Stephen…Johnny, Eugene & Jimmy

Yesterday, in our last church service of 2024, Stephen reflected on our past, future and present…

Past… Yesterday’s TV films included Dirty Dancing that ends with reconciliation, resolution, and the final song:

Now, I’ve had the time of my life
No, I never felt like this before
Yes, I swear, it’s the truth
And I owe it all to you.

They look back… ‘Baby’ has grown up, Johnny’s a better person, Baby’s dad is more understanding… They’ve influenced each other and all changed for the better.

Looking back on 2024… ‘time of my life’ times… the ‘I owe it all to you’ people… the ‘I owe it all to you’ God.

Future… In my new diary and our family calendar we’re mapping out 2025. At work, with plans, targets and goals, we were told ‘If you’re failing to plan you’re planning to fail.’

In ‘A Burning in my Bones’ Eugene Peterson uses the picture of ‘the dog following its nose without any clear direction…’

‘His life and work (was) more like tracing a scent than following a map. Discovery, not direction… Eugene… never truly mapped out his future, never tried to lay some ordered path towards a career goal… The whole meandering journey had been a dog sniffing the wind…’

I’m challenged to get better at tracing a scent.

Present… Last night we heard of Jimmy Carter’s death. I recall… his humble beginnings as a peanut farmer… his US presidency… his work for peace, the environment and human rights…

Carter said: ‘I have one life and one chance to make it count for something… my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference.’

Yesterday Stephen reminded us of St Paul’s words: ‘Stand firm in the Lord’. I think Jimmy Carter knew something of this determined consistency. I pray that in my ‘one chance’ of today I will too.