Living Faith

New Blog for Spiritual Reflections and Explorations

2011-03-20T12:43:00.000+01:00

I am feeling a greater need to explore my beliefs at present so I have decided to set up a new blog, which I'm calling Spirituality and Sustainability. Please feel free to visit. I have moved on since I started this blog and my beliefs have changed. I did consider calling the new blog Living Faith again, but on doing a google search I found there is a Catholic blog with that name and I

Voices for Peace in Cologne

2009-01-06T23:18:00.006+01:00

We saw this display just in front of Cologne cathedral when we were there mid-December. We didn't realise what was about to happen in Gaza.Click on the images to see them full size.

Voices for Peace in Palestine

2008-12-29T17:16:00.003+01:00

From Jewish Voice for Peace:Dec. 28, 2008: Jewish Voice for Peace joins millions around the world, including the 1,000 Israelis who protested in the streets of Tel Aviv this weekend, in condemning ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza. We call for an immediate end to attacks on all civilians, whether Palestinian or Israeli.If you want an end to the violence in Gaza as well as the violence coming from

Musings on Martha and Mary

2008-09-18T18:49:00.004+02:00

Our parish church has finally started a house group, so I went along to see what it was like, and liked my first impression. We are using some ancient Scripture Union material entitled Serendipity, which just sounds dated, but it was OK. Last night we looked at Luke 10:38-42, when Jesus dropped in on Martha and Mary and Martha got in a tizz trying to impress Jesus and his mates, or maybe it was

A prayer to God, the Light of all life

2008-09-08T14:40:00.004+02:00

It was my turn to read the intercessory prayers at church again on Sunday. During my holiday I read J.Philip Newell's new book, 'Christ of the Celts' and found it very interesting as well as affirming. I really love some of the ideas the Celts had, such as that the light of God is at the heart of all that has life. When the Bible says that God made light on the first day, they didn't

A sign of sanity

2008-07-08T09:44:00.003+02:00

I'm pleased that the Church of England synod have voted to allow women to become Bishops. I don't think being a bishop is an easy job, and I wonder if they are really needed, but I do believe women should be allowed the same job opportunities as men, not only because this is what women expect in the 21st century, but because the Bible teaches that God made both men and women in his own image.

A prayer from my heart

2008-07-07T11:46:00.007+02:00

This Sunday was the first time I read the prayers. I was told by someone who does this regularly that we have a pretty free hand in choosing the prayers, but they should include a response.This is the prayer that I wrote, and read yesterday.Dear Father God, We read in the Book of Genesis that you brought the Earth and everything around us into being. We also read there that you made everyone

Better than TV

2008-07-06T22:36:00.002+02:00

We've just spent an hour or so being entertained by the foxes across the road. It's quite as good as Springwatch as they poke their heads out of the grass, step into the road and then quickly back on the pavement as a car approaches. Sometimes two of them sit there watching the cars. We saw four this evening. We presume the two smaller ones are this year's cubs. One of them has a short tail

Listening to the noise in our heads is good for us

2008-06-26T10:12:00.006+02:00

Earlier this year I started trying to meditate. I don’t find it easy to do at home, as there are so many distractions, so I have looked for a group I could join, so I would have nothing to do except meditate. First of all I went to a Community of Interbeing meditation group based on Buddhist principles, which I found helpful, but not easy to get to due to the time. More recently I have been

Experiments with slug control

2008-06-17T11:43:00.017+02:00

My first line of defence against slugs and snails has been slug pellets, but these can be very dangerous to all manner of good and beneficial visitors to our garden such as birds and hedgehogs, as well as pets. In recent years, therefore, I only use the Growing Success pellets, which are meant to be harmless to all but slugs and snails. However, they do dissolve when it rains and I often forget

First crops

2008-06-16T21:50:00.004+02:00

We've had some strawberries and raspberries from our garden during the last week.Yesterday we enjoyed the first home-grown broadbeans, something I always look forward to. Planting them in individual pots for a few weeks before I could put them in the ground seems to have done them no harm at all.

The veg garden in May

2008-06-09T08:21:00.011+02:00

Here are some piccies of our veg garden taken a few weeks ago.The first is an overview of the roots bed.This one focusses on the onions and emerging carrots. I'm sowing onions between rows of carrots and parsnips in an attempt to deter carrot fly. I've planted French marigolds in this bed for the same reason. The pot marigolds are also meant to be beneficial and they seem more resistant to

At last . . .

