Thoughts

As I write it is still very dry and hot and some of the trees have yellow leaves, or have lost their leaves because there is a shortage of water.  Nearly all of us are enchanted by the vivid reds and browns that emerge from the leaves.   I know several people who travel to forests to see the Autumn colours.  For many years I wondered how the trees knew when to shed their leaves.  I always assumed it was something to do with a fall in nighttime temperature.  The trees sensed it was getting colder.

 Apparently, it is ‘Photoperiodism’, that is the tree responds to the length of daylight.  I always marvel at the complexity of nature and how so often what appears to be simple is a complex mechanism perfectly suited to its task.  As we watch the leaves changing colours, we are witnessing the tree shutting down for winter.  The leaves are slowly dying as the water and nutrients are being withdrawn.  The beauty I notice in the leaves happens more subtly in spring with fresh green colours,  and more vibrantly in autumn with yellows, oranges and reds.   At both these times, a rapid change is occurring before our eyes, and the eyes notice that change.  What we witness is the ability of the tree to sense the amount of daylight and respond appropriately.  

What is less apparent is what happens between spring and autumn, as the tree is in constant leaf.  I am reminded that while things remain pretty much unchanged we take little notice.  When change happens rapidly we are often surprised or shocked by it.  Yet if we remember the tree, it measures the daylight each day and acts accordingly. The problem is when things do not change much, we often forget to do the important things and take things for granted.  For me, I forget to say thank you or how much I value someone precious.  Then when things change rapidly it is too late to do the things you should have done.  Often there is no chance to make it up.  We are often guilty of failing to appreciate what we have before we lose it.  When I read in the Bible that people become comfortable, often their need for God diminishes and He becomes irrelevant.  Unsurprisingly they quickly drift into trouble and expect God to rescue them.  The teaching of the Bible is that a constant relationship with God should shape our everyday existence.

The cycle of boom to bust is not a good model and to expect God to be the one who gets you out trouble, free of charge, is not realistic. When things go wrong there is always pain and hurt which are never easily overcome or forgotten.

If we return to the trees and their measurement of daylight.  We quickly realise that the light of the Sun is pretty much constant.  What changes is the proximity and angle of the earth to the Sun and that determines how much light the tree receives and how it should respond.  If we make the parallel comparison, God is constant.  What changes is how close and to what extent we are turned towards God.  God can only work with what we allow Him to do in our life.

Rev. Martin Wood. The Rectory, Church Lane, Cheriton Bishop EX6 6HY 01647 24119 (Tuesday to Sunday) revwood163@gmail.com

It seems impossible that we are already coming to September, the beginning of Autumn. It feels to me that Spring and Summer have rolled together, they have flown by. This may not be same for you and this lockdown might have seemed unending. Time itself can be an absolute measure, there is a specific interval of time which calibrates all time. However, our perception of time can vary greatly. When you go to sleep it can feel like a blink of an eye between night and day. On the other hand, if you struggle to go to sleep and stay asleep the night can feel like the longest hours of your life. When you are late no matter how hard you try, you struggle to catch up. You are more likely to get later, as things conspire against you.  On the other hand, if you are early waiting around takes ages and time appears to move especially slowly.

 It is interesting to imagine how God sees the same time. Two ideas emerge from the bible. Firstly, God is happy to wait for years for things to change and come to fruition. We need to be aware that our idea of time and God’s might be quite different. We are more interested in days and weeks and maybe a year. I am reminded of the forward-thinking of someone planting a tree that will take at least ten to twenty years to develop and maybe fifty to a hundred years to mature. It is often the case, that people will not commit to long term measures because there is no immediate benefit. Secondly, God patiently waits for us to turn towards him. We are not coerced or tricked into a relationship with God. When we think how difficult we find it to wait to be invited to help and offer an opinion, we get some sense of how difficult and painful it is to wait to offer help. This is often compounded by having to watch and let people make mistakes that hurt them and the people around them.

Returning to this period of lockdown and isolation, we are reminded of the importance of patience and waiting. For some, it is easy to motivate and manage this time. For many, it is been a hard and very uncertain time. People have missed out on important life events and missed significant milestones. Looking forward can be very difficult as there is so much uncertainty, a fear of a rise in infection and reintroduction of restrictions.

Although we may be changing seasons in the world around us, the fear and worries of COVID-19 show no sign of changing and disappearing. We are reminded that God waits patiently for us to respond and to ask for help and guidance. We are also reminded to make the most of this time as it will not come around again! It does matter, whether it goes quickly or slowly,  use it wisely.

