2024 Sunrises
April Sunrise
All the Trimmings
When you want a really special time, sometimes you just go for it and make sure you do all the bits that you want.
Making the time really special sometimes takes preparation and attention to detail.
If you are planning a meal out for a special occasion or a birthday party for a special landmark, planning it, for some, can be part of the enjoyment. Deciding what location to have the event; what sort of decoration should you have? Who should you invite to the event? What would the dress code be? What are you going to wear? What present should you buy? Will there be a theme for the event?
So many things to think about and prepare; and some people love that preparation part.
However, some people don’t plan or prepare that well!
Some people will have an idea and just jump straight in there and then, spur of the moment.
Neither are wrong, just different.
Whilst making an occasion special can be wonderful, that in itself only means something if it's done with love.
Sometimes, love can be expressed in more simple ways as well.
God does not love us because of any special trimmings we try to add.
God just loves us.
God will bless us in so many ways because he loves us.
This is not dependent upon anything except believing and loving him too.
In John Chapter 5, we are told,
I tell you this: Everyone who hears my message should believe in the Father who sent me. If they believe in me, they will have life for ever with God. God will not say that they are guilty. Instead, they have life with God.
As we consider how God loves us, it does not need any trimmings to be real.
God loves us as we are, for who we are, for who he made us.
It’s A Cracker!!!
When was the last time you really laughed? Where you watching TV? Chatting to a friend? At home witnessing someone do something funny? Can you remember the last time you really laughed? Or was it too long ago?
Life can sometimes be really tough can’t it? Stress and upset, illness and worry. It can become overwhelming. Laughter may feel like a distant memory.
It’s a well-known fact that people who have particularly difficult and stressful jobs can often find humour to be a great help. In fact they would go as far as to say that laughter is essential!! I found this to be particularly true in some of the relief and development roles that I had overseas. When circumstances can feel desperate, overwhelming and quite hopeless, laughter can be the greatest of medicine.
So do you have a favourite comedian? How about Ken Dodd?...
‘ I haven’t spoken to my mother-in-law for 18 months, I don’t like to interrupt her!’
Or maybe Eric Morecombe?....
‘My neighbour asked if he could borrow my lawnmower, I told him of course he could, so long as he didn’t take it out of my garden’.
Ronnie Corbett?...
‘ I wasn’t a very athletic boy. I was once lapped in the long jump!’
Tim Vine?...
‘So I said to the gym instructor, “Can you teach me to do the splits?” He said, “How flexible are you?” I said, “I can’t make Tuesdays”. ‘
The bible says, ‘A cheerful heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit makes one sick’.
This isn’t about ignoring the struggles and pain that we ourselves, or those around us may face. Nor are we to dismiss the daily news and ignore the tragedies that are happening internationally. But it’s about finding a moment of relief. A moment of lightheartedness. A moment where mental and physical batteries can be recharged. A moment to release a whole lot of stress with one big laugh.
If you’re needing to laugh, find that person or those people who can bring a big smile to your face. And if you are somebody who is able to laugh and encourage, pick up the phone and pass that gift on to somebody today.
The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.
Proverbs 11:25
Illegal Masks
I have recently read an article which told me about all sorts of weird and unusual laws that there are around the world. It was fascinating!
I learnt that it is illegal for a chicken to cross the road in Georgia USA (I am sure there is a joke about that)! It's also illegal to hike naked in Germany (why just Germany?), and that wearing camouflage is illegal in most of the Caribbean (unless you are a serving member of the armed forces). It's also against the law to pee in the sea in Portugal, but I have no idea how they enforce this!!
One of the other interesting laws is a Danish one. It is illegal to wear a mask in public in Denmark. No fancy dress masks, no spiderman, not even a fake beard! The law was brought into effect in 2018, to aid identification in cases of incidents happening in crowded places. However, it brings a whole new dimension to a fancy dress party!
Now it's easy to see when you wear a unicorn mask or an incredible hulk one, but we can all wear hidden masks. We might wake up feeling awful and really low, but when we walk out the door, we put on a smile, and say ‘I’m fine’. We might worry that if people knew the ‘real me’ they may not like me, so we put on our masks and pretend. It can be exhausting!
Our wonderful church family is a place where masks, especially hidden ones, aren’t needed. All are welcome, and all are loved. Honesty and realism is always the best way, because that's how we help each other and show God’s love to one another.
Let’s be brave and leave any masks behind today, and let God's love in instead.
1 John 4: 17-19
God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry….There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment. We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. God loved us first.
WORDS OF WISDOM
There are plenty of TV programmes that can wear you out, you can probably think of some now.
Political ones are frequently tedious because you don’t believe anything anyone says, or the hyped-up drama that you can’t understand, or the sports programme series that runs for two weeks that a family member insists on watching.
One sports event that only lasts for a few hours that can exhaust you is the London Marathon.
It’s amazing to see more than 50, 000 people starting this epic journey through the streets. Mostly, the runners are seeking to gain funds for their favourite charity, and just a small number are attempting to gain fame and fortune for themselves.
Whatever their reason for this madness, their mix of fitness and determination, is very impressive. So is their inventiveness.
We saw elephants and giraffes, telephones too big for anyone’s desk, lifeboats too small to rescue anybody, and I saw a man with a fridge on his back.
There were men and women, young and old, some far too old to be running, even for a bus, and disabled people sitting in high-tech wheelchairs travelling fast enough for Silverstone.
The really fast runners looked too skinny and many of the slower ones looked a little too beefy.
The fastest finished the course in just over two hours, most of us couldn’t cycle that fast, but many others were still cobbling along the streets of London six hours after they started.
Watching all of this led me to have two responses, one was exhaustion, and the other one was embarrassment, because I could not run that course in a week!
At the end of the day, BBC showed a wide variety of people completing the course in varying times and in vastly different conditions, some sprinted, some jogged, some crawled. Summing up the day by describing the difference in style, ability, and reason for entering the race, the commentator simply said, “IT’S THE SAME FINISHING LINE FOR EVERYONE.”
It reminded me of all of us living our lives in massively different ways, with various lifestyles, abilities, and choice of priorities.
Despite how we manage the journey, we all reach the end of our race.
The athletes go home to rest, where will we rest?
God has provided a place for those who trust and obey Him, and love His Son.
Our Bible describes it like this,
‘God will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, because the old order of things has passed away.’
That’s a wonderful prize! Better than any medal!
Are we all ready for our personal finishing line?
Did I Hear Right?
Our wonderful choir performed at Sefton Park Palm House yesterday and what a truly memorable and joyous occasion it was. We brought smiles to many faces and received lots of lovely and thankful comments from people who’d enjoyed the afternoon.
As a choir we are encouraged to learn the words to all of the songs we do and mostly we manage that. However, after reading the words to one of our newer songs ‘Green Door’ made famous by Shakin Stevens in the 80’s, I realised that my initial thought of ‘I know this’ was way off the mark.
Has anyone watched the Peter Kay sketch about misheard lyrics?
He plays ‘We Are Family’ by Sister Sledge and one of the lines sounds like ‘Just Let Me Staple the Vicar’ which obviously isn’t what they actually sing but that is what we hear 😂. Well, that was me with Green Door.
I’d convinced myself of what he was singing when I was a young teenager and that is what I heard all these years until the actual lyrics were in front of me and nothing like what I thought I’d heard.
This can often be true in everyday life too.
We can mishear what people say or misunderstand what they mean.
Often this is down to us wanting to hear our own version of events, not listening to the full context of a conversation or even something like the old game of Whispers where someone says something and by the time it reaches our ears it is a very different message to the original one.
Many of our non -negotiables in church are about listening, understanding, encouraging and being the best we can be, but sometimes we don’t listen and only hear what suits us. This can lead to us not being the best version of ourselves.
In James 1:19-20 it says,
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.
We all need understanding and encouragement to hear the true meaning of Jesus in our lives and also what that can mean for the people around us.
It’s A Way Of Thinking
I was recently on a training course for work, which is great in one sense but it had an exam at the end, so I had to listen and learn.
The topic was a familiar one so it was not something brand new but something which I had to improve and learn new ways of thinking.
Some of the other people on the course, from different companies and backgrounds had different starting points.
For some, most of the topics were new, so they had a lot to get to grips with.
As the course progressed, we were starting to think about the exam at the end, and some were asking the trainer “so how will they ask about this in the exam?”.
The training course is often more about how to pass the exam rather than actually train you to do your work in a particular way. After the course, it's then really down to you about how much you actually take away and apply to your job.
So the focus of the course can often be more about the exam. In order to do that, you need to understand how to think about the topic as the examiner would.
For many of the questions, there is more than one way to answer it but how would the examiner want me to answer it?
Some Christians used to wear a wrist band as a reminder with “WWJD” on the band.
This was a reminder to ask “What would Jesus do?”
As we go through our lives and we come across situations, what would Jesus do?
Jesus came to show us how to live and how to love.
Jesus came because He needed to show us the way and He needed to give himself so that we might find God.
If we want to follow Jesus, we need to have a way of thinking “What would Jesus do” each day.
In the book of John 14, Jesus is talking with his disciples about some of these things.
Jesus told them, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works.”
As we go through our day, let Jesus be our way of thinking.
Love as he would, help as he would, show compassion as he would.
It will not just be a way of thinking, it will become a way of life.
Camel Antics
Australia is home to the largest population of feral camels.
Last year there was an estimated 1 million camels living in the wild and they’re expected to increase dramatically in number over these coming years.
I’ve never had a camel ride and can’t say I’m particularly sad about that. I got up close to one in Lebanon some years ago. His natural aroma took my breath away!
These incredible creatures are known for their ability to travel long distances in extreme heat and severe sandstorms and not need to drink water for up to a ridiculous 15 days!!! It’s simply incredible!!
But there is another side to camels which is less pleasant.
Camels are huge grudge bearers. If you upset one, they will remember it! Beware!
They have been known to refuse to stand up for people sitting on their backs, or stand up quickly and run until the person falls off them, and on occasions they’ve been known to seek revenge by running after a person they dislike and jumping on them! Ouch!
Their legs may be long but their memories are longer.
Sadly, camels aren’t the only ones to bear grudges.
We can be pretty good at it ourselves.
All it may take is a word spoken out of turn, a moment of irritation or frustration, somebody doing something you don’t like, or don’t agree with, and the grudge bearing begins.
It probably starts with a bit of a grumble, but if not dealt with, can very rapidly become an all-consuming list of all the perceived wrongs that have been done to you.
And putting it simply, that’s not good for anyone.
There’s many times in the Bible where grudge bearing has been addressed.
It’s a huge issue and it can destroy the grudge bearer and their victim.
Forgiveness is so important for us all.
The Bible says,
‘Stop being mean, bad-tempered, and angry. Quarreling, harsh words, and dislike of others should have no place in your lives. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you because you belong to Christ’.
‘Hatred starts fights, but love pulls a quilt over the bickering’.
Maybe the next time we see a camel we can make a special effort to be kind to it, and at the same time be mindful of any grudge bearing we may hold.
Let’s leave that to the camels!
Seagulls
Did anyone else know that Seagulls are on the decline?
When I heard this news I was really surprised. My recent experience of Seagulls is that they are surviving very well on a diet of my chips and ice cream!
However, avian flu and the lack of fish stock, amongst other things, are dwindling populations and forcing seagulls of all varieties to become increasingly urban.
This is where the problem starts.
Seagulls are super smart and are developing all sorts of skills to survive in urban life, which mainly consists of stealing our food.
We might see this as nuisance behaviour, but scientists want us to view them differently. Rather than criminals, they want us to understand that they are forced to live and adapt to city life, because there is less and less food for them in the seas.
I am still not sure I am going to share my ice cream with them, but it does help me to understand seagulls a bit more.
Maybe I was a bit quick to judge the super clever and adaptable seagull.
That happens with people too doesn’t it. We can be too quick to decide that someone isn’t behaving in the right way, if it doesn’t match up with the way we think things should be done.
The Bible tells us of an experience Jesus had being asked to pass judgement on someone. The woman concerned had broken the law, and according to the law, this meant death by stoning. However, the religious leaders used it as a test to try and trap Jesus.
Jesus though, acted out of compassion, not judgement. If you want to read the full story, it's in John chapter 8, but how Jesus deals with it is below:
John 8: 6-10
Jesus stood up and said, “All right, stone her, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”. “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
Today, let's choose compassion over judgement.
Let’s look for the best in people (and seagulls) rather than point out their faults.
Let’s love others in the way Jesus loved us.
Hebrews 10:24-25
Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, to spur each other on.
Today and Every Day
It’s my birthday today!
I think there are phases in life to birthdays – there is the ever so excited, “I’m not going to sleep tonight” of young children which morphs into the “I’m far too cool to tell you I’m excited but I really hope you’ve got me that thing I asked for” phase of the teenager.
After this comes the party phase of your twenties followed by the “we’ll do something for the sake of the kids” stage of parenthood.
Eventually, many of us slip quite unexpectedly into the “oh, it’s just another day” chapter, possibly as we become more and more aware of ourselves getting older and perhaps wanting to deny the passage of time a little?
The old adage ‘age is just a number’ doesn’t somehow quite ring true when you’ve put your back out or you’re waiting for a new knee!
I’m usually of the ‘I don’t want a fuss’ school of thought, but as I got to thinking about this I decided that being so dismissive of my birthday can’t possibly be right.
It marks another year of life.
More specifically, it marks 55 years of life!
Some 15 years ago I lost a very close friend. She fought desperately for a long time for just a little more life until eventually she lost that battle and died far too young.
This was someone who embraced every moment of life right up until the end – how can I possibly moan about an aching back or a few wrinkles and grey hairs?
Life is a gift and getting older is something we need to learn to embrace and give thanks for; dare I say that getting older is a privilege.
Oh, I’ll still moan about the aches and I will, no doubt, still wonder who that woman with the grey hair is that looks back at me in the mornings – but it is a privilege and a gift to have been granted another year of life, so today I will give thanks.
And if I am granted another day tomorrow then I will get up and give thanks for 55 years and 1 day – because no matter how old we are, we cannot assume how many days we will be gifted, but we can always give thanks for this moment, embrace it, and try to use it well.
May today and every day be a day filled with gratitude.
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! …This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
OUR SECRET
I walk a black Lab, Louis, a couple of times each week and yesterday was my turn for the early(ish) stroll in the park.
The weather is never an issue for Louis, apart from those rare days when it gets really hot, do you remember them? Apparently they were quite frequent in the good old days.
But black labs don’t care, as long as they get their walks they’re happy.
I got out of the car into a gale-force wind and it immediately began to hail. Good start! Off we went on our usual hike and after five minutes I realised that I should have taken my gloves with me; it was freezing.
But it was fine, because Louis was very content without gloves, shoes, zipped-up jacket, woolly hat and water-proof hood.
Just to make the point, he found a large, freezing, and filthy pool, and jumped in!
We continued for the normal hour, and I persuaded him with dog biscuits, to get back in the car. He was not happy, but I was relieved to have survived the experience.
As I drove back, gradually thawing out, I thought about how different dogs and people are. He walked around in appalling weather and was totally content.
But how do people find contentment, do they just need gentle weather, or do we stumble across it?
Some think so, they believe in ‘Serendipity’ the happy accident. So they live waiting for it to happen.
Some say, you go searching for it, maybe by finding an Eastern guru, or the perfect job, or taking part in extreme sports, or winning Britain’s Got Talent.
Some think you can manufacture contentment if you drink or smoke the right stuff.
The apostle Paul lived at a time when, like almost all Christians, he was in danger from the people, the rulers, and the culture around him. But they did not believe that to be content they must move away, find somewhere safe, get friends in high places, get a better job, build up a bank balance and put money aside for their old age.
Paul expressed it like this, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
They understood that their contentment was to be found in the realisation that God was with them, and was not going to leave them. That was to be their source of contentment, not their circumstances.
Unlike in Pauls’ day, nobody out there is trying to kill us, but many of us still find many reasons to complain about the stress of daily life.
Let’s remember where Christian contentment comes from, let’s smile and thank God for His company along our journey.
You’re Just Not Listening!
For a number of weeks now, in fact maybe even months I’ve had a song stuck in my head.
It makes sense since we played it at The Hub a number of times over Easter, and a number of times since (including twice yesterday).
That song is Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.
Now going back a month or so, to when I first started to have this song stuck in my head, I was going through a bit of a rough time, I was struggling to get my head around something that had happened in my life and more how I could move myself past it.
