Testosterone Towers stays home - Day 34
I wore my favourite dress today.
I straightened my hair.
I even put on a bit of lippy.
Yes I was doing a Zoom meeting, but that wasn't the reason.
I just felt like making a bit of an effort.
What I wear affects how I feel, and much as I love hoodies and T-shirts that tell the tales of my swimming exploits, today required something extra.
It's Sunday, in case you were wondering, but that wasn't the reason either.
Chris and I usually have a bit of a routine on Sunday mornings.
Our service starts at 10.30am.
After a long period of sickness a few years ago, I started dropping Chris at the hall about 9.50ish,
grabbing a coffee then parking in a local car park to breathe.
And pray.
And read scripture.
And think about the worship that was ahead.
Especially if it was me preaching.
Then I got to the hall just before worship starts, and took time to meet with everyone afterwards.
At first, it was necessary, and then we realised it worked for us, so we continued.
I realised this morning, that I've missed those moments to reflect before worship.
I'm not sure if I've mentioned before that I love preaching.
Really love it.
It's the one thing I really missed when I was ill, that I couldn't do elsewhere.
The last few years have been a bit of an epiphany for me,
and I've realised God uses all kinds of things to get the message through to me,
that he wants me to share with the church.
I prepare well in advance, but it's not unusual for me to be adding things in at the last minute.
It took 3 attempts a few years ago, for me to preach the message I'd prepared about
the woman at the well.
Our choir sang as usual, in the previous weeks, and their song meant I had something entirely different to say.
We call them God ticks at Harlow SA.
Where random things come together in ways we didn't envisage,
God speaks, the Holy Spirit moves and Jesus comes very near.
I love it when a plan comes together.
This morning as I sat in the garden waiting for our Zoom meeting,
I reflected again on what God wanted me to share.
And so, after a bit of a technical problem with my ancient laptop,
we prayed together and for each other,
and even though I felt overwhelmed, I had a call just afterwards encouraging me.
I was grateful.
It's easy to feel discouraged when things go wrong, and you see other people's polished performances.
Comparison is never a good game to play.
The residents of Testosterone Towers have had the occasional tricky moment today.
It's ok.
We're still speaking.
But it reminds me again of how we all deal with things differently.
(I swam in very cold water for 15 minutes.)
We're all doing our best, and we need to cut each other some slack.
So that was our day.
I'm glad I wore my polka-dot dress, even for walking the dog.
It made me smile.
Now I'm in sweat-pants, warm socks and a hoodie and thinking of Psalm 131.
'I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed and quietened myself... like a weaned child I am content...put your hope in the Lord both now and for evermore.'
Lots of love xx
I straightened my hair.
I even put on a bit of lippy.
Yes I was doing a Zoom meeting, but that wasn't the reason.
I just felt like making a bit of an effort.
What I wear affects how I feel, and much as I love hoodies and T-shirts that tell the tales of my swimming exploits, today required something extra.
It's Sunday, in case you were wondering, but that wasn't the reason either.
Chris and I usually have a bit of a routine on Sunday mornings.
Our service starts at 10.30am.
After a long period of sickness a few years ago, I started dropping Chris at the hall about 9.50ish,
grabbing a coffee then parking in a local car park to breathe.
And pray.
And read scripture.
And think about the worship that was ahead.
Especially if it was me preaching.
Then I got to the hall just before worship starts, and took time to meet with everyone afterwards.
At first, it was necessary, and then we realised it worked for us, so we continued.
I realised this morning, that I've missed those moments to reflect before worship.
I'm not sure if I've mentioned before that I love preaching.
Really love it.
It's the one thing I really missed when I was ill, that I couldn't do elsewhere.
The last few years have been a bit of an epiphany for me,
and I've realised God uses all kinds of things to get the message through to me,
that he wants me to share with the church.
I prepare well in advance, but it's not unusual for me to be adding things in at the last minute.
It took 3 attempts a few years ago, for me to preach the message I'd prepared about
the woman at the well.
Our choir sang as usual, in the previous weeks, and their song meant I had something entirely different to say.
We call them God ticks at Harlow SA.
Where random things come together in ways we didn't envisage,
God speaks, the Holy Spirit moves and Jesus comes very near.
I love it when a plan comes together.
This morning as I sat in the garden waiting for our Zoom meeting,
I reflected again on what God wanted me to share.
And so, after a bit of a technical problem with my ancient laptop,
we prayed together and for each other,
and even though I felt overwhelmed, I had a call just afterwards encouraging me.
I was grateful.
It's easy to feel discouraged when things go wrong, and you see other people's polished performances.
Comparison is never a good game to play.
The residents of Testosterone Towers have had the occasional tricky moment today.
It's ok.
We're still speaking.
But it reminds me again of how we all deal with things differently.
(I swam in very cold water for 15 minutes.)
We're all doing our best, and we need to cut each other some slack.
So that was our day.
I'm glad I wore my polka-dot dress, even for walking the dog.
It made me smile.
Now I'm in sweat-pants, warm socks and a hoodie and thinking of Psalm 131.
'I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed and quietened myself... like a weaned child I am content...put your hope in the Lord both now and for evermore.'
Lots of love xx
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