What do I think?

I have been greatly impacted by a couple of videos that I've seen shared on social media this week.  The first one was a deliberate ploy to see how people would react when they discover that someone had dropped his wallet.  A number of people were very honest and immediately called after the young man to tell him he had dropped his wallet.  However there was one young man who picked up the wallet, looked around but didn't see who had dropped it so he put it in his pocket.  He then proceeded to do some shopping using a credit card that was identical to the one that had been in the wallet.  He bought a number of things before continuing on his journey.  He kept taking the wallet out of his pocket and looking through it and also phoning presumably some friend.  The man was probably in his twenties and had one prosthetic lower leg that was clearly visible and so I thought that maybe if he was classed as disabled then maybe he was struggling financially, unable to hold a full time job and so this wallet that suddenly appeared would seem like a piece of good luck for him.  Eventually the video clip ended when he actually went to the house of the person whose wallet he had found.  He was taking it back to its owner.  He had not used the credit card from the wallet but his own credit card that was identical to the one that had been dropped.  He had not used any of the money from the wallet but all the time had used his own money.  How wrong I was to prejudge the young man as were many others including the person who set up the ploy in the first place.

            

The second video that left a lasting impression on me was by a lady called Yassmin Abdel-Magied.  She began by asking what people's reactions were when they saw her dressed with a hijab and typical 'Muslim' style clothes.  Hopefully most would not judge her just because she was obviously a Muslim but would be open to listen to what she had to say.  She went on to ask what they would think of her if she said she was a mechanic.  I guess a few smiled, thinking 'no way!'  She proceeded to take off her outer garment and hijab to reveal underneath the bright orange work clothes of a motor mechanic and put on a hard hat over her hair that was tightly fastened with a scarf.  She said that actually she designed racing cars and that this was her day job.  Surprise!    She went on to talk about how often we are not openly biased but that actually deep inside we still have prejudices and biases that are so hidden that we're quite unaware of them.  She went on to tell a story of a man and his son who were in a car when they had an accident.  The father died on impact and the son was rushed to hospital.  The surgeon came to see the young man before operating but said 'I can't operate on him.  That is my son.'  I must admit that my first reaction was that the man in the car must have been his step-father.  Yassmin then went on to say that the surgeon was his mother.  Ouch! I've done it again.

The thing is that my late husband was not English, European or from North America and I lived abroad for about 10 years.  I have mixed freely with many people of different cultures and all walks of life, from highly professional to those in abject poverty.  I also have a person from my extended family who converted to Islam a few years ago.  So I really consider myself to be totally non-biased and accepting of those from other parts of the world and other cultures.  So for me these two videos made me see again that there are sometimes things that are just part of who we are and how we think because we have been brought up in a particular culture  or from a part of the world with a certain way of looking at things.  For me it was a wake-up call to check my reactions to people and situations that might concern religion, gender, sexuality or disability.  I must never presume anything about someone without getting to know them.  As Yassmin says in her talk, very often our first reactions and judgements about people turn out to be wrong.  It was also a reality check for me to not think I'm above having such reactions and thoughts.  Some things are so ingrained in us that it is difficult to acknowledge their presence.  What do I think?  I think I'm not as free from bias as I thought I was.  There is still work to be done and room for improvement.  And you?  What do you think?

Please try to make time to watch the videos.  You'll find it worthwhile.

Saving the World

It is quite easy to get a bit depressed when listening to or watching the news.  There seems to be trouble everywhere.  We wonder just where and when it will all end.  I don't know about you but I get a little irritated when I hear Christians saying that we are in the end times and that Jesus will soon be returning and he will put everything right.  They wait for him to come out of the clouds, descending from heaven to 'sort out' the world.  They expect to be suddenly carried off into the skies and be saved while Jesus destroys what is left of our beloved planet.


They seem to think of him as some sort of superhero that we love to watch on film or television who flies in and with a few strikes, everything is made orderly and perfect.  (Perfect being of course what we want to see according to our own particular beliefs)  He will zap our enemies like some supernatural destroyer.  I can't help thinking that the Jews in the time of Jesus thought the same of the Messiah that they were waiting for and that's why many of them had difficulty in accepting Jesus as the Messiah, the promised deliverer.  I wonder if Jesus returned today, how many Christians would recognise him and accept him maybe for similar reasons.

The thing is that Jesus taught and showed that God is Love.  So does all this destruction of those that we consider to be enemies really tally with a loving entity that loves all people equally.  Does a parent wish to destroy a child when s/he goes off the rails a bit or makes some erroneous decision.  The story of the Prodigal Son tells us otherwise.  What Jesus did teach and tell his disciples was that we should go and tell others of his ways of love and be like him.  God's spirit living in us is what will change the world.  He is not an old man sitting on a throne somewhere in 'the skies'.  We are his temple and he is alive on earth in and through us.  We think of the skies as up there, out there, over the horizon, beyond us but actually where earth ends is where the skies begin.  The horizon is actually the place where earth and sky meet.  So wherever we walk 'the skies' are actually at our feet and that's where God is, walking with us.  Wherever we are, he is because he is within us.  Do we want to save the planet and all its people?  Then we don't sit around waiting for his return (however that may or may not happen).  We take God with us, in us,through us in everything we do and everywhere we go.  We live his inclusive love even towards our enemies.  That's what Jesus taught.  If Jesus returned tomorrow, what would he do?  The following is a cartoon I saw and it made me think.  We need to consider again just what he taught and did on his first visit to earth.  His way can change the world for the better.

