The Migrant, by Paul Alkazraji “The opening lines make you, the reader, feel that the story has already been rollicking along like a bolting horse, and it is a pace that the storyteller never eases up on.” (from the back cover) -o-O-o- As a member of my neighbourhood book club, I’d just dawdled through theContinue reading “A Wonderful Read from the Balkans”
Tag Archives: Whole life discipleship
The Hippy Hippy Shakes (ouch!)
The cover photo is generated by AI. All the pictures within the post are Stock Images. “So, can I dismount by swinging my left leg over his back instead of my right?” I asked. “Well…we can try it, but it’s not the conventional way and Donald won’t be expecting that,” said Mia, my instructor. “I’llContinue reading “The Hippy Hippy Shakes (ouch!)”
Beauty from Ashes 2
In ‘Beauty for Ashes’, I tell the story of Jennie Butchart’s wonderful garden on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and describe our visit last month. I quoted the wonderful Biblical promise made to the people of ancient Judah who were in exile, Isaiah chapter 61 vs 3: “To grant to those who mourn in Zion—to giveContinue reading “Beauty from Ashes 2”
Easter People
(Continued from ‘Bad Thursday’ and ‘Why Good Friday’s Good’.) Wendy’s café. Saturday before Easter, One year on “What a difference a year can make!” remarked Ben as he sat drinking his coffee. “When I think back, I felt my life didn’t amount to anything worthwhile. My only aim was to lower my golf handicap, butContinue reading “Easter People”
Why Good Friday was Good
The cover picture is by ChilVera, via Pixabay Saturday before Easter Day (continued from ‘Bad Thursday’) “C’mon Wendy, talk to us” we said, as she flitted too and fro amongst the dozen-or-so other café customers. Saturday morning was ‘peak hour’ when working people joined us ‘economically inactive’ folks. A leisurely breakfast cooked by somebody elseContinue reading “Why Good Friday was Good”
Bad Thursday
that is, the Thursday before Easter “Aw, thanks Wendy,” we said, as the café owner deposited a tray on our table. This held four steaming mugs of tea; our bacon sandwiches; jars of ketchup and brown sauce. It was warm for the time of year, so we’d decided to sit outside looking onto the road,Continue reading “Bad Thursday”
As Many as the Stars, Concluded
If you missed Part 1, please don’t by-pass this post. I think the story is mind-blowing! Here’s the concluding sequel to my post about Robert Glover and his ministry, ‘Care for Children’. In Part 1, I explained how Robert and his family had established a remarkable work in Shanghai, seeing 500 orphanage children transferred intoContinue reading “As Many as the Stars, Concluded”
Reflections on Life’s Journey
Thoughts following All Saints’ Day How often do people get bound up like mummies in toilet rolls, in the middle of a sermon? Last Sunday morning, at church, we featured our Pantomime Society, who are busy rehearsing Dick Whittington ready to entertain us in December. After whetting our appetites for their show, two pairs ofContinue reading “Reflections on Life’s Journey”
Inspiration from Italy
I guess you’re familiar with the rosy glow that means you know you’ve done a good job. Three perfectly poached eggs on toast ready to serve, not a single broken yoke. A beautiful flower bed that we planted last year, bursting into bloom. That broken-down wall, now neatly reconstructed, stones in apple-pie order. But whatContinue reading “Inspiration from Italy”
City of Gold
He painted Salford’s smokey topsOn cardboard boxes from the shopsAnd parts of Ancoats where I used to play In 1978, Brian and Michael released ‘The Matchstalk Men’, a song about the remarkable artist L.S.Lowry. Lowry was, as the lyrics put it, ‘an ordinary chap’ who was eventually discovered by the Royal Academy. He achieved aContinue reading “City of Gold”
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