February – the shortest month – some years doesn’t even contain a full moon, depending on how the dates fall. It was named after the Latin term ‘februum’ meaning purification since the Christian festival of Candlemas recognises Mary’s purification after the birth of Jesus occurs on the 2nd February. It’s a season of change as…

In the last few days I have rediscovered the beauty of frost. Crunching my way in the semi darkness to an early breakfast meeting, the glittery sparkles of frost underfoot blew me away. It struck me that it was so much more beautiful even than newly laid untouched snow. When I looked at car rooves…

My Mum chooses a Psalm every year. When I asked her which she had chosen for 2025, she told me it is Psalm 99. She’s hand written it into the front of her diary and will refer to it regularly as the year rolls on. I read it through and to me it divides into…

One of my grandsons will have had his fifth birthday on 14th January. After Christmas, it always seems to creep up on me every year, so as soon as the New Year celebrations were over, I texted my daughter to ask what I should get him. Apparently, they are preparing to remove his stabilisers from…

Later today, I will be travelling into London to a fashion show. Not that I’m up with the latest trends and designs. Anyone who knows me will be well aware of that! However, it has become an annual event that soon after Twelfth Night, I attend a certain designer’s show by special invitation. For that…

I often think the Bible accounts of the wise men visiting baby Jesus throws up many difficult questions based on shaky assumptions. Tradition says there were three and has even named them, the only evidence being that there were three gifts. Many nativity scenes show the shepherds and kings visiting together although the Matthew account…

I went to bed last night, wondering what I should write as a New Year’s Day thought. At 1.17 am I was jolted into consciousness, so I decided to read Psalm 117: “Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol Him all you peoples. For great is Hs love toward us, and the faithfulness of the…

Like Janus, the Roman God of beginnings and endings, who gives his name to the first month of the year, this is a time of looking back and forward.  Below is the Ipswich prayer that has been regularly used by many Ipswich churches throughout 2024: Lord God, we thank You and praise You for all…

Having had four children myself and each time there being a different medical complication, I cringe at the thought of a probable teenager giving birth miles away from her home and family, with no medical care and, to top it all in a stable! What was God thinking? His precious Son, our hope for salvation…

Glory to God in the highest,and on earth peace to people of good will.We praise you,we bless you,we adore you,we glorify you,we give you thanks for your great glory,Lord God, heavenly King,O God almighty Father. This is the first verse of a Christian hymn “Gloria in excelsis Deo” (Latin for “Glory to God in the highest”) known…