the adventures of retirement
A pleasant enough walk this morning, Woolley Bridge Copse, the tip and that hamlet just past the sewage works on the way to Broadbottom. The Longdendale hills were looking a bit hazy in the east wind – maybe it’s been a little cloudy overnight on the Yorkshire side. Oh, and I almost forgot – it’s Pentecost.
Come, Holy Spirit, come.
A gentle breeze this morning, to move some air through the house.
Just read this little book… Makes you think…
God of love, we thank you for the outside,
for smells and sights and sounds,
the feel of the breeze.
How we need it now!
God give everyone
a sight of the horizon.
The sunshine and warmth and the dry weather are having their effects. Most of the reservoirs at our end are now quite low, although that’s also because of recent work on Rhodeswood Dam, and ongoing work at Torside. The sun is heating up the desiccant in some of our windows and causing a little condensation. People are enjoying the weather, and keeping their distance.
A small diversion in the direction of the slopes of Peaknaze this morning, and a reminder of what tussocks are like for the feet. But unusually dry under foot. It’s easier for the walker, but not a good sign for the long run.
As we wait and wonder,
separate, but drawn together in prayer,
we hope for the Spirit of God,
the fire, the raging wind,
the gentle voice.
Another fine day for a walk around the reservoirs on broad ways with passing space. I wonder what my younger self, living in Whalley Range, would have made of the lockdown. The Mersey at Jackson’s Bridge might just have been in range. Alexandra Park certainly would. Revisiting after I left Manchester, ISTR that the Moss Side shopping centre had been renamed the Alexandra Centre. I couldn’t find either name on Google so my memory might be playing tricks. If such a renaming did occur, I wonder what kind of message it sent.
Anyway, after my walk this morning, my feet are a bit sore. I wonder whether I’ll still be able to drive the car. Perhaps I’d better take it for a spin to Buxton to find out.
A question for Pentecost … What does it require for people of every language and culture to hear the Good News of God’s love in Christ?
Meanwhile, the sun shines again. Maybe spring is always like this, and I hadn’t noticed before – but I think not. Much as I enjoy walking across fields that aren’t muddy, the land really needs some rain.
Things are getting better, but it’s not over – and there’s a lot more tears to be shed. A couple of worrying things for me and one good one… Worrying that the government will lose credibility and people will no longer bother too much about not spreading the virus. The government, in their system of priorities may not be bothered about this, but I am. The other worry is that if infections start to pick up again, it may be several weeks before you and I notice enough to be bothered. The headline figure of deaths lags infections by a few weeks. One encouraging thing, and that is to do with sewage. A close examination of our towns’ and cities’ waste may reveal virus hotspots at an early stage, early enough to do something about it.
Life is precious. Life is precious, and don’t forget it.
These, on the Trail, are wonderful!…
…there are more of these little clusters too – well worth a visit, especially for small children – at the western end of the Trail.
Sunday will be Pentecost, and this is the Lectionary. This is Acts 2:15… “Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning.” …Really? The first century must be very different from ours if nobody was ever drunk at nine in the morning.
Aside from that minor observation, what do we do with the Pentecost story? Is this an example for us of what to do if we want the Holy Spirit to come? They were met together and maybe expecting something. But even if they were, I doubt they knew what. I think that’s the first things to watch out for – beware of thinking we know what to expect. Different church cultures have very different ideas of the God’s Spirit does, even within Jesus’ promise. And there’s a more fundamental question. Do we even want the Spirit of God in our church life? Think of the disruption. Think of the consequences of moving our faith from the theoretical realm to the practical. Be ready to weigh up the consequences, and then undertake the journey.
The Trail is lovely at the moment, but also quite busy. I think it’s time for a temporary ban on horses, so pedestrians can use the bridle path to pass at a safe distance without endangering themselves or the riders.
It was a fine bank holiday day today. Sun, breeze, some butterflies.
A walk to the old quarry this morning, followed by zoom church. The walk wasn’t particularly pretty, it being a gloomy morning with some bits of rain and a wind that was still blustery, and with this to negotiate on the path up…
…but it was great just to be there anyway, and fun walking…
…and this lifted my heart on the outwards walk…
I like the wind, gloom and dampness, but they conspire to make it harder to take pictures – the gloom means a longer exposure and the phone is less forgiving of a shaking hand, and the wind makes your hand shake more anyway, and the dampness may also cause mistiness, either because of direct exposure or because everything’s inside a sweaty cagoule.
Creator God, we praise you
for the gloom and drizzle,
that annoying, inseparable part
of your wonderful universe.
My old Saturday routine was to walk up the Trail and visit the shops on the way back. Today I tried something similar, though outward by a different route, and trying to minimise the number of shops (not so successful).
It was a lovely early morning of sunshine and showers. But because I needed the pharmacy to be open, I went a bit later and there were already lots of people about on a fair Saturday morning. When I got to Tesco (I was hoping not to have to), there were quite a few people in, and the juice area was blocked by shelf stacking operations, as it has been several times before. The juice is next to the booze, and I reckon they must be selling huge amounts of alcohol. I wouldn’t fancy being cooped up at home with someone who’s been drinking a lot.
God, we pray for people
stuck at home with men
who are drunk, violent or abusive.
May they find the safety
and fair treatment they deserve.
And it troubles us to know
that this is not far from any one of us,
down our street, in our church family,
in the people at work or the Post Office queue.
God, have mercy.
From the Lectionary for Sunday, “Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8).
All well and good – but be very careful about equating anyone with the ‘Adversary’. Often the threats lie inside ourselves, or in our social selves. You may get a lot of votes by blaming China or the Democrats, or the scientists, or anyone ‘Other’. But the Adversary is often in my head or yours. And as for keeping alert, what are we supposed to keep alert for? ( — I know – but it’s my language for me to do what I like with.) At least the writer of this Epistle makes an attempt to describe what to watch out for.
But I don’t know what to watch for now. It can’t be the viruses, they are too small and you can’t see them coming. Should we be alert to the rising cough or sneeze inside so we can get the tissue out in time? Should we be focused on keeping our distance? Should we watch out for people who look as if they’ve had a haircut recently and give them an extra wide berth? Should we be alert for wiffle-waffle?
God of all the universe,
help us to be steadfast in our faith,
cleaving to you
despite stress and uncertainty.