HOW TO SAVE A LIFE

This Lifeguard's base is only open during the summer season. The hut is there all year though. During the summer the flags a put out daily. Swimmers know that the area between the flags is being monitored by the lifeguards and help will come if they get into difficulty in the sea. The flags however are quite close together, so it makes me wonder if lifeguards would rescue someone that was outside of the designated area. I suspect they would, but there is no obligation on the lifeguards to help if that is the case. God has no designated area He is always there to help when called upon.

PLEASE ENTER YOUR PIN

How often do you go shopping? We go several times a week, often paying by card. In order for our goods to be paid for we have to enter our PIN number. If we get a digit wrong the machine says no. Sometimes these machines say no for no good reason. Sometimes they run very slowly and it feels as though it would be quicker to go to the bank, withdraw the cash, go back and pay. Our heavenly account will not decline :- As long as we remember our PIN we are blessed. Our PIN is the same for everybody and is no secret for us. What is the PIN? Simple it's JESUS.

COLOUR MY WORLD

Bill and I both love bright colours. Our home is full of them, from the walls to our furniture, and art work. We love their vibrancy and brightness. People too can be full of vibrancy, energy and brightness, and such people bring joy to others. These are the sort of people that remind us of the commandment from God to be a light in the world to be a Christ light.

FAREWELL

This morning I have been to a funeral of my dear friend Pete. He had been ill for some time. While I feel sad for myself knowing I can't see him, talk to him, or share a joke over a pint anymore. I am also happy, as he is now free from pain, and as a Christian I know he has been called home. This is one promise from Jesus:- we who believe in Him will have eternal life.

DING DONG MERRILY

Look who came to Leicester today:- the wonderful Turk family! They are in the city for a bell ringing competition. Usually I only see them in Sutton on Sea as we are all regular members of the beach mission team. What a blessing it is to be able to see them today and share a small part of their life outside of the Beach Mission. Praise God for his blessing of all us being part of his family in Christ.

YOU CAN'T SEE THE DOG FOR THE TREES

Ginny joined our family as a young adult dog. She had had very little training. This meant that I had to start with the very basic instructions:- sit, wait, stay, and come. One of the ways I used to teach her to obey me was to play hide and seek. I hide behind a tree or bush and call her. When she comes she gets a reward. She loved this and we still play on a daily basis. Now she sometimes goes and hides and barks for me to find her. For this game to work we both need to recognise each others voices. The same applies for my relationship with God. I need to be alert for the sound of His voice and be ready to obey Him when He calls me.

WAITING

Today I am visiting the dentist. I have to have some deep cleaning treatment. The first time I had this done it was uneventful. Last time my face became very swollen and bruised. It is not without some trepidation that I'm waiting to be invited in. As I sit I pray not a prayer as such but waiting on God. Being in His presence is the best thing I can do here, he calms me and soothes my jangled nerves.

PICKNMIX

These old fashioned sweets will bring back many memories for some people. When I was growing up the shop near us used to let children pick a selection of sweets and put them in a paper bag. Seeing these on Leicester market all in bags of the same variety made me think of how times have changed. All seems to be uniformity no more picknmix. No more individuality even in your choice of confectionery - they seemed to be calling out to me. How glad I am that God loves our individuality, and gives us the choice to picknmix even in the way we worship. How wonderful it is to have such a great big God that he allows us to meet him in so many diverse ways. These different ways enable us to get to know Him in way that is unique to each and every one of us.

HEAD GEAR

I love hats! They really finish off an outfit, and look stylish or quirky. Sometimes I think about the phrase wearing too many hats. This is when we are overstretching ourselves. Trying to do too much. This can cause real problems especially at busy times, a lot of people get ill around or just after Christmas because of the extra work, stress and play. Some people try to do too much all of the time and often end up sick as a result of this. When I feel stretched beyond my limits I thank God that He can take the strain for me. He can never wear too many hats.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

One of the great joys of my life is watching the seasons change. The blossom on the tree and these daffodils remind me that spring is about. The weather will start to get warmer, and the days are becoming longer. The dark cold winter is nearly over. Trees that seemed dead are coming into bud and blossom. Flowers have sprung up from bare earth. This reminds of me of the resurrection of Jesus and how he sprung back to life after three dark days.

CLINGING TO LIFE

Rocks are not generally places where we expect to find wildlife . Yes they are useful for building, but not generally able to support life on their own. This rock however provides a habitat for hundreds of Barnacles. They thrive where other life forms would perish. They cling to this rock and rely on the tide to provide the marine conditions they need to live and reproduce. However unlikely and difficult it gets:-this little colony of Barnacles survives. This reminds me that God can make the unlikely happen.He can even make miracles.

