the importance of family

Today being Friday it is my 'day off'
Today being Friday I washed clothes, made beds, cleaned house and shopped for food
Today being Friday - I did not rest but worked differently
Today being Friday is always a good day - I see my beloved as he returns after a week working away
and tomorrow I see no.2 son, who is bringing his girlfriend home
Good things
Family things
My fiance; my sons; my siblings and my parents; my nieces and nephews
my neghbours, friends, colleagues
all the different people I interact with, have connections with, are part of the network that is the extended family: not just those related by blood - but everyone whose path crosses, has crossed, will cross with mine
the cross: the connector

in the nick of time....

23.59 is very definitely the nick of time
and by the time I actually post this it will be 00.00+ so technically a day late hmmm.....

a wise friend told me, as I was first going into ministry to keep a pretty bag or box in which to store happy things: cards, letters photos of appreciation and thanks. She told me: "these are good to go back to on days when everything gets you down, when you feel low or alone"
She was right!
Everyone needs affirmation
We need to know that people appreciate us: and we need to tell others that we appreciate them too!
It's never too late- 11th hour or not, to tell someone you love them, value them, to thank them.
go on - your friends are worth it!!

Knowing who Jesus is....

Today I read again the desert temptations in Matthew's Gospel.
As is often the case when something is familiar, we can overlook something bold, something startling, or we can suddenly see it - have a moment's inspiration.

The devil addresses Jesus three times, each of the first two begin with a sneer "If you are God's Son" but the third is far more ingratiating - wheedling - "All this I'll give you, if you bow down and worship me"
And from that time on, whenever devils and demons address Jesus, they know who he is. Never again is the phrase "If you are" used.
The devil learned who Jesus was.
Believed in him.
But that didn't make him Christian!!
Knowing who Jesus is - is the first step; engaging with the knowledge, allowing it to permeate, inform, inspire and lead us - that is the next step.


Know Jesus
Follow Jesus
Love Jesus

meaning in meaningless

my desk is a guddle
I took a photo of it
but it's too bad to share!
somewhere in all of that guddle is my life:
my work
and my leisure
my family
and my friends
my worship
and my praise
all wrapped up in a big guddle:
a pile of papers and books and notes and bills and ideas and photos and pens and pencils and stationery
and what does it all mean?

today I was reading Ecclesiastes: "Meaningless!! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!" when you read Ecclesiastes it's really, really important to stick with it, not to stop at the introduction and the assertion that all is meaningless...
get to the end and the Teacher declares his conclusion: remember God, keep his commands, for this is the whole duty of humanity.

My desk may be a guddle - but my life is full and marvellous and in all that meaninglessness there is meaning

why bother?

Today is the beginning of Fair Trade Fortnight
and today when I go and speak to senior students at the High School I will ask
"Why Bother?"
There are lots of answers to that:
Because it's right
Because we can
Because one lone voice may not be heard - but when one becomes two; and then three, and four - pretty soon you have a cacophany
and together we can make a difference
it may not seem so to us
but to many others all around our small voice is a rousing cheer

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work;
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken"
Eccl: 4:9,12

a feast

A pile of empty coconut shells
Speaks of fat birds
Speaks of a feast
Speaks of sustenance during the winter chills

Where does your nourishment come from?
Where do you go to feed your Spirit?

Man does not live by bread alone
but on every word that comes from the mouth of God
Deut 8:3

spring miracles...

These wee lambs were born by elective caesarian
how amazing!
In another age both mum & babes would have perished
Spring brings all sorts of miracles: divine & human
but every human 'miracle' happens only because God planted that spark of creativity in each of us:

Those who know your name will trust in you,
for you Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you

Psalm 9:10