurturing.  There is no 'one size fits all' system or way of sowing, planting or harvesting but yes the harvest is worth it.  

The time is right and I need to get out and sow some seeds - in our garden ... and in Babylon. 

Spring Surprises and Pleasures

The other day I was sorting out a cupboard I very rarely go into.  It's where we keep board games and such like.  I found a jigsaw that I don't remember ever having completed.  So as I carefully re-organised the cupboard and put everything back in some sort of order, I decided to leave the jigsaw puzzle out.  It is a puzzle of 1000 pieces with a lot of green trees so I guessed it would take quite a long time to do it, especially as I only go to it in my spare time.  I haven't finished it yet but had almost forgotten just how much I enjoy completing jigsaws.  I have spent an unexpected but very pleasant and satisfying few hours seeing the picture gradually coming to life. 

I took this at about 7 o'clock in the morning.

Although it still rains just about every day, at least the really bad storms that caused so much damage over the past 2 months seem to have subsided somewhat.  Between showers, it can sometimes be rather pleasant and the sun does have a more warming effect than during the winter months.  The other morning was one such time when early morning I was able to sit in the doorway at the back of the house - early morning is still a bit nippy to sit outside, for me anyway - and I enjoyed my first mug of coffee of the day looking and listening to creation.  The early birds were calling to each other, a couple flitting by 'making friends' as the male sought to convince a female to set up nest with him.  The sun was just beginning to appear, its glow painting the clouds pink against the blue sky.  A moment of heaven's beauty.

Daffodils in Yeovil

That same morning I was able at last to get out into the garden and start sorting out, trimming back and clearing up after the winter.  There needs to be a time of dark days and cold weather.  It is the time when the garden seemingly dies back but in actual fact it is a time of secret growing, deep underneath and hidden.  We don't see it but we wait and then, as if by magic, when the days become a little longer and the air is a bit warmer, creation begins to stir again and is re-awakened.  I walked around the garden.  The crocuses were in flower and the daffodils in bud, there are new leaves appearing on the buddleia, cherry tree and fig tree as the garden wakes up and gets dressed.  The green verges of our town are full of spring flowers and I even heard a neighbour giving his lawn its first trim of the year.  The sounds and sights of early spring cheer the heart. 


This week I also heard from a friend who had moved and I didn't know her new address so haven't been in touch for some time.  We journeyed together for a while when she went through a very difficult personal family time.  We spent many hours together.  I mostly listened, gave hugs and made mugs of coffee.  Eventually after a number of months she was able to begin moving forward, putting the past behind her, eventually meeting someone who was able to offer her a future together.  In the post the other day I received a note telling me to keep a certain date in June free when she and her new friend would seek God's blessing on their marriage.  What a lovely surprise.  It is so good to know that she is now enjoying life again.

Spring has sprung and things are beginning to stir into activity!  It puts a smile on my face just to look at the new life emerging and say 'Welcome Spring'.  

No Comparison

I have recently been checking out online grocery shopping, comparing the various supermarkets.  It's strange how they each claim to be cheaper than their rivals and 'prove' it to be so.  I don't quite understand how they can all be cheaper than each other except that of course they don't always compare the prices of everything we buy, only some things - how convenient!  But it is often good to compare as it helps us to make good choices, particularly of how we spend our money.  We are bombarded with adverts about Comparison Sites, whether it be about shopping, insurance, travel etc.  Facts and figures can be very helpful.  There are times, however when league tables and targets can have adverse effects as we have seen in the Health Service and when competing and reaching targets are sought at the expense of quality.  But on the whole, used wisely, the numbers game can be beneficial.

 In other walks of life, comparisons are not so helpful.  People can get into a great deal of debt trying to 'keep up with the Jones'.  They look at other people and what they have, the size of their house, the make of car, where they go on holiday.  This sadly is passed down to the children who compare the latest mobile phone or gadget. They want things that carry designer labels.  All the time they are comparing themselves and competing with others.  Healthy competition is good as we see on occasions like the Olympics and other sports events but can become dangerous when people are driven to eating disorders because they compare what they look like with the false airbrushed images they see in glossy magazines; or when children feel pressurised to be in the top group at school.

