……from my post of this afternoon I’ve been thinking about John 10:1-5. It’s been a very chaotic few days here with my visit to Turvey Abbey [which was a lovely and very positive experience], a few normal family problems that I won’t bore you with and some health worries for me. I think this is God reassuring me that He is going ahead like the Good Shepherd. He is guiding my path through the lovely bits [Turvey Abbey/Catholicism] and through the not so good bits [health issues etc.]. He is telling me that’s it’s still okay to place my trust in Him for every part of my life. As long as I continue to hear His voice above any other then He will prepare the way and guide me through. I really needed to ‘hear’ that right now – I didn’t think I did until today but it’s nice to get such an affirmation when you didn’t even ask for it. Thanks be to God for knowing me better than I know myself.
As an aside my contact cards have the scripture “The Lord is my Shepherd” Psalm 23 on them also.
Right, on a lighter note I’m going to share something with you all that I’ve been meaning to blog for ages. This is a laugh at my expense – you’ll love it. One sunday, not so long ago, I was at my second Mass ever [it's important that you remember that bit]. Mass hadn’t started as I was early [no change there then] and I was chatting with Liz [my pew buddy] as she handed out the Missals etc. I was asking her about the Catholic Course as she is helping to run it and we were talking about discussing it with Fr James. Just at that moment Fr James walked in the door beside us and what did I say in a very clear voice?? “Talk of the devil.” No, really, I did and Fr James said [just to confirm that he'd heard - cringe] “And he’s sure to appear.” and walked off chuckling. I was pink for at least half an hour. I had called my recently met, let me impress you with my Mass attendance and religious fervour, please Fr I’d like to become a Catholic Convert, Priest SATAN………….Well, you can laugh – in fact I can hear you laughing from here but let’s be honest, what a BLONDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is by God’s grace that I have recovered a little of my dignity and a really good job that Fr James has an excellent sense of humour – I’m sure it wasn’t an accident that God led me to his parish.
The other thing about Mass is my complete inability to find my way around the Missal. This is why Liz is my pew buddy, to prevent me driving the rest of the congregation totally insane with my constant page flicking – fondly known from this point on as the Missal Shuffle. Why is the service in so many different parts of the book? Oh and why are some bits not even IN THE BOOK?? I spend so long searching for the verse or prayer we’re actually reading that I usually get to it just as the rest of the congregation are on the last line leaving me with six words to say before the whole Missal Shuffle starts again. It’s just as well someone decided to throw a few hymns in there or I’d never catch up and by the time we reach the last hymn I’m usually suffering from severe chaffing of the finger tips. It proves to me why most people know it off by heart, not because they’re particulary studious but because the noise of all that page turning would drown out the Priest. There, I feel better now!!
Third part of my Catholic course last night and we discussed prayer which was very appropriate because Fr James blessed my rosary for me at the end which was just lovely. Good meeting, very productive and I found it very enlightening hearing other people’s prayer styles and approaches.
That’s me guys – I’m off to spend some time playing WOW with Simon.
Love to all who read.
Sharon xx
ps WOW is World of Warcraft for anyone who was worried it might be some covert name for something more erm……….dodgy!!!!
