NSB News

The strangeness of being ill

Being ill is strange.

 

Obviously, everyone’s ill from time to time. We all get headaches and coughs and colds. We all have good days and bad days. That’s all normal; but I’d almost forgotten what it was like to be properly ill. That’s where it gets strange. Being so ill that I couldn’t think, finding that much of what was happening would not lodge in my memory, being unable to stay awake… that was strange.

 

The worst part was that I even found it hard to pray. The constant chatter between my Heavenly Father and me is an important feature of my everyday life. I don’t know how I’d get by without that whisper in my ear, telling me to do this, do that now, go there. I can’t imagine not having Him there, ready to share everything with me.

 

For a while, I wondered what I’d done wrong. It was like living in a fog. I knew God was there but I couldn’t feel Him. I knew I had things to tell Him but I couldn’t work out how to say them. I loved it when a visitor came to see me and then, after we’d chatted for a while, she suggested that she pray for me. The next day, another visitor came. Again, she suggested that she pray for me. They did what I could not. And gradually, the fog cleared.

 

Then, I remembered about Ian.

 

Ian Collins had been the Association Minister (a Baptist Bishop really) for our region and

Yorkshire

a few years ago. He had arranged to come to visit our church and lead a Sunday morning service. Then, he was overtaken by a severe form of cancer. He had to cancel all his appointments, so he didn’t come to us that day. Nevertheless, with the help of chemotherapy, he gradually turned round and was able to pick up on some of his responsibilities again.

 

As we had been the first one to be cancelled, we were the first that he visited then. He shared with us all what it had been like to be so ill that he couldn’t feel God and couldn’t pray. He recalled one of the darkest days, when no-one knew whether he would live or die, and two of his greatest friends came up to see him. One was a fellow minister, the other the General Secretary of the Baptist Union at that time. They had come to pray with him. Ian remembered that as a precious time, when they did for him what he could not do for himself.

 

I was never nearly as ill as Ian, nor for as long, but it has given me a greater insight into our humanity. We are not just physical bodies. We are both physical and spiritual beings, with the various parts intricately entwined together. Physically, I have recovered now. Spiritually, maybe I can see more clearly than before. Certainly, it’s good to be back in active service once again.

 

All praise to our Lord and God, for His healing power, body, mind and soul!

 

Liz Edwards

 

 

PS Thank you for your prayers. I don’t know where I’d be now without them.

In His Image

We’re preparing to go away on holiday. It’s not complicated. We’re going to stay with Soo, so there are no hotels to book. True, there are a couple of flights to negotiate, so getting there won’t be entirely straightforward, but really, it’s nothing to worry about. Nevertheless, it is dominating our thoughts because it will be a different time to the usual.

 

For two weeks, we won’t be at home. That means that someone else will have to go in to look after the cat. The letters will stack up and remain un-read. There’ll be no-one to hear the phone messages and no-one to answer the e-mails. I’m deliberately leaving behind this electronic web of connections that keeps me in communication at all times. This is a holiday.

 

An occasion like this serves to remind me of how little I really need. I’ll have a suitcase of clothes with me. I’ll probably take too many. Usually do. I’ll throw in a few personal bits and pieces but then there are the important things – my Bible, MP3 player and several books of different types. That’s really all that anyone needs in my view!

 

I’m not as extreme as some people I know (when our Tim goes away, his books bag weighs more than all the rest of his luggage combined) but books are definitely an essential element in any successful holiday, as far as I’m concerned. I need to have something to think about in order to relax. Other people need to have things to do in order to relax. I look with horror on the so-called holidays that some offer – packed programmes full of rock climbing, diving, parachute jumping and walking extensive distances.

 

It’s wonderful that God made us all so different! Some are creative and clever with their hands. Some have active minds and are always looking for new puzzles to solve. Some need to be moving all the time, discovering new horizons. God made us all. God loves us all. He doesn’t have favourite types. We’re all special to Him. I find it amazing that the Bible says that God made us all in His image, even though we are so different to each other.

