Monday 25 January 2021

Certainty & surprise

Adventure is a mix of certainty and surprise. If everything is predictable, well why bother with such boredom? Going out totally unprepared would be crazy too. Perhaps the mix is illustrated by a 'toss a penny' walk. Stick you coat on and take a coin.

Go out your front door, and then toss the penny to decide whether to turn right or left. At the next junction do the same, and so on. These walks have the capacity to get tedious very quickly, for example you might end up in a cul-de-sac or find yourself going round in circles [bit like our Covid challenge!], you could find yourself completely lost; on the other hand they can take you where you've never been before.

What we need is a balance between certainty and surprise. Many have told me how difficult having hopes raised only for them to be dashed at the last minute. They have also spoken of discovering better priorities, and new relationships with neighbours and nature. It is realistic to believe certainty will increase this year.

Jesus gave very practical advice about worrying: take a day at a time, and keep things in perspective. [Matthew 6.25-34 has more]. You might ask what this means for me as I near retirement in April.

Well, this last year we have certainly gained new perspectives with worship on-line being as important as in-church. More follow Facebook than attend church, but it's an amazing privilege to be safely with others.
I am making preparations to write my third novel [the first only took 18 years!], another couple of children's books, and publish these Views through Hiss Farm Concepts. It will be great to have quality blocks of time without interruption, but I will miss the huge privilege of being with you through thick and thin.

So it's more adventure for all of us. Bring it on!!