2008-06-06T22:01:00.002+02:00

. . . the bokashi bucket is full, which means we don't waste as much food as I thought. It's proving a very good idea so far, as nothing smelly is going into the kitchen rubbish bin. If we could reduce the packaging our food is in we would have very little rubbish at all now. The full bokashi bucket will now sit and mull and moulder in the corner by the boiler for a few weeks, although I might

A Familiar Prayer - less familiar language

2008-05-29T23:21:00.005+02:00

Last night at the Christian Meditation group someone read from a book called 'Prayers of the Cosmos' by Neil Douglas-Klotz and finished with this version of the Lord's Prayer, which the author has translated from the Aramaic Jesus is thought to have used. I find this quite vivid and amazing. O Birther! Father- Mother of the Cosmos Focus your light within us - make it useful. Create

Busy in the garden

2008-05-20T22:07:00.002+02:00

I'm busy in the garden at the moment, so not much time for blogging. I did manage to make a loaf and some rolls this morning, though, so there was something for lunch.We're saving lots of water at the moment because our old bathroom has been ripped out and the new one in still very much a work in progress with many floor boards up at the moment. Washing in a sink, bowl or bucket uses a lot less

Bokashi update

2008-05-13T15:06:00.002+02:00

Since the buckets arrived on Thursday we have had little food waste that couldn't be composted, although this was boosted when son found the stale remains of his birthday cake that had been forgotten about since the beginning of April. At present the bucket contains some stale bread, the aforementioned piece of cake about the size of a bread roll and some crumbs of left over chicken and a smidgen

Bokashi bucket

2008-05-09T18:11:00.001+02:00

The Bokashi bucket has arrived. Watch this space to see how it performs.

Transition Living

2008-05-09T15:45:00.010+02:00

Last night I went to hear Ben Brangwyn, the co-founder of Transition Network, speak. He was an interesting and enthusiastic speaker. He explained the problem of Peak Oil, which is that according to some estimates we could be running out of easily accessible petroleum in 40 or so years, so the price will be going up and become less and less affordable. So in a world where nearly everything

Compost Awareness Week

2008-05-05T22:32:00.003+02:00

This week is Compost Awareness Week. So, now is a good time to find out how to compost your veg peelings, cardboard packets and tea bags etc by visiting http://www.compostawarenessweek.org.uk/events/index.html You might also find that your council is running a special offer on compost bins, kitchen caddies, green cones or bokashi buckets.If you've never done so before, make today the start of a

Using Food as Fuel while People Starve

2008-04-15T14:30:00.001+02:00

"From this morning all sellers of transport fuel in the United Kingdom will be obliged to mix it with ethanol or biodiesel made from crops. The World Bank points out that “the grain required to fill the tank of a sports utility vehicle with ethanol … could feed one person for a year”(5). Last year global stockpiles of cereals declined by around 53m tonnes(6); this gives you a rough idea of the

More quotes worth quoting

2008-04-14T19:07:00.002+02:00

I've been catching up with we can be (the difference we want to see in the world) and came across two great quotes:On the Journey Towards Living NonviolentlyWhen I sprained my ankle last year, the doctors’ advice on gauging how quickly I could return to normal activities was “Let the pain be your guide.” Well, thanks be to God, I was never in such pain that I couldn’t walk (with an Aircast),

Sustainable living must be joyful

2008-03-31T23:03:00.005+02:00

If sustainable living cannot also be joyful living we shall not be able to sustain such a way of living.So hair shirts and long faces cannot be part of sustainable living.I was flicking through a book last night which talked about sustainable living being joyful, although with all the biblical passages given I got the impression it was suggesting joy was a duty and therefore likely to be false

Talking Rubbish

2008-03-14T22:38:00.002+01:00

I've just been reminded by Joyce that back on 15 February I started to consider what 'Living Faith' means. I liked her definition: it's a kind of "living mindfully".Unfortunately I went down with that bug a little while after that and I've only recently stopped feeling so ridiculously tired. So most of Lent has passed me by and I have not reflected much on which of my uncompassionate ways I

Hunger Strike for the Rights of the Sahawari People

2008-03-11T21:43:00.003+01:00

I've just found out that Saharawi political detainees in the El-Ayoune prison are entering the third week of a hunger strike to raise awareness of human rights abuses in Western Sahara.As I hadn't heard about it until now, I thought perhaps I should do what I can to raise awareness of their hunger strike and the reason for it.According to War on Want Morocco has occupied Western Sahara for over

Does a boycott support peace?

