Jonathan’s Articles

From the Rectory,

‘Do we whinge, do we whine,

Do we grumble all the time,

When we’re not getting our own way.

Do we lie, do we blame,

Do we call each other names,

And are we rude in the things we say?

The tongue’s a tiny part of the body,

But , such enormous harm can be done from it

Every time we open our mouths we need to think, before we speak.’

(Words printed by kind permission of Out of the Ark Music. Song title The Tongue – from Songs for Everybody 2003)

For some of us whinging is a daily part of our lives, the weather is always too hot, too cold, too dry, too wet, too windy, if only there was a breeze to cool things down!  I write this on an extremely hot June afternoon, England lost to Germany the day before (dubious goal decision not helping). Andy Murray is playing as I write and the children at school have been very fractious with each other – ‘He looked at me funny’- ‘she’s copying my idea’, to name but a few. Everyone at school looks worn out, reports have to be in by Friday and most of us are wondering how many are going to be returned with the errors highlighted. Some people never seem to be happy …

So what help is there for all of us in our busy lives?  Well, it can come in the shape of strangers, the assistant in Tesco who happily shows you where the milk has been hidden in the newly expanded store in Maldon. The car driver who lets you in to join the queue with a smile and a wave. The harassed stranger who is relieved to find that their destination is just down the next road, or finding that your glass is half full – not half empty as you once thought!

‘If you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin, and do not stay angry all day’ (Ephesians 4 v 26)

Those words always bring to mind the things we say or are tempted to say when we are angry. This weather apparently makes road rage far worse. It’s hard to take back things shouted in anger even if we regret them afterwards. We can be very sorry afterwards but the words remain said and the hurt they often cause takes longer to heal.  As the song above continues:

‘ Do the words that we say help to make a brighter day,

Do they add something to our lives?

Are they grateful enough?

Do they build each other up and are they careful to be polite?’

So let’s try to stay ‘cool’ during these long, hot summer days!

Nina