On holiday recently, we travelled to Scotland and back with my brother and sister in law to visit their two sons, one who lives in Cowdenbeath and the other in South Shields on the way back to York, where we were staying for our holiday.  The journey to Scotland involved crossing the recently opened Queensferry…

On Tuesday the 6th July our reading was Exodus 2 v 1-10 and this passage encouraged me to read Exodus 1 v 15-21 as well. I’m sure the names of these two women may be unfamiliar or forgotten by many. You may ask, “Who are they?”  They were midwives who saved the lives of many newborn boys,…

This morning I am grateful for an image posted on my Facebook page by Rachael Wainwright. It shows an ordinary coffee mug that has probably been dropped on the floor and lays smashed into pieces. The image beside it is the mug transformed into a fun plant pot. There are times in our lives, or…

In the 16ty century a movement arose which blossomed more fully in the 17th century with the flourishing of the Age of Reason. The movement, and the people who espoused it, became known as ‘deists’. The core of their belief was that a Supreme Being (God) had indeed created the world but, after doing so,…

I will never forget returning from a short break in Guernsey early in 2001. We drove off the ferry in Weymouth and on the car radio I heard about an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease. Some of you may remember the things that followed. Farmed and hobby livestock, wild animals and domesticated; anything with…

It’s a wonderful time of year to wander in the garden in the early morning.  Yesterday it was particularly still and, even early on the sun had a rich warmth.  But what really struck me as I opened the back door was the smell.  It was as if it had been waiting for me as…

Luke 10 v 38-42. As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came…

We have developed a saying in our family over recent months when a car suddenly turns off without indicating “O, I see he/she didn’t opt for the indicator package”  I find it quite frustrating when I sit patiently at a roundabout waiting for a car approaching from my right, only to discover that they are…

A few days ago I opened my Office door and for once didn’t immediately close it again, something I have done many times even during lockdown despite having time on my hands. I just haven’t been motivated to even begin to tidy up in there. But then something prompted me to make a start.  It…

Bury St Edmunds is a town which I have rarely visited over the years, which does feel odd considering I have lived in Suffolk for so long.  Often, I have been told what a lovely place it is, what good shops there are there, and of course how amazing the cathedral is and the Abbey…