As I would wallow in my dejection and slight misfortune the words continued to go through my head
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full, in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace”
As these words kept going through my head again and again, it began to become quite annoying. However, it was then when I realised the answer was right there - in my head. God was talking to me through these lyrics.
For me in that moment it was to turn my eyes upon Jesus, and then the things of the earth would grow strangely dim.
Now the message of this is not that the answer to whatever problem you’re facing is to turn your eyes to Jesus, you’ve probably heard that enough, probably every time the song was introduced.
However, the point is quite often God is trying to talk to us and we’re just not listening.
How often in our lives are we praying or crying out to God for answers, to help us, or just for some encouragement that we are on the right path, and we sit there waiting for his response to come in a big booming voice or for him to come to us in a dream declaring ‘I am God!’
However, for most of us this just doesn’t happen, but this doesn’t mean he’s not talking to us.
Jeremiah 33:3 says,
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”
God is there for us.
He is always there in our easiest and our toughest days.
Sometimes what he has to tell us is not what we want to hear and so we go off looking for his voice in other ways.
Sometimes it feels like he is silent, but we simply don’t open our ears.
God communicates to us through all sorts of creative ways, through other people, through the things we watch, through the words to songs, maybe he does talk to you with a booming voice, or maybe he does come to you in a dream.
We even have a whole book of God talking to us, and yet sometimes we look for answers without even opening The Bible.
Before Jesus left this earth he said, “And behold, I am always with you, to the end of the age”
So often we are screaming for God, asking where are you?
He is telling us I am right here, you’re just not listening!
Are You At The Races?
Liverpool is the focus for a lot of people today as Aintree racecourse hosts the Grand National.
There will be a lot of attention and hopefully the weather will be good and the race will run smoothly and safely.
Liverpool does host an event very well.
The race has had attention for many reasons and the organisers are trying to make it better each time.
They have improved the course to help keep the horses and riders safe.
The venue has been prepared to keep the people safe. Thousands of people will be there to watch the racing and have an enjoyable day.
When the race starts, firstly you make sure that your horse has actually got to the start line.
And they’re off.
Then there is the charge to the first fence and who knows what will happen.
Many times, our lives can be compared to a race. We race to have things first or we race to have the best. Different people have different goals at the finish line. Will they reach them? What happens if they fall short? Do you see the race as a sprint or a marathon? Or is it a relay race or a cross country race? Or maybe it feels more like a 3-legged race!
The Bible compares our lives as a race too. However, the prize is a bit different.
We start with Jesus as our “trainer”, we listen to him and learn from him.
We know that at the end of the race, Jesus will be there and we will live forever with him.
It won't matter what place we finish or if we fall. He will help us back onto our feet to carry on.
In the book of Hebrews, we are encouraged:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.
So as we go about our lives, there will be hurdles and there will be others around us trying to distract us.
Keep your eyes on Jesus, let him into our lives to help us with the things which may hold us back.
And you will receive his promise of love.
Meowwwwww!
I don’t suppose you’ve ever gotten close to a lion’s tongue?
I didn’t think so.
Neither have I.
But I have been reading about them.
These beautiful big cats have tongues that could literally rip you to shreds. The surface of them is completely covered in tiny spines called papillae that are used to scrape the flesh off the bones of their prey.
Nice!
Gruesome really.
And fascinating.
Isn’t nature just fascinating?!
When I read that fact I couldn’t help but smile at the realisation that humans have tongues just like that too!! Ok, so they’re not covered in tiny spines, but they are still capable of ripping someone to shreds.
What happens when we get angry?
Frustrated?
Overtired?
Overworked?
Jealous?
What about if we’re bearing grudges?
Not getting our own way?
Chances are we let our tongue loose and it becomes a killing machine.
Think of the damage our words can do.
The lies,
gossip and venom,
the bitterness,
criticism,
mockery,
and plain old mean talk!
All capable of killing relationships,
hopes,
dreams,
and opportunities.
Of course we can always say sorry for the words we’ve wrongly spoken, and hopefully forgiveness is given. But why say them in the first place?
The Bible has much to say about our words,
“A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it! It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell”.
Those are really strong words about this tiny part of the body. But we only have to look around to see how true it is.
I have no idea who wrote the following quote but there’s a lot of wisdom in it…
‘Be sure to taste your words, before you spit them out’.
Such great advice!!
May we all stop,
breathe,
think about the words we would want to have spoken to us,
and then do likewise.
May we all learn to speak life into situations and leave the killer tongues to the lions.
Memory Reminders
If you are on social media, every now and then you will get a little notification that pops up and lets you know what you were doing on this day in previous years.
They can be great reminders of happy times, such as lovely photos of a holiday or trip out. They can also evoke sad memories of a loved one no longer with us, or a difficult day.
Of course, it's not just social media that can remind us of the past.
Music is often a very powerful memory trigger and can take us back to events as if they were yesterday.
My Facebook memory from yesterday was probably the strangest I have seen in a while.
It was from 12 years ago, and it said the following words.
‘I have found a piece of paper which has written on it, DON’T THROW AWAY, OLIVER HAS A CHIPMUNK.
Does anyone know why I have kept this?’
I have no idea who Oliver might be, and why it was important that I kept this information.
It was definitely a memory puzzle.
I didn’t know 12 years ago, and I certainly don’t know now!
Notwithstanding Oliver and his chipmunk, memories can be so important.
They can help us to be wise for the future, and to learn lessons from the past.
In the Bible, Psalm 77 tells of how King David deliberately chose to remember the great things that God had done in the past, to give him hope when things got tough;
I remember all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.
They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.
God had not let David down and would never let him down, despite his many difficult circumstances.
This is the same for us.
Think back to all the wonderful things that God has done, both in your life and in others.
He is always in it with us. No matter what you are going through right now, you don’t have to go through it alone.
Take a moment today to think back and ‘count your blessings’.
God does not change, and he will not leave you.
He was faithful in the good and the bad times, and he will continue to be so.
Sometimes we just need a little reminding.
Our Wonderful Youth
I was reading an article this week saying (sadly, unsurprisingly) that analysis of NHS data indicates that there are record levels of children seeking help with their mental health.
I think this is heartbreaking.
At a time in their lives when young people should be carefree, instead, they are finding the pressures of modern life just too much.
I think there is a lot of good in social media, however, it can’t be easy being a young person in a world where it is impossible to avoid the voices on social media and the constant feed of information. The pressure that it puts on them to try and live up to some kind of ‘ideal’ that a stranger somewhere across the other side of the world has arbitrarily decided on, is immense and relentless.
So - I’d like to give a shout-out this week to all of our incredible young people.
From the tiny, giggling tots to the quirky and ever-so-cool teens – I think you are wonderful!
I look around our church and smile as I see young people naturally mixing with others of all ages, chatting and laughing – you bring such joy, don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.
Advice in the Bible to young people says this:
“Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.”
When I look at our young people I see wonderful examples of love and faith all the time and I want to encourage them to continue on the path they are on.
My message to them is simple - whatever career path you eventually decide to take, whether exams go well or not so well, wherever you decide to go in life, continue to live out your faith in all areas of your life and God will not fail you.
This time of year can be particularly tough for our young people as they face exams and difficult decisions about their future.
Let’s hold our young people in prayer and next time you find yourself sitting next to one of them on a Sunday morning – ask them how they are; tell them you are praying for them; encourage them – in a world that is all too quick to try and pull them down, they need us to be their cheerleaders!
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
PAY ATTENTION
I read of an event that was both funny and sad at the same time.
There were two men, Harry and Daniel, in a car park yelling at each other. Harry was telling Daniel, very loudly, that he was selfish and thoughtless, and asked why he didn’t move his car out of the way. Daniel replied, very loudly, that Harry should learn to drive, a child could drive through that space.
People backed off and pretended not to notice, these two men were supposed to be friends, after all, they belonged to the same church, and the yelling was happening in the church car park.
They had just listened to a sermon about love and patience, and the vicar was wondering why he had bothered.
There are times when we forget what’s important and concentrate on getting our own way and not allowing others to interfere.
Harry was well dressed in a suit with a shirt and a tie, and Daniel had jeans (not new trendy ones) and a T-Shirt that displayed the logo of the local rugby team. Their dress styles seemed to suggest that these two had different standards and would never agree about anything.
People are sometimes tempted to judge each other by appearance.
Well, we can all relax because God is not bothered.
Jesus asked the question, “Why do you worry about clothes?” The religious leaders were very proud of their robes and appearance, but Jesus explained the reality in God’s eyes, “You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead.”
The prophet Samuel was sent by God to a family with eight sons, to anoint the next King of Israel. When Samuel saw the eldest son, he thought he would be King, but God said “No”. Samuel looked at seven of the brothers and each time God rejected him. He told Samuel, “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
On that noisy Sunday morning, God didn’t even notice the outward appearance of Harry and Daniel, but He was very aware of their internal condition, and He was sad that two men coming out of church should forget what God considers to be important.
We all try to appear well turned-out, but God’s not looking!
Let’s pay attention.
Joyous
Recently, I discovered a song called ‘Awesome God.’
I must admit, the title did initially make me giggle, but once I had listened to it, I understood the message that it was trying to convey.
There was a huge orchestra, a marching band, and a full arena all passionately singing the song and it was just joyous.
All those people, performers and audience, had come together in order to show their love of God through music.
It was one of those moments that truly shows how awesome God is. In every sense of the word – both awe-inspiring and amazing.
Seeing a room full of so many talented people, all blessed with the wonderful gift of music, really reminds us of God’s incredible, extraordinary power.
And to see how happy and at peace everybody looked, all entirely focused on connecting to God, creates a warm feeling inside my heart.
Music is a fantastic way to feel connected to God, and we are lucky enough to have our very own choir – which I miss very much – and music group in order to do exactly that.
And, it must be said that the healing power of music is something that cannot be ignored.
‘Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.’ – Psalm 95:1.
https://youtu.be/sEZDuMGp3WY?si=V05gM3TV0FLsOVV0
Precious Gnomes
Have you ever received a gift that’s a little bit odd? Maybe it’s not really your style,
or it’s a bit pointless
or maybe it’s just really ugly?
And there you are taking the wrapping off it with a bewildered look on your face and
‘what am I supposed to do with that?’
thought in your head??
We’ve all been there haven’t we?!
Some years ago when my four girls were much younger, for Mother’s Day one year, I was presented with four wrapped up gifts.
The wrapping was clumsy and full of sellotape, evidence of the hard work they’d put in.
Their excitement was off the scale.
So to speed things up a bit, they offered to help me unwrap them.
Of course, I accepted their help.
And within seconds, there stood before me were my 4 beaming girls, each holding one ugly gnome!
These ugly,
little,
badly painted,
wonky gnomes
had entered our lives,
to much excitement and hilarity!
They were gifts from my girls,
and therefore,
they were priceless!
We found a good place for them in the garden and every single time I looked at them, I’d be reminded of the precious gift they were.
Since that time, my love for gnomes has continued and now we do have quite a collection!
Each one,
a little bit ugly
and a little bit tacky,
and absolutely priceless!!
Gifts,
given in love (and fun!)
from people who mean a whole lot to me!
And whether it’s a special birthday,
a quiz at Easter
or a competition at Christmas, at Melling Community Church, you can always receive a gnome!
But there’s a reason for this.
Gnomes may seem useless but they can bring about a smile,
and possibly a memory of,
‘that funny occasion when I won a gnome!’
Many of us can often feel useless.
I have had countless conversations with people who have told me they have no skills,
no abilities,
no purpose in being alive.
Let’s face it, we all want to feel useful don’t we?
But actually, we’re being incredibly useful if we’re bringing a smile to someone’s face.
Reminding them of a happy time?
Or showing you care about them,
just by being there.
We may not be able to ‘do’ much at all,
but we can still ‘be’ a whole lot.
The bible puts it quite simply,
‘Don’t just pretend that you love others: really love them.....Love each other with brotherly affection and take delight in honouring each other.’
Romans 12:9-10
So, can I suggest that the next time you’re feeling a bit rubbish
or useless or fed up....tell yourself that you’re a precious gnome and make it your day’s goal to simply be there for someone else.
Eclipse Wonder
If you are interested in astronomy at all, the best place you can be in the next few days is Dallas, Texas, in the USA.
This is because a total solar eclipse will take place there on 8th April.
The sky will go black for 4 minutes and 9 seconds.
A total solar eclipse, when the moon completely covers the sun, is a great astronomical event, and scientists across the world are getting ready to witness it, and to complete lots of experiments during those precious 4 minutes.
Whilst we understand what an eclipse is now, it wasn’t always the case.
In all ancient civilisations, the disappearance of the sun was seen as an extremely bad omen.
In ancient Greece, it was seen as a punishment, a sign that they were abandoned by the gods.
In China, it was thought that a giant dragon was devouring the sun, and they needed to make as much noise as possible to scare it away.
We might look at an eclipse with anticipation and interest, they looked on it with fear and trembling.
Everyone agrees though, it is a truly amazing experience.
It reminds us again to give thanks and praise to our wonderful God, who made the earth and everything in it, and engineered it so that it all works together.
Nehemiah 9:6
You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you.
The eclipse is also a very visual reminder to me, that the God who made this amazing universe, and made eclipses possible, also gave everything up, all that power, to save us.
Philippians 2:5-9
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion. Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honoured him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honour of God the Father.
God really loves us that much.
Isn’t that even more amazing than an eclipse!
Hidden Talents
So yesterday evening I needed to call in at The Hub – I wasn’t expecting anyone to be there, so was surprised to find the art group ‘Make Your Mark’ all gathered there busily working away.
Well, I didn’t want to waste the opportunity to be nosey so had a little wander around. What hidden talent we have within our community!
The ages ranged from young people to ‘somewhat older’ and there wasn’t a painting amongst them that I wouldn’t have been proud to produce.
One lady said it was her first time last night and yet she had taken a blank piece of paper and was creating something beautiful.
Every single painting was different and unique and yet every single one was amazing.
I couldn’t help but come away thinking about what God sees in each of us that we all too easily miss in one another because we glance so briefly and don’t pause long enough to really discover or acknowledge the gifts that those around us have.
Sometimes a person’s gifts may be obvious to see such as a musical skill that they use in church, but often gifts can be more hidden – but never hidden from God.
The Bible tells us:
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
God knows us intimately. He knows us inside out; our every thought and our every gift – he knows us because he created us this way and he didn’t make any mistakes.
So if you are looking around and thinking how wonderful everyone else is and doubting your own abilities – look again!
YOU are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’;
YOU are amazing.
We might be works in progress, but each and every one of us has some wonderful gift and skill to bring to our community, let’s use and share our gifts generously with one another whether it be to make good coffee or bring some joy through art.
Whatever it is, God gave you your gifts for a reason – don’t hide them away, you don’t have to be perfect to bring what you have to God’s family.
“Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One might in everything.”
ALL CHANGE?
Did you enjoy Easter?
Was there a mix of good and bad, plenty of chocolate but not enough sleep?
Did you enjoy the Boat Race but wished they had jumped in the river?
How did your favourite team get on or are we not allowed to ask?
Maybe after Easter you’re aware of things that need to be attended to now. After all, Spring has arrived, so there’s the lawn to mow for the first time since October. It would help of course if it wasn’t a swamp!
Many people appear to wake up when Spring emerges from its own sleep, and decorating suddenly seems to be important and urgent.
Teens of course are acutely aware of the oncoming exam season, while slightly older young people are looking for jobs after gaining degree qualifications.
I can think of several adults who are celebrating finding new jobs and looking forward to more satisfying years ahead.
Many of us have seen our lives change during Easter, but how many lives have changed because of Easter?
For the disciples and other men and women who had been following, serving, and trusting Jesus, the Easter events transformed their lives and priorities totally. They would never be the same as they had been before the shock of the crucifixion and the even bigger shock of the resurrection. Living through those traumatic few days, when they could not predict tomorrow, was infinitely more powerful and life-changing than it tends to be for us who know the end from the beginning of the Easter story.
Having said that, the whole point of the Jesus story is to transform my life and yours 2,000 years after The Son of God paid for my sin by taking my punishment.
It just requires each of us to accept this reality and respond by offering our lives to Him as he offered His life for us.
The Bible explains it like this;
God loved the people of this world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who has faith in Him will have eternal life and will never really die. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent Him to save them. No one who has faith in God’s Son will be condemned.
Fright and Joy
This past weekend we have celebrated Easter, symbolising new life and beginnings. Whether that meant you thought of Jesus rising on Easter morning, or flowers popping up in all sorts of colours; what a joyful celebration it is!