2008-03-07T14:42:00.002+01:00

On a certain social networking site I've been invited to join a group urging me to support peace by boycotting Israel. I happen to believe that true peace is based on understanding and respect as well as justice and a few other things. I don't think a boycott helps to bring about understanding, so I can't see that it supports peace.I can understand that people feel so helpless and frustrated

More views on the news

2008-03-07T14:12:00.005+01:00

After my last post I feel I must comment on the shooting at the Jewish religious college in Jerusalem last night. It is to be deplored, and certainly condemned. Was the man who carried out the shooting a terrorist, though? Apparently he worked as a driver near the college.In the current climate in Israel and Palestine it wouldn't be surprising if normal, peace-loving citizens are driven to

Counter culture

2008-03-04T14:43:00.003+01:00

I haven't had the energy to blog lately. I seem to have had a bug, which left me extremely tired and feeling giddy whenever I started to move around. Great excuse to sit a the computer all day, but unfortunately I didn't have the energy to string 2 thoughts together.However, I seem to be well again, having managed to go shopping for the first time in nearly 2 weeks.I have been moved to write by

Keeping Chickens

2008-02-18T15:21:00.003+01:00

Is it a good idea to keep chickens? The initial outlay for housing is quite high as we expect to buy something ready made and well-made, so we aren't looking to get our money back quickly, if at all.The real question is how much work is involved? How will we manage letting the chickens out first thing on a cold, wet morning before dashing off to work? What about if we want to go away for the

Tagged and rooted

2008-02-18T14:14:00.005+01:00

Joe tagged me with the following1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).2. Open the book to page 123.3. Find the fifth sentence.4. Post the next three sentences.5. Tag five other people.The nearest book, which I was just referring to for another purpose, is 'Creating True Peace: ending conflict in yourself, your family, your community and the world' by Thich Nhat Hanh.The sixth,

Compassion is the key

2008-02-15T15:37:00.003+01:00

A few years ago a group of people at Greenbelt set up the Year of Living Generously. This project is a good way to help people think about how their lives impact others and the planet we live on, but this doesn't always help me to strike the right balance in my life. I support Fairtrade, but realise that this means goods have travelled a long way to get to me, and so contribute to carbon

How do I love my neighbour?

2008-02-15T14:45:00.002+01:00

Where my immediate neighbours are concerned I don't say much to them, although I do tend to say 'hello' when I see them. Those just a few doors away I have hardly, if ever, spoken to, but to a fair extent this is because they are busy and/or private people and I respect that fact. It is also true that there are times when I'm too busy to stop and chat long or I'm preoccupied. On balance though,

What is Living Faith?

2008-02-15T12:53:00.002+01:00

So just what is living faith? It's putting faith into practise. It's not just saying, 'I believe', but showing what I believe by the way I live. This wouldn't be a problem if I just believed that it's OK to be grumpy, grouchy, selfish and greedy, but I don't. I think we shouldn't beat ourselves up for being human, but that we should try not to be too grumpy, grouchy, selfish and greedy, or to

More Practical than Philosophy

2008-02-12T21:05:00.001+01:00

Finally got my broadbeans into the ground today. I'd planted them in peat pots just before the end of January, which to my mind means the softening process was started in time. I use Aqua Dulce as I prefer to plant my broad beans early in the hope that I'll avoid the blackfly. Hubby hadn't quite finished preparing the beds at that stage. We haven't gone for raised beds as being on a slope

Thoughts on Theosophy

2008-01-27T20:22:00.000+01:00

I've come across the term Theosophy in recent months, but I'm finding it hard to grasp what it is actually about. In the comments to my last post, Gordon mentioned Theosophy and has subsequently given a link to a wikipedia entry on the subject, which seems slightly more intelligible now than when I last looked.According to this article,The three declared objects of the original Theosophical

Excursion into Philosphy and a possible cult

2008-01-25T17:14:00.000+01:00

This Autumn just gone I decided to enrol in a Practical Philosphy course. It is run by the School of Economic Science, a registered charity based in Mandeville Place, near Oxford Street in London. It's main activity seems to be to provide courses in practical philosophy.According to Wikipedia,The School of Economic Science was founded in 1937 by Andrew MacLaren, the Labour Member of Parliament

Celebrating in Selborne

2008-01-21T15:05:00.001+01:00

No, Selborne has not become a hotspot for nightlife, but meeting my parents and children there for lunch in the Selborne Arms and going for a little amble in this pretty, traditional Hampshire village yesterday afternoon was how I chose to celebrate becoming a year older.After lunch hubby and I ambled along to St Mary's church where we admired the remains of the ancient yew tree and enjoyed the

A week into 2008

2008-01-09T15:21:00.000+01:00

I'm still feeling a bit under the weather not having entirely shaken off the Winter bugs. We both missed church on Sunday as neither hubby or I was feeling too great. However I was all geared up to start a yoga class on Monday evening, only to find it had been cancelled as the instructor was unwell. Last night I went to find out what happens in the local Sangha of the Community of Interbeing,

Do we need a blasphemy law?

