What do you do when starting Monday is hard? We had a busy but exhausting weekend here in the Vicarage, including a lovely but random collection of people joining us for Sunday lunch. And then the school week began and I struggled to meet it head on.
My head is still pretty messy in the aftermath of the locust eaten year – and I keep on thinking about things that go round in circles. I compose lines in my head and then don’t write them down or send them. The lines swirl around, taking up space and preventing logical thought.
So I binned a few of my plans for the day (including – shhh – the gym) and awarded myself a slow day. And then I sat down with my laptop and tackled the email inbox, which had been pressing in. I talked to the Vicar and stroked the dog. I noodled about on Twitter and kept going with my crochet project.
It was a gentle day and I got a few things done, so I guess I’m winning. This morning I read from a devotional based on the collects of Thomas Cranmer, and meditated on the Collect for the 2nd Sunday of Lent. Today reminded me how much I lack the power to help myself, and how much I need the Lord’s help with evil thoughts that assault and harm the soul. Praying with Cranmer is always a blessing.
The Vicar's Wife 
Yes, my Monday started rather like that. I tend to default to the Jesus Prayer:
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me”. I also had a rather turbulent year and have booked a little (Weds – Thurs) retreat for next week.