
Merry
Grateful for
Monday
1 Merry, my labradoodle’s wagging tail and sweet nature.

Jake and Merry
2 Jake, my 11 year old Border Collie, tolerating Merry.
3 Blog stats picking up steadily.
4 Seeing a heron on my walk.
5 Three mile walk/run from Sandford on Thames to Iffley Lock and back, barely tired
7 Green and Black Butterscotch chocolate
8 My sponsor at Overeater’s Anonymous, who is, sadly, but naturally, anonymous.
10 The process of trying to surrender my eating and fitness to Christ
11 Christ–how he brings clarity and light to everything.
12 Coconut Curry Lentil Soup made by Roy for lunch, and asparagus soup with coconut milk made by Zoe for dinner
13 Kettle crisps with salt and pepper
14 This: Donald Miller writes
Being known by strangers isn’t going to make anybody fulfilled. In fact, it can make life much more confusing and complicated. But finding a role in life that helps others is actually healing.
Having somebody come up to me and say they loved my book is nice, don’t get me wrong, but having somebody come up and say they sold their house, quit their job or adopted a child because of Creating Your Life Plan is fulfilling to me on a much deeper level.
I wish I would have known that when I was younger.
Here’s a thought: What if our desire to be known and validated and even famous isn’t a misappropriated desire to actually be people of significant impact, which doesn’t require fame at all?
15 Sold 20 copies today of Francesco, Artist of Florence: The Man Who Gave Too Much in the US.
Tuesday
Thought–I was influenced by WHM’s Sonship as a young Christian. World Harvest Mission changes its name to Serge. Why would someone lose 30 years of name-recognition, for an obscure, trendy title that means nothing to most people, and sounds like a clothing store, with no hints of its Christian origins?
Thankful for
1 Image of God as a river of love, flowing through me to others
2 The opulence of our new dinner service, Royal Doulton Old Country Roses
3 Shelly Miller hosting my piece.
4 Asking Jesus for light on my perennial diet dilemma. What to eat to be strong and healthy and shed some weight? I hear him say that he was an omnivore–eating fish, lamb, wheat, corn. He feasted. So I shall be an omnivore, but mainly eat fruit and vegetables, beans and pulses. And not use food to satisfy emotional needs–just as Jesus did not : “My food is to do the will of God, and to accomplish his purposes.”
Also there is no record of Jesus exercising for the sake of exercise. He got his exercise in the course of ministry. Perhaps I should walk with friends rather than have coffee with them. Yes! And exercise (also) in the course of domestic ministry–gardening, housework…
Jack Deere: The answer to all our struggles is a Person (not a philosophy or a theory or research or method)
When I went to work the next day, I said that I had accepted Jesus. And when I spoke those words I was flooded with the same joy I had had inside the dream. And I’ve had that joy with me for the past 25 years.
3 Very stimulating coffee with Timothy Willard whose book Home Behind the Sun: Connect with God in the Brilliance of the Everyday is blowing up on Amazon, top 20 Christian books of all time, and top 1000 of all books sold on Amazon!
4 Going to Spain this weekend for a retreat led by Amy Boucher Pye on living as the Beloved. An idea close to my heart!
5 I am writing this “What I am thankful for” post because I have had an episode of low spirits. Not quite depression, just low spirits. And I have learned that depression is a friend. It forces you to burrow ever deeper into Christ for answers. It might force you to revise your life. The low energy forces you to drop accidentals, and concentrate on essentials. I usually come out of a spell of over-work induced burn-out with my faith stronger as I cling more tenaciously to Jesus, and get to know him better.