2008-01-09T15:07:00.000+01:00

There was discussion of the blasphemy law on the radio the morning. The Evangelical person who suggested that now was not a good time to get rid of it summed up its purpose very well. He thought abolishing it would send out the wrong signal.So we need a blasphemy law not to protect God, who is quite capable of looking after himself I should think, but to encourage people to believe in God and

Wishing You a Happy New Year

2008-01-01T21:01:00.000+01:00

I've been reading about Buddhism recently. I'm finding it very interesting. The heart of the message seems so like the heart of Christianity.According to the Dalai Lama happiness results from being compassionate towards other people and, indeed, towards all sentient beings.Compassion is also important for being a peacemaker, too. Thich Nhat Hanh has written a lot about being a peacemaker and

Conspiring against Consumerism this Advent

2007-12-12T14:40:00.000+01:00

Simon Barrow has posted more about Advent. This time he is talking about Advent Conspiracy.This encourages us to ceebrate Advent with compassion rather than a bout of excessive consumerism.The website seems to be trying to raise awareness of the great need in the world and to encourage us to help those in need this Christmas rather than merely indulge our greed and the greed of our friends and

Simon Barrow on Advent hope

2007-12-11T14:49:00.001+01:00

In post-Christendom* the inbuilt captivity of the wider social order to received Christian ideas is being steadily eroded, and the answer is not to reassert control (the Gospel is about gracious possibility, which is destroyed by compulsion), but to ask whether it is really much better in the church.Practices of hopeful waiting - spiritual, intellectual and subversively political - need to be

Why Peace Oil is not such a Good Gift

2007-12-09T21:22:00.001+01:00

Mark Tran reports on a charity under fire for marketing an Israeli olive oil at the expense of Palestinian productsPeace Oil, an olive oil made in Israel by Jews and Arabs, would seem an ideal Christmas gift for those wishing to take a stand against consumerism.The oil is one of the products promoted in the Good Gifts catalogue, run by the Charities Advisory Trust (CAT), an organisation founded

A Prayer for Peace

2007-11-10T19:27:00.000+01:00

God of peace, we pray for an end to warbut there can be none without living for peace.We pray for peace in the worldbut there can be none without peace in the nations.We pray for peace in the nationsbut there can be none without peace in the communities.We pray for peace in the communitiesbut there can be none without peace between neighbours.We pray for peace between neighboursbut

White Poppies

2007-11-09T18:34:00.000+01:00

This is something along the lines of what I'm hoping to say in church on Sunday:I’d like to say a few words about why I wear a white poppy with my red poppy. Remembrance Day means different things to different people and we each remember the dead in

Englishness and Identity

2007-10-17T15:03:00.001+02:00

What does it mean to be English? One of the guests on the Radio 4 programme, Music Group, chose 'Roots' by Show of Hands, whom we are going to see tomorrow night. It laments our lack of English roots.This set me wondering what it is that makes someone English. The Scots wear tartan and eat haggis, amongst other things, the Welsh have a penchant for leeks and the Irish believe in lucky

Advice on Living Simply

2007-10-12T17:58:00.000+02:00

Try to live simply. A simple lifestyle freely chosen is a source of strength. Do not be persuaded into buying what you do not need or cannot afford. Do you keep yourself informed about the effects your style of living is having on the global economy and environment? (From Quaker Advices and Queries 1.02, 41)As ever the Society of Friends provides good advice. However, when we consider what we

Living in Search of Faith

2007-10-12T15:40:00.000+02:00

If I'm honest, and I try to be, faith is quite a struggle at times. I have an underlying faith that Jesus shows us the way to live even if we sometimes need to clear away the weeds of prejudice and misconception and the message is not always as clear as we would wish it to be. However, my faith that there is a God who is interested in me or anyone else and who is somehow working for good in

The cost of conflict

2007-10-08T22:23:00.000+02:00

Philip sums it up in his simple statement: My friend Rami was killed.There is no such thing as collateral damage. Violent conflict means loved ones lose their lives and the lives of many people are torn apart by heart-wrenching grief and mourning.Let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem, East and West Jerusalem and the whole of the 'Holy Land' and all the people who live there, whether Muslim, Jew

Free Burma

2007-10-04T20:52:00.000+02:00

FREE BURMAGo here for a list of participating blogsand here for a list of blogs about Burma

Could your clothes be supporting the Burmese regime?

