This title is a pun for those of you who are not in New Zealand. Countdown is a supermarket chain here, and today I have done my first big supermarket shopping expedition since undergoing a major operation on 27th July. In 3 days, I have my post-op consultation with the surgeon in order to get clearance to fly to Tanzania - hopefully, on 11th September.
While I was in recovery-mode, a friend from church made two batches of marmalade (hurrah!) and a couple of days ago, I had help to make three different jams to stock the table while I am in Kondoa. Bishop Given has indicated that there are three senior clergy who are needing to retire after spending the last 25 years to working in the Diocese for no remuneration. They would like financial help to get corrugated iron roofs on their retirement dwellings... So it looks as if I am not going to be allowed to give up making jam!
I was sent a link last week to a YouTube video of someone who had a near-death experience. During that, Jesus showed her a huge set of shelves stretching as far as the eye could see in either direction. On the shelves were countless gifts, all different. Jesus said to her, "Everyone gets given gifts. I gave you the gifts of patience and beauty. How have you used them?" This has been so challenging to me, having recently had a brush with death in the form of a cancer diagnosis. I have spent a good deal of my life reaching out for gifts that were evident in other people's lives - Word of Knowledge, Miracles, Discernment of Spirits, etc etc. Now I am looking around to see what I already have and how I am using what I have been given. One of the gifts I have is a musical ear and rhythm to match. It's time I went and practiced my guitar playing - I am leading worship on Sunday! Bye!
While I was in recovery-mode, a friend from church made two batches of marmalade (hurrah!) and a couple of days ago, I had help to make three different jams to stock the table while I am in Kondoa. Bishop Given has indicated that there are three senior clergy who are needing to retire after spending the last 25 years to working in the Diocese for no remuneration. They would like financial help to get corrugated iron roofs on their retirement dwellings... So it looks as if I am not going to be allowed to give up making jam!
I was sent a link last week to a YouTube video of someone who had a near-death experience. During that, Jesus showed her a huge set of shelves stretching as far as the eye could see in either direction. On the shelves were countless gifts, all different. Jesus said to her, "Everyone gets given gifts. I gave you the gifts of patience and beauty. How have you used them?" This has been so challenging to me, having recently had a brush with death in the form of a cancer diagnosis. I have spent a good deal of my life reaching out for gifts that were evident in other people's lives - Word of Knowledge, Miracles, Discernment of Spirits, etc etc. Now I am looking around to see what I already have and how I am using what I have been given. One of the gifts I have is a musical ear and rhythm to match. It's time I went and practiced my guitar playing - I am leading worship on Sunday! Bye!
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