Easter Saturday

Painting of Dead Chrsit in the Tomb. Holbein

This is Easter Saturday. A Holy Day for many Christians. A day of complicated theology. For me Easter Saturday means something else. It is the day before the miracle. The day when the tomb was still well and truly shut to those outside. A day when Jesus' followers were saying - Well what was all that about then? A day when the promised end seemed impossible. A day when God's power may not have seemed as powerful as they had hoped. The day that followed the darkest day and it showed no improvement - no sign of what was to come. Only cold, dark quiet. No signs from God, no encouragement, no answers.

Easter Saturday resonates with anyone on the journey of faith. A silence from God. A pause in the plan. No clues as to the coming miracle. Just a quiet, waiting game. We know now that Sunday came and with it, the extraordinary. But the Easter Saturday experience is just as important. The faith. The waiting. The unbelief. The expectancy. The confusion. This is where the pattern for faith is set. This is where we learn who God is, as we wait.

Opposite Ends of The Speculum....

As Victoria Wood used to say.

Watched two films this week which makes me a saddo. Ask me if  care. Both were excellent. Am aware that I am miles behind everyone else but that is my default position these days and you can live with it or....well not live with it - up to you.

First up...Frozen. I don't get to see the animated stuff much these days. After years of being forced to every kids movie as it opened. (One day, let me describe to you, the Seventh Circle of Hell that was The Pokemon Movie.) we have now left most of them behind. Anyway, found this on TV and thought we would have a go. I thought it was great. Maybe just a teeeensy weeeensy bit overhyped? No? Just me then. If you want to go all feminist with me for a few minutes, there is lots of good stuff here. It makes fun of the Disney staple of marrying a man/prince/frog that you have only known for one day. It is one of the first Disney movies to pass the Bechdel Test where two women are allowed to talk to each other about something other than a man. Also one of the female leads manages to go through the whole thing without a love interest. So lots to Hurrah about. Then there is that storming song. Though I prefer this version myself.

To go quite to the other side of things. I was trying (unsuccessfully) to download Lie To Me on Netflix and sort of accidentally watched "Capote" (Long story and quite boring too.) As I think I have said before, I think there is a lot of flim-flam talked about actors but this is a performance and a half by Hoffman. You never quite get to the bottom of Capote and what he was like, which I think is the whole idea. It's a great story, disturbingly told with a terrible crime and a terrible vengeance at its heart. Left me quite depressed but in a good way - if that is possible. Highly recommended.

And , a third thing while I am at it. Why did no-one tell me Endeavour was back? Can't believe I missed the first one. Flippin eck it's not as if we are assaulted every five seconds with decent telly is it and I manage to miss it. Blah

Happy

I think I may have mentioned Head of House's obsession with Motown and Northern Soul before. Anyway, we found this which is a girl dancing to Pharrell Williams' Happy and an old Northern Soul tune.

If I were deep and spiritual, I would write a post about how the old and the new can work together well, in harmony and things. But I am shallow and tired so I will just leave with you with the lovely music and dancing. I think it's better that way.

Blog Stuff

You could call this needy but I call it good housekeeping. If you like this blog and would like to subscribe...would you think about doing it on Bloglovin..?

The link is on the side. Ignore the Manchester City Blue.

No pressure obvs 

Just helps me with the counting stuff.

Cheek Turning

A person to whom, I am related (No names mentioned but she is of the slightly older persuasion) is very big on being attacked. Not by an axe murderer or anything but by "The Enemy" mainly through other people. Mostly, I tend to be a bit take it or leave it with this approach to life as I am quite sure that I can behave horribly enough to make people think that I am a one woman version of the Screwtape Letters. However, sometimes, just sometimes, people are mean and I haven't always done anything to deserve it.
The temptation, when people have a go and you don't think it's merited, is to have a go back. It can be very satisfying to stand in the shower making speeches telling people what you think of them or plotting a terrible revenge. 

My default position in conflict is that it is generally "my fault" but that isn't always true. When I am feeling generally naffed off with people, I like Psalm 35 which is written with a really full on miserable crow vibe.

But when I was down
    they threw a party!
All the nameless riffraff of the town came
    chanting insults about me.
Like barbarians desecrating a shrine,
    they destroyed my reputation.

The challenge for me is to step back from a Rambo like revenge spree and to take my defenses down. Do I trust God enough to fight my battles for me? What if people think me weak? I don't want everyone walking all over me do I? Yet the challenge is there - in the Bible.

‘Don’t hit back at all.’ If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. (Matthew 5)

Flippin hard that. Yet, there is a sort of release and even a power in letting go. In thinking, nah, I'm not weighing into this. This is God's. I'm going to be kind - nicer than I feel and let it be. Not saying I have it sorted. Just think it is the better way.