Rev Chris update – 16 January 2022

Dear all,

In 1949 the country and western singer Hank Williams achieved chart success with the song ‘My Bucket’s Got a Hole in it ‘, with the immortal line “My bucket’s got a hole in it, I can’t buy no beer”. I’m sure all of us know the song ‘There’s a Hole in my Bucket Dear Liza’ that tells the story of a character called Henry complaining to his long-suffering wife that his bucket has a hole in it, and he doesn’t know how to fix it!!

Both songs suggest that a bucket with holes in is useless. Who would disagree? A bucket with a hole in is useless – well, yes and no. It depends on what the bucket is being used for.

The image of a bucket with holes in was recently shared with me in terms of dealing with issues of anxiety and stress. In this imagery I was told that we might think in terms of a bucket filling up with our various stresses and worries until it reaches the top – all seems perfectly fine until that last bit of water, and it doesn’t have to be much, causes the whole thing to overflow.

However, by putting ‘holes’ in the bucket it never gets to overflow – the water keeps leaking out. There are still stresses and strains, but they don’t overwhelm because a ‘coping strategy’ is in place. I’m no counsellor but I love the imagery, and it goes to show that a bucket with holes has its uses – I find that rather helpful in these times where we are all feeling the strain of what has taken place over the last couple of years.

Here are a couple of biblical ‘buckets’;

 

Matthew 6:25-27

“This is why I tell you: do not be worried about the food and drink you need in order to stay alive, or about clothes for your body. After all, isn’t life worth more than food? And isn’t the body worth more than clothes? Look at the birds: they do not plant seeds, gather a harvest and put it in barns; yet your Father in heaven takes care of them! Aren’t you worth much more than birds? Can any of you live a bit longer by worrying about it?

 

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest. For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light.”

 

May your bucket have no end of holes (Holy bucket!!)

Rev Chris