If you were to die today what would you wish you’d done differently? Would there be things you’d want to put right? Would there be ambitions left unfulfilled? Tasks undone – or not done as well as you’d like?
It’s a fascinating question. And one that has captured my imagination since reading an article in the Guardian this week: Top five regrets of the dying.
In the article, the most common regrets were:
A list that, I suggest, it would be hard for any Bible-believing Christian to articulate.... continue reading
Have you ever let your hair get much dirtier than you should? (Don’t worry, this isn’t a personal-hygiene homily!) On Monday my hair really needed washing – but I reckoned I could get away with it, so I didn’t bother. On Tuesday, it really, really needed a wash – but I ran out of time. So on Wednesday, it really, really, really needed washing – but…
Yuck. But it got me thinking.
On Monday, I was probably the only person who knew there was a problem. The slight itch of my scalp and lankness to my hair. On Tuesday, my scalp itched quite a bit more and the hair was greasy. But I knew only a couple of observant women (and none of the men!) would notice. Even by Wednesday, I’m confident many people didn’t spot a thing. But I knew. I could feel the constant itch.... continue reading
At the Bible Centred Youthwork Conference this week some of the delegates made a likeness of The Good Book Company Managing Director, Tim Thornborough.
Any captions? We'd love to hear your ideas!
On January 18th 1779, Peter Mark Roget - compiler of Roget's thesaurus - was born. He's a minor hero of mine. I like words. I like long words. And, personally, I don't think we use the phrase "systematic floccinaucinihilipilification" anywhere near enough.
You may have heard people talk about the “big but’s” of the Bible; for example: “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour. BUT now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation” Colossians 1 v 21-22. But I’ve been thinking about the “yet’s” of the Bible.
I know many people who have had a hard time during the autumn, including illness, bereavement, church issues… Others are facing a difficult start to 2013. And some of us are experiencing both. Which is what got me thinking about biblical “yet’s”. Here are a couple to mull over:
Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will YET praise him,
my Saviour and my God.
Psalm 42 v 5... continue reading
It's nice to know they care. Far from being a faceless corporation, it seems they are interested in our lives. Have you noticed it on your social media screen? It's been a recent change. Facebook is now asking us the question, "How are you doing?"
As a prompt to get us to update our statuses it's not a bad one. Sometimes I rise to the bait and answer their enquiry with a quip or short retelling of some ridiculous incident from my life ("I'm fine, thanks - but the cat sat on a candle and ignited her tail" ... sadly, a true story). But I'm going to go out on a limb here ... I don't think they really care how I'm doing at all. I reckon I could pour out the deepest pain in my heart and the corporation that is Facebook wouldn't step in and help. They may be asking the question but they wont come to visit me if I'm sick; they wont do my shopping if I'm housebound; they wont pray with my if I'm in despair and they certainly wont give me a lift to church. Some of my friends might ... actually, I'm sure they would. But Facebook itself ... probably not.... continue reading
Sometimes, timing is everything.
And so it was that last week, in the same week, two things happened. First, Sam Allberry wrote a blog:
Jesus is more than worth it, even with all it entails for gay people... Homosexuality is an issue I have battled with my entire Christian life. It took a long time to admit to myself, longer to admit to others, and even longer to see something of God’s good purposes through it all. There have been all sorts of ups and downs. But this battle is not devoid of blessings, as Paul discovered with his own unyielding thorn in the flesh. Struggling with sexuality has been an opportunity to experience more of God’s grace, rather than less.... continue reading
Cosmetic companies are an encouraging bunch with each advert repeating the same life-affirming message: Apparently, we’re worth it. Worth spoiling. Worth pampering. Worth indulging. Worth – and here’s the crux of the matter – spending our money on.
And, even if we don’t purchase their products, as Christians, we often buy into their message. In the West, we live in societies where ease, pleasure, popularity and security are sought above all else. And we can often get very grumpy and resentful when God asks us to give up even the smallest of these things.... continue reading
Spent New Year's Eve in pleasant company over good food. Around the table was a Professor of Quantum Mechanics who was eagerly questioned on the subject of the Large Hadron Super Collider, and the Higgs Boson - a.k.a. "The God Particle".
Last year the scientists who crank the handle on this massive underground machine in Geneva announced that they think it "more probable" that the elusive particle exists, and their work continues under the gaze of the world's press who seem hungry for any news about developments. "But what use is it if we actually find it?" we asked our guest. None that we know of at the moment, came the answer.... continue reading
I know these ways are effective because I have fallen, and still fall, into all of them, and need prayer that I will battle against them every day of 2013.
1. Regularly go away for the weekend and go to a different church
You’re still in church each Sunday. It just happens that no one church family gets to know you well enough to be able to challenge you where and when it’s needed. Being away once a month should do the trick; twice will make sure of it.... continue reading
