St Valentine's Day

Tuesday 14th February 2012

An early daffodil in a sheltered spot marks St Valentine's Day

It was essential that Molly got some good exercise.  So after Morning Prayer, when the phonecalls subsided, I rode for an hour to reach the house of a parishioner recovering from an operation.  After a half hour visit, we trotted home, stopping en route when a man got off his tractor to say that he wanted to ask me about the burial plot of his grandfather.  Although it's not in a churchyard, I was able to tell him that Jimmy would be the source of all information before I rode on.  It was one of those useful encounters which saved someone from having to make a fuss about contacting the Rector and which happened naturally because it's so easy to pause on horseback.   (I can't imagine people flagging down a car.)
     There followed more telephone calls and a meeting with the Reader to plan a Lent study group on various issues of modern life and how the Christian faith may help us to deal with them.
     I had to hurry to print off copies of the PCC agenda and of the Church mission action plan before stabling Molly and driving to Elsdon just in time for the 6 o'clock meeting.  It was a stimulating and constructive hour and a half.  I was home by eight for soup and fruit before a late Evening Prayer, the final stable duties of the day and then half an hour off before returning to my study at 10.30 and hoping that I'll finish my contribution for the magazine before midnight.