Somerset Levels floods 2014

Earlier in the week my attention was brought to a blog written by a weather man who was comparing what had happened in the Somerset Levels and what happened in Yorkshire a few years ago, saying that in the Yorkshire storms many more people were affected.  Living in Somerset I immediately wanted to answer, trying to give a balance to the whole picture.  Other people were comparing what has happened over the winter months because of the storms with what is happening in Syria or other troubled parts of the world where there is war and famine.  Others suggested that our overseas aid should be cancelled in order to give to those here who need financial help.  I began to think about this compulsion to compare and feel that it isn't really helpful.  If people are in need then they are in need regardless of what is happening in other parts or has happened in the past.  People in need, need help wherever, whoever they are and all our comparisons don't change that fact. 



Facts and figures is one thing but whether someone is considered beautiful, better, of value or worthy in some way - can that be decided by comparison?  I'm glad that God doesn't constantly compare me with others.  He doesn't compare us one against the other.  We are each unique even members of the same family, even identical twins.  In His eyes we are each worthy, loved, forgiven.  I want to be the 'me' that God made me to be.     

Where In The World Is He?

People, in general and even some Christians, seem to have confusing ideas about where God is.  Children are often told that God is in Heaven (wherever that is).  'Heaven' is often thought to be somewhere 'up there'.  It's as though God is thought to be someone (or something, depending on whether you have a faith or not) who is much bigger than we mere mortals and so dwells somewhere else other than earth, which is too small to contain Him.  And so comes the dual thinking of God as being 'other' and not part of our world.  It has been asked 'Is God up there, out there, in deep space or beyond?'  Someone once said that God is the beyond in the midst.  I rather like that thought.  It reminds me of the Psalmist who said 'I often think of the heavens your hands have made and of the moon and the stars you put in place.  Then I ask, "Why do you care about us humans?  Why are you concerned about us weaklings?"' (Psalm 8:3,4 The Promise Bible)  And so we have built up confusing theories about where God exists.

People are invited to 'accept God into your heart'.  What that really means is to follow the way of Jesus and accept that He is Lord and Saviour of your life.  But we seem to think of it as having some God space within our very busy lives where we allow God to reside and take His place as Lord.  But we still keep things separate, well ordered and everything in it's place - even God.  We go to the building we call God's House where presumably God lives and spend time with Him on a Sunday morning, in the endeavour to absorb as much as we can to get us through the following week when we are unable to get to His House because of our very busy schedules of daily living.  Scientists have concluded that the part of us that we call our soul is actually in the brain.  So if God lives in our soul then really He is part of our brain.  Maybe that part of our brain controls our religious feelings and tendencies?!

The Bible clearly tells us right from the beginning 'In the beginning God ' - God spoke and all things came into being.  Creation is a result of what and who God is; His DNA is in all things; He is everywhere; we are created in His image; as part of His creation we have His DNA running through us too.  So in a very real sense He is 'the beyond in the midst', not just among us but in us.  We really don't need to sing and pray for Him to 'come down' and be with us - He already is Emmanuel - God with us.  When Jesus said that we are the temples of the living God and that the Spirit dwells in us He was telling us that God is not distant and afar off but as the Psalmist says, He is interested in us and cares about us.  What we do and how we spend our lives does actually matter to Him.  Another Psalm asks 'Where can I go from your presence?'  He is everywhere.  

