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A Skinny Fairtrade Latte in the Food Court of Life - Page 335

  • Circling prayers, Mantras, Mindfulness, Self-hypnosis...

    It's always interesting what fessing up to things can lead to!  Whilst I still wrestle with the selfishness of  asking people to pray that my BP behaves tomorrow - and despite so many of them telling me it isn't selfish at all - it has been really lovely to have promises of prayers and vibes (from those who don't 'do' God or prayers).  Also lots of suggestions for things I have tried before, but maybe tried too hard and so they didn't 'work' because they depend on non-striving?

    So I have been using breathing exercises and a sort of mindfulness/relaxation (they aren't quite the same thing but still, close enough for these purposes) and having been using a 'mantra' along the lines of 'breathe in calm, breathe out stress'.  I've even paid the princely sum of 79p to download a ten minute 'hypnotherapy' thing.

    I mentioned to some women minister friends that I was doing this, half in jest saying I was getting very 'dodgy'!!!  In response we spoke about celtic circling prayers, of breathing as prayer in its own right (a kind of mindfulness awareness of God's presence in each moment).  Another friend has offered to have a go at recording a personalised calming meditation for me.  How lovely is that?

    Does it work?  Work is the wrong word, I suspect.  Having kept at it over the last 24 hours, I can now, finally, take myself to a calm, happy place, breathe deeply, listen to the sea and relax.  I can visualise an 'OK' or even good BP reading.  I am reminded that in all things God works with those who love him for good...

    So, I can visualise my special minister friends intoning a circling prayer with me.  I can imagine my don't-do-God friends either nestled in my pocket or surrounding me with gentle huggles.  I can take myslef deeper into the presence of God's eternal now.  And of course, I take the pills, drink plenty of water and generally slow myself down.

    So far today, my BP seems to be behaving itself.

     

    Circle me Lord - keep peace within, keep tension out

    Circle me Lord - keep hope within, keep fear without

    Circle me Lord - keep faith within, keep anxiety out

     

    Jesus Christ, son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner

     

    Breathe in calm

    Breathe out tension

    Breathe in stillness

    Breathe out stress

     

    Circled by God

    Forgiven through Christ

    Inspired with the Spirit

    All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well

    Amen.

  • Public and Private... Hidden in Plain Sight

    It's been a bit quiet in this corner of blogland - I've been otherwise occupied and not really had a lot I felt was appropriate to share.  Sometimes there are things going on that we prefer to keep private, and then realise that the public nature of our role makes that a tad tricky.  Sometimes, for all the right (or best intended) reasons we make a call and then discover that it is misunderstood.  This public/private interface is a tricky one to get right.

    What follows is more public than I had hoped, but reflects the reality that people are incredibly good at putting two and two together and making a huge number if you are too guarded in what you share!  Perhaps, because there is a risk a few hearts are already pounding and fearing the worst, I need to begin by saying that there is nothing nasty, sinister or worrying going on.  However, jungle drums, grapevines and other leaks mean that partial stories have already arisen and rumours need to be scotched, best I can.  There is also a sense that this blog post is "hiding in plain sight" ... hopefully what that means will become clear.

    I know a number of readers of this blog also check out the Gathering Place website, read our magazine online or listen to our service podcasts.  This means that you may already have spotted that there has been a change to our preaching plan and that I am not leading worship for several weeks.  It is this, already public, information (and rightly so) that promted me to post - what is going on and why?

    The short story:

    On Friday of this week, provided my blood pressure behaves (prayers and vibes for this very welcome) I will behaving fairly major gynaecological surgery to address some long term side effects of my cancer treatment that have failed to repsond to several less invasive procedures over the last four years.  This will mean several weeks off to convalesce and then I will return to work "a whole new woman".  Please be reassured that this is not new or recurrent cancer - all the tests undertaken prior to making this decision have been clear. 

    For the next few weeks preaching at the Gathering Place will be in the very capable hands of some long term friends of ours, a ministerial couple M & L, and I look forward to listening to their services online. 

    I won't be posting lots of updates on my progress as there will be next to nothing to tell - but I will be around and will be back online a week or so post-op.  I know that some readers know my family in real life, so this a plea from the heart (and a huge risk in sticking this online where anyone can see it)... I have not told my elderly mother about this surgery as she had major health issues and a level of confusion which mean that such knowledge could be damaging to her wellbeing... in fact, the only family members I have told so far are my sister and an aunt.  So if you do know my folks, or if you know folks who know my folks, please be careful.