2007-09-28T16:24:00.000+02:00

If you share my concern for events currently happening in Burma you may be interested in this list from the Burma Campaign UK website.Named and shamed - Companies refusing to disclose if they source from Burma: Animal Bay Trading By Design Plc

Greenbelt 2008

2007-09-15T14:06:00.000+02:00

I realise I haven't caught up with blogging about this year's Greenbelt yet, but I have just booked my accommodation for next year, which I'm pretty pleased about.

Yet more quotes

2007-09-06T22:48:00.000+02:00

Just seen these on Stu's facebook profile and have to add them to my collection!Believe nothing because a wise man said it.Believe nothing because it is generally held.Believe nothing because it is written.Believe nothing because it is said to be divine.Believe nothing because someone else believes it.But believe only what you yourself judge to be true.- The BuddhaThis is what you should do:Love

A few more quotes

2007-09-06T22:16:00.000+02:00

"If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything" - Mark Twain"People say, "What good can one person do? What is the sense of our small effort?" They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time. We can be responsible only for the one action of the present moment. But we can beg for an increase of love in our hearts that will vitalize and transform all our individual actions,

Quotes seen at Greenbelt

2007-09-02T14:40:00.000+02:00

I saw these while waiting to go in the ladies' loos and thought them rather good:'The most beautiful and most profound emotion we can experience is the sensation of the mystical. It is the source of all art and science. So to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.' - Albert Einstein, 1879 - 1955'People travel to

Saturday at Greenbelt

2007-09-02T12:45:00.000+02:00

The Saturday at Greenbelt was a scorcher, although the clear skies had meant it had been a cool night and I woke up a few times feeling a bit chilly. In the morning the grass was covered in a fairly heavy due, so as I was wearing sandals my toes were well washed.I went to hear Mark Yaconelli, wondering if he'd be as good as his father and I was not disappointed. So much of what he said

A busy week + Greenbelt photos

2007-08-31T22:35:00.000+02:00

I've been busy the last few days what with work and catching up with sleep post Greenbelt. I managed to walk to work both Wednesday and Thursday although the walk home up the hill after a day on your feet is a bit tedious. I was thinking about catching the bus Thursday evening as the shopping was a bit heavy and Billy Bragg was in my other bag, but then a colleague offered me a lift which was

Greenbelt 2007 - Day One

2007-08-28T22:35:00.000+02:00

We didn't arrive on site until about 6.00 pm. Hubby kindly drove us there even though he had decided to go back home for the evening rather than stay somewhere overnight and go walking the next day as originally planned. However, hubby was keen to get back home as soon as possible and was worried that once he drove onto the campsite he could be stuck there for hours trying to drive against the

Finding heaven in ordinary at home

2007-08-28T15:54:00.001+02:00

We're back from Greenbelt where the theme this year was 'heaven in ordinary'. Well, while I enjoyed camping in the lovely sunshine one thing I found heavenly this morning was being able to go to a clean loo when I got out of bed rather than being compelled to use an 'Andyloo', although they were very 'andy' at times.Another heavenly thing is being able to open a tap wherever I want to wash or

Report on experiment with cheap cola

2007-08-23T19:28:00.000+02:00

I wasn't impressed by how the cola performed. It didn't do anything Ecover wouldn't do, which means it didn't shift the stains visible in the u-bend. Only bleach seems to shift those.I don't know if I used it correctly, of course, but it didn't seem to do much. If a litre per loo was the correct amount to use that works out at 10p to clean one loo once so it may be cheaper than Ecover. I'm

Experiment

2007-08-23T10:20:00.000+02:00

I'm testing how effective cheap cola is at cleaning the loo. I read that it is a good idea. The cola was 2 litres for 20p. I've used half in one loo and half in the other. Don't know if that was the right quantity. I'll tell you later if it did a good job of cleaning the loo.

Hope

2007-08-22T12:08:00.001+02:00

Hope is so important, isn't it? I have a bit more hope at the moment but experience has taught me not to hope too much.I also have a very real hope of four days away from the stresses and strains of family life at Greeenbelt. I have always found Greenbelt has given me a real spiritual boost and a boost to my morale that has lasted for months even if the effect has lessened somewhat over

Faith or Foolishness?

2007-08-20T12:18:00.000+02:00

Sally's comment raises the question, is it a sign of faith or foolishness not to bring wellies to Greenbelt? Does the camping area always get muddy even if it doesn't rain? Has it never rained at all at Greenbelt - I don't remember the last 5 being especially wet but then I didn't stay for the whole weekend to begin with and we've always had a nice dry Travel Lodge room to go back to when we

Greenbelt Weather

2007-08-18T18:09:00.001+02:00

According to Metcheck the weather for Greenbelt looks set to be dry, so let's have faith that it shall be so.

