God's Prodigious love

I'm not preaching this Sunday but am very aware of the lectionary text. It's not really about the son at all.... it's about the reckless love of the father.

I offer the following reflection, written a few years ago now. It is available in 'The Weaver, The Word and Wisdom' which can be ordered through twelvebaskets.co.uk !

In Love’s Embrace

A reflection on Rembrandt’s painting ‘The Return of the Prodigal Son’

I feel the weary weight of your arms as you embrace me

and the weary wait of your years of grief and loss.

You who were father and mother to me have no reason now

to offer open-handed welcome when I have deeply wounded you.

I can only bring a wasted, hollow shell of who I was, a shadow

of your hopes and dreams, your child who followed an empty vision.

Yet your welcome is overwhelming far beyond my dark imagining.

Your passion and generosity flow in tears and gifts, too real.

There is jealousy here, a quiet cynicism and a surly envy.

those who doubt me know me well and question the wisdom of welcome.

I too doubt myself, can I live this life? But, here in love’s embrace,

is the seed of grace, the heart of hope and the beginning of a new journey.

Lent Reflection

Having been asked to write a lenten reflection for Methodism's on-line 'Momentum', I thought I might as well link to it from here. There are lots of resources on the Methodist Church Website but I don't always remember to look!

Hope this season of reflection and journeying will be transformative - sometimes it's hard to see a way out of the wilderness and if a bloke with pointy horns and long tail offered some quick fixes to some of the issues I'm dealing with in the Circuit, I would be sorely tempted...

The joy of going nowhere

'It's a houseboat' I say. Then people ask questions like 'how far can you travel on it?' and 'Is it difficult to drive/sail/pilot?' Then I say 'it's a houseboat' - a house on water. You may think there is a certain madness in buying a 'boat' that doesn't go anywhere - you may possibly be right. But this is a houseboat. A house that floats.

She sits about 30 minutes from where we currently live and about 15 from where we will move to later this year - as you know location is everything! She is a few metres outside the Ealing Circuit. So when I go there I will be off my patch - psychologically very important for anyone whose job is based at home.

She has two double bedrooms - so lots of room for us as a family, but also lots for visitors and people who need a holiday, can't afford one commercially and love London. Old Lyme Barge (not a barge really, but a houseboat - sorry to be boring about this!) is in Brentford, where the River Brent and Grand Union Canal become one a few hundred metres before they join the Thames.

No, she did not cost as much as the houseboat that recently sold at Chelsea for £1m! She is about a third of the price of an equivalent 2 bedroomed flat in the area and, should we run out of money, we can hire her out to tenants and become big bad landlords - but that's nowhere near as much fun as having a place to go and relax.

It is wonderfully freeing to know if ministry went horribly wrong and I couldn't stand it any longer, we won't be homeless - this actually adds a sense of joy to the job (this may be enhanced due to my being on leave this week!). It is also a great joy to know that if we want to change the bathroom (which we do) we don't have to ask permission. We can paint it in any colour we like, choose carpets to match or clash, put up shelves, move walls.... etc, without inspections, permissions. I clearly did not know how much this mattered until now!

The tiny but very well laid out kitchen (galley) has to be kept tidy because more than two plates and a large cake tin and you run out of surface space - but this is a good discipline. The open-plan nature of the galley/saloon (kitchen/lounge) is very pleasing and it was a joy to have visitors for lunch and be able to chat along whilst slaving over a hot lasagne.

There's a bit of sorting out left to do, some more painting and hanging up pictures, moving furniture and, in the summer, it will have to be taken away to have its bottom blacked (apparently entirely painless) at which point we may change its colour from insipid green to a deep blue.... who knows.... it's up to us!

So here I am, longing for a warm spring and superb summer so we can make the most of it - but also thinking how cosy it will be next Christmas, with a little tree!

Here's Rob enjoying winter sunshine and playing one of the five chords he has so far learnt on his new acoustic guitar (so sweet).

A cosy stove, on board

There is also a lot of joy in seeing kingfishers, heron (called Harry apparently), coot, swans, and all kinds of birds.

Happy days!

Paris was lovely

The three days I had with the family in Paris seem like a haven of sanity and joy in the midst of festive madness and cold, cold weather. The sun shone with wintry freshness, the rain restrained itself to an overnight drizzle which had no effect on our sightseeing.

