Come-and-have-Breakfast

The-Widow

Blog-29Jan2026

Just-as-I-am

By Judy Taylor
Recently on Facebook there have been some beautiful pictures of local early morning sunrises or sunsets. The skies have been deep pink merging into mauves and blues and often set against a silhouette of tall trees. The caption accompanying the photos is ‘beautiful but brief’. It reminded me of a time when there was a most beautiful sunset where I lived – the sky was just full of amazing colours and I so wanted to take a photo without the addition of trees and roofs so I drove a short distance to a place where I thought I would have a more complete uninterrupted view. However, by the time I got there the sky had changed, the colours were not so vibrant, the picture was fading. Afterwards, I do remember thinking about my rush to capture this picture and realising there was a lesson here. Enjoy the moment for however long or short it is because it is a window of something amazing and as soon as you try to change or hold it for longer, it will never be the same.

On seeing the Transfiguration of Christ, Peter wanted to make three shelters, or tabernacles, one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah, to preserve the moment and honour the divine figures present. His statement was a reaction of overwhelming awe and fear, a desire to make the spiritual high permanent but this was not God’s plan. Peter was chosen by Jesus together with John and James to witness this amazing revelation but this is what it was, a window into the glory of God and of his Son but, just for a brief moment, real life had to be returned to.

This is the time of year when what we see around us is beginning to change; some of the trees are starting to produce their glorious reds, bronze and orange leaves, the last flowers of summer are fading and dare I say, it there has occasionally been a change in temperature in the mornings. September can be a most beautiful month, the sun is often just warm with a golden light that only seems to be present at this time of year. We have the wonderful huge harvest moon as the month draws on but all the time everything is changing, slowing down, ready to rest. It is the natural cycle of nature at the end of one season in readiness for the next, and we can enjoy, marvel and give thanks for all these changes. I came across a lovely picture in words by Thomas of Celano who was an Italian friar of the Franciscan order which reads as follows:

“Francis of Assisi found a flowering meadow, there he preached: and he called upon it to praise the Lord, even as if it had been a rational being. In the same manner did he treat the sown fields and the vineyards, the stones and the forests, all the fair meads the running streams the green gardens, the earth, the fire, the air and the wind. And he counselled them all with upright purity of heart to love God and in a strangely hidden way he penetrated into the heart of each creature with his sharp-sightedness as though he were penetrating into the glorious freedom of the Son of God.”

The Garden of St. Francis sends us a powerful message about respect for the planet and all the life forms that populate it. It encourages us to hold onto a part of the garden within ourselves that is not cultivated, not guided by the rules of efficiency and results, but is open to contemplation and harmony. It reminds us of the interconnection between humans and the environment, providing a more harmonious view of our interactions with the natural world.

In a world full of chaos and uncertainty where everything is changing but not for natural or good reasons, where so many are displaced and there is no sense of rhythm or continuity, just existence, may we give thanks to God for this natural progression of the seasons, and cherish the beauty each one brings.

This is a child’s view by that prolific author Anon!

“I like the country because it is so peaceful. Out there the quiet just goes sliding along. God sews up the buds of flowers very tight and after a while He lets the sun and rain open the stitches. When waves come in on the beach they look like big open mouths ready to gobble up things. Sometimes they look like white, lacy arms hugging the whole world”.

Let us give thanks and care for the beauty of every moment, every day knowing God holds everything together in perfect harmony.

By Judy Taylor
I am reading a book called “Letters from Nazareth” by Richard Carter who is a priest at St. Martins – in-the-Fields. ‘Written in the form of spiritual letters, it reflects on themes of being at home with ourselves, with each other, with the times we are living through and with God.

In one of his letters Richard recalls and reflects upon a lecture he attended which was given by Timothy Radcliffe, a Roman Catholic priest and author of several books. At this lecture Timothy talked with great honesty about the major surgery he went through and how for many weeks after, he lay helpless linked up to tubes and pipes, and how he felt like a lump of flesh unable to do anything for himself. His senses of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing all seemed taken away from him and he said he found it impossible to pray. He tried the Lord’s Prayer but could get no further than the first two sentences. The only prayer he could make at that point was the prayer of Samuel in the Temple, “Here I am”. Timothy talked about those simple words being enough “Here I am”. “ In the total unknown ,unable to control, to understand, to do anything. “In this nothingness I am totally yours because you are all I have. It’s a prayer that strips us right down to just us and God.” HERE I AM “ “ God is here, not promising miraculous intervention or even protection but affirming unconditional presence .HERE I AM Here is God and God is here and you are God’s.

