Category Archives: Uncategorized

To understand a story fully we need to hear different perspectives from different people. I witnessed this with fights in the school playground; friends working for the police or social services see this in court; we’ve remembered it this week with Harry and Meghan…   Musing on Joshua 2… Joshua is the new Israelite leader.Continue reading “Rahab”

The royal interview dominated yesterday’s headlines. Words like ‘sensational’, ‘bombshell’ and ‘heart-breaking’ were scattered liberally. For once ‘unprecedented’ didn’t refer to Covid. Everyone had an opinion. Experts spoke about racism, mental health and the monarchy; ordinary people escaped from their own private problems in this public drama. The Queen’s statement was simple yet wise: ‘TheContinue reading “Harry and Meghan”

Schools returned yesterday. Welcome balloons were out. Anticipating teachers were quoted: ‘Every one of us can’t wait for the classrooms, corridors and playgrounds to become alive again with the sounds of children learning and playing together.’ Head-teachers posted within an hour of opening: ‘Just to reassure ALL parents and carers, ALL children are settled andContinue reading “Back to School”

Today, 8th March, is International Women’s Day. Dawn French said: ‘Inflatable boy goes into inflatable school with inflatable headmaster and runs amok with a drawing pin. Headmaster says, ‘I’m very disappointed in you. You’ve let me down, you’ve let your school down, you’ve let yourself down.’’   IWD raises concerns for gender equality, the genderContinue reading “Eglantyne Jebb”

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; Civilla Martin describes writing this old gospel song when visiting friends in 1905: ‘Mrs.Continue reading “His Eye Is On The Sparrow”

I learnt ‘What shall we do with a drunken sailor’ as a child. I learnt a few more shanties and taught them in school – linked to pirates, adventures on the high seas, treasure island, working songs. Easy to teach, easy to learn, easy to sing…. I like: ‘When I was a little boy myContinue reading “Sea Shanties”

Marmite: At Norwich, watching the football, a man who I’d met once or twice before described a mutual friend: ‘He’s like marmite – you either love him or hate him.’ Our friend isn’t brown, smelly and sticky, but he does bring contrasting reactions out of people… And now a marmite cornetto…? Battles: Yesterday I spokeContinue reading “Pictures with Meaning?”

Today’s date (for Brits!) 4.3.21. It reminds me of a countdown… As a child I listened to and joined in with the countdown ‘10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-0, ignition, blast off’ as American rockets were launched. We watched on television – and listened on the ‘wireless’… In 1966 ‘5-4-3-2-1’ was the Manfred Mann song that introduced ‘Ready Steady Go’,Continue reading “4.3.21 Countdown”

I had a weird dream last night. I don’t dream – or remember dreams – very often… I was playing guitar at a big event. I didn’t know anybody else there. We were preparing to start. Everyone was busy with their responsibilities. A woman was also playing guitar; her guitar initially had no strings. SheContinue reading “Hearing & Listening”

The recreation ground where we played as children had six swings, a roundabout … and a seesaw. One child each end… Up and down… Great fun! Life has many seesaws. Here’s 3…. The work-rest seesaw: On one side there’s activity, busy-ness, service, purpose, effort; on the other is relaxation, peace, recuperation, space, rest. The good-badContinue reading “Seesaws”