When we read of Mary and Mary Magdalene discovering the empty tomb and their encounter with an angel, it is written they ran off to tell the disciples filled with fright and joy (Matthew 28:1-8).
Sometimes we forget how scary it can be facing a new beginning.
How frightening it can be with the prospect of the unknown or new.
If an angel appeared to me telling me someone I knew to be dead was up and about, I would be terrified!
And yet, in their fear there was joy. Pushing them into those first few steps, and probably adrenaline carrying the rest.
In what I imagine to be a pretty chaotic 10 minutes or so; Jesus stops the women in their tracks on the way to their destination and says ‘do not be afraid’ (Matthew 28:10).
He understands the fear of this new life; the new beginning that has completely shifted their world.
When we face a new beginning, how easy is it for fright and fear to stop us?
What do we rely on to make those first few steps?
Be joyful in our position and take those first few steps!
Jesus will be there on your journey.
8 The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. 9 And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”
Matthew 28: 8-10
March Sunrise
The Day After?
There are many occasions when the day after can be a little difficult.
When you have a house party and the day after when you have to tidy up, wash the dishes, vacuum up the mess. Or maybe when you get back from a holiday and you then have to wash all your clothes, go through your emails and get used to UK weather!
How do you cope the day after a big event?
Are you calm and ready for what’s coming?
Do you look back at the events before, remembering the great times had.
Do you look forward to the next time and start planning for it?
The disciples must have been wondering the day after Jesus was crucified what was going to happen.
Jesus had tried to tell them what was going to happen but they just didn’t understand. Some of them just hid away for fear of being identified as a Christian.
They thought they had lost their friend and that the person who would save them had been taken away.
From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
We know what happens.
Jesus came back to life as he said he would.
The disciples had not believed or understood what would happen.
But we have the advantage over the disciples.
They had no idea what was coming, we do.
If your situation feels like a disaster right now, hold on.
Jesus is waiting to walk through it with you, if you let him.
It may be Saturday today, but Sunday is coming.
Jesus, death beating, life giving, all loving, will never leave you, hold on.
The Wonderful Cross
And they brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha. (Golgotha means skull.) Wine drugged with bitter herbs was offered to him there, but he refused it.
And then they crucified him—and threw dice for his clothes.
It was about nine o’clock in the morning when the crucifixion took place.
Mark 15:22-25
‘When Christ died, He died for you individually just as much as if you had been the only person in the world’.
C.S Lewis
The Wonderful Cross - Chris Tomlin
Chocolate Grace
You may well have heard of the Orkney Easter Egg story that has been in the news over the past week or so.
The general store manager of Orkney (population 500) made a mistake in his easter egg ordering, and instead of 80, received nearly 800 easter eggs! He knew that he would not sell all of the eggs, but he had ordered them, so he had to pay for them. He also had to find somewhere to store them! He made a decision to raffle off 100 eggs for the RNLI which would help the storage situation, but not the cost issue.
However, due to the wonders of the internet, his mistake and resultant raffle made the local and then national news.
And then something wonderful happened.
Firstly, he sold over £1000 raffle tickets! The RNLI were delighted and Nestle offered to match fund as well which was wonderful.
Secondly, people from all over the UK realised how out of pocket he was. So, they started contacting him to buy their easter eggs from him this year, to help him out. They even offered to pay for postage!
In fact, so many people contacted him that ALL of his eggs have been sold (apart from the raffle ones!).
Instead of being really out of pocket, he has done far better than he imagined!
This is a wonderful example of what the Bible describes as Grace.
Grace describes what happens when God gives us far more love and help than we deserve or imagine.
The world said, ‘you ordered it, you have to pay’.
Grace says ‘let me buy all your easter eggs and pay for postage’.
The world might say to you ‘you have messed up’, but Jesus says ’follow me, my love will cover it and more besides’!
It’s a wonderful, amazing and undeserved gift.
Ephesians 2:7-8
God has all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish!
This Easter, as we eat our easter eggs, let's marvel afresh at God’s gift of grace.
Jesus gave up his life for us, which is a gift so amazing it’s even better than 800 easter eggs!
You Are Welcome
Most of you will be aware that our church building has been invaded over the last 2 days by our local primary school who have been coming in, class by class, to have some fun and games and learn about the Easter story.
Firstly, let’s give a shout-out to the amazing group of volunteers, all of whom offered up their time and efforts to not only be there over the last two days but also for all of the preparation in the preceding weeks. Our church wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the many people who give freely of their time in order to make things happen – so thank you to everyone involved, I hope you are now enjoying something of a rest!
By all accounts, the last two days have been filled with noise, chaos, laughter, fun and many sticky fingers - the last two days have been filled with ‘church’.
We have been gifted an amazing building and it’s important that we work out practical things like how we’re going to pay the bills; what furniture we’re going to fill it with or who is going to clean it this week – but those things are only about enabling what we do with it. And what we do with it is to fling the doors open and invite everyone in!
I am certain that not one of those children that came into The Hub this week will have left thinking, “wow, that’s a nice building”, but I am sure they left feeling welcomed having been shown kindness and having shared many smiles with everyone there.
My prayer this week is that each of those children left our building, not just having heard the Easter story but having experienced something of God’s love while they were there.
“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honouring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.”
May our building never fall quiet because we fail to open the doors and let new people in, even if they come with the noise, chaos and sticky fingers of a class of 7 years olds!
Let’s welcome all and as we do, let them see something of the love of God through us.
Today is Always Special
It’s funny how a twenty four hour period can be significant.
We mark the day we were born or married, when we started work or retired. There are birthdays and anniversaries, and there are some days that I can’t put a date to, that transformed my life, like the day I got my first camera or learned to ride a bike or the day I passed my driving test.
Do you remember that magical life transforming day when you first saw your future wife/husband, (I was fourteen), can you put a date to it? I can’t.
Sunday is a special day celebrated by two billion people worldwide because it reminds us of the day God rested after Creation, and the day Jesus was resurrected.
Then there are those ‘special’ days, organised by unknown individuals or groups for mysterious or obvious reasons.
This year we have already had Employee Legal Awareness Day, Extraterrestrial Culture Day, and Library Lovers Day. Coming up In April, we can look forward to World Autism Awareness Day, and National Coffee Cake Day. You can probably guess which is my favourite! April 2nd is National Ferret Day. We’ll all celebrate that next week, won’t we!
Some of us were so fortunate today because this was the first day we have had whole school classes and their teachers in our new building.
We were celebrating Easter, telling children about God’s love, playing very noisy games and helping them to produce a huge piece of artwork for Easter Sunday.
We will remember this day for many years.
And tomorrow, we will do it all again with four more classes and their teachers.
Can’t wait!
The Bible tells us that Jesus taught His followers to pray, and part of that prayer includes the words, ‘Give us this day our daily bread.’
It’s a reminder to take life a day at a time, and also that our daily needs are provided by God.
In the most famous of all the Psalms, the 23rd Psalm, David starts by stating, ‘The Lord is my shepherd,’ indicating his relationship with God, and he ends his Psalm with these words, ‘Surely Your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.’
This indicates that all of our days, yesterday, today, forever, are in God’s hands.
This fills me with gratitude and hope.
What does it do for you?
All God’s Creatures.
I’ve read a few articles recently about various wildlife photography competitions ranging from the most stunningly beautiful to the equally stunning yet comedic of creatures.
The most recent Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition was won with an amazing picture of a polar bear sleeping peacefully on the tip of an iceberg.
In contrast, the Comedy Wildlife Photographer of the Year was won with a funny picture of a kangaroo seemingly playing air guitar.
As I look through the entrants to these competitions, I’m in awe of the natural world and all of the wonder and beauty (and comedy) held within it.
I find myself chuckling at the antics of otter ballerinas and happy turtles to ooohing and aaahing at a night sky lit up by fireflies or an underwater hippo nursery.
Aren’t we lucky to live in a world where there are the most amazing creatures around us, whether it’s our own domesticated pets or more exotic animals we can usually only see in photographs or on television.
The natural world that God created should be nurtured and protected and cared for.
It gives us a sense of wonder and can often be a path to peace and tranquillity.
We are all God’s creatures and as such that nurturing, protection and care should be granted to us as human beings too, hopefully carving a way to a peaceful future for our beautiful God given world and opening our eyes to the beauty of finding God in all of creation.
Job 12: 7-10
“But ask the animals and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.”
Back To Normal
Is there really a definition about what normal is?
There are times when your life is happening differently for a while, maybe it’s a holiday or doing some decorating or having someone to stay.
Life becomes different.
I have spent most of the last few months working at home and then this week I ventured back into the office, only for a day though.
It felt familiar yet strange.
If you have guests staying in your house, your routine changes. There are more people to cater for and you will probably do different things during the day, being a tourist in your home town and going out to eat more often.
If you are decorating a room, the furniture moves and all your “stuff” moves so that you can decorate. So one room may be emptied into another while you decorate. The room you are working on becomes open and empty, whilst another room may become storage. Neither can be used in their usual way. And then when the job is done, you return everything back to where it should be and life becomes normal.
However my life is happening normal for me is just that, normal.
Normal for you may be very different.
There are some things which are similar, most of us eat 3 meals a day and sleep at night.
God knows that we are all different because that’s how he made us.
We are taught about this in the Bible in 1 Corinthians chapter 12.
There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its many parts make up one body. God has placed each part in the body just as he wanted it to be. If all the parts were the same, how could there be a body? As it is, there are many parts. But there is only one body. All of them will take care of one another. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honoured, every part shares in its joy.
There are different kinds of gifts. But they are all given to believers by the same God. There are different ways to serve. But they all come from the same Lord. But the same God is working in all these ways and in all people.
Whatever your normal is, celebrate it because it's you and you are important and loved.
For those around you, celebrate what their normal is because that’s how God made them.
Think Twice!
I was driving home the other day from being out with my dog, Louis.
Let me set the scene.
It was mid afternoon, dare I say, there was a hint of spring,
music was playing, Louis was in the passenger seat, snoring,
and all was well.
I stopped at a familiar roundabout, waited for the car to my right to drive past me and….
A man who’d been walking towards the roundabout, on the other side of the road to me started yelling at me!
Out of the blue!
Apparently my car was where he wanted to be! Even though he was nowhere near us.
I’ll be honest I was completely confused.
I looked around to see if I’d done something wrong.
While he was getting more angry with me, I was getting more confused.
And then he walked away!
What was all that about?
Not got a clue!!
Every day we have the potential to meet angry, aggressive people don’t we?
Whether it’s road rage,
shopping trolley rage,
neighbour rage,
queuing for an appointment rage,
or in this case,
walking down the road rage!
So much rage!!!
Don’t get me wrong, there could be a whole host of reasons why people are angry and frustrated!
Illness,
stress,
broken relationships,
fears and worries…
But lashing out at others isn’t the answer!
The Bible has much to say about angry, aggressive people…
‘A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.’
‘A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.’
‘Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.’
I genuinely wish that man well. Whoever he is.
But his anger was unnecessary.
I kept quiet and drove away, but someone else might have got out of their car and punched him!!
God says, ‘Be still! And know that I am God’
So the next time you’re feeling wound up with whatever has gone wrong with your day, and it may genuinely be a very rubbish day, be mindful of how you vent that anger.
The innocent bystander doesn’t need a mouthful from you….chances are they are dealing with their own tough circumstances!
But may we all be encouraged to, ‘Be still’.
God is a god of empathy, devotion, understanding and is wanting to walk with you through each day and gift you with His peace.
That Sinking Feeling.
I am sure we have all had that sinking feeling at some point in our lives.
That feeling in the pit of your stomach when you realise that something has gone wrong.
I had it last week.
I was merrily on the train into town when I suddenly realised that I should not be on the train. I should have been meeting someone and they were waiting for me.
I had messed up.
Thankfully the people concerned were very kind and patient and forgiving, but I felt awful.
We all mess up at times don’t we.
Whether it's forgetting where you are meant to be, or something different, it happens to everyone because none of us are perfect.
We are all wonderful and beautiful, but imperfect individuals, who are working their way through life in the best way they can.
So, what do you do when you mess up?
Very often you need to sort it out with the people concerned, but it's really important that you chat to God about it as well.
God knows us and he loves us, with all our mistakes, and he wants to walk through it all with us.
Now talking to God about our mistakes won’t make them magically disappear.
He will however, surround you with his love and help you through it.
The Bible is full of imperfect people, who loved and walked with a perfect God.
Then, as now, He never stops loving, and he never leaves us, even in the worst of our messes.
Micah 7:18-20
There is no other God like you, who pardons our wrongdoing?
You delight in showing unfailing love. Once again you will have compassion on us.
You will trample our wrongs under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean! You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love.
What Are You Rich In?
In the old Testament, there is a story about two brothers who had a falling out - Esau and Jacob. In fear of his brother, Jacob had fled his home and lived with and worked for his uncle for many years. Jacob was thinking his brother was planning on killing him, and so naturally when the time came to return home, Jacob was terrified.
To try and calm the situation Jacob sent many gifts ahead of him for his brother. However, when they met after years of being apart Esau embraced his brother with a hug.
In Genesis Chapter 33 it says,
“Esau asked, “What’s the meaning of all these flocks and herds I met?” To find favour in your eyes, my lord,” he said. But Esau said, “I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.”
I think this is such a lovely verse, because Esau may not have been as rich as Jacob but he didn’t need his wealth, because he already had plenty. Esau was just happy to see his brother again.
This got me thinking about what we are rich in.
You may not have the biggest house or the fastest of cars. You may not be able to eat at the fanciest restaurants or fly off to the warmest countries. But this doesn’t mean you aren’t rich, you might just be rich in other things.
What is it that makes your life feel really full, is it material things, or maybe it’s your family or friends? Maybe you’re sat cuddling up to a pet and you feel rich with their love? Maybe your church family make you feel rich, maybe you are rich in faith?
James 2:5 we read,
“Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the kingdom he promised to those who love him?”
While our world may have a strong focus on how much money people have, God looks at wealth in a different way, he praises those who are rich in faith.
Whatever it is that makes you feel rich, God blessed you with that and that might not be millions of pounds, but maybe he gave you a loving family, whether that be biological, a great group of friends or even our church family.
Proverbs 22 reminds us,
“Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all”.
So take a moment to think, what are you rich in?
Morning Noon and Night
I wonder, what time of the day do you read Sunrise?
Its title suggests that it’s meant for us to read each morning before we go to work or have our first cup of coffee.
Maybe you read it in bed, (I don’t, I’m usually up before it arrives! Honest).
When we wake up in the morning, we probably have an outline of the day in our minds, and that will affect how we feel as we fall out of bed. But we all understand that our expectations can be wiped out by a variety of events, large or small. The trains are off / the dog’s sick / the weather’s foul / the car won’t start / the plumber didn’t arrive / I’ve lost my specs. Add your own!
If we don’t manage to read Sunrise in the morning before we launch out on our day, it should still be applicable over lunch or before we go to bed.
God can speak to us at any time and under any circumstances. Whether we take the thoughts with us through the hours of our day, or reflect on their relevance as we review the day, God’s Word is always truthful and timely.
Those people who are fortunate enough to be able to visit various African countries can often watch a variety of wild animals visiting a river or lake each day to refresh themselves. Giraffes, hippopotamuses, elephants and many other wonderful animals, rely entirely on the provision of water, morning and evening, that gives life and health to these beasts.
In Psalm 1 we read,
‘Blessed is the one whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law, day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither - whatever they do prospers.’
It is so helpful if we step into each day after hearing God’s words for us. However, those words from our loving Heavenly Father will still be relevant as we look back on our day’s activities and relationships.
We cannot hinder His power or wisdom by tying Him down to a time that suits us.
His words and love will always reach us and provide comfort and guidance, hope and encouragement.
Whatever time you choose, God will be there.
Random Patterns
As spring is coming, it is beautiful to see some of the flowers starting to come up.
The flowers are beautiful and when you look closely, the patterns in the petals and leaves can be very intricate and each one is slightly different.
When I go out walking and you see the fern leaves unfolding, the patterns of the tiny leaves are wonderful, so delicately unfurling.
When you look at the clouds, hopefully not raining, and see the different shapes and colours they make; have you tried to see faces or animals in the clouds?
You may know that each snowflake is unique and as they form into beautiful shapes of different sizes and complexities, they make beautiful patterns; far more complicated than I could ever cut into a piece of paper for a decoration.
Each of these things have happened because of God’s design in our world.
He cares so much about these little things, making them so beautiful.
As God has taken so much care and attention to these things, think about how much he cares about us.
