Still Lion Around

I was asked to do a 'thought' after our Seniors Lunch Club  so I'm sharing it with you today [sheer laziness, I cannot think of anything fresh at the end of a rather busy week! it was on Thursday so some of it is in the wrong tense for this morning, sorry]  
The other day I was chatting to someone about being rather busy, and she said “Nobody could ever accuse you of lyin’ around, Angela” And I started thinking, not about lyin’ around, but about lions. They are everywhere in my life at the minute.

• Our daughter Stephanie went to a Christening last Sunday, and the baby boy was called Rory – so they call him their ‘little lion’
• I am busy making a Cowardly Lion costume for a little boy who is in a charity event to fundraise for cancer research in July, and his family team are all dressing as Wizard of Oz characters
• I was baking in the kitchen – and my eggs are stamped with little lions
• Saturday is Ferndown Fete on the Field, and I will be in the Church Tent, telling Bible Stories to the children about Daniel, and Samson, and David, who all encountered lions- and survived to tell the tale. There will also be a crafts area in the church tent, where children can make lion finger puppets.

As I say, lions seem to be wherever I turn – and these four very different examples got me thinking...

• I’m glad Steph’s friends wanted to take the baby to church and ask God’s blessing on their ‘little lion’ – it’s a reminder to all of us that Jesus regards these little ones as precious in his sight– and to pray especially for those who are in danger, or separated from their families right now. 
• I’m glad J is dressing as lion for his Relay Event. In the fabulous Judy Garland film, the lion did find courage – and we need to pray for all those facing illness at this time, whether it is cancer or something else. May God give them courage and strength, and His peace in their hearts.
• I’m glad my eggs have lions on them – it means I can trust them to be safe to eat, reliable, uncontaminated. It reminds me of ‘the Lion of Judah’ – one of the biblical names for Jesus. He is reliable and I can trust him – and whatever tasks are ahead of me, I can pray and know he will help me and strengthen me
• I’m glad for the opportunity, and the freedom we have, to share the good news of Jesus, and tell the great Bible stories to children. We should pray for all the people working in the church tent on Saturday - that God will bless their conversations – and pray for those who come in to see what we are about, that they will learn something of God’s love.

These are my thoughts today, these are the things I think we need to pray about. And this is the truth – I’m not lyin!!