A tongue in cheek comic strip I found by
Brian K White's Comics on glossynews.com

Bubbles

Who, as a child has not enjoyed the delights of blowing bubbles and watching them float away showing all their changing colours as they go?  Children are fascinated by this very simple and cheap pastime, chasing them and trying to catch them.  A bubble is simply some gas enclosed in a thin film of water and it is the reaction of the water film with the light that creates the shimmering colours that causes so much fascination and delight.  The word 'bubble' conjures up a number of ideas.  As a Northerner, I remember parents saying to children, 'Giv' ower bubbling'.  For the uninitiated this means 'stop crying'.  To bubble is to be stirred with emotion, hence the word bubble referring to crying - the strong emotional response to a situation.  Most people will have experienced the sensation of something bubbling up inside as a reaction to a moving situation.  This can be said equally of anger, sadness, apprehension or joy.  Others of course think of a bubbly personality as being someone who is cheerful and positive in their outlook. 


I heard the other day of someone who referred to a person as 'living in a bubble'.  A person who actually needs, for medical reasons, to live in a literal bubble is in a very sad situation.  They are not free to live in the real world as there is so much that can harm them and possibly end their life and so they need to be protected from the outside world by living in a bubble-shaped prison.  They exist within a very limiting way of life and cannot freely share in activities that others enjoy.  When we refer to someone as living in a bubble, we infer that they don't really live in the real world.  They seem to live in a childlike, naive state that only sees what immediately affects them .  They somehow cannot see beyond their own little, limited world and seem incapable of sharing or sensing what others are feeling or their circumstances in life.  There is no other alternative to the way they think or feel.  Everything beyond their bubble is alien to them.  



Sadly many people seem to fall into this category, whether that be about politics, their own sense of being right, thoughtlessness towards others or with religion.  They live surrounded by a protective bubble.  It's as though anything outside of their bubble is alien to them and harmful so they stay inside the bubble where they feel secure and comfortable.  Their bubble might look nice and colourful but it is really a sort of prison limiting their scope and ability to really express themselves freely without restrictions.  It floats away because it's not the real world and yet for so many it is their world as though nothing exists outside of it.  But there is life outside the bubble.  We need to be aware of what goes on around us, how others think and live.  It's good to have the emotions of life bubbling up inside of us but not to live within the confines of a bubble. There is so much more to life than the restrictions that a bubble existence imposes.  There are those who see life from a different perspective but are just as right as we are and are striving to be true to themselves, the people they believe they were created to be, even if that is different from our view point.  Chase the bubble if you want but don't become captive to it and think that that is all there is.  We may not feel so safe and protected but outside the bubble is where the real life is lived, varied, creative, adventurous and interesting.  That's where the true freedom is.  

Change Course Of Action

The other day traveling home on the bus, we reached one of the main roundabouts in town.On the way around there were four cars that had stopped.  Apparently one car had changed lanes suddenly and bumped into another car causing a literal knock-on effect with the cars that followed.  Hence four cars all blocking the roundabout causing mayhem with the traffic.There didn't seem to be anyone hurt but a few irate drivers getting out of their vehicles to protest and look at the damage and take down insurance details.  No doubt for some it will mean a trip to the mechanic at the garage to sort out any problems that might have been caused and maybe a little paint job and the cars will look like new again.


I remember when I was a driver, how every year I would take the car to my friend at his garage in order for him to sort out any problems in order to get it through its MOT.  Wear and tear generally means that there was something to be done in order to get the car up to proper working order and efficiency.  The thing is as with most things, we can make do and mend for a while but there comes a time when we can't really fix the problems any more and things need to be replaced.  There is a time for more drastic action to be taken, when continuing with the same thing doesn't work any more.


This week I had my annual check up at the optician's.  I go every year.  A bit like an optical MOT.  I know that my eyes have gradually been getting worse over the past number of years because of cataracts.  That's partly the reason why I don't drive anymore.  There were all the usual procedures - shining a bright light and looking into my eyes or rather right through my eyes, how far down the board can you read?, can you see more clearly with this lens than with that lens etc etc etc.  The verdict eventually, after getting a second opinion from a more senior optician, was that it was not worth giving me glasses with new lenses as really I had reached the point that the best option was to have eye surgery to remove the cataracts that were causing the bad eyesight.  



