The Truth will set you Free

The Church service at Christ Church did  not come online today so I went to Church at Flackwell Heath, Buckinghamshire in Oxford Diocese.  Wonderful singing with several of my favourite songs but the theme running through the prayers and the sermon was "The truth will set you free." I simply love that expression. It is beautiful. My roots are deep in the Church of England, called Anglican in Canada primarily. I would say my grandfather's Blake line were reluctant to be no longer Roman Catholic but accepted that they had to be Church of England because Queen Elizabeth was their valid Queen so they believed and so they practised. But there was a lot of catholicism in my grandfather. The priest who taught them at school was likely very High Church as it is called when one is more Catholic than Protestant. 

My first day without the dogs. I woke up first always and waited for them to arouse at their own pace which was generally about one hour after I woke up which meant I had my exercises all done and was ready for the onslaught of opening the door of the bedroom where they were sleeping. It was a quick hello and down the stairs and running around to enjoy the new day in this house. They missed their family but they enjoyed their time with me. They quickly forget that I have said no (generally in a loud voice) and come over for a hug and then back to playing and sleeping. Dogs sleep a lot. 

When I was young we had a dog and it was my strongest companion - Normie recognized that I did not see well and would track me about as a toddler bringing me back from my wandering by tugging at my dress and pulling me along. I have no memory of Normie as he was put down when I was just three years of age - the shock to my system must have been enormous. I looked for him for ages but he was gone and then we moved and everything that I knew well was gone and perhaps that was when the memory of Normie also disappeared. I do not remember the feel of his fur or riding on his back (I was the only one he allowed to do that) or the lick of his tongue. He was a full sized Collie and greatly loved by the family. He was a very tame dog and extremely good with children but a child came to play at our house (my age apparently so one does wonder why a two to three year old is wandering about a neighbourhood going to houses) and she apparently hit me which was a mistake. The dog did not actually hurt her but he pinched her and left a tiny mark apparently but Normie was put down; my parents (with five children) did not want to have a dog that was untrustworthy - sad really. 

What does that have to do with truth will set you free? Absolutely nothing but for some reason a few things came back to me as I listened to the Sermon. Talking about leaving everything and following Jesus was also the theme and probably the one that I was supposed to be hearing. It reminded me of leaving London when my husband took a job in Ottawa and I followed him. We had two vehicles and literally he drove one and I followed him in the other with our not yet one year old. We were also taking her away from everything she knew especially her grandparents who loved her dearly. Now I am one of seven and at this point in time my parents had three grandchildren (12, 8 and 7) and she ended up being the only baby for another eight years when my youngest was born. So she was the center of any party or any event in the family. She was alive by the grace of God because my first pregnancy was a miscarriage at four months - a sad event in my life and I still miss that child but now with God I am sure wrapped tightly in His arms. I changed jobs so that I was not on my feet and was blessed with my daughter just a couple of years later. Another miscarriage when my daughter was two and it was a result of me simply being not strong enough to carry a baby at this point. I did wonder if I ever would carry another child.  Then a surprise just when I was going back to do my Masters but I chose staying home and proofreading/copyediting for first the government and then private printers when my job was cut from the Public Service by the Conservative government for whom I had voted but I was unemployed for about one day I think! It didn't alter my voting habits.

My husband was a very distinct person with a very distinct personality and my eldest grandson is his walking image - he looks like him; he has many of his characteristics and habits and sometimes he says things which was exactly the way Edward used to say it. Sadly he was only eight when his grandfather died and it was a sad day for everyone but especially I think for my eldest grandson as they were just getting to that point of sharing thoughts and ideas. Edward would have been a perfect grandfather for his grandsons and it is sad, to me still, that life did not support his continuing but he will always be alive in our minds. My youngest grandson still talks about his grandpa Edward asking me questions about when he was born, things he did as he too remembers his grandpa very well. So the truth that was coming through my mind was the regret I still feel deep in my soul that their grandpa Edward isn't still here with them. I still have all of his school work that he saved (myself I threw it all out when I got married!). I hated school although I absolutely love learning. If I could have learned online I would have been so overjoyed to be honest. Going to Church online, although it is not the concept that Jesus designed, is also a wonderful event in my life. 

Must get my running in. I am slowly working my way back up to thirty minutes a day with a twenty minute walk. Whenever I am ill I take it backwards even halfway or more so that I do not put undue strain on a system that buckled so many years ago in my late 20s. I just think it is wise to take it easy as you work your way back into an exercise routine. 

Prayers for the souls all those who died in the glacial flooding in Nepal and Tibet and prayers that many more will be rescued. Back to watching the news again for a bit. Not that I am uninterested but I can do nothing about the events of the world except live through them like everybody else.