 

More than that, He is in the process of re-making us in the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29), so that we can re-discover the way He always planned us to be. And yet, He doesn’t take away our individuality. He’s making us more like Him and yet, at the same time, more individual. All our qualities – whether we’re thinkers or doers or feelers or makers – are from God. When we give ourselves over to Him, He takes those qualities and makes them better. Because they’re all part of His nature anyway.

 

We’re going away on holiday. We need the break. We’re looking forward to seeing Soo and the way that she’s settled in to her new home. We’re relishing the opportunity of becoming a little more rounded, a little more complete, a little more like Jesus. Because sometimes, those times away allow the parts of us that get worn out to be restored and built up and that’s part of the work that God does too.

 

I’ll see you again very soon!

 

Liz Edwards

God and food... family and church.

Christmas in our house follows a set pattern. It was the same this last year. On Christmas Eve, we go down to the church in the afternoon and set up the candles. Then, in the evening, it’s the Carol Service: the glorious Christmas readings and the best of the carols with everyone giving it all they’ve got. Once home after the service, despite the slightly hoarse voices, supper is always something special (this year, it was Soo’s and Tim’s special invention involving fried Camembert cheese, garlic sausage, asparagus and onion chutney – unbelievably good!!), alongside what we call ‘pickie’: that means all sorts of cold things that we each pick through and make wonderful sandwiches or whatever we fancy.

 

After a night’s sleep (eventually), we get up (It used to be that the children woke us but now I wake most people.) and eat croissants for breakfast. Somehow the tradition of croissants for Christmas Day breakfast has grown up and it cannot be broken! It’s so important, in fact, that, this year, Kat actually made them herself and carefully transported them all from

London

to here for the occasion.

 

After breakfast, we go to church. Christmas Day without Church is unthinkable and it’s a family event. Then, once we’ve wished everyone a ‘Happy Christmas’, played with the children’s presents and counted how many santas Wendy is wearing this year, we’re off home and the place we all pile into is the kitchen. Christmas dinner just wouldn’t be a special dinner if it weren’t prepared ‘en masse’ by the whole family. So, a couple hours later, when one has created the most wonderful stuffing in the world and another has magicked a pile of potatoes into glorious, crunchy roasties and another has made the table beautiful while someone else again has carved the meat…. Christmas dinner happened.

 

There were meats and vegetables and sauces; there were puddings and cream; there were wines and juices to drink and crackers to pull and silly jokes to share. Presents came next, then Christmas cake, then chocolates. It was Christmas Day!

 

We got an extra treat this year. As it was Tim’s 30^th birthday (30 years old – how did that happen?!) just after New Year, we threw a surprise birthday party for him on Boxing Day. It had to be that day because that was the only opportunity for us all to be together. The party mainly consisted of a feast of all his favourite foods. They aren’t normally served together but on this occasion, it didn’t matter: that was all part of the fun. So, Middle Eastern dishes rubbed shoulders with Indian ones, alongside the steak and kidney pudding, Italian salads and a tarte au citrone and, of course, it was completed with a big birthday cake. The cake was decorated with, not just ‘Happy Birthday’ but a quote from Psalm 30 (where else?) to praise God for the blessings of the last 30 years.

 

God and food.

 

Family and church.

 

I couldn’t imagine Christmas any other way. I know other families have other traditions but I don’t want to change ours. I think it’s a good pattern for the whole year, in fact. Special foods mark the special family occasions, both at home and at church. Christmas cake marks Jesus’ birth (it’s His birthday cake really) and bread and wine mark His death. A special time just isn’t special unless we’re together. So that birthday party had to be when we were all here. In the same way, we had to gather with our brothers and sisters to celebrate the coming of our Saviour into the world.

 

God and food. Family and church. They go together. They make things special. That’s the way God made us. That’s why we celebrate as we do.

 

I wish a glorious and blessed 2009 to all my brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s wonderful to be in the same family as you all!

 

Liz Edwards

 

 

Dear Diary

Liz Edwards, October/November  2008

Wednesday

Dear Diary,

It’s been a normal sort of a day – for me – started the day with prayers, so I knew it was going to be an OK day, began to write a sermon, spent time with some lovely people, popped over to the hospital for a bit, kept awake during a meeting… all in all, not a bad day.

