Tuesday 27 April 2010

Yesterday I went to hospital to have a couple of cysts removed. One, on my face was quite large and required 3 stitches after the cyst was removed.
I had been given local anaesthetic so it was not painful, but the surgeon asked the nurse to get me some painkillers to bring home with me.
After a ten minute wait the nurse re-appeared with a small foil pack of 6 paracetamol tablets and said "They were none in the pharmacy, so Ibrought you these from my handbag". A kind gesture on her part, but what sort of hospital has no painkillers?
My friend's teenage daughter is due to have her baby any day now. I hope the hospital can find her painkillers for the birth - a couple of paracetamol from the nurse in charge is not going to help much there!

Friday 23 April 2010

Greetings on St George's day!
Over the last week there has been complete lockdown of all air travel in the UK and large parts of Northern Europe, due to fears about flying through clouds of volcanic ash that have emanated from an eruption in Iceland. Thankfully, things are getting back to normal and the many people, whose journeys were cancelled and who have found themselves stranded, are gradually able to resume their normal lives.
Mankind likes to think that it is all-powerful, that advances in technology have meant that we have tamed the world around us and we are in control. The events of this week have shown us that nature, once again, has the upper hand, and how easily our world comes to a standstill.

Friday 16 April 2010

This has been another busy week and one in which I have struggled to keep up with everything that must be done.
Last weekend I was in Rome, and on Monday I enjoyed conversation (and ice cream!) with a Dominican friend.
This led me to think about the very different personal callings we have. In our encounters with the Risen Lord, he meets us where we are, he understands our capabilities better than we do and he invites each one of us to get involved with him, from our own unique starting point. All have different personal callings, but all are joined to community in Christ.
We all have our own song to sing, our own message to deliver. Let us all listen for the voice of the shepherd in our lives and follow,or come alongside, or be sent out before, the One who calls. And let us be confident in that calling, that sending. Let us have the Risen Lord at the centre of all we do in his name.

Sunday 4 April 2010

After early rain showers, now a beautiful Spring morning.
Christ is Risen! Alleluia!
Bless His Holy Name, let all His Creation rejoice!
Death, where is thy sting? Grave, thy victory?
Alleluia, he is victor over all!

Thursday 1 April 2010

I seem to have several different projects "on the go" just now, all jostling for attention - trying to keep them all in my head is very tiring!
One of my tasks is to put together a service for 18 April for one of the rural churches and I find myself trying out sermon outlines in the shower, choosing hymns as I walkthe dog and meditating upon the readings as I drift off to sleep.
I am also writing a talk for a pastoral group meeting and trying to digest the Candidating Information on the Methodist Church website.
Just as well we women are used to multi-tasking!
But in the midst of this busy life I will be taking time to pray and contemplate over the Easter period.
God "broke in" to the world in an astonishing way. He emptied himself of everything but love and became man to die for us on the cross, to put an end to death and sin. And on the third day he rose again and lives today. Alleluia!