But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!” Numbers 11:5-7

Please don't call me
God bother-er...
if I tell you
Jesus saves
the broken hearted
Jesus had a heart
for me...
and met me
on a road
in front of a police station
and said you can be clean
and sent me home
to look after my baby.
And don't tell me
it didn't happen...
And please don't call me
bible basher...
if I share with you
my food.

an anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.

The sun is shinning and good neighbour John is cutting the grass.

And bad neighbour Rebel thinks, bloody marvellous! The sun is out, and good neighbour John has come out to cut all the grass on both gardens either side of my house. Blow that good neighbour John if I haven't got to get out there and start cutting my grass!


Good neighbour John, usually talks to bad neighbour Rebel, with something like disdain.
Bad neighbour Rebel, is used to reacting to negativity with a negative response, and usually somewhat upping the ante in the process.

But bad neighbour Rebel has been learning a new lesson, about it is okay if people are mean to her, it's okay if some people don't like her, and it has made her just a little bit braver so she's says to herself, "this bad mood, is a bad habit.."
And goes out into the sun.

"Hello there." Says bad neighbour Rebel to good neighbour John, who is preoccupied with his cuttings and jumps out of his skin.
"Oh I'm ever so sorry" says bad neighbour Rebel, "I didn't mean to make you jump! I was just saying to myself flamin' good neighbour John's out cutting his grass...so I suppose I'd best get mine cut, do you think I should?"
Good neighbour John rubs his chin, "I think your grass is a different sort of grass. Meadow grass, perhaps? I think your grass is longer and wetter...You could borrow a sheep..?"
"Or a goat? Perhaps I will just do this bit, that is in the sun..." Says bad neighbour Rebel.
"You've got to keep on top of it...you know."
"Yes, nice to see the sun, though."
"Isn't it beautiful," says good neighbour John.
"Yes it is." Beams bad neighbour Rebel, who is very pleased with how their first conversation of the year has gone, "Yes it is indeed, well thank you good neighbour John."


Bad neighbour Rebel felt very good after the sunny side of her lawn was mowed...even though the mower conked out...and the grass was too wet and too long, and too different...
Perhaps someone will know how to fix mowers, or someone will have a sheep or a goat she laughed as she and little bad neighbour Rebel had a wet grass cuttings fight!

Catechism

The Lord's Prayer

Lord's Day 45


QU.116 Why do Christian's pray?

ANS. Because prayer is the most important part of the thankfulness God requires of us.

INT. (Are you talking to me?)

ANS. And also because God gives his grace and Holy Spirit only to those who groan inwardly,

INT. (Are you talking to me?)

ANS. asking God for these gifts and thanking God for them.

INT. (Are YOU talking to me?)

QU.117 What is the kind of prayer that pleases God and that he listens to?

INT. (O no!)

ANS. First,

INT. (O no!)

ANS. we must pray from the heart to no other than the one true God, revealed to us in his word, asking for everything God has commanded us to ask for.

INT. (Game over.)

So you wanna be a boxer?

Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exodus 14: 13-14

This is so hard...

I am a fighter.

I was born that way kicking, screaming and shouting, ask my mother.

But this week I learnt I can still be a fighter.

I can fight to wake up at 6.30 every morning.
I can fight to go to work.
I can fight to do my jobs.
I can fight to be a Mummy.
I can fight to say yes.
I can fight to be in a good mood.
I can fight to be kind.
Gentle.
Caring and quiet.
I can fight to stay with Jesus.

Movement of the people.

Lots of people moving...

Exodus.

Doesn't that mean we go.........?

Leave.

on mass.....

I'm like, I wanna go....Let's go...Let's leave...

Bye see ya...

wouldn't wanna be ya!

Can we go....go....can we go? ? ?


"Then the Lord said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on."
Exodus 14: 15

Pams

It seems there has been an outbreak of Pams.
Pams are power hungry individuals, unfortunately usually women, in customer service roles.
Customer service seems to suggest that Pam is there to help you, but if you have just encountered a Pam, it quickly  becomes clear that Pam doesn't want to help you, she wants to wreck your day.
Pam will say things like, "you should have telephoned first..."
She says this as if wielding the great axe of power which she is going to smash down on your day because you didn't phone, or you forgot the email, or the receipt, or the order number, or the curtsy.
Pam is out of control.
You think when you ask for the manager, and the manager agrees with you and says, "Pam, now sell this lady the Television, replace this lady's hoover, or exchange these rotten apples, or give this lady a refund...." you think Ah ha! Pam! Victory is mine!
But Pam will argue even with what the manager says, she will say things like "well, I'm not giving you a receipt. He must be having an off day, there is nothing wrong with this, next time don't forget...."
And she will give you a look to demonstrate to you that she, Pam, knows exactly what you are...and it's a not very nice thing that Pam herself despises above all else; you, are Pam's customer...