My wife and I were enjoying a Skype call with our daughter in the USA when suddenly her young son came into view, holding a piece of paper in his hand. He asked his Mum if he could put it in the shredder and she replied that he could, but did he realise that once…

In June last year, my wife and I spent four days based at a hotel near Chester and on our first day we visited that lovely City. We had two unsuccessful attempts to use the Hop-on & Hop-off facility despite using the printed map and checking the timetable at one of the stops. After some…

I am sure many readers will have heard the story of the teacher, having asked the class to draw someone, approached one child and asked her who she was drawing. The girl replied that she was drawing God and the teacher responded, “No one knows what God is like”. The girl replied, “They will when…

This expression is found in 1 Corinthians 9 verse 22 “To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some”. I was reminded of the variety of (some would say sneaky) ways in which people choose to share the gospel. The first was a Christian businessman…

Some years ago, I transported an elderly, blind lady to her dentist. Helping her out of the car, we approached the entrance and I said, “There are three steps ahead”. Her response was, “It would be more helpful if you told me if they were up or down!”  We both laughed but it made an…

The leader at a recent Sunday morning service included, in the opening prayer, thanks for some of the many blessings we enjoy. Some items included a warm bed in which to sleep, a warm home and food and clothing. Possibly, some of us in the congregation were grateful that the prayer continued with consideration of…

 A cartoon from three years ago reappeared recently with two characters in a brief conversation. The first asked, “What exactly is a New Year’s Resolution?” and the response, “It’s a To-Do List for the first week of January!” So, if you made any resolutions have they already expired?  It is claimed that one of the…

My mobile phone dictionary has several definitions for the word, “resolution” but the most relevant is “the act of determining”. Around this time of the year, it was not unusual for someone to ask, “Have you made any New Year resolutions?” and some would list a few and others just one. For many years, mine…

Some churches do not sing the last verse of O come all ye faithful, before Christmas Day, because it states, “Yea Lord we greet this, born this happy morning”. Several days ago I heard the complete hymn sung but the final verse used the words, “Yea Lord we greet this, born that happy morning”. A…

Returning home early from work, I visited the Granny Annexe to ask the occupant if she would like a cup of tea. Receiving a positive response I returned to spend some time with her and realised she was watching a Christmas service from Cambridge. This was not the usual “Nine Lessons and Carols” but equally…