A rabbi once said that Jews did not speak God's name but breathed it - Yahweh.  He said that as you take in breath you say Yah and as you exhale you say Weh.  In that way every part of your life is lived with God and even with your last breath you are with Him.  You are living God's presence in the simplicity and persistence of breathing.  Breathing is not something we do consciously, at least most of the time.  We are alive so we breathe.  It reminds me of the beautiful song, 'This is the air I breathe, God's holy presence living in me'.  Thinking of God in this way makes the last lines so true 'I'm desperate for you, I'm lost without you'.   You can hear that song here.  So where is God?  Where in the world is He?  He is all around us; He is in us; He is the beyond in the midst; He is in every breath we take; He is the very air we breathe.  Yahweh.  Breathing God. 

Stormy Journey

In the UK we have experienced terrible storms that continue to batter the country.  The news has been full every day just about since Christmas, one storm after another and of the devastation they have caused in many places, particularly the damage that has been done in the southwest of the country.  Many have been flooded out of their homes and businesses have suffered, some losing everything.  Farmers have had to get rid of their livestock as there is no grazing land where they can put them safely.  Crops have been destroyed, trees have been uprooted ... ...  and the list of damage goes on.  Some of the most dramatic pictures that I have seen came from Dawlish on the west coast where the relentless storms and enormous high waves have corroded the cliff edge causing part of the cliff to collapse into the sea and leaving the coastal railway damaged and suspended in the air.  People living in nearby houses have had to be evacuated and put up elsewhere as their road has also been eroded by the force of nature.


The railway line is the main connection between the rest of the country and the furthest southwest tip of the country in Cornwall.  Travelling this route has now become a journey to nowhere.  Those wishing to continue their journey south have to get off the train further up the line and take a bus or some other mode of transport to continue travelling.  There are meetings being held to discuss whether it is feasible to repair the sea wall and road or whether it would make more sense to re-route the railway altogether.  This of course would bring added expense.  Those living in the houses affected by the erosion of the foundations are also contemplating whether they will be able to return to their homes or relocate while their homes are demolished.  Such tragic situations!  Drying out and a lick of paint will not be enough to save them when the foundations have proved to be inadequate.  On the east coast,  the continuous rain has caused landslides and homes have collapsed down the moving earth like a house of cards.  The term 'safe as houses' no longer can be applied to a building as being safe.  Torrential rain and fierce winds seem to make light of humanity's attempts at providing security.


On the Christian journey I have found that foundations that have served me well for many years have become inadequate.  New worship songs or some innovative activity will not solve the problem.  So I have moved out of the place I called my (spiritual) home and found new ways or expressing my faith.  When the journey I am on no longer gets me to where I want to be, then I need to change direction and take another route.  Millions of Christians worldwide have in recent years found the same to be true when the winds of the Spirit began shaking their world.  They have moved out of what had become traditional and organised religion - the 'safe' house.  The goal of oneness with God has not changed. The final destination remains the same but the journey is now taking a different route.

Repair or Replace

We continue trying to put right the things that have been damaged during the winter storms that seem relentless here in Somerset.  Last week the roofers came and mended the roof so hopefully we will no longer have any leakage when it rains.  A few of the tiles had slipped out of place and were quite easily returned and firmly fixed in their allotted spots.  Another tile was completely shattered and had to be replaced.  The engineer has also been to service the boiler and central heating system.  The boiler is a few years old but it is still working well and will be ok for another few years.  That's a relief!

Next it is the turn of the man who is coming to put up a new fence as the other one is now virtually non-existent.  (See photo)  That is of course weather permitting!  On the other side of the garden there was a panel of fencing that had been repaired again and again.  Bits had been added in order to keep it in place but the last storm was just too much and it eventually fell out altogether and is now lying on the grass leaving a great big gaping space into the neighbour's garden.  The sad thing is that as it fell it landed on top of a rather nice variegated holly bush, completely flattening it and snapping it off right from the bottom of its stem.  So I not only lost a part of the fence but also one of my plants.  I don't know if the holly bush will recover - I guess time will tell.  

