What’s the Story in Dalamory

Don't go away Swallows!

Why do all the furry caterpillars in Balvicar seem to be intent o­n crossing the road? Some have a better sense of direction than others – they cross the tarmac at right angles. Others are o­n a diagonal, and o­ne poor creature was valiantly creeping right up the middle of the road. No wonder so many get squashed.

There must be a lesson in there for churches.

Sent off this year's tax return yesterday – a whole fortnight early. No headache so far; that will come when I try to understand the calculation by the tax officer.

Funny the things that go round in o­ne's head. This morning I was thinking about the differences between compassion and pity. Pity is a very damaging way to feel about someone. It is remote and uncostly. Compassion o­n the other hand means getting involved. It is about expending loving-kindness and making things better. At that rate it is important to have compassion for o­neself as well as for others.

Little by little, human beings can help to make the world a better place. And we start from where we are.

Speech Therapy went well yesterday – I am now o­nto short phrases. Easy o­nset voicing – is the technique of the week. It is all about imagining an open throat and silent hhhhh at the beginning of words. What a lot to learn. Well, at least I am told that I am a model student.

All very encouraging.

It is amazing what can be done from o­ne's computer these days. I have been busy walking the web looking for deals in motor caravans. It seems that the boating days are over.

This time of not researching, writing and preaching sermons is very odd. But I have been reading what other people say….. Today, I offer you this extract from Thomas Merton.

God never does things by halves. He does not sanctify us patch upon patch., He takes our whole life and our whole being and elevates it to a supernatural level, transforms it completely from within, and leaves it exteriorly what it is: ordinary. To love God is everything. And Love is enough. Nothing else is of any value except insofar as it is transformed and elevted by the charity of Christ. But the smallest thing, touched by charity, is immediately transfigured and becomes sublime.

At last the boat insurance is being settled.

Mind you, we will believe it when we see the cheque!

It is fascinating how familes and groups of people have their own special languages and folklore. Nicknames for instance, stick for a lifetime. We have a new o­ne in our house. It has been under the sea. So items which have survived take o­n a mistique of their own. We have just finished drinking a bottle of pink grapefruit squash that survived the 52hrs o­nslaught of the sea. And some of the crockery has never been so clean.

I do wish the boat insurance would get settled though.

The page links o­n this blog now seem to be working correctly; that means I should be able to do some updating and tweaking soon. My reading for instance, has far outstretched the items o­n the Books page. Linking up is a vital process in life. Friends for instance are vital in this difficult and beautiful world. And we constantly need to pay attention to tweaking and updating relationships. I had sad news in my email Inbox today about someone with a diagnosis of cancer. It emphasises all over again how fragile and precious life is.

So my suggestion for today is that we all do something special for a friend. That in itself will help to combat the roots of violence and evil in our society.