Barring the worst/best efforts of St Eroid, I will tucked up in bed as 2010 ends and 2011 begins, so this is advance posted.

I hope and I pray that 2011 will be a good one for you, characterised by

• fullness of life
• unconditional love
• belly laughs
• unquenchable faith
• tenacious hope
• irrepressible joy
• loyal friends and relations

None of us knows what shape 2011 will take, but we can be assured that the Triune God will share it with us, blessing us in surprising ways and refusing to be defined by our understanding or expectations.  May that God bless you all... and a big e-hug from me!

One flag designed by me!

Summit reached circa 1 p.m. today.

I dunnit.  You helped.  Interweb supplied free clipart.

In a couple of hours time I head off to the hospital for my final dose of neoadjuvant chemo - hurrah!  I am feeling slightly demob happy this morning even though it's all really rather serious stuff and there are still three weeks of being good ahead of me - the summit of mount chemo is a long plateau not a peak.

As with real walks that involve long hill climbs, I am feeling the exertion and am quite tired, probably exacerbated by the fact that having finished work there is no need to be lively.  But, also like real walks, when I know I'm on the last bit, at least of this stage, I find inner reserves to yomp to the finish line (a real pain for those I walk whose internal-psychology works differently).

I have a box of fancy biccies to replenish the patients' supplies and some posh chocs (well as posh as Waitrose sell!) for the nurses who have been so wonderful, especially D, P and W who have overseen my treatment directly.

Whilst it will be a bit strange not having to go there every three weeks, I can't say I'll miss it!  No more oncologist appointments until after surgery so a bit of a break in prospect.

So, by the end of today I will - barring last minute disasters (once a risk assessor always a risk assessor) - I will be on top of mount chemo... all of which sounds like a cue for a song:

On top of Mount Chemo

(I still can't eat cheese)

My tumour's much smaller

Th'oncologist's pleased.

The last set of steroids

That disrupt my sleep

And miscellaneous tablets

To help keep me fit

Farewell to the blood tests -

At least for a while.

And no more hill-climbing

With puddles and stiles!

Now it's on to the forest

So dark and so deep

But not for a few weeks

Til this phase is complete

So thank you Creator

And thank you my friends

For climbing it with me

Around all the bends

And as I move forward

To places still new

I know that, together,

We'll see this thing through.

My poetry's lousy

The rhymes are contrived

But I got up Mount Chemo

And more than survived!

The end of the year is a time when people give away awards for various things, so here are my blog awards for 2010 - not to be taken too seriously!

Best New Blog: Thinking Mission which does what is says on the tin at many levels.  A thoughtful and thought provoking blog which I have enjoyed greatly.

Best Redivivus Blog: Beaker Folk of Husbourne Crawley which makes me laugh, makes me think and confuses some of my friends!

Best Blog by a Spice: Tracing Rainbows which combines everyday life, recipes, craft ideas and good humour.  Also almost as plethoric a blogger as me!

Best Prolific Blogger: Living Wittily quite how Jim finds the time to read so widely and reflect so effectively quite so early and quite so often is beyond my ken!

No trophies, no cheques, no marching bands, no razz-a-matazz just thank you (and all the other bloggers whose stuff I read) for keeping me entertained and making me continue to think.

... the latest BMS Mission Catalyst which focusses on the complicated issue of living in multi-cultural societies and working out how best to relate to local culture especially when it involves the festivals and celebrations of other faiths.  There was a time when 'barge pole' and 'don't touch' would have been all that was said, but here we have an interesting, well thought out 'magazine' with some helpful theology on alternative attitudes to other faiths.

Many years ago one of the set books for my theology training was Anton Wessels Europe: Was it Ever Really Christian? Not the snappiest title or the most fun read ever, but it showed how much accommodation, inculturation and even pretty much syncretism had gone on over the centuries.  It ceertainly influenced my thinking.

I grow ever more impressed with the courageous direction BMS is taking in its publications and speaking, making us actually face and engage with the world as it really is.  And I'm pleased to see how BUGB is also starting to engage more creatively in this complex area, with the e-news sweep alerting us to the festivals our neighbours will be celebrating throughout the year.

(Oh, if you want to know my heresies on this one I'm an inclusivst with a fulfilment theology... and if that means nothing to you then you'd better read Mission Catalyst)