麻豆约拍

Good morning.

I simply couldn鈥檛 sleep.

None of the usual remedies would work.

My pillow had been moulded into a hundred different shapes but my over active mind wouldn鈥檛 let me go.

And then I remembered advice given to me about blocking out all other thoughts and repeating over and over again the words:

"Thou wilt keep Him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee because he trusteth in Thee.
Trust ye in the Lord for ever for our rock of ages is the Lord."

Over the years I鈥檇 passed it on to be people facing operations and such and they all found it very helpful.

Well, I said to myself, it鈥檚 time for you to try it again, and away I went.

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace..." and so on.

And by the time I had repeated it slowly three or four times I had drifted away, not waking up until half ways through the traffic report on local radio next morning.

Immediately I knew it was mine. It was the tallest tree for miles.

For years before our church was built the 100 foot poplar had stood fifteen yards from my Rectory window.

Over the years it had seen the winding country lane replaced by a ring road whose dual carriageway sped from south to east.

All night the gales had howled and then snapping at the base it had crashed across both carriageways clipping the church notice board smashing the huge motorway sign completely and twisting wrought iron railings into the most contorted shapes!

The DOE arrived with chain saws, removal trucks and flashing lights and worked all through the early hours while I in my bed slept on in perfect peace.

Lord, thank you for the rest of your presence,
Your light for the day ahead
and for things that make us smile.
础尘别苍.听

听听听听听听听