We are each unique and beautifully made and he loves every one of us as we are.
He does not have any favourites or preferences as he knows each one of us is special.
We are not random but individually made.
God’s love for us is not dependent on us. He made us and loves us as we are.
In the Psalms, His love is described as this :
Your steadfast love, O Lord, is as great as all the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your justice is as solid as God’s mountains. Your decisions are as full of wisdom as the oceans are with water. You are concerned for men and animals alike. How precious is your constant love, O God! All humanity takes refuge in the shadow of your wings. You feed them with blessings from your own table and let them drink from your rivers of delight.
As you go for a wander today and look around, think of how vast God's love is for us.
Reconnecting.
It has been a hectic few months.
There have been essay deadlines, department changes at work and many, many, many tough work challenges that were definitely not planned - or wanted.
It’s been so busy that I found myself in a position where I could hardly think about God because there were a hundred other things on my mind first.
And that doesn’t feel right.
If God, with all His power and knowledge, is able to know each of us and want a relationship with us individually, why could I not even spare five minutes to think of Him?
That’s when it was time to reevaluate some things.
And I’ve been fortunate enough to have been blessed with a new person in my life who is just as keen to re-establish their faith as I am. Together, we’ve been doing daily Bible study and really focusing on reconnecting with God after feeling lost for a little while.
And those moments where I can feel God, whether that’s when I’m reading the Bible or praying to myself during the day, make life’s stresses not feel quite so heavy.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28.
What I’ve realised is that even when things feel tough and it’s difficult to tackle daily challenges, our connection within God provides us with that extra bit of ‘oomph’ we need to give it our all and face hard times with strength and courage.
“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:13.
Quantity Issue
I wonder if it's just me, or if other people also have issues with internet ordering?
I seem to have a knack of inadvertently ordering the incorrect amount or size of whatever I wish to buy.
Over the last few years, I have ordered 8 kgs of mushrooms instead of 8 mushrooms, 16 boxes of 4 glasses (64) instead of 16 glasses, and many others.
My latest one happened last week, when I ordered some tiles which I wanted to be 5cm square. Unfortunately, they were 5 inches square!
In each case, I have received far more than I ordered or expected, and it wasn’t that welcome.
Sometimes, getting more than you expected is not ideal, but sometimes it's amazing!
I had a friend who once a week would offer to pay for the coffee of the person in front of her in Costa. It was an unexpected extra gift that people were so grateful for.
The Bible describes how Jesus gave up everything for us so that we could have a relationship with him as an amazing gift.
Not like my internet ordering, but the most wonderful and overflowing gift of love, mercy and grace.
Ephesians 2:4, 5, 7, 8
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
Now following Jesus does not mean that the world will be wonderful.
Sometimes, it's even worse and more unpredictable than my internet capabilities!
It does mean though, that we have this amazing and unexpectedly extravagant gift of God's love and grace to help and guide us through each day.
When I think of how much Jesus gave up for us, it really blows my mind!
Today, spend some time thanking him for this gift of love, the mind blowing, overwhelming grace and mercy of God.
Light Bulb Moment
Have you tried to buy a light bulb recently?
Our bedroom light bulb stopped working a few days ago so we stopped off at a well-known DIY shop to just pick up a replacement bulb.
It turns out, it was going to be a more difficult job than we first thought!
We stood in the shop and looked at this huge display of bulbs while we tried to decide where to start.
There were big ones, there were tiny little ones; clear ones, opaque ones and coloured ones; did we need a screw cap or a bayonet? Dimmable or not? Bright white or warm white? Did we want a round one, a traditional one or a candle shaped one? What wattage did we need?
And that was before we discovered the ‘smart’ bulbs!
We eventually decided on a bulb which only came in a pack of 3, so we ended up buying 3 bulbs which we have decided still aren’t quite right as we sit in what can only be described as ‘gloom’.
Life is often filled with a series of decisions - from the moment we wake up we start to make decisions about what we will eat or drink, what we will wear, where we will go.
What things we will accomplish with our day; how we will spend our time and who with.
Some of life’s decisions are easy to make, a simple choice; others are much harder because they will have a much bigger impact on our lives – what job shall we do? Where shall we live? Who shall we marry – or not; what college/university should we go to?
Often when we are making big decisions, it can seem as though there is no clear road to take and it is rarely a case of simply one thing being right and the other wrong.
But there is a decision which we can make which will become the basis on which all other decisions are made.
Jesus said:
“Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Following Jesus won’t solve all of your problems and you won’t miraculously know the answer to every difficult decision you have to make, but it will be the best decision you ever made and it will form the basis on which all decisions are made from that point onwards.
What’s more – you’ll find that whatever decision you make and whatever road you find yourself on, you won’t be journeying alone.
“Stand where the roads cross and look. Ask where the old way is, where the good way is, and walk on it. If you do, you will find rest for yourselves.”
Use What You Have
When I have some spare time, you can often find me looking at photographs of buildings around the world. I’m frequently stunned by the astonishing creations of architects, and wonder how a brain can, not just imagine these constructions, but turn their dreams into reality.
I look at the photographs and wish I could go to these places and see if I could produce better images.
Recently I was admiring the Brisbane City Hall in Australia.
It was built in the 1920’s and has white stairs made of marble from the same quarry Michelangelo used for his David sculpture.
The tower mirror’s the one on St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice and the copper dome was the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.
There was still more to do but they ran out of money.
They had intended to place an Angel of Peace on the top, but financial reality damaged the dream.
Along came a plumber called Fred Johnson.
You may think I made this up, but the truth is that by using a toilet cistern, an old lamp post and some scrap pieces of redundant metal, Fred created an orb on the pinnacle of the building that’s been there for more than 100 years!
Often we have dreams about doing something significant, either for ourselves or a friend or a local organisation.
As we imagine how our creation would look or be useful to people, we discover that life frequently turns our dreams into dust.
Recently I have thought about bringing a bell back to life in a local bell tower.
I ask myself what the chances are, and the answers tell me that it’s too expensive, too difficult, or too time-consuming.
Maybe I’ll find a smaller, simpler, cheaper project; plant a tree, paint white guidelines in our car park, or clear out the gutters.
We tend to believe that our work for God needs to be impressive, almost miraculous, surprising Him.
But He can surprise us by often asking us to do something simple; make a phone call, write a letter, clean a building, go shopping for someone…the list is endless.
Jesus tells us that a tree is recognised by its fruit, and our Bibles tell us that the kind of fruit God wants to see in us is, ‘Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.’
These could be challenging for us, but the results could be life-changing for people around us.
God may not be interested in bells or car parks, but He is interested in people and what we are prepared to do for each other.
Maybe we will hear the bell ringing when we’ve done the important stuff!
What Are You Looking For?
My current read is ‘What you are looking for is in the library’ by Michiko Aoyama.
It is a wonderful book following four individual storylines as they each find a community library with what I’m presuming is some sort of magic librarian!
As they each go to her feeling a little lost and requesting books they have vague interest in, the librarian produces the shelf location of their requested books, alongside another seemingly random book.
This ‘random’ book calls to something inside each of them, highlighting an interest or passion for something once lost and guiding them back to a path they were once on, or once dreamt of.
What a wonderful thing it is to read of people who in their own little ways, find themselves again. Not in big grandiose gestures, but in small step-by-step journeys.
The author leaves the storyline of each person just as they have begun on this journey, teasing you as the reader with the hope and promise of the future.
Whilst I have grown attached to each of the four library visitors and their stories, the one that intrigues me the most is the librarian.
What insight does she have?
How does she know which book will be the key to each person unlocking a door to a lost part of themselves?
I was struck upon reading this book, how similar of a relationship we often have with God. We can’t understand the insight that He has or comprehend the knowledge that He holds. Yet when we choose to trust him, and follow an interest, passion, or path he has placed in our hearts; we are so often amazed at the ways we discover ourselves and the world around us.
Through our relationship with Him we grow and hold onto hope for the future.
And it requires from each of us, a first step, a willingness to reach out, to find ourselves maybe for the first or seventeenth time!
I am reminded of a verse from the book of Esther, chapter 4 verse 14.
‘Who knows if perhaps you were made for just such a time as this?’
What a reminder to step out, be bold, and to look for hope and a future that our God sees – even if we do not.
Weightlifting
I was talking with a friend recently and they were telling me about how a member of his team was a difficult character, who knew everything, was right about everything and his way was the right way.
When he left it was like a new team. Everyone relaxed and the conversations were so much easier.
It was like a weight had been lifted.
I was recently working with a company who had some issues with how they were working and providing services to us.
Being the customer I was expecting the provider to work with me to sort out the issues but they were not prepared to listen to any comments or discuss our feedback.
It made the situation very difficult to handle and once over, was a great relief for us all.
Sometimes, there are situations which we all may find stressful.
It can sometimes creep up on us and we don’t realise it's there until it's really weighing on us quite heavily.
These situations can happen in many areas of our life and the pressure of trying to sort them out can weigh you down.
It is good to remember that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
As a community we can and do help each other out.
It may be direct help or it may be doing something else.
A listening ear to let you share what is going on or doing something practical so they don’t have to worry about it, like giving a lift or providing a meal.
Jesus had a team of people around him who would help him with practical things and they would also pray with him.
As Jesus would pray to God, his disciples would pray with him.
Being a Christian does not mean that our troubles will magically go away, but it does mean that you have a God who will support you and also a community of people who will support you.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
A Mile in Their Shoes
Travelling by public transport is not a new thing for me.
I’ve used buses and trains for most of my life so it’s just a normal thing to do.
For some however public transport is only used if absolutely necessary and is therefore a bit of a novelty or maybe even a cause for anxiety.
We recently had to leave the car at the garage for a service so my other half, who hasn’t used a bus for a number of years, and I had to get the bus to Lydiate.
The bus turned up on time and we got a seat together which was a good start and during our conversation we talked about how it was nice to be able to properly look around instead of being focussed on driving.
It turned into quite a pleasant journey.
It did amuse me that towards the end of our journey our conversation turned to ‘Where are we getting off?’, or ‘Is this our stop?’, reminding me of travelling with the children constantly asking, ‘Are we there yet?’ 😊
The journey home though was a bit different.
We got to the bus stop and thought we had missed our bus so decided to walk to the next stop. When we got there the people waiting told us that the bus hadn’t turned up as they’d been waiting for ages.
Eventually the bus arrived almost half an hour late and we all got on. Luckily, we managed to get a seat together again and off we went.
It was at this point that the man in the seat in front of us turned to ask if we were on a bus that went into Liverpool and would he be able to get to New Brighton?
We assured him that we were and that once he got to town he could enquire at the bus station as to which buses went to the Wirral.
The young man continued to ask us these questions several times at which point we realised that he was struggling and was quite anxious about his journey.
He began to ask if he was safe on the bus and repeatedly asked if he could get home by bus from Liverpool to New Brighton.
We continued to reassure him and answer his questions until we reached our stop, then we told him to look after himself and that we hoped he got home ok.
He thanked us for our help as we got off the bus.
I’ve thought about that young man a lot this week.
I’ve prayed that he did get home ok and that along the rest of his journey he found more reassurance and kindness from people, strangers, that he asked to help him.
He was obviously on a tough journey through life and I hope that people were kind to him as nobody knew what he was going through.
Nobody had walked a mile in his shoes.
Ephesians 4:32
“Instead be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you”.
So, as we go through our daily lives may we show compassion and kindness to everyone we meet in the hope that they may find peace and can travel a little easier on life’s path.
Life Swap
Did anyone watch the Annual British music awards (BRITS) last Saturday night?
It was a very glamorous affair where the British music of the last year was celebrated. Anyone who was anyone in the British Music scene was there.
You may not have been aware though, that amongst the celebrities, was a couple from South Wales, Meg and Charlie.
They had been given the tickets by Radio 1 DJ Greg James!
Greg and his Wife had offered to ‘Life Swap’ for the evening.
Meg and Charlie went to the BRITS, and Greg and his Wife went to south Wales, to look after their daughter (safeguarding approved of course) and do the daily chores!
Greg posted a picture of himself doing the washing up, and Meg and James posted pictures of themselves on the red carpet!
They had an amazing evening and Greg was very pleased to swap with them.
If you were going to swap lives with anyone, I wonder who it would be?
A celebrity? A sportsperson? A politician? Or someone else?
Sometimes it seems like other people’s lives are so much better than ours.
More money, better job, less problems.
The reality of course is that famous saying: “Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about”.
The Bible reminds us that even if we are struggling with our current circumstances, God is in it with us.
He has a plan and a purpose for our lives.
We just need to follow him and trust Him.
God will never leave us, and even though we may not understand it, He will guide you through.
1 Corinthians 11:17&19
And don’t be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God’s place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there……The really important thing is obeying God’s call, following his way.
If you are struggling with things today, tell someone.
Melling is a big church family, whom God has placed in just the right place to support and encourage one another.
Refreshing My Soul
I don’t know about you, but there are days when I just feel empty. Like I’ve given everything I’ve got and I’m struggling to muster up the energy, the enthusiasm or even the brain power to work my way through the day.
If I’m honest, it might even be the week!
We all need to pause at times – just stop for a little while and rest.
Lent is a good time to do that; to take a moment to reflect and refresh ourselves, to sit with God for a while and give him chance to speak without having to compete with the noise and hustle and bustle of life.
We read in the Bible the very familiar words of Psalm 23:
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.
God understands our need to sit for a while, but this isn’t just physical rest that he is offering, he’s offering to refresh our souls.
A refreshment that comes from within, regardless of the noise and chaos that might surround us.
So, today’s Sunrise is going to be purposely short.
I want you to go and put the kettle on, make yourself a drink, find yourself a quiet spot and listen to the words of the song below – really listen to them – play it a few times, as many times as you like!
And allow God to bring refreshment to your soul.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eIQQayhpak
The Dash
The other day I was in a cemetery.
I was walking through and looking at the old gravestones.
It was a beautiful, peaceful place.
As I was looking at the names and dates on the stones I noticed something.
The dash.
That little line between the day they were born and the day they died.
The dash.
I’ll be honest, I’ve never paid much attention to it before.
In fact,
I’ve never paid any attention to it before!
But this time,
that tiny line,
dash,
stood out to me.
Blink and you’d miss it.
But what it represents is life.
Some of the dates were short.
Francis Murphy, 23rd March 1876 - 19th June 1898.
Other dates were much longer.
Mavis Barrow 2nd January 1815 - 17th December 1905.
Francis lived just 22 years.
Mavis lived til she was 90.
I stood for some time, staring at ‘the dashes’, wondering what took place during those years. My mind wandered.
Was Francis happy?
What sort of family did he have?
What hopes did he have?
Why did he die so young?
Who was Mavis?
Did she enjoy life?
Did she have friends?
What did her day to day life look like?
If you’re reading this Sunrise today then you have the most incredible privilege of having
‘a dash’.
You have life.
And that is a gift.
My hope, my prayer for us all today,
is that we will stop long enough to realise that life is not only precious and a privilege but it’s a gift.
A gift from a creator God who doesn’t make mistakes.
Paul wrote to the Ephesians,
‘For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.’
Today, if you need a reminder that you are a gift to this world, then here it is!
Your ‘dash’ is no mistake.
God has blessed us with life, so that we may live.
Truly live.
Can I suggest that today, we thank God for life and all the good that is in it.
And dare I suggest,
that if there’s things we need to change (I definitely have things!!!)
to make our lives more meaningful and beautiful and more of a blessing to others,
then we will have the courage and the desire to do so.
May each one of us choose to live our dash full of grace
and love
and energy
and gratitude
and blessing from God
and blessing to others.
THAT would be an incredible ‘dash’.
Can You See The Connection?
There are times when you just need to make sure all the connections are good.
Christmas lights are a great one, when lights used to all go out if just one bulb failed.
I would be given the job of trying to find that elusive bulb that was causing the issue. Thank goodness today's modern lights are now clever enough to work even if a bulb has blown and you can see the failed one straight away.
As I work with computers, I often have to work in a similar way.
When things break, it's not always obvious where in the system it has broken.
I will often have to stop and think “ok, back to the basics” and then work my way from the start to the end , trying to find the break in the connection.
We had a leak in our car with water ending up in the passenger footwell.
I looked at the door trim and could not see where it was coming in. I looked around the side window and the windscreen. I searched and could not see where the water was coming in. I checked in the engine to make sure nothing was leaking.
In the end, I gave in and took it to the garage.
They looked at it and said they had the perfect thing for this, a rubber duck !!!
( I like my garage , they are fun 😊).
