People who need people

I thought when I stopped work I'd have loads of time for hobbies. How foolish was that?! Don't get me wrong I have lots of time to do things I enjoy, but much of that time is taken up with fund raising ideas - how to make money for Rwanda is top of the list. One hobby I haven't had much time for involves little houses. I love dolls' houses - notice the plural! I have 3! I love them - enjoy decorating, finding furniture, making curtains etc. And one day hopefully there'll be more time to 'play'!

One thing I notice about my houses is that there are lots of quirky little items there, but no people. There are a couple of tiny babies in their cot. but no big people. There are some lovely chairs, but no one to sit on them. Last evening, with some friends we were talking about encouraging each other - I mentioned this a few days ago in 'Weighty Matters' I think it was called - how we need to be in our place - take our seat - be where we are meant to be. That's where we find encouragement and also the opportunities to encourage others.

Today my houses remind me that we can spend a lot of time on stuff and not enough on people. We can spend a lot of time on appearances and not enough on the things that will last. We can fill our lives with nice things but still feel empty. 

We need people and people need us. The reason my houses have no people in them - before the psychologist in you comes up with some wacky reason! - is that I haven't yet found little people I like the look of. Maybe some day I'll find some I like. Real life though is not like that - we are a bunch of all sorts. If we only go for people we 'like the look of' we'll miss out on such a lot - opportunities to learn, encourage and be encouraged. 

And if anyone out there finds some little people I might like the look of please let me know - but I am very fussy about who I hang out with in my miniature world! Now that does sound worrying - even to me!

Party time!

Do you ever throw a 'pity party'? If so, please don't invite me! And I'll promise, when I have one, I'll keep it to myself. Self-pity must be one of the least attractive of qualities. Actually rather than attract, it is more likely to repel. 'Pity parties' tend to have few guests - often lonely affairs; and not happy events even for the host.

And pity for others? We're often told 'they' don't want it. It can be demeaning for the one on the receiving end and can cause feelings of superiority in the giver. Pity can simply leave us feeling sad and helpless.

Now compassion - 'C' is for compassion in my little blog alphabet - that's a different thing. I read somewhere recently that 'pity is a feeling; compassion is a verb'. I immediately feel better, as a verb means I can do something. All these feelings of pity, sadness, helplessness etc I can do something about. I can turn feelings into actions. 

God is a compassionate God and Jesus shows us the way. A few nights ago with my lovely 'girlz' group we read a story of Jesus healing a man with leprosy. Jesus was moved by compassion and reached out and touched the man. Yes, he healed him, but that touch alone must have been amazing to a man whose life was spent avoiding others and being shunned by them. 

Compassion asks us to reach out and do something - touch the untouchable. Today it's unlikely to be a person with leprosy for most of us, but there are many around us who are alone, vulnerable, sick, needy, troubled - who don't need our pity, but yes, need the compassion Jesus can place in our hearts.

And then there's a bonus because as we reach out in compassion for others, there's less and less room for self pity - more room for action. And who knows where that might take us?!

BIG girl now!

'You're a big girl now' I can still hear my mother, and I'm sure I'm not the only one to have heard these words. Especially if you were the big sister, they were thrown at you all too often! For me it usually happened if I was caught teasing my brother (never!) or getting him into trouble (double never!). The idea was that I ought to know better - being the 'big girl'. Thing is, there were times when I didn't want to be the big girl and carry the can every time. And yet, I was my brother's protector and would have given my life for him. One of my treasured possessions is a card from the grown up version written to 'the best big sister ever'.

Today was drop in cafe day and I was referred to as 'that big girl' by one of my wee drop in mates. Those of you who know me well know that I am far from big - and shrinking fast! But it is all in the eye of the beholder and in some way today I was 'big'. There were some heavy conversations in the cafe today - big issues of life and death; heaven and hell; and what dog food is best! I don't feel big dealing with some of this. In fact, I feel very small at times. But my secret is I have a great big God who loves all the slightly 'lost for the moment' souls who come our way. As often happens, this morning I ranged from tremendous laughter to almost tears because God has given this little woman a big heart - so maybe in that way I am a 'big girl now'.

I was also called 'sweetheart' today by the same person - and my prayer is that my heart always remains soft and sweet towards those who need a mama, a grandma - or even a big sister now and again.

Weighty matters!

Weight Watchers today - now for those who say - 'you don't need to be losing weight' - and I know who you are! - you're possibly right - but only because I watch it - hence weight watchers! This was actually the first meeting I'd been to in ages. Up until now I didn't really want to 'watch' or see the results of all the Christmas chocs! It's like if I don't see it, it hasn't happened. Then came the excuses - too busy, too sick, weather's too bad or I'm just too tired. Yes, I can see a lack of imagination there! There may have been a little truth in all of those, but they were excuses.

Today's weight watching experience was a positive one - I lost a little weight - that's the other thing about going or not - the trick is to go when you think the news is going to be good! I think there's something wrong with that theory, but sometimes it's a must. But there were other positives. I'd forgotten how much fun our class is with the nutty professor of a leader. And I'd forgotten how good it was to make the friends we have there. It was so lovely to be greeted by so many who not only remembered me, but had missed me. It was good to hear their stories and join in again with the congratulations or commiserations, depending on the dreaded scales!

