Author: aeec

Comparing some of the most well-known Christmas songs with the true message and meaning of the season has been an interesting experience. I thought I had chosen a decent selection, until yesterday. Deborah said ‘I’m surprised you never chose Santa Clause is coming to Town’. I hate to admit it, but she was right- I…
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We have a new addition to our Christmas tree this year, a ‘tree skirt’. For the uninitiated, a tree skirt is like a woolly blanket which sits at the foot of the tree. It looks good, but will -soon enough- be covered over in presents. And early (too early) on Christmas morning the girls will…
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As I write, it’s 30th November, St Andrew’s Day. I’m not sure why St Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland (and Romania, Greece, Russia, Ukraine and Poland) but it’s got me thinking about him. Unlike his brother, Andrew doesn’t feature prominently on the pages of Scripture. There’s a lot we don’t know about him.…
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Much to the girls’ excitement our Christmas tree is now officially up! I remain unsure how ‘Christian’ the tradition of the tree actually is, but there are certainly things in it which can point us to the true message and meaning of Christmas. Firstly, as presents gather at the foot of the tree we ought…
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‘How long’ is a common phrase these days. How long till Christmas? How long until we are free from this virus and the collection of sorrows it brings? We have always been impatient people. 1 How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long…
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We recently watched an old Macaulay Culkin film, not ‘Home Alone’ (though it won’t be long now!) but ‘Richie Rich’. The richest boy in the world discovers that no matter how many billions he has in the bank, there are some things that money can’t buy, real relationship, true friendship and lasting happiness. It’s sad…
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By the time you read this, you may well know who has won the 2020 presidential election. At the time of writing, both candidates are claiming to be on course to win, and at least one is threatening legal action if he loses! It’s an ugly and bitter battle. I’m also thoroughly confused by the…
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Birthdays are a time -as the name suggests- to remember the day of someone’s birth. Last week we celebrated Katie’s 12th birthday together. I think she had a good time, and I’m sure one of the highlights must have been being serenaded (albeit digitally) by Neil as he sang “Happy Birthday” to her. As members…
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5 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralysed.  5 One…
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