The best laid plans

Ok, so I thought I would get back into the swing of this blogging business and after that wee flurry of postings earlier in the week decided to hold off a day or two before the next round - then the lurgy struck! I think I picked up the same sickness bug that my children had at the end of last week, whatever it was/is it has taken two days out of my week and I am still feeling grim and not eating - though my wife says the not eating is a good thing! I am disappointed that I didn't feel well enough to take the Ascension Day service this evening and grateful that I have a very able and gracious Associate Priest who took on those duties. I think that in the past sixteen or so years I have only missed one other Asc Day service, so am a bit glum about it, but not only did I feel a bit ropey, I didn't want to be spreading any sickness around!

When I did finally make it out of bed today I made myself sit in front of my PC and wrote all the articles and bits and bobs I needed to send off to our Villages Magazine 'The Parishes Paper' - it was already a day late as I did my usual trick of leaving it until the deadline to prepare, and then getting sick on deadline day! So that, along with a couple of letters that needed doing and some diary keeping has been my work for the day. I still need to do my thought for the week for next week as the deadline is tomorrow, and it would be good to have an article to put into another local magazine called 'Yarcombe Voices' which, again, needs to be in tomorrow.

Whilst I think on those things, here's another in my catchup for thoughts for the week! This one from the week leading up to Palm Sunday!

Humility is not a virtue that seems to be encouraged these days; be the best, be famous, be better than the rest seems to be the message that is pumped out through our TV screens and most of the media. Humility is still admired though; when our leaders offer genuine apology, when those who have done well are gracious in accepting their honours, when our armed service members showing great bravery claim ‘it’s just part of the job. In the Church we remember this Palm Sunday the humility of Jesus who rode into Jerusalem not in a chariot or on horseback, but seated on a donkey, a lowly beast of burden. Though the crowds declared him saviour and Lord he didn’t use them to gain power but was willing to face death for declaring God’s message of love, justice, peace and grace. His humility is an example to us all.