I'm glad I'm back in the fold - not that I was ever really gone - just AWOL for a little while. There was a little notice up in class today which said something about not leaving your chair empty - in other words - don't weigh in, skip the actual class and go - unless of course you're on your way to work or something. And the reason was that we all need each other for support and encouragement - even in the old weight loss battle!

We've been asked to talk to a small group of people about encouragement and hope - who'd have thought a silly old weight watchers class would remind me that simply my being wherever in my seat, in my right God-given place, is an encouragement to others. 

That has challenged me and made me think - but I think I need some chocolate now to help the thinking process along!

'B' is for . . . . .

I love chocolate and one of my favourites is a Bounty bar - reminds me of my dad as it was his very favourite.  This morning, even before I had begun to think of what 'B' might be for in my blog alphabet, I read this verse - 'the earth is the Lord's and everything in it' God is a bountiful God.

God gives us so much and he can promise and give so much because it is all his and at his disposal. We have promises that we will have what we need if we trust him. We are encouraged not to worry, but to trust that God will provide. We are challenged to ask so that we will receive.

Yet I, for one, do have questions in my mind when I see the hungry suffer. I do wonder why a few have so much, while the many go without. I have seen God provide in amazing ways, but I have also been in situations of utter helplessness where I have had to turn people away hungry. 

I don't have all the answers; haven't even voiced all the questions. But one thought for today on this. Maybe when we speak of God's bounty, God's provision, and having everything we need, maybe we are looking at all the wrong things. Maybe we need to begin at the beginning.

Alongside my Bible verse this morning I read this quote - 'The man who has God for his treasure has all things in one' Tozer. Reminds me of the New Testament thought to 'seek first the kingdom'. And the idea of where our heart is that's where our treasure is. 

God is a bountiful and generous God - yes, we may have our questions as we live and puzzle it out in a damaged world - but how can we question God's generosity when he sent his most precious possession to save us - to bring us that one thing we need more that all else - salvation - true treasure.

Only words

According to a clinical professor of psychiatry in California 'a woman speaks around 20,000 words per day while a man uses 7,000'. I think I might have something to say about that! Apparently the actual figures are up for debate, but it is generally agreed that women have more to say than men.

I love words and am currently fascinated by how they change their meaning over time. Like 'sick', for example, which used to mean sick and now means something really good!

Yesterday I saw a child's alphabet drawings which have inspired me to do a blog alphabet of words to describe God - and certainly there you can find lots of words which over time have changed their meanings. Let's see how it goes!

'A' is for 'awesome'.  Very helpfully (not!) a dictionary definition says it means 'inspiring awe'. And awe means anything from a kind of fear to something like wonder. It is often an over-used word and so becomes meaningless. But the word 'wonder' is one that helps me here. It's like those moments when you look at something and it takes your breath away, leaves you speechless (yes, even if you're a woman!) and lifts your heart and soul.

A brand new baby does it for me, and I've seen a few of those recently - it's the tiny little toes or teeny weeny fingernails. It can be particularly spectacular scenery or even something scary like the storms we've been having lately - after all, scary is part of awe.

Maybe I'll be sorry I didn't keep 'wonder' for 'W' but awe and wonder somehow go together for me. I have a little Willow Tree 'Angel of Wonder' which someone gave me following my mum's death. It is a reminder for me of my mum, and especially the last things she was able to say to me. As I sat with her the day before she died she seemed far away but at peace, and kept repeating the words 'wonderful, wonderful'. My mum was ready and wanted to go 'home' and I believe in those moments had a glimpse of Heaven.

Now that is awesome for me. Those moments I'll treasure forever, and forever be thankful to my awesome God.

Run the race

Once upon a time I was a 'Spice Girl' - all in the cause of entertainment at a 'do' at church. It was good fun and certainly entertaining - though that might depend on your definition of the word!  Possibly the most absurd aspect of the whole thing was that I was 'Sporty Spice', because if you knew me well you would know that there is not a sporty bone in my body.

One of my greatest dislikes in school was sport, and particularly running. Time and time again I would be part way round the track thinking 'what's the point?' I never got the point in starting to run just to get to the end and stop running! As for trying to beat someone else - well, it always seemed so much more important to that 'someone else' so why not let them have it?! Not only do I not have a sporty bone about me, but there is rarely any trace of competitiveness either. The latter has caused a few problems with competitors whose cry of 'you're not really trying' I can still hear.

Today this is what I read in my Bible - 'Run in such a way as to get the prize'. Now this race I do get - the race of life you might call it. I have a goal in this one - to live well, serve Jesus and others and reach 'home'. I will run and run and run to win this one because there is a point and a purpose. There is a point in the 'running' and there is a clear goal well worth reaching. Someone prayed with me when I was coming up to retirement and said they believed God wanted me to know that I wouldn't drift into Heaven or stagger over the line, but would 'hit Heaven running'. That was an amazing thought. I pray so much it's true - and I will keep running to make sure it is!

By the time I get there I may well be old and doddery but in my heart I will, with God's help, run across that finish line and know for sure that there really was a point and winning the race was worth everything.

Funny thing struck me as I read the Bible stuff this morning - I hardly noticed the bit about the prize because it hit me that the race itself alone is worth running. There is such a reward in running with Jesus in life - the reward is part of it all at the end, and wonderful and amazing and well, beyond description. But for now, the race is reward enough. 

Never thought I'd say that of any race!