Saturday Catch-Up - 30th March 2019

It's 2:15am as I sit and draft this blog post. It's a quiet night in the Winter Night Shelter, and all the guests are fast asleep. It's my last overnight duty as the Shelter shuts on Sunday.  I have the dulcet tones of Kate Bush on my headphones as I sit in the dark, blogging. I had quite a busy day today at work, however I achieved everything I set out to do. It's my turn to give something back tonight.

I am so full of energy, despite the weird hours I need to keep because of the shelter.

And I am feeling amazingly content.

I feel really blessed tonight.

Saturday Catch-Up - 23rd March 2019

Psalm 37: 1-6 (NIV)
Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong;
for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.

Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:

He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.

Saturday Catch-Up - 16th March 2019

"I get knocked down, but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down, but I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down..."
(lyrics from 'Tubthumping" by Chumbawamba)

(sigh)
I sprained my ankle on Tuesday. However, it didn't stop me. I got up again, and carried on. I've been through so much over the last few months, so I'm not going to let a little bruising and a little pain get in my way.

So I carry on.

A bit slower than usual, however I am still going.

Bruce Wayne: I wanted to save Gotham. I've failed.
Alfred: Why do we fall, sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up.
Bruce: You still haven't given up on me?
Alfred: Never.
(dialogue from 'Batman Begins' movie, 2005)

Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Saturday Catch-Up - 9th March 2019

In this, the most stressful time of the year for me, I know that I am blessed. Which is such an improvement on the way I felt this time last week...

Thankfully, I was reminded of this in a series of emails that I received this week. Emails from a well-known Christian writer, and most timely, too... Coincidentally, I didn't have a chance to read the emails until I took the day off on Friday, and had chance to catch up on my own inbox!

The emails reminded me of one of the perils of our modern society - with all the things the 21st Century has given us, we can miss out on time to rest. We're often pushed to the limit, and maxed out on everything. We cram so much in to our busy days.

But that’s not God's way.

God, in his goodness, created rest because He considers it just as important as work. You need to get enough rest if you want to stay healthy. And by healthy, that includes all aspects of your health - your physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

Psalm 23:2 (NIV)
“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters”

Saturday Catch-Up - 2nd March 2019

Lord, I'm not feeling at my best this week. To be brutally honest.

I've been trying to keep going, to keep moving, trying to lift my mood where I can. It's been... difficult. I feel that I'm running on empty. I often feel that I've simply been going through the motions.

I've been trying to push myself through the barriers caused by my negative feelings, through the lethargy. My life is quite dark at the moment.

Lord, all I can do is affirm the goodness of life and try to hold on to you until the darkness that I see is replaced by your light and love.

I know that I am loved. Life will be beautiful again. Soon, I will see it once again. Help me to see it.

I need you to be my strength and salvation. I need you to restore me and make me whole.

Fill me with your Word and your Spirit that I might be recreated anew.

Amen.

Saturday Catch-Up - 23rd February 2019

Does it bring you joy?

I'm regularly encouraged to live.. simply. The world outside is increasingly complex, and I simply don't need that in my life any more. I have told that I have everything I need (Psalm 23).

As you may know, we're re-evaluating a number of different things at home, and this year that includes a regular decluttering regime. My son told me about the adage, the simple question noted at the top of this blog entry. It's a simple question, and comes from a book entitled The Life Changing Method of Tidying Up  by a Japanese author, Marie Kondo.

Do I need to keep it, bin it, sell it on, regift it, or recycle it? Far too difficult. Too many options. Too much emotion! So, let's simplify the question. And Marie's initial question in her book is far simpler... popularly known as the KonMari method, there's only one question:

Does it bring you joy?

If you answer yes, you keep it. If you hesitate or say no, you donate it or throw it out.

It's working!

Romans 15:13 (NIV)
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Saturday Catch-Up - 16th February 2019

What a difference a week can make!

Doug Putman, the head of Canada’s Sunrise Records, has successfully rescued 100 HMV stores from administration, including (thankfully!) my local branch. Hooray! This teaches me that, although things appeared pretty bleak last week, you should never give up hope. You don't know the whole picture... what is happening behind the scenes; what might happen tomorrow. 

In 2017, Sunrise Records took over 70 Canadian HMV stores after that branch of the chain collapsed. They seem to be doing pretty much the same here in the UK.

Putman says that HMV’s problems were due to them being unable to react quickly enough to the decline of CD and DVD sales. Many people have changed to downloading films and music online, but some of us still prefer to browse the shops for that special, rare find for our collection... and were quite vocal about it. And it seems that this public outcry is having an effect. Which teaches me that the voice of the public can influence decisions made by people in authority...

“Where certain stores have closed, our public have really rallied around and I credit that with some of the landlords coming back to us.” Putman said, in a recent article in The Guardian. “They can see how much support we are getting..."

"We are getting away from the corporate mentality where every store is set up the same – we have to move away from that and let each store have its own personality... I want to unlock the passion and creativity.”

Hmmm - individuality. Passion and creativity. That confirms to me something we all need in our lives. :)

Saturday Catch-Up - 9th February 2019

No catch up from last week (everything was delayed by the snow!), so I'm trying to comment on the last fortnight now...

• Maplins
• Toys 'R' Us UK
• ... and now HMV Shop

All stores where I used to frequently shop. Regular trips to each store, just to see what was on offer. Loyalty cards, the works. And these are all stores that I can't use any more because the companies have fallen into administration. They've essentially gone bust...

(sigh)

Things aren't the same. They don't feel the same. However, I know that I can't turn the clock back. I mourn, and then I move on.

So, forward we go. Into an increasingly uncertain future. One where the landscape is changing day by day, month by month. Each news bulletin brings a new complication, a new twist to the story. I can't begin to tell you how it's going to end.

Lord,
I don't know what the future holds, but I know only You hold the future. Bring me to a better tomorrow. Help me and my family. Make the days of my life and the life in my days overflow with love, kindness, gratitude, and appreciation.
Amen

Finding Joy

High Anxiety

copyright: http://infjdoodles.tumblr.com/