Zoë is my eldest daughter from my second marriage, and she will be ten years old in the summer. Along with her younger sister Sophia, they are at a Church of England primary school where I am a Vision and Values governor. Every term, we …( read more )

We have various inscriptions around inside our church and out the front on the lawn. They are there as a celebration and remembrance of various people who have given their lives in service, whether in membership, war, or leadership over …( read more )

When I was a boy aged eleven to sixteen, at the beginning and end of each term for the five years that I was away at school, I used to have to cross over London from Morden to Kings Cross on the Northern Line, changing tube trains and …( read more )

Presently, I have the children on holiday with me. I ask their help to enable me not to become snowed under with mess and noise. "Good luck!" I hear in the distance! As a retired teacher and old parent, I know that redirection, …( read more )

As someone who generally likes to be in control, I have sometimes found it hard to let go and trust God to handle it. This is especially so when there seems to be no quick, easy, or beneficial solution to a situation, only a long-term …( read more )

My sister-in-law and family recently had my children for a sleepover so that we could clear up the caravan on our return from our holiday. Whilst I was glad to have the time to mothball the caravan, I missed my children. As a …( read more )

Many of us are familiar with today's verses, or if not, then the sentiment that they convey, namely, that God looks after His own, who are in His kingdom. In times of trouble, we can spiritually and mentally run into His presence and …( read more )

What? Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing a broken piece of pottery using gold, platinum, or silver mixed with lacquer. I learned about it on the Internet. Rather than throw away a treasured and precious possession, something that …( read more )

Anakin Nibbles, our guinea pig, was out in the garden again today. It was one of the warmer days of early spring, so I thought that he could do with the exercise. So, I put his house down on some new grass, and with him inside, moved his …( read more )

Anakin Nibbles is rather a spoilt old gentleman guinea pig that enjoys being out in the run in the garden sunshine, as the weather allows, and grazing the grass. In winter, when it is cold enough, he comes into the conservatory, and in …( read more )

I have an optical mouse. It has two batteries. One makes it light up, and the other, apparently, is for the wireless connection to the receiver. However, the battery for the wireless transmission seems to run out before the one for the …( read more )

As a father of four, it warms my heart to see new life, especially newborn babies, because they tug at my own memories at the core of my being. But online photographs of twins born last December sent a pang of sorrow through my heart …( read more )

I have moved house recently to a chalet bungalow on the very edge of town here in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. The house is rather run-down and in need of major TLC. There was a holly tree that was planted some twenty years ago …( read more )

Most often, I am an "all-or-nothing" person: either in or out. Whilst I happily recognize the reality of shades of grey in life's arena, I make my choices: I am impulsive, impatient, and confrontational. I want everything done ASAP, …( read more )

I am the maddy: the mummy-daddy. Caroline and I work as a team. She earns my living so that, for my part, I can enjoy being at home. I do the majority of chores, running the day-to-day stuff of life and wrangling with the children. I …( read more )

I am in the process of selling my house, a long process that I have found to be frustrating, because people are unable to see what an asset our house is to the right person. A few days ago, however, I read this Scripture: I immediately …( read more )

I have an electric cooker (or stove) with a tough, translucent black glass surface to protect the cooker elements from the saucepans. When the electricity is turned off at the switch, the red glow fades, but the heat generated by the …( read more )

We have a lovely Christmas tree. It usually comes down from the loft in December, and out from the various boxes come all the branches and paraphernalia that are stored away for the rest of the year. This year, my children were impatient …( read more )

The temple curtain kept everyone out of the Most Holy Place except one priest once a year. When Jesus paid the price for our sin by dying on the cross, the curtain was torn in two as God's sign that we may now approach His throne without …( read more )

Time is a constituent of life. We cannot stop it or reverse it. From the creation narrative surrounding today's verse, it is clear that time is good and God-ordained. A part of this time experience is seasons. God has given punctuation …( read more )

During the summer holidays, we were away with the children, staying near the beach at Sutton-on-Sea in Lincolnshire. There are long, straight, sandy beaches hardly used outside of the town. We had a lovely time playing in the sand, eating …( read more )

We have two apple trees planted at the end of our small lawn in the partial shade of a large fir situated in the adjacent garden. The soil is clay, and the trees have struggled with my pruning and their situation. This is the fifth year …( read more )

There are things in my life that I have done that I am not proud of, and bad events that I have witnessed. These memories embarrass me when I look back, because I know that I failed myself and God. These are all things that the devil …( read more )

As I walked in the centre of town on a cold day in springtime, I was momentarily warmed and caressed by a body of air as it moved with me down the street. It was issuing forth from a large department store entrance. The manner of its …( read more )

At a supermarket recently, I found shelving on which were displayed some seeds to sow for annual flowers. I had wanted to plant some sweet peas for the garden to improve the soil and to grow something that was colourful and that will …( read more )

We have some daffodil flowers growing from bulbs that I planted last year. They are in small clumps of five bulbs each. They have been growing away quietly during the winter in the north-facing flowerbed at the bottom of our garden. I was …( read more )

Sadly, I have lost both mum and dad in recent months, and all now I have to speak into their absence are the memories and pictures taken. I remember a time when we were caravanning. We were sited on the bottom edge of a field far enough …( read more )

In 2001 and 2010, I wrote about how God has shown me rainbows: Rainbows , Still Watching , and A Sense Of Wonder . I understand these to say, "I AM is with you. It's okay, son. I hear your heart." Thankfully, we see only a …( read more )

"Arrrgh!" I gasped, as my body gave the impression of being turned into a statue! I clung to the buggy, and was mesmerized by what I had witnessed. Outside the primary school where Zoë attends, there is a major road. A mother, buggy, …( read more )

I have a car with computers in it. When it detects a fault, it has an instructive ding sound to let you know that there is a message. The more serious the fault, the more piercing the tone, and the more persistent and unrelenting the …( read more )

By seven o'clock in the morning, I am on my way to the kitchen, whereas Caroline has already washed, dressed, eaten, read a book, and is well on her way to work. Consequently, it falls to me to round up the children, dispense breakfast to …( read more )

I guess that most everyone is familiar with the William Holman Hunt (1827-1910) picture, "The Light of the World", painted after he became a Christian. If one is not, there are various links on the Internet. Of note is the fact that …( read more )

I am attempting to grow Red Lion Amaryllis plants from seed. I hope to be rewarded eventually with a vivid red flower as big as my hand, which blooms after four years during Christmastide. I thought that it would be a challenge to …( read more )