Some readers who know me in real life, but probably not that many, will know that I have recently begun a course of physiotherapy for something with the rather grand title of "greater trochanteric pain syndrome" - which roughly translates as "extremely painful hips, located mostly in the trochanteric bursae but not necessarily true bursitis"... so now you're as wise as I!

Anyway, after two months of exercises to address the resultant back pain and begin to strengthen my glutes, yesterday it was time to step up the resistance, and I was handed two strips of 'resistance band', one yellow (the least resistance) and one red (the next step up) before being told "and there's green, blue and black still to go"!

Obediently, then, this morning I completed both sets of exercises using the yellow band... and now have one decidedly sore hip (the other less so) - I obviously overdid it trying to go straight for the full set of 10 reps of one and 50 reps of the other exercise!

Which seemed to me to be a not bad analogy for some of the thinking I've been doing about prayer... there can be a temptation to plunge into a new approach and then find ourselves overwhelmed by its demands, possibly risking doing oursleves more harm than good, or at least thinking, as I did this morning, oops that was too much, too soon.

Fortunately this pain in the hips is nothing serious, even if it is annoying, and I know that if I persevere, little by little I'll move from yellow to red to green to blue to black... probably more exercises 'for life' here: should I ever end up in a care home I'll be the little old lady with a gym in her bedroom!!

As for the prayers - next stop is PAYG, sitting in a chair with good back support!!

The photo above is the epitmome of cuteness - Sophie, who is quite a petite cat, has discovered that the basket on top of my staionery cupboard makes a comfy bed.

In this photo, Sasha, who is quite a large cat, is depserately trying to fit into the same basket - it looked so attractive and she spent a long time trying to get comfy before she abandoned the effort and headed off for her favourite office chair instead.

One of the things I've been thinking about, and hopefully encouraging others to think about too, as we've looked at the topic of prayer, is that it's OK to be who we are, and that we don't have to try to squeeze ourselves into a space that is comfy for someone else but doesn't fit us.

A bit of 'pop psychology' around Myers Briggs personality types and Transactional Analysis, some parables and other teaching on prayer... hopefully it has been helpful for other people; I know that it has for me!

This morning's service was based on the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax-collector, but my thinking had got well and trully side-tracked by thinking about the 'I'm OK, your'e OK' thing of Transactional Analysis.  That in itself was a good thing, because it caused me to recognise aspects of my personality and reactions that aren't so healthy/helpful.

As the 'altogether' part of the service we made 'warm fuzzies' and then gave them away to each other, exchanging them over and over.

I loved the general buzz of activity as people made their fuzzies, helping each other with the googly eyes and then deciding who they would give their fuzzy.

It's been a very long day, partly at least of my own making, and it's been a rewarding, if demanding, one.  I have had some encouraging 'fuzzies' and hope that I haven't exuded too many 'pricklies'... still working on the "I'm OK" bit, but that's probably a life-time's work!!

This morning, after I'd completed the formal service prep, and organised the visual aids and interactive bit of the service, I sat down to read these two books, which arrived yesterday.  They are very North American and very dated (even the new edition is about 20 years old!) but they provided a good reminder of the basics of Transactional Analysis to which we were, necessarily fleeting, introduced during one of our pastoral care modules (when, given that was at least fifteen years ago, the updated material was still pretty current) as part of ministerial formation/training.

I learned two new words along the way...

Prinzes which is a (1970s?) gender neutral word for 'princes and princesses' ... I guess it has all the appeal of Ms but has never found the same level of acceptance!  Prinzes are OK.

Frozzie is a word the writers invented for frog, allegedly gender neutral, but then so is frog, at least in English. Frozzies are not OK.

Drawing on the fairy tale concept of wicked witches turning princes into frogs, the books then explore some TA ideas in an interesting way.

Quite shocking to read books that still see spanking children as normative, but even so, was good to be reminded of my own tendencies towards the 'jerk' (good child) and the 'critical parent' (bossy) and how that can play out in stress situations! 

Maybe one day I'll actually read the grown up version!!

Bit of a blog fest this morning!

Postie just arrived with a small package containing this beautiful cross stitch, which is now pinned to the noticeboard of my new office, until such time as I can get it framed.

Whilst it arrived anonymously, I am fairly sure I know who sent it, as I'd admired a photo of it on her own social media page.  Such a selfless and generous gift - and a real blessing.

I will enjoy it, and admire it, but I will hold it lightly, knowing that a day will come when it needs to bless someone else.