Why names matter, and what the names of God reveal about who He is and who we are The name you have was chosen. The choice was significant and, whether you like it or not, will be bound up with your identity until you breathe your last – even then, it is likely to be […]
The fear of what might happen plagues everyone at different times of life in all sorts of ways. Personal threat may come through social media even to children or to adults through ransomware extortioners. It could be the threat to cut off your services, to expose you for some wrong-doing or even to go after […]
We humans have been obsessed with treasure for a long time. Sir Walter Scott’s book ‘The Pirate’ (1822) was a prelude for Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Treasure Island’ published in 1883. Stevenson had the idea for this novel based on a map of an imaginary, romantic island whilst on holiday with his stepson Lloyd Osbourne in […]
Life on the edge is where explorers, astronauts and extreme athletes choose to live. It is demanding and risky which is why they are so admired. Yet in another sense, we all live on some edge – it could be financial constraints, health limitations, emotional well-being or our personal abilities. These all will ebb and flow like the tide through our lives. The edge is always on the move. There is another more important edge – the edge of eternity. All human beings share one thing – we are all one heartbeat away from knowing if eternity exists beyond the grave.
You may well know this bird is an Oyster Catcher and be familiar with its beautiful burbling sound but none of us can share its unique perspective as it skims low across the sea. What is your unique perspective in life at present? In the twists and turns of life, we find ourselves in diverse places, travelling at different speeds and dealing with many types of emotion. Here are some experiences you might be entering, wanting, dreading or leaving behind – going into the valley, on the mountain to, in the boat, on an eagle’s wing or walking on water. Whichever one it is, you probably won’t be able to change it so the vital thing is to have the right perspective as you pass through it.
Supposing you were an artist and had a blank canvas, would you start with Spring, another season or no season? Spring sounds like a logical choice … or does it? Its poetic speech is always of new beginnings as we associate it with the seasonal cycle that we humans have become used to. No Spring, no Summer. No Summer, no Autumn. No Autumn, no Winter. No Winter, no Spring. Each one brings something different and bounces off the previous one bringing the contrasts we all love. Snowdrops herald the Spring even after the fiercest Winter – each fluttering fragile snowdrop is a little white sail symbolising the hope of gentle summer breezes. When you feel like your life is in the grip of Winter, consider the seasons and remember that Spring cannot be far away. Our Father God is ‘The Creator Artist’ and never gets the rhythm of life wrong.
Dementia is experienced by some 50 million people around the world and the number is increasing as people are living longer. Christians seem to rationalise physical illnesses more easily than those which affect the mind. Having a loved one whose Christian faith has been strong throughout life then suffer with dementia and sometimes an apparent loss of faith is much harder to bear. Dementia is indeed a tough nut to crack and there are no easy answers but it is something we need to understand better. Pressures in life can act like nutcrackers as they pivot upon us affecting physical and mental health but dementia is in a league of its own. Many conditions can cause dementia, including degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s but it is also associated with infections, vascular diseases, stroke, depression and chronic drug use. What we fail to know, God knows.
Can you remember a time when you were ‘homesick’? The first time away from home, family and friends is never easy. There is a longing for familiar faces and places which steals upon you. One young man left home with big ideas and a bounce in his step to find new pals and the high life only to discover that what he had found was the low life and ‘fair-weather’ friends. Things got so bad that he had to take a job as a swineherd. As he watched them enjoying family life and friendships, in his poverty he realised that even the pigs had it better than him! Coming to his senses, his thoughts turned to home and he took those first vital steps albeit with trepidation.
Are you risk averse or a risk taker? Is either position right or wrong? The truth is that from dawn to dusk and from first breath to final gasp, we take risks and are encouraged to do so. Our parents encouraged us to take risks as we took those initial wobbly steps, holding our hands and then releasing us to walk by ourselves. Whilst it may be true to say ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained’, everyone lives within what they deem to be acceptable risk levels. Whether it is in the genes or in a person’s experience of risks already taken and consequences received, our risk parameters become established. One person with a high risk tolerance may think of someone with a lower level as unnecessarily timid; conversely, the view would be of irresponsibility! Many people routinely took the risk to cross the famous limestone Azure Window on the island of Gozo, but on the 8th March 2017, this ancient arch crumbled into the sea.
Have you ever thought about the number of new beginnings you’ve made in your life so far? Your birth was the first but now start counting … new words, new school, new friends, new job, new home, new targets, new horizons and you haven’t finished yet! Each day is a new opportunity for a new start. There are those in life who relish the change that comes with a new beginning, others who prefer the safety of the familiar and some who avoid change at all costs. We are all so different. What about your approach to life? Are you an architect, starter, builder, project manager or a completer-finisher? These arbitrary terms provide lots of scope for cross-overs but it’s interesting for personal reflection as to how you interact with the world around you. Imagine God the Beginner of things with a blank canvas and then KABOOM … it’s the Genesis of all known things.
