I know some folk would like to comment and the blog platform misbehaves (quite regularly at the moment).  However, as this problem seems to be true of several other platforms, and as I am a boring enneagram 'loyal', I am staying put for the foreseeable future. 

If you happen to know any of my email/PM addresses you can always comment directly to me should this occur, and I will slot your replies in as post edits.  At the moment it *seems* that comments are working - I tried successfully using both of my IP locations - so 'we'll just have to wait and see' as my mother would say.

This morning PAYG had a very short reading from Luke 9: 51 - 56

As the time drew near when Jesus would be taken up to heaven, he made up his mind and set out on his way to Jerusalem.
He sent messengers ahead of him, who went into a village in Samaria to get everything ready for him.
But the people there would not receive him, because it was clear that he was on his way to Jerusalem.
When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?"
Jesus turned and rebuked them.
Then Jesus and his disciples went on to another village.

Lots I could play with here, if I so wished, especially some of the translation choices from Greek.

What strikes me, though, is the contrast between the reactions of James and John to the perceived inhospitality of the Samaritans and that of Jesus.

The disicples' logic seems to run thus:

We tried to arrange for you to stay there, they reject you, you should smite them

The Samaritan's logic seems to be

Jesus is not interested in us, why should we welcome him?

Jesus' loigc seems to be

Don't you tell me who to smite!

I guess the decision to stay in a Samaritan village was pragmatic - a convenient journey length - rather than anything more calculated.  It does make me ponder who it is I deny hospitality to because they are 'passing through' and assume they aren't interested in me/what I have to say.  It also makes me ponder who it is we might wish God would smite (or assume God will smite) because they don't do as we want/say.

And because I'm mischievous, was it 'human messengers' or 'angels' Jesus sent ahead of him to the village?  Check the Greek, check the interpretive decisions and ponder how that affects the hermeneutics you apply!

Any one who looks closely at my blog roll will notice that it has reduced by one.

The author of one of the photo blogs, a woman called Cat, died suddenly today, so as a mark of respect I have removed the link.

I never met Cat, but she sent me a lovely message thanking me for the accessible and honest-yet-positive way I wrote about breast cancer.  Suffice to say, it was this disease that so-shortened her life.

Cat was, in no particular order, a photographer, a wife, a mother, a vegan, a doglover... and many more things I will never know.  She oozed life and creativity.  I know of late she was suffering, and I am glad she is released from that, but I am shocked and saddened that her life has reached its conclusion so quickly.

Deepest condolences to J & N.  RIP Cat.

Last night at the serivce we led at a rural church, we sang a setting of St Patrick's circling prayer by someone called Andy Moss.  It is in Church Hymnary 4 and the tune is called 'Circle me Lord'...

Jesus before me, Jesus beside me,

Jesus behind me, Jesus surround me.

Circle me Lord, circle me Lord

All of my days, circle me Lord

Jesus above me, Jesus below me,

Jesus within me, Jesus enfold me

Circle me Lord, circle me Lord

All of my days, circle me Lord

Jesus for our time, Jesus for all time

Jesus eternal, Jesus immortal

Circle me Lord, circle me Lord

All of my days, circle me Lord

The tune is gentle and haunting, and the four part harmony was lovely. 

Many readers of this blog are having a tough time just now - cyber (and ordinary) bullying, red tape, health concerns, employment worries, financial struggles to name just a few.  Many, but by no means all, readers have a lived and living faith.  Whoever you are, however life is for you, this prayer is for YOU.  If, for whatever reason, the name of Jesus doesn't work for you, how about substituting 'love' and /or 'light'?  Whoever you are, however *expletive deleted* life is just now, then my prayer is that love and light (origin of both in God) may surround you today, and every day.

Take care. (((cyber hug)))

Life is busy just at the moment.  Not the frenetic physical busyness of racing hither, thither and yon, which I guess I have probably had to say 'farewell' to (although my idea of not racing around ht&y is maybe different from other people's), but busy with stuff that takes a fair amount of headroom, intellectual, emotional and spiritual energy (and how much my idea of a lot ie&s compares with anyone else's I have no idea).

Lots of ministerial privilege stuff - being allowed close to people for whom life is hard.

Lots of ministerial tricky stuff - balancing the diverse pastoral and spiritual needs of a wonderfully diverse congregation.

Lots of good studenty stuff - looks like we have probably gained three new students, and a few others have at least tried us out.

Lots of administrative/organisational stuff - the perennial need to try to work more effectively and creatively when the people who've worked hard need to take a break.

A little bit of wider BUS stuff - mentoring not one but two new PAMs both of whom are girlies!  Not meant to say girlies, it offends the sterner feminists, but tyg.  If I'm happy to be known as a 'girlie rev' then surely that's my choice?

Finding that I still tire quickly is frustrating.  Having to say 'no' when I'd love to say 'yes' can be disappointing.  Handling ope (other people's expectations) can be challenging.  Seeking the way forward, that allows me to fulfil my calling and to play my part in the story of God's Kingdom in this place is exciting, if demanding.

So, lots going on, but not much that is suitable for public sharing.  To every time there is a season, and the season for now is a lot of non-bloggable pastoral stuff.  Which means I will have to put a heap of energy into working out how WE manage that to the best of our ability, rtaher than running myself ragged.