Carol Purves

Deborah and I visited our local animal refuge centre last week. There we met animals and pets who had been abandoned or could no longer be cared for by their owners.  We tried to speak to each one but the responses were different. The horses could not stop chewing the cud, the dogs just barked at us but the cats and kittens were willing to play endlessly.

Thinking about abandoned animals I realised that as children of God, we will never be abandoned  or deserted. It doesn’t matter how old we are or how useless, He will continue to love us. Comforting thought.

Carol

We were not all one family and none of us had special American connections but, as we had done last year, we met for a Thanksgiving celebration. Eleven of us all contributed to the meal which we ate together, finishing by taking communion.

At one point we all said what our own ‘thanksgiving’ was. They all included thanks to God. Some gave thanks for health, one for the gift of sight. One lady who had been very ill gave thanks for the support of her husband who was also with us. Others were thankful for church fellowship, family and security. As a church we work with those who do not have security of work, home, family or finance.

When we thought about it we were thankful for so many things that it was difficult to select just one or two.

Carol

As frail human beings (which we all are) we need something to lean on. What will it be?

Will we lean on Money? It doesn’t really give satisfaction as the more we have, the more we want. We are never satisfied. Will we lean on Family and Friends? That’s fine, but sometimes they can prove unreliable, unfaithful, disappear or even die. Family and friends can be a weak crutch.

What about Position and a good standing in the community? The adulation of the crowds can quickly fade as Jesus found. Look at our politicians, one week in favour, the next our of it. Redundancies and job losses happen only too often. Position in the community is not a good leaning stick. Our leaning on Health is most insecure. Good health can disappear in a twinkling of on eye.

The hymn writer got it right.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise, Thou my inheritance, now and always.

At last something which does not fade, pass, decline or disappear.

Another hymn –

I am trusting You, Lord Jesus, trusting only You, Trusting you for full salvation, rich and free.

Carol

Having a very small family and now being ‘older’ rather than ‘younger’ I’ve not had many wedding invitations recently. Therefore I was so excited to receive one for last Saturday. Josef came to England from the Czech Republic half a dozen years ago.

Although an engineer by trade, he had to work in a care home for a while until he qualified as a physiotherapist. He has now met and has married a lovely Christian local girl. Joseph has no family in this country and just a few relatives back in Europe.

Therefore those of us were kind to him when he first arrived in this country were invited as guests to his wedding. What a lovely unexpected pay-back for our kindness all those years ago.

Carol

From the windows of my house I can see a set of traffic lights. Day and night they continue their routine – red, amber, green, instructing the traffic to stop, get ready to proceed and then go.

How like the way God leads us through our Christian life. At times He asks us to stop and rest, to recover from the battering life has given us.  ‘He makes me to lie down in green pastures’ Ps 23:2-3

At other times we are to recharge our batteries for the next stage of life. We have opportunity for increased Christian fellowship, more time to study His word and a possibility of adding greater depth to our prayer. ‘Put on the whole armour of God.’ Eph 6:11

Then God give us the go head to embark on some new field of service. ‘Be strong and courageous.’ Joshua 1:9

The ‘green’ periods of life are not possible without the ‘red’ and ‘amber.’

The extremely heavy wind had blown most of the leaves  off the trees. With withering leaves hurled into untidy heaps, the garden looked a mess. My bulging schedule for the day hardly allowed time to clear up.  Matters were not helped when three-year-old Lucy wanted to help me.  With little grace I found her a small broom.

After a few moments I found Lucy slowly picking up leaf after leaf and examining them minutely. Before I could remonstrate with her to get on with the job, she handed me a beautiful golden leaf.

‘Look, pretty.’ She then rushed round picking up other ‘pretty’ specimens – yellow, red, purple, pink and golden brown, tracing their shapes with her little fingers.

I stood ashamed. I’d only seen another task in a full day; she had seen the perfect hand of the creator.  Lucy had open my eyes to a loving God who has given us so much beauty.

Carol

Hurricane Matthew

Before I cease from writing about my visit to the States, I will update you on how the hurricane affected my friends. Listening to the news it seems the hurricane didn’t make landfall after it left Haiti. (What terrible destruction they received in a country which hadn’t even recovered from the earthquake in 2010) South Carolina appeared to have very high winds and flooding. My friends living near Charlotte escaped the worst of the damage.

They were deluged with plenty of rain but fortunately no structural damage or flooding and few trees uprooted. An event at the nearby university was cancelled with tattered tents and signs.

Fortunately our weather seems so tame in comparison. The same can be said of our politics!

Carol

Weather

This state has had a very hot summer. But by the time I was there the temperature wasn’t much over 30 degrees.  It was a shock on my return to find it was under 15 degrees back in England. The heat wasn’t really a problem as one goes from air conditioned house to air conditioned car and then air conditioned buildings.

Because my friend had had a serious car accident at Easter she wasn’t driving. This meant we had walk about five minutes to the shops. We always went early in the morning before the heat of the day.  Walking is an unusual thing there as people just do not walk!

Unlike this country the weather is not the main topic of conversation. What do you say when it is nearly always sunny and hot.

I soon got used to being called ma’am but what I really didn’t like was being addressed as Miss Carol.

Carol

Language

Everyone I met was absolutely lovely, but we are divided by a language. On my computer I’m used to ‘color’ instead of ‘colour’ and ‘center’ instead of ‘centre.’ We also have the difference of ‘autumn’ or ‘fall; ‘rubbish’ or ‘garbage’ or ‘trash.’ I didn’t list all the differences and after a couple of weeks I accepted them without thought.

The one which really pulled me up short was ‘normative.’   Not in my Oxford English Dictionary but my computer accepted it. Help.

Carol

Travelling

I’ve just been in South Carolina to visit a friend for 2 1/2 weeks. I will share some of my happenings with you and this blog is about travelling (or should be traveling in America)

I can’t praise British Airways enough. Polite air hostesses and hosts. Nothing was too much trouble. After a particular bumpy ride flying into Manchester on the return journey, the passengers clapped a very smooth landing. Good feeling all round.

Some things were an enigma. Taxi fare from Manchester Station to hotel was a whopping £20 and £5 on the return journey. Same distance, about nine minutes each time.

Not yet learned how to sleep on the 8 hours nighttime return flight nor how to prevent catching serious bugs from the aircraft. Three days in bed is not a good way to start a holiday.

Carol