My advent readings are based on 'the art of waiting' by Wendy Bray. What a challenge! You would think by now I would have got it. God's in charge and all things in His time. But no I am still learning patience - I am still learning that life will throw at me things that I don't choose and I must learn patience in those times. Yesterday I felt very frustrated by the antibiotics and feeling sick. I am anxious that they may be causing my kidneys to struggle and that scares me that I will have to go back onto dialysis. But I have a Father in heaven who knows all things and is in charge of the future. I just have to live in today and not worry about tomorrow. You would think I would have got this - maybe I never will - maybe it is life long learning.

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[e]?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, sayingChloe is now home for the holidays , ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matt 6

So today I am going to try living in this day and not worrying about tomorrow but leaving that to God.

Yesterday Paul's concert was wonderful. Full of great singing and some wonderful brass playing. I was SO grateful to be able to be there and not to be in hospital.Chloe is now home for the holidays apart from a brief visit back Monday and Tuesday to see her professor. This week is to be a week of hospital and GP visits, some making with Chloe, some cooking for the freezer and some Christmas meals ending with a sparkly strictly party next weekend. Sounds good doesn't it.