Songs of Praise and Justin Welby

Songs of Praise from Canterbury on Palm Sunday, with interview with Justin Welby, newly installed Archbishop of Canterbury.

Eggs!

After my post about our chickens, here's one about the first eggs. After 6 weeks they have finally started laying.
No further comment needed! :)

Love of God

Today is Mothering Sunday - the day when traditionally domestic servants were given a day off to visit their mother church, usually with their own mothers and other family members. It was a day to return to one's own family and church and spend time with them.

As it happens, today is another significant anniversary for me - 10 years ago on this day I became a committed Christian.

I had a Roman Catholic upbringing, so Christianity was not new to me.
As a teenager I had drifted away from the Christian faith. Not completely. I don't think I ever stopped believing in God. I went to church occasionally - either because it was a special festival or because I felt the need.

As I grew older and life threw more and more responsibilities on me, I became aware of searching for something greater than myself out there; something to draw strength and hope and courage from.
I did not really consider the Christian faith, because as far as I was aware I had 'been there' and 'tried that' ...

So I looked into other religions and dabbled a bit here and there.

Then one late evening, after a rotten day and when I felt very critical of myself and very unlovable, I sat at the table in my kitchen and out of the blue felt a voice speak to me. The voice said simply "I love you".
In my state of self-loathing I did not accept that.
Strangely I felt sure to know who the voice belonged to, because I addressed him in my reply: "Don't tell me you love me, Jesus, I don't believe you!"

I have often wondered about my reply.
Of course Jesus had played a part in my Catholic upbringing. I was taught that he was the Son of God who had died on the cross for our sins ... but somehow I did not remember him to have been described to me as the intercessor to call upon in our need (perhaps this is more common in Protestant denominations?).
I feel even now that if this had been my own mind creating somebody to give me comfort and solace, it would have been an angel or a saint, or even my deceased father or grandfather ... but not Jesus.

Back then, it took me a while before I truly believed that God loves me.
But eventually I drew the following conclusions from my experience:

1. Jesus is real
2. He lives here and now. (Which means he was not just a human being 2000 years ago, but he is divine and eternal)
3. God loves me and knows me and is interested in me - so much so that he will meet me in my own kitchen and tell me so

This has put me fairly and squarely back in the Christian faith. After 10 years I still look back at this event and know that it really changed my life!

Jesus loves me. And you too!

Watch the little things ... and be thankful

Today's 40 acts challenge is prompting  me to be thankful.

Easier said than done, when somehow the things that don't go well seem to be so much more noticeable and the things that do go well are taken for granted.

I am reminded to become much more aware of situations, people and blessings around me, to take note and to give thanks.

To say thanks to people but also to God. I am reminded that my Muslim friends thank God much more readily by using the expression  "Alhamdulillah" (Praise/thanks be to God) on a daily basis.
May I become a praiser of God!

Ethical consumer

My 40 acts Lenten challenge is focusing this week on ethical consuming.

This week marked the beginning of Fairtrade Fortnight here in the UK - a great opportunity to try and explore fairtrade options. The Co-op food stores have a particularly good range. Or try the local Oxfam shop.

Today introduced me to the idea of ethical clothing (not something I had given much thought before). Turns out my H&M jumper was made in Cambodia by poorly paid workers ...
And I found the ethical consumer website.

This bookshop caught my eye: "News From Nowhere" is an independent, not-for-profit radical & community bookshop, run by a workers' co-operative. A great alternative to other, more commonly known and less ethical online bookstores ...

Who is saved?

I am speaking salvation in religious terms here.

In many conversations with my Muslim and Christians friends the topic of salvation is an important one. Understandable really, when one believes that the whole purpose of our earthly being is about 'getting it right' and doing/believing the right things to get you into paradise.

I know Christians who believe that anybody who has not publically declared that Jesus is their Lord and personal Saviour is not saved and will not go to heaven.
Equally I know Muslims who believe that anybody who has not said Shahadah "Lā ʾilāha ʾillā l-Lāh, Muḥammadun rasūlu l-Lāh (translation: There is no god but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God) has not accepted Islam and will not be granted entry into Jannah (paradise).

I have been around for long enough, have observed people often enough and have had enough conversations to be convinced that there are people from all religions and none who are closer to God than many of those who are convinced to follow the 'true religion' (whichever that may be) would like to think. And that we are foolish if we think we know you is and who isn't saved, simply by what declaration they have made.

Ultimately we do not know. We are not meant to judge. We are meant to live our lives to the best of our abilities and be the best we can be - and leave others to do the same.

I came across this picture and quote, which just about sums it up. I love the image of Jesus sneakily pulling people over the wall. :)

Going to Bangladesh

My 18-year-old daughter has been offered a place with the International Citizen Service, the youth section of Volunteer Services Overseas.
She will leave in early May for 12 weeks to Bangladesh.

Although she doesn't know yet exactly were she will go and what the project will be, we are very excited for her. I am sure that it will be a great opportunity to spread her wings, see a bit of the world and understand how other people in other places live.

We have spent the last two days planning fund-raising events (she needs to raise £800 towards the cost), reading up and learning about Bangladesh and telling everybody our news.

My daughter's Just Giving page is here, and her blog 'There and Back again' can be found here.

I am sure more blogging on the trials and tribulations of letting your child go abroad will follow soon ...