04/05/2007 by David.

Picture if you can a Victorian terrace of houses with a lane at the back. It has a locked gate at the end. The back yards of each of the houses in my terrace lead into this lane.

Recently my neighbour kindly replaced my gate with a high gate and a latch and bolt low down so that it can’t be reached by putting an arm over. He made a really good job of it. Trouble is - Val went out through the gate to see a nest of great tits in the big wall that runs along the lane - and the new garden gate swung to with a click.

I was busy in the front of the house and didn’t hear her shouts. My neighbours were out. She had no way back in. Tried the other houses to get attention without success. In the end she entered our other neighbour’s back yard and scrambled over the party wall falling with quite a jolt! (We are relieved we took away the pyracantha bush from that part of the yard.)

Now we have pinned back the latch so that whilst you can bolt the gate for security - you are less likely to lock yourself out.

We take all kinds of steps to secure our property. But as Jesus said of the sheep thief there is always the possibility of climbing in “some other way”. Be advised - don’t let your desire for security catch you out. You might have to fit a door bell to the back gate!

Posted in Thought for today | Print | No Comments »

23/04/2007 by David.

It’s a good day for dragons.

I haven’t discovered yet whether the district council is flying the flag today - but there is generally such apathy towards the English national day that I have my doubts.

I’m not sure why we are reluctant to celebrate a national day. I personally think that we should take up the opportunity to be thankful for England. Despite my earlier posting about wanting to have been born in Wales I think my country has a lot to commend it - especially in spring time.

Nowadays the flag of St George is pulled out for football matches. English parish churches used to put up the flag on this day - we shall have to have a look round.

As patron saints go St George is shared with other countries including Portugal - but we could certainly do with someone to kill dragons. In modern life there is space for that legend from ancient maps: “Here be dragons” - and scope for some serious dragon slaying. What do you think?

Posted in Thought for today | Print | No Comments »

18/04/2007 by David.

The development at the back of my house is complete. New residents have moved in to what is described as “social housing”. I can see the need for such housing - but when it happens right at the end of your short back yard it is harder to remain objective.

Soon we shall have a chance to elect our local councillors - and I do not doubt that the changes many of us in my neighbourhood have experienced will influence the way we vote. Some folks say that you should keep religion out of politics - but I don’t see how you can fail to allow the greatest influence in your life to define the way you vote or campaign.

Christians need to be seen as those who are concerned for social needs but it is hard, very hard to apply the teachings of Jesus to the issues that can alter our own living conditions.

If my neighbours turn out to be people intent on disregarding the responsibilities of being good neighbours - then I shall be tempted to complain that my rights are being eroded.

Yet the followers of Christ are supposed to be people who set aside their own rights to serve their fellow men (and women)! How far should we take that advice? I welcome your comments.

Posted in Thought for today | Print | No Comments »

29/03/2007 by David.

I came across the work of two very different artists today.

Someone sent me an email illustrating the murals of Eric Grohe and that sent me off on a mural search until I revisited the grafiti master Banksy. Both of these artists set about transforming the dull and the mundane with artisitic flair.

The one is stimulating for its sheer scale and excellence the other for its audacity and political comment.

In the building site at the back of my house work is nearing completion - but the builders have had to redo the front of the building because they didn’t consult the plans properly. A man has been painstakingly sticking little brick slices to one part so that it looks as if made of brick - and another part has been resprayed with imitation Bath stone. The trouble we go to to transform!

I’m glad that I know the Expert at transformation. The Creator is the best at transformation. As Easter approaches be reminded of what He did to change our lives for the best.

Posted in Thought for today | Print | No Comments »

24/03/2007 by David.

There is a ritual in my house just before bedtime at this time of year. All the clocks have to be changed allowing for British Summer Time. I tend to do it at about 10pm - which is really a bit early and generally causes confusion.

Beside my bed I have a small clock that listens in to the time signal from Rugby - or the new location in Cumbria, and adjusts itself automatically. So does my computer.

We all go through this performance marking the “rites of spring” - and those who forget are late for Church - or for their visit to the supermarket. By Monday most people have caught up. “Spring forward and fall back” - how often will that be repeated to remind us which way the hands of the clock go?

I like the thought of a clock that synchronises itself with the immensely accurate atomic clocks - because seconds count.

Keep in step with the Spirit, says Paul. Get your life synchronised with God’s clock.

Posted in Thought for today | Print | No Comments »

23/03/2007 by David.

Near my house is a lane between the houses that provides a short cut out of the cul de sac to the road to town.  At night it has been dimly lit until a few days ago, when the council installed a new lamp which is much brighter.

This now shines into the rooms of houses nearby and is a distraction - but the reason for the new light was a recent serious mugging of a nearby resident in that lane.

I guess a compromise will be reached and the council will install “blinkers” that reduce the neighbourly distraction  but preserve a brightly lit pathway.

“The light shines in the darkness…”   It is not always appreciated - but it brings to view dangers and misdeeds that would otherwise be hidden.

Posted in Thought for today | Print | No Comments »

22/03/2007 by David.

Yesterday was the sixth anniversary of the death of my younger son - Mark. Such anniversaries are inevitably painful, so we planned to go out and do something special.

The Parks Department had said it would try to revarnish his memorial bench by this date - but of course they are busy people - so Mark’s bench in the town’s Ashcombe Park was still looking a bit sad.

Nevertheless we did have a different day, and we came to terms with Greek restaurants, enjoying a meal in a restaurant not owned by the fellow who persuaded Mark to invest the proceeds of his house sale… That is a step in the right direction. Coming to terms with the evidence in the community of that particular fellow’s businesses.

We had a card from our Church, and flowers from several people. The day was not as awful as we had anticipated - and for that we thank God.

Memory can be cruel - but some things must be remembered. Easter approaches.

Posted in Thought for today | Print | No Comments »

08/03/2007 by David.

I received a sad message from my daughter Carol today:-

Dear Dad, got back this morning to find the dogcatchers trying to catch not my dog and I betrayed her. Called her to me and then picked her up and gave them to her. Now I’m sad. But she has been on heat and constantly pestered by loads of dogs of all sizes. Poor thing. At least she had one last cuddle before going, and I hope she doesn’t feel betrayed.