Seeking refuge in storm Doris

The scene at Euston on Thursday

Last week during storm Doris, our daughter Jo became stranded in London as all trains to her home in Manchester had been cancelled. Due to the large number of people stranded, hotel beds were difficult to find, the tube stations were closed because of overcrowding and there were long queues for taxis.  She texted us for help and as we prayed I was able to put a message out on Facebook and begin compiling a list of people we knew in the London area.  Within the hour, I had had several offers of lifts and beds for the night for her and the kindness of friends moved me to tears.  As it turned out she was able to find a hotel bed and finally got a taxi there but it was a worrying hour or so for me as a mum thinking of my pregnant daughter wandering London on her own.


This incident made me reflect again on how dreadful is the plight of so many refugees fleeing their homelands looking for safety.  Among them will be young mothers to be like Jo who will not have the benefit of parents with lots of friends who would willingly take them in. Jo knew she would be able to get back home the next day but it is just beyond imagination to think of people leaving behind all their worldly possessions, other than that which they can carry, and travelling to unknown destinations where there is no certainty of a welcome and conversely, the possibility of danger and hostility as they travel.  Even though these people are anonymous to us, it made me remember that they are all known and loved by their own families and each one is precious to God.

If anyone wishes to give a donation to the refugee crisis appeal you can do so through many charities including the Methodist charity, All We Can. Www.allwecan.org.uk

New Year musings

The new year is traditionally a time for looking back and reflecting on the year that has passed and also looking forward to what may lay ahead in the new year.

As Mark and I reflect on 2016 we are so thankful that it was a year full of adventure and marked by a lot of travelling, especially with Mark having had his sabbatical and with me having a suitcase constantly packed and ready to journey around the country by train.  It has also been a year of exciting changes as I have officially started my new role with Methodist Women in Britain and Mark has been given responsibility of an extra church at Ivybridge.  We have met and started to get to know many new people and look forward to building more relationships locally and around the country in the year ahead.  In addition, both of our daughters and their husbands moved house and we learned that we are to become grandparents for the first time this coming year. :-) Sometimes I find it hard living far away from our children and not seeing them very often, but we were blessed with a couple of lovely days all together over New Year in Manchester and for that I am very thankful.

A full house at Ivybridge on Christmas morning

Christmas dinner a deux!

Visiting my parents

Happy to be with my chicks!

Looking forward into 2017 we have lots of things already in the diary about which we are full of hope and excitement and there are other situations in which we are having to put our hand into God's and entrust them to him and his plans for us and our loved ones.   As I said in the last blog entry, we look forward to the coming year not knowing what it holds or what will happen either good or bad but as the old hymn goes, 'I know not what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.'

Sometimes we scrabble around making plans but actually all we have as a certainty is this moment, today and it is good to take time to slow down and enjoy each moment as it arises, appreciate the people we love and remember to count our blessings.

This weekend we will take part in the traditional Methodist New Year Covenant Service and the words are so powerful and if said with sincerity are quite a challenge but I pray that whatever this year brings, you will be given the grace to put your trust in God day by day and be given peace and strength to deal with all that lies in store.  As Wesley said, 'Best of all is, God is with us.'

Methodist Covenant Prayer

I am no longer my own, but yours.

Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will;

put me to doing, put me to suffering;

let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you,

exalted for you, or brought low for you;

let me be full,

let me be empty,

let me have all things,

let me have nothing:

I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things

to your pleasure and disposal.

And now, glorious and blessed God,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

you are mine and I am yours. So be it.

And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven.

Amen.