His Heart Went Out To Him

Their last day of being engaged; tonight they get legally married in our church in Sutton Coldfield, with two witnesses, the minister, and the registrar.

We've stayed behind in our hotel in Manchester, taking her two friends down with us in the morning as far as Sutton; nowhere they can stay the night. We'll swap passengers, so that Tom only sees her at the wedding, which will be in the open air in Bedford. 

Had our first meal out in the UK, and the last for who knows how long, as all restaurants, etc to be closed as of tonight. We were well away from others. For the record, it was Indian, and delicious.

Lent verse today is about the Samaritan in Luke 10v31-33:
...a priest was on his way down the same road (as the robbed and half-dead traveler), but when he saw him, he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man. A Samaritan (despised and heretical) traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man's condition, his heart went out to him. (And, in case you don't know the story, really put himself out to help him.)

Saw several homeless in the bitter cold today. Heartbreaking. How can this be? Unbearable, and puts any of our difficulties in perspective. May this crisis bring out our compassion, may God have mercy on our hard hearts...

Gratefuls:
- still to be able to walk outside
- warmth and food and family and friends
- millions of daffodils everywhere, in the sunshine