There are occasions when surgery would seem a rather daunting prospect but in this case it was what I was hoping for.  There comes a time when trying to make the best of a situation becomes tiresome.  We just want a solution.  We want it sorted once and for all.  And after a number of years of having a change of prescription for my spectacles and having some improvement for a few months before it eventually got worse ... again...  it was kind of a relief to know that now at last there was going to be a solution.  How often do we just plod on in life, doing the same thing, sometimes reviving things a bit and then keep going when maybe it's time for a more drastic solution?  How often do we wonder, 'What's the point?  Why do I keep on doing this, going there, supporting that?  Nothing really changes.  Still the same old thing.when I yearn for more.  If things just aren't working any more then maybe it's time for something different.  Be brave, it'll be worth it.
   

Efficient/Effective?

This week Vicky Beeching used a quote on Twitter that was originally written by Peter Drucker, an Austrian born American management consultant.  He has been described as the 'founder of modern management'. The quote was: 'Efficiency is doing things right.  Effectiveness is doing the right things.'  That set me thinking.  It's great to be efficient.  It gets the job done and done well.  But it is imperative that the things that are done are the right things.  You can be very efficient at doing the wrong things.  So being efficient in itself is not necessarily good.


Most of this past week in our home we have had the pleasure of the company of a friend from Latvia.  We have had some very interesting conversations about many things.  We got onto the subject of people going to other countries within the church setup on particular missions.  We both know of people who have gone with a particular project or 'programme' that they intended to put into practice, as though you can programme God. How often do we have plans and ask God to bless our plans when often they are not God's plans at all?  I have known people who have been very organised and efficient but not necessarily doing the right things.  They arrive full of what they are going to do, set up this meeting and that project and within 2 to 3 years they will have so many converts and will expand to other places when maybe it would be better to identify with the people and place where they intend to work, get to know the real situation and circumstances and what is actually needed.  I also read this week about a story of helping those who need help as opposed to those that we think need our help.  There are parts of the world where, instead of organising meetings and setting up Bible classes and teaching programmes, what is really needed is tools to dig a well to save the women from having to walk miles to get a bucket of water.  Instead of trying to explain the resurrection it would be more helpful to give seeds or animals or maybe teach them methods of agriculture and business so the people could feed and fend for themselves.  I can't help feeling that much of the work is in order to promote the public standing of the group, charity or denomination that is carrying out the missions.  It often seems to be more about adding numbers to their membership or following than sharing the Good News in practical ways.  

We can be very efficient in bringing plans to fruition and getting the job done but if we are asking the wrong questions, if we are focusing on the wrong problem, the seriousness of the situation will just continue and get worse.  We need to address the cause of problems in order to be effective in bringing about a solution.  When we go to the doctor with a health problem, we often get some medication.  If the problem continues then often a deeper, more intense and detailed study by xray, scan or tests needs to be carried out in order to identify the underlying cause of the problem.  It's no use taking painkillers if the real problem is a broken leg.  The painkillers will alleviate the pain for a while but unless the broken leg is mended, the problem will still exist and cause more pain and problems.  Sometimes we might think that we are helping a situation but when we take a closer, more in-depth look at the situation we discover that the real need is something that is not really being addressed.  And so the problem continues.  Our carefully thought-out plans and efficiency will get some sort of result but the real problems are not addressed and the situation does not change in spite of all our efforts.  


It reminds me of the words of Helder Camara, the Brazilian Archbishop who was assassinated in 1999 when he said, 'When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist'.  We can be very efficient but unless we address the root causes of problems and ask the right questions we will never be effective in showing God's love as Jesus taught.  Richard Rohr recently in his daily meditations when referring to the Desert Fathers and Mothers said that for them 'faith was first a lifestyle before it was a belief system'.  The first followers of Jesus were known as People of the Way (a way of living) before they were known as people who followed a belief system.  Maybe it's time to rethink why we do what we do.  Are we just efficient or are we effective?    

Things Are Different

Sitting behind me on the bus the other day were two men having a discussion about how they gave up the habit of smoking.  One said that he had tried various types - pipe, rolling his own and the usual cigarette.  He had smoked since being a very young teenager but just decided one day that he wasn't going to smoke any more - and he hasn't.  The other gentleman had also smoked for many years but gave up because of health reasons.  The conversation went on to discuss their surprise that now neither of them liked being around people who were smoking.  They could even smell on their clothes if they had just smoked a cigarette.  The mere thought of smoking now just churned them up.  Their sense of smell and taste had improved beyond expectation and generally they felt better in their health with more energy and less coughs and wheezing.  Strange how the environment they thrived in had now become something they avoided whenever possible.  Their ideas about smoking had changed their outlook almost to the complete opposite way of thinking.

Just the other day I received an email from a friend explaining just how people should treat a dog for the blind that is in working mode.  Normally if a friend is out with his or her dog and we meet up, the immediate reaction is to greet the friend, sometimes with a hug or handshake, and also to make a fuss of the dog.  But in the case of a dog accompanying a blind person, you should never get hold of the person's hand or arm in case the dog reacts in defense of his owner.  A dog for the blind also has special times when he is given fuss and attention and that is not when he is working.  Then his full attention is on the directions of his owner.  Different situations need different responses.

