This is a post drafted and redrafted over an extended period of time.  It has been stored waiting for the day when I felt ready to resume regular posting.  So, some thoughts...

Firstly, a big thank you to those who have commented whether on the post I deleted, on my 'holding statement', or who have contacted me directly.

To 'Anon' I can only repeat my apology that what I said, or how I said it, caused you such offence, but thank you for commenting and for making me stop and think.

To those who have offered words of support and encouragement, I am grateful and heartened that, overall, this blog is still worthwhile. 

Some who know me in life have emailed me and those messages have been really privileged.  I am genuinely touched that people would share their own stories with me.

I don't expect my readers to agree with everything, even anything, I say, and I don't mind people expressing their disagreement.

I am keenly aware that written communication is not always ideal, that sometimes tone of voice comes over other than is intended.  What I say may be heard in ways I did not intend; what others comment likewise

This blog platform does not allow true anonymised commenting, but it is feasible to appear as such by chosing the name 'anon' or by adopting a pseudonym, and I recognise that sometimes, for some people, that is helpful.

I try to be responsible and careful in what I say and how I say it; sometimes I have got that wrong, and sometimes I will still get it wrong.  And maybe that is OK.

The period of self-imposed silence has been interesting and challenging - several times I have thought "ooh, that would be good to share" and held back because the thinking space is needed.  Any decision has consequences, and this is one such... The need to reflect means that some good news stories haven't been told, which seems a shame, but cannot now be undone.


So, I will be returning to blogland, chastened for sure, and I will still share stuff from my everyday life where I feel it is worth sharing for one reason or another.  And when I get it wrong, all I ask is that you remember that I, too, am human.

On 20th June 2009, at around this time, I received a phone call to tell me that I had been called to serve at the church which has come to be known online as The Gathering Place.

Six years on, and we have shared a lot together - some very happy, some very sad; some that has been 'successful' and some less so.

Not everything that any of us hoped or dreamed of has come to pass, but here we are, still doing our best to fulfil what we understand to be God's call on our collective lives.

It continues to be a privilege to serve here, with all the challenges it brings, with all the stumbles and bumbles I seem to make along the way.

God's call can be trusted - I am glad I heard and accepted that call.  Six years on, it is good to pause and remember the day I turned metaphorical cartwheels in a rather tiny office in a manse in a village known on line as Dibley.

For all that has been - and I do mean all - thanks.

For what is to come - and I know the risk of saying that - yes!

For the greater part of a decade I have maintained this blog, and out of the greater part of four thousand posts, I have taken down no more than half a dozen which caused upset or offence.  I try to be responsible but I don't always get it right, and in recent weeks have managed to get it wrong, at least for some readers, on at least two occasions, which feels like two too many.

This is not me taking a huff and stomping off with my ball; this is me recognising that I need to step back and think afresh whether this is the appropriate platform for the things I write about.  It's not about who is 'right' or who is 'wrong', it's about me trying to take seriously my responsibilities.

So, sincere apologies to anyone who I have hurt, upset or offended in recent times.

And apologies to anyone who is disappointed at my decision.

For the next little while, at least, I will not be blogging, if only to give me time to reflect carefully on what is or is not suitable for public consumption.

That was a fun afternoon, seeing lots of families have a ball (well a ceilidh obviously) this afternoon.

Accordians, guitar, bagpipes, saxophone, singers, dancing, games, snacks... a lovely pack out time for all who came along.

Huge thanks to A, N, N, C, G, L, M, G, H, E, F, S, A, B who gave their time and energy to make it so much fun for all who came along.

My very elderly (better part of 30 years old) 21st Edition copy of Patons Woolcraft - still my 'go to' after all these years.  I did have an earlier edition, the 18th I think, but I wore it out (and shared it with my sister and mother).

I taught myself to knit from the Ladybird book on knitting - alas it seems my copy is long since lost, and I'm not about to pay £3.50 (or more) to replace it purely for nostalgic reasons.  My first successful knitting project was a bright green pencil case (with a white zip hand stitched into it - back in the 70s it was expected that you could put in a zip by age 11!) before I soon progressed to a jumper with a cable design up the front, and in time won prizes for my fairisle and Arran knits.

Now, I just dug out the book for fancy stitches to work into squares I'm knitting for a charity.  Just opening it, looking at patterns that have been knitted over the years is a source of great joy... and I realise now that I was actually a mighty good knitter back in the day!