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  • Four Years - Or Half a Lifetime...

    On 13th January 2015 Sophie and Sasha took up their role as Manse Moggies, aged 4 and 3 respectively.   Four years have flown by, they weigh almost double what they did then (oops) and it's hard to imagine there was a time without them.

    Now they have been lived in their furrever home longer than the dark days of being kept as kitten making machines.

    It is scary to compare the skinny little things they were then with the big blobs they are now - and it is a delight to watch how well they cope with the regular throughput of visitors.

    Happy 'Gotcha Day', as these things now seem to be termed, to the Clepto Kitties... and here's to many, many more.

  • Unexpected Blessing

    I was so tempted to postpone today's Bible Study - most of our Iranians were unable to come and I was tired.  But I didn't, it would have been unfair on those who had committed time and effort to prepare material.

    And in the end we had an amazing conversation about British Christian funeral rites and how they compare with those of Iranian Muslims.

    Such a privilege and pleasure to talk about what we do, how it varies, and where some of our customs originate.

    I'm still tired, but it is a nicer kind of tired!

  • Remembering Miss A

    Following on from yesterday's post about Uni Chapel prayers, and because I have seen posts and tweets staing her name from others who knew her...

    This week Miss Irene Allan died peacefully after short illness, just shy of her 101st birthday. Hers was a long and full life, lived in the service of the Lord. Her heart for the least and the lost never once wavered, and it's fair to say that many of her 'My Men' owe their lives to her dedicated and determined endeavours. Her zest for life and unique ability to hold in tension utter theological contradictions were, to the very end, inspirational. It is fair to say that she was a legend in her own lifetime.

    When I was about to start my cancer treamtent, Irene said to me 'you will go through this like a ship in full sail,' and somewhere I still have the scrap of paper with the verse of scripture she handed me. I certainly was the annoying wotsit who worked all through treatment, and to this day I am complimented on my 'lovely veins,' 'beautiful scars,' and 'skin you would never know had been irradiated', so I guess she was right!

    Irene was never fully reconciled to the ordination of women, but she made an exception for me. I loved her and I will miss her.

  • God's Promises...

    Leading Uni Chapel Prayers today. The reading was Isaiah 65: 17-end. As I read out to the congregation the beautiful words of promise, this verse struck me deeply...

    "the one who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere child"

    Remembering with gratitude and love the inimitable Miss A who died this week aged 100 years and 11 months young. Rest in peace and rise in glory.

    "Forever young" as the song says.

  • That Thing Termed "Ministry"

    Among other things today...

    I prayed the rosary with an elderly Italian Catholic... 50 Hail Marys... no wonder I'm a prod!

    I signed documents so someone can get the ID they need to fly with Ryan Air

    I wrote a letter that will hopefully enable someone to get a visa to attend a family wedding

    I collated data for review of a technical specification

    I listened to a taxi driver tell me about the loss of his mother

    I did almost nothing on my planned 'to do' list but several things on the revised list

    I experienced grace in a very unexpected place

    Oh, and backs of my calves are now well scratched by Sasha who has been telling me to stop work for the last hour!!

    All this is ministry that cannot be taught but is totally authentic. So maybe I'll end with a trio of "Glory Bes" and an Our Father after all! (Who knew that RC placmeent I opted for in 2000-2001 would be so useful all these years later!!)