Lent 2014 - 5th April: humour

Today's simple pleasure is humour. I like to laugh. I don't like to take life too seriously. It's easy to get caught in the spiral of negativity and to forget that life is for living. My humour can get me in to trouble sometimes. I guess what one person finds funny someone else finds offensive. I love situation humour but dislike jokes. It is normally the visual things or silly childish things that make me chuckle. John and I went to the butchers today to buy a leg of lamb. (It tasted fantastic by the way.) we always end up giggling whenever we go there. It's not what is said but what is unsaid. Something about the way the three butchers never really talk to one another and are so serious. An old lady wished them a merry Christmas, obviously at Christmas, and had to say it three times before getting a response. Anyone would think they were androids by their apparent lack of emotion. Actually, one is slightly more human than the others. They must wonder why we are always giggling. As my husband said today, it would be a good basis of a sitcom. Maybe I should write that one. As with all good visual humour you have to be there and see it for yourself. 

I hope today has been a blessed day for you filled with at least some humour. 

Lent 2014 - 4th April: Jelly Babies!!

Today's simple pleasure - Jelly Babies! Do you need an explanation other than yum!

Lent 2014 - 3rd March: meeting New People

Another of life's simple pleasures is meeting new people. I love meeting someone who I don't know at all, or very well, and spending time getting to know them. All too often these meetings are fleeting and over far too quickly. Today I got the opportunity to meet and talk to a few new folk at The Northern Baptist Theological Consutation at Blackley Baptist Church, West Yorkshire. I have to admit I have never been this far north before! It was a great day. The keynote lecture was on spirituality and poetry, so right up my street.

One of the reasons I loved working as a mortgage adviser was that I met lots of new and interesting people. New people are intriguing and meeting them is on a par with opening a wrapped present. You never know what you are going to get! Some people we relate to more than others, that's just life, but everyone we meet is a potential friend. Who knows how deep that relationship will develop. So here's to friendship and the simple pleasure of meeting new people. I thank God for the new people in my life and the friendship they offer. 

Lent 2014 - 2nd April: Spiritual Direction

 

 

As I have written these blogs on simple pleasures I have tried to write about something I have found pleasurable and want to give thanks for that has happened that day. Today I met with my Spiritual Director so today's simple pleasure is Spiritual Direction. Sometimes our spiritual life can be very arid. It is like walking through a desert with the sun beating down and no sense of where we should be headed. I am blessed to have a number of good friends who I can call on to pray for me. For a long time I wondered about having a Spiritual Director to accompany me on my spiritual walk. About a year ago I decided God had been nagging me long enough and that I should give it a go. I am so glad that I did. I have been truly blessed. 

It is easy to loose our way in the desert sometimes we need help in finding the way and seeing the signs of where God is in our life. Sometimes we need someone to challenge us and help us to face up to difficult questions. Sometimes when our spiritual life gets boring and routine we need someone to suggest knew ways of connecting with God. I feel that I have been wandering through the desert of life for a while now. Trudging through sand is tiring and can be lonely. It is then when we need our praying friends all the more. It is the time when we need God but can't always see how closely he walks along side us for the sand that is blowing in our faces and getting in to our hair. I started spiritual direction because I wanted to refocus on God and my spirituality and to draw strength from that in order to get through the hard times. Yes, this is normally for a Christian but I wanted to be more definite about it. Whilst I may have to continue to walk through the desert a little while longer, and no doubt it is a place I will revisit at some stage in my life, I can see signs of new life beginning to break through. There are streams of living water in the desert but sometimes we need help in finding them and drinking from the cool waters. 

There is nothing magical about spiritual direction but there is something more precious than that for me that I can't quite put into words. It is something holy. A divine appointment. As I look back on the thoughts and feeling that have been shared, the tears and the laughter, I know that my journey has been made easier through sharing. A big thank you to my spiritual director, you know who you are. Thank you for sharing your gifts with me and encouraging me along the way. Thank you for believing in me.

Lent 2014 - 1st April: Music

As I write I am listening and half watching a George Michael concert on TV. George's music has featured in one of my earlier blogs. You can find in here if you want to have a look. I seem to like his music more as I have got older. Maybe I am just re-living my youth, who knows. Today's simple pleasure isn't George Michael, although I am sure he is to some, but music. I love music. I like to sing, not that I am a brilliant singer, I just like singing. It brings me joy and puts a smile on my face. Car journeys are the best when the music is turned up and you can sing to your hearts content at the top of your voice. Life is so much better with music. I love good guitars, strong vocals and a good beat. Translated that means the likes of Queen, The Police, The Eurythmics/Annie Lennox, Texas, and many more. I prefer rock, indie, or alternative genres. I like 80's music more now than I did at the time. Generally I think 90's music was much better with the likes of R.E.M. Alanis Morrisette, Pulp, Blur, Manic Street preachers, Supergrass, Oasis, etc, etc.

There isn't much I dislike but drum and base and boy bands would be amongst them. I can't image a world without music. I can't imagine a world without being able to praise God. Music is about expressing how we are feeling or wanting to feel. If we are feeling sad then we may want to play something soulful and relaxing, perhaps some Dusty Springfield, Simply Red, or Adel, or Leona Lewis. If we are feeling happy and full of beans then we would crank up the volume for a bit of Robbie Williams (sorry very Girlie choice), some Bryan Adams. or Dire Straights, or Guns n' Roses. If we wanted cruising music then some Beach Boys, or The Eagles, or well depends what you are into I guess. For me praising God through song is about expressing how I am feeling and also about getting in tune with God. I may not always feel like worshiping God through singing when I start to sing but my mood and my whole being starts to change as I engage with the music and as I engage with God. Singing in church on a Sunday, or around the house, or in the car is the way in which I connect with God. This may be through worship songs or it may be in a secular song. Music is a powerful thing. It is my simple pleasure. Thank you God for music. 

Lent 2014 - 31st March: swimming

I have always loved to swim. I wouldn't say I'm a particularly strong swimmer but I enjoy swimming up and down the pool. Today's simple pleasure is swimming. Sometimes we can feel that we are swimming against the tide. Sometimes we perceive the waves to be massive and much bigger than they actually are. Sometimes we can feel like we are drowning in life. Life can be hard and demanding. Following Jesus doesn't mean we will never face trials. Being a Christian isn't easy. Life isn't easy. Trusting Jesus is not always easy but yet he asks us to put out faith in him during these difficult times. 

When I am in the swimming pool I feel close to God. It has become a time of centering prayer for me. No need to speak words but just to be with God. As I swim I sense God around me. He is to my right and to my left keeping me safe, he is below me keeping me afloat, he is above me keeping a watchful eye, and he is before me guiding my way. Spending time in the water cleanses and refreshes me in a spiritual way. I leave my troubles on the side of the pool and I try not to take them home with me.

A simple pleasure to give thanks for - swimming. Jump in, the water is warm!