A message from the Rev’d Amanda Collinson

Posted by Admin on 30 May 2017, 10:02 pm

Amanda Collinson

Priest-in-Charge

St John the Baptist Church

Northwood.

Tel: 01983 294913

Hello there!

This month we will once again be given the great privilege to decide who will make up our government and run our country. I know we seem to have been voting every year for the last five years, and some people may not see it as a privilege but a burden and something they cannot be bothered to do but I always remember those people who fought for us to have a vote and live in freedom – be it the Armed Forces personnel fighting in the Great Wars or the wonderfully brave suffragettes … and so I will be going to the WI hall on the 8th, making my choice and putting a cross by a name.
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The thing is, we may moan about having to go and vote at another election, but our lives are full of choices and decisions: insignificant ones like what to have for breakfast, whether to have our hair cut or dyed, through ones like whether to move home or stay where you are, what course to study at University, what job to take, all the way to hugely significant ones of whether to accept the proposal or not, going out for the first time after the loss of a loved one, changing your lifestyle after a health diagnosis or whether to turn off a life support machine …
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I spoke to our boys recently about how lucky they are to have so many choices, reminding them of people around the world but also close to home that are not as fortunate as them. But it is so easy to forget this when our cupboards are full of food, wardrobes full of clothing, toy boxes full of toys, a TV with 93 channels (!!), and that’s before we consider the fact that we all have roofs over our heads and living in relative safe freedom.
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It is good for all of us to remember how fortunate we are – and the best way of doing this is by stopping yourself doing something and seeing how much you miss it or struggle without it. One of the local Beaver troops did this recently when they worked for their disabled badge – trying simple things whilst blindfolded and manoeuvring around an assault course in a wheelchair. They all very quickly realised how lucky they were to have the choice of opening their eyes to see or getting up and going for a run.
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Jesus gave all those who heard him speak a choice – to follow him or not. He never promised that by following him all their problems would be removed and their lives would be perfect, but he did promise that he would always be with them, in the good times and the bad. This cuts to the main problem we have with choices – we don’t know what it is going to be like once we have made one or what will happen. But the point is if you have thought about your choices and come to your decision carefully and considerably then you just have to have faith you have made the right choice … it’s when you have made a rash choice or decision that you need to be worried.
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I am still nervous when I have to make decisions, especially big ones, its natural, but then I try and hand all this over to God and ask that he remains close to me as I journey in the unknown. If you have a belief, I hope you always try and do the same. If you don’t have a faith, make sure you are not alone when you are making big decisions – share it with someone you know and trust and then the future may not look as distressing … but still make a choice. Doing nothing or, worse still, burying your head in the sand is good for nothing or no one!
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Wishing you a month of great decision-making and wise choices!

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Rev’d Amanda.

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