Author: raymond

I read recently that one sign of a bright child is that the child will make up new rules for a game. Making up a new game or extending an existing game is one thing, but I’ve also seen children

Sitting down to eat, just before dusk, at the Beachcomber Café in Barton-on-Sea, we could see a light coming from the Isle of Wight. What was it? Why was it there? We don’t know for sure, but it looked like

There’s been some noise in the media recently about what it means to bless something. It is an expression of approval? Is it an affirmation of right-ness? Or is it simply bringing God into a situation with the expectation and

On Wednesday’s Radio 4 Thought for the Day, Rhidian Brook was talking about who we are influenced by. He wanted to distance himself from the ‘influencers’ who crave fame and fortune by ‘being themselves’ on social media, and who are

We all like something new. Sometimes ‘new’ means ‘for the first time’, but often it’s about something new replacing something old: a new coat consigns the old one to the cupboard (or is passed on to someone else); a new

“Glad tidings of Great Joy”, the angel said. So, how does that work? Does it come because of the food, festivities, families, and fun? Does it come as we realise the darkening of the winter nights has turned back? Or

On the A44 between Rhayader and Kington, there is a signpost for Llandegley Airport. But if you follow the directions you won’t find the airport because it doesn’t’ exist – it never has. The owner of the sign says it’s

In the 2012 Olympic 100m final, Usain Bolt lined up in lane 7. “On your marks”, “Set”, the gun went off and 9.64 seconds later the race was won. Years of physical and mental training justified in just 10 seconds.

I was talking to a small child last week – I was leaving and he was asking why I had to go. So I explained in my best talking-to-a-3-year-old voice why I was leaving, and he simply repeated the question

Sometimes we think of ‘the saints’ as the list of people the (Roman Catholic) church has canonised as Saints – Saint Peter, Saint Paul, and an increasing number of others. But I think we all recognise that these ‘official’ Saints