View From The Manse
St James’ Minister, Peter Webster, writes
Dear Folks,
I don’t know if you like quiz
programmes on TV but I do. I am also part of a team that meet sometimes to take
part in a pub quiz. We just enjoy the fun of the night. No, that’s not
right. We want to win.
We are all very competitive and strive
to reach into our memories for answers. We have had success but I recommend you
don’t say the words ‘One Tomato’ in our presence. That is the
name of our greatest rivals.
No matter how much one knows there are
always a number of facts that are new to us. One of our regular phrases is
“I didn’t know that but I won’t forget it”. We try to
learn something from each quiz. This week’s nugget of knowledge came from
the question “where do Panama Hats come from?”. The not so obvious
answer is Ecuador. Maybe that is news to you.
It made me think how wonderful life is
because we are always exposed to new ideas and facts. Each new day is a
potential learning experience. I have also found that the longer I live, I find
I learn more and more about the wonder of God’s creation and I hope I
never tire of this opportunity to grow. What have you learned today ?
God Bless You All
Peter
In January, St James’ Minister, Peter Webster, wrote
Dear Folks,
2010 has
arrived and no doubt somebody around you has said the immortal words ‘I
hope it’s a better year than last year. Somehow at the turn of the year
we have the habit of remembering
the bad bits of the past. If we must look back then let’s try to recall
the good bits. The laughs we had, the amazing experiences, the cheerful family
occasions. I would be surprised if you cannot find some of these.
So what
of this new year. Let us try to make some good memories for us to recall in a
year’s time. Let us have a positive attitude to life. Remember the sun is
always shining each new day even if a few clouds make it invisible to us. Faith
removes the clouds and lets us smile in the sunshine of God’s love. It is
always there for us. Have a great 2010. Let’s build it together with God.
Happy New Year, God Bless You All
In December, St James’ Minister, Peter Webster, wrote
Recently I
was raking up the leaves from the back garden. I was very pleased with the
finished result as the grass was now visible and free to grow healthily next year un-choked by the leaves. Next
morning I was less pleased to see that once again the grass was covered in
leaves. There are many tasks in
life that need repeated over and over and over again. It can become boring
tedious and indeed annoying. Christmas can sometimes seem like a task. We say
thank goodness it only comes once a year.
But think
for a moment. This is a time to thank god for his expression of love to us in
entering this world in the person of Jesus.
If it is a
task we have missed the meaning. If we get the meaning the ‘I wish it
could be Christmas every day,’ would be our song. Remembering how God
loves each and every one of us always.
Have a
great Christmas (now and every day)
God’s
Blessing be with you all
Peter
In November, St James’ Minister, Peter Webster, wrote
It was said to me recently that I have never mentioned my
bowling in view from the Manse. Well I’ll remedy that now. Bowls is a
relatively straightforward game. The aim is to get your bowls closer to the
Jack (that’s a little white ball that has been rolled up the green) than
your opponents bowls. Only two things are required and that is to use the
correct weight and aim in the right direction (taking into account that your
bowls will run in a curved line and not straight). That seems simple enough,
only two things to do.
The problems come with stepping on to the green. There might
be a wind, or it might be damp underfoot and therefore can change throughout
the game as it dries out. The grass might have just been cut and your bowls
will run faster than the day before. The only answer to all these problems is
to play more and get a feel for the game. Practice makes perfect as they say
(well better anyway)
Christianity is relatively straightforward. Only two things
required. Believe in Jesus Christ and follow his example. The aim is to direct
your life to become an expression of the perfect love of God. The problems come
by being distracted from our aim by the demands of the world around us, or the
seeming need to earn more, own more, gain status, and by letting ourselves
become controlled by these.
The answer comes by getting back to focussing on what it
means to try to live like Jesus and as we practice that more and more we become
more perfect (well better anyway). Let’s practice together. God Bless You
All.
Peter