Distant Mountain

I've been reading around the subject of vocation and calling. I'm not sure but it's possible that much of what I need to know may be here . I could be wrong, but Dave Walker does seem quite good at getting to the crux of an issue.

On April 17th I’ll be taking part in the London Marathon which, at the time of writing, is only three months away. This means my training should be well underway, although in reality, it’s only just starting. As a way of getting some motivation, this will be the first of a series of training diaries in the magazine before the big day. As previously reported, I ran my first marathon in May last year, the Windermere Marathon, so in many ways I know what to expect. However, I’m expecting London to be flatter, but much busier, which will bring different challenges. A combination of snow, ice and hectic schedules have delayed proper training. Since the snow melted, regular short runs in the week haven’t been too difficult to fit in, as with a full hour for lunch, I can usually manage a run of about thirty minutes. Unfortunately, these are not really enough. I now need to build up my long weekend runs to improve endurance; this can be difficult, firstly in finding time, then in keeping...

As someone new to blogging, this is a short attempt to explain why I'm here, especially for those who I have started following in what may see a random fashion. I seem to have a lot of stuff in my head these days, and this may be a way of getting some of it organised. Thoughts about calling, vocation, prayer, faith and reflection crowd in and to make sense of it all is difficult. Blogging may help, reading other blogs may also help, we'll see... I'm also going to be a little vague, as so far, very few people know I am thinking on these lines (except my wife and my Vicar  ) - whatever the line may be, see that was vague then. Hopefully things will become clearer over time and I can expand more later. Some thoughts may seem, and will also be, random. I may be wrong, but I think God is calling and it's going to be an interesting year...

This is the Covenant Prayer spoken in the Methodist church on the first sunday of the year, which coincides with Epiphany. It sums up how I feel at the moment and sort of paraphrases the route some of my personal prayers have taken; I am no longer my own but yours. Put me to what you will; rank me with whom you will. Put me to doing; put me to suffering. Let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you; exalted for you, or brought low for you. Let me be full; let me be empty. Let me have all things; let me have nothing. I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to your pleasure and disposal. And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours. So be it. And the Covenant which I have made on Earth, let it be ratified in Heaven. I feel I am called to God's work, the challenge is to discern how... Watch this space, By the way, Happy Ephiphany!

Back to work now and it's been a good break, but it seems harder each year to handle the change in routine when away from work but not away from home. The round of visits and visitors acheived as well as can be hoped for in most cases. The biggest struggle I had was trying to pin down the meaning of Christmas, it means so much to so many people but I had real difficulties this year in coming to terms with any of them. It could be about; 1) Family - yes but it was very challenging this year, especially with weather and a few other issues (but Mum and Dad - not you, honestly!) ... 2) Giving and receiving - perhaps, but it can get so materialistic with tick lists of presents for children 3) Partying - to many this is all it's about, christamas meals, or even worse getting drunk on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve, nooooo...! 4) Eating too much, we all do this but I'm struggling to see any arguments for justifying it, 5) Watching all the Christmas Specials on telly - all ...