Looking back over my life, although I have never smoked, I can agree with the two men who see things differently now.  How I have changed my thinking on many issues over the years!  Life experiences have taught me many lessons to the point that some things I see in a different way from how I used to see them.  I like to think that this has made me a better person, more tolerant and accepting.  There is the old saying about not criticizing someone unless we have walked in the other person's shoes.  Although the two gentlemen preferred now not to smoke, they fully understood those who still do and how difficult some find it to relinquish the habit.  They have been there and understand but now see things differently.  

Again as with the working dog, there are situations when what works with one doesn't work with another.  In life there is no one size fits all solution.  Situations are different and people are different.  We need not only to empathize with others but see them as unique and different.  Many religious people seem to think that obeying the rules, the 'do's and don'ts' is how you become affiliated to God.  There is no set formula, no specially worded prayer that saves.  Each must come to God as we are and he deals with us as we need.  That is different for everyone.  Some might find a church building inspiring where they want to worship while for others the silence and beauty of a walk in the country is where they meet and talk with God.  There was a time when I considered that part of being a Christian is going to a place of worship but now I know that anywhere can be a place of worship and that's how I now prefer to live.  What works for one does not necessarily work for someone else.  

Different people, different situations, different ways of thinking but God is one and loves all equally and is happy to meet with us anywhere, anytime and in any circumstance in which we find ourselves.  

Reassuring

A very important wedding invitation.

We have a summer wedding to look forward to.  My elder son is tying the knot with his partner in June after spending the last 12-13 years as a single man.  The other day I went to the office in town to buy our travel tickets for the occasion from National Express.  (I like to be organised in good time)  I bought my senior coach card that allows me a discount and also the tickets for my other son and myself for a return journey.  The receptionist gave me the receipts and I left.  After I got home I looked for the tickets to put them in a safe place but could not find them.  I rummaged in my handbag - not there - and then in the shopping bag but to no avail.  Actually thinking about it, I didn't remember actually being given the tickets.  So I had to make another trip to the office to tell them that I have the receipts but couldn't find the tickets.  The person behind the desk checked and them handed me the tickets.  Apparently the person who served me had given me the receipts and my senior coach card but hadn't actually handed over the tickets.  Phew!  What a relief!  Partly to know that I hadn't mislaid them and would have to buy another set of tickets and partly to reassure me that I hadn't been so confused that I had forgotten where I had put them.  

A couple of weeks ago I took part in a set of tests for bowel cancer.  It's something I have done every couple of years for quite a long time now.  Still between doing the tests and getting the results, there is always that uncertain feeling, waiting for the results, even if you do feel absolutely fine.  This week I received the results and everything is normal.  Again what a relief.  It is reassuring to know that according to the test, I'm doing ok.  

The capped pipe.

This week also saw us having a visit from the gas man to have our annual service for our heating system.  I know the boiler is getting old but it serves us well and again it was reassuring to know that it passed with flying colours despite its age and so there is no extra expense at least for another year.  While he was here, the engineer noticed that we had taken the front off the gas fire as we never use it (I prefer to just use the radiators for all round warmth) He checked and suggested that he should actually cut the pipe leading to the fire and cap it to make sure that there is no gas escape.  He did exactly that and also taped the end of the open pipe so that no spiders or other small creatures could get in but wouldn't take any extra money (not even a tip to buy himself a pint) even though the extra work wasn't in his original remit.  He then did an extra check just to make sure that there was no escaping gas.  Again what reassurance to know that the expert had given his opinion and that there was nothing to worry about.

There are times in life when we get a little apprehensive about something that may or may not be life-changing but how good it is to receive that reassurance that actually we are doing ok.  Everything has been checked and there isn't a problem where we thought there might or could have been.  When we have doubts about things, especially spiritual matters, we can sometimes feel that we shouldn't talk about them or question what everyone else seems to take for granted.  Do you have any doubts or questions about what we're told we should believe or accept?  We would seldom mention anything to those who are considered to be 'experts' or 'professionals' in the matter in case we're criticized rather than listened to.  We would probably be considered a bit of a loose cannon or even heretic or having 'lost our faith'  So it's really good when someone else airs those same doubts.  It reassures us to know that we're not the only ones thinking that way and maybe we don't have a problem after all.  Many of the writers of the Bible, particularly of the Psalms, had no problem in questioning God and criticizing those considered to be leaders of their faith.  Jesus himself on many occasions disagreed with those in spiritual leadership in his day.  So maybe it's time for us all to stop keeping our doubts to ourselves. Who knows? We might discover that many others are on a similar wave length and actually we are doing ok and can reassure and encourage each other on our journey. 

Growing Diversity

This week we have enjoyed some lovely spring weather here in the south west of England.  At last I have been able to get out into the garden and get things growing again.  I have managed to sow quite a few different vegetables and planted some fresh flowers.  We are in no way self sufficient in providing and growing our own food.  Space and personal physical energy don't allow for this but it is good to be able to eat something that you've grown yourself.  It is so much healthier when you know that they haven't been doused in chemicals or somehow force fed to produce perfect-looking produce.  Because they are fresher of course they are tastier.  I plant the flowers, partly because I like to see nice flowers in a garden and partly to encourage the bees and butterflies necessary in the pollination of other plants that we eat.  I try to grow a variety as it looks more interesting and, as far as food is concerned, is better for us.  I often think of the Israelites during the Exodus from Egypt and really sympathize with them.  I mean, what must it be like to have to eat manna and quails every day.  They wandered in the desert for 40 years.  And we complain if we have the same thing twice in two weeks!  In the 21st century we know that a variety of food is not only pleasing to the palate but necessary for health reasons.  A good variety gives us a balanced and nutritious diet that leads to good health.  Too much of one thing and not enough of something else is not good for us.  It can create an imbalance within our bodies and leaves us lacking in some nutrient.

