For those who like palindromic dates and times, or for those who love Pascal's triangle, today is a date in which to revel.  But across the globe it is a day when, on average, 1 military and 3 civilian lives will be lost every hour in armed conflict.  It is not a day to debate the rights and wrongs of armed conflict, it is a day to remember, with gratitude, those, often conscripts rather than volunteers, who paid for our freedoms in their own blood.  It is a day to remember the countless children, women and men who live with the physical and mental scars of war.  It is a day to pray for peace - not mere absence of war.

My friends include pacifists and military chaplains, retired armed forces personnel and anti-war campaigners.  I have worked in defence; I hope I also work for peace.  Do I have an answer? No, not really.  But today, for a moment (or 120 seconds anyway) I will endeavour to stop and think.

Remember the Dead

Do not forget the Living

Pray for Peace

Why has Holly Cat suddenly taken to jumping onto the back of the settee and licking my hair?  Answers on a postcard please!

Still summoning the courage to get the curls chopped - not this side of my holiday weekend but it must be soon as I look more and more like a scarecrow... maybe Holly is trying to tidy up a wayward kitten?

A view from my window overlooking (roughly) Broomhill.  Though not clear in this photo, the first light of dawn was grazing the horizon, a hint of pink in an otherwise indigo sky.  Streetlamps pierced the darkness with their sodium glow and the sound of commuter cars rumbled beneath my gaze.

It is no secret that the part of the Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas to which I am always most drawn is the the 'shot at dawn' memorial.  The place where simple marker posts bear the names of men and boys shot as deserters in Wolrd War I - some of them having previously been decorated for gallantry.  That they were eventaully all pardoned 'en masse' does not take away the sting of the experience of standing there on an chill morning, having read examples of the 'last letter home' and the kangaroo courts which summarily executed these men.

I am glad we live in an age when PTSD is recongised and those traumatised by their experiences receive help and support.

If it offends my military friends, I apologise, but just before dawn I chose to remember these men who died in the service of their nation.

Eternal rest grant to them, oh LORD, may they rest in peace

Can any of you lovely people help me?

I am looking for a music copy of Carol Praise (1987 or 2006 edition) and or a music copy of Let's Praise (c. 1987 too).  There are word copies of the latter at church and I've tracked down a few word copies for the former (at 1p plus postage each) but I cannot find a music copy of either for love nor money. (I know our pianist has music for Let's Praise, but I'd like my own copy)

If you one going spare, I'd gladly pay postage plus a fair price for a second hand copy.

Anyone....?

One of the questions I am still working out an answer to, even eight years down the line (plus four years of placements before that) is "what do ministers do?"  This week, I think I am a professional coffee drinker, as three days will have involved doing just that.

Either that or a professional waffler - I seem to talk far too much these days.