Monday 1 April 2013

Lent and Easter 2013

Well thats it- Lent and Easter 2013 are over. (Yes I know we have Easter season for another 50 days but the Easter weekend with its gamut of services has come and gone. Back on the Monday before Ash wednesday I woke up with s sinking feeling and spent the day feeling quite low. It had struck me how relentless the life of a Curate is. On that Monday morning I woke conscious that having preached on the Sunday I now had to switch off those thoughts and switch on thoughts about the following Sundays services and also with a long list of tasks to do in order to prepare for all the services and events to come before easter Sunday. I made a list- and I prayed. On Ash wednesday it hit me that while feeling stressed at that moment, Holy week and Easter weekend would happen, and whether I had managed to get everything done or not, come Easter Monday it would be too late and all would be over. So as I awoke this morning it was with gratitude to God that with His help I ddi manage to get everything done, and now I can have a rest for 24 hours before starting again with planning for Sundays sermon, family service and the start of a new toddler group ! So what did I do over the last 7 weeks? I planned and led a Family service, I prepared and facilitated Experience easter over three days in church, I helped at a marriage preparation day, I went to two training courses for being a governor in school, I prepared two sermons and preached them, I prepared and led a reflective service in church,I led reflective service for the Mothers Union, I prepared a Palm Sunday praise for a village church ( but then had it cancelled due to 3 foot drifts of snow closing the road!), I visited the sick, took home communion to the house bound, helped at the Churches Together childrens club, attended PCC meetings, I led assemblies in 5 schools, went to staff meetings, I prepared and led an hour at the cross for good friday, and I deaconed at many other services. In other words I did all the normal work of a deacon with some extras thrown in. And I loved every moment of it despite that initial wobble 7 weeks ago. Now I'm tired but looking forward to having a fortnights holiday in France with my wonderful husband who has helped and supported me in any way he could over the last few weeks. Lesson learnt- that I can not do anything in my own strength but with the help of God I can achieve all he wants me to.