Where's the rewind button?

I spent a chunk of today trying to help out in a difficult family situation and seem to have managed to make things worse!

With the benefit of hindsight, I made the cardinal error of taking my standards and thought processes into a situation, believing confidently that this would help make everything better. Wrong! I'm sure there's a word for it. I remember it's - STOOPID!! (Actually there are lots of other words too, but I'm not a great believer in beating myself up.)

You know the old cliche about breaking eggs to make an omelette? Well, I'm pretty sure that the intention is for the liquid egg to end up in a receptacle - not on the floor, walls, ceiling and your own face!

I've learned a painful lesson. But there's no rewind button for life, so I need to focus on what to do next - with a bit more thought and careful preparation.

... in the light of Easter

o dance and sing
To exude and exalt
To reflect in wonder
To go with hope
And walk without fear.
To glow with grace and peace
And feel fully human -
Rejoicing in the light of Easter

To seek and serve
To connect and join
To be confident and calm
To involve and engage
And love instinctively.
To flow where the Spirit takes you
And not be overwhelmed -
Living in the light of Easter

(Inspired by a comment from Lucy and a bunch of talented, enthusiastic young musicians.)

Friday photo: Every cloud ...

... has a red-edged lining!

(Note to self: remember to breathe!)

Tuesday afternoon - it must be our weekly senior management team, and the chance to bond together and share our difficulties with each other - not!

I found myself writing at the top of the agenda - not doodling, but writing instructions to myself!

"PAUSE, THEN BREATHE, THEN SPEAK"

The wicked witch of the east is mis-managing yet another project, and finding scapegoats by the truckload. As I sat there fuming and restraining myself, I realised that it really wasn't worth the self-inflicted stress. So I thought about breathing for a wee while, calmed down and turned back into my normal well-balanced, cool, witty, dashing and modest self (well, something like that!).

I think it was Oscar Wilde who refused to enter a battle of wits with an unarmed man - kind of sums up how I felt.

Anyway, having calmed down a bit I survived the rest of the meeting.

It was absolutely freezing when I stepped out of the office - and my coat was in the car about 150 yards away. But as I walked towards the car, I didn't notice the cold because I was distracted by the wonderful view of Arbroath Abbey. Puts things in perspective I think!

Why celebrate Easter?

OK - the question's a wee bit misleading. What I really mean is why celebrate Easter in a special way, on a date determined by the moon and the vernal equinox? I remember having a conversation with one of our deacons several years ago, when we discussed the merits of any 'special' days in the ecclesiastical calendar. After all, we should live each day in the light of Easter ...

I suppose there's a cultural element of Calvinstic suspicion of high days and holy days behind this thought process!

Having said that, I do believe that we should celebrate Easter in a special way. In part because it's one of those occasions when people attend church who wouldn't ordinarily cross the threshold. So it's an oppor-chance-ity for them to hear about Jesus.

But I think there's a more important reason. I think that it's a chance for Christians to reflect on the theological significance of Jesus' death and resurrection. Now I know that talking of theology puts some people off, but there are ways to do this without over-complicating things.

I was listening to a podcast recently featuring the late Jaroslav Pelikan talking about the Need for Creeds. Pelikan has studied Christian creeds in depth - and despite my Calvinistic suspicion of creeds (anyone spotting a recurring theme?), I think that there is great value in using creeds to communicate longstanding beliefs.

Two things stood out for me in the Pelikan podcast:

1 - He spoke of the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom (used in the Greek Orthodox church), where the congregation say, "Let us love one another that with one mind we may confess the Holy Trinity one in essence and undivided." In other words, the creeds exist within the context of love - God's love for us and our relationships in a loving community.

2 - He also said that one of his favourite creeds is the Maasai creed. I'd never heard this before, but I think that it's absolutely wonderful!

"... always on safari doing good, curing people by the power of God, teaching about God and man, showing that the meaning of religion is love"

Easter is for creeds? Any thoughts?

Resurrection

Christian spirituality isn't a matter of life and death. It's a matter of death and life.

wonder in the garden

We had a dusting of snow last night (Good Friday), but when I got up this morning the sun was shining brightly in a clear blue sky.

The Fish Wife commented on the snow lying on some daffodils outside our bedroom window - so I went out for a closer look - camera in hand.

There was a poignancy and beauty about these seemingly fragile flowers, bowed down by the weight of the snow yet striving to turn their faces up towards the spring sunshine.

It seemed to me that they captured the mood of Easter Saturday - bowed down by the enormity of Christ's suffering on the cross, yet looking forward to Sunday and resurrection.

I think that nature always expresses itself more eloquently than my words - so let the pictures do the talking.

"In difficult times you should always carry something beautiful in your heart."

- Blaise Pascal