Life’s Not Always That Simple…

Tuesday’s Eastern Daily Press:

‘PCs Joe Pike and Richard Bladon… were called to the rescue of a big black piggy munching its way through gardens in the Southtown area of Yarmouth.

It seemed a bit harsh to arrest the pig for criminal damage, so after being unable to find its owner, our friends at Hillside Animal Sanctuary kindly took him into their care before he turned to bacon in the heat.’

Criminal damage? Neglectful pig-owners? Crimes and court cases? Random stuff that happens?

Life’s not always that simple.

Conversation with Esther about parenting:

Esther’s delightful daughters… if they stay delightful as that because of good parenting. Or perhaps it’s because they and their parents have a Christian faith? If bad things happen to them is it due to the influence of friends? Or have they made bad choices – so they’re responsible? Is Lowestoft a wicked place or does some stuff just happen.

Life’s not always that simple.

Reading Ezekiel:

Ezekiel’s one of the strangest books in the Bible. This morning I read of lionesses, eagles, vines, rivers, prostitutes… Musing on ‘Put your rebellion behind you, and find yourself a new heart and a new spirit… I don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign Lord. Turn back and live’ (18:31-32)

There’s bits about the influence of others, opportunities for good and bad change, the influence of God, personal accountability, life and death…

Life’s not always that simple.

Watching Waitress:

Yesterday we went to Norwich and saw the excellent musical ‘Waitress’… Jenna’s a waitress and talented pie cook in an American diner, with big dreams… but big challenges… a  violently abusive husband, an unwanted pregnancy, an affair with a married gynaecologist.

There’s painful honesty, guilty passion, touching emotion… Jenna’s vulnerable, kind, sad, gentle, bawdy… a victim who makes mistakes, takes responsibility… loyal to friends who support her and are supported by her.

I recognise the characters in Waitress… they’re like people I know… because

Life’s not always that simple.