Exe Valley Mission Community

News:

We're on the move...

For the past few months it feels a bit like we've been living against the background of a children's picture story. The sort of stories that have a repetitive refrain going through them, like, "Run, run as fast as you can..." or "My cat likes to hide in boxes" or "You can't catch me I'm a Gruffalo!" or "Don't forget the bacon!" The possibilities and permutations are endless, and you probably know a few choice examples of your own. But for the past few months, the chorus sung in our house has gone something like this: "Don't do it now! We have nothing to prove! Sit Down! Relax! We're about to move!"

It's been a very handy little refrain, and we've used it a lot. And I mean, A LOT! And we've been able to apply it to virtually every situation. It's been extremely useful! Tremendous winds in October scattered my grandson's toys all over the garden. Has anyone been out to gather them up? Us? Gather? No! Never! "Don't do it now! we have nothing to prove! sit down! Relax! We're about to move!"

The Wendy House remains exactly where the wind dumped it, as if Dorothy made an abortive attempt to leave Kansas!

We've kept the house fairly clean and tidy but have we hoovered under anything? Us? Hoover under? Around, yes! But under? No way! We've had a look but... "don't do it now... etc" Our curtain hooks have become brittle with age and the curtains have developed a strange loop and a droop during daylight hours. They're perfectly fine at night. In fact, I defy anyone to spot a thing, but has anyone climbed a ladder to make the curtains a 24 hour success? Us? Climb? (All together now!) "Don't do it now, we have nothing to prove! Sit down! Relax! We're about to move!"

Empty box with hands and a smileBut the only trouble is, we haven't! We haven't moved. We're still here - at least until the end of January. And handy though our refrain has been, (and do please feel free to use it yourself, should you so wish) we're beginning to realise that there has been a cost involved to using it. And for semi-professional procrastinators like us - it's a bit of a shock.

All of which reminds me of another refrain, which I am many others say on a regular basis: "We have left undone those things that we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done, and there is no health in us..." And of course we're all in the same boat. We put off all sorts of things, especially things to do with God and faith and belief. But it's worth doing something about it, and if you are a semi-professional procrastinator like me, Lent, is an excellent time.

Please see the arrangements across the Mission Community to mark Lent and come and join us (page 10 of the magazine). Feel free to dip in, as, when and where you can! You might like to come and have a chat, or know someone who could do with a visit. There's information on page 12 of the magazine, to say how to do it. Please do make contact, if you should need to. Don't put it off! It would be great to meet you.

Wishing you every blessing,

Steph

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