priorities

Most of my weeks you'd probably think I'm chasing the clock.

Sometimes, too, it feels like that. There are, of course, so many things I'd like to do: and loads of things I figure that I may be should be doing as well.

But I can't do them all. So a lot of my days I'm working at priorities. The day-by-day priorities the Lord himself sets down. He's the only one I really have to think about and seek to please.

This week there've been a number of deaths. Which means (at least) three extra services next week, for each of which there's always the need for hours or preparation.

Quite apart from finding the time to call on those bereaved and .. well, simply be with them and share with them their sorrow and their pain.

And that's before the midweek lunchtime service which we've added in. And a series of commitments at the primary school I've taken on next week.

So next week's almost spoken for already, so it seems!

Today I had time along with the family of Ian again. They're lovely folk and make me feel myself just one of them. Such times are very special. And today I was there not least to have time with the children. I mean Ian's grandchildren.

Old enough to miss their Papa desperately. Young enough to find some things confusing and (who knows) perhaps a little scary, too.

It was great to be able to talk with them and try and put their minds at rest and help them share the hope Ian had himself. They've been brought up very well, this growing clan of grandchildren.

They felt, I think, secure in knowing that their Papa was just 'sleeping' now with Christ. A good and lovely sleep which one day will be ushering in a whole new day for all of us, so wonderful we cannot even start to think just what it will be like.

Going back to the halls I popped in for just moments to convey my own good wishes for a young lad who was off today to graduate. He's a fine young man and I wanted to wish him well and let him know how glad I was for him.

Friendship is built, I always believe, on little things like that. And so I try to work on them.

I was barely back to the halls from there than I was meeting (by appointment) two young folk at the other end of life. Getting married next year.

A morning full of switching gear for me!

A lovely pair, so right for one another and so eager that their marriage should be something that would grow and last. I've been trying to meet with the two of them on a reasonably regular basis.

No set agenda or anything quite like that. Just getting to know them bit by bit. And helping them work through the issues which have to be faced. Again, it's simply giving folk those bits of time which genuine friendship needs.

And as I say, there isn't time for everything. Or everyone. Unless I spread myself so thinly in the time I give it wouldn't count for anything at all.

I looked in later at another home. The lady there, a lovely Christian lady, who's been struggling since her husband died eight years ago - she's taken a downward dive. An unusual disease which has knocked her for six and left her with weeks to live.

Her family have been great (as she has been with them). And I was glad to have the chance to see them once again. Though she herself has lost her power of sight and isn't seeing much.

They've round-the-clock nursing care provided for her now. She's that far gone. It's hard.

With her like that, and Ian now passed away, and calls from two more funeral undertakers with arrangements to be made for two more services next week - it was one of those days when I'm made to feel so conscious of the brevity and frailty of all our human life.

And how little time there really is to fit in all we want to do!

So I was out again in the evening to see one of the families where death again had called. I try to avoid being out like that on a Friday night. But sometimes needs must!

There isn't time for everything in life. We have to be selective.

And the choices which we make through life are absolutely crucial. Every day.