General Chat

We can use the lockdown to “rediscover that life is of no use if not used to serve others”, Pope Francis said on Palm Sunday.

Good afternoon :-)

Sorry to be a bit late, but got side-tracked with one thing and another.

Today is Holy Monday when we remember how Jesus threw the money changers out of the temple with the words "It is written, 'my house shall be called a house of prayer', but you have made it a den of thieves!"


The last week of the Lent Course.

Genesis 1.24-25
24 And God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.’ And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.

The Bible shows us a God deeply concerned for creation, not least for animals.

Genesis 1 depicts God creating all land animals – including humans – on the sixth day. We will see later this week that humans are given particular qualities and responsibilities by God. But we also share so much with other creatures. God declares animals to be “good” and gives to them (as well as to us) the earth and the plants it contains for food.

Give thanks to God today for the animals with whom we share a common home, and for making such an abundance of life.

Cx :-)

Hello all
Cynthia, I also have a Palm Sunday Cross which I drew, coloured and then cut out to put into my front window. Just soooo very different to how it normally is, but we all recognize our lives are no longer "normal" any more.

The Bend in the Road
Sometimes we come to life's crossroads
And we view is what we think is the end.
But God has a much wider vision
And He knows that it's only a bend........
The road will go an and get smoother
And after we've stopped for a rest.
The path that lies hidden beyond us,
Is often the path that is best.
So rest and relax and grow stronger,
Let go and let God share your load
And have faith in a brighter tomorrow
You've come to the bend in the road.
Helen Steiner Rice.

The above is especially for lovely Emma X

Good morning :-)


Today is Palm Sunday - the day we celebrate the arrival of Jesus into Jerusalem.
My little homemade palm cross is gently sellotaped onto my front window. It reminds me of when the early Christians left secret symbols.....a Christian was here, sort of thing.

The Collect (special prayer) for Palm Sunday

Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


Love to all

Cx :-)

Hello all

I'm exercising by walking around the streets for twenty minutes a day and quietly praying as I pass the homes. Some neighbours I know and others I don't, but the Lord knows the concerns of us all.

It's meant to be a warm day tomorrow. More gardening for me. Stay at home and enjoy the sunshine, and take care everyone.

Good morning :-)


Emma, thanks for the HSR - once Lent is over, I'll get rooting around for some from her as I know you love those poems. <3

kandj, I know how this crisis is making some people behave really badly, but isn't it lovely when people do good things? On Thursday evenings, when it is time to go out and applaud those on the front line, I find myself waving to people I don't even know - I live on a busy main road. We will be bosom buddies when this is over :-D

Tabitha - gosh, how lovely for you to have all those sparrows around. Whilst the front of the house is on a busy road, we back onto a large field and countryside. We get lots of birds too but I am always happy to see a sparrow :-D

Nearly at the end of the Lent course

Matthew 23.37-39
37 ‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 38 See, your house is left to you, desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.”’

This weekend we mark
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Jesus can see the trouble that is brewing for the city and longs to be able to comfort the people like a mother hen gathering her brood.

Within a few days, Peter will hear a cockerel crow three times and realize he has betrayed Jesus. Later on, after a breakfast of fish on the shore, Peter will receive the risen Jesus’ grace and forgiveness.

Eggs are closely associated with Easter celebrations and decorations. How happy are the hens that lay the eggs you will buy? Look for free-range in the shops, sourced locally if possible.

Cx :-)

Hello all

I have a young couple across the road (Faye is a Christian lady), they have 5 children and 3 dogs (yes) more than a handful and yet she rang the doorbell and left me a small loaf and some milk..... how kind!

Pegging out the washing this morning the couple at the bottom of the garden shouted and waved to me from their bedroom window.... I waved back and put my thumbs up, which made them wave even harder.

It's good in difficult times to have people to help us.

My favourite hymn that captures the Christian message of supporting one another in troubled time is ........

Brother, sister let me serve you;
Let me be as Christ to you;
Pray that I may have the grace to
Let you be my servant too.

We are pilgrims on a journey,
and companions on the road;
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load.

I will hold the Christ-light for you
In the night time of your fear,
I will hold my hand out to you
Speak the peace you long to hear.

I will weep when you are weeping;
When you laugh I'll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow;
Till we've seen this journey through.

Take care and keep safe everyone.

Thought I’d put up something from Helen Steiner Rice.