 

Thursday

Dear Diary,

It’s been a long day and I’m tired now, so I’ll just tell you about one thing for today. I had to meet with T, the sound technician at the church. The loop system hadn’t been working and he fixed that really quickly but then we tried to solve another problem. We couldn’t track it. He’d had floor boards up and everything. Then I did one of those ‘arrow’ prayers – you know, you just shoot it straight up to Heaven and it says, ‘Help!’ I should have done that well before (I’m slow to learn). Right then, we started to think down another track… maybe the cable follows another line… practically ran downstairs and onto the platform where the connections are – sure enough, there it was. It was fixed in seconds after that! I have an electrician friend who reckons that God’s an electrician (Because His first recorded words are, ‘Let there be light!’), well, I think He must be a sound technician too because He really knows how things work.

 

Friday

Dear Diary,

The weather’s been cold and I’ve had to rush through everything all day – still a good day though. I saw the latest James Bond – great action, very fast, must see it again to catch the bits I missed.

 

Saturday

Dear Diary,

Kat had to go back home to

London

today. It’s been nice having her around this week.

 

Sunday

Dear Diary,

I like Sundays. I like that they always start with prayer and it always seems as if everything gets sorted out there and then, in the circle of chairs in the Chapel, before we get busy with all the stuff that has to be done. I like that we concentrate on Jesus and it’s a day when it’s ‘normal’ to say His name out loud and talk about all the wonderful things He’s doing. I like that we spend lots of time at church because it feels like ‘home’ there. I think I’m very blessed to have 2 homes and so many brothers and sisters. Father is very good to us.

 

Monday

Dear Diary,

It’s been a proper ‘day off’. Sean and I got some cupboards cleared out and the house cleaned, I did some shopping and we watched a film.

 

Tuesday

Dear Diary,

Home Group nearly always raises challenging questions but they’re so nice with it! I like Tuesdays. Nite Bite always brings its own challenges too. There were lots in tonight. I guess the cold weather makes that hot meal all the more inviting – not that it needed any help to be appealing: home-made ‘allotment’ soup today, followed by steak and dumplings, then home-made apple and blackberry pie and custard. No wonder everyone was happy today!

 

I wonder what tomorrow will bring.

 

Wednesday

Dear Diary,

All the commentators say that we’re living in historic times. I guess they must be right. A century from now, all the world history books will mention that this was the day that the

USA

declared a man to be their President Elect – and he wasn’t white. I don’t know that history is made in a day though. That country’s been pushing through change for the last 2 generations. This is just the day that proves that the change has happened. And anyway, the real historically important thing will be when Mr Obama uses his position to bring about real change that will make the world a better place. It’s going to be hard for him just to survive the next 4 years, never mind turn the country around from the many crises that it’s in right now. I think we’d better all pray about that.

 

Dear Diary,

I keep thinking that 1 man can’t change the world in 1 day and that’s probably true of everyone and every time… except that it wasn’t true of Jesus. He wasn’t surrounded by tens of thousands of cheering supporters and the news wasn’t beamed around the world, but when the stone got pushed away and He sat up and unwound the grave cloths from his face, a truly historic moment had occurred. Now it’s up to us to realise it and push on through the changes that He keeps on bringing as a result of what He did then.

Priorities

It’s been a momentous few weeks. It hasn’t just affected the money markets and the affluent financial traders of the West. It has reverberated around the world. As each bank has collapsed, many people have lost employment, others have lost their savings and untold other institutions and companies have failed to be paid, putting their security in jeopardy also.

It’s like being a helpless, wobbly domino in a game of knock the dominoes over and see how many are left standing at the end. No-one seems to know where it will all end and no-one seems to be able to say how  much it will all affect the very poorest at the bottom of the trickle-down effect.

One result of all the financial problems is that it has pushed other things out of the news. There are some parts of the world for which worries about high finance are not much of an issue. Life and death are the issue. Truth is pitted against false accusations and intolerance and violence push everything else away.

One such place is Orissa in

India

. It’s a place where there is resentment amongst some of the Hindu population against the Christians in the area. The Christian church there is a growing presence and it is seen, by some, as a threat to the traditional way of life. It didn’t take much to develop that sense of insecurity into outright fear and then to express that fear in violence.

