24 December 2009 4 Comments

….. I managed to write Christmas cards (some) this year.

I even wrote a Christmas letter.

I actually like Christmas letters….. I don’t mind receiving them. One friend sends one that is a work of art- I really look forward to that one in particular.

The ones I don’t like come from planet smug- they are mercifully few. You know the ones- ‘Life has no problems thanks- we are all well and high acheiving; no doubts here (apart from the vexed question of whether to have a blue or a red aga in the kitchen).’

A blog is where you can do things you wouldn’t normally do in polite society- I’m going to quote myself. I will leave out all the stuff re: family, but this is what I wrote about where I’m at. I’m sticking it here, at least partly so I can think about it:-

‘I’ve just re read what I’ve written- it sounds smug; it is not meant to- like you, this year has been full of both light and shade- new friends made and some good ones moving away- some good experiences and some hard ones. I’m still a Methodist Minister and a Superintendent Minister (shared) – knowing more clearly what I enjoy and what I don’t. I really like living in a place where I can be part of a community and not just being inside a church looking out. I would hate to be in situation where I’m solely employed in driving a church and once I thought I would love that…that would kill me now. For the first time in my life I know more people who have no connection with church than do have a connection and that feels so good.

   Increasingly as I get older I have wilder and wilder dreams about mission and connection – some of which I am able, with others to try out; I’m really grateful for that. I still wonder what I will do when I get older.’

And I mean all of that; I don’t think I wrote it for effect….