Author Archives: malcolmsmusingscom

At our Singing for Health group on Friday we sung a song I’ve known for most of my life, ‘Michael Row the Boat Ashore’. It has many versions; I remember Pete Seeger’s: Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujahMichael row the boat ashore, hallelujah Jordan’s river is deep and wide, hallelujah.Meet my mother on the otherContinue reading “Michael Row the Boat Ashore”

The Paris Olympics is drawing to a close. There’s been fierce competition, but there’s been a huge sense of camaraderie between athletes of different nations. The spirit of the Olympics seems to be symbolised in the New York Statue of Liberty.. Originally a gift from the people of France to the United States, against aContinue reading “Four Statues”

We’re approaching the last lap of the Olympic Games. There’s been great competition in the pool, in the velodrome, on the track. I’ve enjoyed the variety of sports, the celebration of medal winners, successes from many countries. Yesterday I enjoyed watching Ellie Aldridge become first ever gold-medal winner in kitesurfing. We all like winners; weContinue reading “Winners and Losers”

I was chatting to my friend Jack about the riots in towns and cities across the country, how misinformation had been spread via social media. Jack introduced me to the word ‘clickbait’ – internet content whose main purpose is to attract attention and encourage visitors to click on a link to a particular web page…Continue reading “Clickbait”

Last night was the Olympic 1500 metres final. All of the experts made it clear. It was between Britain’s Josh Kerr and Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen. We Brits knew that Josh Kerr would win. As it happened, both were beaten by the American Cole Hocker, leaving Kerr second and Ingebrigtsen fourth… unexpected disappointment. (…but not forContinue reading “Life’s Unexpected Disappointments”

When I was teaching, the question ‘who am I?’ was often important to the children. Sometimes it related to family – the reputation of parents or siblings… their nationality, affluence, lifestyle; sometimes it was about physical attributes – hair colour, shape, size, needing glasses; sometimes it involved gifts and talents, what they enjoyed or dislikedContinue reading “Who Am I?”

There’ve been violent, angry riots in cities across the country. Right wing groups have targeted immigrants and Muslims in particular. Last night mobs set fire to a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham… Yesterday in church Lou quoted the story of Anthony Walker, the Black British student who was murdered in a racially motivated attackContinue reading “Facing Violence and Hatred – with Gee, Juliet and Helen”

I was reminded of this old Van Morrison song the other day… Whenever God shines his light on meOpens up my eyes so I can seeWhen I look up in the darkest nightThen I know everything’s going to be alrightIn deep confusion, in great despairWhen I reach out for him, he is thereWhen I amContinue reading “Whenever God Shines His Light”

‘The proof of the pudding is in the eating’  – so the old saying goes. When the family come round for a meal Rachel will often say ‘any pudding requests?’ Last time the request was ‘strawberry and cream sponge or banoffee pie, please. Pudding arrived. ‘That looks nice,’ said Emily. It did. The proof ofContinue reading “The Proof of the Pudding…”

In my annual journey through the Bible I arrived this morning in Isaiah 23. In the middle of a prophecy about the ancient city of Tyre there’s the phrase ‘The Sea Has Spoken’. I’ve lived by the sea for thirty-eight years. What does the sea say? In ‘Deck of Cards’ a soldier boy explains hisContinue reading “The Sea Has Spoken”