I'm not one usually for just throwing things out and replacing them with new - not if I can make do and mend.  But sometimes mending is not enough.  Repairing will not do.  Some things need to be replaced.  But how we hang on to things that are no longer useful!  We seem loathe to do away with things that are familiar, even if they no longer serve their purpose.  Replacing things can bring upheaval and more work.  The old needs to be totally got rid of in order to make room for the new replacement.  We can't just nail the new fencing onto the old posts - they are part of the problem as they are no longer firm enough to hold the fence panels in place.  The whole thing including the posts needs to be removed to make room for the new fence.

There are of course life lessons to be learned here too.  How many things do I hang on to out of a sense of comfortable familiarity when I should be replacing them with something that actually serves the purpose - not just in the material things but also in the spiritual.  It can be costly to step out and replace that which no longer serves the purpose but sometimes repairing when we should be replacing can do more harm than good as I learned with my holly plant.  It can be unwise to try and hang on to things that no longer work for us.  Trying to repair and renew just doesn't give the result I need.  Instead of patching up the old, I need to replace it with something else that works for me.  We are told not to put new wine into old wineskins. (Luke 5:37)  Doing what is right for me might cost me and take a bit of courage and effort but well worth it in the end. 

Sacred Places

Flag Fen Causeway

A recent mini-TV series looked at places held sacred since prehistoric times.  Apart from the fact that humans have always had some idea of spiritual things and the mystery of some super-being beyond our understanding, it was interesting to see just what and where was considered sacred.  There was much ancestor worship as it was considered that those who had died and gone before were able somehow to link the living with the other, spiritual world.  It has been discovered that during the Bronze Age, a vast causeway was built across fens at Flag Fen near Peterborough.  Water was seen not just as a source of life but also of reverence.  The belief was that the place where the water met the land was the place where life met the spiritual world.  Small holes in part of the causeway were made for offerings to be made to whatever superior spirit inhabited such sacred places. 

Today we might smile at such beliefs thinking them to be naive and superstitious.  I often wonder in another 1000 years from now what humans will think of our present day religious beliefs and ways.  But throughout the ages humanity has thought of certain places as sacred where you can meet spiritual beings and have some sort of spiritual experience.  This is no less true of Christians with their buildings, shrines and relics.  Many still flock to certain places that have experienced some outpouring of God, it seems, almost in the hope of 'catching' something and being able to transport it back with them to their own locality, as though God was some commodity that you can bottle and transport around the world.  We know of course in truth that God is everywhere so why do we continue to think along these lines? 

Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dream of
the 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine 

In the early books of the Bible, Noah spoke to and listened to God speaking to him without any specific place; Abraham followed God's leading into a new place to live without any direction or input from any spiritual leader of his day; Jacob had encounters with God during his long journey; Joseph had the spiritual gift of interpreting dreams both at his home with his family and while in prison in Egypt; the Israelites learned that God was with them during their long years of trekking through the desert.  All these experiences were way before any temple or synagogues were built.  The early Christians knew of God's presence for 400 years before any Christian buildings were erected.  Jesus said that we are temples of the living God, that the Kingdom of God is within us. 

Godfrey Birtill

They say that we are nearer to God's heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth.  This of course is rubbish theology but we have to admit that there are some places and circumstances that seem more conducive to being aware of God's presence and of Him speaking to us.  There is a danger in giving more prominence to such 'sacred' places than is rightfully due and the visiting of such places becomes all important.  For me (and others) who have now opted out of the organised form of meeting together to seek God, it is reaffirming to know that God is still present whether in a place considered to be sacred or not, in some quiet secluded spot or in the midst of the hub-bub of everyday living.  He is everywhere, present so everywhere is a God space.  Yet we still insist on thinking about places as being sacred or secular.  A church building is considered a sacred place while a public house is not.  I love the sentiment in Godfrey Birtill's song about being ready for the glory of God to fall wherever.  Philip Williams put together some slides with the words while at the same time you are able to hear Godfrey singing.  You can hear this song here.  It's well worth a listen if you haven't heard it before (and even if you have!).  All life and places everywhere are sacred, for God is with us in and through it all.  Wherever I am - 'Bring it on, Lord!'    

