You've got to conform to belong.

Today I am thinking about conformity.

This is something that I have always had a problem with. Basically I have never seen the point of not conforming to rules and instructions. If there is a guideline I will naturally think gnat someone has taken time to consider an issue and has then decided upon a right way of doing things. The more I think about this the more I think I am wrong! I guess you could call this social conformity.

There is another conformity that I also fall into but with a great deal more consideration and that is spiritual conformity. This might apply to my daily living or my Christian leadership within the church. It is that I 'do' my faith and all that surrounds it in such a way that it represents what others think it should rather than what God desires of me.

And I guess a lot of people fulfil this conformity with very little thought.

I sometimes live my discipleship as if the approval of my peers is what should be sought instead of the approval of Christ. I let them dictate my timetable, my activities, what I do in my spare time and many other things that are neither God glorifying or God's will for me - and perhaps that is where the tipping point is: our relationship with God is personal, he has a plan for each of us that is different, in the main, to the next person. We live, however, in a conforming world and so overlay that experience onto our spiritual lives and conform to others rather than the 'inward renewing of our hearts and minds' by Christ (Romans 12:2).

Today then, even though I have a full diary of commitments and meetings, I will stop regularly to consider: who set this task, this thought, this action? Is it someone else? Is it me? Or is it Christ?

Slow down

Life in the 21st Century is lived at such a speed as to be almost unbelievable.

One of the regular complaint I hear people make is that their computer is 'too slow'. I never heard anyone in the past who registered a complaint that their pen was too slow, or their encyclopedia was too slow!

We live life at top speed, committing to many things, ensuring our attendance at all sorts of gatherings and meeting both social and business. We save programmes to watch 'when we have time'. We don't write letters anymore we text and even then abbreviate words because we don't have the space or time (and that's only if we are not too busy to remember!)

Slow down...

Breathe...

Think...

Pray...

Yes we have many calls on our time, serious calls. We also have a tendency to overcommit ourselves to things that don't need doing or are, in fact, someone else's responsibility or on their agenda not ours.

Jesus obviously lived in a world that was socially and technologically very different to ours but even He had to find times and places to just 'be still' (interestingly one was where panic and storm were going on around Him).

Today I will stop occasionally. Not from tiredness or because I am a laggard, not because I don't know what to do next or am lazy but because if it was important for Jesus it has to be important for me.

He was always about His Fathers business even when he appeared to be doing nothing...

Don't Worry...

The story of Martha and Mary is an important one because so many people associate with one of the two sisters: Martha, busying and fretting; Mary, sitting and listening.

I am asked this morning to consider those things that I am fretting about. What is stopping me sitting and listening to Jesus.

This is always a pertinent question for me as I am a recovering worrier. There was a point when I would lose sleep worrying about many things. Worrying even to the point of worrying about what I had forgotten to worry about! It sounds comic but it was debilitating - and very frustrating for those around me.

These days I tend not to worry to a great degree as I experienced a real healing from this a few years ago. To worry is to waste time often on things over which you have no control. By fretting over them they live rent free in your mind. The things that you do have control over deserve action - however menial they my seem. Even simply putting them on a 'to do' list will lift some of the worry burden. If you can do something immediately then do it. The obvious thing is to pray!

I often, when knowing I have to have a conversation with someone that may be delicate, commit myself to that by saying to them before the time comes 'we must have a chat about...' The worry over starting the conversation is gone, I'm committed to a point of no return, it lifts the burden.

So even though today I am challenged to consider what I am worrying about and the answer is 'very little', it does not diminish my commitment to responding to issues neither does it make me unconcerned. I simply am responding to worry in the way God taught me when he said 'look at the lilies of the field...' (Matthew 6:28)

Life changing...

No one has that perfect life! I sometimes catch a 'lifestyle' programme on TV and inevitably whether it is about 'The Real Housewives of...', 'location, location, location' or 'Grand Designs' there is very clearly a cost to gaining a 'better' way of life - the cost is financial, discomfort, and the like. Not infrequently when they improved life is attained there is still some underlying issue that remains unresolved.

