Headlong
Icy
Clean
I am the stream
Scouring the rocks
Cutting a path
Through the Arches of Time
Hemmed in
Icy
Strong
I am the Love
That purifies daily
Bridging the gap
Between mountain and sea
Hasty
Icy
Refreshing
I am the Craftsman
Sculpting all beauty
Making a signpost
To the Heavenly Face
Hopeful
Alive
Graceful
God planned my course
God counts my years
God gives us Life
© Richard Starling 2021
An almost deserted beach at Aldwick… the sun setting against dramatic clouds far beyond Selsey.
Many of us are isolated, or just with our family, and our days are a strange shape. We have time to endure- or use. Quiet is a gift that we may need to unwrap- modern life has so many distractions and the noise level is generally high.
I offer this photo and prayer as a focal point through which we may seek the Lord.
Look at the picture, and read the words over several times.
Take enough time to let your body relax, and your mind settle from the “inner noise” we all suffer from! Focus on Jesus, give thanks for the day and unexpected opportunity for prayer, then offer your worship and prayer for yourself and others who are of concern to you.
Peace and grace to us all today.
I’m at a loose end. We are self-isolating, so not seeing people as normal, and not able to do all the things that usually fill the days.
It is even a step down from being “retired.”
Both good and bad. For thirty years I have been “on call” or “on duty” serving God as a local church minister. That’s an unusual way of life: I’ve been privileged to be alongside people in their best, worst, and most humdrum experiences.
Long hours. Emotionally intense. Having to NOT be just a “professional” Christian, but a real one with a life-giving faith. It’s impossible to nourish others if my own life is dry as dust.
Retirement has been great and I have been able to useful helping in church and community, within the restrictions of health. Now I’m limited to home and the internet. One possible response would be to hibernate and wait for the virus to run its course. That doesn’t sit comfortably with an up-and-at-it enthusiast (and I’m sure there will be plenty of others feeling the same way).
When I finish writing this, I will go out in the garden and take the time to REALLY look at the flowers, watch the birds, and maybe take some photos.
We have been given a GIFT of time.
Time to look, time for prayer, for reflection on life, for remembering family and friends. I have time to write. I have dug out my Q-Chord (electronic autoharp/synth) and started to practice – so I’ve been given a gift of music too. I have also received a gift of more time with Juliet (she is working from home) and that is precious.
So, am I at a “loose end” or I am unwrapping a gift that can enrich my life as a result of for the first time in memory HAVING TIME ON MY HANDS?
When all this over, and life resumes “normality”… will we have taken the time to look and decide what is really important and worth keeping? If we just go back to how it was, we will have missed an opportunity.
Of course this is a challenging time, and for many of us there may be grief and loss. Financial pressures are squeezing us all. Getting essentials to everybody is proving hard for Government and society generally. Some are being selfish so-and-so’s whilst others are being amazingly kind, generous and loving. We will need a great deal of kindness to heal the wounds of this plague. We don’t know what shape the future will take, but perhaps our choices of how we use our time can shape it for the better. This time IS a gift. It’s time IN our hands, not “on” them. We can use time or waste it.
May God’s peace keep you free from fear, and God’s Spirit give you courage and strength, and may the Son of God lead you in a new future of hope and wisdom.
Gentle giants showing their age… Beech trees responding to another warmer season. In just a few short weeks they had received a bright green makeover, and paraded their party togs with pride.
It was still and quiet in the wood. Footsteps crunching through last year’s leaves and the infrequent song of the birds were the only real sounds.
Something about the strength and dignity of these old Lords of the Forest held my attention.
Pitted and scarred by the experience of the years; damage from insect, storm and time has marred the beech bark. One tree already uprooted, perchance victim of an unnoticed tragedy? Who knows when or why it fell? Younger saplings will make their takeover bid in due time. For now, these mighty beeches stand, adding leaf-mould every autumn and hosting the harbingers of Spring after every winter’s cold tale. In their summer prime, the canopy of green provides shelter, food and pleasure to all life that passes through the wood.
At first sight, these are just old trees, marked by the ravages of time. Spend time here in the wood, and listen, and the story of persistence and fruitfulness will be told again. Ravaged? Maybe.
Badges of honour, I would say. They have grown where they were planted, they have done their part in the long story of the years- they have outlasted many humans- and they have given away their seed with generous purpose.
Here’s a thought. As I look back over the last thirty or so years of sharing in Christian community, I have seen a marvellous selection of strong, dignified, generous people. Marked by the passage of time, wounded and pained by failures and successes, they still stand firm on their faith foundation. Old? True enough… but wise, and patient, and persistent. Love has brought them this far, and the future holds no dread. Kindly endurance gives backbone to their “forest” and the long tale of their years encourages the next generations. Blessed are those whose roots dig deep into the rich soil of Eden’s distant cousin. Blessed are those who drink deep of the Water of Life and share their fruitfulness. To them is promised a Spring with no more Winter.
Living life to the full means risking the scars and inheriting the Kingdom. Give thanks for the giants we have known, honour them in our prayers, observe their example. A well-wrinkled face is a portrait of love lived with a smile in the heart. Alleluia!
Probably a reaction to being busy yesterday- but today has been a bit of a flop. I don’t like that. I have no objection to “wasting time” on purpose if that means being deliberately un-busy to relax. Quite happy to spend time on reading, watching the birds in the garden, or to make a choice of doing unimportant stuff. A day wasted: not so good.
I’ve had to get used to my mind and body going on strike. Fibromyalgia does that sometimes, and accepting that as a fact is important. Otherwise frustration and anger boil up and makes things worse. Some days are bad days. I suppose what irks me today is that I had planned to do some interesting things, and ended up in a blind alley instead. Could I have managed my day better? Yes, I think so. That’s the other reason I’m disgruntled, and unhappy with myself. I am responsible for my bad choices.
So I’m consoling myself with these photographs. The bee was hunting nectar in my rosemary plant last summer, and being very bee-like and buzz-nesslike.
The thought of successful activity, gaining a sweet reward, is rather inspiring. Persistence pays off!
My woodpecker picture was taken last week when the snow and extreme cold (well, extreme for Sussex!) meant the birds from all round the fields and trees came looking for food to survive. Purposeful activity, even in the face of difficulties.
That sounds good too. 
So tomorrow is a new day. A new beginning.
I don’t know how it will go. But I’d better make a better start than today. I’m sorry for a day wasted, and my part in wasting precious time. So I’m glad of some inspiration!
The Bible often uses word-pictures to convey truth and inspiration: for example, Jeremiah was given a message that is a play on words regarding the use of “almond” and God’s “watchfulness” and faithfulness. (It’s a kind of Hebrew pun.) Out of all the trees in Israel, the almond tree blossoms the earliest, prompted by the changing of the seasons to be the first to bloom. Likewise, God will soon bringing extraordinary events to pass, and He wants His people to follow the anticipation of the almond tree and be alert, watching carefully for what God is about to do. Jeremiah is sent to remind Israel that God is at work. Life is never just random. Time is our way of measuring God’s purpose.
Jeremiah 1:9-12 (NLT)
Then the LORD reached out and touched my mouth and said, “Look, I have put my words in your mouth! Today I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms. Some you must uproot and tear down, destroy and overthrow. Others you must build up and plant.” Then the LORD said to me, “Look, Jeremiah! What do you see?” And I replied, “I see a branch from an almond tree.” And the LORD said, “That’s right, and it means that I am watching, and I will certainly carry out all my plans.”
Please, God, help me not to waste tomorrow: and keep my eyes open to see Your clues and signs in nature and in scripture. I don’t want to mess it up tomorrow.
Look, See, Pray 