Category Archives: Uncategorized

Yesterday’s big local news: A rollercoaster at Pleasurewood Hills broke down, leaving twenty-seven people stranded 50ft in the air. Two-and-a-half hours later fire crews rescued them. Afterwards, a Pleasurewood Hills statement included: ‘We would like to say a huge thank you to every rider… for their patience and understanding while the situation was resolved.’ WellContinue reading “Patience and Understanding…”

At church yesterday, Stephen told of a village priest who was required to deal with a particularly distressing suicide. He cared for the family and took the funeral service. Because of the nature of the man’s death, the burial had to be in ‘un-consecrated ground’ outside the village cemetery. That night the priest, disturbed andContinue reading “Moving the Fence”

My teenage years weren’t very dramatic. There was family, school, sport, music and church. I was learning about relationships, faith and life… 1966 was a significant year… O-levels, England won the World Cup, a trip to Portugal… and going several times to hear Billy Graham at Wembley Stadium. Each time George Beverly Shea sung aContinue reading “No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus”

When I was a child my friend Ian had an electric trainset in his loft. I used to go round to his house and we would play together. I longed to have a trainset like his. I asked for one for Christmas. At Christmas I was given a trainset – but it was clockwork. WeContinue reading “Regular as Clockwork”

Yesterday morning I enjoyed a walk along the beach. The wind was blowing, the sea was rough. No-one was swimming, children weren’t playing, the beach-volley-ball courts were empty. The beach was pretty much deserted. Signs warned of strong currents and fast-moving tides. Passing a woman pushing an elderly lady in a wheelchair along the promContinue reading “Good and Bad Together”

It’s good to see how a story ends… A boy and a girl fall in love; will they work through their differences or are their problems irreconcilable? Jerry continues to torment Tom; how will he escape this time? A woman’s been murdered; how will the detective work out who dunnit? A friend’s been to theContinue reading “The Final Resolution”

Dolly Parton: Yesterday we learnt of Dolly Parton’s death. Remembering her story… her large family, her country home, her marriage, her rise to fame… her songs, her performances, her song-writing… Rejoicing in her achievements as a singer, and songwriter… all that was good in her character, her example, the legacy that she’s left… Recognising herContinue reading “Remembering, Rejoicing, Recognising…”

Infusion: From the Latin ‘infundere’, meaning ‘to pour into’. Diffusion: From the Latin ‘diffundere’, meaning ‘to pour in every direction’. When I was a child, I’d seen salt, sugar and soap powder dissolve in water and ‘disappear’. When water was poured over the tea-leaves they didn’t dissolve, but the water turned brown and tea-flavoured. IContinue reading “Infusion and Diffusion”

On Friday my audiologist adjusted my hearing aids. Since they were first fitted three months ago, he’s gradually turned them up… It seems as if Mr Robin, Mrs Wren and all our other garden birds are now singing much louder. Of course there’s no actual change in volume, but this is my new reality. OnContinue reading “The New Reality”

This morning I read Ezekiel 34. It’s one of the many chapters about shepherds and sheep. It starts with a picture of bad shepherding: What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep? You drink the milk, wear the wool, and butcher the best animals, but youContinue reading “The Lord’s My Shepherd (Revisited)”