A short break?

The past week was scheduled as a break for Doreen and me and possibly a proper holiday, but it was not to work out quite that way.  Last weekend Doreen was taken ill. In over 35 years of marriage this was only the second time that she has felt ill enough to take to her bed for a while.

Dick takes a rest at Foxton Locks

Timing was not good as we also welcomed Pastor Dick Pymm into our home for a ten day visit.  Dick was largely responsible from Doreen  becoming a Christian as they worked together in a printing firm where Dick took every opportunity he could to witness for Christ.  He is still an irrepressible evangelist and has been witnessing to folk while here.

St. Mary's Parish Church, Lutterworth

Last year Dick's wife was called home to be with the Lord after several years of illness, and this has been the first break since then.  We have managed to take him out on some days to local sites including Foxton Locks, Rutland Water and, today, to Lutterworth which is where John Wycliffe, the 14th Century Theologian and Reformer, was vicar.

Appropriately, Lutterworth is also the location of the headquarters of Gideon's International through whom I received a New Testament while at school that served me well once I became a Christian several years later.

Various visits to the doctors had to be slotted into the week as did also my weekly visit to Gartree Prison and a planning meeting for school assemblies in Yelvertoft and a practice for one of the events within the "Holiday at Home" programme which will take up most of next week.  So not a lot of rest!

This Sunday morning (15th) I will be at Yelvertoft where we also welcome a guest presentation on the work of Hope4, a mission to homeless folk in Rugby.  Talking about homelessness, what about the situation in Pakistan where 20 million have apparently lost their homes!  This evening, I was reflecting on the fact that Jesus came into this world in inadequate housing, exercised his ministry with "nowhere to lay his head", and was buried in a borrowed tomb.

As already mentioned this week is Holiday at Home led by my good friend Brian Kennard who is the local Methodist Minister and who many years ago was an associate evangelist with us.  This is not overtly evangelistic but we seek to bring good news in various ways through the week.  Please pray for wisdom to know when to speak and what to say.

Friday afternoon we will set off to Hastings ready to join with friends at Herstmonceux where I was pastor for 15 years.  One of our young girls, now a woman, is getting married.  God has been working in her life and we would not want to miss this.  Hopefully Doreen will be fit again by then.

Hanging over my head is the sense of guilt at some tasks uncompleted by the time deadlines were hit.  It leaves me frustrated as I hate letting people down.  Please keep praying that God will raise up administration help as well as those to whom we will be able to pass the baton of this vital ministry.