Ground anchor

Our 19th wedding anniversary has sped by. We had a lovely day. It started with a 'hit and run' visit to our chosen purveyor of memorials, Ash. We were delighted with their service. I wont forget seeing the list of suggestions for things to put on a memorial though - many were sublime. In the end we made the basic decisions so that a stone could be ordered and we could decide on an inscription later. One of the requirements for a grave stone, even one set on top of a thick concrete pathway, is to secure it by means of a 'ground anchor'. The stone has to be secure enough so that it could not be moved by 'two grown men'. Thus a large steel rod is needed to go down into the ground and up inside the stone. This sounds pretty impressive. After all, a memorial should stay put for many centuries, one might expect. Then I got to thinking about it and actually what have we got there...? A stone of a few kilos, certainly not tonnes. It's fixed to a line of concrete upon the surface of the planet. As you know, this thin surface crust is floating on a huge sea of floating magma on a planet spinning around a relatively tiny star. How permanent really is any thing planted on the face of the earth? We need an anchor that lodges somewhere out of reach of 'change and decay'.

We have an anchor that keeps the soul, steadfast and sure while the billows roll. Fastened to the Rock which cannot move, grounded firm and deep in the Saviour's love.  Owens

As Alex pointed out at Friday Fellowship, all cultures have always believed in an afterlife, from the ancient Egyptians to even some modern atheists. One overwhelming message from this observation is that what we can see and feel is less permanent than what we cannot, i.e. the soul. And yet such scant attention is given to preparing the soul for this great transition of death. Interestingly, all cultures have also always believed in a judgement after death, the results of which, usually depending on how good you were, determine how you will spend eternity. With the clear testimony of revelation, we can, we must make sure of the outcome of this judgement before it happens. Make peace with your Maker now, while the offer stands: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13).
In case you're wondering, we decided on the following inscription:

Er Cof Annwyl Am 

Padrig Luc Johnson 

19th December 1997 – 21st July 2013

But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:13

The first line is Welsh for 'In memory of beloved...'
In case you're also wondering, I'd taken the day off for our anniversary and so we went on from Ash memorials to have a great time at the superb Tuesday morning fellowship meeting. It was wonderful to go over some of the points that had come up in the Lord's Day services and enjoy fellowship with God's people. Then we went for a fine lunch with an excellent view at the New House Country hotel.

Morning sickness

The morning sickness just about clears by noon. But it can come back in a flash, if he smells something slightly noxious, cooking mince, for example, or if he just takes too much into his mouth. The drugs seem to vary in their effectiveness. I'm just letting him lie until he comes out of it and gets tired of resting. Yesterday we had the day to ourselves with the others visiting family over the bridge. We toddled the dog around the park before taking some sea air at Cardiff Bay as we'd got there too early for the film (made bearable only by the 3D fx). There was a stand about bullying, doing a 'painting workshop' where he got to paint a little plastic hand. These people were well-meaning but consider this poem that we were given along with other bumf:

If you're being bullied
And feeling hurt as well
Hold this Hand of Courage
It will give you strength to tell

Hold on to it tightly
Hold it every day
It is there to help and support you
In each and every way

It was in Welsh on the other side. I suppose there's some home-spun psychology in there that may actually help. And the folks there are lovin Pads in his wheelchair - ideal PR material. I don't want to be cynical here. He, like so many of us, knows what it is to be bullied, though, thankfully, only very rarely because of his appearance this year. Almost any attempt to blunt human nature's savage streak is to be welcomed. The serious point is, how exactly does a holding anything tightly everyday help and support in each and every way? This is vapid secular/materialism: what happens if you forget your 'hand', or the bully steals it? Here's a different poem:

When all around my soul gives way [as it surely will!]
He then is all my hope and stay

Or similar:

We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll

Not only can we not lose God, His almighty hand is holding us! Gogoniant! Diolch byth!

normal

Pads is much more 'himself' when he's not got a tube in. Last night he was really the 'life and soul' again. After waking up to be sick, he soon normalised and seems very bright. It'll be too much of a risk to send him to school though.
We've been enjoying a piece of caligraphy that Moli did. Her Welsh abilities are clearly enriching life at WICS. This is the great classic Welsh hymn, Calon Lan.
Pads was delighted at the idea of putting it near his bed and was meditating on the last two lines of the chorus which (roughly) translate:

None but pure hearts will sing
Sing the day and sing the night

I was pointing out the metaphor of day and night as meaning a time of trial or that the day represents the brief span of our lives. We enjoyed contemplating the beauty of a heart cleansed by Christ's blood (cf. Easter), singing in the midst of joy or sorrow, in the morning, noon, evening and night of the soul. Do you know the bliss of peace and fellowship with God?

Great hope

I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1 Thes 4:13

In this verse, Paul is consoling the Thessalonians with assurances concerning the position of those who are 'asleep' - a normal New Testament term for those who have died believing. But a Choice Gleanings reading the other day focussed on the fact that being saved, we have good reasons, in general, to 'sorrow not, even as others which have no hope'. Perhaps you are one of the majority of people these days who think that life ends at death, there is nothing to hope for after death. I dont believe that. I believe that there is much more. I'm with Paul here. Not only is God himself going to greet me, but, at some point, we're all getting new bodies. This is just the historic teaching of the Christian faith, just not one you hear a lot of. I must just add, as Mr Higham always says, this 'hope' is not a 'Oh I hope so' hope, its roots are in the power of God Himself. So it is an ambitious, venturing, lively hope - one that breeds courage.