With low tides in the mornings Mr. Dog has had his walks on the beach this week and we have walked through quite a range of weather from the glorious sunrise above to the bleakness of the rainy beach this morning buffeted along by gale force winds.
But how grateful am I to be out in that to see the Wild Geese sweeping across the sky.
Stained Glass Goose that arrived in timely fashion on the doorstep- a present from some worship leaders I was training. The Holy Spirit turns up when needed! 🙂
This is the week of Thy Kingdom Come when we have been encouraged in all sorts of prayer but to pray especially for 5 people which I have certainly done, and begun a new prayer note book. It is not a journal or a diary although it might have some dates but it helps sometimes to write down names and situations that people ask me to pray for as well as thinking and praying through other situations and groups.
Keeping an up to date Reader’s prayer list is a…….
Every time I see the wild geese I am reminded of the Celtic metaphor for the Holy spirit- imagine a wild goose landing on your shoulder rather than a gentle dove… those of us called to ministry may well have experienced this feeling! When we step out into something new trusting that the Holy Spirit will be with us to guide us sometimes it may not feel very comforting but we certainly know the direction in which we must go!
This is the week of Thy Kingdom Come continued…….
Keeping an up to date Readers prayer list is a near impossible task because one is operating in a vacuum where unless you go chasing there are no updates and no-one tells you who needs to be on the list or taken off the list. Mt admiration to Joy Gunter who kept it going for so long.
So my own prayer note-book records those I am old about who I am praying for and anonymously those who need prayer who I have not been told about.
It is a bit like the task set for Tregeagle up on Bodmin Moor…..
Tomorrow I am preaching for Pentecost in church and online at the same time…. and I am grateful for the Monday Morning Reader’s group where we discussed the readings! It was very helpful and I think we may spend a little time each week with the readings for the following Sunday- perhaps with a different volunteer leading the discussions.
So a few facts about Wild Geese…..
Wild Geese are fascinating birds, apart from being scary, and display interesting behaviours we might learn from …
· flying in the V formation gives geese a seventy-one per cent increase in flying range, with flapping wings creating an updraft for the bird following. Flying is a co-operative business,
· the lead goose in the V formation does not, of course, experience this updraft and so tires faster than the others. When the lead goose tires, it drops back into the formation and another goose takes over the lead.
· when a goose falls out of the formation, it feels the drag and resistance of flying alone, and quickly gets back into the formation.
· when a wild goose is sick or wounded, or shot down, two others follow it to help and protect it until it recovers or dies, while the others continue to fly on. When the goose recovers or dies, a new formation is created, heading in the same direction as the first.
· when geese are flying in formation, those flying behind honk to encourage those in front to keep up speed.