RECHARGE

So it seems as though my phone, in a sort of attempt to synchronise with me right now, is not well. It’s stopped charging, which has rendered it a useless brick, lying silently in a darkened room with very little sign of springing into action.

iPhones do this. Pocket dust gets caught in the charging port and the charger can’t connect properly. Then you enter a peculiar world of not knowing whether it’s charging or not when it’s run out of battery, as there’s no screen to tell you.

People also get run down. That’s what’s happened to me I guess; pushed myself too hard and ran out of battery. I had to lie down between the chairs in church this morning, just to get enough energy to last until the end of the second service. Thankfully, nobody minds that kind of thing. And, despite my best attempts to avoid it, I haven’t had a break since December 16th and by that point this morning, lying in the row, I’d played at 16 consecutive services with one to go. As I say, people get run down. I am sorry if you tried to talk to me; I was blinking at the ceiling tiles.

One to go eh. Paul and I fly to Israel on Friday. I really hope it’s more relaxing than I imagine it to be! Somehow that land seems like a dusty whirlwind of emotion, spirit, trouble, and history. If there’s one thing I’d like it not to be, it’s intense - in any dimension. I’d like it to be filled with moments: breathable air between the tension, silent sunrises over the sea, and the fire of the setting sun, enthroned on the mountains. I’d like to catch a glimpse of Aslan’s mane.

I’d like to be well too. I should be okay by then, so long as I take it easy. Whether my phone will be, is another matter. It’s plugged in, and in some magic hour of the night, I’m hoping it’ll blink into life with an Apple logo and that friendly buzz, as it downloads my missed messages. Sometimes all we need is a good connection to the power source, a little time to do nothing but breathe, and a lot of rest. Bring on the recharge.