It turned out, the leak was from a rear window but the water was tracking all the way to the front footwell.
Sometimes, we don’t see where the break in the connection or the source of the problem really is.
In our lives, there are things that happen which we don’t realise at the time are significant but when we look back, we realise the different steps and turns that brought us to this point.
Sometimes, like my garage, it takes asking someone else to help find the problem, someone who has seen it before.
God sent Jesus to the world so that he could be with us and experience the joy, the pain, the troubles and the fun times.
Jesus knows all that you have been through and He has been with you in each step.
In the Psalms we are reminded
The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;
though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
Sometimes, we may wonder how our experiences have impacted our lives.
Jesus knows this all too well.
When we laugh, He will laugh with us, if we cry, He will cry with us.
Being a Christian does not mean there won't be difficulties, but it does mean you will always have someone with you, to love you, to comfort you, to pick you up and give you a hug.
Delight in the Lord, for He is good.
February Sunrise
Doppelganger
Have you heard of the word ‘Doppelganger’?
It refers to someone who looks really like someone else, but isn’t actually them or related to them.
Supposedly everyone has a Doppelganger somewhere in the world!
I am not sure about that.
However, on the way into Aintree Hospital this week, I really thought I saw Dwayne ‘THE ROCK’ Johnson.
I began to get quite excited at the thought of a Hollywood star visiting a long lost relative in Liverpool.
That is until I got closer.
Then I realised that it was not actually the movie star, but someone who looked very much like him.
Thankfully, I did realise this before I asked for his autograph and completely embarrassed myself!
There was a news article recently about a Doppelganger for Ed Sheeran.
Ty Jones, from Manchester, looks so like Ed Sheeran, that he has to go out in disguise and shop late at night to avoid being mobbed by fans!
Ty and Ed have met up recently to discuss the price of fame!
I wonder who out there looks like me?
That’s an interesting thought!!
Now the bible talks about the concept of being a Doppelganger in a different way. Christians are asked to live life the way that Jesus did.
Now we don’t have to look like him physically, (thankfully, as I can’t grow a beard!) but we are asked to follow his example. To be a doppelganger in our behaviours, attitudes, and actions.
This is so that we can show the world just how amazing Jesus is.
As Christians, we are asked ‘What would Jesus Do/Say/Act’ in our everyday lives, and to copy that.
It is not always easy, and we won't always get it right, but Jesus is there to help us every step of the way.
So, whatever you are doing today, try and be a Doppelganger for Jesus.
Ephesians 5:1-2
You are all God’s Children, so watch what God does, and then you do it. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Jesus loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.
Real Rest
It’s interesting how we all get exhausted in different ways.
For years and years, I could get up early in the morning and work for ten hours and go home fighting fit.
After a good sleep I was ready to do it all over again. Six days a week!
I also had a different kind of work in the evenings which didn’t destroy me.
Remember the Day of Rest?
That was as busy as all the others.
But ten minutes in Asda and I was finished!
But the lady of the house can, even today, romp around Asda, then Marks and Spencer, then Matalan, then……!
Some things we do because we must, like washing clothes and ironing, gardening and tidying the house, or fixing the boiler when it goes on strike, which it did today.
Other things still need to be done but not so urgently, like hanging framed pictures on the wall, painting the shed, and taking some worn out furniture to the tip.
We all have preferences and pet-hates, and it helps if various members of the household can work as a team, and manage all the issues without too much stress or fighting.
But life demands more than coping with a job and housework.
There are people in your life who occasionally need you for company or encouragement, advice or help with a project.
More work!
Sometimes it’s you who needs a helping hand.
Often, just sitting with a friend and a cup of coffee is the most restful thing to do.
We are so fortunate to belong to such a wonderful collection of people who are always willing and able to stand alongside us and relieve the pressures of life.
For many individuals, finding rest on life’s journey is challenging, it feels as if they are carrying a heavy load and nowhere to put it down.
But we have a God who promises rest when we are physically worn out, and peace when we are mentally and spiritually exhausted.
Jesus said,
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you will recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
“I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”
Bat Days
I read this the other day on a science Instagram account…
‘As a bat biologist I just wanna give a shout out to bats, who for years we've been saying are super-sophisticated at dodging one another and flying in synchrony. Now that we've used high speed cameras on them, turns out they crash into each other all the time.
Bats are cool.’
@makingsenseofscience
How funny is that?!
Daily bat crashes!
There must be unseen carnage in the dark ‘bat cave’ at Chester Zoo!
Countless bats with headaches!!
That fact made me laugh.
But there’s a more serious side to this.
A lesson we can take away from it.
Nobody is perfect!
How often do we look at families, couples, people with high flying jobs, the nicest house, the expensive car….and think that their lives are sorted?
All together?
Dare I say, perfect?
A bit like we’ve believed bats to be like for so long. Going about their bat business with perfect flights, perfect echolocation, well, just kind of, perfect ‘bat-ness’!
But the truth be told, it’s far from perfect!!
The next time you are looking at someone with the perfect life, and wishing you had it all, remember that no one is perfect and they may actually be having a bit of a tough time.
Life has its ups and downs for us all.
And we all deserve a bit of TLC, patience and understanding at times.
Paul wrote,
‘Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.’
I’ve no idea if bats cheer each other on and support each other after a crash, that’s for the bat biologists to discover. But we can certainly cheer on and support each
other!!…in fact, we must, because one day it’ll be us who needs it from others.
Happy Monday everybody!!
The Question Is …
Do you like quizzes?
We had a great quiz at the Hub, with some really good questions.
Some of the questions created a bit of a debate about what the answer was going to be. Some of them brought to mind a funny answer which was also completely wrong.
Others you had absolutely no idea what it was, so a complete guess was required, even when our host was generous enough to give us a clue!
But there was the occasional question when as soon as you heard it, you knew the answer.
Does it bring out a competitive side?
Do you want to sneak a look at your phone to get an answer to improve your chances of winning?
Is it a chance to learn something and hopefully remember it as an interesting fact?
Do you just have a laugh because you know you won't be able to answer most of the questions anyway?
It is often surprising how many you can actually get right with the help of your team to discuss the options and think of possible answers.
Sometimes, even when you are told the answer it doesn’t make sense.
And that’s what a quiz is all about, not the questions but the answers.
A question is only difficult when you don’t know the answer.
But we will all have questions, some of which are harder than others.
There is an answer though, it's God.
Now that may sound trite and sometimes it doesn’t make sense because you can't understand how God can be the answer.
But He is.
The Bible tells us in the book of Galatians, chapter 5,
But the fruit that comes from having God in our lives is: love, joy, peace, not giving up, being kind, being good, having faith, being gentle, and being the boss over our own desires. There is no law against these things.
When you have questions, ask God.
You can come to our Melling Community Church and talk about the questions with us.
You can read a Bible to see what God has to say about it.
We don’t have all the answers either, but we do know God and what He brings to us.
Why?
This is the story of two medieval stone masons.
Both are asked if they enjoy their job.
The first one replies: Well it's hard. If you want to know the truth, it's burning hot in the sun and the work is backbreaking. Just one stone after the other over and over again.
I don’t even know if I will live to see the finished result.
So, no, I don’t like my job at all.
The second one replies like this. Well, as you can imagine, it's pretty monotonous. It's hard and no good for my back. I have been doing this for years now and I don’t know if I will live long enough to see the result.
But you know what? Despite all the drudgery, I love it!
It’s worthwhile because I am building a cathedral, a building where God will be talked and sung about for hundreds of years to come. I am so proud to be a part of that.
The difference between the first and second stonemasons?
The second one remembered the WHY. And the WHY inspired him.
Now life can be tough.
It's been a tough week in my house. There are days where daily life feels like a never ending stream of chaos. The plans you have laid down go to pot and you don’t seem to be making any headway.
It's hard to see past the next crisis.
Remember the WHY.
You are not alone.
You are fearfully and wonderfully made, and you have a God who loves you and will lead you through.
You are part of God's amazing and wonderful plan.
John 3:16
This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is WHY: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.
Awful When Hungry
If you walk through any park, just about anywhere, you will notice that there are often small plaques that have been fixed to benches in memory of loved ones.
Often these plaques will reference a happy memory or how special this place was to the person.
Last week I read about a plaque that had been fixed to one such bench that simply said:
For Barbara
Who was awful when hungry
But otherwise pretty solid.
This really made me smile. I don’t know who Barbara was; I don’t know who came up with the words for this plaque in her honour – all I know is that (apart from when she was hungry) Barbara was someone who could be relied on, and someone missed her enough to commemorate her life.
This got me thinking about what my legacy might be.
Now, before everyone starts to wonder why I am writing about my inevitable, but hopefully not imminent, demise – I’m not – I’m writing about life.
How we live our life matters.
It matters to us and it matters to those around us.
Do we live in such a way that is honouring to God?
Do we live in such a way that makes a difference to those around us?
Some people may do some spectacular things during their lifetime, others may be less notable, but every single one of us can make a difference in our small corner.
A kind word of encouragement; a phone call that says ‘I missed you today’; offering your time or help when really you could be doing any number of other things; a generous spirit offering a warm welcome to all … the list goes on.
I’m not sure I am ready to hear what people may, or may not, say about me but I would like to choose to work towards a legacy of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
I choose to wake up each morning and tell God that, whatever happened yesterday, I’m going to try again today to make it a day that is honouring to him and hopefully shines a little light for those around me.
And perhaps one day, someone will say of me – “she was pretty solid” – but more than that, I hope to hear God’s voice saying “well done”.
“And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.”
Priorities
Life should be simple shouldn’t it?
We know there’s 24 hours in each day, and we have probably sorted out our sleep time and our mealtimes.
So already there are fewer hours left to organise, it can’t be that difficult!
If you have a job, that will take up most of the remaining hours.
Young people are provided with experts to explain a wide variety of subjects.
If you have put work behind you, the day stretches out invitingly, and you’re in charge.
So whatever group you belong to, your priorities are sorted and obvious.
I suppose that early evening, after a meal, may provide you with some choices; go to the gym, visit the cinema, walk the dog, badminton, five-a-side football, guitar lessons, apparently some people watch TV!
If you don’t go to work, it’s easy to watch TV for 40 hours a week.
Imagine what you could achieve or learn if you turned it off!
Health could be an issue of course; I went to our church building on Sunday, feeling fine, but part way through the meeting, I began to feel rotten, nothing to do with the service, which was fine and inspirational, but I had to go home.
The rest of the day was horrible.
I had planned to visit someone, so I will need to re-arrange that, which will interfere with other plans for the week.
Obviously for some people, health issues are long -term and destroy any idea of making plans.
The idea of organising our lives in a very structured way is possibly fine if we are not involved with people who ask for lifts, or help with a project, or ask us to go shopping, or maybe they just arrive at your front door unannounced.
Then there is the chaos produced when you forget you agreed to do something tonight, and it’s already 9.30!
You get to bed later than planned with a scrambled brain and wake up knowing that the day will not be how you expected it to be, which means that the week won’t be either.
And it’s only Tuesday!
God understands our stresses, and although He probably won’t take any of your jobs away, He does promise to join you on your unpredictable journey through the week.
As you attempt to clarify your priorities, He suggests one:-
‘With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not your own judgment. Always let Him lead you, and He will clear the road for you to follow.’
Are You Being Honest?
‘Honesty is such a lonely word
Everyone is so untrue
Honesty is hardly ever heard
And mostly what I need from you’
‘Honesty’ - Billy Joel
Recently I read an article about someone I thought had been a good, honest character, full of integrity, with love for his family. I was devastated to hear that this person had been living a double life. Causing many, many people to believe he was someone great and good whilst all along sordid secrets were piling up on his phone and his victims were being silenced.
He passed away, and left behind a lot of brokenness.
It was a heart-breaking read.
More scandal.
More lies.
No honesty.
Secrets.
Secrets.
Secrets.
Nowadays it would seem that nearly everybody has a mobile phone.
Instant access to others through phone calls and texts.
And then there’s the internet freely available wherever we are.
Not to mention all the social media sites.
Oh, and then there’s the photos and videos we take, or we receive.
These phones are absolutely incredible!
Where would we be without them?!
But what’s on them?
If someone got hold of our phones would they be shocked by our photos?
Would our messages reveal ‘another side’?
And what about our Search History?
Billy Joel was right when he said that honesty is such a lonely word.
There seems to be so many stories of scandal and lies and lack of integrity.
But we can be different.
Jesus said,
‘I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life’.
CS Lewis defined integrity as
‘doing the right thing, even when no one is watching’.
Secret lives cause broken lives.
Let’s all be careful to think right thoughts,
say right words and
have right actions.
Time To Discover
When you go to visit a city, how often do you choose to venture away from the usual tourist places or away from the normal shopping areas?
One thing I enjoy doing is seeing a place in reality, don’t just look at the parts they want to draw your attention to. Go somewhere different and enjoy the real city.
We recently went to London and walked down Regents Canal, not somewhere I would have found on the tourist guide but it took us through parts of the city I would not have ordinarily visited.
It was a lovely route through Camden and then on to Primrose Hill.
A lovely view of the skyline on a sunny day with blue skies, time to just sit and ponder.
Instead of getting the tube around, we also used the bus which allowed us to actually see the areas of the city that ordinarily the tube rushes past.
Going to the parks and discovering wonderful green spaces all over the London reminded me of the great parks around Liverpool that I should also explore more, Stanley Park, Sefton Park, Walton Hall Park, Croxteth Hall Park, Newsham Park, Everton Park, and more besides.
But how many of us have taken the time to discover them?
For me, not enough to be honest.
I should be more of a tourist in my home town.
At this time of lent, many people choose to “give something up”.
But if we take an alternate approach and make time to do something different, we can make time to learn more about God and Jesus.
Read a chapter of a book of the bible or follow a Lent reading plan, you can find some on the internet, such as Christian Aid ‘Count your blessings” or 40Acts with a daily act of kindness.
In the book of Psalms, we are encouraged;
But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds. They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.
Take time to discover God, whether this is the first time or the hundredth time, find somewhere quiet and sit; talk to God and listen.
Unexpected Gifts
This week, an 11-year-old boy called Alfie received an unexpected gift.
After seeing him give an interview about his love for trains, a complete stranger decided to gift him the train set that was in her loft.
Val Wilkinson, did not know Alfie before the interview, but he reminded her of her nephew who had owned the train set until his death in 1966 aged 17 from cancer.
Since then, it has remained wrapped up in Val’s loft, waiting for a new owner.
This week, Val decided that this owner should be Alfie.
So, she travelled across the country to give it to him.
To say that Alfie was surprised and delighted was an understatement.
It was a wonderfully kind and completely unexpected gift, and very much appreciated.
It's wonderful when we receive gifts, unexpected or otherwise, and it's important to say thank you to the giver.
Whether we get a gift today or not, its important to remember the wonderful gifts we are given daily.
Our wonderful, beautiful world. Our friends and family. Our amazing if slightly crazy church family.
Our amazing God, who loves without end, and never leaves us.
As we enter Lent, let’s start by looking back and saying thank you for all the amazing things God has given us over the past year.
God has provided us with so much, some more unexpected than others.
I never thought I would be saying thank you for a Portaloo!!
Now life isn’t always easy, and there are many things still to pray for, but looking back with thankfulness can help remind us of just how amazing God is.
Psalm 1
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvellous things you have done.
It’s All About the Pancakes…Isn’t It?
If you are part of our community chat, you may have taken part in yesterday’s debate about what to have on your pancakes.
Some people remained steadfastly traditional, sticking to lemons and sugar, while others took a more varied approach with chocolate spread, strawberries, syrup and ice cream – and just one or two took a completely different tactic and went savoury!
In our house this year, we decided to start the day with pancakes and had them for breakfast instead of our usual end of day treat.
Whatever your personal preference, we should remember that it isn’t actually a custom based around pancakes - leading it in more recent years to become known as ‘pancake Tuesday’ instead of Shrove Tuesday - but rather a tradition based around the idea of finishing off things like eggs, sugar and fats before beginning a period of fasting during Lent.
The idea of fasting or giving special treats up for Lent is all about trying to help us focus our minds on Jesus as we approach Easter and remember how he died in our place so that we might have eternal life.
Last year we suggested that, instead of giving up some of your ‘bad habits’ for a period of time, we all committed to take up a habit of prayer.
For some, that would have been a completely new experience, while for others, it may simply have affirmed what they already do faithfully anyway.
But if we look back at the last 12 months, I think that prayer has brought about a huge transformation in our community.