While looking at scripture today I am being asked 'in what ways are / have my life plans been put 'out of joint' in order that I depend on God more?' 

In other words 'if you want an improved experience of God what have you been put through in order to achieve this?' It's a reflection on Genesis 32 where Jacob wrestles with God at the Jabbok Brook, gets his hip out of joint but also receives a deeper relationship and a new name.

As I thought about this I remembered a conversation yesterday when it was reflected that Alan, who got saved a few months ago following an addiction to drink has ended up in prison because of a momentary lapse in his experience. When he shared with his pastor that maybe this was God's punishment his very wise captain explained that far from punishment this was a gift from God where he could focus on his discipleship and God's goodness. Very wise words! Alan still knows that God's love is unconditional and is now using his time to good effect.

When I look back on the things I have wrestled with that have taken me deeper into relationship with God it is things like Catherine's cancer, and to a lesser degree, my own brush with melanoma; it is the times when I have worried through sleepless nights about the well being of my children. It is very much the moments that I realise that Jesus is all I've got that Jesus is all I need.

On a superficial level, but one which illustrates this experience well for me, is the fact that I get up most mornings at around 6am in order to focus on my relationship with Christ. Unsurprisingly when I do this, I have a better day and my relationships with others are improved - when I don't... Well you can imagine!

The reality for me is that whatever happens in my life I see it as a gift from God: the good, the bad and the ugly things: I bear them, tolerate and even enjoy them because God always has something within them that takes our relationship deeper as a result: I just have to look for what He is doing.

Stormy weather...

I have been prompted today to consider what storms - internal or external - may prevent me from doing God's will. Much like Jonah who faced his own internal storm and then the literal external storm.

Honestly I can't really think of one - not a large and considerable storm. I don't have huge internal battles to comply with God's desire for my life. I don't live a life of constant tension looking out for the next confrontation I have with God because I reject His will for me. Quite the opposite in fact - I've discovered God to be much greater, much wiser, than I am. Even though I may not always have understood His reasoning or sending I have been able to consider things in reflection and know that He has always had a purpose.

That doesn't mean to say I have never struggled with God's direction for my life...

25 years ago, Catherine and I were appointed to a ministry which soon proved to be, in our minds not a good or 'right' appointment. It didn't fit us and we did not fit it. The people openly expressed they're dislike of many of our decisions - even when they had initially agreed with them and, on one occasion, I was told 'we hate your wife'.

Difficult doesn't begin to describe it - a storm of Biblical proportions. We only stayed twelve months and then we moved to arguably our happiest appointment in church leadership.

Yet only three years ago while leading a church retreat a young mum came and spoke to us, reminding us that she had been a young person in that 'difficult' fellowship many years previously and she had realised how difficult it was for us with the significant opposition we faced.

'But I was glad you were there for me' she said.

In those seven words two things happened: firstly I realised how much bitterness I still had from that time, I had never really let it go and didn't even realise I was holding onto it. Secondly I let it go. It was as if having been in the storm for just twelve months I had held onto some piece of shipwreck to keep me in the storm and by letting go of it I was now able to float on the tide of God's grace to the security of the dry land of His love.

So is there a storm today separating me from God? I don't think so but I may not know until I recognise the alternative...

Road block

What is 'secondary' and blocking the way to experiencing God? 

That's the question Imam asked today.

I've just been through, and I pray it will continue, a very rich time with God. He has taught me so much about His generosity towards me and mine towards others - and therefore to Him.

It has been a time when I have felt so very close to Christ continually. Every day seemed rich with His presence, every prayer was an intimate conversation. I sense that slipping away into a more shallow time however...

The last few days have been wonderful socially and emotionally. Spending time with very good friends at the fellowship we used to be part of and became part of once again. Easter worship was great and then some relaxation on Bank Holiday Monday - brilliant!

But maybe it all became too much about me. Having experienced forty days of generosity through #40acts, maybe I just became too self indulgent. Perhaps the 'secondary' thing is me. Maybe I am not only buying and selling in the temple courts but maybe I am 'for sale' and have made myself very cheap that the offering I am to God is pretty worthless...

