33 and 1

I flew in to Boston on business last Monday to the tragic news that 33 people had died at a college in Virginia when a gunman killed students and lecturers, ending with taking his own life. My American colleagues were in shock and the TV channels seemed to show nothing else all the while I was there.

Aside from again asking questions about America's ridiculous gun laws, I'm not sure asking questions about why it happened will get us very far. A twisted mind has led to many innocent victims and grieving families.

I got back to the UK to the news that an old friend had died. Ian Wilkie was only 62 and died of a brain tumor. He was the pastor that had married me and Roh years earlier. Always full of life, with a real energy, he will be missed.

33 and 1. Many more of course, every moment of the day. We all of us face death. For some there will be some warning, for others, it will be sudden. We pray for those who grieve, and we prepare ourselves for that journey as best we can.

Henry Venn, an Anglican minister in the 1700's, was told by his doctor that he was going to die and had only a few days to live. He was so excited at the prospect of going to be with his Lord, that the adrenalin that pumped around his system kept him alive for another three months! May we all be able to anticipate that day and say with St Paul 'death where is your sting?'

We grieve with the families of the 33 and the 1. And we look forward to a day where there will be no more tears, no more pain, no more needless killing.

7 - 1

It was my birthday yesterday and my football team decided to lay on a treat for me....

For United to win 7-1 against Roma in the quarter finals of the European Cup was quite something. Some of their play was breathtaking. The 6 'one-touch' passes that led to Alan Smith's goal were so good I don't have the right superlative for them!

Not a bad way to start another year. I hope and pray my own approach to each day this year will be the same as the Manchester United players last night- committed, purposeful, full of energy, and successful.

Mountains and valleys

One of my favourite films is ‘Chariots of Fire’, the story of the 1920 Olympics in Paris, and of two runners in particular- Harold Abrahams and Eric Lidell. Lidell’s story revolves around his refusal to run on a Sunday and then going on to win gold in another event.

Abrahams story is one of a struggle within himself, overcoming many obstacles and winning the gold in the sprint. One of the most poignant moments is when the athletes return home to London off the boat train. There’s a great celebration at the station, but Abrahams waits on the train. Only when the crowd is gone does he come out onto the platform and into the arms of his waiting girlfriend.

It’s often the way, that when we have been on the mountaintop, a valley follows. That was Abrahams experience, and possibly ours too. So we need to be prepared for ‘lows’ as well as ‘highs’. The most prepared of us will be ready, having enjoyed the mountain, being prepared for the ‘real world’ we must live in.

No one could take Abrahams medal away from him. He won it. Let’s hold on to our mountaintop moments and use them to live our daily lives, whatever height we may seem to be at, at the time.