Carol’s Blog

Ready

Carol Purves Carol's Blog ,

As I re-read the parable of the ten virgins Matthew 25, I reflected which group I was in. As we get older obviously our time of dying gets nearer. Of course, this is not always true, as we all have relatives and friends who have died far too young. Nevertheless, the three score years and ten of the Bible is often exceeded these days.

I met a friend who I’d not seen for six years and we remembered the time when we celebrated her 40th birthday together. I am twice her age and she was surprised when I quite happily talked about dying and going to heaven. Maybe I do think more about the end of life than I used to. Well, I’m nearer the end than the beginning. I’m still enjoying many things about my life here and now, but I need to remember they are are only passing pleasures. When things are difficult now we can remember there are better things to come.

I want to be like the five wise virgins, enjoying life now but fully ready for the one to come.

Caring for the Birds

Carol Purves Carol's Blog , , ,

As I put out the birdseed this morning I thought about God the creator of the birds. On the fifth day of creation ‘the birds flew above the earth, across the vault of the sky.’ Genesis 1:20 ; He has been caring for them and loving them ever since.Jesus tells us that God loves us more than the two sparrows which are sold for a pittance. God cares for us, full stop.

Under God’s instruction Noah used the raven and the dove to test the depth of the flood waters. David in psalm 84 talks of the sparrow and the swallow. In Isaiah we can mount on wings like eagles, if we wait on the Lord.

I’v been given a garden gift token which I intend to spend on a new bird bath. I may not be able to do much to halt global warming and the destruction of our planet, but I can make sure my local birds are well fed and watered. I sometimes think I spend more on provisions for my feathered friends than I do on myself.

Boxes

Carol Purves Carol's Blog ,

In my house at the moment I have nearly 70 packed and half-packed boxes. Most things I own are in a box and except for a few sentimental things, the items are not of much value. In fact I’m pleased and shocked to note that I am not cluttered up by this world’s possessions. When I move house many things will be thrown out and when I die everything will be thrown out.

I don’t want to cling to this world’s possessions. The Bible tells us, ‘One thing I have asked of the Lord, that I will seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,’ Psalm 27: 4a

I am reminded of the two parables of Jesus in Matthew 13, where a man finds a treasure hidden in a field and sells all that he has to possess it and then another man finds a pearl of great price and sells everything to buy it. It is that kind of dedication and commitment that God desires.

Moaning

Carol Purves Carol's Blog , ,

I spent less than an hour having a friendly cup of tea with my neighbours. At the end of that time I realised we had spent the whole morning moaning and complaining that things are not ‘as they used to be.’ It is true many things have changed over the years, mostly not for the better. It is a fact that our grandparents would not recognise things as they are today. But it is equally true that their grandparents would not recognise the lives that their grandchildren were leading.

I was able to urge my friends to think on what has not changed. The nature that God created is still there. The daisy is still as beautiful and the birds still sing as sweetly. When I visited the Holy Land, although smoke was rising from the bombing of Damascus, there were still the same flowers that Jesus saw and the same water lapped on the Lake of Galilee.

Most importantly our God has not changed. He is still our Saviour. His love has not and cannot diminish one little bit. ‘Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.’ Hebrews 13:8

Joy

Carol Purves Carol's Blog ,

Yesterday I reread and thought about Psalm 23. How full it is of wonderful promises. It is a psalm that fills my soul with joy. I find that joy is something that is often missing from my life. I take things seriously and the troubles of the world lay heavily on me.

But I believe God wants us to be cheerful whatever our circumstances. He asks us to be playful as children. We need to become as children, delighting in the beauty of an autumn leaf or sparkling reflections on the water. God has given us a wonderful world to live in. So often we think about the destruction of nature instead of delighting in it’s beauty.

So let us remember that with God we shall lack nothing, we are invited to lie down in green pastures and to have our souls refreshed. Even in the darkest night we need fear no evil. We are promised goodness and mercy all the days of our life and to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. That makes me to be filled with joy.