Close Encounter with Jellyfish

2007-08-12T20:41:00.000+02:00

On the first day of our holiday in the pleasant Mallorcan resort of Pollentia 3 out of the 4 of us were stung by jelly fish. Being one of the three I can report that it hurt, but wasn't unbearable, although it may depend on the size of the jellyfish and how quickly you move away from it. It was similar to a bad stinging nettle sting and did stop me swimming in mid stroke, but the pain gradually

An enjoyable ethical excursion

2007-07-06T22:20:00.001+02:00

I caught the train to Reading today. While I was there I had a look at the rather wonderful Reading International Solidarity Centre, which sells all sorts of Fairtrade and organic products and books and material for schools on a wide range of ethical subjects. I also popped into the Body Shop, whose ethics I am no longer sure of, but I fancied a bit of new make up and the most ethical ranges

An enjoyable ethical evening

2007-07-06T12:20:00.002+02:00

Wednesday evening a member of the Ethical Matters Group showed the rest of us around the garden he works in, which is an organic kitchen garden including flowers for both pest control and cutting, within a larger walled garden. It was a wonderful garden, the sort I dream about, and it was very interesting to hear about the new ideas he has implemented and the thinking behind them. I gather

Smile for Peace

2007-06-25T18:25:00.000+02:00

Smiling is very important. If we are not able to smile, then the world will not have peace. It is not by going out for a demonstration against nuclear missiles that we can bring about peace. It is with our capacity of smiling, breathing, and being peace that we can make peace. - Thich Nhat Hanh

One World Week and the Pursuit of Shalom

2007-06-25T17:51:00.000+02:00

I'm working on the agenda for the next Justice and Peace Group meeting tomorrow evening and I've been reminded that we should be thinking of One World Week in October, which strikes me as a great time to think about being peacemakers and pursuing 'Shalom'. Perhaps some interfaith and even interdenominational discussion would be in order. Any ideas for Shalom-making activities locally or

A plug for tabula gaza

2007-06-25T09:39:00.000+02:00

If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend Philip's blog, Tabula Gaza for insights into life in Gaza at the moment. It is a well-written, thoughtful and fairly objective blog.

Musings on monaticism and counter-cultural living

2007-06-24T17:50:00.000+02:00

Joe was thinking about monasticism the other day. It obviously remains a fairly popular idea, with all sorts of attempts to live a life based on monastic principles and other intentional communities attracting people to join them. The tv programme 'The Monastery' was so popular that other similar programmes were made and Christopher Jamison's book 'Finding Sanctuary has proved immensely popular

Farncombe Music Club Launch

2007-06-23T11:13:00.000+02:00

We went to the launch of Farncombe Music Club last night. A Local fellow has got St John's church at Farncombe to agree to host a series of concerts of mostly folk singers starting in September.To launch the club two female singers, Liz Simcocks and Janis Haves entertained us and they were very good, even when singing about tables and chairs. It was a very pleasant and relaxing evening, which

Thoughts on the connection between peace and respect

2007-06-22T14:29:00.000+02:00

I've been thinking a bit about peacemaking. I often think the concept of making peace is a bit vague. The absence of physical violence doesn't necessarily guarantee peace and the pacifist offering no resistance will not overcome the one who is determined to conquer.Non-violent resistance sounds like a good way to preserve your dignity without harming others, but on its own is it enough to bring

Fairtrade Town Feedback

2007-06-22T10:56:00.000+02:00

As expected we are not yet ready to become a Fairtrade Town. We have achieved goals one and five, but we need to get more community support, i.e. from a wider range of people in the community along with support from local schools which mostly seem reluctant at present. We also need to organise events to raise awareness in the wider community.To this end we probably need people in the steering

To boycott or to 'girlcott': how best to help Palestinians?

2007-06-20T12:56:00.000+02:00

As usual Joe has found some Palestinians to talk to and he didn't even need to leave the city where he lives. It's amazing how many Palestinians are coming over here to talk to us and tell us what it is like for them. If you haven't met one yet, you just need to keep your ears and eyes open and one or more will probably be in your area soon. If you really know what life is like for people in

A day to celebrate

2007-06-19T16:45:00.000+02:00

Today Aung San Suu Kyi turns 62. Happy Birthday Aung San Suu Kyi!My sister and brother-in-law are celebrating their (7th ?)wedding anniversary today as well.Today is also the day I was baptised 24 years ago at Palin Street Baptist church, Hyson Green (now Cornerstone), in Nottingham, which was a mixed blessing in retrospect.Any other reasons to celebrate today?

