My last one?

It's the end of my pulpit supply series I have been doing while there's been no service in my home church - I've been leading worship at my "other" home church. The church was quiet busy, with some from my own home church and friends of mine up visiting their parents (who are members of this church) with their 2 month old son (who slept through the whole service, so good to know I'm engaging!!!).

It was good to have some children today. They were quiet (they are like that, it wasn't just because I am unfamiliar), but did seem to be intently listening when I was speaking to them. Should remind myself not to knee down, though. Getting up in painful. Old age, it doesn't come itself!

The theme of the service was sharing based on the feeding of the 5000. The disciples had a little, but with Jesus blessing, the little they had fed everyone with leftovers. Pretty cool. While delivering the sermon, it occurred to me how that's happened (and still happening) with me. God has taken the little I have, blessed it and sent me to share it with the world. Pretty amazing.

Evey time I have lead worship, I have been very aware just how much what I am saying is speaking to me as much as anyone else. At least I feel I am worshiping, though I am becoming all too aware the opportunities to sit in the body of the kirk and "just be" during worship are fast diminishing. But this is what God calls me to and, as I has seen, has given me the gifts to fulfill.

At the end of the service, a few of the congregation mentioned how much they'd enjoyed the service. How they hadn't though of the feeding of the 5000 as an act of sharing, but maybe it was. There were some who wished me well for beginning my studies/training and said "auch, you'll do well". From Presbyterian Scot's that's a huge complement, though I see it as "nae pressure then".

As it was my last Sunday there for the foreseeable future, I was given some of the flowers which were in church. At home, this lead to the amusing search around the Gerbil Burrow trying to find a suitable receptacle for gladioli. Eventually, we put them here...

Flowers in demijohns

Well, they are waterproof and tall. When you don't own any vases (because you don't generally like dead plants), you have to be inventive where to put flowers. The last time it was in an old pickled onion jar. Yes, the Gerbil Burrow is classy!

Friendship

I spent the day in Glasgow yesterday, visiting a very good friend of mine. With so much to do in that fair city, we pretty much sat around all day drinking tea!

My closest friends are important to me. We support and sustain each other. I am "Auntie" to their children, which is a great honour (and responsibility). My life would be lesser without them in it.

Besides, I need to keep them close. The things they know about me...

And on the subject of friends...

A realisation

When I start uni in September, I will be old enough to be the mother of most of the students. Worse, I'll still be one of the youngest studying for ministry. What does that say about the Kirk (or me, for that matter?)!

Don't do deep, do shallow!

I know of churches which are like this, unfortunately...

Thanks to Rev Garibaldi McFlurry for the link.

Brings back memories

Last night, there I was flipping through radio stations to find some decent tunes (No MP3s for me even though I could listen via my phone. Just can't be bothered. So, it's still t'wireless, but DAB, naturally). I got to a 90s station and on was Jump around by House of Pain. Oh, that brought back memories. It instantly took me back to mid-90s, out clubbing in The Garage with my mates. Happy days. (For the avoidance of doubt, I'm not a fan of this song, but it was a laugh jumping around to it at the time...).

It just shows how evocative music is. I wonder how many people hear a bit of music or a song and it transports them to a time and place, as this did for me last night? I also wonder how important music might be for those in comas? I have heard hearing is suppose to be the last thing to go, but Classic FM or similar is the background music of choice on many an occasion.

Perhaps, in pastoral situations where music may be a way of "breaking the silence", finding out the person's tastes (where it can be done) rather than just using Classic FM would be better. I know a few people who'd probably wake up from their coma if you played that (as much as I like classic music, if that's all I got, I think I would too and be thinking how the devil does have the base tunes...).

Can I have anything but dance, please? I hate dance. What about Johnny Cash? Now you're talking. That brings back memories of growing up in a house where country, Elvis, the Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel and the Wurzels were all played. Very eclectic, but all real music. But please, please, dance music. No. Did I mention I hate it?