The Christmas market lining the Champs Elysee was stunning, atmospheric and joyful, as were the lights that hung in abundance from the trees.

The Eiffel tower was a joy during the day and even better at night - with a great light show.

Using a water bus was a great way to get around - and save tired feet. My favourite area was the Latin Quarter with lovely shops, bistros and bustle. We visited the Louvre, of course - I would need a whole day and fresh feet to really get the most from that, so I will just have to go again!

We only managed to see Notre Dame and Saint Chapel from outside, so there's a reason for another visit.

What a privilege it was to be there and to share with Rob and Tamsin in their excitement. Rob spent a lot of time analysing lighting designs and layout at the Eiffel Tower and the Loure - which I teased him for a lot, but am secretly bowled over by his knowledge. Tamsin seemed to love everything apart from her aching feet (she is a lot like me!).

We came back for a gentle New Year. I won't spoil this happy blog with some of the work stuff that has arisen since then - that's for another blog on another day!

Thanks to Sandy and Rob for wonderful photography!

Happy New Year

We've had a lovely New Year's Eve and a very slow start to New Year's Day. It was good to be with friends last night in a very relaxed and cheerful environment.

I'm aware though of so many people who really can't bear this time of year for all sorts of reasons. Some years ago I wrote the following with just such people in mind.

Dedicated to the ‘New Year Fearers’

When Auld acquaintance has ‘bin’ forgot

and the debris of another midnight madness

cleared away,

out will come the New Year fearers

the January first pain bearers

the hogmanay haters

and tremendous fun traitors

who do not see why

they should even try

to get plastered

or blasted

for the sake

of one more day on the calendar

and one more year gone by.

On will be put the brave faces

that remember the places

of memory and grief

no nostalgia will bring relief

from the constant reminders

of long gone lovers

lost opportunities

and broken communities.

‘Happy New Year!’

shed another tear

move on through the winter

that freezes hope’s last splinter

of consolation.

Each sharp inhalation

of breath is a cold effort

of courage in the face

of despair.

One more cheerful mask

is added to the growing collection

as the lonely New Year fearer

looks for a different benediction.

Michaela Youngson - Published in 'Making the Colours Sing'

I hope you have a most joyful and peaceful year and, in contrast, perhaps, to the above reflection offer a prayer:

New Year Prayer of Praise

Creator God, we praise you

for this New Year,

for this time of worship,

for this moment in our lives.

Creator God, we praise you

for all that you have made,

for all that you have given,

for all that you have promised.

Redeemer God, we praise you

for the new life found in Christ,

for the chance to begin again,

for the story of salvation.

Redeemer God, we praise you

for your grace that is without limit,

for your love which knows no end,

for your living among us.

Sustainer God, we praise you

for the gift of your Spirit,

for the outpouring of your love,

for the fruits of our relationship with you.

Sustainer God, we praise you

for your open embrace of all,

for your infectious joy,

for your presence in our lives.

Amen.

We will!

9am from St Pancras on Boxing Day! Yippee.

Taxi arriving early at house (no tubes - but hey you can't have everything).

Should be in Paris just after noon. I so can't wait.

I shall wander down the Avenue des Champs-Elysees and know that life is good.

Should have lots of piccies to upload when we get back and lovely memories. So watch out for some lyrical waxing with a slight French accent.

Blessings all!

Will we or won't we?

It serves me right for not feeling appropriately sympathetic towards BA passengers who would have lost their flights if the strike had gone ahead. I remember thinking 'I'm sad for them, but really glad we booked to go to Paris on Eurostar'. I feel the Bah Humbug angel may just have bitten me!

We are due to go to Paris on Boxing Day for two nights and three wonderful days. None of us have been to Paris before, apart from Sandy doing a mad dash between Gard Du Nord and Gard Du Eoust (whatever East is in French) so that doesn't count.

The hotel we hope to be in is just across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower and I am holding dearly to my longing to sit in a boulevard cafe, drinking hot chocolate and watching the world go by.

So I do hope the lovely people at Eurostar get it together - not just for us but for all who will otherwise not have the Christmas they hoped for.

Meanwhile, I wonder what I should include for Christmas Eve Communion and the Christmas Day services. Carols, readings, prayers and maybe a story about not being where you want to be at Christmas!

What are you hoping for this year?