WESLEY METHODIST CHURCH Caerphilly

Philip Begley: philip@caerphillymethodistchurch.org

Keep Thinking

I remember, many years ago, my friend who was planning to have an extension built at the side of her house, told me about a problem her husband was faced with and the ingenious way he dealt with it. You see, he had to move his precious garden shed which sat on a concrete base. It was a solid structure, made of wood with a felted, pitched roof - far too heavy to carry!

Garden-Shed1
Rollers

Half a dozen broom handles served as makeshift ‘rollers’ and were inserted under the shed which was then pushed forward a few inches at a time. As the building moved on, the broom handles at the back became exposed and were quickly moved to the front so that all moved forward again. Soon the shed was re-sited on its new base. No lifting was involved: an ancient method had been employed to solve a contemporary problem.

Not to be daunted, my friend’s husband set about employing a method used in ancient times by the Egyptians, for moving on rollers, the enormous slabs of stone used to build the pyramids.

Samuel Anstee: samuel@caerphillymethodistchurch.org

Sometimes we look back with nostalgia on days gone by. Our past history and traditions have played an important part in our lives, and there is a temptation to want to return to the past and stay there. This we cannot do. If we really want to make a difference in present times, the secret lies in using whatever was good in the past to help us move on. After all, if the early Christians had stayed where they were, we would not be here today.

Bringing those broom handles from the back to the front gave the impetus needed to roll the structure forward. Using the past as a springboard rather than a retreat may propel us forward to achieve our dreams. As we give God thanks for the past, God gives us hope for the future.

Happy New Year!

Rev Sue