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Gooday! before you start this thought for the day, get a cup of tea or coffee, sit comfortably, put your feet up and ask God to come along side you for these moments of quiet reflection. Now you’re sitting comfortably, then we’ll begin. Let this song by my favourites The Gaither Vocal Band as they encourage us for these minutes together…
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Click on the arrow to start the song.
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Probably, like me, you’re fed up being isolated. Wishing you could go out, greet friends, and share a normal life once more? or are you in the place where you wish you could be anywhere rather than stuck at home, self-isolating?
I once came across a poem written by Jeff Liles. He was a teacher in an inner-city, slum district school. It’s an area known for its violence and crime and for young people making up large gangs in their neighbourhood.
He wrote these words….
I once came across a poem written by Jeff Liles. He was a teacher in an inner-city, slum district school. It’s an area known for its violence and crime and for young people making up large gangs in their neighbourhood.
He wrote these words….
If I could be anywhere, I would not be here.
I would be where everyone was nice and kind to each other.
I would be where nobody threw stones, and nobody cried.
If I could be anywhere, I would not be here.
I would be where no one was lonely, and everyone had at least three friends.
I would be where no one would laugh when I made a mistake.
And no one comes last, and everyone gets a prize got just trying.
If I could be anywhere, I would not be here.
But I am here! So, I will bring where I want to be to where I am!
I will find one that makes a mistake and encourage them to keep trying.
I will look for the lonely and say “Can I sit with you?
“I will look for tears of hurt and sadness and offer my towel of peace and joy.
I will search for the heartless and give them part of mine.
So, if I bring where I want to be, to where I am, then this is where I need to be!
I would be where everyone was nice and kind to each other.
I would be where nobody threw stones, and nobody cried.
If I could be anywhere, I would not be here.
I would be where no one was lonely, and everyone had at least three friends.
I would be where no one would laugh when I made a mistake.
And no one comes last, and everyone gets a prize got just trying.
If I could be anywhere, I would not be here.
But I am here! So, I will bring where I want to be to where I am!
I will find one that makes a mistake and encourage them to keep trying.
I will look for the lonely and say “Can I sit with you?
“I will look for tears of hurt and sadness and offer my towel of peace and joy.
I will search for the heartless and give them part of mine.
So, if I bring where I want to be, to where I am, then this is where I need to be!
We all feel sometimes that we would like to be anywhere else but where we are and especially in these lockdown days for us all.
I spent many years working among fishing communities in good times and bad. There have been many times when my own cry went up “If I could be anywhere”
*Visiting a home where a son and father were lost at sea.
* The bedside of a dying man with his wife and family clinging to hope.
* In an area that has seen better days with only the worst of society as your neighbours.
*Standing by the coffin of a young child trying to bring comfort to their distraught loved ones……
*When faced with a young wife coming home after the shops, only to find her husband hanging from the beams.
* Bringing news to families of men lost at sea.
In these situations I would echo those words….If I could have been anywhere……
If only we could do the ‘nice’ things we used to do. If only we could ‘get back to normal’ whatever that was for us.
And I’m sure you will have been the same at times
If only I lived somewhere else
If only I’d been offered that job
If only I wasn’t over 70!
If only I could get out and visit the family
If only that hurtful thing had not happened.
If only I hadn’t made those bad lifestyle choices
If only, If only, If only.
Can you imagine the Lord at the Mount of Olives...
If only there was another way to heal the world.
If only they had listened more.
If only they weren’t so stupid and stubborn
But Jeff Liles has captured if for us….
If I could be anywhere, I would not be here, BUT I AM HERE! So, I will bring where I want to be to where I am!
That’s the secret for us all. Change the situation we are in, and improve it. Make a difference where you are!
We ALL find days when we’d rather be in the situation and circumstances, we find ourselves. Be it health, family, neighbours or community – even church!
Romans 12 reminds us that we all have gifts, talents, abilities and skills that can enable us to bring where we want to be, to where we are. We can make a difference where we are.
We can all make a difference, even in these times of anxiety & stress and often through the simplest things of life – That’s the secret of Christian living in troubled times. – You are not alone for God’s love and Grace and the Holy Spirit is our watchword as we live for Him in whatever circumstances we find ourselves.
May we all feel the warmth of His love in whatever place or circumstances we find ourselves and feel His peace, the peace that passes all our understanding.
Now another song by the ‘gaither stable’. Listen to these special words and be encouraged.
I spent many years working among fishing communities in good times and bad. There have been many times when my own cry went up “If I could be anywhere”
*Visiting a home where a son and father were lost at sea.
* The bedside of a dying man with his wife and family clinging to hope.
* In an area that has seen better days with only the worst of society as your neighbours.
*Standing by the coffin of a young child trying to bring comfort to their distraught loved ones……
*When faced with a young wife coming home after the shops, only to find her husband hanging from the beams.
* Bringing news to families of men lost at sea.
In these situations I would echo those words….If I could have been anywhere……
If only we could do the ‘nice’ things we used to do. If only we could ‘get back to normal’ whatever that was for us.
And I’m sure you will have been the same at times
If only I lived somewhere else
If only I’d been offered that job
If only I wasn’t over 70!
If only I could get out and visit the family
If only that hurtful thing had not happened.
If only I hadn’t made those bad lifestyle choices
If only, If only, If only.
Can you imagine the Lord at the Mount of Olives...
If only there was another way to heal the world.
If only they had listened more.
If only they weren’t so stupid and stubborn
But Jeff Liles has captured if for us….
If I could be anywhere, I would not be here, BUT I AM HERE! So, I will bring where I want to be to where I am!
That’s the secret for us all. Change the situation we are in, and improve it. Make a difference where you are!
We ALL find days when we’d rather be in the situation and circumstances, we find ourselves. Be it health, family, neighbours or community – even church!
Romans 12 reminds us that we all have gifts, talents, abilities and skills that can enable us to bring where we want to be, to where we are. We can make a difference where we are.
We can all make a difference, even in these times of anxiety & stress and often through the simplest things of life – That’s the secret of Christian living in troubled times. – You are not alone for God’s love and Grace and the Holy Spirit is our watchword as we live for Him in whatever circumstances we find ourselves.
May we all feel the warmth of His love in whatever place or circumstances we find ourselves and feel His peace, the peace that passes all our understanding.
Now another song by the ‘gaither stable’. Listen to these special words and be encouraged.
Note: This series of 'Pause for Thought' started on Monday 4th May. To find these previous thoughts go to the Archive section of the website listed under the 'more.....' tab at the top of the page. On the 'Daily Pause for Thought' section of the website we will only keep 2 weeks of contributions before putting them into the Archive.
Can you help?
In this current situation when our church doors are closed to our normal activities but our work to support those in need our normal source of funds (Sunday Tithes and Offerings) have reduced dramatically. We need your help, so that we continue to be ready to meet the ongoing needs of our community that will undoubtedly impact beyond this lock down period. If you are willing to help please visit our Just Giving Page to make a donation to this work. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bedfordsa