Good Wishes.

Here are a million good wishes
and more for the things
you can never buy in a store.
A joy-filled heart and a happy smile,
Faith to sustain you in times of trial.
Contentment, inner peace and love,
All priceless gifts from God above!

Thank you Kandj for the lovely welcome.

I am sure your uncle meant it kindly and just wanted you to remember him when you saw the words.

I find all sorts of things pop up every now and then to remind me of times I had forgotten. Occasionally i see a film on "Talking Pictures" and think gosh mum would love that. So I watch it for her. Its coming up to her anniversary, even after all these years it gets to me sometimes. .

Talking of Sparrows - Several of the neighbours have the same hedges in their front gardens including us. I have no idea what they are, my mum was the gardener not us. We just keep it tidy. They are green all year and some mornings there are more sparrows than hedge. When washing up my husband counted 24 in our small hedge, our neighbours large hedge is over 8 foot tall. If I go out the front a whole swarm of little birds fly up to the roof, wait till danger (Me) has gone & swarm back into the hedge. The bushes are full of bird song every morning & evening.

The little sparrows fly in and out all day. We have what's called our cats favourite bush (and the 4 before him) . Again no idea what it is but its not a hedge and loses its leaves each autumn, occasionally has lovely little white flowers in the spring. All year even when its bare we have loads of little birds climbing and flying around it.

The cat is fascinated by it and spends hours sitting in the lounge window just watching the birds. When its warmer he sits under the bush with the little birds up above him, he just sits and watches, which I am very grateful of. We have even had a visit from our Robin who seems to sit and watch my husband at his desk doing family tree updates.

I saw a couple of blackbirds taking advantage of a lack of people and cars in our cul de sac to do their courtin. We of course have a couple of families of seagulls on the roofs opposite. The roof of the house behind us seems to be the best place in the area for several pigeons..

I am always up early and the back garden is very often full of bird song morning and evening when the neighbourhood cats and foxes are away.

I love this very peaceful and thought provoking thread. Hope your keeping yourselves busy in this stressful time.

Cynthia hope things are ok with you and your family.

Take care everyone and keep safe. .

Good morning :-)

How much more housework can you do today then? :-D


Today's Lent Course



Psalm 84.1-4
To the leader: according to The Gittith. Of the Korahites. A Psalm.
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longs, indeed it faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
to the living God.
3 Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King and my God.
4 Happy are those who live in your house,
ever singing your praise. Selah

The tree sparrow population in the UK has declined by 95% since 1970, in large part because of the loss of habitats due to urban development. As we have increased our building of homes for people, we have reduced habitats for birds.

The psalmist describes sparrows nesting in the Temple, much as bats live in many churches today. Jesus taught that God notices and cares when a sparrow falls to the ground, despite them being small, common and “two a penny” (Luke 12.6-7).

Can you create or restore a habitat for birds in your garden – or in your local churchyard or other community space?


Cx :-) Stay safe all. xx

Hello all

Loved the musical link David. Thank you.

Welcome Tabitha, my Uncle was a well read/learned man and had no sign of dementia. I'm still puzzled by his remarks to me all those years ago.

Vera, not many birds around but I spotted two Sparrow Hawks high in the sky so there must be a nest somewhere which explains the lack of birds now

Cynthia your ongoing Lent Course is appreciated now that the churches are closed and I'm all confused with the weeks of Lent.

Stay safe everyone.

Thank you as always Cynthia. When I went out for my allowed walk today there was a blackbird singing somewhere. I couldn’t see him but stood and listened for a while. We feed the birds and now that we are more or less confined to the house I am getting so much pleasure from watching them. We also have a bee box and a tiny little pond that the frogs visit. We are very blessed in the natural world but I think we are only just beginning to realise how we have abused our beautiful planet.

Good morning... :-)

Did I really forget to come on here yesterday? So sorry - it wasn't an April Fool thing honestly :-D

Thanks for those words Tabitha and I am glad you enjoy this thread <3


For today:
Genesis 8.6-12
6 At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made 7 and sent out the raven; and it went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent out the dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground; 9 but the dove found no place to set its foot, and it returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took it and brought it into the ark with him. 10 He waited another seven days, and again he sent out the dove from the ark; 11 and the dove came back to him in the evening, and there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. 12 Then he waited another seven days, and sent out the dove, and it did not return to him any more.

