Author Archives: malcolmsmusingscom

I taught in a middle school… our geography teacher was loved and inspirational… our maths teacher took children each year to the Lake District… our technology teacher attracted lonely children to his workshop… our caretaker looked after our building wonderfully… our secretaries kept the school well-organised… The Christian teaching ‘You are the body of Christ’Continue reading “Bodies… Broken… Beautiful.”

Today’s an ordinary day. I got up, went to the bathroom, looked at my face in the mirror as I shaved. I showered, dressed, put washing in the washing machine, drunk tea, read my Bible, (Song of Solomon – that’s a challenge!) reflected, prayed, hung the washing out, ate a bowl of Shreddies, drunk coffee,Continue reading “Appreciating the Extra-Ordinary in the Ordinary”

Lead me oh Lord, won’t you lead me Sometimes life seems to get very complicated; I need a simple prayer to focus… I am tired and I need thy strength and powerTo guide me over my darkest hourFor just open my eyes that I may seeLead me oh Lord, won’t you lead me Sometimes IContinue reading “Lead Me, Guide Me”

We enjoy watching ‘Who-dunnit’s TV… especially ‘Vera’. I know that the man with blood on his hands, or the woman screaming, ‘I’m going to kill you,’ isn’t always the murderer. Vera’s taught me that conclusion-jumping is unwise. A smiling man pushing a baby in a pram with ‘I’m the Daddy’ on his T-shirt? Perhaps conclusion-jumpingContinue reading “Jumping to Conclusions”

Yesterday… Nick told me about his alcohol addiction and an eating disorder. Last year he went into a treatment centre for three months; he’s been clean now for nearly a year. ‘I’m never going back there again,’ he said. ‘I’ve got too much to lose. I’ve got seven grandchildren; I want to see them growContinue reading “Second Chances”

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”