Well back slightly later than I thought!

Last weekend I flew to Inverness to spend some time with family, however our journey back was a little complicated, snow stopped play and after a extra unplanned night in Aberdeen due to cancelled flights, we ended up taking the train to London and arriving back on Tuesday evening.

 

It is interesting to see how people cope with changes to their plans, in spite of the knowledge that there was not going to be a flight to Luton that day, most of us argued and stressed over how we could make it happen.

 

I was smiling today when I read the account of Jesus in the synagogue. The elders gathered round expecting this man to make big changes in his own town, to right the wrongs and make things better, yet Jesus  lets them know that it is not going to happen. Hedoes the unexpected, and  what did they do, they threw him out of town.

 

 

The Jewish leaders in the synagogue,  were not prepared to listen when things did not go the way they expected, yet Jesus often meets us that way, doing the unexpected, asking us to go in different directions - how will we react, will we listen and obey, or will we also throw him out of town?

 

Luke 4 vs 14-30

On Wednesday afternoon I was lucky enough to escape the chores and domestics and spend some time in the Fitzwilliam Gallery in Cambridge looking at some of the paintings of John Singer Sargent.  It was an absolute joy and as I stood in front of one oil painting of  the Mount of Olives Jerusalem I was transported to that hot dusty landscape despite the snow lying outside. Now I have many books on the technique of painting, the brush strokes, the use of colour, perspective,composition and I could analyse to some degree the techniques used and how this piece of art was formed, but I could not in a million years explain what gave it that power and beauty for that is something gifted and beyond mere technique.

 

I don't pretend to be an academic,or to completely understand the clever discussions which will take place in the synod of the Church today about science and religion. I do know that brighter people than I can explain the existence of our earth and our plant and animal life, but I wonder if it is not a bit like the painting. Even with all the scientific analysis of elements and species and atoms, it cannot quite explain to me the power and beauty of creation, the wonder of the stars and the beauty of the first snowdrops peeping through. For me I accept the techniques but I can't find it conceivable that there is not a wise and wonderful creator who is at the heart of it all.

 

"The heavens declare the glory of the Lord" Psalm 19 vs 1

Taking a break for midterm, back week beginning 22 February

I am sitting writing this with a pair of very wet trousers, more later, but I wanted to write it quickly before the moment passed. So today is the day our dog learned to swim- quite by accident of course! As we went for our usual walk and she edged nearer and nearer the riverbank I tried everything. I tried to coax her back with a reward, I spoke to her a little louder each time, I did everything but put her back on the lead because I wanted to see what she would do. The inevitable happened of course and as she put her weight on the floating grasses she fell right in.

 

Now because I couldn't face my kids if anything happened to her, and yes because I am really fond of her, I went in too and hauled her out, so technically I don't know if she swam or not.

 

It seemed similar to God watching over us. He sees us stray and knows we will come to harm, so he tries to reach us, to turn us back, to call us but he doesn't force us because we have free will, then when we do fall he is right there to help us. Simply because he loves us.

 

"The Lord will protect you from all danger;

he will keep you safe.

He will protect you as you come and go now and forever."

Psalm 121 vs 7-8

In our kitchen we have a small water filter where we fill from the tap and then pour out. It seems a simple task, however almost every time I go for a drink of water the jug is empty as the last person (probably me) didn't refill it. Rather than waiting until it filters however because I am very impatient, I tip it too far and nine times out of ten the lid falls off and water covers everything. I have in fact just finished cleaning up the mess yet again.

 

The lesson is simple -just be patient.

 

We have lots of waiting in our lives, waiting for news on exams. tests,jobs, houses and it is hard to leave it be and get on with things.Sometimes God asks us to wait, we may be burning to seek his guidance but he makes us wait for answers. I have to confess I hate that but I also know that it is to my benefit and if I go rushing in then then once again I am cleaning up the mess. The Israelites had to wait for years until the time was right to enter the promised land,because they were not ready until that point. Sometimes we just have wait for answers.

This week it seems we are to be bombarded with discussion on the MP's who face prosecution over their expenses claims. What happened in each of their cases will become clearer no doubt if they come to court, and the consequences of their actions will lie in the hands of those chosen to make such judgements.

 

It is easy to feel wronged here and anger over those in positions of power who abuse their privileges is understandable, but I do feel it is so easy to point the finger.I do not seek in any way to condone such behaviour but I recognise how easily we can each be tempted. It doesn't take much to cross the line.

 

Jesus had such an insight to human behaviour when he challenged those ready to stone the woman caught in adultery

"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone"  and as the spotlight fell on them one by one they left the scene. I think we need to leave the trial to those whose job it is and look to ourselves to make sure that our own lives are in order.

