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In Rob Cherville’s ‘Breaking Chains’, Lizzie, seeking to escape from her life of abuse and prostitution, describes her reaction to being called ‘a prostitute’: ‘The word was a label that conveyed so much more than just the way I had earned my living. It was as though it defined my whole being; everything about meContinue reading “Prejudice and Stereotypes”

We watched the curling from the winter Olympics last night. I’m not familiar with curling, but I’ve enjoyed learning the terminology, appreciating the strategy, and recognising the skill of all involved. The GB men were in the semi-final against Switzerland. (My Scottish friends would point out that it was a Scottish team). The Swiss menContinue reading “Delighting in Failure”

I’m watching four squirrels chasing each other. They’re sure-footed, purposeful, amusing. I’m not sure of they are cross with each other, playing together or just bonkers. Normal animal behaviour seen through human eyes and interpreted as madness… Last year we watched ‘Hamilton’. The story of Alexander Hamilton, one of the ‘Founding Fathers’ of the UnitedContinue reading “Musing on Madness”

Today, Ash Wednesday, Christians traditionally remember their frailty and mortality, often reading: ‘…for dust you are and to dust you will return.’ Last night I woke up anxious and upset… Looking forward to my new teaching job, I set off in my car on my first morning but didn’t know where the school was! PeopleContinue reading “Ash Wednesday Lessons”

Yesterday’s Eastern Daily Press declared: ‘Dwile Flonking is coming back to Halesworth for the first time in fifty years this summer.’ Dwile flonking is played outdoors by two teams. One team joins hands and forms a circle. A member of the other team (the flonker) stands in the middle holding a beer-soaked cloth at theContinue reading “Dwile Flonking”

Yesterday morning at church Pastor-Lou quoted: ‘We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…’ (Hebrews 6:19). She told an Andrew Ollerton story. He was in a friend’s boat anchored for the night off the south-west coast of England. In the night the wind picked up, the waves rose and heContinue reading “Anchors, Scarecrows and Donkeys.”

As a teenager, on several occasions I went to Wembley and heard Billy Graham preach. He was always joined by George Beverley Shea who sung a solo. I was learning to play the piano. I bought the music book ‘George Beverley Shea sings his Favourites’. One song I remember hearing, singing and playing was ‘ThenContinue reading “Then Jesus Came”

Last night we watched East Point Academy’s production of ‘High School Musical’: Students in predictable stereotypes – the basketball team, the studious geeks, the singing, dancing performers… divided by their differences… finally brought together by a common purpose… summed up in the final song: Everyone is special in their own wayWe make each other strongWe’reContinue reading “All in this Together”

Yesterday was Gilly’s funeral. His name was ‘Gilbert’, but he was always known as Gilly. Gilly, a cheerful, humble, unassuming Christian gentle man, was particularly kind to our family. Alec, paying tribute to Gilly, summed him up: ‘I knew how to hang a door, Gilly knew how to put paint on a wall; we gotContinue reading “The Long-Armed God”

Yesterday I went to church… ‘Lunchtime Prayers’ is a good opportunity to be still in the middle of the day’s busyness. We used a helpful liturgy that included: ‘In the midst of the day, we pause to reflect upon God’s goodness and mercy…’ I heard… ‘In the mist of the day…’ Here in Lowestoft, weContinue reading “Living in the Mist”