(they are not all as cute as Sully) When we are small, our imaginations can run riot, and as a child in the night, even the slightest of noises can sound alarming. At times we think there could be monsters under the bed, and we get scared. A tiny creak can make us suspect that something horrible is going on. As a child, I remember watching episodes of Dr Who from behind the settee. It was not so much the daleks I feared, but the sea devils and the spiders from Metebilis 3. It was terrifying that they might escape from the television. As an adult, I now know these things are unlikely to happen ..read more

Northern lights I was one of the fortunate ones, looking in the right direction at the right time, and saw the northern mights at the weekend, a kaleidoscopic dance of lights that was so remarkable. It was ethereal, ever changing, and just spoke of the glory of God. Such incandescent beauty! I love that even when we are at the end of ourselves, when things seem heavy and dark, suddenly light can break through. Even when the world is in such chaos,  with conflict and suffering and sorrow, somewhere there is still the possibility of hope. It is such a dramatic and profound truth, that can t ..read more

And I also dropped it on the floor. I have had some technical difficulties in recent weeks. I dropped my laptop on the floor, and the hinge is damaged. And I have received lots of warning notices, that the memory is full, and so now none of the updates are happening, and it is refusing to save my documents. After consultation, I have had to buy a new laptop. To fix the hinge was going to be expensive, and I had had the laptop for many years.  I couldn’t work out why the memory was so full- I defragmented it often, and i thought i was taking care of it. On investigation, it turned out it w ..read more

Such an inspiring singer! The death of Mandisa, age 47, just last week, is so tragic. She was such an inspirational and beautiful Christian woman. She was known for being on American Idol, for her Grammy award winning music, and her courage in singing about her faith with such honesty and courage. I discovered her music during lockdown, and there was a song for every occasion. Her song ‘Overcomer’ is so powerful, that even in the worst times, there can be hope, and to keep fighting. In the darkest days, remembering that in Christ we can be overcomers, helps us keep going. Another song that rea ..read more

sacred memories It is now 6 years since my husband died. He was a veteran, who was invalided out of the military because of his head injury, which resulted in poorly controlled epilepsy. He struggled with ptsd symptoms,  guilt and neurological decline. It was an arduous and painful journey. I thought after 6 years, things would be better, and I would be more at peace. God has carried me through the darkest days, and there has been healing, and He has sustained me through a gracious and prayerful community round me. However I think the sense of injustice around his injuries, and his suffer ..read more

Dove cottage Last week,  I managed to escape to the Lake District, to Dove Cottage in Grasmere. It was the home to William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy from 1799, and then later to the wider family. It is in the most besutiful setting, near the lake, and nestled  amongst the most beautiful and fantastically shaped hills and crags. It is such a memorable and peaceful setting, and well worth a visit. I studied some of Wordsworth’s poetry at university, Lyrical Ballads, a collection of poems published with Samuel Coleridge in 1798, and then some of his other poems, especially the P ..read more

Newness of life! Easter is such a deeply significant time of year. It is a time of mystery, and brings a message of love, forgiveness and hope- things we so desperately need in the world today. One of the things that challenges me continually, is how to best understand the connection between the historical event 2,000 years ago, and the Christian faith today? I guess that there are lots of different ways of doing this, and I want to share my experience this year. I knew that Lent would be tough this year. The 40 days remembering Jesus in the desert, a time of temptation and questioning, is a s ..read more

Deep water! The other day I went to the shops. It sounds deceptively simple- but it was raining, not unusual in Glasgow. This photo doesn’t capture the reality of the situation that I faced, but basically when i parked and got out the car, I didn’t realise until too late, that I had stepped into a giant puddle. My shoes were soaked through in seconds! And i was just starting on my journey! I bought the things I needed to in the shop, and approached the car once more, with my solution focussed thinking hat on. If I went back to the driver’s door again, I would have the gigantic puddle/ flood to ..read more

Funeral today of Alexei Navalny Today, was a sombre day for many reasons, but one of them was because of the funeral in Moscow of the Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny. It had been difficult to organise the funeral, as churches and burial grounds were told not to co-operate. Only his parents could be there, not his wife or wider family. Russian citizens were warned not to go to the church or burial place, amidst threats of reprisals and intimidation against unsanctionned gatherings. It was therefore so moving, that despite the very real threats, thousands of people turned out, many ..read more

Flowers in remembrance of Alexei Navalny The death of Alexei Navalny in Polar Wolf penal colony in Russia on Friday 16th of February is such an outrageous and unecessary act of violence. His case symbolises the plight of so many political prisoners in penal colonies and prisons over decades, who suddenly and mysteriously fall ill and die. Over the weekend I watched the excellent documentary on BBC i-player Storyville on Alexei Navalny and his wife Yulia, after his poisoning with novichok in August 2020, and the investigative work done to prove the very intentional plot to kill him. I dont know ..read more