Graham Chastney

Last week I was looking forward to a quiet day, so how did it go?

The first thing to comment on is the weather it played a large part in how the day went. Sometimes weather is just there and you don’t really notice it, that wasn’t the case on Friday.

We travelled up to Keswick in the Lake District for our quiet day. As we travelled to Keswick the sky got darker and the side winds got stronger. The weather forecast had predicted gale force winds in the Northern Lake District area so we were prepared. Our plan for the day was to use the school room at Crosthwaite Parish Church as we had last year, it has terrific views across the mountains, the church is open and provides another quiet place as does the church yard; the room itself is warm and cozy. On this stormy day it was ideal. The winds whipped Autumn leaves past the windows. The clouds were moving so fast that the sky changed every few seconds. The rain rapped against the window panes like thousands of tiny pebbles.

At one point I sat in the church and listened to the wind and rain battering against the ancient stones and listened to the old clock as it slowly ticked away its rhythm. All this weather pitted against stones which had resisted them for hundreds of years, and a clock that carried on regardless.

When I first started on quiet days I was, like most people, worried about how I would fill a whole day with quiet. This time I was again stunned that we had already run out of time. When we go on organised quiet days they give us something to ponder; when we go on our own we start with a blank sheet and see where we go. Either way, a day doesn’t seem like a long time at all once you’ve done it. It’s just about enough time to get the body and mind to slow down and to start listening to the spirit. I think that each of us received something in that short time though and each of us will cherish it. What I received is still mulling around inside my head and I don’t think I’m in a position to share it yet.

If you have never been on a quiet day then I highly recommend it. You’ll be in good company. Jesus went on quiet days too.

Like many of us I have a tendency to be looking back at life sometimes reminiscing in a nice warm glowing way but more often than not I’m worrying about something that has already happened. It is, therefore, great to have something to look forward to. I have tried at different times to consciously think of something to look forward to but that has proved to be a false thing and is no substitute for having something that I can really look forward to.

Last week I spent all week looking forward to Friday. Not because Friday is the end of the working week, but because Dave, Nina, Sue and myself had managed to book a days holiday together. But this was no ordinary day of relaxation, we had booked this as a Quiet Day. We have done planned quiet days with other groups before, we have also done our own quiet day on our own once before. These days are a haven, a place of peace. Now that was something real to look forward to. I have been a bit grouchy and grumpy recently so the thought of a time of peace was just what I needed.

But relying on short term forward looking is no substitute for knowing that there is a longer terms event that is the ultimate goal, the ultimate place of peace, the ultimate day. As a Christian I know that my time on this earth is short compared to my ultimate home in Heaven. Having something near to look forward to is nice, but it really does need to be seen in the light of the ultimate future.

Colossians 1:27: God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, therefore you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory. It’s that simple. That is the substance of our Message.

By the time I got up out of bed on Saturday morning there were only two people left in our house; Emily and myself. Jonathan was off for a full day practising and playing hockey. Sue was away leading a ladies weekend at Littledale Hall.

Forgive me but I must just take a quick diversion here before I get into the main topic of my post. Sue – well done. From the feedback I’ve had it sounds like you were brilliant, which I am in no doubt that you were. I apologise for cheering the absence of the ladies in church on Sunday morning – you know I didn’t mean it .

Anyway back to Aquatic Abundance. As it was only Emily and myself, we decided that we would go out and have some fun. Emily, like me, loves all things aquatic. We would prefer to see it all in its natural habitat, but that’s not always possible. Well actually, it’s not possible most of the time. I’m sure the Irish Sea has an abundant aquatic ecosystem but on a cold wet November day it’s not the most appealing place to visit. Fortunately for us though the Blue Planet aquarium allows us to travel the aquatic world without getting cold or wet; apart, that is, from the short walk from the car park.

Speaking as a human-being who primarily lives in a two-dimensional space (on the land) all of these creatures that live in a truly three-dimensional space fascinate me. When I’m considering where to go I move forwards, backward or side-to-side. If I was a fish I could go upwards or downwards, I could even be really fancy and go slantwise.

If I want to move anywhere I need to do something about it, there are no free ride for us humans. As a Jelly Fish I could be so laid back that I don’t even need a method of propelling myself I just let the ocean currents take me wherever they fancy.

But it’s not just about motion; the colours fascinate me, the sizes amaze me and the shapes baffle me. Why are Amazonian fish so big? Why does the cichlid come in so many colours? Sea-horse – what more can I say?

Did you know that tuna can swim at 50 miles-per-hour? Did you know that an electric eel discharges 350 volts? Did you know that a shark has no bones, only cartilage? Did you know that the Ocean Sun Fish produces 30 million eggs? Did you know that a lobster was once recorded travelling 225 miles? Did you know that the Atlantic Giant Squid has eyes that are 50 cm across? Did you know that a sea horse is so slow it may struggle to reach 0.001 lies-per-hour?

All of this diversity is amazing and brilliant. It’s a blessing.

Many people I know have a very narrow view of God, when I look at the world around I see all of this diversity. I believe that God created all of this diversity, in the same way as we create diverse art. God isn’t narrow, God is more diverse than our world and anyone who thinks they have God sown up should prepare to be amazed and astounded.

(Sorry, no aquatic pictures Sue took the camera with her to Littledale)