APPEARANCES

This is the fountain in the Town Hall Square Leicester. I often pass it on my way to and from the Library. The lions look like they're made of bronze. the reality is that they're made out of cast iron, which is painted to look like burnished bronze. This illusion makes the lions appear to be shining and somewhat spectacular. This could be seen to be deceptive, rather than just a nice decorative feature. It does show us that nice things aren't always what they seem. I'm glad that God is always exactly what he appears to be awesome.

IS IGNORANCE BLISS?

Out walking today I noticed this crow. I'm rather fond of them, indeed I have a soft spot for the whole corbid family. Sadly in our society these birds are often vilified, and many superstitions are made surrounding them. However these birds are very intelligent. They can make tools, work out puzzles and make very intricate and strong nests. People don't see this, they are hunted and shot for being thieves and vermin. This stems from ignorance, maybe if people made an effort to really get to know these creatures they would see them in a different light. How often do we judge people in the same way? Thank God He doesn't have our prejudices, I pray that I can be more like Him and not allow ignorance to cloud my thinking and actions towards people or animals.

WHAT'S YOUR EMERGENCY

This fire hydrant is in the formal garden in my local park. It seems a bit of a strange place to have one as there are no buildings close by and a river runs through the middle of the park. Somehow though it seems right to have it there. It is comforting to know that in a fire emergency the firefighters have easy access to water. A fire could cause danger to life and water should be nearby.. This reminds me that God is with me, even in unlikely places, ready to save me from danger.

WHATSANAME

These boats are working on the maintenance on a canal lock at Birstall, near Leicester . They can carry workers, plant and materials, such as diggers and scaffolding. Each one has a name painted on the side. It got me thinking how rarely this happens. There is the exception of Eddie Stobart Lorries. Freight transport is not usually named. Cranes, diggers and road rollers are the same. I remember when trains were named. This was, in my opinion, a charming tradition. It showed that the people who made them cared about their work and were proud of the final product. This in turn leads me to be thankful that God cares about the world he has created and how he got Adam to name the animals:- His way of entrusting the care of His creation to us. I wonder how proud He is of the way we are looking after it now?

PUDDLES!

After a period of heavy rain, puddles are everywhere. This can be great fun for splashing in or floating boats on it when they are big enough. They can also be hazardous if they are deep and we fall into them. Caution is needed when we encounter them on our journeys. Puddles are a source of excitement because they can be both fun and dangerous. God illicits the same response. Being with Him is great fun, but we must remember that He is great and is all powerful. He can be dangerous, as he has demonstrated many times in the Bible. We do well to remember this, as one day we will all have to face him and give an account of ourselves.

LOCKED OUT

Essential maintenance work is happening at Birstall lock. The gates have been removed. A temporary foot bridge has been installed for pedestrians and cyclists. Boats aren't so lucky. They can't travel from Leicester to the marina or indeed anywhere in that area. It must be a nuisance for the people who like to use that route. How glad I am that God doesn't have to close down for essential maintenance and he is always with us.

GOING POSTAL

This morning I went to collect a parcel from the Royal Mail Depot. It was early, and the vans were just starting to go out to take letters and parcels across the city. I wondered how many would not get delivered because there was no one in to sign for them? If that happened would they, like me, have to come to the depot to collect them. This prompted me to think how great it is that when I want to send spiritual letters to our Lord he is always in to take delivery of my prayers.

IN THE DISTANCE

What do you need for a successful journey? The main thing is to actually arrive. These days it's fairly easy to travel in this country. The roads are lit. There are many signs along the way. Modern technology will work out a route for you and guide you along. Distance is no object.However we do however need to see where we're going. Sometimes we need help to do that.Spectacles can help, like with the glasses in the case in the photo. Our spiritual journeys are the same. We sometimes get a bit lost, or the darkness overcomes us. Then we need our spiritual glasses. These could come in the form of a friend or leader, from the Bible or an answer to prayer. Whatever form my spiritual glasses take, I always remember to thank God for his clear vision for me.

STAGE MANAGED

We love going to the theatre. The music, the atmosphere, and the excitement all make for a great experience. In what is arguably his most famous poem, Shakespeare wrote:- "All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts," This has some truth to it we are many things. I am a wife, a mother, a dog owner, friend, sister, neighbour, and many more things. These are all tangible and as concepts easy to understand. Some things, though, are not as easy to explain. For example I have been described as a "safe place", a "listener" and even, by one friend going through an horrendous time as, a "great guard dog". I don't know how true they are really. I just do what I do. Do I put on an act or a show? Well yes, at times I do. I often keep quiet and nod when I feel like telling someone they're behaving like an idiot, or that things are fine when they're not. God sees through the act and will make sure I get to where he needs me to go and do what he needs me to do. Sometimes in ways that are surprising and often funny. Sometimes it can be very dramatic and I feel as though I have been turned inside out. What I do know is that life with the Holy Spirit guiding is always exciting. Photo small community performance stage in the foyer at The Curve Leicester

Beauty is ......