I am reminded not only of the Sunday school chorus 'Jesus first, yourself last...' But also a scripture that was in my mind when I woke up this morning - it's from Matthew 6:33:

“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. (Matthew 6:30-33 MSG)

Today, I am secondary to the will and word of God - I will be richer for it.

It's all over... Almost

This Lent, instead of giving up something, I took part in #40acts - 40 days of generosity.

Honestly I thought it was just a simple way of engaging, principally through social media, with other people who wanted to pursue Lent a bit differently.

Oh how wrong I was!

It has been a wonderful time of inspiration, and experiencing the generosity of others and returning to a generous spirit myself. I have loved all of the tasks, even the ones that I wasn't, for one reason or another, able to complete. I have met new friends throughout these forty days, some virtually and some  in reality.

At the beginning of the challenges I commenced blogging on the daily experiences - I am given to understand that some people have found this helpful - I am blessed that anyone would do so and also very grateful that you have let me know.

I have been hugely inspired by turning numerous times in each day to the website and particularly the 'caring is sharing' tab: you #40act-ers are incredible, creative and most importantly generous people. 

Today's act is to throw a party! Although I'm not even at home a party is being planned for a few weeks time when I will invite friends, neighbours and others to celebrate - you may even get an invitation!

My story

My story is simple and, I suspect, fairly common. But I have the experience that God is never mundane, random or predictable - even if my life may appear to be at times.

Although brought up in a. Christian family there came a time in my teenage years - I was 17 - when I had to decide whether or not this life of faith was for me: was I going to be a Christian or just play at it?  In my own room, sat on my bed, I read the story from Palm Sunday through to the resurrection in all four gospels and was overwhelmed that this was something Christ had done for me. From that day onward I took my relationship with Christ seriously.

He had to knock some corners off me - worldliness and relationships, through to piety and false humility - he's dealt with them all.

He brought Catherine into my life and has presented both of us not only with a great family but also with incredible ministry opportunities that I never imagined.

But every day he also rescues me from temptation - to indulge myself, to be arrogant, to serve myself and not Him. Every day I thank God for my salvation - not only what he brings me to, but also what he rescues me from. I cannot explain how strong the desire to deviate from His way is sometimes - to take an easy route through a personal,  family or ministry problem - but His faithfulness in facing every challenge of His sacrifice for me reminds me that He is my model for living - and He gives me the power through His Holy Spirit to live it in his way.

In an incredible way Jesus has presented me with a freedom that is beyond comprehension. As a committed worrier I managed to hold Ono so many things I had no control over. sleep loss was a fact of life and a daily experience, fretting was my default position - but He healed me and reassures me daily that His control and way is perfect - even when I don't understand it.

In the darkest days of Catherine's cancer - He was there.

When there seemed to be no physical resources - He provided.

When our children have made decisions that challenge our thinking - He supports us - and looks after them.

When the future is uncertain - He is with me.

I am a blessed man.

Forgive and...

Wow!

I didn't see that one coming - 'today's challenge is to forgive'.

Can't I just make a card or some cakes, or pay for lunch for a stranger? Can't I just take some clothes to a charity shop, or sign a petition, or tell people the Gospel?

Forgiveness.

It's a real tough one because sometimes you don't know whether you've really forgiven someone until the next time you meet them. As soon as you see them the bitterness and resentment come flooding back. And they maybe don't even know that they've offended me. Maybe I'm just sensitive to a specific issue. Maybe it's me that needs forgiveness...

Forgiveness is probably the most difficult challenge because it is the most precious. To forgive means I'm released. to forgive means that someone else is no longer living rent free in my head and heart. To forgive means that Jesus has invaded every part of my life - including the past, because forgiveness is all about the past.

As far as I am aware I don't hold any grudges against people, as far as I am aware I am a 'forgiver' rather than a bearer of burdens.

But I may be wrong...

With Good Friday tomorrow I have no choice but to examine myself today in the light of the forgiveness I have received - and forgive the same way.

Also...

I may need forgiveness from others - I seek it today.

