Childhood trauma has the potential to have an adverse, even disabling affect upon our adult lives. Thankfully Jesus can put this right if we are prepared to bring out the hurt to Him. This is my story of one such time as a small boy.
Food was scarce in wartime Britain, so my father dug up [...]
As children we used to make things in a wax, called Glitterwax. The idea was to take time in softening it in our warm hands, then fashion delicate ornaments like flower petals. Later our creations could be used again to make something even better, but the wax had to go through the same softening process [...]
I was carrying out much-needed clearance in our basement the other day and had reached the far end where stuff was piled high. Perched on the top was an old briefcase, that had been there so long is was gathering mould. I looked inside, thinking it could come in useful for carrying some of my [...]
I’m not sure whether the expression “You’ve got to laugh” originates from the north of England or is more widespread, but it’s often used when faced with a trying situation and means, “not sure what to do about this, but it helps to see the funny side!” In other words, a sense of humour can [...]
I was once asked “What do you think about most of the time?” I didn’t answer directly because I felt challenged, so went away and thought about it.
I am somewhat predisposed to turning things over in my mind, but when that goes on and on without closure, I call it worrying.
When I became an operations [...]
All our young grandchildren are a delight, but there is one who is special. She has been diagnosed as being just within the ‘autism spectrum!’ That is the ‘label’ she has been given, as if to explain away her uniqueness. We refuse to accept such a label. She is who she is. For the first [...]
My wife and I have just returned from a delightful week in a cottage shared with friends. We were in the heart of the Herefordshire countryside, which in my opinion is rural England at it’s very best. However, I’m biased as this was also the area where my family originated, going back to the 1600’s [...]
I grew up in a small mill village, which some might today regard as an idyllic childhood. We were free to roam in complete safety in the streets, vast parkland and surrounding countryside and get up to all sorts of tricks. My mother used to tell people that I was ‘such a good boy!’ Little [...]
I wrote this very personal piece some years ago, when I was catapulted into chronic fatigue and loneliness that defied a human solution.
Whereas before, I was aware of the presence of God, it felt He had gone – this was my own Dark Night of the Soul.
I knew I had to trust Him to take [...]
For my wife to be given a ‘sentence’ of an aggressive and disabling form of rheumatoid arthritis certainly wasn’t on our agenda when we married. Neither did I expect to be diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (M.E.) not long after taking early retirement. These chronic illnesses changed the direction of our lives for ever, but [...]
Come and join me on the journey. The way is narrow and rocky in places, but there is a surprise around every bend.
