Someone cleverly brought their camera to Holy Trinity this morning. Perhaps we can do the same in St Paul’s next week…
Author: wonderfulexchange
Kimberly Bohan is a priest in the Diocese of Lincoln, less surprised by angels than by being so far south.
Guest Blog: Brian Dineley
Brian Dinely, from the congregation in Dunoon, offers the following reflections on knowing when to perservere, and when to let go:
Self-Doubt Destroyed?
Set not your hand to the plough – and abandon the furrow,
Set not your step to the steep – and relinquish the hill,
Lay not your plans for the years – and despair of tomorrow
But trust in God’s goodness and Spirit to justify all.
What is this visceral instinct that bids you continue?
What is the power that keeps your ambition so pure?
Knowing Creation’s unfolding is active within you
And through you will give you the reason and will to endure.–Brian F. Dineley. 5 November 2004
To have tackled a task to the best of our abilities and failed in the ttempt is to succeed in living. We may not win every time but we triumph when we try!
— BFD. 11 January 2007.
The above poem was written to encourage someone who was struggling ith “the Establishment” and apparently hopeless odds, hence the itle. The second piece was written for myself – but belongs to everyone!
Are these two incompatible philosophies or different facets of the same Truth? I particularly love the final phrase “We triumph when we try!” – Brian.
Ugly Betty
Who’d have though I’d ever blog about a TV programme… or that I’d even own a TV. But so it is. Ugly Betty came to Britain last week, and she’s worth an hour of your time.
Betty is the stereo-typical poor smart girl. Hard working, clever, honest, and out of sync with the privileged world her brain buys access to. She is the brunt of every joke, and even her stuffed rabbit gets bullied. But what sweet revenge to see the schemers foiled.
This is for anyone who has ever found themselves clearing up streamers and paper cups after a night of watching other people dance.
…and for anyone who has dared to challenge bullies in a system that seems blind to their very existence.
Fridays at 9.30pm, channel 4.
in truth
The recurring theme in conversations this week has been prayer. And most conversations on prayer seem to dance around the same issues: not enough time, not enough confidence, not enough awareness of God.
We are our own worst enemies with prayer. We try so hard to find the perfect words, the perfect level of concentration, the perfect silence, only to meet with disappointment, distraction and annoyance.
So, today’s suggestion is: stop trying so hard.
Perfection is God’s business; yours is to be true. And if the truth today is that you are largely incoherent, scatterbrained and restless, then God will deal with it.
Sit with God long enough, with that degree of honesty, and one day you might learn to deal with it too.
wonderful exchange 