Coming second isn't always bad

The image that accompanies this blog is Buzz Aldrin - the second man to walk on the moon. Almost everyone knows that Neil Armstrong was first, many can quote his words 'this us one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind'. Buzz was second - but what a second place to be! 

The challenge today is not to do what I want but to give the day entirely to someone else. In the main this will be Catherine, my wife.

Now here's the weird thing - she already had today planned out last week. The conversation started like this:

Catherine: you know we're off next week?

Me: yes, anything particular you want to do?

Catherine: no, there's nothing I need to do but I'll be going to George Steven Centre on Wednesday morning. I don't feel I can't go just because I'm on holiday.

Me: but we're off, they'll understand.

Catherine: but I can't not go, I must go.

Honestly I wasn't very pleased. We very rarely get uninterrupted holidays - especially with the easy access of emails etc, but, you see, Catherine has just undertaken a three month sabbatical cover as Chaplain at the George Steven Centre which caters for adults with learning difficulties. It is a ministry and a people that she loves. She's right - she couldn't not go because it's not work, it's ministry. Holidays and time off are not a right or a privilege, they are God's gift for Him to give or withold.

Within a few minutes I was over it - and it turns out Catherine had other thoughts for the rest of the day as well.

So today I will come second after my wife - and others as the day progresses - and I do so willingly knowing that the benefits of coming second are not all that bad after all. 

I know that often I'll get a buzz from not being first!

(Acknowledgement to Bake Designs for Buzz Aldrin inspiration!)

Share and share alike

As I'm currently on a few days leave pre Easter to complete the challenges for #40acts in one sense gives me much more flexibility and in another becomes much more restrictive.

For instance yesterday I had to share the Gospel - see the immediately previous blog for my anticipation and determination regarding this. Three quarters of the way through the day I realised that I not only had not shared the Gospel with anyone but also that our friends we were meeting for coffee during the afternoon are amongst the most committed Christians you could find. My mind ran ahead of me in order to make sure that the gospel was shared and with someone who needs to hear the message of love, acceptance and forgiveness.

And the opportunity came in our conversation with our friends for not only did they have their 2 year old son with them but we also had our teenage son with us. He needs to hear the Gospel as much now as when he was growing up. As someone who no longer attends church we cannot assume he recalls the good news or accepts it. And so in a Garden Centre the Gospel was simply explained in the context of the conversation. A silent listener hearing and taking in every word. 

Today's challenge is also about sharing - sharing my lunch. Those who know me will realise that this is a significant challenge for me!

I am guessing that there will be good opportunity as we go and spend the day around the west of Scotland - current destination unknown! I also guess that this is less about sharing food than about engaging and enlightening, sharing wholesomeness as well as food. As we go around today I'll be looking for opportunities to share whatever I have in order that others will receive.

Share the Gospel

Share the Gospel? But I do that every day surely?

I'm a minister, I'm a professional at sharing the Gospel!

I ensure that mission and ministry is resourced and encouraged, that there is appropriate accountability as well as the space to share.

I make certain that the Gospel is shared in deed and word. In exciting and thoughtful programmes for all ages.

Of course I share the Gospel...

That's what I would like to think, but the truth is far from that. Yes, of course there is truth in what I have just stated, and every decision and meeting is surrounded with prayer, in fact every day commences and concludes with prayer but do I really share the Gospel of Jesus? The good news that He, and He only, brings a fulfilment to life beyond which nothing else comes close.

Before writing today I thought back to the last time I properly shared the Gospel with someone and do you know what? I couldn't remember when it was or, more importantly, who it was. And I'm thinking personal not through a preach, because that would be a cop out.

So today I will share the Gospel, maybe with a family member, possibly a stranger but I will do it!

Looking back

So this week has been varied in the extreme:

Visited some lovely people in ministry

Gave some clothes to a charity shop

Looked for a lobbying cause

Made some hand crafted sweetie boxes to send to friends

Made a film for a new friend to use in their church

Planned Easter services in detail

Had a meal at Nando's 

Discovered the people in my local Coffee Shop know my order before I get to the front of the queue - in detail ('chicken mayo wrap, light on the salad, an empire biscuit and an Americano, cold milk and two dots')

Wrote six blog posts

Thought about party planning

Decided against getting a tattoo.

