Lunch!

It was the Co-op meal deal of a pasta salad, crisps and a drink.  I do hope this doesn't count as a "carry out" in the regular sense?  This was the first time I've tasted Tomato Ketchup crisps ... and they're not bad at all!  Now, they're not even close to the wonderful flavour of Tayto "Cheese and Onion" but, as an alternative, they'd do.
The days are brighter and warmer now so we've begun to open up the church building at lunch times some days in the week.  Monday is my day and the hour or so there gives an opportunity to begin to look at next week's sermon or to do some reading unless, like today, the people who come in want to talk.

There was time for lunch at the beginning of the session ... if there'd been visitors at that stage I'd have nipped into the choir room to finish eating! This picture shows how bright the church is ... the first one was taken with a flash on the food so the rest of the building looked dark apart from the glow off the cross and the light of the candle.

It is so good to be in this space to enjoy the stillness.  Our lives become so crowded with "things" and "noises" that it can be a challenge to find quiet.  One of the things I read today was a reminder of the elderly Christian man who, when asked about prayer, replied: "I just sit and look at God and God just looks at me."  That's contemplation!  The love that needs no words, no conversation.  Love that is content simply to "be" in the presence of the other and to enjoy the mutual love that connects them.
Here, as in many holy places, there's a sense of God who is transcendent yet who chooses to pour out love on human beings.  The Benedicite calls us to worship ...

Bless the Lord all created things:sing his praise and exalt him for ever.Bless the Lord you heavens: sing his praise and exalt him for ever.

My other photograph of today is "The Bear"!  Remember him ... just after Christmas the tiny bear was given water and the promise to grow ... well ... look at him now!

He's become so squashed in the container that his ears are flattened and it is hard to squeeze any water into the egg.  I had no idea that he'd keep expanding the way that he has. 

This was his progress over the early weeks from the day he started.... 

That was just after Christmas ... I'll keep him for a while longer to see what happens.

May we delight in your purpose 
and work to bring all things to their true end; 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Prayer for Monday

Book of Common Prayer