Yesterday's attempt to be more smiley stalled when confronted with sight-reading tunes to hymns I didn't know in keys I find tricky!  So hopefully today, if only by means of a cheesy quote, I'll be more successful in my endeavours to be encouraging!

I said I'd be posting links for ALTERnativity, and I'm already running four days behind.

Really recommend you take a look - accessible, meaningful reflections for each day on their blog and Christmas stories old and new.

This week we have already been invited to reflect on...

December 1 - World AIDS day

December 2 - International  day for the abolition of slavery

December 3 - International day of people with disability

Important themes and worth exploring.

And a sideways link - to the Inclusive Church Advent calendar which I used last year, and which is worth considering if you aren't already comitted to something else, and which picks some themes similar to ALTERnativity

I begin with a confession... even before today's challenge landed, I had decided I would choose one that did not cost any money today as I have several things coming up that will cost quite a lot.  So I was very relieved to find three challenges that cost zero and actually are, for me anyway, not too demanding.

I opted for 'smile more' partly because I'm aware that I am quite often quite grumpy these days, and partly because it reminded me of a time when my college tutor, having heard me preach in my placement, observed that I hadn't smiled once, which he considered unusual, before noting effectively that the preacher's face becomes as that of Christ for the hearer (yikes!) and if that is always stern....

So today, without becoming a grinning idiot, I'll try to be a bit more smiley!

This arrived by post today, all the way from New Zealand... with my name on a yellow ribbon bound round the book, such a lovely gesture.

It's strange looking back, recalling just how hard it was to write my chapter.  Hard not emotionally or spiritually, but in terms for concentration, mental capacity, endless searches for words, long term chemo-brain, other drug side effects etc. etc.  I still find concentrating hard, l still forget words and ideas, still sometimes stare at the computer screen with an empty head and wonder how on earth I will get a service constructed by Sunday.

I feel very privileged to have contributed to this book, and am humbled and pleased by the comments on my contribution made by the theologian whose short reflection closes the book (see photo below)

Today's focus is environmental, two recycling options, and one to give a tree as a gift.  I chose the last of these, and someone will be receiving a certificate dedicating a (rowan?) tree at Lang Crags, West Dunbartonshire, the nearest Woodland Trust place to where I live.

If you fancy giving a tree as a gift, then Woodland Trust is great, with loads of venues UK-wide.  Also if you are in juxta-Dibley and reading this, check out National Forest where you can actually go and plant your own tree!

Here's today's challenge