Diamond Jubilee Year

Maybe this post is a few weeks late. But this deserves mentioning nonetheless.
It's about the Diamond Jubilee.
Let's get one thing straight: I've never been patriotic as such. I love my country, and I love the monarchy but I've never been a raving luny about England in the way of shoving flags at people and buying up all the merchandise!
That being said- this Diamond Jubilee weekend was absolutely 'spiffing'! We celebrated a delightful Queen who's served us all with dedication for 60 years- if that doesn't deserve a flotilla, then what does?? She's been ever open about her faith too, her protestant roots not just carved from tradition but evidently from a truly Jesus centred heart, (very evident in her speech this christmas.)Perhaps it's fair to say her service mirrors something of Jesus' own character... her service reflective of the greatest Servant King. How exactly has she served? Well she's travelled the globe, the common-wealth, represented us brits, defended the faith, no doubt passed and questioned laws, become the scapegoat, carried the burden of our economic and social failures and lifted us up in our sporting and additional success. She's never cracked under the pressure, dictated, greedily grabbed for power or taken out anger on us, her fickle and capricious subects. We, the people, have been able to look up to her for sixty years- and what an example she has set. Queen Elizabeth II has been the face of the country for some time now, and what we celebrated recently was that it is a face we can be glad of showing not just on coins, stamps, or banknotes- but around the world.
I write in all earnest when I say this: God Save the Queen!
Personally, I celebrated by joining a church 'party', watching the pageant and concert (sadly on TV, we weren't able to travel to London to join the throngs of monarch-enthusiasts!) having my aunt over (who waved flags enthusiasticaly at the Tv!) and strewing the house in cornwall and bath with red, white and blue. I wish I had taken more pictures. It felt unifying to the rest of the country. It felt happy. It felt like we had something to be proud of.