(A little of) my life in Letters

To .... Gas Co.

Dear Sirs
Please accept this letter as thanks for the prompt remedy of the gas problem I experienced this week. As you can imagine, I was startled to arrive home to a note that a gas scare meant my gas had been turned off and I would potentially be unable to partake of my evening pastie (!) I was very impressed and relieved when it transpired that the 'gas man' who had called was still in the area & able to return during the 20 minutes remaining of my lunch-break - and even more pleased when he showed me the rusty mess that was my gas meter, which he has replaced with a brand-spanking-new one! This event is made even more fortuitous by the fact that I had been previously unable to find my gas meter, which, for some inexplicable reason, was located in a completely different part of the building than those of the other flats (behind a panel just inside the front door, in fact!) I will now be able to pay for my gas supplies without the concern occasioned by the lack of meter reading that was starting to cause me some anxiety. Thank you very much for your excellent & prompt assistance and help.


To ... Energy Co.

Dear Sirs
Just a quick note of thanks for the unexpected surprise I received when ringing your company about the ridiculously high bill for the little flat that I rent. You can imagine how pleased I was to be told that somehow the meter had been read only this week and the reading was a lot lower than the bill said and I was going to be refunded rather than billed this month! This also solves a nagging problem for me caused by the unexpected & sudden closure of the business below my flats which has prevented my accessing the meters to provide an accurate reading. What a relief and an answer to prayer! Thanks again.

To ... mobile 'phone co.

Dear Sirs
Following receipt of my last bill from you I would like to request a refund of the £12.97 insurance NOT required and not previously explained.This is the first month my bill was to be around the £.. that I am supposed to be paying and I was horrified to find it nearly double. I cannot afford this kind of trickery from your company!I have already survived an attempt to extend my contract further by an enthusiastic sales rep. who 'phoned me at the most inconvenient time possible and then ignored my clear injunction not to this.However, I will be extending the contract indefinitely if I'm not put off .... for life by unexpected insurance costs.I look forward to hearing from you soon OR receiving the refund in order to maintain my happy relationship with your 'phone company above others.

Yours faithfully


Dear TV Licensing Co.

I am very excited to announce I shall no longer be the recipient of a TV license. The money will be used very usefully to pay for membership of a DVD club through which I can watch, not only excellent films that are never on the TV (which has pretty repetitive & poor choice) but also some of the few enjoyable programmes on; which I miss often due to other commitments. I can thus avoid the rubbish that is on at the times when I AM in the mood for TV; and avoid the temptation to waste minutes of my life in front of soap operas, fly-on-the-wall dramas & the dreaded Big Brother. Hurrah!



Dear....

I really enjoyed my long overdue visit to you yesterday. I am so sorry that I am being such a bad friend to you; I don't know why I'm finding it so hard to visit and chat with you; I know if I was in your shoes and so abandoned I might be struggling with resentment; especially with the loss of the children from their home with you. Yet you still ring to chat and are pleased to see me when I do come for not long enough. The thing is, that kind of socialising still doesn't come that naturally, it comes more easily to be serving & working than small-talk & chit chat and I think it always will for me. My circumstances have changed as well, but I can't blame just that; I find it hard to sacrifice the time to give to you now because it's harder. I'm not sure how much that is a natural moving on, because your needs are no longer met by my gifts; or an abdication by me of responsibility. Either way, it's not your fault. Forgive me.


Dear church elders

Well I hope this isn't too late as a report of how God has blessed me through & since the conference at church the other weekend. I had really been bothered by the fact that I have been unable to really worship during church - & other times. However, during the conference God really ministered his Holy Spirit and, without any laying of hands or anything something was released enabling me to worship properly for the first time in ... maybe ever.

I really enjoyed last Sunday's worship which seemed as if it would never end (!) it was lovely to be among a few still worshipping while others were freed to collect children or take visitors to the cafe etc.; this from the person who has never been able to stay in a prayer meeting for longer than an hour!All in all, I have been blessed very much by God since coming to this church and I thank you for your commitment to being guided by - and obedient to - God, in your church leadership. I praise God for how He is moving in the church & that He brought me here just when He did.