Epiphany Sunday

This morning I stayed in bed till gone 9am – that so very rarely happens any day, especially Sunday! There had been a little snow last night, so we wrapped up warm, and left the house just before 11am to worship at the local Parish Church

It was utterly freezing inside, but we were given a really warm welcome by the other members of the congregation. The rector has half a dozen parish churches to look after – although I think that all Sally’s six congregations put together add up to less folk than our one. It was a regular Parish Communion, and I enjoyed a good sing [I knew all the tunes] although it was disconcerting to watch everyone’s warm breath in clouds round their faces as they sang! The organist did a great job of playing [he could have done with a pair of the fingerless gloves I have knitted everyone else this Christmas!]

We had lots of good Epiphany hymns, and the service was centred on the theme of the Magi. After the service we chatted over coffee, I talked to the ladies about Parish Life generally, and Bob had a long conversation with the guy in charge of PA [which had failed this morning] Wherever we go, some things are always the same!!

Home to Jacket Potatoes, and Bob decided to make an interesting filling. At the beginning of the week, he cooked a large piece of ham, and today he produced this from the stuff he found in the kitchen…

Diced ham, diced eating apples, and some chopped dates – with a dressing of lime juice and ginger. Simple but incredibly delicious! We had slices of home-made stollen for dessert [another toothsome Christmas Gift]

We’d just finished when Adrian and Marion arrived. Ade was bearing another gift – a spare bit of technology he knew Bob could find a use for.

It was lovely to laze around chatting and drinking coffee.

One thing that made me smile in church this morning [I kept smiling, it was preferable to letting my teeth chatter] was the OT reading for the day from Psalm 72. Included, I guess, because of its reference to “Kings bringing gifts of gold” – but one verse, which has retained Tyndale’s original translation, even in the modern versions says…

The desert tribes will bow before him and his enemies will lick the dust

…and I always think of a situation like this!

Holiday is over, decorations here all taken down, back to work tomorrow. The first few days of this new year have been great.