Coach House Talks and Beacons

What a year it’s been. What a journey we’ve been on together. There are some points in history that you will never forget, no matter how hard you try in certain circumstances. But sometimes they are part of lovely memories.

If you live in the Western world, you likely have a constitutional “inalienable right” to freedom!  You may have freedom to practice religion, freedom to speak, freedom to travel, and the list goes on.

You know that feeling, when we get to work on a Monday morning, and are already tired and wishing for another weekend. As a result of the last year happenings, with it being such an unusual year, I think people feel even more restless and tired.

These are well known words from Isaiah chapter 9 describing the coming of the saviour, Jesus, in the future. From this passage we later hear of his nature and character “he will be called  Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,  Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

One thing is for sure on a cold December morning and that is that summer holidays seem an awfully long way away. We were fortunate enough to be able to go to the seaside this summer, it wasn't that warm whilst we were there but we did get to go to a couple of beaches.

You know what - I’m tired. Today I’m not going to hide it, I’m tired. I just want a holiday. Its been a long time since I've been able to put my feet up, sit back - even it seems just having one day off is now a very distant memory.

Jamie and I watched a program on Netflix called we are the champions last week. In it, there are lots of different zany contests around the world, including things like cheese rolling, yoyo contests and chilli eating.

One of the amazing things of this strange year, has been the way in which people have responded. I remember well speaking with Jamie way back in March about how we could keep connected with people

It’s at this time of year that darkness is very real. We wake up in the dark and return home in the dark, with the shortened daylight hours. And it can really affect people, not seeing and feeling daylight.

The way we prepare for things is very important. I’m talking about preparing for simple and ordinary things as well as things to which we give more importance, things which have life long effects.

He did this through a natural process called tree grafting in which, a branch from an orange tree, for example, is transplanted (grafted) onto another tree, like an apple or an olive tree. If successfully grafted

Challenges can turn us inwards. This is particularly true at the moment, when we’re much more isolated than usual, with a lot more time to think over our problems. I come to this subject, because I noticed my own prayers turning ‘inwards’

One of the most discussed topics in the last year has been the wearing of face masks. In almost every country in the world there have been protests when local governments have made the wearing of face masks mandatory. At the beginning of the pandemic

The feeling of your breath being sucked out of your lungs as the drowning from not being able to get oxygen into them, as your knees and legs feel the pain of not being used properly for a while, that everything in your body and mental strength drains with each foot step.

Sometimes we have a real fear of failure. I felt that this week when I was doing my couch to 5k run. I am an asthmatic and have dodgy knees so running is very difficult.

During this Corona Virus outbreak, I have had to carry out a nx§umber of funerals, which under normal circumstances would have had the church packed to the rafters, however, due to restrictions all of them have been done with limited numbers and a sense of being distant from those we would like to be close to.

It is certainly true that there have been times when it is clean and tidy, but mostly it feels busy and a bit like painting the Forth Road Bridge – clear one bit then start again at the beginning.

The Bible asks us to have faith in God. Hebrews 11:1 even defines what faith is. All the great heroes of Scripture had faith in God, not that their faith didn’t wobble at times.

You know how it is when someone tells you a story and you can see it in your head, or when you read a good book, and your brain fills in the gaps and your imagination colours it in bringing it to life. Isn’t that a great ability to have ? Some people are able to do this more then others.

We have the power to thrive in any situation. What do you think of that? Does it sound far-fetched? Does it even sound like a Christian statement? Your mind might be turning to those deeply cringeworthy motivational speakers, whose video clips haunt your Facebook feed

Autumn is a beautiful time of year. As the leaves on the trees turn to various shades of red, yellow and golden brown they offer up a wonderful display for us to enjoy.

Do you ever have nightmares? That one thing that keeps you up at night ? The one thing you simply can’t get out of your brain

When we get to know somebody, we get to know what they sound like, so if someone imitates them, we are more likely to recognise it. I know my husband well so I would know if someone pretended to be Jamie on the phone or by text because I know how he writes and the sorts of things he says.

The balance is a difficult one and I am sure that there are many difficult challenges and decisions being faced in family groups also. It all may seem very oppressive and restraining, and it may even seem unnecessary if you have not encountered Covid 19 knocking at your door

I don’t like the damp and dark days that seem to suddenly leap out in front of us at this time of year. I much prefer the long warm evenings of summer, when every window is open, when I can enjoy being outside in the garden, when friends can sit and chat long into the balmy evening.