Yes, we had some bananas!

 Week Beginning 29th March

Hello Everyone Well, what a week we have all had! So much to get used to, no unnecessary travel, social distancing and only one walk a day. These are challenging times, but we do not need to be in despair or despondent: Let us fix our eyes upon Jesus. Thank you for your words of encouragement we have received by email and phone. Let’s all work hard at keeping in touch with each other. We have set up and invited those who come to the Wednesday Morning Home Group to a hidden Facebook group. Please feel free to use that and all other means of communication. I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t doing much regular exercise before last week, but now Roger and I are going out every day for a walk. What a delight to see the Celandines and Violets flowering in the sunshine. Thank the Lord for the beautiful sunshine we have had. One of the amazing things to have happened, is that as we are regularly walking, we are “meeting” new people – well, people whom we haven’t spoken to in the village due to ‘busyness’. My plan is to continue to chat with as many people as I can within the rules of social distancing and a daily walk. As Living Waters Lynton we are signed up for food waste from Asda Barnstaple, which has helped provide in the past some of the vegetables and desserts for Soup & Sweet. This week we collected 12 boxes of Bananas!!! So many that we had a real problem with what to do with them. Having had a chat with Di Mitchell, the Lynton Zone Captain, she reminded me that we could not allow anyone to collect them from the front of church. So I went round the village with a trusty wheelbarrow delivering to anyone I could find. I dropped a whole box to Garson House, and some to Lyn Health, who were very grateful. I was also able to drop some from a distance to David and Jules as well as John and Susan who are all in isolation. I have continued writing out the Psalms and found that to be very fruitful. “You Lord are a Shield around me; …… I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me.” Psalm 3 vs 3 & 5 “Let your face smile on us Lord, You have given me greater joy…. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord will keep me safe.” Psalm 4: vs 6,7,8 In moments when I haven’t gone to sleep easily, to remember this truth has been liberating. Daily we each need to remember “Let all who take refuge in you, Lord, rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Spread your protection that all who love your name may be filled with joy….. You surround us with your shield of love.” Psalm 5 v 11-12 During these difficult times we do need to focus on the Lord Jesus. The psalmist in Psalm 6 calls out to the Lord in his circumstances: “My vision is blurred by grief, my eyes are worn out because of my enemies.” v7. That got me thinking about “my enemies” in this current time of coronavirus, lockdown and isolation. We all need to consider the questions this raises. Where is our vision? Where are we looking? And again I come back to Psalm 7:1 “I come to you for protection O Lord my God” and v9 “You look deep within the mind and heart, O Righteous God. God is my Shield…” Watch the first video “Two Roads” on this week’s playlist https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHnJn7EgQjAwGfF4wR_Z2bmoibrDvymfD and then worship the Lord using the songs that continue or else find some songs that you like. I have included a video of the story behind a song called “Raise a Hallelujah” and the principle is key for each one of us; Praise the Lord in all circumstances. L.O.C.K.D.O.W.N is a time to Listen to God’s voice and reflect. Let go and Let God. Obey His word and His teachings. Call on Jesus’s name and be calm. Know that God has a purpose for all this. Dwell in His presence. Do not panic. Offer a prayer for everyone’s safety. Wait on the Lord and be patient. This too shall pass. Nurture our personal relationship with God. May you experience the many blessings God has for each of you

Jacquey
Previously published here: https://www.livingwaterslynton.co.uk/post/yes-we-had-some-bananas