Jude Smith

Hard work is, I am increasingly persuaded, good for us. Like actual physical graft somehow grounds us. Maybe thats Why Peter went back to fish?

I spent a few hours making my way to Llandudno on Monday, coming to do some bits and pieces at a conference. Its all good fun but there are moments which I kind of hate, and I haven't been around this stuff for two or three years. BUT: and here is my reflection. God changes people and events and places so that they don't always have to be as they once were. They can be different and so can the relationships that emerge in them. Which is good news.

Susan Boyle. It was unlikely. It looked like she: 'never had a boyfriend, never been kissed', was going to be another of the early round flops on Britain's Got Talent. It looked like it was all up when she couldn't remember the word for village. And then she opened her mouth. I only saw the clip after my parents told me about it. But how fitting that I saw it on Easter Day. When we remember that the God we worship looked like it was all over.. and then he rose again.

Easter Saturday. I think its kind of right that I had nothing to reflect on. Its Easter Saturday. That almost the point. How would it feel to be at that first Easter Saturday. Its Sabbath. You just have to sit and wait. You can do nothing.. Food for thought.

Good Friday was gloomy, in fact it was throwing it down with rain. I, as has proved to be a theme this Easter, was running late for church. As I waited for the cross to arrive I was getting wetter and wetter. And then it arrived, carried by a group of lads from one of the church football teams. They were in kit, carrying the cross with great patience and dignity. It was insanely moving. And weirdly as soon as the cross was planted the sun came out. Late I was struck with a thought as I read the gospel accounts of the soldiers interaction with Jesus. The stripping and beating and undignifying. It reminded me of Abu Grahb. In as much as you do it to the least of my brothers...

WARNING ER SPOILER So, I was just watching ER and there was this old heroic doctor who had faded and was about to die: and as he lay in Trauma 1 there was this crowd of doctors and nurses and friends surrounding him. And the thing running round my head was this: Hebrews 12:1 [ God Disciplines His Sons ] Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. I want to do just that: I want to know at the end of my days, pre-resurrection days that is, that I could be surrounded by a bunch of good people, knowing that I ran the race with perseverance. (Brain not totally with it today: may express this better at some other time).

I've been thinking lots of things really. I drove up from Bristol to Luton and had a bit of car thinking time. It got me thinking about having had a bit of a rubbish Lent: you know its supposed to be a time of discipline and reflection and I feel like I have done very little of either. I am kind of craving the space and the discipline now: but the next seven, heck the next twelve weeks are kind of mental... So I resolve: I want to find something to reflect on each day over the next twelve weeks. And I will note them here: maybe not on the exact day (I have some potentially tricky days for that), but soon after. So there we go. Watch this space.

Just watching a lady vicar telling us that she is happy to take £500 from William Hill and chuck it on a horse for the Grand National: justification.. we have tombolas and raffles and accept Lottery funding.. Not all of us lady! No lottery tax money here. And- do we know anyone who is addicted to church tombolas? Saturday rant over!

So: first the wondering. Would we think the G20 was this important if it weren't in London? (I'm not suggesting it would be less important, its just how we would view it). And, apparently Obama bought the Queen an iPod... Errrr.... I get he probably didn't want to buy something stupidly chintzy... But he has bought a piece of technology for an octogenarian, who has never carried cash let alone set up a piece of technology.. That in addition to the boring Marine1 for the Brown kids and the proof is there: the Obama's (or their people) are not so good with presents..

Reported by the BBC 1230 City workers have been leaning out of windows to wave £10 notes at G20 protesters on the streets below, the Press Association reports. Demonstrators responded with jeers and shouts, their reporter says. Errr... any wonder more and more people will cheer the downfall of capitalism! What sort of arrogant behaviour is that. May your bonuses earn no interest and be taken from you by prompt government action.. Oh and may your upper class braces ping in your overindulged faces... Gah...