Jan and I spent a few days away recently and ended up one afternoon in Wickham down near Portsmouth. One of the buildings that we visited was an old mill that was now an antique shop in a maze of rooms. The thing that fascinated me was the amazing wooden structure of the old building with huge beams and timbers. It was then that I discovered that the mill owner had bought a job lot of timbers from the dismantled American frigate Chesapeake and had constructed the mill from them. The Chesapeake was a famous American naval boat that had survived many battles but was finally captured in 1812 and eventually ended up in the breakers yard. But that wasn't the end, and now 198 years later the timbers are still being used and providing a very atmospheric building.

It was great wandering around and looking for where the mast's were stepped in and the slots cut in the timbers for other purposes than they were now being used. You could also see the scars of previous battles and the marks of gunshot on the timbers. It is even said that the very planking of the flooring still shows the stains of battle.

I always think it is wonderful in the church when you see someone who has given years of their life in some occupation or other and then respond to a fresh calling from the Lord and there is a new lease of life and enthusiasm. And a new purpose.