Category Archives: Uncategorized

The sick vicar was encouraged by good news; the Women’s Guild decided to send him a gift and a get well card. Then he heard the bad news: the vote was 31-30. It seemed yesterday there was only bad news. There was the covid news about infection rates, deaths, unemployment, the economy, recession… There wasContinue reading “Bad News Good News”

Winning Earlier in the year we approached our coronavirus-world with determination; we would fight it and beat it together. We were proactive. We applauded the NHS; we extended our food banks; we visited neighbours; we delivered groceries; we created makeshift offices at home; we home-schooled our children… Rev Mark Rylands, an assistant bishop in Devon, bought an oldContinue reading “Winning, Waiting and Wondering”

In my wrestling and in my doubtsIn my failures You won’t walk outYour great love will lead me throughYou are the peace in my troubled sea… We sung ‘My Lighthouse’ by Rend Collective in church a few years ago; I’ve started singing it again recently. I like it because it you don’t have to singContinue reading “My Lighthouse”

Those who go round in Christian circles may have heard the three point sermon: ‘Believe, Belong, Behave’. Variations on it have been around for longer than I have. Musing on today’s world… Believe: Our political beliefs are challenged: Boris’ handling of coronavirus, current developments with Brexit, the United States election… and a host of globalContinue reading “Believe, Belong, Behave”

My daddy left home when I was threeAnd he didn’t leave much to ma and meJust this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze.Now, I don’t blame him cause he run and hidBut the meanest thing that he ever didWas before he left, he went and named me “Sue”… This old Johnny Cash songContinue reading “A Boy Named Sue”

Yesterday we learned that we may have a ‘circuit-breaker’ lockdown. Presumably this is to prevent us being plugged in and switched on – because the result could be shocking. Such metaphors are like a red rag to a bull to me – but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and I don’tContinue reading “From Circuit-Breakers to Puddings”

I’m reading ‘The Secret Garden’. Written in 1911 … Mary is brought up in India where ‘normality’ is empire, exploitation and privilege; remarkably relevant today … Her parents die and so she is sent to live in England with an uncle. In a remote house on the Yorkshire Moors she starts to discover a newContinue reading “What is Normal?”

The Seagull Theatre, the local community theatre that I have been involved with for the last 30 years, yesterday received a grant for over £86,000. There was much rejoicing. We can afford to have our roof repaired and keep going well into 2021. Many of the other conversations I had through the rest of theContinue reading “Welcome to my World”

This is Dave who belongs to Andrew and Emily. He visited us yesterday. We discovered that as well as enjoying bike rides he enjoys rooting round damp flower beds and barking at pigeons. He also barked when anyone sneezed. Perhaps he was saying: ‘Bless you’. ‘Bless you’ or ‘God bless you’ – wishing people wellContinue reading “Bless You”

Every time I try to make it on my ownEvery time I try to stand, I start to fallAnd all those lonely roads that I have travelled onThere was Jesus. I first discovered this song because it was sung by Dolly Parton, whose singing and song-writing have enjoyed for many years. When the life IContinue reading “There Was Jesus”