Bethlehem Repair Shop - a reflection for Christmas
When the world all seems too much, I give myself a break by watching the BBC’s “the Repair Shop” If you haven’t seen it, I can thoroughly recommend it as a life-affirming programme! People bring a ‘treasured object’ which is broken or simply worn by the passage of time, and various experts set to work to mend, restore and, well, repair the object. The highlight is the moment when the person returns for their toy, or furniture, or whatever, and the utter delight on their faces as the memories of what that object meant comes flooding back. Often they want to touch, handle, even stroke their possession: there is something about the physical object that makes all the emotions flow. I usually need a tissue at that point. No amount of telling the story or hearing the history can compare with the sight, smell, sound touch of that thing – right there in their arms. God knows this is how people work. John 1: 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glo