Why not get along if you are nearby
I want to shout a rude word
I’m really peed off today!
what brings this on?
an inanimate lump of steel called my car!
Today it failed its MOT and needs a few things sorting, but the timescale between now and needing to go away to Easter school makes it tricky.
It’s more annoying as I have actually done all I could to prepare the car.
The parts don’t cost much, but the 3 hours labour will! If you have a spare more – pray for a generous and honest mechanic as my normal guy is booked for over 2 weeks.
It is,though,booked into a garage tomorrow but the whole process has pulled me away from things I needed to be doing today and pulls me away again tomorrow.
I also guess the positive it that the MOT guy spotted a corroded brake pipe which could have had bad consequences – just happens to be the longest and trickiest brake pipe on the car which will take ost of the 3 hours to fit!
It’s annoying that something actually so trivial can consume my thoughts and worries.
I should be able to think above!
I know I should and feel I should but …
I’m really peed off today!
My Eucharist reading goes on.
I found out today that at the first Eucharist’s in Uganda the bishop gave banana bread and banana beer as these were the normal everyday food items and (wheat) bread and wine were unavailable.
It also strikes me that if we are supposed to join in with this meal then we need to use the everyday that is with us and that we are used to. If we have to import stuff (as the Ugandans would have to have done) then that kind of makes the event quite foreign and open to more misinterpretation by others. Surely, the everyday earths that God is with us.
I was also surprised to learn while flicking through the 39 articles (as you do when bored and screaming children are around) that Articles 24 and 34 are quite interesting:
XXIV. Of Speaking in the Congregation in such a Tongue as the people understandeth.
It is a thing plainly repugnant to the Word of God, and the custom of the Primitive Church to have public Prayer in the Church, or to minister the Sacraments, in a tongue not understanded of the people.
XXXIV. Of the Traditions of the Church.
It is not necessary that Traditions and Ceremonies be in all places one, or utterly like; for at all times they have been divers, and may be changed according to the diversity of countries, times, and men’s manners, so that nothing be ordained against God’s Word. Whosoever, through his private judgment, willingly and purposely, doth openly break the Traditions and Ceremonies of the Church, which be not repugnant to the Word of God, and be ordained and approved by common authority, ought to be rebuked openly, (that others may fear to do the like,) as he that offendeth against the common order of the Church, and hurteth the authority of the Magistrate, and woundeth the consciences of the weak brethren.Every particular or national Church hath authority to ordain, change, and abolish, Ceremonies or Rites of the Church ordained only by man’s authority, so that all things be done to edifying.
In other words – the traditional ‘laws’ of our church say that everything should happen in a language that all can understand and also that one size does not actually fit all – quote: ‘they may be changed’!
So – why so much fuss about changing stuff?
Now that I have looked at the 39 articles I feel particularly holy, and in personal shock, so feel I need to go to bed. I am believing that lack of sleep in the first place caused me to look at the 39 articles as I cannot think why else I found myself there. Severe lack of sleep would seem to be causing me to quote from the said articles. I am in personal disbelief of my actions and am just about to pinch myself.
To my friends that are in shock too – please accept my heartfelt and most warm apologies! Do not worry – I am not being Anglicanised!
Today I assisted my vicar with a funeral at the Crematorium. ‘Assist’ is a grand name for ‘read the reading’ but it’s another box ticked on my ‘green form’!
Before the funeral, John took me for a tour behind the scenes which was quite fascinating and not something you get to see normally. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it was efficient, clean, professional and real. It was interesting to see what happened next and he things are done carefully and respectfully.
It was weird being a a funeral of someone I had never known. Again – it’s not normally a thing you do as you really only go to the funerals of those you know! Talking to John afterwards it became clear that the opposite can be true of a vicar – it’s quite unusual to be at a funeral of someone you do know! I had not thought of that before.
After all the family funerals recently it was interesting to remain detached and observe and take part impartially. It did seem a lot easier to understand what was happening. Obviously it was still sad for the people there, and I would not want to disrespect the event in any way. All bereavement is shockingly hard for those who knew the person.
I’m unsure what funerals will be like for a pioneer minister. I wonder if they will be traditional, or if people will want to write or reframe stuff. It will be interesting to find out – although I’m not sure that I want to know too soon after I start!
Highs of the weekend:
Beth passed her cycling proficiency
shouting at the ref with Darren!
Gills won 2-1, although I don’t know how!
The baptism of David at St Marks
lunch with the in-laws on Sunday
Watching Dr Who – fantastic!
Watching George of the Jungle with my boys!
Lows
seeing a policeman abuse a couple of Gills fans
(so bad I felt the need to ring and make a formal complaint when I got home)
watching the Phelps on BBC2 – unbelievable and certainly not the Christianity I know!
missing friends who were not around
As we enter holy week there are many highs and lows that we can focus in on of that 1st century event that we remember.
Today I have experienced how in a broken and mad world, that honesty can be incredibly refreshing and also quite unexpected.
My car was fixed today and the garage quoted £150 as two parts of the exhaust probably needed replacing. When I urned up to collect the car the bill was £80. Apparently the other part of the exhaust was fine – but I would not have known any different and the mechanic knew that I was expecting to pay £150. The Car Surgery in Rochester is a place I can definitely recommend.
This afternoon I popped into STS Tyres who I have been going to for years for tyres and stuff to have tyres checked out for the MOT next week. Again, clear honesty here showing that all the tyres were fine, but that the rear two would need changing very soon. Again I was surprised as I would have believed him if he said 2 new ones needed – after all they have all done over
50 000 miles since I bought the car!
Finding this honesty has left me feeling good for the rest of the day.
Finding honesty out there shows, I believe, the presence of God in his everyday world. Today it was not difficult to see the Image of God present in those to whom I entrusted my car. This I honestly believe is a sign of God’s Kingdom. Yet … I am still surprised! Why is that?
Tonight I had an unusual pleasure to be at Gillingham YFC’s AGM. Unusual as AGM’s are usually very yawny, but tonights went quickly and it was exciting to hear plans for the future and of the vision that God has placed on Malcolm’s heart and the heart of the rest of the team.
I was there to speak and people were kind about my few words. While thinking about what to see, memory after memory flooded back – how do you choose something from over 12 years. Well I did and it seemed OK.
Preparing and praying reminded me what a distance we have travelled over the last decade. It reminded me of all the excitements and all the hassles. Looking back – I would not change any of it, and the hassles were clearly the most useful as it was with them that I learned more and rested and relied more on God.
Looking at where GYFC is now is amazing. Mal is listening and watching what God is doing and some really exciting stuff is happening and I just feel there will be more on the horizon.
It was good to catch up with people like Holy Phil and I’m really looking forward to seeing Mal’s vision become a reality.
In the car today this ‘saying sorry’ has really been bugging me.
I wanted to be able to apologise yesterday for the part my ancestors played in the atrocity of slavery.
As I was driving it suddenly dawned on me that I don’t have to wait for Tony Blair to apologise as I can do this myself.
We say sorry is a blog where I have said sorry.
If you feel so inclined you can add your sorry too.
Good day today driving (in Sarah’s car as mine needs to go to the garage tomorrow) around the the Norfolk countryside meeting up with Cle in Mid Norfolk and Beckie in Haverhill.
Two very exciting times listening to peoples dreams. I love spending tome with people and hearing about their vision. It’s a privilege to be able to share either what I have found useful in the past or what I see other people using skillfully in other places. This is the family of YFC supporting each other.
The Shiny Headed Prophet 