The danger of sorting stuff out is that it inevitably makes work!

It all began when I had to clear stuff out of the spare room so that the plumber could get better access to the boiler to do the service... even if it did turn out that what he actually meant with his snippy remark last year was that the boiler is poorly located, not that my furniture was in the way.  Ho hum.

When I started to move furniture back, the metal IKEA rack/drawer thingy that was *only* around twenty years old gave up the ghost.  I was left with a stack of fabric drawers and no rack to hold them.  Ho hum some more.

So this morning, supervised by Sasha, and to a lesser degree, Sophie, I built a flat pack blanket box into which I successfully decanted all the towels, blankets and spare bedding from the drawers, along with a some more that had been stacked up on the spare bed.  Result!

Even if I did have to go and by a new cross head screwdriver because whoever last borrowed mine clearly hadn't returned it.... and I did actually throw out a few bits that survived the last cull...

My 'Vicar School' leave is now complete, though I still have a couple of day plus one more Sunday of 'church' leave.

Nothing very profound here, just the recognition that sorting stuff is never as quick or easy as I think it will be... that and the fact that I really am getting old when I have bits of household stuff I bought new forty years ago!

If there was one phrase that stood out when I began to study missiology a quarter of a century ago, it was this one from David Bosch... the, at once, obvious, and, all too often, overlooked truth, that mission comes in many shapes and sizes.

This month here in Railway Town we will be living that reality...

On Saturday 16th, we have 'Shoes and Brews', when we are opening our premises to receive gifts of school shoes/trainers that we will pass on to a local charity.  The kettle will be on and there will be snacks to enjoy.  I think last year we gathered around 30 pairs of shoes, enabling a whole class-equivalent to be kitted out for the return to school.

On Sunday 31st, we are teaming up with the town's volunteer 'Clean Team' for a 'Litter Pick-nic', to clear litter from the streets around the church, and share time together over food.  This is a new one, and I hope a fun one, as we serve our immediate neighbours in a practical way.

Mission as service, as loving our neighbour, as clothing those who need clothes... good news lived out.... mission in many modes.        

Yesterday I had a day out with a very long-standing friend, including a wander along a canal where we passed these ducks who, until I got out my phone to snap their photo, were very much in a row.

Apparently the origin of the phrase about getting one's ducks in a row is something of a mystery.  My sense is that, in life, approximate alignment is about as good as it ever gets... just when I might think my ducks are in a row, one of them moves or something disturbs them.

This summer has been characterised by much that's unexpected, so if my metaphorical mallards are as well aligned as the ducks in the photo, I reckon I'm doing okay!