Timothy goes on to talk about even as he recovered, for a long time he could still do nothing for himself but the nurses and doctors did their marvellous best.” My fragile sense of self was nourished by their gaze and touch, their eyes and their hands.” He came to see that his illness which had always felt like his enemy was becoming his teacher. The “Here I am” of God’s eternal presence and the recognition of his own naked self-became like an offering on the alter reciprocated by the total self-offering of Christ for him. I hope that not many of us have had or will have such a devastating experience regarding an illness. However, I have, and I’m sure many others will have experienced at times in our lives the sense of helplessness, grief and ‘is anybody there, God’ hearing me?’ If any of you were fortunate enough to hear Rev. Mark’s address last Sunday you will recall how he so honestly identified with these feelings and as we all struggle because we want answers, often there isn’t one. We cannot understand what purpose is being served here. Many years ago in my previous church of St. Mary & St. George a young mother, not a church goer but known to us through her mother, had terminal cancer and would leave behind four young children, the youngest of whom was six years old. I remember saying to our Priest Father Chris “what can God want in all of this, why, it seems so pointless” Father Chris who was just as upset as I was but in his great Yorkshire way said “I don’t know Judy love, we just have to trust and pray”. Then something extraordinary happened, a woman who we had never seen before came to the church and said she was part of a 24 hour prayer group from another church and she had this very strong sense that she must come to our church to pass on an urgent message which was that a young woman we knew of was very ill and God wanted her to know how much she was loved and that a place was prepared for her. I went to see this young mother and explained about this stranger coming to us and the message she brought. I remember her smiling and thanking me for telling her.

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from
anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.
So I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during
the most trying periods of my life
there have only been one
set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most,
you have not been there for me?”

The Lord replied

“The times when you have
seen only one set of footprints,
is when I carried you.”

Mary Stevenson

This well-known poem which hopefully has helped people at times when they are struggling does not say that God will make things better now or in the future, but what it does say is that He is with us in the times when we need him the most even though he feels absent to us.

“Here I am” is enough, God loves us just as we are and we can draw closer to him by just being with
him, letting him “delight in us”

Psalm 18:19 states, “He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in
me.” This verse, and others like it, highlight God’s love and pleasure in His people, not just for their
actions, but for who they are as His children. God’s delight in us is a constant, rooted in His character
and love. In essence, the idea of God delighting in us is a powerful and comforting truth that
encourages us to live in the knowledge of His love and acceptance.

May that wonderful light of love shine into our hearts now and always and help us to remember that no matter what, the darkness can never overcome it.

By Judy Taylor

I recently read an article in the Church Times written by the sister of Kit her brother who had sadly died. There had, in this article been many tributes to him and many stories about him too. One, which I found both admirable and wonderful is that of when he was a choral scholar at Clare College Cambridge, he had to make a difficult telephone call to his choirmaster which was to apologise that he was not going to be able to make choir practise that day because he had been arrested. He had gone to the Lakenheath air base with others to protest about nuclear weapons being housed there. The choirmaster was not at all happy and said that when Kit returned he would get a ‘dressing down’ from the Dean of the college for his absence. This story reminded me of when in the 1980’s, I went to London to join an estimated 30,000 people who marched to Oxford Street as part of CND’s protest against cruise missiles which were mainly sited at Greenham Common. Our march ended up by everyone, at a given signal sitting down in the middle of Oxford Street. I also went to the Greenham Common Peace Camp just for the day to join the many brave and committed women who were camped there and contrary to the press reports of it being a refuse sight, well I only saw a well organised group who had individuals with the black bin bags regularly collecting rubbish several times that day. On neither occasion was I arrested, but I know that many were and because of their commitment they were sent to prison more than once.

There have been many people who have risked great personal danger by standing up for what they knew to be wrong. Dietrich Bonhoeffer a German theologian and opposer of Nazism returned to Germany in the knowledge that he would almost certainly be arrested as indeed he was and was imprisoned and eventually executed. St. Paul was beaten and arrested for preaching the Good News of Jesus and he too it is believed was put to death. So many more brave souls who risked everything in the name of righteousness and freedom. And then there are so many more who we know nothing of but in places of oppressive and cruel regimes have been arrested for their beliefs and suffered long periods of imprisonment. I pray that none of us will ever be in that position; but even in our own lives, do we really stand up for something, a comment which is racist, a point of view which denigrates others? How much easier it is to say nothing or even go along with what is being said.

In Salisbury cathedral, at the eastern end in the Trinity chapel is the beautiful Prisoner of Conscience window depicting those who have been imprisoned for their beliefs or for freedom or just for who they are. In the centre window another Prisoner of Conscience is that of Jesus being mocked by the soldiers and crucified and Mary, at Christ’s feet. The window is made up almost entirely of blue glass and on a visit there once, a guide told me that blue glass is the most expensive and precious one that can be used in stain glass windows. Next to the window is a large Amnesty International candle which is there as a focal point for prayers.

