Category Archives: Uncategorized

‘What is REAL?’ asked the rabbit one day… The Velveteen Rabbit is a 1922 children’s book. A boy receives a rabbit for Christmas one year. Initially the rabbit is ignored. More exciting toys are preferred. The Skin Horse explains to the Rabbit what it is to be real:   ‘Real isn’t how you are made,’Continue reading “The Velveteen Rabbit”

Yesterday’s news showed a small boat crossing the English Channel, arriving in the UK early Monday morning carrying 230 people… Some friends, with strong, clear opinions, say that we should close our borders, turn back all immigrants, protect our England. Others say – just as passionately – that we should welcome the refugee, show compassionContinue reading “Compassion or Control?”

12:30, Saturday: Son-Pete and I went to the football… the first game of the season… 2-30, warm up: The teams come out. There’s a young seagull on the pitch… 3-00, kick-off: Seagull’s still there. There’s excitement and goals.  Seagull flies short distances, can’t get out of the stadium… Pete and I discuss which team he’sContinue reading “Sammy the Seagull”

At our church music practice on Wednesday, I learnt a new song. I’ve sung and played ‘Our God is an awesome God’ many times before. This re-working of it by Phil Wickham was new to me. We shall be singing it in church this morning… God is great, Give Him all the praiseHallelujah, Name aboveContinue reading “What an Awesome God.”

Yesterday pictures of Martha and Jack’s wedding arrived on Facebook. We’ve known Martha since she was born… coming to church, her progress at school, in her family. She went to university, met Jack… and on Tuesday they got married.   I love the traditional wedding vows… ‘Wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband,Continue reading “Transformational ‘Will’ Promises”

Originally a sanctuary was a sacred place where God was, a building set apart for holy worship, from the Latin ‘sanctus’, meaning ‘holy’. It’s also come to mean ‘a place of refuge or protection’… Yesterday… …Reading ‘The Twins of Auschwitz’… Eva and her twin sister Miriam were born into a Jewish family in Romania inContinue reading “Sanctuary”

In the BBC sitcom ‘Only Fools and Horses’, Trigger’s a road sweeper. He’s received a medal for saving the council money. He’s had the same broom for twenty years, because he’s looked after it! Trigger explains… It’s had seventeen new heads and fourteen new handles. ‘Trigger’s broom’ has become a famous part of British comedy.Continue reading “Trigger’s Broom”

I visited The Seagull Theatre yesterday. It’s the final preparations for their production of ‘We Will Rock You’ – that contains well-known Queen songs – including ‘Under Pressure’ ‘Pressure pushing down on me, pressing down on you, no man ask for…’ It’s the dress rehearsal tonight; the first public performance is Thursday. Over two thousandContinue reading “Under Pressure”

My favourite story from this weekend’s Lowestoft Journal starts, ‘Seagulls have been spotted acting ‘drunk’ and disrupting traffic by stumbling around coastal towns in Suffolk. The birds were seen behaving oddly after feasting on swarms of flying ants…’ Dr Viola Rose-Smith, ornithological expert, says, ‘Ants produce formic acid, and because it’s a mild toxin theContinue reading “There May Be an Alternative…”

Yesterday morning I read from my (NLT) Bible: ‘And when your land is once more filled with people,” says the Lord, “you will no longer wish for ‘the good old days’ when you possessed the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant….’ Many ‘older’ friends look back at the good old days with fondness. Men yesterday morningContinue reading “Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout The Good Old Days)”