Attended four board meetings of different natures.

Cleared my email inbox - then spent three hours on the phone to the IT department because my computer stopped working properly.

And reflected on the absolutely amazing generosity of God. 

The more I have worked through #40acts and attempted to live a more generous lifestyle the more I see and appreciate the generosity of God. The variety He brings into my life, the different characters He introduces me to, the new experiences He provides for me. If I can reflect just a little of that great generosity I will be blessed.

Party!!!

As a teenager I loved a party! The loud music, the bad dancing, the witty banter, the terrible flirting! It was what happened almost every weekend, someone would be celebrating something and thirty or forty of us would turn up at their home and for a few hours the party would distract us from whatever else was on our minds.

The last party I went to was my wife, Catherine's, birthday party. It was brilliant, good food, lovely friends, great music (that was my responsibility so I am bound to say that!). All of my family together - brilliant!

I don't even know when the next party will be...

Until today when #40acts challenged me to host one! So the challenge is on for me to put together a community party. It's not going to happen this weekend but maybe later in the summer (when it comes!) I'll get it together!

I am reminded, of course, that Jesus lived a party. He loved to spend time with His friends and others - even when it wound the respectable religious people up! 

So, there will be a party sometime, it's friendly, it's generous and it's biblical!

Passive activist

Something is going on here...

Today's #40acts challenge is to sign a petition, lobby you MP, set up an action group.

While I was praying through that particular challenge I listened to so e scripture, designated for today via 'pray as you go' (brilliant Ignatian devotional website), and this verse comes up: 

'Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance on them, for to you I have committed my cause'. (Jeremiah 20:12 NIV)

I would say that I don't have a 'cause' that I stand for. I am, I suppose, a 'passive activist'. Maybe I should become more outspoken on issues that are important to me. Perhaps I am too aware that when I, as an individual, speak some people hear the church that I represent speaking rather than me. 

Today I am challenged that I should no longer remain silent or hold back because of others thoughts but instead stand up for what I truly believe in and encourage others to embrace change and justice.

So today I am not going to sign a petition just to fulfil a challenge, I'm going to really examine my heart and spirit to discover what had actually wants me to stand for... And them I'm going to campaign for change.

Enough and to spare

I love charity shops! Every week I will visit four or five. I don't always buy anything. I know what I'm looking for. I have a list of books that goes with me. Why should I pay full price when I don't need to?

Now go back and read those six sentences again.

In six sentences I have referred to myself a staggering nine times!

It's as if the charity that is benefitting is me!

Unfortunately the statements are all true. Very rarely do I consider the benefit to the charity, or the fact that these shops that I love for a bargain and the upcycling approach that I aspire to are actually, for some people, the only shopping experience they can afford.

And how often do I make a donation of clothing? Pretty rarely I can tell you! And what do many charity shops lack? Men's clothing, because us fellas like to wear it until it falls apart.

So today I am going through my wardrobe, lifting out some items that I don't wear and taking them to the charity shops that I live to visit. 

Thanks #40acts for reminding me that it really isn't all about me.

Failing and Sailing

Yesterday was a bit if a disaster in terms of completing the task of volunteering to meet a local need. I went to my local row of shops and the local church to see if there was something in a window or on the notice board that I could volunteer for.

Fail. 

I couldn't find one thing that I could step up to the mark for - but I'll keep trying as today I need to go to Kirkintilloch, our nearest small town (we prefer small towns to cities), and I'll have a look there.

Today's task is something else altogether: create something, make something for a friend I haven't seen for a long time. Sail!

I love making things! Those of you who have followed this blog for a little while will know I am an occasional soap maker, fairly bad woodworker, I attempt writing occasionally and will give pretty much anything a go when it comes to craft working. It should be plain sailing.

What if they don't like it? What if they think it's just a pile of junk? What if I offend one friend by making something for another friend?