There is a lovely end to the article I began with – when the choirmaster who incidentally at that time was John Rutter, said that the Dean would give Kit a ‘dressing down’ for missing choir practise, Kit replied “well I wouldn’t worry too much about that because he is here with me”… and he was Rowan Williams, the future Archbishop of Canterbury!

On Good Friday there was the traditional Good Friday Walk, and this year it was from Ibstone. I always love these walks whichever benefice is hosting, we are so blessed by being surrounded by lovely countryside and the walks take us through a variety of fields, woods and open spaces all away from the general distractions of our busy lives. For those who may not have been on one or not known how they are organised, the host, (this year Ibstone church and school) take a group on a walk roughly 1 ½-2 hours with several stops. During these stops, the unfolding story of Jesus’ crucifixion is read, a prayer is said and a hymn is sung. For those who prefer, there is a reflective Good Friday service in the church. The walk ends with a lovely tea for everyone consisting of hot cross buns and cakes and of course the very welcome cup of tea or coffee. This year I wanted to go but felt rather anxious because my walking ability is not what it used to be. However my daughter Carol said she would come with me, so off we set with the rest of the group. We had only just entered the wooded area at the beginning of the walk when I realised I had forgotten the thing I most needed with me, my walking stick. I knew the terrain would be uneven and tricky in places and as I have rather poor balance my stick is really important. Carol to the rescue! She quickly found a very robust looking stick, tall and strong and it was just perfect for my needs. My plan was to see how far I could get on the walk, there would be the opportunity to return at each stop if the walk was getting too tiring. At the first stop I was quite happy to carry on and then at the second stop I felt I could still go on. At the third stop although I was feeling tired it was going to be quicker to go on one more time than to go back! The feeling of completing the walk at the end was so surprising, I felt energised and very happy; all the tiredness seemed to drain away. Later, as I reflected on this, I thought about that stick and how it helped me to complete the walk. I know I would have struggled without it and very likely would have returned at the first stop. It gave me reassurance and support when I might otherwise have overbalanced or fallen even but most of all it gave me the perseverance to carry on.

There are many stories in the Bible of people who persevered against all the odds, and one of my favourites is that of Elijah who is exhausted having fled the revengeful army of Queen Jezebel who has threatened to kill him and he just wants to give up. He has done everything God wanted him to and still he is in great danger. He lies down under a juniper tree and asks God to take his life, he can go on no longer. He falls asleep and is woken by an angel who has provided bread and water to revive him. He eats and drinks and falls back to sleep. Again the angel wakes him with more food and water and eventually Elijah gains strength to continue on his journey to Mount Horeb where he will meet God.

There will have been times in most people’s lives when everything looks hopeless and we can see no light at the end of the tunnel. And yet… how often does someone appear, just with a kind word or support to help us through? Or something changes very slightly giving us a little hope? And then we have God. This God who is our refuge will not desert us, he walks with us through all our pain but at our worst times, it is very hard to believe that. God knows this too and never judges us when we doubt because we are overwhelmed by our suffering.

Elijah finds God in “the still small voice of calm” (I Kings 19 12-13) and that same still small voice will be speaking to us all through our life’s journey loving us, guiding and supporting us laughing and weeping with us because we are His, we are his children and as a parent he cares so deeply about all that happens to us.

When we finished our Good Friday walk, I laid the stick down in the field before leaving through the gate and said a quiet prayer of thanks for it and hoped that someone else might also find it a support on their walk too.

As we approach the beginning of Holy Week, I have been thinking and reflecting on the words “keep watch”. You may remember that this was Jesus’ plea to his disciples when he entered the Garden of Gethsemane; the place where he would be in agonising prayer with his Father that he might not have to endure what was before him. But his disciples were exhausted. This had been a week of twists and turns, the joyous entry into Jerusalem with the crowds going wild with excitement, the teaching in the Temple then the money lenders being turned out in anger by Jesus. Then a change in atmosphere, a feeling of danger, uncertainty at the supper they had just had, with Jesus saying strange frightening things about betrayal and leaving them. Today people talk about their lives being a rollercoaster, experiencing emotional overload, I hope that life is not like that for you at the moment, but I’m sure you can recall when it has been and how exhausting this can be. Well I imagine it was like that for the disciples, as soon as they sat down, tiredness overtook them and they just fell asleep. Luke tells us that they were full of grief, maybe they were finally recognising how events were going and they must have felt powerless and very afraid. Jesus had asked them to be with him, he knew they could not change things but he just needed them there, to keep watch, to be with him.

