Plan, Cost, Benefit!

Yesterday’s Lowestoft Journal told of a seafront restaurant with an interesting plan. It’s introduced a ‘phone jail’ for guests to lock away their smartphones while they enjoy their meal.

There’s a cost: Danielle High, restaurant owner, offered a 5pc discount for guests who surrender their phones – so she’s losing income; phone-dependent customers are having to manage without them.

Ms High is quoted: ‘It’s been successful… we introduced it to encourage people to become more mindful and present.’ Customers benefit too – cheaper meals, better company.

Last night we watched our friend Thom, as Dame Cherie, presenting his Christmas cabaret… comedy, music, magic, drama, audience participation, good traditional Christmas entertainment.

Thom and company have been planning, writing and rehearsing for months. It’s cost them time, creative energy, patient effort: and of course we had to pay for our tickets…

The benefit is expressed on Facebook:

Beverley: ‘Went to see this show tonight and it was absolutely brilliant’

Angela: ‘Absolutely amazing show!’

Stuart: ‘We watched the show last night. Hilarious… laughed all the way through. Great to see at local theatre.’

We planned the enhancement of our conservatory in the summer; our local contractor planned to make our ideas possible.

There has been cost: there have been weeks of mess and disruption caused by builders, plasterers and electricians. We got messy doing the decorating… and yesterday the bill arrived.

But it’s finally finished. It looks good, and it’s ready to be enjoyed with family and friends over Christmas.

The advent story is about God’s plan foretold in Isaiah’s ancient prophecy: ‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’

Isaiah also writes about the cost.: ‘He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.’

The benefit is expressed in the familiar carol: ‘Where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in.’