I used to spend a lot of time 'overthinking' - I have learned that all I am doing is taking credit from the 'bank of tomorrow' when I do that. This really is a task where the thought is what counts - I'm so confident that my friend will appreciate the gift that it almost won't matter if they don't keep it, or if another friend would like something as well.

I love my friends - I don't have many and each is worth the world to me.

Meet a need - lend a hand

My first thought was that this should be easy. Find out about local need and help to meet it. I'll just pop along to mine of our local Salvation Army Corps and give a hand. Job done!

Helpful though that may be it is not really in the true spirit of generosity is it? I could do that pretty much any time - and frequently do. A spare pair or hands - of course. Emergency baby sitting - no problem.

This task, although it seems relatively simple is deceptively challenging.

First of all I need to identify what exactly is my local community. Then I have to find out who is trying to make it a better place. After that I need to make contact and see if I can lend a hand. Then they need to decide if I am the right person - and I need to accept that I might not be!

So there's the plan - and if it doesn't work out I can always go and help at my local Salvation Army!

It's my favourite!

If I'm ever asked what my 'favourite' is it always throws me a bit.

It depends on my mood, the circumstances and possibly who I am with. Not that I am vacuous or change my response to fit with other things but I'll give you an example:

My wife asks me what my favourite food is and I say 'chilli - your chilli', it's great, honestly it is.

My friends Wendy and Melvyn ask the same question 'barbecue, anything from the barbecue'. 

Other friends or family will ask and I may say anything from Pizza to Sunday roast.

The same happens with music.

I'm not fickle, I'm eclectic, my 'favourite' things are largely dependent on a combination of factors to produce a 'perfect storm' of favourites! The setting, the company, the music, the food, the weather, the time of day - all have a part to play.

When it comes to my favourite scripture verse however it all changes. It is a 'fixed point'. It is the words of a tattoo were I to have one done. It has remained changed for many years. It is this:

"To live is Christ and to die is gain" Phillipians 1:21.

Why this verse? Because every moment of my life should be lived with Christ, every word, every action, every thought, every deed. To love therefore is Christ. Christ in me and through me. The only thing that hampers this is my own humanity, my spiritual frailty and so often to live is not Christ, but I always know that He is with me. What could improve on this situation but my own passing in order to be with Him? I know Him in the everyday now but often fail, my eternal life with Him means I will never fail again and will constantly be in his presence.

(By the way I'm very pleased that the #40acts thought for the day writer is a friend of mine - thanks Fiona !)

Get your own back - but in a good way!

This has become the habit through Lent and the practice of #40acts, Sunday being a rest day gives the opportunity to reflect and maybe catch up on any acts not fulfilled.

Honestly I think I have fulfilled all acts of generosity over the last few days so reflection it is then.

Making people smile seemed to work on Tuesday (might have had something to do that I booked an entertainer for the event I was at! Look up John Archer on Google - absolutely brilliant!)

Paying it forward seemed to work on Thursday - which had it's own negative challenges already - but just being able to buy someone's lunch unexpectedly was a massive blessing to me and, given the response, also to the young mum who was the recipient.

As for #guerillagifts yesterday, once I got sorted it became much easier to be generous and surreptitious concurrently! There are some children who were in Gretna yesterday who are hopefully enjoying the puzzle books left around for them.

But all of these things pale into insignificance when compared to my appreciation of the generosity of others and especially the generous heart of God. No matter what I attempt to give I always receive more in return. This is no woolly prosperity gospel that I am suggesting, it's just that whatever I give away whether if is financial, practical or emotional I am being made aware of what I get back - and it is multiplied.

I am a grateful man and I have a generous God.

Tricky

Honestly, I'm finding today a big tricky!

I'm supposed to be finding secret ways of being generous; passing on the love surreptitiously; being a guerrilla giver. And it's not gone well so far!

Currently I'm sitting in the eating area of a motorway services looking for something I could do to cheer someone's day - but it's peopled by families going on Easter Holidays - there's seriously nothing I could do that would improve their day!

I may just have to find something secretive to give away quietly... 

Or may just start a random conversation with someone looking lonely...

