April has been a busy month. It began with final preparations and last minute adjustments for the Annual MWiB Residential Weekend at the The Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick Derbyshire. Over 250 delegates gathered on Friday 5th– Sunday 7th to enjoy a lively, thought provoking and challenging weekend led by Rev’d Dr Val Ogden. Val returned from Fiji in October 2018 after a seven year term as Director of the Pacific Theological College, Extension Education, Suva, Fiji.
Val’s theme for the weekend ‘Passions and Palms – heavy lifting and resilient hope’ helped us to look at some of the many challenges of life, the heavy burdens which may weigh us down and to consider the glimpses of hope and resilience, all underpinned by our Christian faith.
The day after the Residential Weekend, Monday 8th April at 7.00am I was patiently waiting in the Surgical Arrivals department at Luton and Dunstable hospital for a third time. I was to have an operation to remove my right parotid salivary gland and this time I was actually first on the list and was in theatre by 9am! All went well and after an overnight stay I was discharged to recuperate at home. On Friday 12th David and I travelled to Cheshire to enjoy watching grand-daughters Emily and Lily in ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ an excellent production by CAMS, the local amateur music society.
Travelling back on the Saturday, now accompanied by my mother, we had the opportunity to enjoy Palm Sunday and the chance to relax before being on duty as grandparents again. This time our young charges were Daniel and Lucy pictured above sitting with David (grandad) at the top of ‘Sharpenhoe Clappers’. Daniel quickly decided that hang gliding would be a fascinating sport to explore in the future!
Son-in-Law Eddie is recovering from heart bypass surgery in Papworth and today Lucy and Daniel are to accompany their mum Jane to visit prior to Eddie’s discharge tomorrow.
‘Burdens and resilient hope’ or simply the ‘ups and downs of life’?
A chorus that I used sing many years ago came to mind while writing this blog :
‘No, never alone,
No, never alone;
He promised never to leave me,
Never to leave me alone
He died for me on the mountain,
For me they pierced His side,
For me He opened the fountain,
The crimson, cleansing tide;
For me He’s waiting in glory,
Seated upon His throne,
He promised never to leave me,
Never to leave me alone.’ Anonymous
(the whole chorus may be heard on Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjKTUCUWvFw )
Praise and thanks to God for Easter and resilient hope!
Blessings Sandra
