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In yesterday’s Eastern Daily Press: Gas workers uncovered an object. They suspected it was a Second World War bomb… needed to discover what it was – shine light into their uncertainty. Police officers set up a 100-metre cordon; residents were evacuated, the bomb squad was called. They discovered that the suspected bomb was not explosive;Continue reading “Zarach: Shining Light Into Dark Places”

Last week I was reading ‘Silver Darlings’. ‘In 1895, A Northumbrian island welcomes two new residents. Clara and Jimmy are born on the same night to families poles apart…’ Jimmy’s born into a fishing family, joins a Scottish herring crew and sails to Lowestoft… It’s a story of love, war and misunderstanding, describing poverty, danger,Continue reading “The Fisherman, The Actress and The Teacher”

Yesterday, music stars and fans paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, the frontman of heavy metal band Black Sabbath, who died on Tuesday. Osbourne became famous for his controversial live shows, unconventional family, and uncompromising opinions. Tony Iommi knew Ozzy at school and together they formed Black Sabbath. Tony spoke warmly about Ozzy’s love for music,Continue reading “There’s Only One You, And That’s It”

Yesterday evening a group of us were talking about mental health issues… those who suffer with anxiety and depression… how we cope with it, how we help and support friends… The discussion turned suicide, to ‘3 Dads Walking’… Three fathers, Tim, Andy and Mike, who each lost a daughter to suicide, were first in theContinue reading “It’s All Down to the Schools!”

For the first eighteen years of my life I belonged to a wonderful church. I came to and developed personal faith from a young age. Well taught in Christian faith I knew what I believed and why those who didn’t believe the same as me were wrong. I’ve never lost my faith, but over theContinue reading “I’m Right – God Says I’m Right.”

Everything seems to be about water… Water – Not enough: On the news we’re told that because of the dry spring, some farmers’ crops haven’t developed as they should… there’s a hosepipe ban in some parts of the country… our gardens are dry… Yesterday at church Alan talked about Psalm 42: ‘As the deer thirstsContinue reading “Water, Water, Everywhere”

James Edwin Orr was born in Belfast in 1912. When he was just 18 he started preaching; when we was 21 he felt God wanted him to be an itinerant evangelist. Despite scepticism and discouragement from family and friends, he went to London, preached throughout the British Isles and then preached throughout Europe. In 1935Continue reading “Search Me, O God”

Dan Snow says: on this day, 19th July, 1799, Frenchman Pierre-François Bouchard discovered a four-foot lump of stone with weird markings on it. He dragged it to the city of Rosetta… The British defeated the French; the ‘Rosetta Stone’ went to London. Displayed at the British Museum since 1802 it’s the most visited object there.Continue reading “From Use-Less to Use-Full”

This afternoon is our Singing for Wellbeing group. We sometimes sing ‘Dem bones, Dem bones, Dem dry bones…’ The song lists bones that are joined together… Toe bone connected to the foot boneFoot bone connected to the heel boneHeel bone connected to the ankle bone… and so on. It’s a fun song with actions thatContinue reading “Only God Knows”

This morning I’m musing on recent conversations… watching, listening to other senior citizens. Some blow their own trumpet – tell you what they’ve done, successes they’ve achieved, the importance of their job, places they’ve visited, money they’ve earnt, the car they own, their wonderful grandchildren (clearly due to wonderful grandparents!) It’s an endless list! OthersContinue reading “Trumpets, Troubles, Treasures, Trust…”