prepared

As often as not I'm having to think on my feet.

The way things turn out is not quite how they were planned. I wasn't ever in the Scouts, but I think I might have managed fine: at least in terms of outlook and of attitude. Because I do always try to be prepared.

If I'm asked to give a talk, I like to prepare in advance. I think it's the honourable thing to do.

Maybe the trait is something I got from my Dad. He always used to tell us in our growing years - if a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well. And that includes preparing well, I guess.

Well, that's how I see it at any rate. Whatever it is that I'm going to do, I want to respect the task by preparing as well as I can.

But it doesn't always work out quite like that.

The lunch-time meeting of the SU group at school today was a case in point. I'd spoken with the teacher who runs the thing last week: and he told me it was study number 11 - would I do the 'talk'.

So I duly prepared this morning, acquainting myself with all that the study involved. Only to find on arrival, with the children already there, that he'd got it wrong.

Did I say number 11? he asked. I actually meant number 12!

So there I was, well and truly prepared - except, the way it turned out, I was actually totally unprepared! Be prepared ... for anything.

It makes life really varied, that's for sure.

So I had to adjust on the spot. Take a rapid 'speed-read' of study 12. And figure out instantaneously how best I could teach the truth. It worked out fine. We had some fun. And I think they got the message.

The morning was really a time for my getting prepared. The afternoon and evening were the things I was preparing for.

The SU group at lunchtime at the school.

Then straight on to a meeting here relating to a day we're going to hold on the environment. More planning and thinking things through with the team on that: filling in the details bit by bit. Pulling it all together. It should be quite a day. Well, a morninig, at least.

I had to leave the meeting early to get down in time to the local crematorium for the service of thanksgiving I was leading there.

This was the one in respect of the lady from another congregation who had died. Not a lady I'd ever met, so a case of my leading it 'blind'. The 'tribute' was paid by a family friend (who's also a sort of peripatetic parish priest). And I led the rest of the service.

There were loads of folk present. Some of them came and thanked me at the end. They'd found it very helpful and a comfort in their grief. They were grateful for my being so obviously sincere.

By the time I was back from that, the afternoon was gone. And the evening meeting loomed. This time, a meeting with some others here regarding different facets of our worship week by week. A useful time. A chance to stop and talk things through together.

We don't get enough of such chances. Or, more likely, don't make such moments happen often enough.

Sometimes a day is like that. Preparing myself for the action. Then into the action itself. Like an archer, I guess. Taking time to draw his bow right back, to ensure that when the bowstring is released, the arrow flies straight to its target.

Preparation is everything. So they say. It's important to be prepared. For anything!