The Third Crossing

There are two ways to cross Lake Lothing in Lowestoft: either by the Bascule Bridge to the east of the town, or the Mutford Lock Bridge to the west.

After many years of discussion, promises and good intentions a third crossing is finally being built. The Gull Wing Bridge is due to be completed and open in 2023….

There have been two alternatives; soon there will be a third.

Daughter Jo and family are having a new bathroom fitted. After discussion, promises and good intentions it’s finally happening. Hopefully it will be completed before 2023 and will cost a little less than the £150m Gull Wing…

This has brought an ablutionary challenge… Their shower is not operational. The family had two options: stay smelly and dirty or come round to our house for a shower.

Son-in-law Allan, in his inimitable Brazilian style, found a third alternative involving buckets of water, curtains and their garden…

Only two alternatives? A third is discovered! Only black or white? There’s an alternative shade of grey…

Musing… examples in the Bible narrative…

Nebuchadnezzar built a huge statue saying: ‘Bow down to this statue or you will be thrown into a furnace.’ Two alternatives – bow or burn. Three friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who believed in their Jewish God, refused to bow to the statue and were thrown into the furnace.

Nebuchadnezzar sees that he furnace hasn’t killed them. The three friends walk out unharmed. Bow or burn? They discovered a third alternative – ‘believe’. Their God protected them…

Jesus is with his disciples in a boat. A storm comes. The disciples see two alternatives: either the storm stops or they panic and drown. Jesus presents a third alternative: you can know peace in a continuing storm.

This third alternative is still good. I think: either take away my storm or it will destroy me. Jesus presents a third alternative: I can have peace in my continuing storm.