I’m
sitting at my desk on a warm and humid day, the sky heavily overcast and
thunder rumbling in the distance. Upstairs DH is snatching a nap after a very
disturbed night. In the hall is a stack of luggage, waiting to be transferred
to the car in a couple of hours, when hopefully the rain will have stopped. We
will then head across to stay overnight with my mother-in-law, before DH drives
me into Oxford to catch the coach for Heathrow.
Yes,
after a static but very busy summer,
full of building works and house sale and interrupted by another debilitating
virus, I’m finally on the move again. This time it’s not to France or Scotland,
but to Prague, for a much anticipated and very welcome return visit to
my friend Ricky Yates, the Anglican chaplain there, before he retires
next year. I’m looking forward enormously to exploring Prague again and catching
up with the friends I made on my previous two visits.
During
my visit I will be taking a Sunday service in Ricky’s absence and on the other Sunday
I will go with him to Dresden, where he leads a monthly service of Evening
Prayer in English at the Frauenkirche, the world-famous symbol of Dresden reborn. This time he has invited me to be the guest
preacher, a hugely exciting, if rather daunting, prospect. Wish me luck.
I’ve
spent a rather large number of hours in the past few weeks working on the
sermons I will preach and now they are nestling in my new super-light suitcase,
along with two complete sets of clerical robes, as well as an ample stock of more
usual holiday wear. The freezer is full, so DH won’t starve in my absence, the hairdresser
has again successfully tamed my unruly mop and I’m ready for one more
adventure.
