That's me, as they say in Derby and Glasgow!  All set to head to church and then a whole octave of free time spent travelling around England, catching up with family and friends.  Bags packed, lunch packed, cat organised, car fuelled (seems to have cost less than this time last year...).

Huge thanks to all readers and commenters (especially Perpetua who valiantly continues despite, in spite or to spite the dreadful comment facility on this platform).

I end 2013 having been discharged by the plastic surgeons (reconstructive stuff) and will begin 2014 with my annual check-up with the fantastic breast team at Western Infirmary Glasgow.

I end 2013 happy, hopeful and broadly healthy (even if the number of pre-exisitng health conditions on my travel insurance documents is scary!!) and look forward to many speciual times in 2014 - including New Zealand, Finland and hte Commonwelth Games in Glasgow.

God is faithful and has brought me through another year of growing and experiencing - and I commend myself and my coming year to God.

Wishing you and those you love a peaceful, hope-filled 2014.

Bye for now!

It isn't very often I preach the Sunday after Christmas - usually only when it coincides with Boxing Day - but this year I will be.  My valiant, if not always successful, endeavours only to work sensible numbers of hours (so we'll gloss over a couple of 14 hour days recently) mean that I have worked yesterday and today (and will take my Bank Holiday lieu days next week) but at least I now have a sermon.

And I am delighted by it.  Not necessarily with it.  But by it.

Because I found a new way to read an old text, and a new bit of 'good news' to savour.  It may be old news to anyone else, and it may be dodgy hermeneutics, but it has made me happy!

What is it...?  AH, you'll have to wait and see.  Now it's just the small matter of the craft activity to sort.

In the light of this post, this made me smile...

Today has dawned with clear skies after the rain, hail and blusteryness of the past few days.  Fitting, perhaps, as a nation rests after the festive busyness.

A great day, yesterday. 

Forty or so folk ventured out for morning worship, cafe style, round the lunch tables, with drinks and festive goodies on arrival.

Fifty or so for lunch (the people kept a comin' and the train done gone) which was a fantastic atmosphere, delicious food and wonderful organisers and servers.

A swift visit to a couple of folk spending Christmas in hospital (I'm pretty sure than that makes at least 8 out of the last 10 years that's been the case)

Some feel good TV (Last Tango in Halifax on i-player was great; not sure about Dr Who (and some very unimpressed comments by whovians on social media!))

Today I have to stir my stumps, get up to church to retrieve various bits 'n' bobs left there over the last couple of days, and work out something for Sunday's service that it is a bit more appealing than leftover turkey sandwiches!!

Whatever yoyur day brings, gentle reader, I do hope that it includes rest, refreshment and moments to savour.

Wishing All Readers a Blessed Christmas and a Hope-filled 2014