SUPER SUNDAY...

...in more ways than one!  More to be revealed later!  

We had a great service at Church this morning and I decided I didn’t want people in my Blip today, but would use the musical instruments instead - so you have the grand piano, played beautifully today by Debs - sometimes I must want to stop singing to listen to her playing!

The French Horn, played so well by Alison - and again, worth listening to, because of all the “twiddly bits” she puts in - there is probably a proper name for those, but I’m not musical enough to know what they are but it doesn’t really matter - I just love hearing her play. 

Then the drums - and cymbals - played fantastically by Ross - whose playing is always filled with energy and enthusiasm.  He actually came over as I was taking the shot - and asked why I was taking it, so I told him about Blip - I didn’t realise I had his foot in the shot, but decided to leave it in!

Last, but not least, are the beautiful tulips in the Church Foyer - I only commented on someone’s Blip yesterday that I hadn’t seen any tulips yet, but these greeted us as we walked into Church.

The singing was great and the congregation, as always was exuberant, particularly before the children left for their classes with lots of actions to two of the songs.  This Sunday, the boxes of sweets were out for those who had a birthday in January.  I must mention Aliya, who sat next to me and Zach.  She had a small packet of biscuits and wanted to open them, so as she was having difficulty, passed them to me.  I couldn’t open them, so passed them to someone on my left and they managed it.  When I gave them back to Aliya, she immediately asked if I would like one, and then gave one to Zach and his Mum before having one herself.  What great manners - her parents should be so proud!

Soon after the children went out;  Martin Smith was our preacher - and what a great sermon he preached today.  His text was from Jeremiah 29:11 ‘“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’, which incidentally was read just before the sermon by Mr. HCB, who admitted he was very nervous as it was the first time he had read in our Church - but he did very well.  

Martin said that sometimes God’s plan for our lives and our future is very different from our plans - and that “we often put full stops where God puts a comma”.   He also said that whatever the future holds we should face it with hope in our hearts and that however dark the future may seem, let’s light candles and get on with the job that God has entrusted to us in these days.  A challenge for us all.

After the service, we enjoyed chatting with friends over coffee and biscuits - and then it was time to go out into the world to be those beacons of light.  Interestingly, as good as the sermon was, the words that stuck in my mind are some that Mark read from Psalm 34 before the service, “Gaze upon the Lord - join your life with his and joy will come.  Your faces will GLISTEN WITH GLORY.  You’ll never wear that shame-face again.”  I hope that my face will “glisten with glory” this week.

We stopped to get petrol and I gave out several of my little wooden hearts.  When I gave one to the man behind the counter in the garage, he said “Wait a minute...”  He went out to the back and came back with his wallet - opened it up and took out one of my little hearts - interestingly, they both had “Hope” written on them - he was beaming and said, “You gave me this 2 years ago and I always carry it in my wallet.”  I told him that there must be some significance in the fact that they both had “Hope” written on them - and he just smiled!  What a great ending to our morning.  

Be blessed and stay warm and safe this coming week and be a “light”, however you interpret that, to someone in your life!

P.S.  The Super Sunday should, in fact, be “Souper Sunday” - we bought our lovely friend, Louise a soup maker for a late Christmas and early Birthday gift and both she and I are making soup this afternoon - me for about the 100th time and Louise for the first time - hope it turns out well for her!