Author Archives: malcolmsmusingscom

Peace is one of the great Advent themes … Isaiah’s prophecy of ‘The Prince of Peace’… the angels’ announcement to the shepherds of ‘Peace on earth’… Jesus’ promise: ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you’… ‘Sleeping in heavenly peace’. 1915 on Christmas DayOn the western front the guns all died awayAnd lyingContinue reading “Christmas 1915”

Yesterday’s Lowestoft Journal told of a seafront restaurant with an interesting plan. It’s introduced a ‘phone jail’ for guests to lock away their smartphones while they enjoy their meal. There’s a cost: Danielle High, restaurant owner, offered a 5pc discount for guests who surrender their phones – so she’s losing income; phone-dependent customers are havingContinue reading “Plan, Cost, Benefit!”

At this time of year we’re often reminded of Santa’s naughty list and nice list. Santa’s elves keep a close watch on each child throughout the year, reporting back to Santa with detailed updates of their behaviour. A Christmas Eve review leads to every child getting what they deserve.… It’s a concept that has itsContinue reading “Santa’s Naughty List”

Years ago Christmas TV Specials included the occasional Christmas jumper. Val Doonican or Andy Williams would entertain us wearing festive designs of reindeer and snowmen, bringing feelings of warmth, comfort, homeliness. Christmas jumpers – some might call them Christmas sweaters – became a joke. On TV, at Christmas events, folks would wear jumpers that demandedContinue reading “The Curse of the Christmas Jumper”

I learnt the Christmas story as a child – Mary, Joseph, Bethlehem, manger, baby, shepherds, wise men…. read, sung, acted, each year at church… The angel says to Joseph: ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him ‘Emmanuel’, which means ‘God with us’’. I was taught well. Isaiah’sContinue reading “Emmanuel – God With Us”

On yesterday’s news… In 1978 Avril and Christopher Rowlands drove home with their first ever £6 Christmas tree on the top of their Mini Cooper. After Christmas they planted it in the front garden of their new Inkberrow, Worcestershire house. Now, 46 years on, the couple, are both around 80-years-old. That same tree stands 50ftContinue reading “It Started Small.”

On Saturday… The Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris re-opened. In April 2019 fire destroyed it. There followed the £800m reconstruction involving 2,000 craftsmen. We saw the ceremony in the magnificent reconstructed cathedral. World leaders assembled… Prince William, Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky… President Emmanuel Macron said that Notre-Dame was a symbol of fraternity that a fractured worldContinue reading “Mending the Fractured; Achieving the Impossible”

I first met this Andrae Crouch song a few years ago. I wrote about it then. I’ve come back to it on a number of occasions… I’ve had many tears and sorrowsI’ve had questions for tomorrowThere’s been times I didn’t know right from wrongBut in every situationGod gave me blessed consolationThat my trials came toContinue reading “Through It All (I’m Still Learning)”

You say yes, I say noYou say stop and I say go, go, goYou say goodbye and I say hello ‘Hello, Goodbye’ was top of the UK singles charts for seven weeks in 1967. Paul McCartney says the song describes choices we have to make in life: ‘I’m attracted to the binary… You say yes,Continue reading “Hello, Goodbye”

Last night’s local news included an item on Lakenheath Fen nature reserve, Suffolk, where common cranes have nested since 2007. There was film of these magnificent birds with their 2.5m wingspan… Last night’s report showed four large areas, about 5m by 10m, being cut out of the wetland’s reedbed to help the birds come inContinue reading “Coming In To Land”