I do like to see pictures of a snowdrop or bluebell wood but when it comes to the garden of a house I have to admit that having only one type of flower does not appeal to me.  In fact most gardens seem to grow different types of flowers as well as different colours to put on a display.  A walk through a park is more enjoyable if there are displays of different flowers, bushes and trees and when we buy a bunch of flowers to put in a vase, more often than not we choose a bunch that has more than one colour or at least one colour plus greenery.  So in food and in plants we like and need diversity.



And so I ponder ... ... why, oh why can we not accept this in society?  We say that we accept people being different but there is a big difference between tolerance and acceptance.  We might tolerate those who express themselves differently as long as they stay over there out of my way.  Those who have a different culture, a different way of living, a different way of expressing their beliefs, a different way of loving are so often made to feel outsiders so that they huddle together in their own isolated communities and not accepted in general society.  We have so much to learn from God's creation.  The rose doesn't say that he is better and nicer looking than the daisy and so more important.  They are both as important and beautiful as the other in their own way and circumstances.  Someone once remarked, 'Our differences combine to create meaning and beauty.'   God created all things diverse, not to compete against each other but to complement each other and together to make a rich world beneficial to all.  Diversity is healthy and pleasurable.  That is how God designed it.  We need to learn to live together in harmony and diversity in order to really express God's intention for our world.

Either/Or

Those of us living in the UK are well aware of the fact that we are in the run-up to a general election.  It's almost impossible to escape the fact.  We are bombarded on all sides with adverts, slogans, leaflets and those on social media making their preferences clear.  The other evening there was a 2 hour debate on television with 7 leaders of parties, each trying to put their view and policies across and trying to convince us to vote for them; making us decide; either or; which one shall we choose?  The truth is that many people listen and are in agreement with one party over a certain policy and with another party over a  different  policy.  The problem is that on the day of election, you can only vote for one party.  You can't vote for the different parties to deliver different policies.  It's about either one or another.

Depiction of Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus.

I am reminded that in the early Church, Paul had disagreements with some of the other disciples over the conversion of Gentiles.  Oh they were very happy that there were those non-Jews who were willing to listen to the story of Jesus and His teachings and wanted to follow His way but they also wanted them to become Jews.  The disciples were Jews, Paul was a Jew and so it was considered that all those who affiliated themselves to their cause should also be Jews.  That was their way of thinking.  You are one of us now.  You are either with us or you're not.  Paul never stopped being a Jew in every sense of the word.  He kept all the Jewish customs, observances,vows he had made and laws and had a number of arguments with others when they insisted that Gentiles should to do the same.   


Jesus was born, lived and died a Jew.  He never stopped being a Jew. But Paul realised that the teachings of Jesus were for everyone.  It wasn't about 'us and them'.  All were included.  He could be a Jew who loved and followed his religion and still be a follower of the Jesus way.  The non-Jews to whom Paul was a missionary,
 taking the message of Jesus, could be who they were, follow Jesus' way without having to convert to Judaism.  When the Galatians insisted that new converts should be circumcised Paul tells them 'For freedom Christ has set us free: stand fast therefore and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.' (Galatians 2:11-12) The message of Jesus goes beyond tribal and ethnic observances, beyond culture, beyond religious affiliation.  It is for all.  They were known as 'people of The Way'.  Jesus himself said that he is The Way.  He said 'Follow me'.  It wasn't about observing the rules and laws of Judaism.  Jesus on numerous occasions deliberately did not observe the laws saying it was about doing the right thing not necessarily what the law stated.  It was about doing things his way, following his example, living his teachings.  It was for all people everywhere - all means ALL - a way of living, a way of loving.  Sadly 'people of The Way' became known as Christians and another tribal ethnicity was born.  Nowadays in many parts it's more about conforming to certain dogmas than living the way of Jesus.  It's more about doctrine than practice, those who belong to a certain group rather than God's love for whoever, regardless of culture or way of life.  

This Easter let's remind ourselves of the real message of Jesus - bringing good news to the poor, feeding the hungry, helping those who are hurting physically, emotionally and mentally, being there for the outcast and the unloved. It's not about which side we're on but about doing what's right, even if that disagrees with our particular tribe.  The message of Jesus is love.  He died for love.  If you haven't heard it before listen to the words of this song by Godfrey Birtill.  Love, love,love.  Lord help us to live The Way of Love.