Today I took my dog Zelda for a [fur do] groom. Is that necessary? Can you do it yourself? Why bother? All of these questions have been asked over the years. The answer is simple. Grooming is essential to keep her coat in good condition. Also to enable her to move freely. She is double coated and gets a lot of snags and knots matting in her fur. Some people do groom their own dogs. I groom both of my dogs daily. However Zelda does require a professional groom every two months. Some dogs have been diagnosed with medical conditions such as arthritis because the fur matting have been so great that the dog can't move it's legs properly and has difficulty walking. In these cases a professional groom would sort out the problem. Obviously this only works in these cases and some dogs really do get arthritis. God gave me the responsibility of looking after Zelda. He expects me to love and care for her as he loves and cares for me. This means going above and beyond just feeding her. It means making sacrifices with my time and money to be with her, and to ensure that she is happy and healthy. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for us he died to ensure that we can be eternally happy and healthy. (thanks to Nic Reynolds from May Contain Mutts for letting me photograph her at work today).

HYDRO POWER

Looking at the beach today I think about how easy it is to believe in a God of creation. The vastness of the sea, and the power of waves as they crash onto the beach all make me feel very close to creation. In a few hours I will be back in the city, where it is more challenging to feel a part of God's creation. I pray that in the hustle and bustle of city life I will always take time to find the beauty in all of the things that He has put on Earth.

CARAVAN

Sutton on Sea Scripture Union Beach Mission has been an important part of our lives for a long time. For many years we came here with our tent and stayed for two glorious weeks. Recently it has become more difficult to pitch a tent in this area. We realised that we may end up camping at a site too far out from the Beach Mission. We reluctantly decided to retire our tent and buy a caravan. What a blessing it has turned out to be. The result of this change is that we are spending more time in Sutton! We have made many friends in all local churches where we know that we are always welcome. Now we feel sad when we close up for the winter. So our sadness has turned to joy! God is great!

ACUTE ANGLE

Today I'm back in my beloved Sutton on Sea for a few days. It's great to be among my friends who are fortunate enough to live here. One reason for arriving today is that I am able to celebrate Women's World Day of Prayer at St Clements. The tower here leans at a sharp angle. It makes me think of Jesus telling his disciples that nothing made by humans is permanent. I am reminded to take every opportunity to take time to meet people where they are as they may not be there tomorrow. This in turn prompts me to praise God for His permanent presence in my life.

FIT US FOR HEAVEN

Some of you will know that I have a back injury. In order to try and live as normal a life as possible I go to the gym. Many people at the gym don't know that I have any physical difficulties as I train hard within my limits. One item of equipment that I really struggle with is the Captains Chair. It has become my nemesis, but I will not be beaten by it. Every day I climb on and do as many repetitions as I can. On a good day I can exceed ten but usually it's only about eight. I know that physically I'm much stronger than I was five years ago. I can achieve things now that I never thought would be possible for me to do again. It would be easy now for me to take all the credit for my achievements, but the reality is that without the help and encouragement from the fitness team at the gym I would not have been able to do half as much as I can. They monitor what I do and soon tell me to stop if they think I could injure myself. They help me to correct any bad habits and improve poor technique. They help me in classes and suggest modifications for me if I can't do an exercise. My journey to salvation is the same:- I train hard, I read my bible and pray daily. I try to live a sinless life, but often I fail at some point. Like on the Captains chair I fall short. When I do Jesus becomes my fitness team. He loves me. I know this as he shows me in so many ways. He is my help with my struggles to salvation every day. (Many thanks to Carl Jenkins from Nuffield Health and Well being Gym Leicester for taking this photo during today's class).

ARE YOU SITTING UNCOMFORTABLY?

Have you ever had to sit for too long a time on a very uncomfortable chair? If not, you won't know the searing burning sensation along your spine. If it's really bad you may feel as though you'll never feel normal again. Sometimes life is like that. When nothing is going right and you can't see an end to a bad situation. It's times like this when we need a spiritual pain killer. When we give our pain to God we can feel better. Instantly. Praise the Lord for He is good.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR GOING TO?

This is a wet cold day on one of the main arterial roads into the city centre. It's lunchtime and I'm keen to get home. As I walk I find myself wondering where are all these people going to? What is the purpose of their journeys? Some people notice me taking photos and wave. Others are oblivious to my presence. Many times I have also been oblivious to where I'm going on a journey [as I am not driving]. God however knows what I need to do and always gets me their safely, even If he's had to drag me there kicking and screaming. What I do know is life is more exciting when God is in control.