Rev’s Reflection March 2026 

On Monday at 7am, I was driving along the bypass on my way to pick up some shopping from Tesco. As I looked over in the direction of the supermarket and beyond, the sunrise took my breath away, the sun was on fire and the sky around it far and wide was an iridescent deep crimson. It was beautiful and I said to no one ….. WOW!

On Wednesday I drove towards Maldon on the A414, and as I approached St Margaret’s Church there was a rainbow taking over the sky. I parked up and searched the distance to try to see the far end of the rainbow and in doing so I couldn’t help but smile and mutter to myself ‘beautiful’.

On Thursday I headed to Ongar for a meeting. My satnav took me alongside fields flooded and overflowing onto the roads with water deep enough for the truck in front of me to navigate, but not for my car and I had to divert my route.

Depending on where you live, the recent extended days of rain can be both a blessing and a blow. For some, it means waterlogged gardens, muddy boots and frustrating detours. For others, it replenishes reservoirs, revives parched land and brings various shades of green back to the landscape. The very rain that inconveniences us is the same rain that can contribute to rainbows and fiery sunrises.

This week reminded me that beauty and challenge often travel side by side. The glowing sunrise, the far-reaching rainbow and the flooded fields, well they are all part of the same story. During difficulty, nature often finds a way to take our breath away, showing us that there is always something extraordinary waiting to be noticed.  Every journey holds a gift, perhaps we just need to turn a corner to be able to see it.

Julie                                                         ^‘He has made everything beautiful in its time.’ Ecclesiastes 3: 1