End of 'A' levels in sight

2007-06-18T14:28:00.000+02:00

Son is now on the last lap of his A2 exams ('A' levels to older folk). The last computing exam was sat last week. This morning was the last Maths exam and now only law is left. Having helped Matt to revise his key cases I'm wondering who knows more about Mitchell knocking the Post Office queue over like a row of dominoes and being guilty of transferred malice along with all sorts of gruesome

On homelessness and a good read

2007-06-17T15:08:00.001+02:00

I'm currently reading 'Stuart: A Life Backwards' by Alexander Masters. I remember hearing it on the radio, a while back, although reading it I think it must have been highly edited as I doubt the BBC would have allowed such language - although I do remember a complaint about something with strong language being broadcast, but either way the language isn't what I remember. It is one of those

Another LOAF meal

2007-06-16T22:25:00.000+02:00

So we had the spinach pie tonight made from fresh, local,organic spinach and eggs with filo pastry and organic cheese from the supermarket and afterwards there were even fresher, homegrown, organic strawberries and raspberries not to mention the cider from the West Country, which is why I'm struggling to stay awake to write this.

Seeking hope out of the depths

2007-06-15T22:55:00.000+02:00

"Maybe part of our human experience is to sing out of the depths together - to be real with one another and seek hope. Together to sing and walk towards Jerusalem for festival. (Greenbelt is on the horizon folks!)"These beautiful words are from a great post by FB. Maybe you have to experience the depths to write such things.Wondering about what kind of Jerusalem we might be walking towards

A LOAF dinner

2007-06-15T20:48:00.000+02:00

In case you haven't heard of the LOAF principle it stands forL - Locally produced O - Organically grown A - Animal friendly F - Fairly tradedand is a guideline for how to shop in a way that does least damage to the planet while also bringing the most benefit promoted by Christian Ecology Link.I had

A good day at work

2007-06-14T21:59:00.000+02:00

It takes me a while to get to know people and feel relaxed in their company, but I've been in my current job getting on for three years now and feel much more at ease with colleagues, so we often laugh and joke together, which makes work that much more enjoyable. I think it's also partly due to the new layout and self-service system, which we are all still getting used to, and some aspects are

Snail Mail or Pony Express?

2007-06-13T10:13:00.000+02:00

Amazing! I ordered a CD and a couple of books from Wildgoose online yesterday and they were here by 9.00am delivered by our regular postman. This means they've come from Glasgow to Surrey in less than 24 hours, not to mention the speed with which the order was processed by the Wildgoose people. I'm still getting over the shock! :D

At World's End at last

2007-06-13T09:47:00.000+02:00

Forgot to mention I went to see At World's End a couple of weeks ago. It was great! Great fun and great escapism. I'd heard there was a highly confusing and boring bit in the middle and kept waiting for it when suddenly it was the end. I couldn't really say what it is that some people have found boring and complicated, although it does stretch your credulity in many places, but it doesn't

Enjoying fresh, local, organic produce

2007-06-12T16:00:00.000+02:00

My broad beans are nearly over, but we're also enjoying homegrown onions, garlic and new potatoes plus strawberries and raspberries and the odd lettuce at the moment. You can't get fresher or more local than that.

Affirmation for St Columba's Day

2007-06-12T09:56:00.000+02:00

From the act of commitment service on Saturday - beautifully led by a vicar in a Dangermouse t-shirt and shorts.WE BELIEVE THAT GOD IS PRESENTIN THE DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN;IN THE WAITING AND UNCERTAINTYWHERE FEAR AND COURAGE JOIN HANDS,CONFLICT AND CARING LINK ARMS,AND THE SUN RISES OVER BARBED WIRE.WE BELIEVE IN A WITH-US GODWHO SITS DOWN IN OUR MIDSTTO SHARE OUR HUMANITY.WE AFFIRM A FAITHTHAT

Iona Community, creation and revisting the past

2007-06-10T16:24:00.000+02:00

Yesterday I attended a meeting of the Central Southern group of the Iona Community at Alton. As hubby has taken the car to Snowdon I went by train. I had expected the journey to be a straightforward affair as I had travelled regularly from Guildford to Aldershot on my way to Camberley for a year before the kids came along and once I’d made the detour from Aldershot to Alton to see my Granny

Baking bread and other things

2007-05-12T16:01:00.000+02:00

I recently decided to bake some proper bread. In my teens I often made bread on a Saturday and enjoyed kneading away life's stresses and strains. I made bread from time to time when the kids were younger, too, but I'd got out of the habit.We were given a bread-maker a few years ago, but I think the bread usually tastes too yeasty. The first loaf I made was with flour I can't remember how long