I was discussing volleyball recently with someone ( not me ) who is quite good at it, they were telling me that at times they felt bad because they always went for the shot while others hung back and wondering whether perhaps at times they should hang back.

 

NowI was not able to give any sort of response from a sporting or teamwork point of view because I am terrible at sports and not the sort of person anyone wanted on their team. However I did think about this in other areas of our lives. As children we are keen to show what we can do, but often as adults we hold back perhaps from fear of mockery or not wanting to be different. This week in my Christian Studies Class quite by coincidence someone read the following quote which I thought was wonderful, it is quite well known but worth reminding ourselves of.

 

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We areall meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

 

The above speech by Nelson Mandela was originally written by Marianne Williamson

What a good way to start the week.

When we were in the midst of the snow ( and some people still are ) it is hard to imagine that the season will change, yet whenever the snow clears away suddenly there are glimpses of snowdrops and daffodils pushing through and buds just forming on some of the trees. Although we could not see it, there has been a lot happening.

 

Sometimes I think it is like that with God, there are times when we cannot seem to find him yet it doesn't mean he is not there just as the signs of Spring were revealed when the snow lifted, so too will we see God's presence again when our storm clouds have gone.

 

For God promises always to be with us, and as nature seems to come to life again, his hand is apparent. Jon Ortberg calls it the "Everywhereness of God" and the Psalmist sings " How clearly the sky reveals God's glory! How plainly it shows what he has done!"

Psalm 19 vs 1

Over recent years I have had some problems with a dodgy ankle. I weakened it when I fell down a set of stairs a few years ago and then managed to go over on it again and so it was always giving me a bit of pain. Over the last two years I have bought all sorts of things to help it, I have a whole selection of ankle supports and ibuprofen ointment none of which ultimately solved the problem. So this year more as a last resort than anything else, I got some physio, and, armed with a strange rubber ribbon and a set of vigorous exercises  set about strengthening the ankle. I am delighted to say that it has worked and it rarely gives me a problem.

 

The point is that my quick fixes were useless and only when I got to the root of the problem and worked on the solution have I seen an improvement. Isn't that also the case with our lives sometimes, we love quick fixes, retail therapy, a glass or more of wine, a self help book, yet in the end it is only when we really examine what is wrong  can we stand a chance of fixing it.

Jesus spoke in terms of the vine;

 

" A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it can only do so if it remains in the vine, in the same way you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me." John 15 vs 4

I have recently been helping my daughter revise for Maths exams and have found doing algebra again strangely appealing ( my daughter also thinks I am crazy) There is something satisfying in taking a complicated equation and simplifying it.

 

I wonder if the same would work in real life.

 

Our lives do seem complicated at times don't they, we have so many choices,and so many demands, even walking down the bread aisle at the supermarket can involve a significant level of decision making. So perhaps it is time to remind myself what is important and to simplify the rest.

 

The gospel reminds us to seek first the Kingdom of God, to live a righteous life, and all the rest shall follow- how much simpler can it be.

 

"If you decide for God, living a life of God worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion.There is far more to your life than the food you put into your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body.Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God."

 

Matthew 6 vs 25-26 From The Message

Last week I found myself up against a pretty defensive character who lost their temper with me. I honestly did not feel I had done anything to provoke the verbal attack and I was really upset by it. I wonder how you react when this happens and whether it is anything like my journey.

Firstly cried, I was upset and hurt and I cried, then I felt very angry, andI composed letters of complaint to this person's manager, or more accurately I have a draft email in my laptop which on reading it now,thank goodness it did not get sent. I briefly played with the idea of revenge via a facebook campaign but to my credit did not seriously consider this. I also was vaguely aware of a verse running around my head saying "love your enemies" but that was just not possible last week.

 

Then I went to church and heard 1 Corinthians 13, the beautiful verses about love in particular vs 5

"Love does not keep a record of wrongs"

 

Sometimes verse is aimed right at us and for me on Sunday that was it, I shouldn't be plotting, I shouldn't be thinking of revenge. I have been enjoying the bestseller "The girl with the dragon tattoo" and in anyone who gets in the way of the main character is dealt with at some point in some awful way. But that is not love, in many ways that's the easy option.

 

As soon as I started to absorb this,my anger lifted, the knot in my stomach eased and it became easy to let it go, to put myself in the other person's shoes and to forgive their actions. I am as you can see no saint, and I needed a helping hand with this one but I do know that letting it go feels so much better than storing it up. Loving my enemy? Not quite yet but a bit closer!