I Googled how many nationalities are there? Didn’t know what to expect. I guess as a social scientist one could argue, what is the definition of a nationality and have all sorts of debates about that, but I took Google definition as a starting point.
Google said 223.

A Day I can’t forget.

On the 23rd of June, my wife Ruth was late coming out of work, so I went to her work, asked a couple of solicitors who were coming out of the door, if Ruth was in her office, pointed out her name was on the board, so I asked the question, would you mind checking her office?
This was our first day back after a few days off with Covid.
Long story, short, it saves the tears, …..I found her lying face down in a pool of blood in her office. A very special friendship of mine of 46 years, marriage for 43 years 11 months, 2 daughters RuthE 40 and Abigail 38, had come to an end.

‘There are no words to blog….just tears.’

One week after the funeral, one of our daughter’s, Abigail, she took ill. My son-in-law rang to say that she’s been taken to hospital and 10 weeks later, after spending 5 days a week down in Kidderminster with Dan and wee Clara, just 13weeks after her mum, Abi’s remains were brought home, back to Scotland and were laid to rest next to her mum.

“Mr. M you’re still a gorgeous looking guy“
The night before my wife died she was sitting on the sofa opposite me and I became acutely aware that she was looking at me. Stopped reading and looked across and asked what was on her mind, she said, with a big smile, ‘Mr. M. you’re still a gorgeous looking guy after all these years,’ …well, who am I to argue with a woman!
Maybe, as I look back ..Smiling lovingly, maybe through relief and joy …I heard from a friend that Ruth had mentioned to a neighbour she was worried, thinking I was so ill I was going to die. Anywayz, What followed that evening was a conversation about the goodness of God and his faithfulness through bad stuff and good stuff. We considered the account of Job and the tears of Jeremiah…. Not knowing that the next morning, I would wake to make her breakfast and lunch, hold her hand, would kiss her, say goodbye and for the last time as she got out the car say The Grace together,’May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and forevermore’…and we would be parted, never to hear her voice, see her kind smile or hold her in my arms again.
I certainly didn’t expect thirteen week later, the second, the loss of Abi, who left behind her loving husband Dan and her bundle of joy, six-year old daughter, Clara.
‘But God is still good and faithful.’

I asked myself how many nationalities are there?

So I Googled, it came up to 223.

I remember reading:
“I will bless the nations of the world through your descendent,” aka, Jesus of Nazareth, Christmas and Easter. (Sweet..well they both have chocolate)
So, I thought I’d have 223 ‘Conversations’ and ask if, or had God blessed their nation and maybe write a book.

The Journey begins.

I went into town to the craft shop and asked for transfers of these numbers to iron onto my shirts, sweatshirts, etc. even got transfers for the car doors ( Creative Signs and ACORN Signs Inverness) The shop assistant asked me why I wanted the transfers.I told her the story. As I spoke, I realised that they were a former school pupil of 8years ago, she said, ‘Mr M. we don’t have any transfers with numbers but I do have a machine at home which I bought six years ago. It’s unused and if you’ll give me a number, I’ll print off transfers for you.’ And that’s exactly what happened.

And so it …….

And so it began! Ironing! Ironing, ……

and more Ironing, I’m pretty good at it now. 223 shirts, and the car doors has led to lots of very personal and pleasant “Conversations” and this is how this blog, website, conversations and the videos have come about.

People just ask me, “What’s 223 about? Why is 223 on your car? Why is 223 on the back of your sweatshirt? And a conversation, has ensued about the promise that ‘God would bless the nations of the world through the descendant of Abraham’ and I just wondered if they personally or their nation had been blessed.

Hopefully, if you reflect on the following questions and the conversations that come up over the next little while, you’ll be able to answer that question for yourself. I don’t know how you will or what you will answer, or will you leave an answer or will you get back to me about you or your country but, I know that God is good and is faithful, bad stuff happens.
WGM 223.
Reflections:
Has God blessed your Nation?
How would you like God to bless your nation now?
How or Has God blessed you?