| I was a walking
zombie. The tiredness gobbled away at my normally busy lifestyle. As I
drove to yet another meeting I screamed out ‘O God, please give me some
time!’ ‘Be careful what you pray for’, they say. Within a week I was
staring at four walls all day, with all the time in the world!
Soon it became obvious that I wouldn’t be returning to my job as a primary school head teacher. It felt as if my life was over, I had loved that job so much. What else could I do? What else was I capable of doing? ‘What do you want to do?’ A friend asked. ‘Well’, I said hesitantly ‘I’ve always felt, since the moment we bought the farm, that I could somehow use it for God. But I can’t see how to do it.’ ‘Have you heard of The Quiet Garden Trust?’ Frances asked. I hadn’t, but within minutes I had the address. I wrote for details that day. After that everything fell into place. My first guests were a mixture of the known and the unknown. Later I read some of the comments in my brand new guest book, ‘all the comfort and care I could have wished for’, and finally, ‘What a special ministry you have been given’. I hugged the book close and thanked God.
One memorable Friday, during a Quiet Day, a woman asked if she could talk privately in the kitchen. She was suffering from depression and I was happy to listen. We hadn’t been talking long when the door flew open; ‘It’s the donkeys!’ shouted one of the guests ‘I didn’t fasten the gate quickly enough and they’ve run off up the road.’ Without more ado I ran, with all of my guests running after. The donkeys, seeing us in hot pursuit, headed off down the drive of a neighbouring farm. Worried and breathless we followed. After some time I managed to grab Barney’s head-collar. One of my guests, a retired bank-manager, tried to affix the lead-rope. Barney shook his head violently and my hand became twisted in the lead. He shot off again at a rate of knots, dragging me with him. What a sight we must have looked! By now the bank-manager had managed to catch Sam and when Barney saw him walking meekly he must have decided to give in. When they were safely locked into a field close to the house, I apologised profusely to everyone. ‘Oh no, its fine’ said my kitchen companion, wiping away the tears of laughter, ‘I haven’t had so much fun for ages.’ I long since learned that many of the positive things that happen on a Quiet Day have nothing to do with me. God has a wonderful sense of humour.
Donkeys Ducks and Daily Bread is available directly from Joyce, 01924 840847, joyceworsfold@yahoo.co.uk
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