burning the Christmas candles

It looks like being a long week!

Or a short week, depending how you view it!

Long because the days are going to get stretched both ends I suspect. Short because I'm going to wonder how to fit everything that needs to be done into the time available.

But it's a great time of year and I do just love the buzz and the activity and all that's going on. I don't mind weeks like this at all.

Anyway, I thought I'd make a good prompt start today. There are deadlines to meet at the early end of the week. Like the final session with the Primary 6s tomorrow and the Christmas service that the school is holding here the following day.

Both needing quite a lot of concentrated preparation.

And a talk at the local secondary school today, tomorrow and Wednesday first thing as well.

So I was up and down at the halls by 6am. Freezing cold to start with, about -7 degrees. But once the sun began it's climb into the morning sky (a good deal later on, I have to say!), the gentle orange glow was absolutely stunning. I'll take the cold for the sight of glory such as that!

The school assemblies at the Royal High at this time of year are always a bit of a lottery. There's so much else going on in the school. But they're good and I like being there and enjoy the chance to share some thoughts with the pupils who are there.

Today it was the 5th and 6th years and they listened well - and even gave me a round of applause at the end. The season of good will and all that!

Preparation for the P6 classes took the first part of the morning. By then I'd got the bulk of what I'd hoped to do all done. Powerpoint prepared. Sheets for every child prepared and printed and folded. Ready for the grand finale.

It's on the death of Jesus, this final session with the P6 children. Which seems a bit odd in many ways. To be focussed on Easter at Christmas time. And yet it's a helpful reminder that the two belong together.

We had a staff meeting up town through the latter part of the morning. Actually it was an extended coffee with the leaders of the Reception Area team in a smart establishment up town! But it sounds better to call it a 'staff meeting'.

I mean, it was that in a way, as well. There were some matters of business which we needed to discuss. But we did so in a pleasant 'Christmas' sort of way!

It was good, though, to be able in that small way to say a huge big thank you to these girls who do such an amazing job week by week. And to have a fun, relaxing time of chat as well.

There were things to be attended to back here at the halls, of course. There always are! Like the delivery of the water feature we'd ordered as a gift in memory of my Mum.

It was exciting to see that arrive (it's still to be set up - but at least it's here!). Not that this is really the weather for a fountain: any self-respecting water is going to freeze on sight! But, as I say, it's here - and it'll look good once it's installed and running.

The guy who installed our AV system, he was here as well to deal with one or two small problems that we've had. And I also had to pop in to see one of the nurses across at the surgery.

So, things to do before I even got down to anything else, preparation-wise. And there was a bit of that to do as well.

But in amongst it all, in the few brief moments when I was over across at the surgery, my brother turned up on the off chance that I might be here! Then left, because I wasn't! Strange how life turns out like that.

The times our paths just miss. I mean in general terms. And then the times our paths just wonderfully cross! The providence of God in all our different circumstances day by day

It's good to be aware of his being there. Of his being always in control. Sometimes it's all a non-stop round of different opportunities. Different needs. Different sorts of crises.

Sometimes the pace is hectic. Other times the pace is so much slower. Well, a bit slower, sometimes!

These days are days of opportunity. And so the pace is quick. Fitting things in, squeezing them into all the smallest corners of my time.

I had a call in the afternoon in relation to a child in hospital. A call to go and pray with her and with her parents at her side.

So I did that early evening and though it made me later than I'd planned for the meeting I was going to, it was right to go and good to be able to pray with the three of them there.

And yes, it made me late for that meeting. But, well, life's just like that sometimes, and I never wear a watch because I purposefully refuse to have my life determined by the ticking of the clock.

The meeting itself was helpful and good and I think we made progress again. Another chance to meet and think through all the issues that there are about The Lot, this place up town where something of significance is going on.

And after that I wasn't absolutely done! There was still some further preparation to be done.

At least it's Christmas and there are loads of candles around. Since I'm burning a few these days. At both ends!