Labels

I have become quite an avid label reader.  At first, when food shopping, it was about the total calories an item contained.  Then for those of us who need to take care of our cholesterol level it's more about the amount of saturated fat that a product contains.  The latest in the line of 'baddies' that we need to look out for is sugar, especially it seems in low fat products.  It's amazing just how much sugar and salt are added to just about everything, even to what you think are savoury products.  There is currently a series on TV about such matters.  Last week it looked at sugar in food, this week about the total calories.  Next week they will be taking an in-depth look at fats.  Oh dear, it seems we cannot win.  Years ago we didn't seem to have all these problems but of course years ago, we knew exactly what was in our food as we mostly cooked it from fresh ingredients.  All this labeling is useful if you're trying to maintain a decent quality of healthy food in your diet, especially as so much of what we consume is now already processed for our convenience - although I still prefer to prepare meals from fresh so I know exactly what's in them.  

It's not just in food though that we see people checking labels.  Some people prefer clothing with certain brand name labels rather than others.  When I look at clothing labels it's not so much for the name of the maker but rather how to take care of it and wash/iron it.  When I buy items of crockery, pots and pans etc. then I look to see if I can use them in the microwave, oven or dishwasher.  That's because I really don't want to break something or spoil it by putting it in the microwave or oven if it's not made to withstand the high heat.  As regards the dishwasher and washing machine, it does seem a bit pointless buying something that I need to wash by hand when the whole point of having a machine is to save me from that very activity.  When it comes to clothing if it says 'do not iron', that's an added bonus.  So again, labels are very useful and in some cases quite necessary in order to know exactly what we are purchasing and if it meets our requirements.

Labels tell us a lot about where something was made, what's it's made from and what are its uses.  The problem is that we tend to label things that can't really be labelled.  Sticking a label on doesn't necessarily tell us everything we want or need to know.  When we define people with a label, we might get some idea of what they believe (Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu etc) or where they come from (Britain, Asia, Africa etc) or their sexuality (gay, straight, trans or bisexual) but such labels don't really tell us about the person behind the label.  We can't know from a label if there is any unseen or invisible disability.  We don't know what financial or emotional struggles someone is experiencing just by seeing that they happen to be 'white European' for example (or any other combination of labels).  People can so often put on a brave face, keep smiling when they are actually going to pieces deep inside.  How many people get conned out of money by someone who 'looked' trustworthy and dressed smartly?  Labeling someone by their outward appearance is not really knowing that person.  You can have a fair idea of goods you buy by their labels but you can't use the same method of getting to know a person simply by putting them in a certain box or category.  Sadly we do this too much.  Just as you can't judge a book by its cover, so you can't know a person by a label that some people want to stick on them.  Labels judge people, friendship gets to know them.  

Lord, help me not to pigeon-hole people just by their religion, ethnicity, sexuaity or outward appearance but help me to love and treat them all as You do by looking deeper and trying to get to know them better.  

Noticing The Familiar

When I receive an online order form my local supermarket, fruit and salad goods are put into a paper carrier bag.  The intention, of course, is to show just how 'green' they are by using paper carriers and not plastic bags.  (The fact that they still use plastic bags for other produce is beside the point!) This has been going on for quite some months so I was surprised the other day to notice something about the paper carrier that I hadn't noticed before.  Apart from their name, there was some other writing on the bag.  I read it and found that it was a useful tip for peeling root ginger.  Why hadn't I noticed that before?  I then started looking at other bags (I don't throw them away but keep them for recycling) to see how many other tips I had missed without realising.

They say that seeing is believing but actually when I read the tip about peeling ginger, I thought about it and then decided I needed to try it just to see if it was as they advocated - and yes, it works exactly as they say it will and so easy.  That's something I will be doing from now on.  Of course it could well be that other people already knew this but it was new to me.  It did set me thinking about how much I just glance over things out of familiarity without really noticing.  How much might I be missing?



We live in an instant, press-button world where things are done so quickly and for efficiency, so it's claimed.  The other day I read on a social media about someone who had gone walking with a friend who walked really slowly. The friend's reasoning behind this was, 'When we walk too fast, we forget to be with each other.'  I like that.  How often in life do we walk so fast that we forget to be present to the moment?  How often do we just skip over things without spending time to really notice or listen?  I guess that as a pensioner, I'm fortunate that I am able to spend possibly a little more time on things - or maybe it just takes me longer now to do things that I did more quickly before!  But seriously, we tend to fill our lives with busyness and so miss much that could be beneficial.  I remember when I first retired there was a real danger of suddenly overfilling my diary thinking that now I had nothing else to do!  Then you find that you're busier than when you had employment.

If only we took notice of God's wisdom, making sure that we have a day of rest.  For those whose 'day of rest' is actually quite busy, maybe you should choose another day to rest.  He also tells us 'Be still and know that I am God'. Stop, look and listen or we'll miss so much of real value, for us and for others.

Planks and Splinters

How not to park a car

I guess most of us have pet hates, things that really irritate us.  One of my pet hates is people who think that the rules apply to everyone else but not to them.  As a driver I used to get annoyed when in a parking lot, there always seemed to be someone who didn't park properly between the lines so left it almost impossible for another car to park next to it.  Or drivers who never seemed to indicate where they were going, expecting others to use telepathy to guess which exit they were going to turn off at a roundabout.  Now, as a pedestrian those irritations have been replaced it seems by others.

