Nobody came…….
But I did read this sermon on the net, and at a time when many of the churches are facing hard decisions, it makes us pause for thought. And long for truth and love.
Today:
Waiting for the plumber (to replace a faulty radiator)
Waiting for the TV to be delivered
Waiting for the builders……….seems like forever.
What a day for the lesson of patience.
Being worried, upset and afraid is part of the human condition, even when we know logically that there is no point in wasting time fretting. It is all very well reading words in the Bible telling us not to be frightened because even the hairs on our heads are counted…..but for many people those very words sound hollow. Like the father who has just lost his young son in a car accident, or the family of the latest soldier killed in Iraq, or the pensioner who waits for the red bills to drop through the letterbox.
The best we can do is to trust that there is a God who cares enough to be with us in and through the bad experiences. Sometimes we sense this in a spiritual way, and at other times there is a person who shares the pain with us. It can be hard to preach the truth like this, so today I think of all the ministers and preachers throughout our land who have to grapple with scripture and truth, and all the people who are having a tough time.
Off to a 50th Birthday Party today in a village hall. The relative in question cannot surely be 50!
Happy Birthday Kath.
Men have the best line in the drip, drip, drip form of tactics. Him Behind the Wheel has been dropping hints about getting a new TV for months now. I have to admit that it is mad to be renting a 6yr old set when there are plenty of good offers about. So I countered by saying that of course I could only fancy another Sony as they are so reliable etc etc…..knowing full well how expensive they are. Counter tactics ensued. He took me into the Sony centre in Oban.
The new, state of the art TV arrives on Monday.
40 inches no less.
He knew I would be won over by class. And shiny crispness.
You have to look carefully to see this is not a mess, but a beautiful reflection. A lot like life really.
No sooner do I start dreaming of spring than winter hits hard. Minus 7degrees C last night. But the sun is beautiful especially as it glints on the frost.
Misty isn’t too sure about tea-tree shampoo for dogs. I must admit it does smell a bit butch; so I have promised her something more floral for next time.
She does look nice and fluffy nonetheless.
It took several hours yesterday to read the Sunday paper…….. not helped by the dog, who kept jumping up on my knee. The combination of warm, comforting canine and rather dull news kept sending me to sleep. Just as well we had gone for a walk first.
A friend down south tells me she has roses, a camelia and daffodils all blooming in her garden. All we can manage around here are snowdrops and the first crocuses. But the birds definitely know that spring is on the way.
Do not slip into the swamp of brooding sadness.
A glad heart is the puse of human life,
and your joy is a gift to everyone – and you.
Surprise yourself to distract you from your cares;
have the courage to send resentment on its way,
for more than a few have worried themselves to death,
and sulkiness hurts no tormentor but yourself.
Jealousy, anger and worry shrivel your days
and lace the finest meal with bitterness,
while a cheerful heart makes mere bread a joy.
From Sirach, translated by G O’Malley
