Last Normal Photo

I was inspired by a recent BBC News article in which they had asked people to send them their last 'normal' photo taken on their phones before their lockdown began. I really like this idea so I'm posting mine and Paula's #LastNormalPhoto from the day before our lockdown began on Friday 27 March (that feels like a long time ago!).

Is There Another way?

It strikes me that there are pretty much two basic arguments about lockdowns around the world. There is the argument for blanket ends to lockdowns to let life and economies get back to some semblance of normality, then there is the save lives side which advocates for lockdowns to remain and for people to be more self disciplined in their actions.

Happy Place

It was so good to be doing our Soup Kitchen again tonight, especially as it's also a sneaky way to catch up with some of our church members.

It was a slower kitchen than normal but it was great to learn that this was because the Neighbourhood Watch had been busy distributing food parcels around the community today, that means a lot of people have got food for a little while now.

The Lunatics Are Running The Asylum!

It seems official (to me at least) that the lunatics are indeed running the asylum.

In our local shop today I was amazed to see that certain herbs and spices weren't available either because they aren't deemed essential, or because their manufacture isn't. Either way they're deemed non-essential which is bonkers.

This begs the question: who gets to decide what is or isn't essential?

10 Books I have Loved Pt 2

In 10 Books I Have Loved Pt 1 I talked about ten works of fiction that I have really enjoyed. Today I'm going to talk about ten of my favourite non-fiction reads and there are some belters in here.

I tend to read more non-fiction than fiction these days and particularly enjoy autobiographies, though I've not included any here. I'm also a fan of World War 2 literature and have fallen in love with Anthony Beevor's writing.

But I'll start with a book I think everyone should read. Paul Foot explores the franchise thoroughly from beginning to now, and leaves no stone unturned exposing some of the lies and myths surround the democratic vote (in the UK), as well as chronicling how we got the franchise which was finally made universal in the UK after WWII, yes, it really is that recent.

10 Books I Have Loved Pt 1

Having posted about 10 things I love about my home..., I'm going to do a couple of posts about 10 Books I Have Loved. This first one will be about 10 works of fiction that I have really enjoyed. They're not necessarily my all time favourites, just books that were a thoroughly good read and worthy of their spot on our bookshelves.

I'll start with my first ever Ben Okri... I tried reading this on holiday in Turkey in 1992 and really couldn't be doing with it. Then after we'd been to Tanzania in 1998 I picked it up again and suddenly it made a lot of sense and a whole new world opened before me as one of the best storytellers ever told an amazing tale.

I think having lived in an under developed part of Africa it helped put the  themes of the book in to context and it really brought a level of understanding I was incapable of back in '91.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful moms out there, you make the world a better place!

It was a joy to honour and celebrate our Gathering moms this morning, especially as Paula shared a word about Jochabed, Moses' mother, and the selfless sacrifice she made to save his life.

Jochabed's sacrifice is a stunning reminder of the sacrifice God made for us when he sent Jesus to die on the cross for us.

Firewood

It's that time of year again where we stock up on firewood ready for the winter ahead.

We got the wood from a different supplier this year and first impressions are very good as the wood appears to be very dry.  If it's as dry as it looks it should burn really nicely in the woodburner.

It always amuses me to think that this is the sum total of our winter heating bill out here, and most years we have just enough left over for a few BBQs too.

Same Storm

I came across this the other day on social media and it really struck a chord with me, and after spending a couple of days explaining to a few folk some of the realities of lockdown here in SA for many that The Gathering reaches out to and ministers to, I thought it would make a good post on here.

I have to confess to being just a little bit tired of hearing people in privileged positions (politicians and so called celebrities and a few others) telling the rest of us that 'we're in the same boat'.  They trotted that rubbish out under austerity and it wasn't true then just as it isn't true now.

We are NOT in the same boat! We are in the same storm for sure but not the same boat. How some will cruise through this storm and how some will barely tread water in the hope of surviving  are two very very different things.

Shake Hands? No Thanks!

I was intrigued to see an article on the BBC today about the age old tradition of shaking hands.

I am not, and never have been a fan of shaking hands, simply because I've never been convinced of other people's hygiene practices, and as it turns out I wasn't wrong.

Lockdown Reading Part 1

One of life's great pleasures is reading, and so it's been great to have been given so much time through the lockdown to be able to sit and read.

My favourite spot is on the hammock in the front garden, it's such a comfy spot under the trees and with the dogs coming to keep me company it makes for a very pleasant break from reality for a while.

Some of the books I've read over the last few weeks have been sitting on the bookshelves for a couple of years (like Roller-Coaster - Europe 1950 - 2017) waiting patiently for their turn. Others like the Louis De Bernières' So Much Life Left Over have to be read almost as soon as they arrive in the house.