... And ...

It is often by reading some thoughts of others that sets us off at a tangent with some thoughts of our own.  The meditations of Richard Rohr often have that affect on me.  Last week he was referring to our faith and belief systems as Yes, And ... and looked at the word 'and' and what that conjures up in our minds.  And so my thoughts began to dwell on this small word that is so often just used as a linking word between different parts of a sentence.  When I started seriously to consider this small, seemingly insignificant word, I realised that it can have quite significant properties of its own and often change the whole idea of the sentence.


The word 'and' leaves a space for more to be added.  It reminded me of the Irish comedian, Jimmy Cricket who during his act used to approach the edge of the stage and beckon to the audience saying, 'But wait, there's more!' and then continue to expand on his story.  The problem with many Christians is that as they seek to convince others that they have the truth about God (and they often do) they can forget that God is so much bigger than what they can understand.  We so often want to confine Him to our understanding and forget that there is so much more to Him than any mere mortal can possibly understand.  So in my beliefs I need to learn to say 'This is what I believe - Yes, and... ... there's more'.



'And', to me also conjures up the idea of an open door.  As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I cannot understand the totality of God or His ways so I need to leave the 'And' door open and learn to accept that my way of thinking might not be the only way.  As I have said many times before - no-one has the monopoly of truth.  We all see and understand in different ways.  Who am I to say that because someone thinks a little differently from me that they are wrong and I am right.  As God is so big and beyond my understanding, is it not possible that maybe we could both have elements of truth in our different ways of thinking?  It is sad that there exists so much intolerance among people of faith when really their lives should be showing the opposite.  This is not to water down my faith but to accept that I don't know everything and that God's love is all-embracing.


This led me to thinking about Jesus and how He seemed to deliberately seek out those whom the religious of His day perceived as undesirable.  The mish mash of characters among His closest friends - the hot headed Peter, the dreamer John, the tax collector Matthew, the doubter Thomas, the zealot  Judas ... ... and so on.  Jesus sought out people like the lepers (the social outcasts) Zacchaeus who collected money for the enemy, the adulterous woman and told stories like the Good Samaritan praising a Samaritan who was considered by the Jews to be unworthy of God's loving attention.  All such people felt comfortable in His presence while the religious people looked on them with disdain and contempt.  I wonder how many people on the edges of today's society feel welcomed and comfortable in a Christian group?  The open door of 'And' means that all are welcome in His Kingdom.

'And' the small word that can open up a whole new way of thinking.  Do I have Christian beliefs?  Yes, And ... ...

Apology

I regret that there will be no blog post this week.  I have spent most of the week between having extremely exhausting bouts of coughing, sipping hot lemon and honey and sleeping.  I hope that normal life will be resumed next week.

Enough is enough

Well, Christmas has been and gone.  We had a great time as a family, as I hope all who read this did.  Many have now put away the decorations (although some do wait until the end of the 12 days of Christmas, until Epiphany on January 6th - when the wise men arrived at the stable) Every year I try to be sensible in my spending, especially on food.  As far as presents are concerned we as a family have always stipulated a maximum to spend on each other.  We make wish lists to choose from.  That way we know we won't get everything on our list but neither do we know what we will get and so we always have surprises.  We have always done this even when the children were small.  My eldest commented that he really didn't need anything so he would be quite happy if instead of buying him anything, we gave the money to charity.  (And he is the one that never went to church!)  We did buy him things but I thought it was a nice gesture to say that - and they weren't empty words, he really meant it
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What is not so easy to control is the over-indulgence on food.  We make excuses like 'well it is Christmas', 'it's a special occasion' or 'Christmas comes but once a year'.  We can always justify our overspend.  We buy just in case it's needed, we don't want to run out of anything.  I am pretty good at using up left-overs but have to admit that I did throw some things away that had gone past their use by date - and I felt guilty!  I really don't like throwing out food.  But really, do we honestly need all that chocolate and sweet treats?  Do we really have to stuff ourselves to bursting point?  This week. according to the BBC news, in the UK 64% of adults are classed as being overweight or obese while at the same time under-nourishment is still a problem for hundreds of millions of people in the developing world, particularly children. 

