... which is always cause for celebration.

In the midst of a somewhat bonkers week, when I have had literally to go from meeting to meeting to meeting, it is good to pause just for a moment, and to be grateful.

Overall being 56 was good, even against a back drop of local and global politics that makes my blood run cold. I've had some lovely times away - notably Florence, Orkney and Crete - and shared in some lovely moments with others. It's been the year in which the idea of an anthology of Baptist women's writing was conceived, and in which the manuscript has been sent off to the sponsors for publication. It's been a year in which I managed to stop taking most of my medication, in the end prefering the side effects of my anti-cancer meds to those of the meds for them!  It's been a year in which I took stock of myself and enrolled on an evening class in sprituality, decided to brush up my school-girl French, and took up Pilates.  And of course, it's been the year in which I celebrated being ten years in Glasgow.

So, yes, 56 has been good! And now on to 57 and a whole new chapter to write.

I have so much to be grateful for - being here at all is a gift I could not have conceived nine years ago - and I am determined to live my 'best life' in the coming days, months and, hopefully, years.

This morning I had a meeting in the city centre, and I was a bit early, so I went for  wander, only to be greeted by the most wonderful panoramic view across the city looking west.  Although not in this photo, I could see the gold roof of the (new) sikh temple, and I walked past a synagogue.  So many towers and spires and domes, so many aspirations and endeavours.  It's a beautiful city, and it was a joy to view it from so high up.

The meeting was a joy too.

The photo shows a bowl of red baubles left over from last Sunday, and the paper-chain prayers we made this Sunday.

This morning's nativity in rhyme was great, with very small children miming part sof the story, teens as narrators and adults filling in where needed. It was rather wonderful to have an Iranian Joseph and a Nigerian-Scottish Mary, and very lovely when Mary's little brother followed the couple to Bethlehem.

There was some great singing of music old and new, some real laughter and lots of appropriate 'ah' moments.

It was a good morning, and I am, as always on such occasions, so proud of 'my' people.

Anvent 3 - Gaudete Sunday -  Joy - Sunday School Nativity... one of my favourite Sundays of the whole year.

The picture is my 'doodle prayer-reflection thing' from yesterday's GPRL focus on nativity and incarnation.

My Doodle was largely inspired by the objects I had taken along that 'is nativity for you'...

I was really struggling to think of an object, and in the end took three...

a checked teat-towel

a birthday candle

a star decoration I had made at an event for international students on Friday evening.

During the sharing time everyone laughed out loud and instantly 'got' the tea-towel, I had to explain the other two - the birthday candle (my sixth birthday was the first time I heard the story of the birth of Jesus via a school 'Christmas play'), and the decoration, which was all about people in our glorious diversity, which seems to me to be at the heart of the nativity.

Today I will enjoy every nano-second of the Sunday School service, and remember my six-year-old self wide-eyed and filled with wonder as I heard the greatest story ever told.

Sometimes what is needed isn't more deep stuff, it's more kitties... (old photo)