The Blessing that Never Was

This doesn't happen very often, but I'm delighted when it does: blessing a house. It's happened twice of late: once, for a couple whose wedding I took last year, and who have now moved to a new house; and yesterday for a church member who has just moved to her new home. It is good to pray God's peace and blessing into a home, so that the person or the family become conscious of 'abiding under the shadow of the Almighty' (Psalm 91.1). It would be good to be asked more often.

This week, I also had the experience of a blessing being cancelled. I was phoned by a woman who asked me if I 'did house blessings'. I told her I did, and 'was there any particular reason?' She said there had been some weird goings-on. I arranged a day and time, and asked a female church member to accompany me. I then had to phone the lady back to adjust the time, and left a message on her voicemail. Back came the message later on: 'Who are you and why are you coming?'    It turns out that the woman who inhabits the house, and whose phone number I had phoned, had not made the original call to me! She said someone was trying to cause trouble for her: she had had taxis call at the house, which she had not ordered; anonymous letters and hoax phone calls. Now this. Time to call the police, she said. All very embarrassing for both of us - and very sad for her. I wonder what that is all about. I prayed for her anyway.