Not Sinking

 

Hello All. I hope you are well. We are fine. I don't know what the weather is like where you are but here it is foggy - again. It's beginning to get a bit annoying. This is a photo from our apartment. Usually, you can see Cornwall in the distance. It's like the Sound of Music. You can see far enough to see Julie Andrews up and down those hills like nobody's business. I'm a bit sulky because I have to go in to work tomorrow (I don't usually work on Mondays) but, as this is because I am on leave for the second half of the week, I don't expect anyone to feel remotely sorry for me.

We are going on a day trip to Spain. Kind of. You set off on the ferry. Eat drink and snooze to your heart's delight. Then wander around Spain (not all of it obviously) for a few hours. Get back on the ferry. Repeat the eating, drinking and snoozing. Visit Duty-Free and return home. We live about 800 yards from the ferry terminal, so there is no mauling about with cars and parking. When I read that back, it looks like an odd thing to do but lots of people do it around here so we wanted to try. 

Everyone says that we should take a book because then you can sit by the pool, in the sun with a teeny-tiny drink and have a nice relax. I will be alright because I have just started an Anthony Horowitz "Whodunnit" which is excellent and doesn't need me to have a dictionary and a notebook next to me while I am reading. I have just given up (at least for now) on the Barbara Kingsolver book "Demon Copperhead". I am sure I am at fault here and the people who give out all the prizes are correct but it was doing my head in. It is a modern-day re-write of David Copperfield, set among the Appalachian Mountains and it is grim. It's meant to be obviously. The area is slap bang in the middle of the opioid addiction crisis, partly because of the levels of poverty and the story wants to reflect that. My problem (well one of them) is that I have never been that keen on Darles Chickens (copyright The Muppets Christmas Carol). Over the years I have tried to like him and I understand that he was an important social commentator. He just didn't seem like a particularly decent bloke - especially to his wife and it puts me off. I understand that no one is perfect but I find his work a bit judgy for someone who lived the life that he did. I'm sorry. I'm sure it's my fault. It could be worse. HOH is just in the middle of Jonathan Freedland's The Escape Artist. It's a true story about a man who escaped from Auschwitz specifically to warn the world about what was going on there and no one believed him. I wouldn't have thought that was beside the pool reading either. He's thinking of taking a nice Ian Rankin instead. Lots of killing but not on such an industrial scale. 

Is it my age or my life but I seem to have less patience or concentration for so-called "literary fiction" at the moment? (For literary fiction read difficult). I really like a book that either comforts me or washes over me. Anyone else like that? I may just be tired or watched too many documentaries about the current state of the world.

The second thing that bothers me about this trip is that I am not that great on the water. I don't get sick or anything. I just don't love it. This time we will be in the Bay of Biscay which makes everyone make a sort of Dame Edna Everage face whenever we mention it. So it was extra hilarious this morning when the sermon was on Jesus rescuing Peter from the stormy ocean. 

Jesus was quick to comfort them. “Courage, it’s me. Don’t be afraid.” 

Peter, suddenly bold, said, “Master, if it’s really you, call me to come to you on the water." 

He said, “Come ahead." 

Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, 

“Master, save me!" Jesus didn’t hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand. Then he said, “Faint heart, what got into you?”

There are a few things I have learned from this passage. Firstly, when you get out of a boat into a storm you will sink like a stone. (Unless there is something going on with the Son of God obviously). 

Also, and probably more helpfully, the personality of Jesus shines through here. When Peter gets into his head the frankly outrageous idea that he would like to walk on water, Jesus is encouraging and gives him his head to explore the depths of his faith. And when, like the rest of us (ok I can only speak for me) Peter discovers that he wasn't quite the mighty man of God that he thought he was, Jesus is sympathetic and tells him that he needs to believe in him a bit more.

Also, I was struck by the immediacy of his response. Twice in this short passage, it talks about Jesus being quick to comfort, sympathise or grab a hand. Sometimes, it doesn't always feel like it but it's obviously not always about we feel. It just is true that Jesus hears - immediately - and is immediately invested, involved and ready to comfort. That's good to know. Now it is up to me to heart believe it and take it on for me. 

Have a great week.