C is for CALENDAR

We always had at least three or four calendars in our kitchen at home. One hung on the wall formed where the staircase frame jutted into the kitchen. It was a sloped wall under which was a small cupboard where mum kept bags of sugar and tea and dad kept all his important documents about the farm, his cattle and the family finances in a small old suitcase. The calendar came every year from the company where dad had bought his cars and, later when they had ceased selling vehicles, an identical calendar adorned the same wall from one of the local car mechanics, petrol stations or farm businesses. It was a very simple affair with the provider's name and details at the top on a piece of stiff card and underneath, in red and black colours on a white background, the month and days of the year and a set of numbers. Most of the numbers were in black but at the weekends, Saturday and Sunday were in red and everything was large. There were no pictures to enjoy each month, just numbers to look at but mum and dad liked it that way and no matter what other calendars arrived from local businesses, they always made sure that they had this simple one hanging there and often it became annotated with reminders though the amount of writing was always kept to a minimum.

The second calendar in the kitchen had one large picture on a piece of very thick card. It was usually a scene of some sort, like mountains covered with flowers or a pretty view of a lake and mum was responsible for it being there. It hung just to the right of the cooker and just below the mantelpiece and if she didn't get one as a present, then she always bought one for herself. Underneath the picture was a thick block of pages, all just slightly larger than a credit card and one page for each day of the year. On each page was the month,date and day and beside this was a verse from the Bible in italic writing which was then followed by a little 'thought for the day' that usually stretched to six or eight lines. Every morning when mum got up, she would tear off the previous day and read the new one before continuing her planned jobs. As long as I can remember this type of calendar hung there and, strangely, it was almost always the one I looked towards to check the date since the number was always boldly displayed in large black type.

We had two other calendars, hanging on opposite walls in the kitchen, but nobody ever paid any attention to them during the year. One had nothing in its pocket at all, but the other was full of recent electricity bills, telephone bills and other important letters and documents that needed to be dealt with in the short term. Both had been hanging there for years and their sell by date had long passed. Their usefulness as a calendar was no more but mum and dad kept them both because of their pockets and in that way they secured the right to hang there for years doing a different job than their original purpose.

I think, as I enter yet another new year, now on the other side of fifty, there is great encouragement in the story of those two calendars, for, no matter what stage we reach in life, God can use us for His purposes though they may not always be the ones that we intended Him to use us for or indeed may be very different to what we once did. In Proverbs 19v21 the writer says, 'Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.' Also Paul writing to the church in Rome, tells them 'And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.' So what is my purpose in life? I think it is to glorify God in everything I do and, hopefully, by doing that, others may see Him in my life and be drawn to Him. And His purpose? To use me to further His kingdom and also to give Him worship. It may not be in the way that I expect or indeed in the manner that I once did when I was younger but in His plan He will find a purpose for me. I love that old hymn, rarely sung nowadays, that begins with the line, 'God is working his purpose out as year succeeds to year.'

At the very start of this new year, what purpose is He working out for you? A dear lady in our church, reflecting on her past year, reminded us that God doesn't always lead us to do exceptional things, but He does expect us to be exceptional in the ordinary things that He asks us to do. I haven't a calendar in the house this year yet, but I'll still thank Him for every day that He makes me part of His purpose. I hope you too have an exceptional year.