Morning Lord! Well, back to the usual Monday morning routine – which all seems so much easier to manage now that I am down to only one school drop off and one kindy drop off since Faith and Trinity are otherwise organised. It’s amazing what you can actually do when push comes to shove. If there’s anything to be said for motherhood (well, beyond the fact that it is one of the most important things I’ll ever do) is that it sure expands your coping capacity.
Speaking of coping capacities, mine was pushed to the limit somewhat by yesterday’s lunch. Claire and William came straight back home with us after church and sat around looking po-faced and sanctimonious while I tried my best to whip up the world’s best situation-saving lunch. Actually, I remembered I had some home made soup in the freezer, dispatched Andrew for fresh bread, and made some cinnamon scrolls in his absence – all the while trying to make polite conversation with Ma and Pa Copeland and simultaneously avoiding the subject of the elephant in the room – how things would be when Cameron and Ashley turned up.
Mercifully Andrew had returned from buying bread by the time they did show up so he was able to fill in the gaps in conversation while I got the last of the lunch preparations ready. Ashley was super helpful in the kitchen (to cover up her nerves I guess) and the children (bless their little cotton socks) were so happy to have Cameron and Ashley around that they did more than their fair share of papering over the cracks. In fact I would go as far to say that the two of them were an unexpected source of blessing because of the enthusiasm with which they greeted Cameron in particular. His willingness to engage with them showed (I hope) a whole different side of him to Claire and William and did at least break the rather thick ice.
All in all, it wasn’t what you’d call the warmest of occasions but at the very least it was civilised and has laid a platform for further interaction. Claire even went so far as to ask just when Cameron and Ashley intend to wed and seemed suitably satisfied with the answer of next summer – probably January. Whether that’s because it gives her time to put the kybosh on the whole thing or to get used to the idea I don’t know. It seems a miracle she even acknowledged that there would be a wedding at some point.
All of this distracted somewhat from Daniel’s message on Colossians 4 which was, as usual, very good. Most of the chapter is taken up with final greetings but the first few verses really pack a punch. I’m copying them down to remind me:
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
I pray you would make this a reality in my life Lord. In a growing sense I want only to serve you. Work in and through me today for your namesake…Amen