Mary, cause of our joy, take and bless our holiday!

It's pouring outside, and if the weather forecasters are to be believed, we are in for a deluge in the next few days!  Lovely Summer weather over this side of the world.  If you are thinking of taking a break here don't forget your umbrella.  

What a prophet of doom and gloom I'm becoming!   Forgive me, in some parts of the world, this news could be good. We need water, life-giving refreshing water, what a gift that is, but we'd like a bit of dry weather in between.  My mother used to say that we must thank God for each day's weather, even if we don't like it to be cold or wet.  It is God's provision.  That's wisdom. So we thank God for today, when the rain is washing the sky clean and bright, the grass is green and the flowers are blooming.  There's another bonus to this rain - we haven't got to water the garden! 

Around these parts, July is  holiday month. The children are home from school and families are together more.  The streets re-echo with the sound of children playing, the shops are crowded with excited youngsters buying brightly-coloured holiday wear, some even clutching buckets and spades! Obviously we are a nation of optimists.

What do you think of when the word 'holiday' comes up in conversation? Waving palms, a turquoise sea, white flecked waves, a deck chair, the latest Jilly Cooper or whatever you fancy in reading material, a glass of iced tequila if such a thing exists or walking on the sand with the wind blowing in your face, the smell of seaweed, cricket on the beach, sand encrusted sandwiches?  Whatever it is, even if it's sitting in our own gardens or back yards, it is wonderful. We are on holiday!

Many children used to put up a tent in the garden when school broke up. You could do that then.  It was a child's idea of living independently, being in a magic place where they were in charge and anything might happen.  Those who did that - can you still taste the black sausages you cooked outside -- why do they taste so wonderful in the open air?  Personally I don't like barbecues much, but they are the more up market version of the Scouts' supper around the bonfire, without the sing songs and the nightly rituals – Taps, the lowering of the flag as the sun goes down, the putting out of the fire, and the inspection of tents of the Scoutmaster or Chief Guide as the case may be.  Happy memories!  If you have never belonged to  the Scouts or the Girl Guides, even for a short time, you have missed a treat!

A holiday from everyday routine is meant to be a celebration of friendship, family togetherness and much laughter.  In the evening, if circumstances permit, find a quiet place, light a candle or an incense stick, and take time to be calm in the presence of God.  You can do that walking by the sea or in the country of course, but it is good to end each day with thankfulness.

When we were at school we used to sing a holiday hymn before we broke up.  It went:

Mother of all that is pure and good, all that is bright and blest,

As we have taken our toil to thee, so we will take our rest.

Take thou and bless our holiday, O Causa nostrae laetitiae!  (Cause of our joy)

Magdalen Taylor would add:  Have a right down good time!  

 We wish you that too.  Enjoy your rest!