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Viewpoint from Father Adrian Ling for 8th Jan 2010
Father Adrian Ling
Rector of Hemsby, Winterton, Somerton and Horsey
 One day at a Time
One day at a time, sweet Jesus,
that's all I'm asking from you.
Just give me the strength
to do every day
what I have to do.
Yesterday's gone, sweet Jesus.
Tomorrow may never be mine.
Lord help me today,
show me the way
one day at a time.
Do you remember that number one hit by Lena Martell? In late 1979, when The Police were sending out an SOS in their Message in a Bottle and Pink Floyd lamented the fact that  we are Just another Brick in the Wall, this humble Scottish singer had an unexpected hit which took her to the top of the charts for three weeks and made her the fastest selling female artist.
Her song has a message which is of timeless relevance. After all the excitement of Christmas and New Year, we find ourselves thick in the middle of winter, and the year ahead of us looms large. For some the beginning of a new year and decade may offer excitement and opportunity. For others, it may present uncertainty and fear.
If that is so for you, then do not worry about the whole year. Do not look on 2010 as a great big problem that you cannot resolve. Instead, chip away at it and divide it into little days. If you find yourself despairing, do not ask how you will manage to get through the year, but ask God for the grace to help you through today.
Jesus said “do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Worry can create more worry, it can eat away at us. Think about how the side of a sofa becomes fretted if a cat keeps pawing away at it, that is what f  retting can do to us on the inside, wear us away.
Lena Martell was very close to her mother, she accompanied her to many of her concerts. When her mother contracted Alzheimer’s Disease, she gave up touring to look after her for nine years until her death. I expect there were many times when she was reminded of the words of her own song. If we find ourselves having to care for someone we do not know how long this will go on. We cannot worry about what is unknown, we need to regard the day ahead as the objective to get through.
When we know we are weak then we are strong, if we recognize our need of God’s help and let him help us. By God’s grace we can pass through all adversity if we ask in faith for the strength to face the challenges presented to us each day.
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