History is really great except when you have to remember the dates of the British monarchs , or when we feel sad about the lives some people had to live, and the traumas they had to face. History is imbibed with sorrows and when we learn about old times, it’s often from another’s perspective.

Personal history is maybe understood better as his-story or her-story yet we live in a world where we frequently get told off for remembering our past.It has become’the thing’ to deny the past and live in the moment, to empty our minds and focus on ‘the now’ well there is of course some benefit in this, we cannot wallow in our sorrows all the time else we defeat our live’s purpose.

I suggest we need to tell our stories to those who will listen, and to acknowledge them to ourselves.Secondly we need to use our experiences to transform our lives and the lives of others. Sometimes its possible to change the negative life patterns and prevent passing them on to new generations.

These thoughts are not meant to minamise the need to control difficult pasts or to transform them meaningfully. It is , however an attempt to encourage each of us to listen to ourselves and others, to hear and understand each other even, if for now, this is through the medium of electronic devices.

I have a young friend who has been using his time very effectively this year, and has written two children’s books, they each have themes about naughty creatures , and he acknowledges that he was a mischief himself, ‘a wee imp’ .His books have a useful quality, they are hilarious and full of splendid graphics.It occurs to me that allowing our mischievous imp out is a positive and creative approach to balancing life.

When did you last laugh? Give yourself permission———-

‘LAUGH OUT LOUD’ and a change will follow.

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The ways we make connections with others is something many of us feel frustrated about just at the moment. We cannot accept our new normal probably because we haven’t mourned the old one, We are creatures of habit and need to feel the sameness of life day by day, but we can also be open to new experiences. I have been amazed at how many people have become so creative, take masks for example the variety and number of those made all over the globe is really astounding filling all the available niches with variety, and adding to the economy. I also have been reflecting on the incongruence in the ‘use of masks’ .It seems we feel we have a right to do as we please wearing or not wearing the mask, I know how difficult it is to cover ones mouth and nose as I’m claustrophobic but remembering others is key to our ‘new normal life’ .

On another plane masks represent ‘deceit’ Remember the film’The man in the iron mask

historians agree that he existed but legends have arisen as to his identity, whoever he was the desire was to hide his identity. A health professional recently told me that I didn’t look my age, boy, I thought, this mask carry on has some advantages she can’t see the wrinkles. The need for connections is important for our self esteem we like to know why we have to do things don’t we?

Recently I have been fascinated with the way words emerge during this crisis like this last few weeks its ‘remembering’ . Of course November is the month for remembering’ making connections on a higher plane might be about holding others in heart and mind ‘remembering them’ think about that word make connections with it…… In good times and bad we need to be re- member- ed this spacing is deliberate. The thief on the cross asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom Luke 23:42 perhaps, at the moment, there is fear amongst us that we are alone without hugs and handshakes but the re-member-ing is given and held as ‘presence’ .it is a ‘holding’ a spiritual hug and kiss and it is routed in Christlike compassion for others.

I have a dear friend who has severe arthritis, and this is particularly bad in her hands she is very independent and keeps on doing all her housework, gardening, baking and caring for her husband and friends.I greatly admire her and her qualities, but I’m reminded of how one needs to mourn the loss of facilities when we become disabled, and that sometimes this is the part that gets left out, I’ts as though we feel we are not allowed to grieve ,or we are so busy we just continue forcing ourselves on and on. I am also disabled as are my two sons so I’ve learn’t a lot about negative and positive responses to disability.

Have you ever been angry at being talked down to? I often wish I could dispose of all the wee’s I meet when out.

‘your wee hair’

‘you wee pet’

‘your wee face’

These are just a few but they make the ‘patronising point’.

When my eldest son had a leg amputated I forgot how tall he was until he stood up on his prosthesis for the first time Could it be that we unconsciously look down, and talk down to wheelchair bound persons?The thing is, that’s it we are still whole persons even though we are disabled!

