…Last week good friends of ours became grand parents for the third and fourth time as premature twin sons were born to their daughter-in-law. The family and their friends are delighted that mother and babies are progressing, but prayer and patience are being exercised. There are things to do, but there’s an element of all ‘hanging in there’.
…Last night was the final episode of ‘Celebrity Traitors’. Five weeks in the castle reached a conclusion as the finalists faced an explosive mission, and completed the prize fund. The traitors had deceived and double crossed; the faithful had tried to outwit the traitors and remain faithful to themselves and each other. All attempted to hang in there as they determined the final outcome.
…Our local news featured 65-year-old Peter Longstaff from Marsham, Norfolk. Peter was born without arms after his mother, Brenda Longstaff, was prescribed thalidomide. Brenda encouraged Peter to use his feet. He taught himself to paint, gained art qualifications. One of Peter’s landscape paintings has been selected for the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists 2026 Christmas card collection.
…Reading ‘Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance’… Robert Pirsig describes how he enjoys the troubleshooting aspect of maintenance, but dislikes the routine cleaning of his motorcycle: ‘When cleaning I do it the way people go to church – not so much to discover anything new, although I’m alert for new things, but mainly to reacquaint myself with the familiar. It’s nice sometimes to go over familiar paths.’
…Re-reading the final chapters of John’s gospel this morning. …Jesus’ followers and friends, were experiencing disappointment, uncertainty, confusion, anxiety, anger as Jesus is arrested, crucified and buried. There are individual cameo-narratives of individuals – Mary Jesus’ mother, John, Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, Mary Magdalene, Thomas, Peter… Each has their own story; each hung in there through their doubt and despair to witness Jesus’ resurrection and retain their faith.
Hanging in there… In families… Remaining faithful… despite physical disability… doing routine tasks… attending church… with faith – through doubt and despair.
