Serve the server... treat with dignity those whose employment makes our lives better.

The danger of feeling a bit smug here is great... I have a local independeNt coffee shop where I already chat to the staff whenever I go in.  I have built up a rapport with the lollipop man on my route to church.  Having spent a substantial part of my life in the north of England, I always say hello and goodbye to shop staff.

Today I will be at the Coffee Club - we have worked to build genuine relationship with the pub staff, and have always given tips when we stay on for lunch... recently an embarrassed young waiter said that they were no longer allowed to accept tips, so we can't do the 'generous tip' thing.

So it's a challenging challenge for different reasons!  See what you make of it...

People who serve us are everywhere – shop assistants, waiters, baristas, maintenance people – but what happens when we offer something back? This is about turning the tables in a nice way and being generous to those that usually put us first.

FIRST STEPS:

Treat the person who serves you with dignity and courtesy. Make eye contact. Ask their name. Show genuine gratitude. Smile! Friendly customers can brighten up a day on the job.

GO FURTHER:

Strike up a conversation with your local park-keeper, ticket inspector, road sweeper, dinner lady, waiter or lollipop man. Tell them why you appreciate them. Be interested.

OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE:

Leave an extravagant tip, tweet an encouragement about great service or write a complimentary letter to their Head Office/line manager. Want to get creative? Use Charlie’s blog as inspiration, and let your server choose your meal for you today.

There is a saying, which I can't quite recall, along the lines that anyone who says small things can't make a difference has never slept in a room with a mosquito.

Somewhere along the line on Friday afternoon/evening some small (and thus far invisible) biting creature(s) found its/their way into my house and began biting me.  Over the last two days I have treated my cats for fleas (though no sign of any on them, phew), sprayed, hoovered, sprayed some more and still have another round of hoovering and a whole lot of re-washing of bedding/clothes to do just in case.

I think the biting has stopped - but the psych-somatic itching has not!  Whatever it was, small and seemingly invisible, it has had the power to disrupt my week and leave me doing a passable impression of Spotty Muldoon!

Apolgies to all readers who are now scratching... see how powerful these small things are!

One for the chocoholics I guess... and hoping that the recipients haven't given up cacao for Lent!  Mostly on my own today apart from a couple of meetings, and have already given chocolate to all my neighbours, so a little tricky... but I'll think of something!

Today is one that is perhaps most suited to those who engage in social media like such as, but not limited to, Facebook and Twitter.  The sense of mindless trawling down lists of posts cliccing 'like' or 'favourite' or 'retweet' or 'share' and then never giving it a second thought.  Guilty as charged, your honour!  Even those who are more discerning and use the web more intentionally might like to give thought to these challenges...

There's a lot of noise on social media. And probably even more in the newspapers. Everyone's got a story they want to air. Sometimes these snippets can be great things, but other times it’s a little more worrying. Dedicate some time to scroll through your newsfeed, in whatever form that takes, and pick out what's shouting to be prayed for.

FIVE MINUTES:

Read your local newspaper, watch TV or scroll through your Facebook newsfeed. Pray for each item as it appears.

FITEEN MINUTES

Use your journal to write down some prayer points for today or schedule three blocks of five minutes to pray for whatever you encounter either on social media or the news today.

AN HOUR

You’ve got time to act! Yes, keep on praying through your social media feed, but take action too. Write letters of support, make donations to charities in need of help, answer friends’ cries for help and more!

There is an image in the Bible of a mother eagle teaching her chick to fly.  Bascially she nudges them to, and then over the edge of the ledge where the nest is.  The eaglet has two choices - fly or fall.  The mother watches and if necessary swoops down and catches her offspring carrying it back to safety before shoving it off again.

Today our placement student was given charge of 'leading' the service - which meant everything except the sermon and intercessions.  It was a bit of a 'shove off the ledge' but with the proviso that I was there to catch her if she needed it.

And she flew... no hesitation straight into full flight.  Sure a novice, with some inevitable signs of that inexperience, but a good maiden flight landing safe and sound the right side of the benediction.

Good preparation lay begins all that was offered.  Assured presence meant a confident and competent delivery.  Points for discussion when we meet to reflect on it, but the girl done good.

Afterwards I asked her how she felt, and she said she had enjoyed it.  That was good.  The Gatherers are great folk to worship with and are so affirming and encouraging to those starting out, so I was very proud of them today.

I have to fess up that I don't want to sing the SU song the student chose ever again but is was certainly different.  Overall a good morning and a privilege and pleasure to be there.