June 2011

Dear Friends,

There was a day last week when the garden fence had been removed and I felt very vulnerable, even though I knew there were no cattle or livestock in the field. Somehow the garden felt exposed to all comers. Our farmer neighbour has now had a new and better fence erected, but I started to think about the way we use fences to protect things that are precious to us.

There are our gardens, of course, and our homes. Playpens are fences to protect babies, as are stairgates. One of our most precious commodities is time. We need to create virtual fences to protect that too. With all the pressures of day to day living, it is very easy to find that the day has passed without making that phone call to an old friend, writing that card, making that visit or inviting someone round. Sometimes we only give those we love the tail end of the day, when we are too tired to do very much.

We all need personal space; time to enjoy the garden without feeling guilty, not just work in it; time to read a more demanding book or see a film with friends. We need time for refreshment and time for reflection. Time to talk to our neighbours over the fence.

But the fences should not be so rigid and high that they exclude the new possibilities God offers us. God often surprises us with the unexpected - a gateway to fresh pastures, new opportunities and new joys. It would be a pity to miss out.

God bless