I didn't believe it would be this hard!

Maybe spontaneity really is the key and I'm trying too hard!

I'll let you know how it goes!

Bouquets or buckets

I used to give my wife flowers quite regularly when we were first married.

On one occasion the florist asked me as I was paying for the flowers, 'what sort of flowers are these?' As a florist I immediately thought he had little future... Then he said 'anniversary or forgiveness?' 

I rarely give my wife flowers nowadays - I've discovered that really she's not that keen! She would prefer a packet of seed or a new trowel. For Catherine the joy is in the journey not the destination. The planting, tending and observing, and then enjoying the beauty of the blooms.

As our relationship has gone on I have taken my role much more seriously than in the early days - I now make sure that if she is really busy I do some of the things she would normally do, or if she needs space I try to not ask 'what's the matter?', or as is needful I get a bucket of water and clean the windows so that she can enjoy the fruit of her labour even better but from the comfort of our home.

If today's task is about appreciating the life of someone else flowers may not be the best way of expressing yourself, words, a few chocolates, a poem, even a link to an appropriate YouTube clip may be the thing that says 'you are appreciated - your life matters'.

Get in line

Ha! Today's task is to buy the person behind you a drink in the coffee shop - brilliant! I love this one! It will totally freak people out!

I would love to work in a coffee shop, to be a barista (possibly a disappointment to family members who had hoped I would have a similar sounding but potentially much more lucrative job), the smell of the coffee and the muffins / pastries, to be amongst people who are relaxing, chatting, working, pausing. I live everything about the coffee shop culture. Even the barista apron. Heaven!

So to buy a coffee for someone is always a pleasure - in fact my wife sometimes will say, after my suggestion of coffee: 'but we've already done that today!' (She does have a point - it could become a very expensive habit).

Buying a coffee for myself and family, friends or work colleagues is an almost daily occurrence for me, buying for complete strangers is another matter. Who is next in line? 

I guess that this is not just about generosity but about connecting, I also think that this is not about a random act of kindness or generosity but the intentional focus on someone other than myself. I use coffee shops because I, like many others, enjoy the experience. Others use them because they are a refuge from work, a place that will accommodate them for the duration of their need, that will allow five child buggies around a small table. They create community, for an hour, for a moment. 

The next in line will receive their coffee, they may receive a conversation (they are bound to ask why!). I think that I will receive much more than they will.

(Also, I will send a coffee to the first person that tells me which coffee shop this image was taken in)

Hidden treasure

I normally live a well ordered life. This week especially as I have been on retreat the days have been governed by a timetable of teaching and reflection, relaxation and renewal. Very rarely do I get the chance - or even have the inclination - to just "go with the flow".

That doesn't mean to say that I don't let God direct me because I will ask for His guidance in both my movements and my decisions very deliberately. I bring the things I have to do and pray about them, often with other people so that we get a shared sense of his direction.

As I'm prompted today to just "go with God" on a type of divine treasure hunt and see what he will do with me I'm reminded of this verse : "But we have this treasure in clay pots so that the awesome power belongs to God and doesn’t come from us." (2 Corinthians 4:7 CEB) 

He has set His treasure in me - and you - to be discovered when we are broken or to flow out of us when He moves us. 

Today I may not realistically get the chance to fulfil this as freely as I would like to - but I will definitely try to move and act and be poured out or broken at God's will.

Smile!

So today commenced with a fire alarm at the hotel where I am staying - the many guests gathered outside and there was good humoured banter and even laughter.

I returned eventually to my room and I cracked on with my devotions, only to discover that the programme I use is exactly the same today as yesterday ( sorry God, I must not have been listening yesterday so you needed to really get through to me).

I looked for an image to accompany this blog only to be exposed to some very unsuitable material which, obviously, I won't be using! I ended up using something very generic.

In these things there were moments of good humour and foolishness.

Good humoured banter, the smile at the familiarity the readings and commentary, the foolishness of not being more specific in my search terms.

On this April Fool's day my prayer is to bring a smile to people's faces and laughter to their hearts and to make no one, including myself, look like a fool.