Neighbour part 2

This post follows on from Rich's post yesterday. They did indeed take our neighbour away yesterday morning and they put her in a mental health unit for ONE night. After which they sent her back to her flat. She returned some time this afternoon.

When I got home from work tonight at 6pm, ready to grab some dinner and be back at church for a meeting at 7.30 I returned to the familiar shouting coming from downstairs. After a while I realised that the shouting was coming from outside so I looked out the window to discover our neighbour in her nightie, running around the pavement at the front of the houses.

After a while she came knocking on our door. We ignored it for a bit but after 5 minutes or so we took pity and decided to answer. She told us again that she had died the other night and showed us where she was bleeding (she wasn't). We ended up going back to her flat with her and sitting with her for a while as she was scared to be there on her own. Rich had phoned the police, who again took 2 hours to respond. As I left for my meeting, having not had a chance to have any dinner, I saw her running around in her nightie again.

Apparently the Police did eventually come and have taken her away again but how much they can do will 'depend on her mental state'. We're going to risk staying here tonight in the hope that they won't send her back in the middle of the night and we can get some sleep.

The other strange thing that has happened this week is that somebody stole my bicycle saddle!! I went to cycle to work on Monday and it was gone. What a strange week - roll on the weekend when we are away!

10 things that scare me

Wondering if I am a big baby or if other people would find it quite easy to think of 10 things that scare them? Here are mine:

1. Wasps
2. Public speaking
3. Driving a car
4. Confrontation
5. Watching a scary film if I am on my own
6. Scuba diving
7. Walking through fields of cows
8. Rich's gollum impressions
9. Our nasty neighbour
10. Swans

Oh dear......

Prayer

PRAYER (I) George Herbert

PRAYER the Churches banquet, Angels age,
Gods breath in man returning to his birth,
The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage,
The Christian plummet sounding heav’n and earth ;

Engine against th’ Almightie, sinner's towre,
Reversed thunder, Christ-side-piercing spear,
The six daies world-transposing in an houre,
A kinde of tune, which all things heare and fear ;

Softnesse, and peace, and joy, and love, and blisse,
Exalted Manna, gladnesse of the best,
Heaven in ordinarie, man well drest,
The milkie way, the bird of Paradise,

Church-bels beyond the stars heard, the souls bloud,
The land of spices, something understood.

Prayer (after Herbert)

Prayer, a plea for understanding; tormented heart,
An inner paradise where all needs are met;
A glimpse of what could be, an end, the start;
A blanket of light, covering all debt.

Leaves caught by the wind, spirit set free,
Tongues of fire, a crown of thorns,
New sight given so man can truly see;
The wild birds tune at the break of dawn;

Removing the blockade, warmth in the storm;
Strength for the weary, united war cry;
Earth raising upwards, the stars in the sky,
The wonder of life, an angel born,

Tip of the mountain, the rainbow’s soft glow,
The sea of life into which all rivers flow.

It doesn't take a trip to the other side of the world to see a beautiful sunrise. Took this from our kitchen window a couple of weeks ago.

Who paints the skies into glorious days?
Only the splendour of Jesus.

Arrrggghh!

Electoral roll .... APCM ...... PCC ......... Easter services .......... Staff reviews .......... Contracts........
Feeling like there is a bit too much to juggle at the moment.

Snow!

Last night it snowed and I walked to work enjoying the creak of the clean white blanket under my feet. We were all a little excitable in the office as we arrived this morning. We decided to do a bit of team bonding and make a snowman - which became a snow family - parent, child and dog! It was great! Here we are standing in front of the church with our artistic expression - notice how the parent it opening their arms to welcome people in, the child is lifting its arms praising God and the dog, well it has a stick...

Spiritual Direction 2

Thanks to all those who offered me some advice on spiritual direction following my post a few months ago. I had my second session with my spiritual director last week and it made a lot more sense this time. I decided to follow Steve’s advice and make up my mind what I wanted to talk about beforehand. This led to a really helpful chat, which moved me a long way along the path of making some important decisions.

At this time in my life I am in a place where nearly everyone I spend time with is a keen public speaker. I’m working and socialising with ordinands and church leaders most of the time, as well as other friends who simply enjoy speaking in front of lots of people. I had begun to feel that there was something wrong with me for not wanting to speak in front of large groups of people and was feeling really under pressure to overcome some kind of ‘issue’ I felt I must have with this. While I think I do need to reach a point where I can speak in front of medium sized groups without being intimidated my spiritual director helped me to see that God has created me the way I am and that there are some things I just don’t like to do and may never like to do. This is not to say that I should use this as an excuse and there are certainly things that I don’t like doing that I am learning to do better and moving on it, however there are some things that it is OK to say are just not for me and that doesn’t make me any less of a person. Sounds obvious I guess but it was so freeing to hear someone say that it was OK to not want to deliver talks and bible studies and to show that they saw value in some of the quieter and less public giftings.

Tim Minchin

Rich and I went to see Tim Minchin at the Junction last night. Pretty good comedian and a good night out. Check out his video clip called 'Canvas Bags' and his audio clip 'If You Open Your Mind Too Much Your Brain Will Fall Out (Take My Wife)' on his website. I wouldn't recommend listening to many of the others if you are easily offended.....