Although I have to say that I didn't get anything that will be pushed in a drawer and forgotten about, I do wonder after all the spending, just how much of the gifts people received will be used and how much will be discarded after a short time.  Our attention seems to flit so quickly from one thing to another without real appreciation for what we have.  There is always something else, the latest gadget, the new in-thing, the latest fashion, the bigger version, that must-have item.  The sad thing is that the more we get, the more we want.  We seem to have an insatiable appetite for stuff, useful or not.  We are draining the world of its resources in the process of acquiring more stuff we don't really need while at the same time making the rich owners of large companies richer by our self indulgence.  Some charitable gifts are known as 'alternative must-have gifts' and provide some of the things that are essential to a needy world.  We still sing and listen to the Live Aid song at Christmas time but how easily we forget to contribute to help the ever growing needy of the world.  A growing number of people have stopped buying and sending Christmas cards, opting instead to give the money they have saved to some charity or buying things for a food bank.

Sorry if this blog post seems all doom and gloom.  The truth is that much of our possessions don't achieve real deep down happiness.  Many people have lost much during these winter storms that we have had recently.  Some have even lost their homes over the side of crumbling cliffs.  It's times like this that make you think again of your priorities.  How much is really sufficient?  When is enough, enough?  I haven't made any New Year's resolutions but I have many things to ponder.  We will still have a good time and have more than we really need but maybe next year I'll celebrate differently. 

Activity, rest and waiting.

The week began with activity.  Last week my elder son Martin spent a few days with us as work didn't permit him to spend actual Christmas with us.  He was off work on Christmas Day but to travel down to Somerset from Cheshire late on Christmas Eve and then travel back Christmas Day night to be at work on Boxing Day just didn't seem worth it.  It was better to get a few days off the week before and spend some time with us.  We went to the cinema to see the new Hobbit film and then went for a pizza - a very enjoyable afternoon and evening out.  So we did a sort of Christmas a week early, having turkey with all the trimmings etc. and we opened a couple of presents, leaving the rest for the actual event itself.  Last Saturday afternoon he went back to his own place in Cheshire and my other son Diego went off to work.  The house seemed quiet after that.  Until Monday that is!  Then the storm hit!  On the Tuesday morning in the light of day we surveyed the results -  there was a drip coming through the ceiling in the front bedroom, a tile off the roof at the back of the house and the fence blown down (for the umpteenth time this year!)

The broken tile off the roof

Sunday was indeed the lull before the storm, literally.  So activity began again.  Phone calls were made to those with whom we have emergency cover and they were very helpful.  The problem, of course was that this was now Christmas Eve when everyone wants to be at home not out on emergencies.   Absolutely, I quite understood. We were assured that it might take a couple of days but they hadn't forgotten about us.  On Boxing Day we received a phone call to say that someone would be around to assess the damage the following day.  That night another storm hit, but not as strong as the first one, thank goodness.  We are now bracing ourselves for the next storm due on Monday.  But at least, whatever happens, the 'rescue plans' are in motion. 

Trying to prop up the fence again til it is replaced

So Christmas Day was a calm day and again on Thursday as on both occasions we waited for the phone calls ... ... and waited ... ...  and waited ... ... or so it seemed.  I watched the news and was grateful that our damage was so little in comparison to many who had had no electricity since Monday, could not celebrate Christmas, were not able to have the traditional Christmas meal and in some cases had to evacuate the house because of flooding.  I felt quite guilty - I had no reason to moan.  Someone has already been contracted to put up a new fence in the back garden.  We made the agreement way back at the beginning of December but he is unable to do anything before the middle of January but at least that problem is in hand.  The man came and assessed the damage of the roof as arranged and that will go through to the insurers who will then arrange for it to be done - quickly I was assured.  Ah! but it's the waiting when things aren't the way we want them to be that gets me.  It's frustrating.  I want things sorted.  It's like life is on hold.  But this week is just like life. 