On August 23rd, a Hindu priest and four of his attendants were gunned down by unknown assailants. Lacking any evidence as to the true nature of the attackers, people jumped to conclusions. In hardly any time, the Christians were being blamed and the cry rose up ‘Kill the Christians!’ Mob violence took over. Hundreds of Christian churches were blown up or burned down. Dozens of Christians, especially in the tribal areas, were killed, for no reason other than they professed the name of Jesus.

Stories are emerging of Christian orphanages presently under siege by the mobs. More than 5,000 Christian families have had their homes destroyed. The government is trying to restore order but the police forces are small compared to the size of the mobs. All this has largely escaped the notice of the western media. We’ve been more focussed on our own financial problems and the political developments in the

USA

.

Perhaps we need to re-align our sense of priorities.

Actually, I find that re-aligning my priorities is one of the things that God keeps on coming back to. It’s so easy to forget that people are more important than things, that Jesus is more important than anyone else, that loving other people is more needed than propping up our self respect and that offering the truth of the Gospel to others is more important than getting them to like us. I often have to be reminded of those things.

I hope the news is good this month in your neck of the woods but even if it isn’t, spare a prayer for those who have even worse things to cope with.

I pray for the strength to stand firm in Jesus, whatever is happening around us.

Liz Edwards

It's Raining, It's Pouring!

I looked out of the window. ‘It’s raining!’ I called. Strangely, the news wasn’t greeted with either surprise or enthusiasm.

It’s rained a lot these last few months.

The effects have been interesting. Our lawn is wonderfully green. It’s also quite long. The grass loves all this rain and it’s been growing like crazy. Unfortunately, whenever I’m free to mow it, the rain falls again. But it does look lovely. The rest of the garden is pretty good too. I guess it really does appreciate rain.

There are some aspects of life in the garden that are less welcome, however. All this moisture has encouraged the greatest invasion of molluscs I can ever remember experiencing. Both slugs and snails, but especially snails have totally invaded our garden and, every evening, they head towards the driveway and the house. We feel besieged. They come by the several dozen, slowly (can snails travel any other way?) working their way from the flower bed to the door. Crossing that area of pathway late in the evening requires great care and agility, if you’re to avoid feeling a nasty scrunch-shlurp under your foot.

Rain has seemed like a curse this year, not because we’ve been flooded or threatened with drowning, but because it has interrupted the hoped-for sunshine. I remember how summer used to be – there’s a special place in my memory for those things of childhood that are only partially remembered but which appear to be complete. Summer is one of those memories. I don’t remember summer rain nor high winds (surely they did really happen?) but I do remember plenty of summer sunshine. It seemed to last all season. Not so this year!

Of course, it really isn’t a curse; it’s a blessing, as my garden reminds me every day.

As I’ve read my Bible this summer, I’ve noticed lots of references to rain. Mostly, they speak of blessing. When the rain falls, the crops can grow and everyone is happy. When the rains do not come, the crops fail. It’s a simple equation but essential for life. God’s blessings are described as falling down from Heaven like rain. A light shower signifies a little blessing; a torrential downpour is like a huge touch from God that is so overwhelming, it is life-changing.

This year, the weather presenters have taught me a new expression: they have often talked about ‘pulses of rain’. These seem to be very heavy showers. They can appear with little warning and attack with some ferocity. It set me wondering about ‘pulses’ of God’s blessing. Does God sometimes bless with almost no warning? In my experience, yes, often. Perhaps it’s because we’re not very good at reading the signs, but God often takes me by surprise.  It’s always wonderful when He just adds His touch of glory to a day. And when that touch is a fully fledged, blow-your-mind sort of bolt-from-the-heavenly-blue… well, I certainly like pulses of blessing!

So I guess I should get used to rain.

It may be inconvenient at times, (so is God!) but it brings things to life (so does God) and it does make everything nice and clean (so does… you get the idea!).

Enjoy the rest of the summer –

Liz

Of Guinea Pigs and God...

Can guinea pigs teach us anything about the Christian way?

