Lent 2014 - 13th April: history

Today's simple pleasure is history, no literally 'history'. I love history. I can never remember any date but that's almost beside the point. I love the beauty found in National Trust properties and other such places. I would have like to have gone exploring one today given it was such a lovely day but we had a few chores to do. 

My favourite academic subject at school was history, being an all girls friend we never studied the First and Second World Wars in any detail, I wish we had. Instead it was kings and queens and such like. I have a lasting memory of one rather excentric teacher who had us standing on our desks and waving our rules pretending to be Vikings or something. The head teacher came in to tell us off for being rowdy I seem to be recall and then went out again a little embarrassed realizing we had been encouraged in this madness.

We can learn so much from history but it seems the human race still continues to go round in circles making the same old mistakes. I am intrigued by the wisdom that can be gleaned or ignored through studying it. Today's simple pleasure is history maybe it's not your bag and you wonder why I call it a pleasure. We all have a history that makes us who we are some of it good and some of it bad. We can let our own history effect us in a negative manner or we can learn from it and move on. History whether we like it or not is part of who we are. Surely it is better to embrace it and at least find contentment in it than ignore it and stick out head in the sand.

Lent 2014 - 12th April: finding voice

Today's simple pleasure is that of 'finding voice'. Maybe finding our own voice isn't that simple? I think it takes time to find out who you are enough to voice your thoughts and feeling but it shouldn't. It seems we are brought up to conform and do as everyone else does. We are taught to sit quietly with the rest of the class and to learn from the teacher at the front. If we speak out we are told off and learn not to do so. Learning to behave is good but what if that learning to behave means that we loose our uniqueness in the process? I don't really have all the answers and this ramble is, as always, me speaking and thinking out loud. Blogging for me is the simple pleasure in which I am learning to find my own voice. 

Finding voice comes in many forms of self expression. It could be art, or drama, or preaching, or singing, or simply speaking up for ourselves. Finding voice is as much about speaking out for others as it is for speaking out for ourselves. I think most people find the former easier, I know I do. Standing up and speaking out  in whatever form takes courage. It should be much simpler but society, learnt behaviour, and childhood hang-ups get in the way. 

Tonight I watched Britain's Got Tallent (yes it's back). There was a young lady performing who had fought through the pain of being bullied and found helself through singing, in this case Opera. She had a magical voice which projected the emotion of what she was singing. She had found her voice and it was a lovely thing to watch as well as hear.

Finding voice is a simple pleasure but we need to step out in faith, take one step at a time, and get beyond the pain barrier to find it. Have you found your voice yet? I encourage you to do so and promise that it will eventually bring you a simple pleasure.

Lent 2014 - 11th April: shopping

One of life's simple pleasures is the occasional shopping trip. I'm not really a big shopper. I think my husband enjoys it more than me. Today I went to Derby to get my hair 'done' and to buy a present for a good friend, I hope she likes it, I also treated myself a little. My excuse was that I have gone down a dress size, surely worth a celebration. I say dress size but I can't recall the last time I wore a dress. I digress. Not everyone can afford to go shopping. Money is tight at the moment having been given notice from the church here in Burton. Money is tight for a lot of people but compare our living standards with those of other parts of the world such as, the favelas in Brazil, there is no comparison. We are blessed, truly blessed. Compare what we have with what our parents or grandparents had and again we are worlds apart. The world hurtles on at a tremendous pace. It is good to stop and appreciate the simple pleasures of our life and the abundant blessings that knock at our door day after day.

Lent 2014- 10th April: gazing at the view

One of life's 

simple pleasures

is of course

to gaze

forever 

at the view

of dancing clouds 

and rolling weather

of patchwork quilts 

knitted together

secrets hidden 

amongst the leaves

some to be seen 

on bended knee

or stood 

side by side 

in solidarity

much to behold 

in art

and science 

In history 

and mystery

of bygone 

year on year

there is much 

to gaze

and admire

warming views

of sandy shores

of setting sun 

in foreign lands

of rolling hills

in Gloucestershire

Maybe a view 

of grass 

and sheep.

maybe just 

a piece of cake

or icecream flake

Or Devonshire teas

with views of

sea and sail.

Or just 

a silly photo 

of Jo's snail

what do 

you 

simply

see 

that gives 

you 

pleasure?

©revdjo 10/4/14

Lent 2014 - 9th April: the sun

The sun has got its hat on

Hip Hip Hip Hooray

The sun has got its hat on

And he’s coming out today

 

Now everybody’s happy

Hip Hip Hip Hooray

The sun has got its hat on

And he’s coming out to play

Today's simple pleasure is the sun. These lyrics by Noël Gay and Ralph Butler were part of my childhood. A song I use to sing along to with my mum as she was doing the ironing. The song was on a tape, remember those, called Honkie Tonk Hits 1 & 2 I seem to recall.

Nothing like a bit of sun to make you feel good. Anyway, that's enough from me or I will be singing some of the Beach Boys' songs next.  Simple pleasures - always the best. I'm thankful for the sun and even more for God's son - just incase you forgot it's coming up to Easter!

Lent 2014 - 8th April: childhood books

Today's simple pleasure is that of remembering all those great childhood books. I am reminded today of 

'Bednobbs and Broomsticks' that was put into film by Walt Disney. As I remember that my love of Enid Blyton also comes flooding back. I read the Famous Five books but I much preferred the Secret Seven and books such as 'The Island of Adventure'. As a child I was encouraged to read and found my solace in childhood encyclopedias and comics. A piece of paper, some coloured pencils or some paints and a comic or book and I would entertain myself for hours. I am naturally creative but it is only recently that I have found my creative side again. I don't think I have ever lost my love for reading. It is is part of who I am. As a teenager I loved the classics, mainly Thomas Hardy. As a child, a teenager, and as an adult I have always ready the Bible firstly in picture form and then as a teenager the Revised Standard Version. Today my preferred version is the New Revised Standard Version which is also a Spiritual Direction Bible. Second choice is the New International Version that flows slightly more readily. I still love Thomas Hardy and the Classics, I still love the Beano and Denis the Menice. I still love to read God's Word.

Can't beat a good read or, as my earlier froidian slip read, a God read.