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Sometimes when I’m praying for friends, when I really don’t know what to pray, I pray a blessing on them, I love the words of Aaron’s ancient blessing: ‘The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward youContinue reading “May the Road Rise to Meet You”

Yesterday in parliament the Assisted Dying Bill was debated and voted on. For several weeks now there have been TV interviews with ordinary people expressing their views. Their experiences of life and death have lead them to different conclusions. I’ve had conversations with friends over a coffee, a pint or a church chair. Some friendsContinue reading “Life, Death and Assistance.”

When folk learn that Rachel was a nurse, she gets told about their particular ailments because, ‘You’re a nurse so you understand…’ When folk learn I was a teacher, I’m told about their teachers who were poor or ineffective. I’m also told about ‘good’ teachers who are remembered either because they were respected, their classesContinue reading “Hawks and Doves”

Yesterday kept saying ‘Christmas is Coming… Get Ready’ In our Eastern Daily Press there was an article about the Christmas event at Fakenham this weekend – including a craft fayre and a Christmas tree festival. Another article described Santa and his sleigh returning, with his helpers, to Dereham to raise money for charity. I readContinue reading “Christmas is Coming… Get Ready”

In school I used to tell of Roman craftsmen, who made sculptures out of marble. If there was a crack or a flaw in the marble some would fill it with wax – which made the statue look perfect. On a hot day, the wax melted and the imperfections became evident. The word ‘sincere’, IContinue reading “Love That’s Without Wax”

I popped round to church yesterday. I helped carry a Christmas tree. There was talk of the stable coming out(!) Some of us will be decorating the church next Saturday. Sunday is the first Sunday in Advent. We’re starting to prepare for Christmas. Wife-Rachel recently had a birthday. Son-Pete gave her a family calendar forContinue reading “Preparing, Planning, Predicting…”

The new roof for our conservatory has just arrived. Sections of roof are being unloaded off the lorry and stacked, ready for use. We’re told that the old roof will be off and the new one on by the end of the day. It’s like big boys’ Lego. The roof’s a lorry-load of made toContinue reading “Our New Roof…”

I was brought up in a church that sung standard Christian hymns. Then ‘Youth Praise’ was published, (book 1 in 1966, book 2 in 1969) containing new songs that expressed my faith in a new way. We enjoyed learning them; I learnt to play my guitar to accompany them. Number 267 was ‘For me toContinue reading “For Me To Live Is Christ”

Three things have made me smile this week. On Wednesday a banana, (bought earlier in the day for $0.35) duct-taped to a wall, fetched $6.2m (£4.9m) at Sotheby’s in New York. Apparently this ‘provocative artwork’ by Maurizio Cattelan called ‘Comedian’ was first unveiled to the public in 2019, became a viral sensation, and has travelledContinue reading “Bananas, Bawdy and Bert”

The temperature has dropped and snow has arrived this week. I’ve heard nine different responses: Active Enjoyers… ‘I love the sharp frosts; I enjoy wearing warm gloves and woolly hats; I want deep snow to play in. It’s my favourite time of year.’ Tough Fighters… ‘I carry on regardless. I still go swimming in theContinue reading “Responses to Winter”