After spending a weekend at the Jonas Centre in Redmire, North Yorkshire, I’m inclined to say, ‘Yes.’ This is a change for me. I’m fond of sheep and often attempt a conversation with any that I pass along the way. (The attempt usually fails but, just occasionally; it has seemed to me that they have appreciated the gesture.) I find that the Bible is full of lessons to be learnt from sheep. I’ve never found any relating to guinea pigs.

However, we went to the Jonas Centre for the church’s weekend away and a guinea pig it was that greeted us as the newest resident there. The story behind this free-range friend was very simple. About 3 months ago, the managers discovered that he was there. They assumed that he had been deliberately dumped. No-one came to claim him. So they adopted him.

It must be an ideal life for a guinea pig. He roams free and can be seen nibbling the grass alongside the wild rabbits and the free range chickens and ducks. He has unrestricted access to a dry barn with plenty of straw. When the vet came to check on the donkeys, they got him to check over the guinea pig too. Some shots were recommended to keep him healthy and so he submitted to their care.

You may still be wondering whether guinea pigs can teach us anything about the Christian way.

I think the care of guinea pigs can. At least, the care this one is given can. He does not produce anything useful and he does not help towards the care of the others at the Centre but he receives the same care and attention as the other residents. It reminds me of the love and care that our Heavenly Father gives us. We don’t have to prove ourselves useful Him, before He will agree to love us. We don’t have to do anything outstanding to merit His attention: He just loves us anyway. In the same way, we are called to love one another, whether that love seems to be deserves or not.

It was our Father’s love and goodness that we experienced through the weekend. We saw His care in the glories of creation all around us, from the small things to the large. We felt His love reflected in the love of all those around us, as we enjoyed being together. We learnt and understood more about His love and His goodness as we read the Bible, discussed it, preached from it (lots of people got the chance to do that!) and absorbed it.

We experienced the depth and beauty of His goodness as we shared together in food and drink and, on the final morning, in bread and ‘wine’. As we shared, all ages and all backgrounds together, we prayed. I opened my ears at that point and heard voices coming from all around the room, both young and old, both experienced and not, and the word I heard over and over again was, ‘Thank You.’

We had much to be thankful for.

If only guinea pigs had a sense of appreciation, this one would be thanking His Heavenly Father also.

Liz

Pentecost

Pentecost – what is it all about?

The other major Christian festivals – Christmas and Easter – centre on Jesus, so it’s easy to see what they’re about. They feature key moments of Jesus’ life and it makes sense that we would want to celebrate at those times. But Pentecost? Where does that fit?

The difficulty is that this festival is centred on the Holy Spirit. That makes it hard for us to fit it into the story. It makes it hard for us to see the relevance. It shouldn’t be hard; after all, we’re spiritual beings as well as physical ones. Maybe we try to deny our spiritual side because it’s complicated.

The gift of the Holy Spirit to all believers is surely one of the most amazing acts of divine kindness in the whole history of humanity. To me, it ranks alongside Christmas in terms of its ‘Wow!’ factor. Jesus is simply God in human form. Jesus Himself said that God loved the world so much that he gave His only Son. In the same way, the Holy Spirit is simply God in spirit form. We could also say that God loved us so much that He gave Himself to us, to be with us forever, wherever we are.

There’s a good reason that we often count Pentecost as the birthday of the church – we can’t do anything without God’s Spirit. Without the Spirit, we are not born again. Without God’s Spirit we are not changed. In fact, without Him (He is God, so please, let’s not refer to Him as ‘It.’), we are not the

church

of

Christ

. That’s why we say the church was born on Pentecost Day, when the Holy Spirit was given.

The old name for Pentecost is ‘Whit Sunday’. It’s a corruption of the original, ‘White Sunday’. It got that name because on the Pentecost Day of the book of Acts, when the Spirit was given to the believers, thousands of people responded to the powerful presence of God by deciding to follow Jesus. They expressed that decision by getting baptised. Therefore, Pentecost has always been a popular time for baptisms to take place. Traditionally, candidates for baptism would often wear white to symbolism the cleansing of their souls… hence ‘Whit,’ or white, Sunday.

I was baptised on Pentecost Sunday 1969. I knew the presence and power of the Holy Spirit with me that day and He has stayed with me, just as Jesus promised He would. What could be better?

