Although I have not been
posting on my blog every day, like I had originally intended to, I do spend a
minimum of at least an hour a day gathering my thoughts and writing ideas down,
so this has become a very good spiritual experience for me.
I am in fact giving more
time to it than I had planned, but I don't mind at all as I am thoroughly
enjoying it. I hope you are - I know some of you are!
My last offering produced
a lot of positive feedback - thank you so much, it is very encouraging.
Although not many messages have been left on the blog itself, people have
emailed me, texted me or phoned me.
Monday saw me at Hemswell
once again, this time without my wheelchair (although it was in the car in case
of need!). Now that is great progress from the week before. I was able to walk
round 4 of the Antique buildings with just my crutches, and used some of the
antique chairs, at least those that looked more stable, when I needed a sit
down - I used Kathryn as a tester - if it held her, it would hold me!
Yesterday was my first
day "working" again - I am still Caroline's (my curate at Ollerton
and Boughton) supervisor and we have some of her evaluations still to finish,
along with her final report - which have all been further delayed by my recent
illness and Caroline becoming a Mummy. Anna was able to add some wonderful
insights into her Mother's curacy.
Before that however, I
went to Kathryn's mothers funeral. Kathryn led the service (she is Team Rector
of Hucknall) and did an excellent job - indeed I would have expected nothing
else!
It was first time for me
in a "dog collar" since I retired. And it was great to be wearing one
again, even if over the past year or so in Ollerton and Boughton I hadn't worn
one as often as I used to, as I increasingly took the view that it wasn't what
I wore or looked like that made me a priest, rather what I did, said, and what
sort of person I was! OK so I accept wearing a dog collar is a good "badge
of office" for people who don't know who I am, or what I do, but I never
want to hide behind one!
Anyway, prior to the funeral
yesterday, it caused me a major problem, at least momentarily.
Now Kathryn had said she
didn't want people to wear "black" at the funeral, so I carefully
matched everything so I was in an appropriate green. But my clerical shirts
that weren't black had been put into the loft - I found out at the last minute.
Anyway after much searching I found a grey striped one which went well with my
green attire. But then real disaster - after the move and my illness, where had
my actual collars (the white inserts) gone? We searched and searched - I got
mad with Sue, and Sue got mad with me? I couldn't go in a clerical shirt
without a collar could I? Anyway after almost 5 months, I was eager to
"look and feel a proper priest". Well after about 15 minutes, God was
kind to me, I found my supply of collar inserts.
So I yet again have to
confess this Lent - and this time for the sin of vanity.
God doesn't care what I
look like, nor does he care what you look like.
What matters is what we
are like, on the inside, in our actions, in who we are. A lesson we all
continue to learn.
Blog tomorrow - a year
older, and hopefully a little wiser!
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