Facebook

2007-05-08T12:53:00.000+02:00

Is Facebook a good idea? Is it a good place to 'network' and maybe even 'fellowship' albeit on a superficial level, or is it another way to let 'Big Brother' into your life?Someone asked me to join, presumably so I can see his baby photos once baby arrives later this week, but I don't know much about the set up. Several other friends seem to be there, so I'm hoping that means it's OK, not least

Getting flowery

2007-05-07T18:26:00.000+02:00

The 'weedy bed' is looking much betterI planted a yellow-flowered Osteospurnum called Amanda in the space at the front of the picture yesterday. Still needs a bit more attention, but so does the rest of the garden.

Looking Forward to World's End

2007-05-05T20:17:00.000+02:00

On a lighter note I've just discovered that Pirates of the Carribbean III is out on 25th May - a Friday, I believe. It is called At World's End, so we were pretty close, but I guess it was pretty predictable.

Fruit and Veg Talk

2007-05-04T22:35:00.002+02:00

We've been busy in the garden lately so it's looking better, but the battle against the weeds is ongoing and it's not entirely obvious we're winning. It will take constant effort to keep them under control as they are growing apace at the moment.I tasted my first home-grown broad beans this week. Just about a dozen small, juicy, tender ones, not big and floury like you get in the shops. 2 out

Sheep, faith and life

2007-05-04T17:04:00.000+02:00

John Davies has posted some interesting thoughts on sheep, life and faith.

Achievements

2007-04-09T11:23:00.000+02:00

Well, not only have I sent off for my new passport, it has arrived in the post.We've also finally got the log book for our new car, which took a lot longer. We now have a Skoda Octavia, which means much more leg room for our son, but actually was cheaper to tax than our Astra, so presumably creates less carbon emissions.The cake(s) got made, too, and our 'little boy' is now a man: all six foot

PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE BOUGHT AND SOLD

2007-03-27T13:11:00.000+02:00

We held a silent, candlelit, anti-slavery vigil last night. A dozen of us stood in a prominent spot on the High Street. Most people just walked past, some obviously unaware that slavery is an issue today, let alone in the UK.I've put some stuff on my website. There's a bit in the spiritual resources section. I hope to add more to the justice section soon, but I've been designing a leaflet

Still Busy But Less Cuttered.

2007-03-14T13:44:00.000+01:00

Whew! We organised a rota of volunteers for a stand outside Sainsbury's for Fairtrade Fortnight. We appear to have told more people about Fairtrade, although most already know about it. We were also able to talk to those who were interested and help them find out more about what Fairtrade involves and why it's necessary. We were also able to tell people about our Fairtrade Town campaign as

Slightly More Successful than it First Seemed

2007-02-12T21:36:00.000+01:00

The goings on mentioned in the last post have been reported in the local paper, which means the local Fairtrade Town campaign has received a bit more publicity. The paper only comes out once a week, on a Friday, and I only just bought a copy today as I didn't know there was anything of special interest in it. I probably need to be a bit more patient and a bit more optimistic. Perhaps our town

Fairtrade Town Success and Struggles

2007-02-06T09:45:00.000+01:00

Last Thursday evening I presented a petition, which comprised numerous pages signed by local people, to a Committee of our Town Council asking them to give more support to our campaign to convert our town to a Fairtrade Town. They agreed to mention the campaign on their website and in their free publication, which will give us a bit more publicity.However, to date we are not aware of widespread

A Good Day in the Garden

2007-02-03T18:53:00.000+01:00

Hubby finished off the small patio he has been working on for the last few weekends. Now all we need is a bench and we can enjoy the evening sun in the summer.Hubby has also been busy digging the veg patch for me and has made quite a bit of progress. It was fairly slow going as it has been neglected in the last few years and is covered in weeds.I cleared a patch in another weedy area, namely

It's a Beautiful Day

2007-02-03T15:40:00.000+01:00

I hope it's as lovely a day where you are as it is here. No need for a coat or jumper in the sunshine. We're busy in the garden, except for now when I'm digesting my lunch. Photos may follow if I get the time.

This Week

2007-01-10T19:35:00.000+01:00

Well, Monday I was feeling very positive as I walked into town in the drizzle to have my hair cut and the head massage was lovely. Afterwards I sauntered along the High Street in indulgent mood, buying one of Burt's Bees tinted lip balm and some of his cuticle cream in a nick nack shop, nad then a couple of cream coloured cushions and half a dozen cream napkins going cheap in MacKays sale.I