Author Archives: malcolmsmusingscom

My friend Cat posted this yesterday. I smiled and identified with it… I was encouraged to ‘run a tight ship’ at work, leading a well-managed organization, where everything was organized and efficient, everyone in the ‘crew’ knowing their role and responsibilities… all should be ship-shape and in order. As parents with three children we wereContinue reading “Tight Ships and Shipwrecks”

On Saturday we saw the report of Rebecca Cheptegei’s funeral. The Olympic marathon runner, set ablaze by her former boyfriend, was been buried in eastern Uganda. We were reminded of the 33-year-old’s brutal killing at the emotional funeral ceremony. Fellow athletes wore black T-shirts with the slogan ‘say no to gender-based violence’. The news oftenContinue reading “Victim or Volunteer?”

Last Sunday at church Aleisha told her story, declared her faith and was baptised. Her courage and strength impressed many. Aleisha chose this powerful Laura Mixon song that we listened to after her baptism. I’d not heard it before: We pray for blessings, we pray for peaceComfort for family, protection while we sleepWe pray forContinue reading “Blessings”

Last weekend we had news that niece-Virginia, great-niece-Lucy and fiancé-Pete had completed the Great North Run – a half marathon. Yesterday afternoon I was chatting to Adam and Aaron, two young men who’ve recently taken up running. They were chatting about their training schedules, their races, the half marathon that they’ve already completed, the marathonContinue reading “Keep On Running”

I woke up in the night with cramp. It sometimes happens – my feet, ankles and calves seize up. It’s painful. I think it comes from many years, many miles, running on streets and pavements. I have to get up, stretch, exercise; it goes away. I wondered about mental cramp – times when the rigidContinue reading “Mental Cramp”

Recipe: A list of ingredients and the directions for preparing food… ‘Recipe’ comes from the Latin ‘recipere’: ‘re-‘ means ‘back’ or ‘again’ and ‘capere’ means ‘to take.’ Originally ‘recipe’ was used by doctors. They’d write ‘recipe’ at the top of their prescriptions, meaning ‘take this medicine repeatedly’. Over time ‘recipe’ was used in cooking, describingContinue reading “The Recipe of Life”

Yesterday I read ‘Stephen Hawking – My Brief History’. He describes his childhood and education in post-war Britain, his diagnosis of motor neurone disease aged twenty-one: ‘When you are faced with the possibility of an early death, it makes you realize that life is worth living and there are lots of things that you wantContinue reading “Blinding Science and Meaningless Theory”

Yesterday: Bacon roll time at Men’s Shed… a buzz of conversation (who says that men don’t talk?!)… the usual unrepeatable banter… Reg’s mankini (with bells on – it’s a Christmas one, you know)… Richard’s leopard-skin thong (it’s not been worn recently)… Graham and Albert were chatting. Albert’s wife passed away ten weeks ago; Graham lostContinue reading “Crisis and Character”

Lowestoft’s Gull Wing bridge finally opened on Saturday morning. Initially only pedestrians crossed. Many posted close-up selfies on social media; there were also drone’s-eye pictures of the hundreds crossing the bridge. Matthew Hicks, Leader of Suffolk County Council, said: ‘Today is a significant moment in Lowestoft’s proud history, and it was wonderful to see soContinue reading “Close-Ups and the Drone’s-Eye View”

Sarah and Kim, two young teenage Christians, taught us the Graham Kendrick song ‘I’m Special’ in church about thirty years ago. It was seen to be a children’s song; I love it because it is simple yet profound, powerful and meaningful, to people of all ages. I’m special because God has loved me,For He gaveContinue reading “I’m Special”