     

    The long story (for those who are interested in Tamoxifen and its rare side effects)

    Tamoxifen is a wonderful drug, and so far has kept me free of breast cancer for almost five years, with a plan to continue to with it for a further five.  For a 'high risk' patient this is important and, in my view, the benefits outweigh the dififculties.

    Any drug comes with a side effects list, and most people don't experience any of them.  I am just in that tiny weeny minority who work their way down the list for Tamoxifen, missing any that would make it unsafe and 'selecting' those that are a flipping nuisance.  So I've learned to live with chronic joint pain, hot flushes and the "very large floaters" and "disco eyeball" (as another similarly affected friend puts it) left by posterior vitreous detachment.  And then there are the gynaecological effects... as many readers are male and as it's not very edifying to describe in detail, we'll go with the technical bare facts!  I have had repeated episodes of what is technically termed post-menopausal blessing bleeding (PMB) due to Tamoxifen induced endometrial hyperplasia.  Three times this has been treated by hysteroscopy and polypectomy (each time biopsy confirmed this as benign) on the third occasion having a progesterone releasing prothesis implanted (with the approval of my breast team) in an attempt to prevent recurrence.  Alas this didn't work out for me, in fact it made things worse, and in December I was advised that the only remaining option is a total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) and, due to my inherently increased risk of gynaecological cancers, bilateral salpingo-oopherectomy (BSO).  I have to confess I love a word with three 'o' together in the middle, it lends a suitable air of nonsense to the whole enterprise!

    I cannot stress strongly enough that this is a rare effect of Tamoxifen.  I also cannot stress strongly enough my view that taking Tamoxifen is worth the risk of such effects.  My clincher for my decision to have surgery was the realisation that living with bleeding, anaemia and lethargy for another five years is just not viable.  Hopefully in a few weeks I really will be "a whole new woman".

     

    So there you have it... please don't be concerned, this is standard surgery that loads of women have every day and are glad they do.  Again, this is hidden in plain sight, so it you do know any of my folks, please don't start talking about it.  And if you "do' prayers then please pray for M & L as they prepare to lead our services, for skills for the doctors... and, selfishly, that my BP behaves!!

  • Moses... and us

    Moses - victim of genocide, adopted prince, murderer, runway, resident alien, husband, father, shepherd, man who enouncountered God, challenger of authority, leader of a new nation, law-giver, man who lived a very long life yet never attained his final goal...

    This morning I felt it was right to abandon my second attempt of the week and simply talk. Having written two sermons and done an impromtu reflection on the life of Moses on Friday I had the ideas more fully cemented on my mind than usual, which made it possible.  When I opened my mouth, I had no definite trajectory, just a sense of how long I could speak for and a some thoughts I considered worth sharing.

    It went remarkably well, with lots of positive feeback.  More importantly, it felt like the 'right' thing to do, the nudge or shove of God's Spirit which, when that is the motivator, means it'll be alright.  Hopefully it offered hope and encouragement as well as recognising that adventures with God are often not chosen, not exotic, largely unobserved and sometimes down right difficult.

    It felt like a good morning and the place was pretty much full.  So now, I'm chilling at home and feeling very blessed.

  • Thoughts on Covenant...

    The latest edition of the BUGB magazine focusses on the concept of Covenant and includes contributions from a wide range of writers.  I was invited to share some thoughts, and today I received my complimentary copy of the magazine.  You can read the whole magazine online here (though if you follow this link a year from now it will take you to a different edition!),  You may agree or disagree with what I, or anyone else, wrote but I reckon it's worth a read.

    The various Baptist Unions in these islands face many challenges, and there is a lot of mumbling and grumbling that I seem to hear.  For all their faults and foibles, these are bodies of people doing their best to serve the churches and live out their faith.  We don't make covenants for when the sun shines - we make them for when it rains.  If it seems that the assorted BUs are going through stormy times, then now is the very time that covenant matters.

  • Dangerous Typos!

    Yesterday's post included a typo (now corrected) that led to the story of an event in Dibley in 2004 being reported as occuring in 2014... which prompted a very lovely email from one of my friends there, who, perfectly reasonably, read it as history repeating itself - it's not.

    To clarify, the gas at the Gathering Place is totally safe (we've had some interesting breakdowns these past seven winters but it's all fine and legal) and the building is not about to be closed.  No funerals in December either.  The building is still functional and open.

    2016 could lead to major changes concerning our building which are very exciting, and challenging, but will not be forced by dangers to ourselves or others from our current operations.

    Sorry for the confusion caused!  There are connections, and there will be inspections, but the story, whilst having parallels, is very different.

    Note to self - proof, proof, proof.... and only then print!