This coming weekend we see the beginning of a new month, so that means that over 8% of the year has already gone; what have you achieved so far in this New Year? Some people try and make plans for the whole year; time off work, holidays, perhaps even weddings and baptisms, and then everything else has to work around those plans. What we cannot always foresee are all the other things that might impinge on our lives as we move through the year; all the other obstacles and surprises. Last Saturday was “Burns Night” and there is the phrase from Robert Burns’ poem “To a Mouse”, where he writes “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men Gang aft a-gley” which translates to “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry”; how true is that saying?
Different people cope in different ways when facing the unexpected: some people go into their shell, while other people see these times as opportunities and use them to move forward, perhaps using them to make progress in their lives and to change their way of living. I visit a lot of people in the course of my calling as a priest and as I seek to serve the surrounding communities. Many people in times of desperation turn to prayer as a way of seeking an end to their suffering, as well as trying to find solace in their deepest depths. Prayer is a great healer and can bring comfort in the most desperate of situations. Prayer is also a time when we can give thanks for the good things and in times of celebration. Why not give it a go, whether you are experiencing dark times or good times!
May you discover God’s love and blessings through prayer!
Revd Graham