Some of us may have experienced the comfort of another ‘keeping watch’ and this can take several forms. It may be knowing a loved one is being cared for in hospital giving us the time to gather our strength and renew ourselves for the next day. I have great cause to be thankful for the time when the Marie Curie nurses kept watch over my dear first husband Paul while he spent his last days at home. I was able to sleep quite exhausted at night knowing there was someone who did not sleep but with such devoted care watched over Paul all night. Keeping watch is also being aware , being alert to the needs of others, just going that little bit further when the response to ‘how are you?’ is ‘I’m fine’ isn’t very convincing.

As I thought about keeping watch I thought of a lighthouse and how the great beam of light sweeps across the land and sea. Lighthouses are built on solid rock and are there not only as a warning of danger, rocks or currents that could easily wreck ships in that area, but also as landmarks too, to help navigation, a welcome light to help the ship’s captain plan his onward journey with safety and confidence. John called Jesus ‘the Light of the World’, the one who would come to sweep away the darkness in people’s lives bringing the light of love and hope to show them a new way of living.

But this light is now faltering, Jesus has to face a terrible ordeal and only he alone can do this. No one wishes to die at thirty and no one wishes to die upon the cross. Sometimes when the word courage is used it suggests a resolute fearlessness, but real courage does not mean not being afraid. It means being terribly afraid and yet doing the thing that has to be done. The light finally went out
when Jesus died on the cross and for those who were there, it must have felt as if everything had ended, no hope, no coming of God’s kingdom, just emptiness.

However, we know that the cross was not the end, it was the beginning of new life that only trust, obedience and amazing love could bring to birth. The light shone again, more brightly than ever and this time the darkness could not overcome it. As we begin our journey through Holy Week, may we feel the strength and love of God sustaining us for our life’s journey in the certain knowledge that God remains with us, and sends others to keep watch over us at the times of our trials and suffering. His promise remains true, he will not forsake us because he is with us now and will be for evermore.

By Judy Taylor

Last week Paul and I had a lovely break for a few days in the Cotswolds and we were so lucky to have chosen a week when we had such lovely weather. We were staying in what would once have been a stately house set in hundreds of acres of beautiful grounds. The weather was so warm and sunny and I wanted to make the most of it so I decided I would go for a walk in these lovely grounds on Wednesday. There were paths taking you into different parts of the estate with a map to guide you but I was just so glad to be outside in the sunshine after the long dreary grey days we have been having, I thought I would just see where my footsteps would take me. I hadn’t been walking for very long when I saw an old rustic bench which looked very inviting. (What sort of walk am I on I can hear you asking yourselves?!). Well I sat there for a while, just drinking in the sunshine, feeling the warmth which seemed to not only warm my body but also my spirit. After leaving the bench I found myself walking through dappled sunlight into some woods. Here there were many clumps of snowdrops and – birdsong. It was as if every bird was singing in these woods. Songs I had never heard before, the chorus of sound was just beautiful. I had to stop and listen and marvel at everything around me and I think that it was here I began my prayer walk but it is only looking back that I realise that that is what it was.

I was giving thanks to God for this beauty all around me, and as I stopped to look at yet another lovely group of snowdrops, they were nodding their little heads as if in agreement with me. My pace got slower as I stopped just to hear the birds or just to be in the sun. I did not want anything to spoil this wonderful experience but as we all know, the mind doesn’t always go where we want it to go! I found myself thinking about the awful state of the world and in particular of Ukraine and all that has happened recently with President Zelenskyy. I brought this to God, as I know millions of people will be doing all over the world. In this special moment I felt at peace, which was different, I normally feel anxious and fearful of what is to come and pretty overwhelmed too. I don’t know how long I was walking but in all it was a healing and a reassurance experience knowing that God holds everything and we just have to trust that.

I love to think of Jesus, walking in the hills overlooking Galilee. There he would have found peace, away from the crowds that followed him. He too would have marvelled at his Father’s hand in the beauty of the flowers, the sun, the birdsong and the lake below. It was here that he found his Father, in the stillness where he could be with him and listen to his voice. We all need to find a place to be with God, whether on a walk, listening to music or lighting a candle to bring us into that time of stillness. We need this more than ever in these uncertain and turbulent times. And it is here that we can tell God of those fears and worries. We can bring to him all that is on our hearts knowing that he listens, hears us and loves us.

As we continue our journey this Lent, let Jesus be our companion and let us be his companion too. Let us walk with him our most trusted friend, see his absolute trust in his Father even though he knows what awaits him. If we can we bring him comfort and love by staying with him, his journey like ours will be lighter and wherever our walk in Lent and beyond leads us, we can, like Jesus, know that his Father, our Father loves us unconditionally and at our journey’s end he will welcome us home to be with him always.