Crocuses (croci?)  and Rhodedendrons in the local park... enjoy

An old hymn comes to mind...

Yes God is good. In earth and sky,

In ocean depths and spreading wood,

Ten thousand voices seem to cry:

God made us all and God is good.

I lent my copy of this little book to one of my choir last year - and last I knew it was still making its way round the choir...

Interpret as you will! 

Later editions are available.

So this one from Archdruid Eileen amused me.

All of which reminds me of the joke I first heard way back in the 1970's and which still crops up from time to time...

A minister was being shown the new church building, equipped with every modern gadget.  As he (it was the 1970's afterall) walked into the worship space he noticed there were no seats, and commented on this.  The steward pressed a button and up popped a row of seats right at the front of the church.  The steward explained that until this row was filled no more seats would appear but, once it was, this row would glide backwards and a new row would appear in front of it.  So it went on... devices to ensure good singing, good coffee, etc. etc.

Finally the minister approached the lectern/pulpit.  It was fully adjustable for height, had plenty of space for his papers and Bible; overhead was an illuminated sign that flashed 'listen' as he began to speak.  Wow, he said, this is marvellous.  Ah yes, said the steward but the best bit is the auto-timer... if the sermon exceeds twenty minutes a trapdoor opens and the preacher disappears...

I'm sure others tell it better but it still makes me smile.

I have just started - well spent I guess around four hours on - the jigsaw shown here.  Lent to me by AE it is a Devilish Jigsaw, hence AEDJ.

It seems to me there are only two ways to do this jigsaw...

1.  The 'happy accident' - toss all the pieces in the air and hope the 1 in 1000! (one thousand factorial) chance that it comes out with the pieces in the right order happens.

2. 'Sift and sort' and systematically build.  Slow and steady.  So far I have 'built' all the 'oranges' using this method and am now taking a break before deciding what to focus on next.

The good thing is that when someone sent me a link for a lengthy legal ruling I had concentration and focus enough to read and make sense of it (well until I realised it was really long so I skipped to the end to see what the punchline was!).

So, thank you AE and others who have set me various OT (Occupational Therapy) type challenges to get my mind working again.

Last Sunday's guest preacher reminded us that the stories in the Bible give us hints and glimpses of God's nature.  The stories of Abraham, David, Moses, Ruth, Esther, Sarah, Martha, Mary, Peter, Thomas and so on all tell us something about the God who we, as Christians, claim is all-loving.

Rob Bell, perhaps best known for the Nooma videos used by many, many churches, has, it seems been causing controversy by asking questions about how evangelical Christians understand God and how this relates to notions of heaven, hell, orthodoxy and heresy.  You can see the video that is getting him into hot water (or is that hot flames?) in some circles here.

Bell's new book 'Love Wins' comes out shortly and I have pre-ordered it.  I am looking forward to seeing what Bell really says - rather than what the critics think he might have said.  I recall the furore in some circles when Steve Chalke dared to question penal substitution as the only valid understanding of the cross; it seems Bell might be causing similar stirs across the pond.

The big question - what kind of God - has to have the 'so what.'  Whether or not people agree with what Bell concludes, he is asking important questions, and doing so publicly; for that I am grateful.

A couple of articles here and here and here.  See what you think... and I won't call you a heretic whatever you decide!!

HT Nick Lear, for this joke which made me chuckle enough to hurt my scars...

One Sunday morning, the minister told the congregation that he was going to say a series of words, and he wanted them to sing the song that came to mind, when he said each word. 

The first word he said was 'rock' They immediately started singing 'Rock of Ages.' 

The second word he said was 'name' and they sang 'Lord, I lift your name on high.'