Rev. Martin Wood. The Rectory, Church Lane, Cheriton Bishop EX6 6HY 01647 24119 (Tuesday to Sunday) revwood163@gmail.com

It is amazing how COVID-19 has dominated so many things and changed so many plans. The issues of infections remain and there is still great anxiety and fear. The most vulnerable group of people, the people advised by the government to shield, are allowed to ease their isolation in August. These people will be allowed to return to work, to go out to the shops or return to school. They still need to be very cautious and take all the necessary precautions. The shielding advice is only paused and can be reintroduced if the infection rate increases. This presents a real dilemma, people are torn by the prospects of leaving isolation and restarting parts of their lives which have been paused. On the other hand, the threat of COVID-19 has not disappeared, just the threat has diminished. It will be a very hard choice to make for many people. This is still a difficult choice for many people who may not have been in the shielding category. There is safety in isolation and minimising the risk. However, for many people, the necessary issues of earning money and restarting their commitments outside of their homes is now a real and pressing issue. These issues add more worries and anxieties to an already difficult situation.

This is not unique to the difficulties we encounter with Coronavirus. If we reflect on other difficult times in our lives we see the same pattern of difficult decisions and anxieties building up and creating very real stress and anxieties. It is usually the combination of several different issues at the same time that we struggle with, it overwhelms us. We usually can not necessarily change the situation but instead, look at how to approach it. As we look at the Bible, we see many people struggling, they look to God for wisdom and strength to persevere. There are usually no easy solutions or miraculous transformations. It is something to be engaged with and worked at. As we look at Jesus’ life he found himself in the middle of conflict and an overwhelming demand on his time. The one clue that Jesus offers us in difficult times, is to make time to be still and quiet and talk to God. It helps us focus on what is important. The bible constantly reminds us to focus on the important things and not to be distracted by unimportant distractions. Many of us would rather do something that we enjoy instead of doing something difficult and important.

‘So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Matthew 6 vs. 34

We are very much reminded to live in the present and to focus on what we can achieve today. We should grasp difficult issues and not leave them for another day. They have a habit of building up to something bigger. One of the hardest steps is to admit we are struggling and need some help. We can ask friends, family and God for help. It is often that help that makes all the difference!

Rev. Martin Wood. The Rectory, Church Lane, Cheriton Bishop EX6 6HY 01647 24119 (Tuesday to Sunday) revwood163@gmail.com

As I write this, last week we had Mental Health Awareness Week and Ascension Day coincide. They may at first glance appear to have very little in common. Although, the message around Coronavirus has changed from ‘Stay at Home’ to ‘Stay Alert’ it still means many people are still staying at home and remaining isolated. From an infection control point of view, being in isolation is the best place because you cannot catch or pass on the infection if you are isolated. From a Mental Health perspective, being isolated and lonely is not healthy and likely to make things worse. These two factors are almost in direct conflict. It is why it has been so important for people to be in contact with family and friends through telephone calls, video calls, emails and sharing photos. It helps people not to feel isolated and alone. Our mental health is affected by many different factors, namely our ability to remain in contact with family and friends; our life situation, if we are under pressure or distress by our finances or employment / unemployment. We may be in a crisis caused by the loss of a close relation; we may be losing our housing or our physical health be deteriorating. These are just a few examples, there are many more, it shows often how complicated it can be. We should be encouraged that people can admit that things are not going well and they are struggling. Are we ready to respond positively when we ask the question “Are you alright?” and the answer is not “I am fine”. We need to care, to listen, to offer help and support rather than exchange pleasantries. It seems now more than any other time there will be a lot of people who are not alright. We need to support people in the way we want to be helped when we are struggling.

Ascension Day was both exciting and worrying. The disciples saw Jesus ascend to heaven but then they are on their own, isolated and the world feels intimidating. They are isolated on a mountain top and they see angels. But the reality is that they have to go back to Jerusalem and be ready to do God’s work. You cannot isolate yourself forever, at some point you have to engage in the world and get on with the things that you need to do. The disciples would have felt very inadequate without Jesus being present with them. Yet, Jesus promises that God would be with them helping and encouraging them. The same is true for each of us.

As we learn how God views every one of us with great value and importance, we should do likewise and value the people around us. It may be we have to reconnect with people we have lost touch with or take the time to stop and listen and help someone who feels isolated or lonely. We can all make a difference if we try to help others.

