Reply To: Friday night Blog…

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Hi everyone…

‘Be the reason to make someone smile today…’

On a poster in a shop. Mmmmm, sounds like a good idea to me. If someone  smiles back at us, intentionally or not, it can give us a massive lift… In fact is genuinely does give us a massive lift. A big return for a relatively small outlay. The more we do it, the easier it gets. And the better it gets… Give it a week, this week, starting tomorrow…

One of the things people do in informal church gatherings, is give testimonies… Little snippets of wisdom, that are actually 99% positive… We emphasise on the nice things about our day, instead of focussing on the not so nice things. They may be difficult to find sometimes, but they are usually there somewhere.

I’m in my late sixties now, but one of the things I have taken to doing recently, is giving myself pocket money. It is only a few quid a week, but it is there, as small change. I then go into charity shops and buy what I  affectionately call ‘cuddlies’. Teddies, if you like. There is a vast array of them available these days, and surprisingly inexpensive… And oh so lovely to hold… wonderful colours… some fit in a jacket pocket… I get away with it by beinga grandad, but they are most definitely for me. I have them on chairs and shelves at home… Rows and rows of smiling faces… And you don’t feel so alone… And when there isn’t always someone around to cuddle us for real…

I finally gave in today, and went to my gp… I have been swallowing cattarh for about seven months… blocked/runny nose, burning eyes and throat etc. And very disturbed sleep. And that is guaranteed to make me feel crap… I have been prescribed a course of medicines… It is still only a few hours in, but just maybe, things are easing. We will have to see how it goes…

Have you noticed how expensive interior decorating materials are getting! I only want to mood up my bedroom, not Windsor Castle! Nowadays it costs more to paint a wall, than it used to actually build the wall! We have to be fairly sympathetic about colour, as it is a rented house.

One of the things I do now, is charge up my laptop pc, and go out to do a bit of writing…

I write letters to the people I hate! They don’t a tually get sent of course, but  I have them in my mind’s eye as I write! No one gets on with absolutely everyone of course, but I  guess we all will occassionally come face to face with a bully… One of the problems in my own church, is that some people have specific roles. And some go way over the top, get very judgemental,  vindictive, critical. I avoid them like the plague. Some faith groups have specific dress, that can become  more like a theatrical costume on a metaphorical stage…

These people destroy togetherness and friendships… I wonder if that is the reason there are so many denominations?

Tomorrow,  I  go to the park with the grandchildren… Assuming I can come close to keeping up with them…

One thought to consider till next week… ‘For the first eleven years or so of a childs life, we are constantly trying to get them to stop, sit still, and behave in some way… At thirteen, they don’t want to do anything but laze around and do very little… Who stopped them?!!!

Okay… Let’s be good to ourselves this coming week… Maybe buy that special pack pf biscuits, or tiny cuddly toy from the charity shop… And don’t forget to ‘grab a smile’. That other person will need it just as much as you and me.

To finish for this week right where we began then…

Let’s be the reason to make someone else smile today…

Until next week then, dear friends, same time, same place, right here.