That's why we pray.

I read a good interview with Tim Vine this week. He was talking about all the choruses he sang when he was a child and I knew them all. Unfortunately, I also remember that I was a teenager rather than a child when I sang them As you probably know, I am a bit of a hymn person, although I do like a chorus when it's done good and noisy as God intended, if you get my drift.

Anyway was thinking about this 

"Oh what peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bear.
All because we do not carry - everything to God in prayer."

There is so much truth here that I am prepared to overlook the strange memories I have of my Mum's version of this by Slim Whitman (a bit singy for me)

I can't speak for you lot but, as usual I have so much going on here and the last thing I think of doing is praying. Really - it is last on my list. Only when I am really desperate and can't find a way out will I pray. Good grief, I bet even the atheists do that! If I spent as much time in prayer as I do thinking "What am I going to do?" or making "Get my own back" speeches in the shower, I would be giving Daniel  a run for his money in the prayer warrior stakes. So, with a view to putting that right, I give you the things that are doing my head in, just as I am giving them to God. Some are real, some are imagined, some have happened, some may happen, some may not. Whatever, they are God's for the doing with whatever he wants. I spect he'll be better at dealing with it all than I am.

Work, Daughter's exams, Son's dissertation, HOH work, HOH knees, Wet rot, Dry rot, Dog's bowels, elderly parent, old car, finding new car, double glazing, pensions, writing, feeling knackered, church, rendering, finances, summer holidays, thinking of what's for tea, drains being dug out, Christians chained up while giving birth, not getting enough sleep, finding time to read the Bible, trying to like people I don't like, struggling with forgiveness, wondering if God gives up.

Fraid it's not all there but that will do for now I think. No pressure God.

Romans 8:26-28

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

Short

Inspiration very hard to come by this week. Am working very hard for my employers whom I love unconditionally. This involved a trip to Exeter today to meet with other reps of disability charities. Always arrive vowing not to get all political and thump the table with my fist and shout "THE THING IS...THE CITY CENTRES ARE BECOMING ACCESSIBLE TO THE ELDERLY POOR!" Then I forget everthing I vowed when I get there.

Well at least I didn't thump the table. All very good and productive and I got to wander round GAP in Exeter and stroke things during my lunch. Then had my first McDonald's for years. I mean the food is ok. It does the things it says it will. It's just going during half-term that was the HUGE mistake. Quite busy in there folks.

Anyway, off to watch the best programme on the telly. Brooklyn Nine Nine since you ask. Bye.

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Following on in my mission to serve you at all times, I thought I would swing some more good blogs your way. Only connection between these is that I like 'em, should be enough for anyone that.

Please may I  She works. She runs a house. She has an allotment. She keeps chickens  She looks good. This could make her annoying but she's really very nice.

The Maple Syrup Mob It is literally the view from their window. However - it's Canada out there! They had a bear outside there once for goodness sake!

A Thrifty Mrs Talk about your useful. Loads of tips and interesting things. Beautifully put together. She's off the telly. She's a Manc.

Miss Budget Beauty  Have to be honest. Am too wrinkly and far gone to wear this much make up. But if you love your slap even while you suspect a lot of it may be a con, then this is a good place for reasonably priced stuff

Enjoy.

PS I am beyond excitement about this. Star Wars script read through and Harrison, Mark and Carrie are back.  Sings...BECAUSE I'M HAPPY......

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A decent Christian blog is as rare as hen's teeth I find. There are the good ones that are connected to magazines or projects or things like that but you would expect them to be good as they have entire teams working on them., I mean just a person, a Christian person, blogging. In case you were on the lookout. These are good. (It's only my opinion but, it's like the Oscars. I am right.)

Tracing Rainbows Angela is a pastor's wife and teacher with loads of interests and thoughts on things. Very good at craft but not in a scary way. She is normal. I can't say anything better about anyone.

A New Name Emma. Brave. Honest. Smart. (I think she would hate the brave bit) Documents her struggles with an eating disorder and writes movingly and wittily about mental health issues. She is also normal.

KezzieAG Fantastic zest for life. Musician. Just makes me feel better about things. Love the way she does her outfits.  Seems totally normal.

Kindred of the Quiet Way Pen Wilcock. Author. Thinker. Theologian. Gives me pause. Would probably not want to be called normal.

Just in case you were looking, you know.More later on in the week

Random musings of the sick of the palsy

Hello. Sorry for prolonged absence but have been ill. Not too much detail but the word gastric may be helpful. Looking on the bright side - at least my rings aren't as tight and I may get away without taking my new work skirt back to get a bigger size. My whole week was messed up because I wasn't supposed to mix with anyone till 48 hours clear (Tad too much detail there possibly) That means a trip to Taunton (For business but never been, so was thinking might be good), a pensions seminar (mind numbing but important) taking minutes at a church meeting and a Comms team were all rendered impossible. Bah! I am not very good at being ill. I am bad tempered and full of doom. I never understand people who luxuriate in illness by snuggling and watching movies. That is my loss I think. I did catch up on Rev which we had recorded but that was quite depressing. I know it's supposed to be warts and all but good grief. And why were all the lady vicars such donks? Everyone was very good in it though. Especially Tom Hollander. 
Anyway, onwards. Above is my Mothers' Day present from the offspring. Just got round to framing it. I have to admit that I chose it.Still counts as a present right? It's from a site www.preditos.com which has stylish and in no way creepy scripture gifts and things. I grew up with scripture wall art either involving photos of puppies for Jesus or lonely harbours with seagulls swooping with a usually inappropriate Bible verse shoved somewhere in the top right hand corner. Well, as seagulls swooping round here is a sign to cover your head or your fish and chips, I think this site is nicer. 

We are now officially in the middle of exam season again so quite tense here. However, revision (and my belly) allowing, the three of us are hoping to go for a meal Sunday night as it's our wedding anniversary. We are forgoing the romantic dinner for two because we have managed to sneak in a day away in London on our own in July so we are feeling generous. 23 years! And they said it wouldn't last. Well only my mother said that actually and to be fair she had been fed some duff information by one of HOH's exes.