Landscaping

Taking a train from Worthing to London is an interesting and relatively rewarding experience. There is no other place quite like a train for appreciating the English countryside. Personally, even when on a really enjoyable walk on the downs or in some other lovely green place, I never take stock about how green our country is. When on a train heading into a city however, suddenly I am forced to look around me and I found myself thinking, hey! This 'ain't half pretty! Then as the landscape transmogrifies into high rise flats and more and more railway lines come alongside ours, I start to marvel at the changing feel of a country. The history freak inside me starts mulling over the change forced by the Industrial Revolution and the changing face of British economics throughout the 19th Century.

Then you think, where does God come into this? Obviously, green English fields inspire thoughts of our beautiful and wonderful creation. God thinks about every leaf on every uneven hedge and causes every stalk of wheat to grow in our mismatched and patchwork farms. Amazing! But I also marvel at how God has watched over our industrial development and how he has guided mankind to the discovery of steam engines, railways, electricity and the motor car! He has watched over the growth of modern cities and the swarms of people the move in and out and around of them every day are beloved to him. Just like I am, sitting on this one train among thousands around the world. God is watching me travelling into this city that does not know me and He says to me "I know you Jo, and I love that you are enjoying all aspects of my creation. Even Victoria Station!"

AMEN!

"Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine."

Life Efficiency Tip no.17: You can load a dishwasher in the time it takes the kettle to boil.

I wish that when I have nothing to do I wouldn't just do nothing! If I have, as is the case, a wonderfully empty afternoon I wish that instead of sitting and flicking around iPlayer for a good two hours (and if I'm honest, it was more like three) I would do something productive or creative. It doesn't have to have a purpose, I'd quite like it not to actually, as long as it was something other than just lying and watching TV.

How do we deal with change? Some people hate change and so shy away from it as if it were a deadly disease. Some relish it and so seek out new ways to do things, new innovations. What about if your life has changed - inevitably - and you're not longing for the old life (anything but) however, you don't know quite what to do with yourself or where you stand now that nothing is how it was. OK that is an exaggeration, some things are the same. In fact, most things are exactly the same; God still loves me, my family still love me, I still live in the same place, like the same things as I did etc. But the essence of things have changed, life doesn't feel the same anymore. Having never left school before, I can't say whether this is normal.

I just want to do something creative and without purpose.

Oh and the tip at the top in not no.17, it's no.1. I don't as a habit think up tips for life efficiency - that would be too productive.