Encouragements, Comments and Responses

“If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
even there you hand will guide me.”

                             Psalm 139:9-10

Today. we will hopefully board P & O’s beautiful new ship ‘Iona’ where on a ‘Seascape’ we can relax and enjoy all the good things of life no matter what the weather.  However, we have experienced Caribbean weather in the North Sea and beyond, can I ask for that again? 

 

A big thank you to those who write comments under my monthly blogs.  I always mean to do the same for you, but hope my asking the Lord to bless you, as you do me, has brought you other wonderful encouragements for all you do for Him.

 

I’m still dabbling with my first chapters, changing them in trying to authentic my story.  I seem to take hours writing and getting nowhere fast.  Rather like this blog I wrote it, then completely changed the content as the Lord reminded me about His encouraging signs, hints, tips, and the expertise of people when needed. 

 

In a previous blog, I wrote about a friend of fifty years unexpectedly revealing her mother had lived in India, at a time when I needed that information.  How one morning the plot I needed just dropping into my head, and in the next few weeks the national news, and at least two TV programmes featured the scenario. One showing mobile phone footage of an incident I thought I had made up!  And on needing the expertise of a fireman, who worked in the 70s, our friend who lives with had been talking to such a man the day before! So, I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised when three weeks ago the Lord did it again. 

 

Part of my struggles has been writing scenes in St. George’s Hospital, which in 1974 was still at Hyde Park Corner.  The facilities would not only have been antiquated, but the nursing, ward set up very different from today.  Three weeks ago, our church intercessors group met in a garden for lunch.  In the midst of that I heard Di, who I known for thirteen years, say, “…that was when I was St. George’s Hospital at Hyde Park Corner...”  Needless to say, I interrupted!  Di doesn’t think she can be of much help, but as the Lord provided her, I’m confident, that when we do get together, He will have helped her trawl through those sixty years and provide what I need. 

 

I took a break in a recent sunny spell, and picked up Kenneth E Bailey book entitled, “Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes" which I had bought five years earlier.  It’s an easy read and brings a whole new perspective to the Bible in light of the Jewish culture in Jesus’ days.  Then, it brought revelation to our generational, Western mindsets, on Jesus’ birth.  This time, the chapters on different parables brought fresh insights, as well as seeing how Jesus treated women so differently to Jewish customs of the day, by including them with His disciples in His life and teachings.  How privileged we are that Jesus in our day still wants to be a part of our everyday lives.