If you are familiar with Asian culture, you may know that in some countries the giving of gifts is an important part of business and social etiquette. When I travelled regularly to China, I never went without taking something to give my hosts and all-important interpreters. Likewise I never returned empty handed. Earlier this summer…
One last thought about the remains of our cherry tree. When the tree was felled, we decided to leave the main part of the trunk and some limbs as a place to secure bird feeders and on which to train something else. It took a few months to stop dithering between roses, honeysuckles and wisteria…
Read: Micah 6:1-8 If you find this reading fascinating insofar as God takes his people to court, you will find that I reflected in that in my Thought on 11th August 2022. (My Day in Court – The Methodist Church, Ipswich Circuit) (Page 107 of Thought for the Day). The passage culminates with one of…
Read: Zephaniah 3:14-20. Back in the winter someone kindly left a gift on our doorstep. It so happened that we were away for the weekend and the orchid in question spent more than 24 hours in the cold and rain. On our return the plant was rescued and put on a windowsill but shortly afterwards…
I cannot be alone in being amused by all the scandal surrounding the revelation that not all the ‘facts’ in the ‘true story’ set out in ‘The Salt Path’ are quite as factual and true as was thought originally. It is said that there is fabrication at the heart of Raynor Winn’s memoir. Of course…
Last night (as I write this) was the occasion of the annual school production by older children in the Primary School where I am a Governor. As I watched I thought about the privilege of supporting an event that encourages children but with whom I have no directly vested interest. All around in the auditorium…
Just over a year ago I wrote about the end of an era as our cherry tree had to be felled because it was diseased. I was upset then but did not anticipate the unintended consequence of there being more sunlight and space for the buddleia beside and beneath it. With the shade gone what…
Read Acts 6:7-16 When I was growing up in church at home, somehow, we never sang John Mason’s magnificent hymn, ‘how shall I sing that majesty.’ (Singing the Faith 53). The first time I ever heard it was on a recording of a songs of praise service where it was sung by a large congregation…
Read: John 20:24-29 Some of the decisions we make in life come easily and others are hard work. Some judgements require evidence but others are instinctive. All of us will be used to the variety of choices we must make: the road to take, food to eat, things to read or clothes to wear are…
Read: Acts 2:14-21 We have become used to having a mobile phone within reach for much of the time. When I was growing up it was decided that ‘we children’ needed to learn to use the telephone, in case of an emergency. Making a call involved going to a different room, dialling a number and…