Aristotle saw our hands as ‘tools for tools’ , and it is our hands which set us apart from all other creatures on earth, even more importantly we have ‘INTERNAL HANDS’ these hands become more available through disability they are images of strength, power, independence and resilience, if you have mourned the loss of your facilities spend a few moments today reflecting on your internal hands develop your resilience strength, power and independence.

STAND TALL!

REACH FOR THE INTERNAL HANDS!

Observe the disabled person and ‘WAIT’ until they asked for help!

My friend ask me had I thought of writing about idle hands, her question brought to mind the old adage,’Satan finds some mischief for idle hands to do.’My mother used to quote it to me when, as a child, I hid to avoid unpleasant chores. I’m not alone in that for sure. It was a time when it seemed you were born to work idleness or even reflective time was frowned upon,and woe betide if you thought you could escape. As a Presbyterian I was weaned on the shorter catechism, and ironically I used it as an excuse for ducking the chores.I gained a considerable knowledge of it, and of course, no one could accuse me of being idle.My sister and I stood in opposite sides of the hall porch she knitting and I working on theology and sure there were no dishes in the house anyway!

On reflection there was something wrong with such a work ethic wasn’t there?Maybe its because there was an absence of rest, and of the five members in my family seven including my parents, all found resting something to be guilty about.At this juncture the word ‘wait’ comes to mind ‘Wait I say on the Lord’ Could that be an encouragement to rest? The problem is at the moment rest is disturbed by anxiety and fear, and the feeling of restriction without limited choice.I find it useful to look up,not down, and use my hands in a variety of ways. It’s using them to play that’s the discipline!My grand niece had a goodbye ritual we used instead of hugs it involved the movement of hands forward , back,,to the side,up high, and down low, then she’d say you’re too slow I won!Can you improve on this?

Hands are used for both good and evil Lets focus on some ways they can be used creatively. Each day we use our hands to care for ourselves and others, in fact we can be so busy doing this that we miss out on time to reflect how amazing our hands are.The palm of the hand so elegantly and quietly holding the flexible digits which are the thumb and fingers.Spend five minutes in your day to be amazed at your hands and what you can do with them finish the reflection by meditating on Jesus holding you in the palm of his hand, not to control but to rest safely in perfect freedom, not to let you fall or to throw you off, but take you and your trauma and suffering into him,and calm your fears.Flex your finger and close them over the palm of your hand, visualise being in Jesus’s hand, and, wait for it you are not alone we are all there and there is no distancing face covering or viruses!

Hi today I’m back to thinking about hands since the crisis pandemic hands have become something to be wary of they cause us anxiety, fear and frustration to name but a few. ts good to think also of their positive contribution in our new world we know they have healing properties but we can be fixated with actual touch.it may be possible to touch others in different ways we use our hands to pray and meditate perhaps it is good to reflect on hands from a spiritual dimension? what do you think ? I have felt held by my friends warmth and loving concern yet they can’t visit me but they text ,ring, email. connect wirelessly what useful hands! these are the hands of love they remind me of Christ’s hands we connected through our shared experience of suffering lets use our hands, whether they are small or large,to heal to communicate.

………………………………………………..

Mothers sponge cake made with love

Ingredients

4 medium sized eggs room temperature

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of self raising flour

About 1 tablespoonful of boiled water which has cooled slightly.

Method

Beat eggs and sugar together until thick enough to make a trail with a spoon,.fold in the flour using a whisk do not stir fold. L.astly add the boiled water fold this in also .Divide between two eight inch tins and bake at 190 for approximately 20 minutes. T,est with your finger tips if it springs back its ready.Cool on a wire rack then sandwich together with jam or fresh cream or both. My sister loves it with fresh cream and stewed apple.

Enjoy apart from the cream its low fat!

My name is Yvonne Ihope to use this blog for reflections and thoughts which have given me support and meaning in the current crisis.i also hope to share some amusing stories or moments which may help us to laugh out loud and release tension.i may even share some recipes. i am struggling with the silly way you locate caps on chrome book which is just new to me,please excuse the lower case versus caps. i hope this blog will allow me and others to make meaningful connections even when we cant hug or hold hands in the way we once considered normal.

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