Mobile Phone

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The battery in my mobile phone was not holding the charge well. A quick visit to the shop to change the battery was all I expected to have to do. Oh, no. I needed a new phone.75 minutes later i walked out of the shop with this new phone. Now I’ve got a few actions I don’t understand, so another visit to the shop is required. Why is nothing simple these days?

Like my phone, my body is wearing out. I can have a few replacements parts but they’re never as good as the parts God gave me. Roll on the day when I have a new body in a new world.

Inside/Outside

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It has been hard in England not to be able to invite people into our houses. Thank goodness this rule has now been relaxed. It has been fun but now the novelty is wearing off to have people sitting in the garden under their umbrellas and having to cover the snacks so that they don’t get soggy. It didn’t always rain, but it seemed like it.

It made me think about the homeless people. I’m used to walking in my front door and shutting out the bad weather. They don’t have that luxury. Rain means soggy bedding, frost means intense cold and a wind means there is no comfort anywhere. Oh Lord, have mercy on them.

Borders

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Borders between countries are a necessary evil. They keep people out, they keep in, they keep people separated.

In my own small way I’ve been affected by a border. Living only nine miles from the English/Scottish border, for the last four months I’ve not been able to go into Scotland. Now the border is open and a relative has been able to come down to see me and soon I will cross the border to see him. The current rules are so different. In Scotland you can eat a meal inside a restaurant but not have a drink. In England you can’t eat inside a restaurant but you can have a drink. We obviously took advantage of the drinks part!

The Israelites had their own problems with borders. When travelling to the Promised Land they crossed many borders and fought many battles. Do we have borders in our lives; do we have borders with people?

Hair Cut

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I’ve now joined the ranks of those who have shorn locks. At first it was a novelty for me to have long hair but it soon became a problem as to how to wear it. I now feel I can face the world again looking smart. It is important to me how I look.

But maybe I need to forget my looks and think about my heart and soul. We are often told in the Bible that the outward appearance does not matter, it is the heart and soul which is important. So I’ll continue to feed that, but meanwhile I’m very happy to have had my hair cut.

Living near the Border

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It is only during these last few months that I’ve given any thought to the fact that I live near a border. I’m nine miles from the English/Scottish border and for four months we have not been able to cross that border. It is surprising how often I’ve wanted to do business or visit friends on the other side of the divide.

My concerns are fairly small but what would it be like to have a border where you would be shot if you crossed it. Suppose your family couldn’t be reached just because they lived the other side of this barrier.

For thousands and thousands this is the life they lead. War rages in so many places, lives are being lost or ruined every day. Oh, how we and they pray for peace. We do thank God for the many acts of kindness there are within these areas. The press will only report atrocities, but that is only half the story. If everyone prayed ‘Peace in our time,’ then there would be peace for ever, because it is always ‘our time.’

Train Journey

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I’ve been on my first train journey since goodness knows when. It seemed strange and exciting. It was only an hour there and an hour back, but there were so many things so see. Rabbits, hares, sheep, lambs and deer. No that was all in my imagination. Only sheep and lambs were sighted. I got a bit carried away. But some of the line was along the coast and I saw the sea, first time this year. Looking over the water I was thinking that Ireland and Scotland were only just over the horizon. (Not in the same direction, my geography is not that bad)

Then I met up with my friend who I hadn’t seen for about 14 months. We sat and ate our lunch in a green space with only two seagulls for company. It was wonderful. We did share our crumbs with the birds. The trees were just bursting into leaf and the traffic only a distant hum. I would class it as a perfect day. We only get a few of them, so we do need to savour them.

Garden Freeze

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So we can now have six people sitting in our garden. Fine, but no-one’s told the weather. There were five of us sitting in my garden. The forecast was for a storm and the local restaurant had cancelled all their bookings for that day. What a setting for my garden party!!

I placed a waterproof on each chair and then placed the chairs two metres apart. Fortunately two of the people were a couple, which helped in my small space. Then we sat with blankets on our laps and at one time two of us held up umbrellas. The two younger people were too hardy for that. There was no storm, very little rain but it was bitterly cold.

I think a great time was had by all. Soon after they had all left we had a hail storm. Perfect timing. I give thanks to God for the weather not being too bad, though I know the country is crying out for rain, just not on my garden when I’m having a party. My next party is only for two people; the forecast is for warmer weather but plenty of rain. Roll on the 17th May.

‘No peace for the wicked.’

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The mother has returned home from her full time job to find her three teen-age youngsters bickering, arguing and demanding her attention.. Before she has had time to catch her breath and even take her coat off, her husband arrives home looking for his lunch before he goes out to his evening meeting.

She mutters not completely under her breath, ‘No peace for the wicked.’ She doesn’t realise and probably wouldn’t care that she is actually quoting the Bible. So many of the phrases that roll off our tongues in everyday life, come from the Bible.

This quote actually comes from Isaiah 48:22 and is no idle mutter. It is a threat and a promise from God that the wicked will not finally succeed in their wilful ways. Punishment and retribution are coming.

The fact that many of our phrases and quotes come from the Bible go to prove that the Bible is as relevant today as it always has been. It tells us about the very first days of the earth’s existence and continues to speak about the new heaven and the new earth when life as we know it has ceased. We ignore it at our peril.

Craft Fair

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To call it a ‘fair’ is probably overstating it. It was my friend selling her craft in her garden with no more than six people present at any one time. As one person came, one of the group left. After months of isolation it was great to sit in her garden with the sun shining down on us. Around us in her small garden were the flowers and butterflies and bees joining in the party.

How lovely it was was to see people without their masks. We could see each other’s faces, recognise what they were saying and see their mouths smiling. In the past I had never appreciated these things. We read in the Bible that God made us to be in families. As the past few months have shown this is not always possible, but let us appreciate our families and friends and be with them when we can. We can also pray for them as they are sure to need our prayers whatever their circumstances.

Questions

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The questions we have been asking during this pandemic have changed. It used to be ‘Are your family well. Have they caught covid?’ Then it moved on to ‘How are you coping without seeing people? Are you able to get your shopping?’ At the beginning of the year we were asking ‘Have to had your first vaccine yet?’

As January became February we enquired, ‘Have you had your second vaccine yet?’ It now seem the latest question is ‘When will you have your hair cut?’ Hairdressers have become the most important people in our lives. Today I’m able to plait my hair because it is so long. Tomorrow I’m having it cut. I’m almost sorry to see it go. I will never grow it so long again. The time is coming when people will be able to see my hair style because they will be able to see me.