Feeding of the Five Thousand

24th April 2020


The Day of the Picnic

I remember the day well, everybody was talking about Him.
We could see Him with His friends so some of us followed.
Others joined us on the way. What did we expect to see?
So many stories, I wanted to see for myself.
Three men in Bethany claimed  He'd cured them.
One, Joseph, he's my cousin, he was lame,
he'd never walked,  lame since birth
but now, I saw him myself, both legs good, walks upright.
So yes, I followed Him to the mountain, I was at the front,
crept near His friends, heard Him ask Philip
where they might get food for the people.
I remember the blue sky, way up high crows in silhouette,
the hot sun ,  His look,  those eyes,
 those eyes loving all they fell on.
I looked around , five or six thousand standing around,  waiting. .
Is He mad, I thought.
Philip was saying it was  impossible, what could they do
with so many?
The other disciples asked around, did anyone have anything?
Shaking of heads, shrugging of shoulders, nothing doing.
But one disciple, Andrew,  found a boy who had  two barley loaves and five fish.
He brought him to the master.
Why did he bother, what could be done with that small offering?
I laughed to myself.
But He took the boy's gift and He thanked Him for it.
The boy smiled . He was happy to help.
Then the master prayed, He prayed over the meager pickings
And began to hand it out to the people,
And continued, and kept going.
He came to me, His eyes soft,
like He knew me. Weird.
He offered me some fish and a piece of bread.
But how? How was it I could have, we all could have this food?
How did it not run out?
Was it a trick, were my eyes deceiving me?
I took it, I didn't understand. I don't understand.
I looked around again.
Everyone was eating, licking their lips chatting together,
having a picnic.
And when we'd all finished the leftovers were collected,
twelve baskets full.
No waste.
I'll never forget that day.




If I bring the little I have to Jesus and offer it to Him, He will multiply my efforts.

Master

 26th May 2017


A story using the word master


"Come on little man, you're doing so well , you'll master it it no time", Kevin beamed at  his four year old grandson, legs and arms splashing about as he was holding him just on top of the waves.
He taught all twelve grandchildren  to swim in exactly the same way , as well as his own five children, and they all  loved the sea because of it.
A lot of them were there today , some with him in the water and others sitting with their grandma on the beach, or playing a ball game on the sand.
Kevin looked over at Julie, his wife of nearly forty years, catching  her eye for a  brief moment the sadness they were both trying to keep hidden, at least for the moment, was visible on both their faces.
"Dad," his daughter called from the little group sitting a few feet away from the water, "We're going to have the picnic now, so can you bring Noah out please so he can get dry?"
Kevin picked Noah up with ease and threw him in the air and walked back with him to his mum wondering how on earth He and Julie were going to tell the family 



Also ...
 I would like to master Spanish so that when we go to Spain with our camper next month I'll be able to converse with the natives. I know, I know, I've left it a bit late, but I'm always a last minute pony and usually come up with something.
However, I think this is going to be a difficult one, especially as I have very little time to spend on said learning, what with getting everything ready to go.
But my theory is that when we're there, surely it will be easier, hearing the language all around me, to pick it up and I will have to try because we'll be in some remote places where my tiny bit of Spanish will be the only way to communicate;  not for us the popular places for tourists where all the staff speak English.
We want to go down country lanes and talk to the local people in the small villages. So, I'd better go and find my phrase book now .