Pentecost should be a time to celebrate in a way that is worthy of God’s great gift.

Liz

Acts 1:8: Jesus said, ‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere.’

Cleaning out the Cupboards

Cleaning out the Cupboards (a poem for Lent)

‘Clean out the cupboards!’

The Lenten fast is nearly here.

Clear out the meat, the eggs and butter;

Scrub the shelves and make them shine.

Fill up a basin with eggs and milk,

Flour and salt and mix it up well.

Melt the butter and pour in the mix,

Sizzle, flip, sizzle.. it’s done!

Pile up the pancakes,

Cook up the meat and make a feast.

Carnival! Mardi Gras! Fiesta time!

Tomorrow we fast.

Clean out the cupboards:

The Lenten fast is near.

Brush off the habits, the ways and means;

Take off the covers and let the light shine.

The past is forgiven;

The future’s ahead.

There’s no need to carry

The pain and the fear.

There’s no need to carry on

Being the same,

For hearts that are emptied

Are free to receive.

Clean out the cupboards

And make the way clear,

So Jesus can come through

And make our lives new.

Tuesday, February 5^th is ‘Pancake Day’ this year. It used to be traditional that on that day, the kitchen cupboards were cleared of anything that should not be eaten during Lent. Lent is the big annual fast of the Christian calendar, taking in the 40 days and 6 Sundays that run up to Easter Day, which is the highest point in the Christian calendar.

People were taught to eat very simply – without meat, eggs, fat or fancy things – during Lent. This was to help to concentrate the mind on the trials and sufferings that Jesus experienced on our behalf. It would serve also to accentuate the celebrations on Easter Day, when Jesus rose from the dead. So, they developed ways of making the clear-out fun.

All the forbidden food would be gathered together to create a feast and people would enjoy games and really make a day of it before the real austerity of Lent began. British people made eggy, buttery pancakes, accompanied by meaty sauces and interspersed with races (including pancake races, of course) and games. The Spanish called it ‘Mardi Gras’ (meaning ‘Fat Tuesday’) and developed the ‘carnival’ (literally, that means ‘meat feast’) into a high art-form.

Not everyone wanted fun and games though. The solemnly religious people called it ‘Shrove Tuesday’, from the verb, ‘to shrive’ meaning to repent. Clearing out the cupboards reflects the spiritual cupboard-clearing that is repentance. We don’t have to wait until Easter though, to let God fill our spiritual cupboards with celebratory goodies.

Liz

After Christmas

The Christmas decorations have come down. The last of the excess food has been eaten or otherwise disposed of. The house suddenly looks big and empty and all trace of the Christmas guests has disappeared.

It was all over so quickly.

So what was that all about?

Christmas is the big event of the winter. It gets the children excited, it pulls the family together, all the shops get decked out and even the streets are lit up for the occasion. But if it doesn’t make any lasting change, then it’s worthless.

Sometimes, the results of Christmas are good. We need those free days off after the slog through November and December. The rest does us good. The presents and the celebrations make us feel good about people. It enhances our relationships. Lots of children feel the benefit of Christmas generosity and many charities record a peak in giving at that time of year. We all need that sort of break/celebration to keep us going through the rest of the year.

Sometimes the results of Christmas do not feel so good. Divorce lawyers have learnt to expect record numbers of people asking to start divorce proceedings just after Christmas. Being cooped up with relatives for days on end can exacerbate the difficulties in family relationships, rather than help, if we’re not careful. Bank balances suffer as a result of the pressure to give ever bigger and better presents. (How anyone can find either the money or the incentive to visit the January sales is beyond my understanding!)

So was it good or bad for us? Are we any different now, in 2008, because of Christmas 2007? We might all have different answers to that question but we are certainly better off because the real Christmas happened. Jesus came. As we work through the months that follow Christmas, we follow His life. We see how He grew up, just like we do, in a family, in a normal town, with a trade to occupy His waking hours… and a love for us that is greater than we can understand.

It’s Jesus who really changes things. Christmas was worth celebrating for that reason and all the other things that went along with it were mostly good too.

And now?

Now we learn to live with Jesus. Let’s make this a year to grow and to discover more of Him.

Liz