I want to start this blog with an example of ‘being a little child’. This happened when I had been encouraged by my Godmother to make a calendar for the area of Edinburgh in which I was then living. I had been making calendars since 2001, but I did the drawings, chose readings and wrote the reflections etc myself. I was thus in control of timing, content and production.
I didn’t immediately respond to the request to make the calendar for Craigmillar as I had another to complete. But when I did, I knew I had to get paintings and writing from the community itself. It was a community in some turmoil and quite a lot of pain. Many flats had been pulled down and with refurbishment of remaining ones, people were being shifted about. New build housing meant new people were coming into the area too. The theme for the calendar became ‘Making all Things New’.
I prayed at the beginning of this process knowing there was no way I could control anything so potentially big and complicated. I knew that ‘control’ and lack of trust were problems of mine! And I knew the problems they caused me! How could I chose who and what? I surrendered it all to God the Father and prayed He would lead me.
I was prompted first of all to invite the primary schools to be involved. Then I invited three of the churches, leaving out the Mission Hall. Gradually through the paintings offered by one of the primary schools, a page was given to the new hospital and health centre, and an illustration was provided for the church which provided bereavement counselling for children.
Through some sort of organic, painless process all the months were allotted, but one. I could almost sense God drumming His fingers while He waited for me to surrender to His will. ‘Oh dear Lord! You told me to go to the Mission Hall and I didn’t.’ In fact the Mission Hall was the oldest church presence in the area as it had been started by the wife of the owner of the ‘big house’, back in the 1890s. The current mission hall was their third building and under constant attack. The page they submitted was an open invitation to allow Christ to make souls and lives new.
Gradually all the information about community and educational activities for children and adults came in from relevant organisations, and the ‘resource’ pages with phone numbers and addresses were filled. The local Community Arts Centre, which had accepted this ‘baby’ as theirs, had negotiated with the area development body that they would pay for 1000 calendars to send out to residents and we would sell the remaining 1000 in the community. So 2000 were to be printed.
The day for submission to printing was two days away, and there was a gap on the Health Centre/Hospital page. I’d written a poem about the ‘making new’ of Drs and nurses for their patients, but the space needed something about ‘spiritual renewal’ and I knew I simply couldn’t do it. I had been praying about it, but the day before submission, I had to be like a child, begging for Dad’s help. I said, ‘I cannot get up till you help me write something, to help the people of Craigmillar who are so in need’. I waited pen in hand, and could barely believe what emerged – it was so appropriate, complete and loving:
Recipe for Health, Wholeness, and Life Take a balance of work and play, With a good spoonful of open-ness to learn and change; Mix in a willingness to be in self-control, (pick out all blaming or shaming others and all self-harming); Add a good heap of honesty with ourselves and others, and include our strengths, and truth about our weaknesses; Bind together with humour and acceptance of life's changes, and thankfulness for all the gifts of each day; Bake in the fire of loving and forgiving others As we would like to be loved and forgiven, Trust that help for good will always be at hand; Serve up the good we have received, Living the beauty of our healthy heartbeat.
This was the trust of a child..believing that what was being done for a greater good, would be provided for. ‘If a father gives good things to his child, would not the Heavenly Father give good things to bless His children?’ (I was building on a previous experience of God’s provision when I needed a poem to share with other residents in a community, at an end of term ‘Soiree’. I needed something True but digestible!! -The quite long poem came to me gradually over 3 days and I had to carry paper and pencil with me at all times!)
An undamaged child trusts, hopes and accepts trials, holding the hand of their father and mother. In Spiritual terms, we hope always in the unseen Real, and go forward in faith. Our roots are deeply grounded in God’s love through faith and experience of His care. Our sights are looking to the work of the Father each day, and following in His path, living by the Truth in our hearts. ‘Lord we believe, help Thou our unbelief.’
Have we this trust in God as Father, especially when life has been difficult for what seems for ever? Sometimes our expectations, worldly self-interest and clinging to what was, makes our problems worse. How does a little child deal with difficulties? She/he looks for the little things that bring her/him joy. And she is open to new things in hope. I had to learn to let go of old thinking patterns and self-expectations, and accept what is, and learn to give thanks, even in difficult circumstances.
‘I found the joy that praises bring’ as I once wrote in a poem, and through that childlike joy (no real reason except in faith) I saw things differently. Hope from the same source as the joy, gives me courage to persevere with what needs to be done. Instead of grumbling about household chores, I’m beginning to see each task of everyday, as a stepping stone to eternity so I welcome it. I staying present to the task of washing up etc, and my patience and grace grow. In fact in staying Present to what I’m doing I find prayer springing into my mind, which brings more joy.
May we all find our roots in Eternal Love, with grace to overcome the destructive patterns of seeking power and control over others; so we may be led by the Kingdom of God, and find the joy of community, collaboration and service in grace and love. Amen.