Jesus calms a storm...

They say seven days is a long time in politics. Well, ditto for a church. This last week's had everything. First I had the tranquil retreat with 6 other souls-in-need-of-a-rest, 24 hours of 'deep massage' for the spirit, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I met some good people who were majorly encouraging. We shared joys and sorrows, dreams and frustrations, we prayed together, ate together, talked, laughed, sang, even had a memorable boys v. girls 'pub quiz.'(Boys were victorious!).

I received the best piece of advice I've heard in a while; if you're reading a book that you're really not enjoying, there is no law that says you must finish it. No-one's keeping score. How liberating).

I read about Naaman and how he received God's shalom before he went back to serve the king of Aram in the temple of Rimmon. He received the blessing of God even though some of the things he had to do related to his job were compromising his belief in the one true God. How liberating. I wanted some of that shalom.

So from that I returned feeling strengthened and soothed, ready for a busy week ahead. Within 24 hours I was involved in a deeply troubling and complex pastoral situation. Every now and again you come across a situation which seems to have no quick-fix or even long-term fix. This was one of those. A real mess. Yet in the midst of the chaos of people's lives, I sensed the shalom.

The weekend was looming large by now with two busy church services to prepare for and co-ordinate. As two of our own kids were being baptised we also had a load of family descending on us so I needed to be ultra organised, and well on top of things. I'm not normally a panicker but this schedule would have made me tense normally. Not this time. Shalom again.

And yesterday, in the midst of my busiest Sunday so far this year, not a skipped heartbeat, not a hint of a sore head, just a happy tiredness at the end of the day borne of contentedness at the way the day had gone. God was there in it all.

Shalom.