Category Archives: Uncategorized

Yesterday I went to see Sue, the dental hygienist… …Our dental practice has been without a dentist for months. There’s a national shortage. The receptionist, a pleasant young lady, explained her daily challenge… to respond to people… frustrated, angry, in pain, often abusive… who need to see a dentist but can’t. I admired her calm,Continue reading “Facing the Challenge”

I enjoy watching the squirrels in our garden –running fast, climbing high. chasing each other, feeding from our bird feeders… full of beans… full of peanuts… It will be the one-year anniversary of the start of the continuing war in Ukraine this week. Ukrainians have arrived in the UK, settled, returned… continuing the struggle, fightingContinue reading “Resilience, Redirection, and Renewal”

Who breaks the power of sin and darkness?Whose love is mighty and so much stronger?The King of glory, the King above all kings Who shakes the whole earth with holy thunder?And leaves us breathless in awe and wonder?The King of glory, the King above all kings This morning I shall go to church. I shallContinue reading “This Is Amazing Grace”

We are the champions, my friendsAnd we’ll keep on fighting ’til the endWe are the championsWe are the championsNo time for losers‘Cause we are the championsOf the world I could never identify with Freddie Mercury. In his world the world is divided into winners and losers. Winners are good; losers are bad. Ambition demands thatContinue reading “Redefining Success”

Tuesday… We bought new phones. Our old ones needed replacing. Beth, the kind assistant in Tesco’s transferred our data to our new phones. We got home. I couldn’t find things. I couldn’t do things as before. I panicked… as I do with anything technical. Wednesday… We went out for a meal. I booked somewhere we’dContinue reading “Disappointments & 5 ‘S’s”

Yesterday Rachel and I visited Minsmere, a local nature reserve. We were pleased to see Marsh Harriers and a green woodpecker… We sat by the coastal lagoons where there were lots of ducks and geese – about which I have limited knowledge. Yesterday I identified ‘Shelduck’ and ‘Shoveler’…. Identifying birds comes through my ‘Handbook ofContinue reading “The Key To Identification”

Yesterday… Valentine’s day – the day for dramatic, outrageous declarations and demonstrations of love. We chatted to Beth, a helpful assistant in Tesco’s, who’s in her early 20s but looked younger. She and her partner were going to have a quiet night in, watching a film. We identified with her inactivity, often feeling energy-less, activity-less,Continue reading “Less… Valentine, Stumperies & Joshua”

Raconteur: A person who tells anecdotes in a skilful and amusing way… Raconteur Malcolm: Today’s Valentine’s Day. In school I often told the story of St Valentine, the Italian bishop whose Christian faith… helping the poorly treated… sharing his faith… got him into trouble. Emperor Claudius banned marriage because ‘married men don’t make good soldiers’.Continue reading “The Raconteur”

Yesterday morning in church Ray described a tree… growing beside the stream it’s well watered, has deep roots… it’s strong and bears fruit… I remembered We shall not, we shall not be moved, Just like a tree that’s planted by the waterWe shall not be moved This old African-American spiritual and protest song has expressedContinue reading “Choose Life”

This 40-year-old Graham Kendrick song forms the basis of my prayers this morning. Restore, O LordThe honour of Your nameIn works of sovereign powerCome shake the earth againThat all may seeAnd come with reverent fearTo the living GodWhose kingdom shall outlast the years ‘Restore O Lord…’ Many good things have been done in God’s nameContinue reading “Restore O Lord”