It is not Mine

Carol Purves Carol's Blog ,

For 18 years I’ve developed and nurtured my garden. Many of the plants have a special significance to me. Each season has been full of surprises as old faithful flowers have returned and new ones have self-seeded. It is a garden that has drawn favourable comments from passers by. During this period of time I have spent so many happy hours, mostly gardening, but also just sitting enjoying.

Today the new owners came of my house and their families came to visit. Abbie is a very keen gardener and Joel will do all the heavy work. I realised that in a few weeks it will be their garden and not mine.

In fact, it has never been mine, I have been a steward for God. Thousands of years the land was probably covered in forest and a century ago it was a notable nursery. Goodness know what it will be in the future. I’ve been working for God to enhance His kingdom in my very small way. The work has given me pleasure and enjoyment to passers by. God has graciously allowed me to be part of the work.

The Best Plan-Maker

Carol Purves Carol's Blog ,

God is the best at making plans. I thought I had my life all sorted out but according to Robert Burns in his poem ‘To a Mouse, ‘the best laid plans of mice and men, often go awry.’ Because of less-good health I prayerfully planned to move to a small bungalow. All went well with the sale and purchase. I felt happy in God’s guiding. Then I had an accident which left me house-bound and anxious that I would be fit enough to move house when the time came. I gradually became fitter each week and then received another blow. Because of a legal mess-up, the move would would be delayed until Christmas or even the New Year.

Then because of my health due to the accident, it was decided I could move almost immediately through a ‘special licence.’ There would not be a wait of several months. The legal problems were overcome solely because of my accident. This was not something I could have planned or solved. As William Cowper says n a poem ‘God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform.’

Discouraged

Carol Purves Carol's Blog ,

‘Why, my soul, are you discouraged? Why so disturbed within me?’ The psalmist in psalm 42:5 asks why at times we feel really down. It may be that there is no particular reason for it and we then have feelings of guilt. We have so many blessings and gifts from God that we think we should never be discouraged. At other times there are reasons for this depression with problems, illness or sickness.

We need to remember that God is not going to punish us because of how we feel. He is not there with a big stick. He loves us and wants the best for us. He knows only too well our weak and feeble state. It is at these times that we need to turn to Him. The hymn writer puts it so well –

‘Are we weak and heavy laden.

Is there trouble anywhere.

We should never be discouraged.

Take it to the Lord in prayer.’

‘Take it to the Lord in prayer.’

Conflict

Carol Purves Carol's Blog , ,

As I heard the news of people killed, maimed and traumatized by a suicide bomber in yet another part of the world my heart cried for all those concerned. Only the other day with our church young people, we talked about the 50 places in the world most dangerous for Christians. Country number 5 just featured in the news, killing Christians, Muslims and innocent.

Since the time of the Fall there has been conflict and strife. It can take the form of suicide bombing down to an argument with a neighbour. Whether we are ordinary people or world leaders, we want our own way. We think that we are right and others are wrong.

But the world needs the peace and harmony which the world cannot give. No wonder Jesus said, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.’ Matthew 5. How can people like us be peacemakers, we do not sit at conference tables where decisions are made. But we can still be peacemakers. May we never pass on gossip, true or untrue. May we see the good in others and let go of our rigid opinions. My we continue to pray for the war-torn countries of the world and remember the words of Jesus, ‘My peace I give unto you, not as the world gives peace.’

We Brought Nothing In

Carol Purves Carol's Blog

I recently had a visitor who only stayed a couple of hours. As he left i asked ‘Have you got everything with you.’ He lives one hundred miles away and I didn’t want to have to send any forgotten item through the post. His reply was ‘I’ve brought nothing with me and I’m taking nothing out.’ My speedy reply was, ‘Just like life.’

His reaction was not complimentary but it made me think.We do come into this world with nothing; we have no choice who our parents are or where we live. We have no possessions and we are dependent on others for our every need. The other end of our lives is just the same. We take none of our wealth or possessions with us; our friends and family will not be coming along.

So why do we give so much importance to things we cannot take with us.The pauper and prince will leave with exactly the same amount of wealth. I’m not saying I don’t like having a roof over my head and having enough to eat, but how foolish I would be to depend on them.