Doves are among the birds most often mentioned in the Bible. Noah sends one out to see if the land has recovered after the flood. The dove returns when it finds “no place to set its foot” and later does not come back, having found a new home.

In our own time, many bird species are in decline as the habitats that provide their homes are lost as a result of climate change, deforestation and intensive farming.

Intensive farming is associated with hedgerow loss and reduced biodiversity. When you buy fruit and vegetables, look out for produce from less intensive organic or LEAF-certified producers.

Look at the birds of the air
Watch – and listen – out for birds today. Bigger cities and changes to farming mean there are many fewer than a few decades ago.


Cx :-)

A song for you Rinacero

https://youtu.be/D5DhJS5hGWc

Yes I too have heard or seen the 4 lines of verse many times in a garden & was looking for a poem of encouragement for someone & found this -

No idea why some adults make things up for children - I am sure it was well meant at the time, perhaps he hoped you would remember him if you saw the words again. You never know he may have had slight dementia then, and not wanting to admit he didn't know said he had written them, perhaps he really thought he had.

Hope everyone is safe and well in their homes and keeping busy with their family tree & using Skype or whatever the system is that keeps in touch with family.

We are all so lucky now to be able to use a lot of different kinds of media to see and speak with loved ones.

Take care everyone - i love reading your postings on this beautiful thread.

Stay safe ;-) <3 ;-)

Thank you for your posting Tabitha. I seem to have known the four lines starting “The kiss of the sun....” for as long as I can remember but never knew where they came from.

Green spaces, flowers, bird song etc are so important for our mental health and our sense of calm that my thoughts are also with those who are cooped up in flats and houses with no access to the outside.

Stay safe and well everyone <3

Hello all

An interesting postingTabitha, thank you.

My paternal Uncle had a beautiful flower garden, my Dad grew mostly vegetables to feed our family.
One day when I was walking around Uncle George's garden I spotted a round concrete slab with these words written on it..............

The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth,
You are nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.

When I commented on how beautiful the words were, my Uncle said that he had written them himself. I was very impressed (only about 10-11 years old) at the time, but not so impressed very many years later when I came across the poem written by Dorothy Frances Gurney. Sadly my Uncle had died and so I was unable to question him and I still wonder why he felt that he had to lie to me and claim that he had written the words himself??

Saw this while working this afternoon - thought it would be nice to share as we were talking about the beginning and such beautiful weather at the moment

THE Lord God planted a garden
In the first white days of the world,
And He set there an angel warden
In a garment of light enfurled.
So near to the peace of Heaven,
That the hawk might nest with the wren,
For there in the cool of the even
God walked with the first of men.
And I dream that these garden-closes
With their shade and their sun-flecked sod
And their lilies and bowers of roses,
Were laid by the hand of God.
The kiss of the sun for pardon,
The song of the birds for mirth,--
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth.
For He broke it for us in a garden
Under the olive-trees
Where the angel of strength was the warden
And the soul of the world found ease.

Dorothy Frances Gurney

Good morning :-)


Praying for all who are working on the frontline during this difficult time and for their families.

Praying for those who are ill with this virus and for those who have died, and for their families.

Praying for all researchers and scientists as they seek to find a cure, and for their families.

So many prayers needed, so many prayers being offered. <3



Today's Lent Course

Psalm 104.24-28
24 O Lord, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
25 Yonder is the sea, great and wide,
creeping things innumerable are there,
living things both small and great.
26 There go the ships,
and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.
27 These all look to you
to give them their food in due season;
28 when you give to them, they gather it up;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.

The sea is filled with innumerable creatures, from microscopic to the largest creatures on earth. But this diversity is threatened not only by global warming but also by plastic pollution.

Currently over three billion of us worldwide currently have no safe way of managing our plastic waste. Plastic waste not only causes pollution that damages human health, it leads to vast floating islands of plastic in the seas and microplastics threatening even the tiniest marine creatures.

There is an urgent need for us to break our plastic addiction. What more could you do to reduce your own use of plastic at home and on the move? Think of ways you and your family could use less.


Love and prayers

Cx :-)

Hello all

Thank you for the Lent postings Cynthia.

Hard to think Passion Sunday has passed and Palm Sunday is so near. My church calendar is all to pot.

My thoughts and prayers are with families who are facing death of a loved one through the Corona virus.