Author Archives: malcolmsmusingscom

I’ve been reading ‘Proverbs’. There’s familiar bits, often quoted in churches, like: ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…’ My grandma wrote that in my first Bible… Then there’s bits like: ‘For the lips of an adulteress drip honey and her speech is smoother than oil.’ NotContinue reading “Pertinent Proverbs”

Three stories I read yesterday: Matt Willis… His parents separated when he was three… He started abusing alcohol and drugs in his teens… In 2000 he formed the band ‘Busted’ with two friends… ‘At just 18 we were signing contracts worth six figures and living a party lifestyle… by the age of 22 I wasContinue reading “Fight The Good Fight”

The coronation weekend is finished. Services and celebrations, concerts and community events. Carefully made plans became actions and activities. But now the bunting comes down. We pause and reflect. Avid monarchy supporters will reflect with delight on a good weekend of events and celebrations. Anti-monarchist protestors will reflect on their demonstrations and their next steps.Continue reading “Pause, Reflect, Act”

As Saturday’s coronation procession passed the Cenotaph in Whitehall the commentator reminded us that the word ‘Cenotaph’ comes from two Greek words meaning ‘empty’ and ‘tomb’. To the uninformed, the Cenotaph is just a lump of stone. Originally it was the UK’s national memorial to those who died in the First World War; over theContinue reading “Memorials, Wardrobes and Books”

There is a higher throneThan all this world has knownWhere faithful ones from every tongueWill one day comeBefore the Son we’ll standMade faultless through the LambBelieving hearts find promised graceSalvation comes I remember the 1953 coronation… we didn’t have a television… we went next door – Olive and Les had just bought one. We watchedContinue reading “There Is a Higher Throne”

They’re changing guard at Buckingham Palace –Christopher Robin went down with Alice.Alice is marrying one of the guard.“A soldier’s life is terrible hard,”Says Alice. As a child I listened each Saturday to the ‘wireless’… ‘Children’s Favourites’ with ‘Uncle Mac’. I enjoyed A.A. Milne’s poem ‘Buckingham Palace’ set to music… Musing on changes… We saw aContinue reading “They’re Changing Guard at Buckingham Palace”

Yesterday a New York jury ruled that Ed Sheeran, in his song ‘Thinking Out Loud’, did not copy Marvin Gaye’s ‘Let’s Get It On’. Following the verdict, our local boy, who lives 30 miles away, said: ‘…We’ve spent the last eight years talking about two songs with dramatically different lyrics, melodies and four chords, whichContinue reading “No-one Owns The Colour Blue.”

As a child I enjoyed balancing… walking along narrow beams, carrying a glass of water on my head… As a teacher I encouraged games and races that involved balancing. Today I enjoy watching children carefully balancing on narrow walls… parents teaching children to ride their bikes. Falling may aid learning, but the ultimate aim isContinue reading “Balancing Without Falling”

Perspective… Many are giving us their opinions on Saturday’s coronation, each coming from a different angle… TV commentators make news… Politically-minded friends offer views… Christian friends emphasise the spiritual… sometimes opinion turns to prejudice. I’m seeking perspective. Pageantry… Many are taken up with the spectacle: processions with state carriages, thrones, crowns, ceremony steeped in historicalContinue reading “Cutting Coronation Complexity”

In Les Misérables the revolution has failed. The young men are all dead; the women of Paris mourn their loss: Who will wake them?No one ever will.No one ever told themThat a summer day can kill. Nothing changes, nothing ever willEvery year another brat, another mouth to fill.Same old story, what’s the use of tears?What’sContinue reading “Help! Mayday…”