We have so much to be grateful for, from people struggling through illness but still able to celebrate another year with us, to people being baptised as well as married.
We are finally in our own building after such a long wait!
If we stop to think about it, we have SO much to be grateful for and SO many answered prayers.
I know that God hasn’t answered all of our prayers yet – or at least not in the way we may have wanted, but surely we should pause for a moment as we look back and give thanks for the journey he has joined us on?
Prayer matters.
Prayer makes a difference.
So I’m not going to apologise for repeating my call again this Lent.
As we begin this season of reflection, let’s commit again to praying as a whole community; for giving thanks for all that God has provided over the last year and for praying for his continued presence at the very heart of all we do in Melling.
If you would like to be part of our prayer group chat, speak to Jo, and join us this Lent as we hold those in need up to God in prayer, but also in giving thanks to a gracious God who has already provided so much.
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.
In It Together
Some years ago, I met a lady who was very distressed and very upset over something in her life. I asked her if I could help in any way, but the reply I got shocked me…
“I can’t tell you what’s happened, or what I have done, because you’re a Christian.
You’ll be upset with me.
Aren’t Christians meant to be perfect?“
I was saddened that somewhere in her life she had learnt to think like that.
At some point, somebody had said something, somebody had done something, to cause her to believe that she wasn’t worthy of Christians love and support, and more importantly, that she couldn’t receive love and forgiveness and support from God.
I suggested that she let me tell her my story. Tell her who I really was.
All the messes I had made.
All the hurt, the pain, the stupidity.
I didn’t leave anything out.
That day her view of Christians changed.
And we sat for hours chatting and sharing about our imperfect messy lives, and learning something more about our
wonderful,
awesome,
perfect and
gracious God,
who continues to love us despite it all.
Most days of the year, a Sunrise is posted on our website.
Each day is assigned to a different writer.
And each writer writes words that come from their messy, tired, overworked, stressed, weary, complicated, imperfect lives.
When we read Sunrises about
forgiveness,
loneliness,
grace and love,
peace and hope,
our disappointment in the human race,
our delight in good news stories about the human race,
and our absolute awe and delight in an
all-powerful,
all-loving God,
can I suggest that we remember that the words come from people who’ve experienced all those things,
whose lives are far from perfect,
who ‘get it wrong’,
but choose to get up each morning choosing to trust once again in the One who never ‘gets it wrong’.
These incredible Sunrise writers that I get to share the week with, write from a place of humility,
imperfection and
love.
And that makes their words all the more true and precious.
Thankyou Sunrise writers.
You teach me a lot.
“Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.”
YOU Are Welcome!
Don’t we live in the most incredible world?!
Where not just nature, art and science can regularly blow our minds, but also the differences in cultural practices from one region to another and one country to another. Cultures are simply fascinating.
I have been reading about the ‘subway pushers’ in Japan. These are people employed to do one particular job....during rush hour, they are paid to push more and more people onto the already crowded trains.
Just when you thought that someone was already invading your personal space, another three turn up as well!! These subway pushers must have been trained to know when to stop, at least I hope they have, but the idea intrigued me!
Room for one more!!
One of my absolute pet hates is cliques!
I’m not talking friendship groups that form easily and openly with common interests, but the friendship groups that form in a tight knit, exclusive way. If you’re ‘not the right kind’ then you don’t get in.
Cliques are often found in schools and can cause much hurt and isolation.
But sadly we also find them in the workplace, in social settings and even in the church! Maybe your look isn’t right, or your lifestyle isn’t picture perfect, maybe you don’t sound the same, or you’re simply ‘not good enough’ to be part of the group!
People get left out, just because.
The bible has such a lot to say about this!
Paul writes these words,
“Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down. Get along with each other; don’t be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody”.
Can I suggest that here in Melling we adopt a gentler form of ‘Japanese subway pushing’??
Wherever we are, whoever we’re with, as church, we get alongside others, tell them that we’re in this journey of life together, hold the doors wide open and ALWAYS make room for one more.
Catch Up
Do you sometimes find yourself so busy you are not exactly sure where you are up to?
In my work, I sometimes find the unread email count rising and rising.
I had a colleague who decided that when he went on holiday, he would set up an automatic reply telling people he was not available and to contact him on his return.
When he did come back, he would then delete any emails which had come in during his holiday and wait for people to get back in touch.
Quite brave, I think, but he found it worked.
I sometimes get that when opening up WhatsApp after a while to then find that some topic has come up which has got everyone commenting.
Hub Talk can get quite busy at times and it takes a while to catch up.
On other occasions, you might meet a friend who you have not seen or spoken to for a while.
It's great to see them and there is so much to talk about.
So much to catch up on.
What’s curious is that with God, he knows what is happening and what is going on anyway. But He would still love you to sit down and tell him all about it.
For Him, it's not really a catchup, because He knows.
But He loves us spending time with Him and telling Him all that’s going on.
It's not a list of requests but sharing our lives with Him.
Jesus would often go to find somewhere quiet, away from other people to just spend time with his father.
In the Bible, we are encouraged in the book of Thessalonians to;
Always be joyful. Always keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who believe in him.
Keep up to date with God, be thankful for the blessings we have.
Keep up to date in our Melling Community, for which I am always thankful that God has brought us together.
Make a Joyful Noise
Every Thursday night, we open up the Hub and our musicians and singers come together to practice a variety of songs for Sunday.
I am in awe at the musical talent our church family has within it.
I am well aware that many churches don’t have this privilege.
Last night, there was music flying everywhere.
Give a musician an instrument and they have to play it!!!
And they did!
At times it sounded chaotic as they were all trying their different parts and discussing with one another what key was best and who came in too early and who was playing the intro and…and…and….
Getting music right takes time
and patience
and practice.
It doesn’t just happen!
I was talking to a worship leader some years ago about how easy they made it look and sound to drift effortlessly from one song to the next.
I will never forget their reply,
‘Y’know Jo, it takes many, many hours practice for us to sound spontaneous!’
I laughed at the irony, but oh how true!!
Our music group is new.
‘We’ (that’s the royal ‘We’, I sit and listen!!) have much to practice and learn and patience is necessary.
But!!…while we all want it to sound incredible and perfect, we mustn’t miss the point.
These songs are about God and to God and when the Bible says,
‘Make a joyful noise unto the Lord’,
note that it doesn’t require perfection!
That’s very good news for me with my wrong notes and tendency to improvise at any given moment!!
But God does want our best, as worship to Him, and whatever that may look like to each one of us, that is what is important.
Martin Luther King put it like this,
"If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry.
He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well."
So whatever your skills are, whatever God has gifted you with, may you today hold up your head, smile, and with praise and honour and huge gratitude to God, give your best to the God who gifted you, whether that’s sweeping streets, painting, walking dogs, operating, playing an instrument….
‘To God be the Glory’.
Measuring
We have lots of systems in our culture used for measuring.
Whether its length, money, exam grades, or something else, there is a measuring system designed for the purpose.
Of course, it gets very confusing when these systems change.
We moved from pounds shillings and pence to metric pounds and pence in the 1970’s, which was confusing to start off with.
We are still using both pounds/ounces and kilos/grams in cooking, depending on what recipe book you look at.
The most recent change has been the change in exam grades, from A-G to grades 1-9.
Grade A is now a grade 7, and a grade C is now a grade 4 or 5!
Any new system takes a while to get to grips with.
We should count ourselves fortunate however, as the grade system in Denmark is even more confusing.
It’s a seven-point system, but it doesn’t go from 1-7, or even A-G.
The seven grades you can get are as follows: -2, 0, 2, 4, 7, 10, 12!
So, you can in fact get 12/7 in an assessment!!!
The Bible tells us that the measuring system of grace is even more confusing according to human standards.
We know that as people all of us mess up at some point, as much as we try not to, we are not perfect.
Jesus, however, measures us very differently.
Even though we mess up, He looks at each one of us, and measures our worth so highly, that even with our messes and mistakes, we are worth dying for.
We might think we are a bit of a mess, a -2/7, but God looks at us and loves us.
He pours that love into our lives and measures us as even more than a 12/7.
That is God’s grace. His wonderful, powerful and life changing grace.
John 3:16-17
This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again.
Meeting God in Lidl
As I walked around Lidl yesterday evening I was surprised to come across a display of Easter eggs. I don’t know why I found it so surprising when you consider that the shops start to put their Christmas decorations up in October, but I was.
I think the shop manager’s intention of displaying these easter eggs was probably in order to try and entice me to buy some – but actually, what I found myself doing was singing! Granted, I sang in my head (which my son was no doubt very pleased about) but nevertheless, the Easter display didn’t prompt me to buy any chocolate at all, but rather sing the words of a very beautiful song that we had been practising in choir the night before.
It is a song that speaks of the awesome power of our God, the same God who, despite holding all of creation in his hands, still sees me when I’m struggling; still walks beside me to guide my path; who still finds time to hold me up when I’ve got nothing left to give.
The same God who succumbed to the nails on the cross and the God who defeated death and lives today:
Who taught the sun where to stand in the morning?
And who told the ocean you can only come this far?
And who showed the moon where to hide till evening?
Whose words alone can catch a falling star?
Well, I know my Redeemer lives
I know my Redeemer lives
All of creation testifies
This life within me cries
I know my Redeemer lives, yeah
The very same God that spins things in orbit
Runs to the weary, the worn and the weak
And the same gentle hands that hold me when I'm broken
They conquered death to bring me victory …
I left Lidl without any chocolate but with a spring in my step!
So I thank that shop manager for inadvertently helping me to remember on a bleak February evening that Easter is coming – but it’s not about the chocolate, it’s all about that awesome, unfathomable, loving God who walks with me – even in Lidl!
And if you’d like to hear more of that song and more about the God it speaks about, come along to the Hub on Sunday morning when the choir might just be singing it.
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
You can listen to that song in full here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRW-jr_PnbQ
Good and Bad
The day before yesterday was not a good day!
It’s interesting how your day can become disappointing after you had woken up thinking everything was fine, and you were looking forward to certain events booked for the day.
For me, unexpected illness for someone close, played a major and disruptive role, not just forcing a change of plans, but it changed expectations for the coming week.
Then there was the absence of a number of people from an event that has become a focal point in many people’s week.
The event was lovely and meaningful, as always, but as I looked around at empty chairs, I felt that they had missed the opportunity to be part of something worthwhile, and I missed their company.
Then there was a misunderstanding that became complicated and difficult to rectify before the end of the day.
Finally, just to make the day a total mess, my team played pathetically and deserved to lose, which they did.
However today the illness issue has moderated slightly, and the relevant medics are on the case, so there is the expectation of an improvement soon.
The sadness caused by the absence of individuals two days ago has been lightened by the realisation that most of them will be back next week, smiling and hugging as usual.
The unfortunate misunderstanding still lingers, but there is an intention on both sides to rectify the discomfort so that life can return to its peaceful normality.
As for the football result, I have absolutely no doubt that there are slightly more important things to worry about; anyway, there’s always the next game.
Jesus never promised that our journey through life would be constant joy, safety, and comfort. Listen;
“In this life you will have trouble.”
Jesus hid nothing from His disciples, it was important for them to know that hardship and difficulties were normal in this world. However, Jesus added to His statement these words, “Take heart! I have overcome the world.”
As we face each new day in the morning, we all know that we cannot predict how it will end.
Paul, writing to the Christians in Rome, who knew all about difficult days, made this statement that through 2000 years has encouraged Christians worldwide, many in circumstances that could possibly destroy us;
‘I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’
I guess most of us, when we wake up, thank God for a new day.
Whatever the day looks like in the evening, let us still thank God for the day, because He walked through it with us.
Interviewing
I have been interviewing recently and whilst I know how tricky it is as the interviewee, being the interviewer is also quite difficult.
When you are being interviewed, you need to do your research about the company and the job that you are applying for.
You can make sure that your own experience and skills can be matched to the new role. You can get a bit nervous sometimes as you don’t know what you are going to be asked or what your interviewers will be like.
As the interviewer, it is also quite tricky.
You have a CV and application to read to choose who you want to meet up with.
You can set your questions beforehand and the answers you are hoping for.
But then when you get to the interview, you never quite know how the people are going to deal with the questions.
I try to make the whole thing as relaxed as I can.
Sometimes, they cope really well and it just becomes more of a conversation.
Other times, you need to gently encourage some form of an answer or maybe just gently move on without making a fuss.
How do you choose the right person with a 1 hour interview?
It’s a big decision, you want the right person for the team and the role.
In the Bible, God asked Samuel to go and choose the next King.
Samuel met with the family and looked through the sons.
Samuel was looking for a tall, strong man to lead the people.
But God stopped him saying,
Don’t look at his appearance or how tall he is, because I have rejected him. God does not see as humans see. Humans look at outward appearances, but the Lord looks into the heart.
Sadly, when doing an interview, I cannot see into their heart in the way God can.
But God knows our hearts, he knows how we feel and he knows what is important to us.
It is not for us to judge anybody as we are probably no better or worse anyway.
So, we welcome all to our Melling community.
We cannot fool God, all we can do is love God and trust God and love those around us.
Bus Etiquette
I wonder how often you travel on a bus? Daily? Weekly? Monthly? Never?
Well as I was on the bus this week, I made an observation that I have decided to call ‘Bus Etiquette’.
This refers to the way that people choose what seat to sit in on the bus.
It appears to be the same system, unconsciously adopted by all, regardless of which bus or the time of day.
Firstly, all of the window seats are occupied one by one.
Then and only then, do people choose an aisle seat.
However, the choosing of an aisle seat is a difficult thing, as it all depends on who is in the window seat.
Some people protect the seat next to them, by placing their bag on it, so you can't sit there.
At this point people on the whole seem to choose the aisle seat next to the person who most closely resembles them in gender or age.
So older ladies will sit next to older ladies.
Young lads sit next to young lads, and so it goes on.
There is one factor however, that can completely change this seating etiquette.
Eye contact.
If you make eye contact with the person who is looking to sit down, and smile and appear not too much like a lunatic, they will always sit next to you.
If people feel welcomed, they will always respond.
Even on a cold rainy day when everything has gone wrong, if someone on the bus smiles at them and appears welcoming, they will have a seat buddy for the journey.
Their day will be that little bit brighter.
Of course, making people feel welcomed is not just for a seat on the bus, it's for every situation.
The Bible is very clear that it’s a vital part of the life of a Christian.
Wherever we go, we love and welcome people in the way that Jesus did.
Romans 15:7
So reach out and welcome one another to God’s glory.
Jesus did it; now you do it!
Whether you are on a bus or somewhere completely different today, remember the Bus Etiquette system; Eye Contact and smile, and try not to look like a lunatic!
Let's brighten up the days of those around us.
January Sunrises
Truth and Justice?
Recently, we have been watching the TV drama ‘Mr Bates vs The Post Office’ and, like many others, have been outraged at the injustice of what happened to innocent people who were just trying to do their job.
It seems inconceivable that our modern legal system can fail so badly that these people were labelled thieves and fraudsters when they had done no wrong.
They lost their livelihoods, their homes; relationships broke down; families were torn apart; innocent people went to prison and in some cases took their own lives, so heavy was the burden of the false judgement they carried.
As we sat and watched the drama unfold and felt the increasing infuriation as our justice system failed so many people, it struck me that it had taken a TV drama to get my attention – where had my outrage and anger been when these people had been crying out for someone to pay attention and listen to them?
It is all too easy for us to join in with our surrounding culture and condemn people for whatever we deem to be their mistakes or failings.
If we’re honest, we all do it.
Perhaps it’s a little bit too much effort to try and discover what the truth of a situation is than it is to listen to the gossip or judge what we see on the surface.
Perhaps we simply don’t have access to the facts.
The Bible calls us to “Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly” (John 7:24).
We’re not entitled to make assumptions or listen to the chatter or the labels that society has placed on people – nothing so simple.
We’re instructed to make the effort to find the truth and, if we must judge, judge with justice.
I recall being told a story about a student minister visiting some inmates in a local prison. The student’s name was ‘Innocent’, so, he got up and introduced himself saying “I’m Innocent”, to which the reply came “we all are in ‘ere mate!”
Perhaps not everyone who claims innocence is actually innocent and we may not have the facts to hand to be able to judge whether a conviction is sound or not, but we can start in our little corner of Melling and, before judging the actions of those around us, ask ourselves if we have our facts straight or are we listening to the gossip?
Before we judge those around us, let’s remind ourselves what God actually asks of us: “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8)
Let’s walk humbly with God and with the mercy he has shown to us, let’s show that to those around us.
