Well...it finally happened...! I did it...! I moved the exercise bike from the garage into my study. So, this morning, staright after my Morning Prayer...I got on my bike! It's been a while. It needed a bit of a clean and some new batteries for the display to work and it now has its home in the corner of my study next to my bookshelves. So all was good to go and it wasn't that bad! I think sometimes, the thought of doing something is worse than the actual doing. I'm easing myself in gently and only spent about 10 minutes cycling. Because the bike is next to my bookcase, I picked out a book at random and read for those 10 minutes. I could have stayed on longer as I was getting quite interested in the book (but I need to reserve my aching limbs for all the extra gardening that I'm doing at the moment).
I have three clergy friends, fairly recently retired, and each of them gave me bags full of books for me to look through, keep what I wanted and to donate the rest to people who might want them or to give to a charity bookshop. I love books and reading has been my passion from being a small child, so you can imagine...I was like a child in a sweetshop devouring all those wonderful books. I had piles of them that I could make good use of...but you know what it's like? I dip in and out of my books but don't often get the time to dedicate enough time for some serious reading. This morning, as I 'cycled along', I looked at all those wonderful books and thought what a fantastic opportunity it was for me to become re-acquainted with them. So, we'll see how it goes. I'll keep you posted!
Did you know that Jesus was an educated man? There he was 2000 years ago, the son of a carpenter who began his life as a refugee. Living under Roman rule in a small community out in the sticks and there he was, able to read and write. How do we know this? We are told the story in John 8 about the woman caught in adultery and about to be stoned and how those in authority were trying to trap him. And what does he do? He bent over and wrote on the ground with his finger. We're not told what he wrote in the ground but afterwards he stood up and said those immortal words '"Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone." Then he bent over again and wrote on the ground. Wise words. It is so easy to to sit at home and condemn people for the decisions made, especially as we are living through such difficult times. I am so thankful that I don't have to make those huge decisions.
So often we speak without thinking, I know I do. I've lost count of the times when I have said something that I have later regretted because I hadn't given it enough thought. Being a 'reflector', I like to have time to think, pray and maybe even sleep on the bigger decisions and responses that I have to make. Sometimes I have to go away and read through something to straighten things out in my mind or to get the right answer. Maybe a daily 'cycle' will help?
Have a good day ...and stay safe.
Did you know that Jesus was an educated man? There he was 2000 years ago, the son of a carpenter who began his life as a refugee. Living under Roman rule in a small community out in the sticks and there he was, able to read and write. How do we know this? We are told the story in John 8 about the woman caught in adultery and about to be stoned and how those in authority were trying to trap him. And what does he do? He bent over and wrote on the ground with his finger. We're not told what he wrote in the ground but afterwards he stood up and said those immortal words '"Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone." Then he bent over again and wrote on the ground. Wise words. It is so easy to to sit at home and condemn people for the decisions made, especially as we are living through such difficult times. I am so thankful that I don't have to make those huge decisions.
So often we speak without thinking, I know I do. I've lost count of the times when I have said something that I have later regretted because I hadn't given it enough thought. Being a 'reflector', I like to have time to think, pray and maybe even sleep on the bigger decisions and responses that I have to make. Sometimes I have to go away and read through something to straighten things out in my mind or to get the right answer. Maybe a daily 'cycle' will help?
Have a good day ...and stay safe.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
John 8:6-8
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