I felt like ‘rambling’ rather than ‘muttering’ this time so I hope you can cope with that.
It’s that time of year when ‘ordinary’ becomes the school holidays and, harvest moves
into overdrive. The end of July has brought the sun out smiling away the grey
Summer we have had till now… Birdsong; the chinking of wine glasses and the babble
of conversation with family and neighbours; perpetual lawn mowing and outdoor
maintenance; and combine harvesters at work…. are all the sounds of summer in the
lovely countryside we call the Wolds. Irritations? Well, there are a few. Biting flies and
screaming motorbikes ignoring speed limits, spring instantly to mind. Don’t get me
wrong, but youngsters seem to love the power of a bike between their knees and the
adrenalin of speed. Me? My racing machine as a youngster was an Austin 12 drophead
1934 with dickey seat in the back. It seemed to attract all the attention my version of
being a teenager craved for, with its 0-60mph in two weeks!
When I stop for a moment, things have actually not been so ‘ordinary’. A lot has
happened in the past couple of months…. Politics and sport a plenty, even too much,
though I have loved the cricket. I just hope the newbie Government we have will get
on with its promises, be honest and not harp back to errors of the past. A better
long-term future for all is what matters.
In the Church we are in that long period of ‘ordinary’ time. The big festivals have
passed and the run to Christmas is long, but time flies and it will arrive with Hallowe’en
pumpkins and glittering tat in the shops before we’ve blinked many times. Ordinary
times are good for us. At best they are times when we can be quiet and reflect on
life’s journey. God may or may not be for you but when you read Christ’s words from
Matthew’s Gospel chapter 11: verses 28-30 where he says ‘Come to me all of you who
carry heavy burdens, the world on your shoulders, and I will give you rest, calm. Take
what I offer, learn from me and I’ll give you peace’. I believe He means it. Amid the
noise and turbulence of life, that ‘Peace that passes all understanding’ is worth
checking out. We need it to cope with life and keep everything in perspective.
In church buildings we so often find a peace, a hush from the hectic pace of life. On a
rocky hilltop, sitting with a view and the breeze in your hair, if you’ve got some, you
think things through and wonder. Gazing at the ocean’s movement and its shades of
light and colour gives moments to ponder the past, present and future.
Most of us think we live ordinary lives. Most people I’ve met carry extraordinary
stories in one way or another. Whatever yours may be, I hope above all that you have
hope and find PEACE in the ordinary.
God Bless,
George