You never know what’s around the corner!

Ever go for a walk in the countryside or in a new area, and say to yourself ‘I’ll just go a wee bit further and see what’s around the next corner’?  I’m sure we all have at times, and often it leads to the next corner and the next corner!

That of course is not so easy in our walk through life, and on reflection I am so glad that God has kept that hidden from us, for it means life’s pleasant surprises would lose something of their ‘wow’ and ‘joy’ factor, and conversely, we are prevented from worrying about those difficult chapters in life before their time, with which we all have to deal with at some point in life.

It was common at church when I was young for the leader of the service to say D.V. (‘Deo Volente’ – Latin, meaning God willing) after making the announcements for the following week, simply because none of us can be sure what a day holds, never mind another week, and of course Christians are looking for the return of Jesus Christ just as He promised, and ‘at such an hour as you think not’!

On 25 January every year here in Scotland we celebrate the poetic works of Robert Burns our National Bard, you’ll be familiar with his work – The song ‘Old Lang Syne’ and the poem ‘To a Mouse’ being amongst his most popular works. The latter of these two contains the line ‘‘The best laid schemes o’ mice and men gang aft aglee!’! How true! And the unexpected did happen for us just at the end of December last year. My wife tripped on the stairs with two hands full of shopping and fell, breaking her humerus bone on her right arm. That certainly was unexpected and put all our New Year plans on hold, and sent ‘yours truly’ into the kitchen to become chief cook and bottle washer!

We did however manage our own form of a ‘Burns Supper’ with the traditional meal of ‘tatties, neeps and haggis’ (potatoes, turnip and haggis) at home. Not quite cooked as we would normally but as a ready made meal from ‘Sainsbury’s Supermarket’. Family and friends have rallied round and we have been blessed by the kindness of so many since the accident.

Life at home in January 2022 😦

We have also managed a few short drives in the car, which has been great, and also a few wee walks on the beach or at the local park.

The new man in the kitchen has managed to introduce the growing of our own herbs (especially for the stir fry) and potted up some Spring flowers for his ‘better half’, as a surprise to bring a smile and some cheer. I’m glad to say she is slowly recovering. The greenhouse will just need to wait for a while this year, and all being well I can get started at the end of February.

REFLECTION:I As I consider this topic I find the words of this Christian song by Ira F Stanphil a great help:

I don’t know about tomorrow, I just live from day to day. I don’t borrow from its sunshine, for its skies may turn to gray. I don’t worry o’er the future, for I know what Jesus said, and today I’ll walk beside Him, for He knows what is ahead. Refrain: – Many things about tomorrow, I don’t seem to understand; but I know who holds tomorrow, and I know who holds my hand.

Once again we have been impressed with the service received from our National Health Service for which we are most grateful. Especially for the team of doctors and nurses and their care, compassion and competence. Visiting hospital always shows you that there are countless numbers of people worse off than yourself.

Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible. Matthew