Random blog

  A while ago I had an interesting conversation with an American friend about the Queen. My friend said that she admired the woman, recognised the hard work and the committment and the sense of duty, but couldnt quite understand the whole inheritance thing. How can it be fair or right that by an accident of birth some random person gets to be a king or a queen? I tried to explain my understanding of this. Its not the family that you are born into that makes you a Monarch. The Queen didnt become Queen when her father died and someone said ' The King is dead long live the queen'. She only got a job title in that moment. She became Queen when she divested herself of all her vastly expensive robes and stood in a white cotton shift under a canopy, away from the cameras and the watching world and was anointed with oil by the Archbishop of Canterbury in a sacred ceremony. In that moment she, like David and so many Kings and Queens through history, accepted the call of God o...

 This past weekend I spent three days with a group of prophetic friends sitting in the sunshine drinking tea and sharing life.  We met online during Covid. Three of us live near each other round the Lisburn area, one is from Fermanagh (hour and a half west) and one from Edinburgh.  Last year, after a couple of years of online chat and encouragement we decided to get together. We had a profound weekend in Fermanagh where we ended up discussing our marriages and praying deeply into relationships which for all of us have had their challenges.  All of us have late teen/adult kids. All of us have ageing parents.  Much in common; and the group turns out to be the only place most of us have where we can honestly share, pray, advise, laugh cry and listen to God for answers.  Precious times. This weekend Jane once again travelled over from Edinburgh and miraculously everyone managed their diaries and caring responsibilities to ensure we could meet up. No agenda....

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  Airports are fascinating places. Ive spent quite a lot of time in them recently as Ive travelled back and forth visiting Mum. On a recent trip I watched as the plane I was due to fly in landed, discharged its passengers and prepared for take off. There are more people than you might think involved in this process. Two guys position the steps. Someone fixes the fuel pipe into its slot. Two guys unload and load luggage. Two guys position chocks under the wheels. Someone puts a rope round the wings to stop us walking under them. And then there's one special someone whose job it is to wave little red torches in the air so the pilot knows exactly when and where to stop.  As I was watching the well oiled Easyjet machine in action in the pouring rain it reminded me of all the unseen people in church, so necessary for the smooth running of the whole thing. Who orders the loo rolls, tidies the errant stationary cupboard, orders the tea bags for Mums and Tots?   Who does the...

  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 ESV I think Im going to start the blog this year with a look at this very well known verse from Isaiah as most of us will hear it repeatedly over the next few weeks.  For context, here is what comes before verse 6 9  [ a ] Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honour Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan— 2  The people walking in darkness      have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness      a light has dawned. 3  You have enlarged the nation      and increased their joy; they rejoice before you   ...

 When I started writing these in 2011 I had no idea that I'd still be going strong in 2023!!  The Advent blog began as a way of me trying to keep myself focused on the run up to Christmas.  My kids were 6,8 and 10.  Life was full on busy.  I found it pretty hard to find time in my day to have a  'God moment'.  But writing the blog forced me to open my eyes every day to see ,and my ears every day to listen, and then to find half an hour to write down what I'd seen and heard.  You guys have become a faithful following over the years and for that I thank you.  If nobody was reading it would make it much harder to keep motivated. This year I find myself in a very different place from when I started. My boys are 18,21 and 22.  All are away from home. I 'retired ' from Jo Jingles when Karen sold the business earlier in the year.  And as I write I find myself in England, living with Mum who called for me to come on November 19th at 6 in th...