Hope

 

Hello all. I hope you are well. I come to you today from Jigsaw Central. I realise that this statement doesn't have the resonance of  "This is Orla Guerin from the West Bank" but, this is, as the young royals say, "My Truth". I'm in the middle of a particularly stressful time at work, so I decided to do something creative in the evenings - because it's supposed to be good for you. I started off joining in with a project our ladies have started at church. This involved knitting little angels and giving them away in Foodbank parcels and other outreach bits and pieces. Just a little sign to bless them and give people the means to contact the church if they need to. 

Well, I gave it a go but this is as far as I got. One slightly mangled angel and one half-knitted one -  both of which have been thrown into the footstool in a bit of a temper because the twinkly wool was annoying and almost impossible to knit. They don't need me for this project - they have Knit and Natter ladies producing about three angels a night. 

So, I moved on to a jigsaw. I thought this was supposed to be relaxing! To be fair, I was trying to do it while watching Slow Horses. (Best programme on TV but quite tense) so I was a bit uptight but it seems like a lot of hard work so far. For full disclosure, I think the last time I did a jigsaw, each piece had a little handle on it to help you put it into the wooden hole so I can't claim to be an expert but blimey. However, everyone else is an expert. HOH keeps making "helpful" suggestions.

"Have you got all the straight bits out?"

"OBVIOUSLY YES!"

This is not strictly true - I seem to be one border bit missing which I am finding unreasonably annoying. Still, onward and upward eh?

We went out again this week to see Sarah Millican. I know she isn't everybody's cup of tea and I certainly wouldn't take my maiden aunt with me. Actually, I probably wouldn't take my maiden aunt's probation officer with me - no matter how much life she has seen. She's quite out there. But also kind, life-affirming and reassuring to ladies of a certain age/size. It was a good night considering it was a Friday and these days my well of energy is non-existent by about Wednesday evening. Just a word to her support act though - in the unlikely event that she is reading this. It will ALWAYS be too soon for an Anne Frank joke. ALWAYS. The air around me froze so hard you could probably have snapped it. 

We are hoping to go out this week as well. Much less controversial this time though. We are off to see Powell and Pressburger's "I Know Where I'm Going." One of my favourite films of all time. HOH has said he will come with me even though I don't think he can make head nor tail of it (it is a bit odd but in a good way). Anyway, I shall probably review it next week in a far too long and boring piece.

This is the first week of Advent  - see candle - not messing about here. Please ignore the plant from Doctor Who at the back. We ordered Paperwhites for Christmas - which I expected to be delicate and ethereal but they look like a permaculture experiment to feed a small country. The first week of Advent symbolises hope. At least I think it does. Coming from a non-conformist background, we didn't always pay attention to dates and things because it was considered a bit idolatrous (a bit - sometimes). Not like Jehovah's Witnesses or anything, obviously. Although I do remember at school,  watching them as they were allowed to leave assembly and thinking "Take me with you." Anything rather than watch another RE object lesson by Mr Hart who had apparently joined us from a different century. There was the memorable sprinkling of water from the school stage onto pupils (I can't remember why) or the time he played "Help" by the Beatles and followed it with the statement "And I think we can all agree with that." I am ashamed to say that, in those days, I very much hid my light under a bushel - actually several bushels if possible.  So, I wasn't always ready to give a reason for "the hope that was in me." And I wasn't always that hopeful either - what with one thing and another.

I don't suppose that, as the first Advent started, anyone was completely convinced or particularly understanding of what was happening. (possibly the Angels - I'll give you that). But things were stirring - hope was about to rise - and, although evidence was in short supply - weariness was on the way to becoming rejoicing. I for one am taking a lot of comfort in that at the moment.

The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. Hebrews 11

Have a good week.