Half way through my sabbatical and I decided I must be pretty chilled...

I have not thought about church (as in the one I belong to, not generic church) for at least a week - that was a shock to realise, but kind of a good one.

I regularly don't know what day it is until I look at my diary, switch on the radio/TV or check something online.

Every now and then I bump into someone from church (as I did today) and they very studiously don't mention it - which is brilliant.

Couple of days resting before the next (and final) major church visit - how blessed am I?

Thank you God

That though you will never forget me or us or anyone

You give to us the gift of forgetting

Of freedom from thinking about stuff of places or people

In order that we might rest and relax

Help me - please - to savour the moment

To enjoy the space and renew my energy

For when you lead me back to the place of doing...

A very enjoyable few days 'down south' catching up with family... amazing how the lure of cupcakes brings people together!  Lots of things that made me pause and consider what actually mattered, or was important, or whatever.

I stayed a Travelodge I've used periodically since it opened three years ago.  The staff there are friendly, but I have never has a visit where something didn't go awry.  This time, in the course of two days I actually complained twice... and I never complain because, well it's just niggles, afterall.  Hopefully they can rectify these things before my next visit (yes, I will return, it is incredibly convenient for rail and rellies).

Anyone who has travelled with me knows I check tickets with a level of paranoia that is second to none.  Except today I didn't.  For the first time ever.  And I had lost my ticket.  For the first time ever.  So a very expensive trip by the time I'd bought a replacement ticket.  In future I will return to over-checking... it clearly pays off.  I did not find the ticket when I got home, so I'm kind of relieved about that anyway!!

At Birmingham a young couple with a toddler were waiting for the train, with an assistance person.  It transpired they were both blind.  The young man got them and the push chair onto the train, then left them to fend for themselves (they had no reserved seats).  Well, I was unimpressed!  I went off in search of seats and managed to find some 'reserved from....' which they could sit in at least to start with.  I found one further along I could use (for some reason even on my original full price advance ticket I had been unable to reserve a seat).  As we neared the next station I went back to try to persuade the person who had one of the seats booked to sit in one further along - and she graciously did.  And the same again a station further along, where someone else gave up his seat to the person who had reserved the other seat... and I walked back to discover mine had been taken by someone half my age who had been ousted from the booked seat they were in.... I wouldn't have minded but for the refusal to make eye-contact!!  So I gathered my bags and moved to the end of the carriage where I stood for the next hour or so.  Eventually we reached their destination and myself and another passenger ensured they got off safely (no assistance person so greet them) - they were incredibly grateful.  Finally I got a seat for the second half of the journey!  Of course, I have my reward in full, because in true hypocrite fashion, I've told you I did it.    But I was struck, quite forcibly, by the fact that it was people of my generation giving up seats and helping others, does no one nowadays teach their children to give up their seat for an older person?  It would appear not!

So, niggles in a hotel, unplanned expenditure on a journey, people who were helpful and people who were selfish.  But what really mattered?  I'd like to hope that my polite comments were taken seriously, and that minor issues don't develop into major ones.  I'd like to think, too, that a little bit of thoughtfulness was helpful for the young couple and their son.  Above all, I hope that I got my priorities right - in the end a lost ticket just costs money that I am lucky enough to have, an unwashed cup and a delayed breakfast-box delivery are just niggles, but if that's all I have to worry about, then really I am very lucky.

Oh dear, this morning I was meant to meet a friend for coffee... I sat down to check a few emails, got side-tracked and this fact fell out of my mind, and would have remained do had they not contacted me to say they'd missed me.  Oh the guilt!  Oh the shame!  Hopefully a re-schedule will prove possible... but it's back to the drawing board on memory stretching games.

Off south tomorrow to visit family - so better make sure I remember that!!

The time spent in Morcambe was fun.  But this is a more serious post, arsnig one from one of the things we encountered that was less than helpful.

As we strolled along the prom on a lovely sunny morniong, I looked ahead and saw a huge banner/flag thing (the kind you get at  garages or outside shops) that said HEALING.  I turned to the other 'vicar' and said 'does that say what I think it says?'   'Yes,' she replied, 'and it's almost certainly dodgy.'  As we reached them, we were approached by someone holding out a leaflet, and politely declined.  The same happened as we strolled back an hour later, and a third time as we were on our way to afternoon tea.

This third time, the man tried to engage us in conversation, saying 'I knew you'd say that' (i.e. no thanks) 'so who are you?'  So I told him adding '... and two of us are vicars.'  I walked on further and yet another person tried to offer us a leaflet.  When we reached our destination, 'Vicar 2' said that she too had been stopped and had given more or less the same answer, adding 'and by the way, I'm a hospital chaplain'... at which point evidently said man scurried off rather quickly.

The instincts these folk had - that there are hurting and sick people who might appreciate prayer and might experience some form of healing through that - were good; their ideas and approach were bad.  Since I got home I googled the organsiation of which they were part, and found the website, which included prayers for good weather and that the wind was 'not to strong' (sic) as this would make things difficult.  I admire anyone who has the courage of their convictions to the extent that they will stand up in a public place and risk ridicule or rejection.  But I don't admire the daft, dodgy and downright dangerous theology that is peddled, often by innocent and ignorant well-meaning people caught in the aura of some charismatic leader.

This week I spent a couple of days in Morecambe with some of the friends I have made as a result of shared experiences of cancer diagnoses.  I am always aware that my non-cancer friends prboably find these mentions odd and/or feel that I really ought to put it all in the past and forget about it.  One of the many things I've learned, though, is that some health conditions can only be understood from 'inside' and that often once the life-saving bit is done, there is a shortage of places/spaces to discuss the long-term after effects.

Anyhoo...

Eight of us travelled from all corners of the UK to Morecambe where we ate fish 'n' chips, had afternoon tea at a posh hotel, posed with Eric Morecambe, strolled on the prom, drank countless cups of tea and sorted the world out, at least briefly.  Yes, we talked about cnacer stuff, but we also talked about family, friends, work, faith, holidays, etc.

I had a great time, laughed lots and shared the sunshine with true friends...

Bring me Sunshine, in your smile,
Bring me laughter, all the while,
In this world where we live, there should be more happiness,
So much joy you can give, to each brand new bright tomorrow,

Make me happy, through the years,
Never bring me, any tears,
Let your arms be as warm as the sun from up above,
Bring me fun, bring me sunshine, bring me love.

Bring me Sunshine, in your eyes,
Bring me rainbows, from the skies,
Life's too short to be spent having anything but fun,
We can be so content, if we gather little sunbeams,

Be light-hearted, all day long,
Keep me singing, happy songs,
Let your arms be as warm as the sun from up above,
Bring me fun, bring me sunshine, bring me love.

Sylvia Dee