A scarlet thread

(image from blbclassic.org)

This morning, I preached on the story of Rahab from the book of Joshua, the scarlet woman of Jericho, named in the genealogy of Christ.  Whilst I preached, I had a group of children making a paper chain, and on each chain was a name from the genealogy: it perfectly illustrated how each and every one of us has a place in God's plan.  The story also lends itself to a lesson on forgiveness and faith.  I was so overcome this morning by the reaction of the congregation, where one man came to me with tears brimming in his eyes, and told me how much the service had meant to him.  I was almost in tears with him, in awe at how God would use me to speak to this lovely older gentleman.  God is good.

This afternoon, I spent time with some older ladies from our own church in the village, as we [wo]manned the stall at the village Christmas Bazaar.  We had lots of lovely cakes to sell, and raised about £60 for the church as well as having a good old natter!

The girls were taken out today by UJ to my cousin's house in Lincolnshire.  She and her husband and parents were all there, and they had a lovely lunch together, before my cousin, her husband and my aunt took the girls to an outlet shopping centre.  The girls are not big spenders [wonder where they get that from?!] and each bought only one item - the EFG bought herself a science book, and the YFG bought me a Christmas present!  Very kind of her - dying to know what it is!!

All in all, the FH has had a quiet day.  He spent most of it in bed, reading, watching tv and sleeping.  He woke me at 3am saying he was unable to get to sleep and could he have a sleeping pill!  So I gave him one, but I think it made him rather dozy for the rest of the day.  He got up when we all came home around 5pm, but has been more active since he has been up, and has even done the washing up tonight for the first time in ages.  The cough is reducing and the pain in his chest has gone: tomorrow is the last day of taking the antibiotics, so we all have our fingers crossed that they will have cleared the infection out.

My dad has phoned up this evening, from Wales, where he is on a weekend coach trip with his partner and her cousins.  The four of them range in age from 74 to 88 so they are all sympathetic to each other's limitations, and apparently Dad has been sitting in a cafe with the older lady of 88 whilst Dad's partner and her relatively younger cousin went for a walk along the sea front in Aberystwyth.  He will be home again tomorrow.  We won't see them actually at Christmas but we will be planning to invite them over for a meal at some point in the festivities.

I hope you have all had a relaxing weekend.  I'm coming round to catch up on your blogs tomorrow xx