There are days of planned activity that we look forward to and enjoy.  There are also days of quiet.  But it's the days of unexpected activity that bring problems and the seemingly unending waiting for things to be resolved.  In the mean time we seem to just plod on but it's not what we really wanted and it's kind of unsettling when life seems to have lost its flow.  How often do we find ourselves in the waiting room of life unable to move forward?  Life is not always the planned activity and days of rest.  So what will 2014 bring?  I wonder.  Maybe some plans will become reality but there will possibly be some waiting time while God sorts things out on our behalf.  Whatever 2014 brings, I hope it is good for you.

Christmas - Through the Eyes of the Three Wise Men

The three wise men is the part of the Christmas story that has always fascinated me.  Christians on the whole steer well clear of anything vaguely linked to the stars, horoscopes and their effect on people's lives.  Yet here we have three astronomers (not to be confused with astrologers who give us horoscopes).  They had studied the stars and believed that the position and relation of the stars and planets did indeed have some bearing on life on earth.  When they saw the particular configuration in the sky and saw the brightness it caused, they interpreted that as being the birth of a very important person, a king, who would have an enormous part to play for humanity.  They got together, packed up some belongings and set off on their journey to search for this special person, using the stars to guide them.  They may not have understood or studied the Jewish scriptures as they were from a completely different culture but they followed their beliefs to search for truth.

The obvious place it seemed would be to go to those in authority, the rulers of the place where they believed this new king had been born.  They were surprised to discover from Herod that the person they sought was not there but that didn't deter them.  Herod meanwhile consulted his own wise men who had studied the scriptures and was told of the Messiah who would be born in Bethlehem.  He told the travellers this and sent them on their way urging them to go back to him and tell him where the child was.  They kept on going, following the star and their convictions until they at last came to the stable in Bethlehem.  They understood the significance about this young child and so brought gifts to reflect their beliefs that he was king (gold), deity (frankincense) and sacrifice (myrrh).  God then told them in a dream to go back home by a different route and so avoid Herod who was just interested in eliminating any opposition to his rule or power.

What has always intrigued me is that although there were many among the Jews who studied the scriptures, none of them seemed aware of the importance of the birth of Jesus.  They totally missed the great event.  'He came unto his own and his own received him not'.  Yet here were people from a completely different culture who understood and God guided them and spoke to them through their own particular way of understanding life and through dreams.  They may not have known or understood all about Jewish history and their chosen status or their words of scripture but they did know how to read the signs of creation that was all around them.  It is good to remind ourselves that God doesn't just use his prophets and those who study his word but he does also quite clearly speak to those outside of his chosen people.  The wise men also learned that God, although so powerful does not always inhabit the grand places but encapsulated the emptying of himself and shows his loving humility in a tiny, helpless child.  Like the shepherds, (see last week's blog post) they learned that God does the unexpected.  We need to learn that we cannot tie God down to our expectations of Him or our way of thinking and understanding.  God will not be limited by our finite minds.

And so again I am reminded in the Christmas story that God is not just seen through the written word.  I need to read the signs, the things that are happening all around me.  God has ways of revealing his truth without all the study and religious observance or allegiance and we are seeing in our own day signs of God working for change in the world through people other than Christian - think of young Malala speaking out to allow education for girls.  We Christians don't have the monopoly of or exclusive access to truth nor are we the only ones through whom God chooses to work.  God uses whom He chooses.  I need to expect the unexpected.  I may need to change my views on things and learn to accept that which until now has been unacceptable to me - a renewing of my mind that God can and does work outside of my limited world of understanding.   

