Message from Joanne

When Christmas and New Year fall on a weekend, I find it hard to keep track of what day of the week it is half of the time. As the month of January kicks in, it is sometimes hard to get back to a routine; taking the decorations down and packing them away for next year is all part of the process. I have ventured up into the loft for the first time since I moved to Kingsley Road to use it for storage, making a bit more room for me to set up my model railway in due course.

I spent Christmas with Alison and Sarah which was an improvement on the Christmas before last. After dinner on Christmas day, I visited Dad in the Archer Unit, of Bedford Hospital to give him his presents. Each patient received a small gift from the hospital charity which was a kind gesture. According to Dad, the Christmas dinner was not quite up to scratch but at least they had made the effort to create some Christmas spirit.

Alison has received the good news that she is clear from cancer after her annual scan in December which is great. Dad’s rehabilitation is rather slow, added to which he has tested positive for covid, although he is not unwell, thank goodness. However, the ward has been closed to visitors for the time being.

On the wildlife front, I spotted a Little Egret on the river Lea at Limbury, which I was pleased about. It seemed an unlikely spot for him/her to be, but it obviously didn’t mind people passing by. I’m getting ready for the Big Garden Birdwatch at the end of the month, let’s hope I have more than one bird visit my garden this time around.

The Wise Men persevered in seeking the Christ Child despite the difficulties on the way. At the beginning of their journey, they weren’t sure what or whom they were looking for, but they trusted their observations of the night sky and knew that they were being led to an extraordinary event that could have life changing implications.

Looking ahead they would have known the pitfalls of embarking on such a journey, but God’s inner prompting compelled them to leave their familiar home country in pursuit of a new meaning and purpose to their lives. Hope was their companion, as they arrived in Jerusalem and were redirected to Bethlehem having been granted an audience with Herod the Great. Their motives remained pure and very soon they realised that Herod had a very different perspective on the whole new-born king gig.

At the beginning of a New Year, it is like stepping into the unknown, we can try and make plans for ourselves, some of which might occur or not. We cannot know what lies around the corner for any of us. One thing is for certain though, we do not travel alone, we have each other as members of the church family and ultimately, we have the Lord Jesus, our constant companion who walks by our side.
May 2022 be a year filled with hope and peace for each one of us.

Reverend Joanne