Somewhat regretting my late night last night this morning, but made up for it with a snooze on the train - something I can't do whilst driving to work normally! However, despite my power-nap, I later felt very relieved that I don't live in London and commute every day. For some reason I became very anxious on the tube train home this evening. One particular chap in the carriage was acting a bit strangely, and in my post 'London bombings' stupidity I became concerned that he was up to no good. No matter how hard I reasoned with myself, I couldn't get the image of more terror attacks from my mind, or quell the feeling of rising panic. How judgmental and reactive we can become when we're scared. As rational as I was trying to be, I was glad to get off the train. The poor guy, God bless him, was just going home like me.
Lorna's on night shifts at the moment, so I'm feeling rather hard-done-by! However in less than a year, she'll be a GP registrar (a family doctor under supervision in a practice), and she'll never have to work a night again (unless she wants to!). Subsequently, our marriage will only be subject to my rota!
Being a doctor does put a strain on a relationship. I've lost count of the number of people I've heard of having affairs, splitting up from their partners, and generally being lonely in the health service. This must be in part due to the time spent apart when working a shift system. People who know Lorna and me comment on how "lucky" we are, how they can't believe we're still together and as close as we are. I don't believe it's luck, I believe God blesses our relationship, and helps us stay committed to keeping together. He inspires me to cherish and love Lorna by the Holy Spirit and the example of Jesus' love of The Church.
Lorna's on night shifts at the moment, so I'm feeling rather hard-done-by! However in less than a year, she'll be a GP registrar (a family doctor under supervision in a practice), and she'll never have to work a night again (unless she wants to!). Subsequently, our marriage will only be subject to my rota!
Being a doctor does put a strain on a relationship. I've lost count of the number of people I've heard of having affairs, splitting up from their partners, and generally being lonely in the health service. This must be in part due to the time spent apart when working a shift system. People who know Lorna and me comment on how "lucky" we are, how they can't believe we're still together and as close as we are. I don't believe it's luck, I believe God blesses our relationship, and helps us stay committed to keeping together. He inspires me to cherish and love Lorna by the Holy Spirit and the example of Jesus' love of The Church.
What binds us so strongly is that we try to base our faith on firm foundations, not on shaky ground (Matthew chapter 7, verses 24-29), and our marriage involves not just Lorna and me, but God as well - "A cord of three strands is not easily broken" (Ecclesiastes 4 vs 12). I'm not boasting, saying that we are any more special, clever or good at being married than any other couple (I can assure you we're not!), I'm trying to emphasise that we need Jesus in our whole life including our marriage - not just for an hour on a Sunday morning - He is not an added extra or a hobby. Hence the title of this blog - Jesus be the centre - of our churches, but also of our communities, our relationships, our souls. Only then do we give God the worship he deserves, and only then do we fulfil our true purpose in life.
