What’s so good about Easter?

I wonder what sprung to mind when you read that question? What IS so good about Easter?! Perhaps you thought of a long weekend? Chocolate? Family? I am planning to enjoy all of those things, but as they are good things, I would also encourage you to think of the man who caused there to be an Easter to celebrate in the first place.

Perhaps Jesus wasn’t the first thing which sprung to mind when I asked ‘What’s so good about Easter?’, but I would suggest that HE makes Easter so good! Jesus dying on the cross and rising again makes Easter brilliant. I stumbled upon this quote, which I found useful in thinking about why Easter is so good

New Year’s Eve: a Time to Reflect?

New Year’s Eve sometimes feels like the one day in the year when you HAVE to have some plans – maybe parties, meeting up with friends, going out? Well, this year I can happily say that the most plans I have are staying at home and probably even going to sleep before midnight! I am quite happy with this, because I am looking forward to taking the opportunity, at the end of one year and start of another, to spend some time reflecting and taking stock.

In the past I have enjoyed taking time on New Year’s Eve to spend time with God, thinking about the year that’s gone and looking towards the year ahead, and talking to Him about it and committing my plans to Him. So, this year I thought I’d have a think about these questions:

Redeeming Christmas

I don’t know about you, but at this time of year my mind is whirring with all the jobs to do with Christmas. Do you have a list of things to do before Christmas? I think maybe I should write one, because my mind is full of questions and things to do at the moment!

My mind buzzes with questions like:

• When are we going to have time to do Christmas shopping?
• When we do manage to find time, what are we going to buy for each person?
• Who are we going to send Christmas cards to?
• When are we going to see each part of the family?
• How many days until the last posting day?
• When can I fit in writing the cards before the last posting day?
• Where will we get our Christmas tree from?
• How much money can we afford to spend on presents for family and friends?

This is by no means a exhaustive list, but you get the idea! Sometimes I wish my brain came with an ‘off’ switch, or at least a ‘mute’ button! Admittedly, as I have said in previous posts I am quite a worrier so your list may not be full of as many questions as this, but I do think

Seasons Change, but God Stays the Same

Well, Mike and I are moving to Oxford on Monday! Yes, that is in 5 days time – I can’t quite believe it! I have a whole mix of different thoughts and feelings. I had been feeling stressed for quite a few days and thus, probably a bit grumpy and difficult to live with (sorry, Mike!), but yesterday and today I have been feeling quite calm.

I have been thinking about the idea of ‘seasons’ and that “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) – things inevitably change and there are certain situations in our life which are right for a time and then it’s time to move onto something else, or for something to change. I think I have come to appreciate this more as I have grown up.

I used to have unrealistic expectations of how many people I would be able to keep in touch with and would promise to ‘keep in touch’ with a lot of people! I think that this was because I found it hard to let go and accept that there are some things, and some people

Learning from the London Olympics

 

A great article by Neil Powell, (click on the picture above or here to read) well worth a read as we reflect on this summers events! Feel free to leave comments here as well as on Neil’s post.

I’m anxious, but do I need to be?

When it comes to change, or new situations, I often become anxious. I’ve realised this about myself more and more recently. I found myself feeling a bit nervous about having my first online food shopping order delivered! I also found myself feeling anxious when the first removal company was coming round to give us a quote to move us down to South. I prayed about both situations and I was relieved when both events I was anxious about were fine (I’m not quite sure what I was expecting to happen!)  These things are SO trivial (and they feel even more so now that I am admitting it ‘out loud’!), but the common denominator is simply that I didn’t know what to expect and not knowing what to expect makes me anxious.

Of course, like I said, the two examples which sprang to mind were very trivial, but I think that the feeling of anxiousness in the face of change or uncertainty is a much bigger and less trivial issue, which I’d imagine effects most of us at some point. I am also aware of the effect of this tendency of mine as in three weeks Mike and I are moving

The Trinity is Simple…

Simple but true, explicable yet mysterious!

J I Packer on infant baptism…

I’m continuing my reading of ‘The Renewed Pastor‘ a book of essays by the great and good of modern evangelicalism. This weeks chapter was the great Packer’s essay on infant baptism, originally published in the Churchman. This is probably the clearest explanation of the biblical grounding of paedobaptism which I have read and deserves to be studied by all Christians. For this blog a lengthy quotation will suffice (pgs 149-151):

… the ground of the practice [of paedobaptism] is the fact that from the moment of birth these children share their parents’ covenant status. The covenant sign, therefore, has the same significance when administered to them as it has for adult converts: it does not create, but it confirms and attests a status and relationship which is already theirs on other grounds… The necessity of the practice derives from the fact that when God announced the covenant of grace to

Book Review: ‘The Vow’ by Kim & Krickitt Carpenter

I’ve just finished reading one of those books you’re gripped by and steal every possible minute to read! I read “The Vow” in a day, as it was so engaging, easy to read and encouraging. The book is the moving story of a newly married couple, Kim and Krickitt, who’s lives are changed when they are in a serious car accident just 10 weeks into their marriage. They both suffer physical injuries from the accident, but the wife, Krickitt, suffers more serious injuries, which include brain damage. Krickitt loses her memory of the year and half before the accident, which includes the time she has met, got to know and married Kim.  The book tells the story of their lives after the accident.

After watching the film at the cinema I was interested to hear that it was inspired by a true story. Now that I have read the book, I must say that the film is only very loosely based on the true events and that one of the clear aspects of the story which was missed in the film was the fact that Kim and Krickitt are

A ‘fireside’ chat with Tim Keller

Really interesting chat with Timothy Keller; highlights are his thoughts on evolution at 27 min and heaven and hell (including a response to Rob Bell) at 36min!

Any thoughts or response to what Tim said, do leave them in the comments!