I just want to say that the closure of churches during the pandemic has worn very thin. I drafted a letter to the power(s) that be in my part of the world and was answered immediately with these few words, “Churches are re-opening this weekend.” Which they ended up not doing because we were hit…

At rural boarding school when the power went out (regularly in the winter as different unions went on strike for better working conditions or higher wages) it was an inconvenience. The house I lived in was a large, stately home with hundreds-or so it seemed to me-of rooms and a maze of narrow, dark corridors….

It wasn’t until I watched Call the Midwife that I realized the National Health (NHS), a social service that has been a part of my life since I can remember, was still dealing with teething problems when I was born. It was brand new for my parents. My grandparents had raised their children without it….

I’m always happy when it snows. The ground looks bright, dazzling even. A down comforter slung over Footlights concealing mud ruts in the driveway and beaten tracks through the open fields. Red berries clustered among the junipers could be directional markers if I had noticed them before the snow. Pure. I’m reminded of Revelation 7:14,…

I’ve been grooming and bathing horses for a year now and this one was in desperate need of a good rub-a-dub scrub. While I enjoy my new skill there have been a few times when the horse I’ve been washing has ‘sat-back’ and I’ve stepped aside to watch the situation abate. No-one wants to be…

Each morning when I write my journal I address it to God. It’s a stream of consciousness effort, limited to one page of my ruled exercise book and always ends with the same set of words, a mantra of sorts: “I love you above all things, keep me always safe and close to you.  Thank…

I don’t know about you Daughts, but on December 31st I always ask myself the same question, “Where did the year go?” I flip through my diaries and make a note of the highlights just to prove to myself that I didn’t spend it being a couch potato or hanging out a tad too long…

Prayers: For most of us they are cries for help. World-wide. Just look at the prayer lists in any given church, upwards of 40 or more people each prayed for, probably on a daily basis, by loved ones, prayer-chains and whole religious communities, wanting God to fix things! Our liturgical service gives over a whole…

On re-reading last year’s letter I had to open with the prophetic words I ended with: “We are ready to let the dust settle and become by-standers. May you be blessed this season with appreciation for the simple things in 2020.” We’ve put aside the life that ‘used to be’ and adapted to a confusing,…

Cats are nappers.  My two boys sleep most of the day and I would even venture to say, they are Masters of Repose. No matter how comfortable I think I am in my warm, soft and cozy bed, lounging with Hubs, sipping my coffee, chatting and enjoying a leisurely Saturday morning, I look in on…