Read, Or You Will Be Sorry!
Do you know what Ikea means?
The word is made up from the initials of the founder Ingvar Kamprad, the farm on which he grew up, Elmtaryd, and the nearest village Agunnaryd.
So now you know!
Most people know that Ikea means pain, torment, argument, hours of desperately assembling, disassembling, then finally reading the instructions and starting again.
It only took us two hours to pick the three items we wanted to take home, although it felt like ten hours.
We stood in a queue, paid the bill, then we were set free, all we had to do was to push our piled-up trolley to the car, trying to remember where it was, then load the car.
Have you noticed how heavy Ikea products are?
When we arrived home, we then had to unload the car and carry everything into the house and pile it up where we would all trip over it.
I love Ikea.
That was stage one.
The next stage was opening all the boxes and forcing all the cardboard into our brown bin.
The third stage was the easy one; putting it together.
I guess you have found the same as us, it's so easy, because it's logical.
Why they bother to include an instruction leaflet, with drawings, I’ll never know, do they think we are idiots?
Some people have told me that they worked all weekend trying to assemble a three-foot wide bookcase, but had to leave it in pieces when they went to work on Monday.
Pathetic!
I put together a bookcase and a draw unit in only two days, and I had some pieces left over.
Actually, that may not be a totally accurate description of my expertise.
As a man, I find it very difficult to confess that I had to read the instructions. Several times. But it’s all over now, so I can relax.
As I have some pieces left over, I think I’ll keep the instructions, just in case.
Many people treat life the way they treat Ikea’s leaflets, they think they know better than the makers so they will ignore the instructions.
God, who is the maker of everything, left us with instructions so that we could build our lives successfully.
‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
I have discovered that reading Ikea’s advice from the beginning is a good idea.
If we want our lives to work the way our maker planned it, we need to pay attention to His plans, then our lives can be complete, everything will work the way it should, and we’ll have no bits left over.
Warning!!…Work in Progress!!
Dear Lord,
So far I've done all right.
I haven't gossiped,
haven't lost my temper,
haven't been greedy,
grumpy,
nasty,
selfish,
or overindulgent.
I'm really glad about that.
But in a few minutes, God,
I'm going to get out of bed.
And from then on,
I'm going to need a lot more help.
I found this funny prayer yesterday, and while we can smile at its words, I’m sure we can also agree with what it’s saying!?
We need God’s help.
Today, may we all be very thankful for God’s patience towards us, and remember to exercise the same patience towards one another.
We are all works in progress!!
Paul in the Bible knew what it was like to need God’s help and grace each and every day and he prayed for that same help and grace for others….
‘All my prayers for you are full of praise to God!….
And I am sure that God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in His grace until His task within you is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ returns.’
The words of this beautiful, well known hymn are taken from the Bible.
May they be our prayer as we get up this morning.
Please click on the link below….
https://youtu.be/NT0HcAr9aeI?feature=shared
RSPB Bird Count
I wonder if any of you are taking part in this weekend’s RSPB garden birdwatch?
There are many people doing this and I am sure it will be a wonderful hour spent watching nature and counting the different types of birds you can see in your garden or maybe in a local park.
There will of course be some of the more common birds that you will see like a house sparrow or maybe a thrush or a blue tit.
You may be lucky enough to see some others as well, like a coal tit or a goldfinch.
There are so many beautiful birds around us and yet so often we don’t even notice them. But when we take the time to sit and watch them, we realise how lovely they are.
Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you.
The wonderful world around us was made and inspired by God.
We should treasure it and look after it and we should remember that our loving God will take care of us even more.
Enjoy our beautiful world, made by God and loved by God.
And as we see the world around us, remember how much more he loves us and how he is longing for us to love him back.
Life’s Journeys.
I recently watched a film called ‘The Last Bus’ about a man, Tom, who embarks on a journey from John O’Groats to Lands End to take his wife home.
It’s a very long and arduous journey with many pitfalls along the way but Tom continues on regardless of anyone’s attitude or judgement.
It’s a very emotional film with highs and lows and it made me smile and cry (a lot), both sad and happy tears.
I’m glad I watched it on my own as I do get very upset and find it nice to be able to ‘get it all out’ without anyone’s judgement, something Tom was unable to avoid in the film.
The film made me think about life’s journeys and the many different ways that people get through it.
Some are very adventurous and travel the world looking for happiness, peace, love or whatever it is they need.
Others stay close to home and are happy with their lot.
Some people thrive in the company of others, while others live a quiet, even solitary life but throughout our lives we are all judged one way or another and often by people who don’t understand or agree with the paths we take.
No matter how far we have travelled or how many people we meet along the way, each person’s journey is very personal and unique and this should be celebrated.
As a church, one of our non-negotiables is ‘Jesus Is Lord’.
These non-negotiables are part of our journey and something that we should also feel happy to celebrate and share freely without fear of judgement.
‘Let us not therefore judge one another anymore, but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way’
Romans 14:13
Tom in the film was judged and misunderstood by many on his journey but there were also those who cheered him on and encouraged him to complete his journey even though they did not know what it was actually about.
We will all have our ‘judgers’ and ‘cheerleaders’ on our path through life but God will always be by your side on your journey.
‘God sent his son into the world not to judge the world but to save the world through him’ John 3:17
Be more Starling
I wonder what your favourite garden bird is?
The Goldfinch, the Sparrow, the Robin?
There are lots to choose from.
They all have different plumage, different songs to sing, and have different favourite foods. The Sparrow prefers sunflower seeds, but the goldfinch likes niger seeds much better.
One bird that may be not much to look at in the garden is the starling.
It's scruffy and big and can often screech rather than sing.
Its favourite food is also mealworms and suet, which is a bit gross to be honest.
However, the garden is not where the starling shines.
The starling needs a wide open space, and a lot of other starlings.
An evening dance of a group of starlings, called a murmuration, is one of the most amazing sights.
Thousands and thousands of scruffy starlings working together to create an ever changing and beautiful display.
Please look it up if you have not seen one.
A murmuration works because all of the starlings work together.
None is more important than any other, and the pattern is defined by all of them.
It's true community in action bringing beauty and wonder.
It's particularly great as you would not maybe expect such an amazing dance from a scruffy starling.
Now we may not be starlings, but the bible calls us all to work together to create a beautiful dance of community that brings glory to God.
We may feel a bit scruffy, and not much good by ourselves, but together, we can create a beautiful community that shows the love of God.
When Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, in the bible, he explained it like this:
2 Corinthians 4:6, 7, 15
For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves……. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.
May our Melling church be a light for Jesus, and may each of us work together and find our part to play to create a wonderful community for God to shine.
https://youtu.be/6N4CtfkbC7Y?si=vwNMxKBJrhuZ_zu9
Lessons in Life
So the saga of having a puppy in the house continues…this week he decided it was a really good idea to take a tiny thread from the carpet and worked really hard to grow that tiny thread until it was big enough to pull on. He pulled on it and pulled on it until we now have one perfectly straight but baldy strip of carpet. We should have known that he was being far too quiet!
When we discovered what he was up to and commanded him to stop, he simply rolled over ready for a tummy tickle and I’m absolutely certain he had a smile on his face.
He didn’t understand that he had done something wrong and certainly not something he was to be proud of or rewarded for!
The onus is entirely on us to teach him what is good and what really isn’t.
It struck me though that he isn’t unlike us in that respect.
The people we surround ourselves with are the people we learn from; the people who help us form our opinions; who teach us how to behave.
There is clearly an important message for all parents in this and the responsibility that we have to help our children grow into kind, thoughtful and generous people – but our responsibilities don’t end there. When we come together as a community of people, it isn’t just about the coffee and the laughter (as important as they are) we are also responsible to and for one another.
They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers. Everyone around was in awe – all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met. The followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.
(Acts 2)
This is a picture of the early church with people coming together; eating together, supporting one another, learning from one another and giving generously to one another whether that be of time, resources, love or instruction.
We now have a new home to meet in, let’s make sure we fill it with love and joy; may it be a place where we learn from one another and give graciously and freely.
And if, on occasions, one of us behaves like a naughty puppy – let’s be kind and gentle in our correction so that we can learn together through love, example and kindness.
Just Words
I watched the Choir of the Year Competition last weekend on TV.
There were five choirs from around the country who had been preparing, probably for months, for this performance of a lifetime. They each chose a different song to demonstrate their abilities to the audience, and to the three judges who offered their opinions and had to decide on a winning choir.
It didn’t matter to me who won because I’m not an expert and none of the choirs moved me.
That doesn’t mean they performed badly, it just means that, when I listen to a gospel choir, I expect to be lifted mentally and spiritually, and that didn’t happen.
You may think I’m biased, but I know a local choir who moves me every time they perform.
I would love to see that choir competing in this competition, I believe that the judges would remember the choir from Liverpool for a long time.
The judges were asked at the beginning of the programme what advice they would offer to the choirs.
One judge told them to forget that they were in a competition, forget the award they may win, just listen to the words they were singing, and if they believed them and sang them honestly, that was the most important reason for singing.
I like that judge!
At our church service on Sunday, we sang these words;
‘Because He lives I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives all fear is gone,
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.’
I’m sure that all who sang those words on Sunday morning believed that they expressed the truth for themselves and the other people singing with them.
But our spoken words are as important as the words we sing together.
When we talk to people, face to face, or on our phones, we must never offer words that just sound right for the occasion; we have to provide encouragement, compassion, and God’s truth.
The Bible reminds us that,
‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control.’
In our conversations, if this fruit of the Spirit directs our words, they will be beautiful, wise, truthful, and will lift people mentally and spiritually.
Even without music!
“Not Walking Away”
Good morning everybody, happy Monday to you all.
At the start of another week, may you know the presence of a God who wants to be part of your life.
Who wants to walk you and guide you through the storms of life.
Who will never stop loving you or wanting relationship with you.
Who will never leave.
Matthew West is a singer/songwriter from the States.
During a late night, quiet time at his piano, he came to realise all over again that God never walks away.
When the rest of the world can get distracted,
or bored,
irritated,
fed up and
annoyed with us,
and walks away….
God stays.
“Many times we can get discouraged in thinking that perhaps God might get fed up with our imperfect lives and leave us, too. I wrote this song in the hopes that it might be a line by line reminder that no matter who’s walked out on you in your life, no matter who has left you, there is one who never will.
The Bible reminds us over and over again that He is not a god who walks away. He’s the God who pursues.
He’s not a god who gives up. He’s the God who persists.
He’s not a god who changes His mind. He’s the God who has made up His mind about how much He loves us.
He is not a god who leaves. He is the God who stays.”
"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Click the link below to hear this beautiful song…
Thank You.
If you happen to go past some of our health service locations, you may still see the
“Thank you NHS” messages from the Covid lockdown.
We are blessed with some wonderful nurses and doctors, and in Liverpool we are also blessed with a great variety of specialist services within easy travelling.
There are many people who will travel for several hours in order to visit these services and yet we have them practically on our doorstep.
And whilst the service can sometimes be struggling with the volume of patients, the vast majority of the staff remain calm, polite and kind; even when some of the patients do not return the favour.
We have some medical professionals in our Melling community who serve us so well.
Let’s take a moment to thank God for those who support us.
In our own community, we offer our support and prayers for those around us as well. Sometimes, those who we do pray for are not always convinced of its value.
And yet, we have a faithful group of people who will pray and those who will support in many ways, offering practical support or providing comfort in times of difficulty.
Thank you Melling!
In the book of Philippians, we are encouraged,
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds
Tell God about the things which trouble you.
If you want to, tell someone else and they will pray for you.
If you are happy, we can share the privilege and pray together.
Thank God for his love and comfort and answers to our prayers.
Are You Awake?
It’s 5.10am.
I’ve been wide awake for over an hour.
So I’m sitting up in bed, eating chocolate and doing some work.
It’s quiet.
My chicks are asleep.
My dogs are both snoring.
All is quiet.
Except my brain.
That’s busy!
Full of ideas actually.
I have plans!…those three words of mine have been known to terrify people!
I’ve currently written three pages of plans and thoughts and ideas.
This isn’t anything new.
My brain rarely stops spinning and sparking and firing in all directions.
I guess that explains why I need my coffee first thing in the morning when the ‘real’ day begins!
I’m reading Psalm 46.
It speaks of God being,
‘…. our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble…’
It speaks of how He is in charge,
He will have the last say,
how He looks on the earth and says,
‘Be still!’
It’s 5.25am, it’s still quiet and dark and calm.
It’s lovely.
But as my thoughts pour out on to the 4th page,
no 5th page,
garbled,
panicked,
excited,
worried,
jumbled thoughts….I read these familiar words all over again,
‘Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.’
I may be awake for the rest of the night,
I may fall asleep soon,
but this Psalm is my cue to ‘be still’.
Whatever thoughts you have today,
whether you have worries galore
or not a care in the world,
may we all remember that in the midst of it all,
with awe
and gratitude
and peace, to,
Be still, and know that He is God.
And breathe.
Sunrise
In the UK, we take it for granted that the sun will rise and set each day.
Though the times may change, it's one of our constants in life.
However, in the North Western Territories in Canada, it's not.
Every winter, they experience something called a Polar Night.
This is when the night lasts for 24hrs a day.
Due to the angle of the Earth and the way that the Earth spins, they are so close to the Arctic, that every December and early January, they have more than 30 days of Polar nights.
As well as being a very strange experience, Polar nights have documented detrimental effects on the body.
Without daylight, people have less energy, are more prone to depression, and can suffer from vitamin D deficiencies.
As well as people, animals and plant life suffer.
The sun, and its light and warmth are essential for life on earth.
Needless to say, there is a 3 day festival to celebrate the sun's return.
I imagine it's quite a party!
Just like the Sun is essential for us, the Bible describes Jesus as essential for our spiritual well being.
Jesus is described as Light by John
John 1: 4-5
In Jesus there was life, and that life was the light of all people. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overpowered it.
And Jesus himself describes himself as Bread, a staple food for everyone.
John 6:35
Then Jesus said, “I am the bread that gives life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
These descriptions emphasize how important Jesus is to each one of us.
The Bible tells us that Jesus is as important to our daily lives as Light, Food and Water.
He fills our hearts with Love and provides a way for us to spend forever in heaven with God.
The people of northern Canada have a yearly reminder of how important the Sun is to them and celebrate it each year.
Lets take a few moments today and every day to celebrate the Light and Love of Jesus, how much he means to us, and how thankful we are that he will never leave us.
Good News
As a family this week, we got to celebrate some really exciting, good news as our daughter and her boyfriend announced their engagement.
They worked their way through family members from parents and grandparents to wider family and friends to share their good news and it wasn’t long before messages of congratulations were being sent over social media.
The news spread from person to person as people shared in our joy.
When something good happens to us or something has gone well, it is natural that we want to share that good news with those around us and tell everyone who will listen about the wonderful thing that has happened.
Isn’t it strange, therefore, how we can be so reluctant to share the amazing news that it doesn’t matter who you are or what you have done, God loves each and every one of us?
I mean, that’s pretty incredible news but it doesn’t end there, he loves us so much that he sent his one and only son to bear the weight of our sins and die in our place.
He literally paid off all the debts we owe to God!
Surely we should be shouting about it from the rooftops?!
Sadly, all too often we become complacent and forget the huge debt of gratitude that we owe to God; we forget the excitement we once felt when we first realised what a wonderful gift we have been given.
In the book of Ephesians we are reminded:
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”
That’s pretty amazing news – if that’s not worth sharing then I don’t know what is.
Let’s just take a moment to remind ourselves what wonderful news we have and let’s remember to share it with everyone who will listen – people enjoy receiving good news, so why would we keep it to ourselves?
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!”
Last Night
Last night was a special night.
After not having choir practice on Monday evenings since the start of December, our amazing gospel choir got back together.
That’s a whole 5 weeks without our choir practices!!
5 weeks of not practicing,
laughing
and drinking tea together!!
5 weeks of missing each other!!
5 weeks of no therapy!!
5 weeks!!
Yesterday I was excited to say the least.
And the choir didn’t disappoint!
We drank tea,
we laughed,
we chatted,
we sang.
And yes,
we worked hard….we have A LOT of work to do, remembering our parts,
our words,
our timing
our ‘moves’….Yes, a lot of work!!
But as the old saying goes,
‘If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well’.
Our choir has existed for over 12 years and in that time we have made new friends,
learnt beautiful songs,
performed in hospices,
shops,
cathedrals,
churches,
city centres
….for special events and for fundraisers.
It’s been a lot of hard work for every one of us.
