asadmin I wonder if you remember those pictures some years ago which had other images embedded in them? If you looked closely and let your eyes glaze a little, suddenly a new, ‘hidden’ image would miraculously appear. Apparently 92% of the population could do them – I was one of the 8% who couldn’t. Make of … Read more
We’re in that time of year when light is at a premium. Nowadays this affects us much less than it would have done in ancient societies, lacking access to artificial light. Then, a full (or nearly full) moon and a clear sky made a huge difference. Otherwise, fire was pretty much the only source of … Read more
Last year was a bumper year for acorns. Many of the folk at St Mary’s can verify this, walking past the Holm Oak at the front of Wavendon churchyard numerous times in October and November. It was fascinating to watch Autumnwatch on TV a few years ago to discover the reason why. Apparently every 4-7 … Read more
When someone sneezes in your presence, I wonder what your first reaction is? In this day and age, perhaps to get as far away from them as possible. But in times past, I imagine for many of us, the response would be an automatic: ‘Bless you!’ But what does it mean? The word ‘bless’ is … Read more
Not long ago, our young people’s group looked at space. As part of our session, we watched a fairly mind-blowing short video, which showed just how vast it is (if you want to watch it, this is the link). We learned, for example, that the sun is a million times bigger than earth, but that … Read more
Wednesday is Armistice Day. At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, the armistice was signed and peace was declared to mark the end of the Great War. Whether it’s on Wednesday, or on Remembrance Sunday yesterday, people mark this moment in different ways, and take an opportunity to … Read more
Peter Kay’s adverts for John Smith’s bitter in the early 2000s years still rank as some of my favourite ads of all time (I used to test and research ads for a living, so I’ve always had a soft spot for the ad break). One of the best starred Kay as a dad comforting his … Read more
God has not forgotten you. At the risk of sounding like a scratched record (and I have plenty of those, as my wife will tell you), I want to return to Monday’s theme, from a different angle. You are not forgotten. The world is a big and confusing place, and our current news headlines only … Read more
Remember, remember, the 5th of November…. so the old nursery rhyme goes, and one that we learned at school. I imagine you may have done too! Today’s passage is another trip down memory lane: in this case prophetic memory lane. About 250 years previously, God had promised King David – son of Jesse – that … Read more
‘Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.’ John the Baptist’s iconic words addressed to Jesus in the first chapter of John’s gospel are rooted in today’s famous passage. Ever since the time of Exodus, the image of the sacrificial lamb had come to symbolise God’s rescue of his people. … Read more