Earth is crammed with heaven

I'm not one for New Year Resolutions. January can be tough enough without adding the F word of fail to my weak attempts at getting thin and fit. However I have learnt a few things this year which I am happy to share. 1. God is everywhere. I mean really everywhere. There is no place where I am that He is not. So every fear Every failure Any revelation I never knew Is known And felt And understood... I mean really understood by him. Nothing without him. 2. I don't need to rush. God told me this on Christmas Eve. Take your time. Be measured. Deliberate. I don't accomplish any more by rushing. It just sends my anxiety levels rocketing. He knows what I need to do. Trust him. 3. Other people's opinions vary. Enormously. What they think of me has no bearing on anything. Ooh that was a tough one for a recovering people-pleaser to hear. You can imagine. Ultimately The only opinion that counts is God's. And He often expects less of me than I...

It was a dark, rainy night. At the end of the shortest day of the year, she held her breath as she entered the water. As she exhaled, she felt it leave; the stress the angst the pressure of life and ministry. And when she inhaled? She felt freedom like no other. In that moment, there was nothing in the world that mattered, but her breath. Her oneness with the elements. Her communion with God himself who promised that she would know the truth, and the truth would set her free. The mystery and power overwhelmed her. She felt human again. No, more than that. She felt whole. A completeness that was long overdue, after weeks of wondering if others were aware of her humanity, amid it all. She gave it all to the One who loved her so much that he became human, like she was. If anyone understood, it was him. And as she left the water it felt like a baptism. Light, life and love... Healing. Cleansing. Restoration. “Flow through my soul, redeem its desert places, and make a garden there for the L...

Well that escalated quickly! After the shock of yesterday’s announcement, with it’s accompanying calls, explanations and tears, it felt a privilege to be able to meet for worship this morning. When everything falls apart, we return to what we know. In the beginning was the word... The light shines in the darkness... The darkness has not, will not, cannot put it out. We were angry, upset, frustrated and sad, but we brought it all to Emmanuel, God with us. He came into the muck, and the mess of the world, and became one of us. And still... Still God imparts to human hearts,  the blessings of his heaven. Life may be a rude word at the moment,  but Christmas isn’t cancelled. It can’t be. Thinking of you all, and sending love xx

I have been really conflicted this week. It’s been the b-word, as you’d expect, but there’s been a sense of accomplishment too. I struggle with the broadcasting of every little thing people do. I know some people do it for prayer-support, and to encourage people to donate, and I get that. But there’s something I find very moving about people going about their business with humility and grace, and no camera Really moving... At the same time, I’m so proud of our church. The work they do. The people they help. The lives they change. That’s why I’m conflicted. I want to pay tribute to them. They truly are incredible. Speaking of which, I spotted this little beauty in the car park at the hall. Just doing it’s thing... I hope you’ve had a good day. Lots of love xx

It was High 5’s all round at the hall this afternoon. At least it would have been, if that had been allowed. We’re in Tier 3 now after all. Our reason for rejoicing is the toy parcels are all completed, and just one lot left to be collected. We had our busiest Foodbank since April, and all our phone messages are dealt with. For now, anyway. I did however, sing four syllables of the Hallelujah Chorus to celebrate, and told anyone who would listen, what a good job we had all done. Encouragement is such a motivator for me at the moment. “Be the change”, and all that. Today’s events began at 6.30am, when I left home for a swim.                           Sunrise  They end tonight with a Zoom meeting,  with a dear friend, that I haven’t had a proper conversation with in years. PJ’s, chocolate and a nice warm drink are compulsory.  I didn’t make the rules. I hope you’ve had a good day. Lots of love xx

There’s no feeling quite like that sinking one, is there? Your stomach lurches, and your head spins as you gaze in disbelief. That work you spent hours on yesterday? Gone. Disappeared. Lost forever in the place where the lost things go. It was frustrating. You can imagine. It was virtually all the work for the worship sheets, from now until after Christmas. *Rude words* But then I sat this afternoon, and I wrote. A bit more creatively this time.  Incorporating Chris’s thoughts, less as a copy and paste, and more as the gift that they are. Especially after all this time. I went right up to Christmas Day and beyond. Weaving, Drawing, Travelling. It’s a privilege to share Jesus with others. Especially at Christmas. Especially after the year we’ve had. Particularly as we enter Tier 3 at midnight. As I write this post, I whisper a prayer of thanks to the One who became a human being, and lived among us. The one who brings light, life and love. The hopes and fears of all the years are me...

Isn’t it amazing when dreams come true? Mine did today. Ok, it wasn’t much of a dream. More of a longing. A hope. A desire. Ok.  Food. It was about food! It involved our local coffee shop, that became a regular haunt of ours in the summer. I loved it before, but out of the blue, they chose to collect toys from their customers for our toy appeal. It turns out their customers are really generous. After a cold, rainy swim, I went for coffee and food with my swim-buddy. As I sat with coffee, just the way I like it; avocado on sourdough toast, with bacon and eggs; I exhaled slowly. God was in his heaven, and all was right with the world.  I heard today of an area in Italy that can’t produce it’s finest wine every year. The area is so small that conditions have to be perfect. On years when it’s too cold, or too hot, or too wet, they have to be patient, and hope for a better year to come. Whatever happens, there is always hope. Hope of better days. Hope that life can be wonderful, ev...