And it’s been worth it!
The Bible says,
‘Put your heart and soul into every activity you do, as though you are doing it for the Lord Himself and not merely for others.’
Last night was choir night!!
And I couldn’t wait to get back!!
It’s was a lot of hard work for us all (no apologies!)….but it’s SO worth it!!!
We put our heart and soul in to every single moment, not just the singing!!!
We laughed well,
shared well,
cared well.
and ask any choir member, and we will all say the same thing…we see the benefits.
Better relationships,
better productivity,
peace of mind,
satisfaction,
good relationships,
sense of achievement
….It’s worth the effort!
Have a very lovely day today everybody, remember to give your best in everything you do today, as if doing it for Jesus Himself.
And choir, we meet again next Monday for a lot of laughter,
encouragement,
tears…and hard work!!!…
Your homework is on its way!
Oh Happy Day!!!
What’s That Smell?
You will all have heard of how bad skunk spray can smell, but have you ever smelt it?
I have.
25 years ago in Texas.
Driving along the road one night when suddenly my nose was attacked with quite possibly the worst smell I have ever encountered.
In fact all these years later I can still smell it!
Awful awful awful!
My nose has never recovered!
I can totally understand why other animals are seriously threatened when they encounter a skunk!
Nothing and no one wants to experience that smell!
But interestingly, when skunks are born they can’t produce the bad smell.
They have to ‘grow in to it’, learn how to produce it.
On the contrary, when our babies are born they don’t need any practice in producing numerous stinky nappies every day.
They don’t need to learn that.
But there is a different kind of ‘bad smell’ that humans do learn to produce.
It’s called prejudice and as one journalist wrote recently,
‘…it’s one of the worst smells in the world…’
Nelson Mandela wrote these powerful words,
‘No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.’
As I see news reports every day about hatred, violence, fighting, wars, bullying….I am mindful of Mandela’s quote.
How vile, how cruel us humans can learn to be to one another.
The smell of prejudice is indeed disgusting.
The Bible says,
‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus’.
With God there’s no room for prejudice,
racism,
cruelty,
hatred.
There’s no room for superiority.
Jesus said,
‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength,
AND love your neighbour as you love yourself’.
Our neighbour is anybody,
regardless of skin colour,
language,
status,
religion.
No ifs, no buts.
May our thoughts and words and actions towards ALL people create a beautiful sweet smelling atmosphere,
and may we leave it to the skunk to create the foul smell!
Bored Games
Do you enjoy a board game?
Or do you get bored?
I have some great memories of family nights playing board games. Whether it's Monopoly or Cluedo or Scrabble.
The idea of the games can be very different but to sit down as a family, chat with each other, challenge each other and maybe try to cheat each other!!
Being able to spend time together is lovely. Having a laugh together is wonderful.
And then there is the competitive side which can sometimes bring out the more ruthless side of someone’s character.
Maybe you do other things when you get together with friends or family?
Social times help us to build our relationships with each other.
Think of some of the evenings you have spent with people when you have been able to relax, chat and have a laugh together.
I bet they bring you a smile and maybe a giggle.
Maybe there is someone you have just thought of that you could contact and say hi.
We love our friends and family, we choose to be with them and stick with them through the tough times and the good times.
The Bible tells us in many ways that we should love those around us, that we should bear with each other and forgive each other if we get it wrong.
As our church family, we meet together, chat together, laugh together and comfort each other.
We each have a part that we bring to this family.
The disciple Peter wrote about it in the Bible;
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.
Love one another.
Be gracious to one another.
Love each other as God loves us.
Christmas Cards
Now I know that Christmas is over.
Decorations are down, mince pies are eaten, and Christmas cards are in the recycling bin.
I got some wonderful Christmas cards this year, but a couple really stood out for me.
One was from Bethlehem University.
I had never heard of Bethlehem University, so I had a quick google to see what it was all about.
Bethlehem University is unique in that it was the First university to be established in the West Bank.
It is a Christian University, but is open to all genders and all faiths, and has the honour to be part of both the Catholic and Arab Universities Organisations.
Over 50 years nearly 20,000 students have studied with them and there are currently over 2000 students attempting to study at present, in the middle of the conflict.
Its students are a beacon for peace and cooperation through education in an area where peace is in very short supply.
Jesus calls all of his followers to show His love to those around him.
We may not be in the middle of a war zone today, but wherever we are, we are called to bring Jesus with us, and show others his love and care.
To ‘Shine’ for Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-16
You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
Like the students of Bethlehem University, let's bring the light and love of Jesus wherever we go today.
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that."
Martin Luther King
Finding Rest
Is it my imagination or are there adverts everywhere you turn at the moment for holidays? Christmas is over and the adverts for brightly coloured toys, sparkly clothes and indulgent food have finished, just to be replaced with the adverts selling us life changing holidays; places we absolutely must visit; golden beaches stretching for miles and sun that shines day after day.
How tempting it is at this time of year to yearn for the warmth of the sun and the escape from the routine of life to something so much brighter!
We all love to get away for a while and there is nothing wrong with looking forward to a good holiday.
The problem is, we can’t stay on holiday, we can’t stay in the idyllic picture-postcard life – we eventually have to return home and return to all of the realities of life.
Life may be filled with health worries, financial concerns or family stresses – these things cannot be escaped so easily by booking two weeks in the sun, however, Jesus offers us another way:
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
(Matt 11)
Jesus invites us, however tired or fed up we may be feeling, to walk each day with him; spending time in his company and allowing him to set a new rhythm for our lives.
There is no promise of sunshine or deck chairs, but he does promise us freedom and rest that will be deeper and more far-reaching than any circumstance we may find ourselves in.
Am I looking forward to seeing some sun?
Oh yes!
But in the meantime, I will take the day that God sets before me and give thanks to him for his gracious gift of his companionship through this new day.
“Today is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it”.
Oh Lord My God
‘Oh Lord my God,
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works
Thy hands hath made.
I see the stars
I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed’
Our house is a busy one.
An often noisy one.
I love it, most of the time.
But when I’m needing some quiet, I retreat to my bedroom, sitting at the end of my bed, to make my phone calls, write, plan, prepare and anything else that requires some silence.
Recently, there I was deep in thought when one of my chicks appeared at the door.
‘Mum, do you want to know how 3D glasses work?’
‘Er, no’, was my reply.
She walked over to my bed and settled herself down.
I knew then I was about to receive a physics lesson.
I tried hard to concentrate on what I was doing, all the while very aware that she was still there and wasn’t moving until I agreed to listen to her.
‘Ok, tell me how 3D glasses work!’
She smiled and instantly became animated,
‘So!....’ And off we went.
I listened intently, trying hard to understand what she was explaining to me, but what struck me the most was the sheer delight she displayed in the subject.
She was fascinated, and fascinating!
I’m not a scientist.
Give me people and words and music and art.
Ask me for ideas and thoughts!
But don’t ask me about the Periodic Table or how sound and light waves work!
But! That doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate how incredible science is.
How every day of our lives we are surrounded by and blessed by ‘science’!
The medicines we take.
The satellites that provide us with instant communication.
The cars we drive.
The trees and plants growing all around us, just doing their thing! The Animal Kingdom!
Vaccines and life saving operations.
Our solar system!!
And these incredible, complex ‘machines’ called ‘the human body’. Every person created with gifts
and skills
and value.
Whether you call it biology, physics, chemistry, science, nature or something else, our world is absolutely incredible!!
The Bible is full of people expressing their awe of creation, David wrote,
‘The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands’.
Maybe today, take a few moments out of your day to recall the wonders of space, the beauty of our world, the gifts each person is blessed with and then say with immense gratitude,
‘My God, how great thou art’.
Worth Remembering
At the beginning of each year, if you’re like me, you will look back and add some memories to your growing collection.
I wonder how we will measure last year. What stands out, and why?
Some events during 2023 were not what we would have chosen to add to our list, because they were disappointing or painful. We don’t choose to remember some things; we just can’t escape them!
On the brighter side, we are very happy to add to our library of events because they were happy or funny, or possibly significant enough for us to experience pride, relief, or satisfaction.
Some of them were so meaningful that we automatically see them as God at work .
Many were so personal that nobody around us, family or friends, were even aware of the gift of a life-changing incident.
Others involved partners, children, or grandchildren.
There may be one or two which were more public, with people looking on and sharing our joy, or our sadness.
It would be a very interesting experiment to see if we could list the top ten memories from our entire lives.
I think we would struggle to select ten because we have so many.
For most Christians, one memory that would survive the challenge would be the day when we gave our life to God because, in Jesus we found a Saviour, and we accepted Him as Lord of our life.
Another one, which for many of us would almost certainly rank in our top ten would be the day we were baptised.
Yesterday we had the thrill and absolute joy of watching two of our friends being baptised. Surrounded by us, they declared publicly, clearly, and proudly, that their lives had been transformed and now belonged to our Creator God.
Their deeply personal stories caused great emotion, and an extraordinary mixture of tears and smiles.
Every time we see someone being baptised, our prayers are always that their faith and witness will last their lifetime.
In the case of yesterday’s friends, we have no doubt that this will happen.
While they thank God for His involvement in their lives, we thank them for bringing us great joy, and adding to our long line of memories.
Yesterday’s event was worth remembering.
‘Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of Heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honour at God’s right hand. Think about the things of Heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.’
COL 3.1-3
New Start…
Who can believe it's 2024?!
I had a new team member join this week and I decided to take it easy and just have a quiet start to his new role. Break them in gently, new year, new job, new team.
Minimise the pressure and stress. Let them ease into it.
At the start of this calendar year, many people like to set themselves a new year resolution or goal for something to achieve this year.
We also now have a building where our wonderful Melling Community Church can meet together and invite people to meet with us, have a drink and cake and talk about our wonderful God.
What are your thoughts about this new year?
Some thoughts on how you can approach this.
Ask God if there is something He would like you to work on.
Think about anything which you didn’t like about last year that you want to improve. Choose something that will help your relationship with God.
We have a wonderful community with so many opportunities to support each other and to share that message of God's love within our own community and also within our wider community, our friends and family.
There are so many ways to help and everyone is able to help in some way.
In the Bible, when the Israelites were escaping Egypt , God wanted to show them that a new thing was coming.
In the book of Isaiah Chapter 18, we read,
For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
Listen for God, this will be an exciting year !!
Rule 147
I recently listened to a radio discussion about the highway code.
I must confess that I have never actually read the highway code from cover to cover! (it was not mandatory to have more than a general knowledge of it when I passed my driving test, honest!).
The radio discussion was looking at some of the more unusual rules contained in the Highway code which made me smile.
So, for example, Rule 102 states that children in cars must be kept under control!
Anyone with toddlers will know how difficult this is to follow!
Rule 148 says that you should never argue with passengers in your car, and Rule 112 informs us that you should never sound your horn aggressively. I am not sure what the difference is between an aggressive horn and a non aggressive horn sound, but there we are!
There are 307 rules in total in the highway code, but my favourite rule by far is rule 147.
Rule 147 states that we must be considerate to all who use the roads.
Really, I think that should be rule number 1, as I think it’s the most important one.
If everyone followed rule 147, the roads would be a much better place.
We have all encountered drivers who are not following rule 147, and it can really ruin your day.
The Bible teaches us that it's not just on the roads that we should be showing consideration to others.
Love, Consideration and Kindness, are a key part in the Christian Life.
We are encouraged to show these things to everyone everywhere we go, even if they are sounding their horn aggressively!
Philippians 4:4-5
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do.
So today, let's remember Rule 147 especially, and show everyone consideration and love, the amazing love and kindness and care of Jesus.
We Need An Ark!
Is anyone else fed up with all this rain?
I mean, I know that we need rain, but really?!
Surely it can stop now!
It does, however, remind me about the story of Noah and his ark - I'm sure there are some places in the country at the moment that might be thinking about building one.
But last week, over the Christmas break, I watched the film ‘Evan Almighty’.
If you haven’t seen it, it's a fun film where a man suddenly finds himself being instructed by God to build an ark - in modern-day America!
As you can imagine chaos follows him everywhere - as do the gathering animals and storm clouds!
But at the end of the film Morgan Freeman, who plays God, invites the audience to think about the word ‘Ark’ as an acronym for ‘act of random kindness’ and suggests how each of us can play our part in changing the world for the better simply by doing one act of random kindness a day.
I love this!
Instead of making grand new year’s resolutions that will be forgotten in a week, how about keeping it really simple and start the year by agreeing that we will all try and do at least one act of random kindness a day?
If you have a bad day and miss a day, just try again tomorrow!
I truly think kindness has the power to change the world and we can definitely start in our little corner.
In the book of 1 Peter, we read these words:
“Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything”
Let's be generous, cheerful and surprising with God's love and kindness, it might just change someone's day.
And if you think you might struggle to remember? - just take a look out of the window and remind yourself how we could all do with more ‘ark’ right now!
Now That's a Good Idea!
Well happy new year to you all!!
All done and dusted for another year!
I happily took my tree down yesterday with the eager help from Louis and Alan (dogs!) and me and my chicks (daughters!) have our home back to normal (never normal!) again!
It’s now that I tell myself,
‘ok, this year I’m going to be more organised;
more on time;
more prepared;
stop eating chocolate for breakfast (not always!); have less muddy paw prints to mop every day (who am I kidding?)
drink less coffee (ha! Just joking!);
make the choir work harder (ha! Not joking!)’
Oh the list can be endless for my plans for being a better, new and improved version of me!!
But I can make as many plans as I like,
if all they do is stay as plans,
then what’s the point?
I can have as many bright and creative ideas as I like, but if all I do is have ideas,
and never do anything with them,
then what’s the point?
Jesus was teaching one day and He asked the people,
‘Why do you call me “Lord, Lord”, and do not do what I tell you?’
He had a good point!! (He always has good points!) Here was Jesus,
Emmanuel, God With Us,
giving guidance and advice and love,
and offering peace that passes all understanding, joy in all circumstances
and hope for the future….
and people heard Him,
but didn’t listen.
And it’s easy for us to still do that today.
Jesus doesn’t just want to be remembered at Christmas,
or Easter,
or 10.30am on a Sunday.
But every day,
in every part of our lives.
Our Melling Community Church motto text for 2024 is Psalm 19:14.
David wrote these words…
‘May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in your sight, oh Lord my rock and my redeemer’.
I have a long list of ‘self-improvement’ plans!
I will achieve some better than others (she says drinking her second strong coffee of the day!)
But I hope and pray that with each new day I can choose all over again to make Jesus my Lord, and know something of His love, joy, peace and hope each and every day.
Only God Knows
I went to a photographic exhibition last week. It showed the work of a photographer over the last sixty years.
His main interest was people just being people, no posing or preparation.
He just walked the streets and rode on buses, pointing his camera at people, men, women and children. Most of the time they saw him but surprisingly they didn’t complain, he smiled and chatted and walked away.
I’m amazed he’s still alive and shooting.
The vast majority of his subjects were not rich and none of them were famous.
When you looked at these people, the temptation was to walk away because they were unknown to you and the world, so they were not important.
Nobody cared about their history.
The moment in time when the shutter recorded a new face, it was the face of a person who had a past and a future, hopes and fears, they had a direction in life or they had lost their way, they had a family that brought comfort out of stress.
The camera recorded the clothes they chose, or that they could just afford, or that were given to them.
But we can’t tell much of what’s going on in a person’s life just by looking.
You must have been photographed over Christmas, and just like them, you have a past and a future, and hopes and fears.
We are all the same, people can’t tell what’s going on inside just by looking.
But God understands everything about us, He doesn’t need a camera.
David understood this, he wrote;-
Lord, you have examined me and you know me. You know everything I do; from far away you understand all my thoughts. You see me, whether I am working or resting; you know all my actions. Even before I speak, you already know what I will say. You are all around me on every side; you protect me with your power. Your knowledge of me is too deep; it is beyond my understanding.’
As we stand at the beginning of another year, we can look back and remember many things, happy or sad, disappointing or encouraging, we have found new people and we have lost some.
As we look forward, we have plans and hopes, fears and ambitions, and we think nobody understands what’s in our heads and hearts.
But David reminds us that nothing is hidden from God, the past year with its successes and failures, and only God knows what this year will contain.
Whatever is heading our way in our personal life, with family and friends, or in our Melling community with our new God-given building, there is one thing we can all claim to know; God will walk with us:-
For God has said,
“I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
Let’s remember to pray for the millions who are terrified of what this year has in store for them.
Just out of interest, this is Sunrise number 1,374.
We didn’t see that coming.
God did!