A covid Christmas

 Well today was to have been the day that we flew to Gatwick, then took the train to Norwich to spend Christmas with Gwilym and Beth in Norwich. We were due to stay exactly one week. A couple of weeks ago, concerned about the instability of the situation in both France and the UK, we decided to cancel our flights and commit to staying here.

As things stand today we're glad we did. Norwich is not in a particularly high tier in the UK, but travel from the UK to France is currently impossible. Rumours suggest that France will be reconfined early in January. If this happens we'll be back online for our meetings. So for the moment we're better off staying at home.

As it is we have a few friends coming for Christmas - we're allowed up to six people. There's still some work that I need to get done and I have some videos to film. Other than that I'm staying away from Zoom and video calls as much as I can! It will be good to have a little peace and quiet to rest and recover ready for January.

As I type the European regulator has approved the Pfizer vaccine for use in the EU and the French government is intending to begin its campaign of vaccination from next weekend. They'll begin with residents and staff in retirement homes, then progress to front-line health care workers. Pat and I can reasonably expect to be vaccinated from about March to June, I think.

A covid Christmas. It's not the Christmas you dreamt of, but the gospels tell us that the Son of God didn't come into a world where all is calm and all is bright, but into a world of crazy bureaucracy, forced travel, violence and refugees fleeing for their lives.

It's to people like us, caught up in events beyond our control, that God sends his Son to be Emmanuel, God with us.

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