Christmas - Through the Eyes of the Shepherds

Here was this group of blokes just doing what they always did.  They were the tough, outdoor type who were able to fight off wild animals that threatened their flock of sheep.  They were used to spending long hours outside in all types of weather.  They would possibly be passing the night time hours exchanging anecdotes and a few jokes, like men throughout the ages have done.  They would always be alert to any danger that might creep up on them to cause havoc among the sheep with the intention of providing a meal for some hungry wild animal.  But suddenly... ...!  I can almost hear them mutter 'What the ... ...?'  (or their Jewish equivalent) as they searched the bright light for some explanation but not sure what was going on.  

I'm sure that they didn't expect that while they were just carrying out their nightly responsibilities that God would suddenly burst in on them in that way.  To say that they were taken aback is an understatement.  But then God often does that sort of thing - surprise us when we're least expecting it.  We tend to expect God to turn up in places that are deemed to be 'holy'; at special gatherings; in big meetings; when there is the 'right kind' of worship music and groaning prayers.  Angelic visitations appear when we're in the right mood and frame of mind don't they? ... ... not at work!   

The angels gave them directions to go and find the child that had just been born.  They explained the importance of this child - the long awaited Messiah.  Who would have thought that such an important message would have been revealed to a few simple shepherds?  They were probably not very well educated and maybe didn't manage to get to the synagogue very often because of their work.  They had been raised in the Jewish faith and knew about God and their history and being the 'chosen race' but were probably not very active in their expression of their faith.  They didn't question the angels.  They went and found the baby exactly as they had been told.    They weren't all dressed up in their Sabbath best.  They were in work clothes suitable for working with animals outdoors.  They went as they were and found him in the stable with the animals, a messy, dirty, smelly place, away from where people would normally live and sleep.

They saw God in a new way, identifying Himself with them.  He didn't expect certain conditions, education or understanding of Scripture.  He came to them where they were, as they were, out there.  His incarnation was for everyone - all included, not just the religious.  And they worshipped Him, right there, in the middle of their nightly work, as they were, with no great preparation or understanding.  That is Emmanuel - God with us (all) here, now.

Christmas Through the Eyes of a Child

During this advent season I am thinking of how different people view the whole nativity story.  The first one is through the eyes of a child. 

I have to admit that I am a great aunty to the most lovable 3 year old.  The other Saturday I had the privilege of accompanying him and his father, my nephew Darren and grandma Marilyn, my sister.  We went to see the Christmas decorations at the local garden centre Brimsmore.  We walked into the store and immediately young Oliver's eyes were taken by all the lights and sparkly things.  He just stood and said 'WOW!'  All the way around he kept uttering the word 'wow'.  He loved the animals that moved and all the decorations and of course the toy train layout featuring Ivor the Engine and his friends.  All the magic of the moment seemed to explode into his mind and only one word could sum it all up - wow! 

For a young child of 3, everything catches the eye, almost to the point of being overwhelming.  He loves looking at everything and touching if he is allowed to.  His little mind is in overdrive as he tries to assess all that is around him and the limited vocabulary of a toddler is not adequate to put into words what he is thinking and the emotions that it all conjures up.  And so  'wow' is all he can come out with.  We often hear Christmas being referred to as a time for children, maybe because of their sense of wonder at it all.  As we get older we lose some of that sense of wonder.  How often do we hear an adult refer to Christmas as 'wow'?  Probably never.  Sadly in maturing and growing up we all lose some of that childlike sense of wonder and awe.  It's like we've heard it and seen it all before.  We become blasé about it and so think of Christmas as a time for the children who see everything as new and fresh.

Jesus says that we should be like children before God.  To think of God being willing to limit himself in human form and come as a helpless baby dependant on his parents for everything - this God who created all things from nothing and yet laying aside all such power that when he speaks universes come into being, and becoming totally dependent instead of the Almighty, limited to one place instead of being everywhere - how can we not be filled with amazement and wonder.  This servant king evokes such emotions that we cannot find the words to express and in worship we just stand and say 'Wow'.  I want to drink in again the wonder of it all as a child.  WOW, God loves me that much!

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