Blocking the aisle at the supermarket

The other day, my son and I were in town doing a bit of shopping.  We had been to the supermarket and were walking back to the town centre when my son said,'Do you realise that this morning you have done two of the things that you get irritated about when other people do them?'  Me?  Never!  I wouldn't!  Then he began to gently remind me of two incidents when I had suddenly stopped in one of the aisles at the supermarket blocking the whole passage with my trolley, making the lady behind me stop suddenly and unable to pass me until I moved.  Then later on our way into the town centre I moved across the pavement in order to cross the road but in doing so walked right in front of somebody else without looking or realising that I nearly bumped into them.

Mrs Do-as-you-would-be-done-by

The truth is that if that had happened to me I possibly would have made a comment that people should watch where they are going and that  people wander around in their own little world oblivious to those around them.  And I had done just that.  Guilty as charged.  They are not grave sins or criminal activities but little niggles about thoughtlessness towards others.  The thing is that I hadn't even noticed that I had done exactly the things that I moaned about when others do them.  The words of Jesus came to mind about seeing the splinter in the other person's eye when I have a plank in my own.  Or the character from the children's book The Water Babies, Mrs Do-as-you-would-be-done-by.

Oh dear!  How easy it is to notice flaws and failings in others and how we delight to point them out and yet how often we are guilty of similar, if not the same flaws and failings.  Somehow we don't see our own faults, only those of others.  Something I read many years ago that said that we should be prepared to forgive and overlook the faults and flaws of others because they have to do the same for us.  Ouch!  I am humbled and reminded that no-one is perfect, myself included.

The Irony of Life

On a Wednesday morning I always get up at 6.30 to sort out the recycling and rubbish.  The bins need to be out by 7 am.  You can put them out the night before but most people, myself included, prefer to put them out in the morning, mainly to avoid the animal wildlife (including fox and badger) that comes out here at night and that would make a real mess rummaging in the stuff we throw away.  This week I noticed that it was quite light when I put the bins out.  Until now the early mornings have been dark but the lighter mornings and the longer evenings before nightfall are becoming noticeable.  It makes it much easier when you can see clearly what you are doing even if you have got a security light to help.  There's no light to compete with natural light.  The other day I was also able to hang the washing outside to dry.  When I brought it in the house again it was completely dry.  I had managed to wash, dry and iron the clothes all before our evening meal.  I haven't been able to do that for quite a few months.


Anyone who knows me knows how I love my garden.  When living in England, I have always had a garden, except that is when I first came to live in Yeovil.  My son and I shared an upstairs flat.  The thing I really disliked was that I had no plot of land to grow anything and when we opened the (only) door of the flat all you could see was stairs.  Ugh!  You couldn't even see outside - just stairs.  So I was over the moon when we were able to move to the house we now live in as I have a nice big rear garden.  The thing is now at 74 I wish I had the energy I had 10 years ago but I still manage to potter around and enjoy it.


The thing about these three experiences is that having experienced the down side of things, I have come to appreciate the positive side.  If I were always able to put the bins out in daylight, then I wouldn't appreciate the lighter mornings.  During the winter months, the drying of clothes has to be done indoors and I really prefer to hang things out to dry by the natural warmth of the sun and the movement of the breeze.  I think clothes smell nicer if they've been dried outside.  At least that's my opinion.  So I really like it when I can get things washed and dried all in the same day without having to live with damp clothes hanging around.  Having lived in an upstairs flat made me realise just how much I enjoy having a garden and how much I missed not having one.  So it seems that experiencing the negative side of things helps us to appreciate the positive side more.

Just this week I read something that brought this home to me.  It said:

Life is so ironic that we have to have known sadness in order to savour happiness, noise in order to appreciate silence and absence in order to enjoy someone's presence.

I think that is a sentiment we can all relate to.  Take time and dwell on each one for a while.  It's a bit like the two sides of a coin.  You can't have one without the other.  So even out of the not-so-nice experiences in life, we can gain something good.

Creative Spirit

This was taken at the beginning of this week.
Now the bulb is past the height of the leaves. 

Every year for the past few years, a friend of mine has given me an amaryllis bulb for my birthday.  This year she visited me in the second half of January and brought the bulb with her.  A couple of days later I planted the bulb and within the short space of a month it has grown immensely and now has a bud just waiting to open.  Such elegance and beauty from something that looks quite dirty and not at all pretty.  It cheers the heart to see signs of spring all around us now.  Snowdrops have been and gone, crocuses are blossoming and the daffodils are growing stronger every day - that is the bulbs in my garden.  Early daffodils have been flowering in other parts of the town since around Christmas time.  It is encouraging to see new life, whenever and wherever it occurs.  It brings a sense of hope for the future after dark and dreary days. 

Not the owl from Simon King's website but
another Barn Owl brooding over her eggs.

