Refresh: From Theodicy to Theophany…
Today’s Refresh clearly wins the prize for “Most obscure blog title in 2022”. Sorry about that! But the journey it discusses is important, perhaps even liberating. I hope you find it helpful. This was first posted on 13 Feb 2022. Refresh: From Theodicy to Theophany Ok, I admit the title of this post is not exactly catchy! But you are still reading, so let me quickly say why I think it matters. You probably know people who have suffered greatly – perhaps you are one of them. All suffering is hard to watch, but it is especially devastating when it seems to be senseless...
Read MoreOverplanning as Procrastination: Cultivating a Bent Towards Action
You’ve probably heard the quip: “When all is said and done, far more is said than done.” If you have sat through one talk fest too many, you will know that many a true word is spoken in jest. Are there times when our zealous planning and “let’s test that one more time” simply become an excuse for procrastination? Those of you who know me will be aware that I’m alert to the counter to any argument – it’s an art I developed back in my days in the school debating team, and it has served me well. If I had to oppose what I have said, I would...
Read MoreRefresh: Road Rage in London. Reflections on having to give way…
Today’s Refresh post is from 2018, when Rosemary and I got to spend some time at Spurgeon’s College in London while I was on Sabbatical leave. It was an amazing time – rich in so many ways. But I still remember this one jarring incident of road rage which we got to watch (not at all characteristic of our time), and still think about what it has to teach us… Road Rage in London: Reflections on having to give way… Let me start this post with some disclaimers. No, the road rage I am about to talk about was not my own. I have not driven a car in the now 10...
Read MoreWhy Sufficiency Matters…
Perhaps you have heard the story of the wealthy businessman who on a brief holiday to a lonely island encounters a poor fisherman, and buys some fish from him. The fish is magnificent, better tasting than anything the wealthy man had eaten before. He immediately interrogates the fisherman – where did he catch this, was it unusual? The fisherman assured him that it was a typical days catch – nothing out of the ordinary. Quick to see the commercial potential in this find, the businessman gets deeper into conversation with the poor man and asks how he spends his time The man replies...
Read MoreRefresh: What to do with your one wild and precious life? Alcuin’s answer
I do love it when I stumble upon a relatively little known character from history and suddenly realise how much we all owe to them. Alcuin definitely fits into this category. Read on for more of his 8th century life… including his role in devising modern punctuation and the question mark. It’s definitely worth a refresh of this post which originally appeared in May 2022. Wonder what to do with your one wild and precious life? Alcuin’s answer… “Tell me, what is it you plan to do With your one wild and precious life?” asks Mary Oliver in her poem The Summer...
Read More