Advent Solstice

  

Advent Solstice

21st December, 2024.

On the Advent Solstice, peering out at dawn across skeletal trees and evergreens, grey canopy hiding the shortest sun, mild, calm before wind and rain, robin and wren tweeting, house lights lantern like here and there.

Home bedecked scenting Norway spruce rooted with presents, twinkling lights,  cards and candles, mistletoe, yew and holly decorate,  celebrating the season, enriching, anticipating Coming, heralding the approaching day.

Bedrooms, games and carols made ready, fridge and freezer growing, busy hands cooking but for now loved one asleeping, whilst aga loving cat sat warming, and ticking clock conducting song of quietness. 

Now, stilled  to worship, drawing close, listening, welcoming the Saviour to my stable once again.

Jenny's Seat

Jenny's Seat

The times I have passed you, say hello, high on Hooken amongst the peregrines, all winds and weathers.

Sometimes  I stop, sit with you, looking over  Lyme Bay and  down the Jurassic Coast, echoing your memorial  'Sharing her favourite spot with the  world'

Everyone has a story, everyone a gift,  I googled you Jenny, oh, the Holocaust and your ceramic shoes.

And how might I  be remembered, who will sit with me?

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/sep/13/jenny-stolzenberg-obituary

Time For The Martins

 The collective noun for House Martins is 'richness'. We  learn  from nature, and as the writer of Ecclesiasties says 'There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens'.

Time For The Martins

Early one  September morning I walked up to the high point overlooking Hooken Stack and out on the blue expanse of Lyme Bay.  Dew still on the ground, the sun had risen and was already well over Golden Cap, and Portland in the distance clear as a bell.

It was quiet, peaceful, typically Autumn, but having just passed the Lookout I came upon an aerial display, a flock of House Martins in all their 'richness', jerkily soaring and swooping around the cliff edge in their blue-black and white livery. Immediately taken up with this, I watched as the Martins continued their aerobatic masterclass topping up with insects on the wing.

Three bird watchers approached armed with binoculars fresh from spotting peregrines and I remarked on how the Martins were gathering, one replied, 'Yes, they will go when the weather's nice'.

I lingered, captured by this special moment before descending the Undercliff.

The next morning, another beautiful one, I returned to this spot, half expecting to see them again, but they were gone.

I pondered as I looked out across the rippling expanse, fishing boats at hand, container ships on the far horizon, Brittany beyond. 

The time had been right,  they had gone,  the wonder of it,  each the weight of a double A battery, headed to their winter home under African skies.

A Good Waltz

Life is bit of a waltz

A Good Waltz

Ladies and gentlemen please take your partner for the waltz

Slow quick quick, slow quick quick

Slow to speak

Quick to listen

Quick to forgive

Slow quick quick, slow quick quick

Slow to anger

Quick to settle a debt

Quick to make amends

Slow quick quick........

The Appeal

 

The Appeal

Why reject the one who created the universe the sky land and sea,

The sun and moon, sunflower, swallow, all things beautiful in their time and made you and me.

What is it that keeps you from the one who holds the world in his hands,  who is pure love and sent his only son  that you might forever stand.

Will you reject him all your days and say in your final breath, 

'I did it my way, that's it I did my best'

For  there will be a judgement and no liberty,

unless you're defended by Jesus the son of God who paid a great price to set you free.

For freedom, call out to him today and make your salvation sure,

Let him in for he is knocking, you can know him, knocking  at your door.

The Baby and the Bath Water

 With acknowledgement to Scott Peck's classic ''The Road Less Traveled'

The Baby and the Bath Water

So much dirty bath water surrounding the reality of God-

Holy Wars, inquisitions, animal and human sacrifice, superstition, stultification, dogmatism, ignorance, hypocrisy, self righteousness, rigidity, abuse, cruelty, book burning, witch burning, inhibition, fear, conformity, morbid guilt, insanity.......

That's better, got rid of the bath water, now where's the baby?

I'm Alex

 With acknowledgement to Scott Peck's classic 'The Road Less Traveled'.

I'm Alex

Hi I'm Alex and I'm a keen scientist, I focus well on what is in front of me, some might say it's tunnel vision but I do get to the bottom and discover things. You know we scientists have made great strides in understanding the universe. Why is difficult but How is where we really come in.

Like many bods I  love to experiment, make accurate observation and verify by measuring so that it is repeatable by others. That's how we make progress.

I love measuring, and  what we cannot measure, we cannot know. There is no point in worrying about what we cannot know, therefore what cannot be measured is unimportant and unworthy of our observation.

Sorry,  did you say what about miracles?