Rev. Martin Wood. The Rectory, Church Lane, Cheriton Bishop EX6 6HY 01647 24119 (Tuesday to Sunday) revwood163@gmail.com

As I write we are still in the stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives phase. We are all wondering what will happen next and when that might happen. Against the prospect of lifting of restrictions, we have daily reminders of the terrible cost of this pandemic with the daily death toll of hundreds of people who have died. Each one an unbearable loss for their family and friends. We have seen over a hundred people who have given care lose their lives. These people have had to confront the disease to carry on caring. We are in difficult times without a clear way forward.

We are moving forward through the year to the times where people have had to postpone or cancel important events that were planned a long time ago. There is a sense of loss of the things that can not now happen and frustration in not being able to know when and how we might plan things in the future. The self-isolation feels much worse when we are reminded of a time when we would have gathered together with family and friends. There is a sense both of hopelessness and a sense of there being no easy way forward. We have never navigated this crisis before and do not know what we should do. We have come through difficult times both in the country and in our personal lives. Reflecting on these times can give us clues about what we can do rather focus on what we cannot do. One of the common iithemes is always to keep trying and not to give up. There have been a whole range of posters with the slogan ‘ Keep Calm and Keep ……’ it could be cooking, sewing,  reading or any other activity you enjoy.

One of the places I look for help and inspiration is the book of Psalms in the Bible. Interestingly, they may be the oldest part of the Bible. They are also called the Song Book of the Old Testament. One of the interesting themes is that they can give a voice to God of the injustice and inequality around us. They give permission to share with God our deepest and darkest despairs and doubts. Psalm 88 is an example of placing our despair before God yet it longs for God and his comfort.   

‘O Lord, God of my salvation, when, at night, I cry out in your presence, let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry.’

The Psalms also offer hope and placing our trust in God. Psalm 121 would be a good example. It is always important to acknowledge our anxieties and worries. It never helps to deny concerns or pretend that we are alright when we are not. It is always important to talk and be heard. It can be friends, family or God who helps us get a perspective to keep trying and carrying on.

Rev. Martin Wood. The Rectory, Church Lane, Cheriton Bishop EX6 6HY 01647 24119 (Tuesday to Sunday) revwood163@gmail.com

It can be really frustrating when something that you think is certain suddenly changes. The Early May Bank Holiday has moved from Monday 4^th May to Friday 8^th May. This was announced last June, so that it coincides with the 75^th anniversary of VE Day. For many people that was too late. Millions of diaries had already been printed, so check your diary to make sure you are not working on the 8^th May! Many people had booked holidays around the bank holiday. Weddings have been booked assuming an extra day of celebration. I do not remember many bank holidays ever moving but recently we have had a few changes. In 1995 the bank holiday was moved from 1^st May to 8^th May for the 50^thanniversary of VE day. We have moved bank holidays for the Queen’s Diamond and Golden Jubilee. There have been several extra bank holidays for royal weddings with the last one being William and Kate in 2011. When I was thinking of the original VE celebrations, I was reminded of two things. The many hardships endured during the war and the hope of things getting better after the war. Secondly, the plea not forget the VJ Day on 14^th August. The two are linked to the end of the Second World War and are equally important. We are encouraged to keep the events of the past very much alive in the present so that many generations can acknowledge the sacrifice and cost of conflict. We are reminded to work for peace and never take it for granted.

What I had not realised last June when these plans were revealed, was the new order in which we now find ourselves, facing the hidden threat of COVID-19. We are to stay at home and not leave except for exceptional circumstances. We have seen panic buying of toilet rolls and hand sanitiser. We are in a whole new order where everything is cancelled except in emergency type situations. We are trying to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed. We are very concerned for the healthcare professionals who have to confront the illness, putting themselves in danger. We are trying to be good neighbours to those around in need without being able to be closer than two metres away. A whole new life that we could not have imagined. I do not want to draw similarities between what was happening 75 years ago and today. I just want to highlight the uncertainty and difficulties both events present.

I am reminded of the sayings ‘Men plan and God Laughs’ or ‘If you want to make God laugh just tell him your plans’. We have been reminded how fragile our plans really are and how we have to make adjustments for what actually happens in life. Let us remember that God is there at our most difficult times. It is always good to keep in touch with God through prayer. We are to follow Jesus’ example of looking out for the lost and lonely people to offer our help and support. We are to stay safe and well.

Rev. Martin Wood. The Rectory, Church Lane, Cheriton Bishop EX6 6HY 01647 24119 (Tuesday to Sunday) revwood163@gmail.com