It is increasingly hard to write concisely and meaningfully about my faith in recent years. I’ve taken steps away from identifying with established Christianity, sickened by some of the ways it has been misrepresented and misused, saddened that it is good leaders who are the rare surprises, whilst abuse of power is what we have…
Category: Small Things
Where I reflect on the good things in the past week
Small Things
Sometimes, it’s really, really important to celebrate the small things, and this evening feels to me like one of those times. This week, I am especially thankful for the garden, the act of growing things, and Spring evenings. Brightness and kindness: Someone surprised me with some daffodils and a kind message on my doorstep. Flowers,…
Winter Weekends (Small Things)
At its best, winter teaches us to appreciate the small things. It reminds us of the small pleasures of blankets, books and cups of tea; of brisk walks in the countryside; of being at home and getting together with loved ones. I didn’t want to miss these things this year, however busy or tired I…
January
January has a bad rep, as months go. Known as the long, cold, dark month, January can also be a time when we force ourselves into a new year with a range of self improvement goals, which can feel exhausting. This year, I’ve been reading the thoughts of several writers about this notorious month. All…
Life Lately/Enchanted
It’s been a tough few weeks and I’ve teetered close to burnout almost daily. Within our family, we’ve had a storm, power cuts, an operation, a string of minor illnesses, changes and challenges in our work, the ongoing rumble of assessments and meetings about one of our children, sleep deprivation, anxiety, and the general wear…
National Adoption Week
In a world of injustice, difficulty and diversity, adoption could be one of the most powerful words. All of us have vulnerabilities and corners of loneliness or isolation in our lives. Some of us have huge disadvantages. All of us, though we may hate to admit it, need the embrace of others, the hand pulling…
Autumn Small Things
It’s officially Autumn, my favourite time of year. I love the frosty mornings, and the warm afternoons and the earlier sunsets. I love how you can still get lots of outdoor time in, as well as the cosiness of curling up with a hot drink and a good book. I love how Autumn feels like…
Small Things (or, Tonic)
A simple “Small Things” post today. These are the posts where I write about the small things I’m thankful for. This week, my small things have been almost medicinal, like tonic for my tired body and mind: *Two hours at the beach on a sunny day, after a difficult morning. Even just driving towards the…
Book Bingo
Summer would not be summer without a copious amount of reading time: from lazily extending morning coffee by reading a few more pages, to snatching a few minutes outside on a sunny afternoon, or extravagantly staying up all night to finish a particularly good novel. This summer, I’ve been taking part in a Book Bingo,…
Small Things
My offerings are small things. In the face of a huge, fragmenting world, sometimes all we have to give are small things. These tiny fragments of love, kindness and creativity can be a little bit healing. A little bit of the remaking of the world, little heart by little, lovely heart. Among my small offerings…
Small Things
I liked that it rained at the park today. It was meant to stay dry, but somehow the rain allowed me a little more room to be quiet and apart from the bigger, chattering groups that had gathered. I liked the way the rain felt as it soaked my hair and face on our walk…
Small Things: Music
This week, I am grateful for music. Music has always been there, a backdrop to all the comings and goings of my life. I remember, as a child, Dad giving me his old record player, with an eclectic selection of records, from Jason Donavon’s Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat, to ELO. As I got older,…
Life Lived 