Posts For February 2012

Real Love

Posted: 9th Feb 2012 (0 comments)

Real Love

It's easy to be cynical about Valentine's Day – or about love generally. We struggle with what exactly we mean by love; there are alternatives calling themselves love that are, in fact, intent on hijacking the real thing. There are those who ‘love’ but are really only interested in sex and those who ‘love’ because it gives them a much-needed sense of self-worth. So how do we identify ‘real love’? The answer is surprisingly straightforward. In real love the other person always comes first. It is about caring and giving rather than demanding and taking. There is a selflessness about real love that is absent in its imitations. Real love is a priceless gift that can make us generous and selfless. Almost everybody who falls in love is made better by it. In a cynical age we need to defend the value of real love.

The Queen: ruling and serving

Posted: 6th Feb 2012 (0 comments)

The Queen: ruling and serving

Almost unbelievably it is 60 years since the accession of Princess Elizabeth to the throne on the sudden death of her father, King George VI. I am an admirer of the Queen and have appreciated her quietly stated but firm Christian commitment, but reflecting on her long reign I find myself particularly struck by the seriousness and faithfulness with which she has fulfilled her responsibilities. This responsibility and commitment is even more striking when you consider that she did not choose to become Queen, but had the solemn duty thrust upon her. I wonder whether she has ever found herself identifying with Frodo in Lord of the Rings who, as the one entrusted with the ring of power, finds himself forced to bear an appalling burden alone. Three thoughts about her reign come to mind.

Whitney Houston

Posted: 15th Feb 2012 (0 comments)

Whitney Houston

The death of the singer Whitney Houston, at what is now considered a young age of 48, has shocked many people and generated much comment. No one disagrees over the fact that, in an industry filled with manufactured talent, she was the genuine article; an awesome voice that overflowed with beauty and soul. Sadly, she let drink and drugs destroy that talent. In fact, Whitney herself is reported as saying 'the biggest devil is me'. We, of course, don't know the details about Whitney's personal hurts, habits and hang ups that drove her to drink and drugs.

Why we need Lent

Posted: 21st Feb 2012 (0 comments)

Why we need Lent

This Wednesday is what is called Ash Wednesday in the church calendar and it marks the start of the forty-day period of Lent that runs up to Easter Day. There is a longstanding tradition and practice that some Christians follow of fasting during Lent. The principle is that during this period you voluntarily deny yourself something such as chocolate or alcohol – or even Facebook or television. It has to be something that you like (there is no merit in giving up something you dislike!) and it has to be something good; after all, if it’s bad you ought to give it up permanently, not just take a break from it. Now this whole idea strikes many people today as bizarre or even medieval.

Prayer in the early hours

Posted: 24th Feb 2012 (0 comments)

Prayer in the early hours

I have recently returned from Singapore and am jet-lagged and not sleeping well, so an article on the BBC website caught my attention. The myth of the eight-hour sleep gives a great deal of food for thought. The writer points out that scientific and historical research suggests that the current trend for a single spell of sleep overnight – on average eight consecutive hours – is relatively recent and may not actually be ideal. More traditional is a pattern of sleeping for a couple of hours, being awake for another hour or so and then sleeping again for a longer period. Many people who have been troubled for years by the fact that they find themselves waking up in the middle of the night and are then unable to get to sleep for an hour or so have been greatly reassured by this. They are normal after all!