There was great delight this week on the website of Simon King the naturalist, when the camera that he has in the owl nest box showed that when the female owl moved an egg could de seen.  Another form of new life bringing hope for the future of the owl population in that area of Somerset.  It reminded me of the dawn of creation when the Spirit of God hovered over the waters or as the Message Bible refers to it, 'God's spirit brooded like a bird ...'   A great error of the church generally is that we tend to think of the Holy Spirit and her work in terms of Pentecost, charismatic expressions of religion and big gatherings when we are 'in the right spirit' and utter the right words in prayer, then the Holy Spirit is manifest sometimes in strange and unusual ways like speaking in strange tongues, falling over, shaking or fits of laughter.  It's as though we need to follow a set formula if we want to see God's Spirit at work.  Yet at the very beginning of creation we see that God's Spirit was working, brooding over things.  The female bird broods over her eggs in order to give them warmth, protection, love and produce life.  She then continues to support and provide for her young.  With this picture in mind I can't help thinking of the Holy Spirit as the brooding, female expression of God.  So if I want to see the work of the Holy Spirit, I need go no further than my garden or look at my house plants.  Evidence of Her is all around.  They say that where's there's life there's hope.  Well I like to think of it as where there's life there's the Holy Spirit at work.  She breathes life wherever She goes.

My 'Christmas' cactus in February.

I also have another plant, a Christmas cactus.  It flowers every December.  The other day I noticed that there are a couple of buds on it ready to open.  It had already given an abundance of flowers in December so for this particular plant, this is out of season.  Another lesson - the Holy Spirit is at work in season and out of season.  She manifests herself and shows up when we least expect it.  When I was sorting out the house plants and ready to discard and throw away what I thought had died over the winter, I discovered that when I cleared away all the dead parts of a fuchsia plant, there were a few small new leaves just appearing - another lesson in how the Spirit of God renews and revives.




We miss so much when we limit God to certain gatherings and dates on the calendar.  He really is everywhere and the Spirit is continuously at work, not just at a time that the church considers there is some sort of 'outpouring' or revival.  God spoke and the Spirit brooded and creation came into being.  By observing creation, we see the Holy Spirit at work.  She continues to create life whether we notice or not but it's a shame if our preconceived, limiting ideas of Her blind us so we miss seeing the wonder of Her work all around us all the time.   

RAK Lent

This week in the Christian calendar has seen the beginning of Lent.  Many people practise the eating of pancakes on Shrove Tuesday but not all those who recognise Pancake Day commit to the 40 days of Lent.  I have to admit that I haven't always participated in the giving up of something for Lent.  It seemed to me to be a practice that had become almost a dogma among Christians, a sort of formula that had to be adhered to in order to be considered a committed Christian.  So being the rebel and non-conformist that I am, I stopped doing it.  Many of course find the self denial and discipline good for their spiritual lives and that's to be applauded.  Many make a conscious effort to pray and read the Bible more which is not a bad thing.


The 40 days of Lent, although a recognised part of the Christian calendar, was not something that Jesus himself practiced on a regular basis.  It is really in remembrance of his 40 days in the wilderness where he was tempted before beginning his ministry so in partaking of the practice of some form of fasting in Lent is not something Jesus particularly expected his disciples to do or his followers to take on board as some obligatory annual ritual.  For Jesus it was a very personal time in his journey on earth. So different people approach this time in different ways.  One very tongue-in-cheek look at Lent I saw this week was on twitter called 101 things to give up for Lent.  It included things like certain luxury food and drink as you might expect but also things like giving up non-Christian TV and books and also mid-air drumming and all shoes except sandals, saying at the end that if you do all the things on the list then you are a very godly person indeed!


The time that is remembered as I said is the 40 days before the start of Jesus' ministry and not the 40 days before what we now call Easter.  It was a time when Jesus wrestled with the concerns of his ministry, how he should go about it and what was the main thrust of his message.  It was not about him but about God and his love and forgiveness.  It was about making a change in the lives of many who were living on the margins of society.  It was 'good news to the poor'.  He quoted from the book of the prophet Isaiah when he began his ministry and we are reminded that in Isaiah God says to his people 

'Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the chords of the yolk, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?  Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter, when you see the naked to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?   ( Isaiah 58:6.7) 


In my musings and browsing along these lines, I have been challenged myself to live a different Lent this year - a Random Act of Kindness (RAK) Lent.  The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu suggests something on similar lines when he endorses Love Life Live Lent, saying that such acts of kindness to others could change our world.  I discovered that Pope Francis has also been saying something similar.  He suggests fasting on the indifference we have towards the problems of others.  So the RAK Lent is not just about giving up something but trying to make a difference.  Like the 40 days for Jesus was a preparation for his future life, I'm praying that this Lent might be a preparation for a year ahead that makes a difference in the every day living of just where I am.  For more ideas on what acts you could carry out check out Do Lent Generously an idea from the Christian charity Stewardship.  It has some excellent suggestions that are easy to follow.  It's not about giving in terms of money but also time, thought, being not so me-focused on what I'm giving up but more deliberately focused on the needs of others and how I can help to make a difference, making the world a better place for them. 

(Click on the red print to go to the links quoted.)