The Secret Place

Where is your favourite place? The place you go to for peace, quiet and head space.

This morning, Saturday lie in morning, I find myself out of my bed at 7am to take Alice to catch a coach to Legoland. I feel a bit grumpy about this, I tried to go back to bed after dropping her off at 8am, but I am dressed now, the moment has passed and the bed is cold again!

I sat on the bed and read for a bit and then discovered I was enjoying myself! Steve and Molly are still asleep, even the cat had settled at my feet and the peace in the house was tangible. I found myself thinking, thank you God, for this moment to myself. To add to my joy I have taken myself downstairs to my favourite place in our house, the lounge. Our lounge has one glass wall, which looks out onto the garden and beyond. It is the most beautiful view as at the end of our garden is woodland and the Dollis Brook, we are not overlooked by anything but birds, trees and the beautiful sky. I watch the squirrels jumping from tree to tree, the woodpeckers picking ants out of the grass, the wood pigeons vying for the best branch to sit on and the clouds ambling by. God’s creation is truly breathtaking even in this simple view. This is where I sit with God and we catch up.

Do you have a place you go for peace, even if you can’t go to that place do you have a mental picture of that place that you can recall and sit with. A place that just you and God share - your secret place. Jesus recommends that we have these places, where all distraction in taken away, He said “when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private.” (Matthew 6:6)

We all need space in our lives to think and breathe. Family life, children, work and friends take so much of our time and energies, but we have to remember that we cannot give if we haven’t received ourselves. Time to plug into God and recharge our batteries.

So where is your favourite place? Can you go there today?

Thank you God for this amazing unexpected time with you this morning, I feel more refreshed now than any sleep could have provided, you know me better than I do and knew my need for today was time with you. Thank you Jesus, I love you. Amen

I saw the Easter Bunny today, he was making an Easter bonnet with Jesus, they were laughing and joking about whose was the best. The Easter Bunny, in my opinion had been a bit heavy with the little yellow chicks on his hat. Jesus, on the other hand, had spent so much time helping the children on the table around him to make their hats that all he had on his hat was a single pink feather at a jaunty angle! The children on the table all voted that Jesus was the winner....... and I had to agree (sometimes less is more!!!!)

That was just one of the amazing things that I saw happening at SpringFEST at St B's today. There were so many people in the building, from so many places: local schools, the local community, from Barney's, GAP, MiniGAP, the Family Craft Morning and the church family. The event was packed, around 350 people attended, 200 hot cross buns consumed, two bouncy castles bounced on, egg and spoon races raced, faces painted, songs sung, lasers shot, Wii's played, Easter nests made (and eaten!), and lots of smiles smiled and laughs laughed. Lots of Mums, Dads, Grandads, Grandmothers, Aunties, Uncles, big kids, little kids and an illusionist to boot.

A truly memorable event, God inspired and God delivered. Thank you Jesus, what an amazing honour to be part of such an awesome event.