How do we grasp concepts? Sometimes, like from a child, we are taught, we learn as we grow and develop. I guess we trust our parents and our teachers that the colour red is red. That the big bright light in the sky during the day is called the sun. That it is day when it is light and night when it is dark. I started thinking like this one afternoon when I was looking after my 11-month-old granddaughter, Abigail. She relies on her family so much for her learning. Then as she gets older she will rely on her teachers to teach her to read and grow in knowledge…

It started with a ten week term of exercises, stretches, moves and flexing. The class had all started together and were all beginners. Every week there was excitment in the air to what was being taught today and how far the group had progressed. Then it stopped. Came to a crashing halt. All because of a change. It was gymnastics entry level for my 6 year old granddaughter Aubrey. She had for weeks been showing everyone the new “moves” she could do. The flexible back bends, the splits, the cartwheels were all in her resumé. And each week you could see her improve in her flexibility and in her techniques. Then the…

Does this sound like anyone when they were a child? Mum comes into a room and states “Our house looks like a pig sty, who did this?” and 3 year old Willow replies, “A pig did it.” Or Mum asks, “Aubrey did you throw all your paper cuttings under the couch?” “No, I put it in the bin” was her reply.” “So you’re telling me someone broke into our house and took the rubbish out of the bin and threw it under the couch?” 3 year old Willow pipes up again, “Yeah a bad guy did it.” This brings a smile to my face, (Yes you smiled too) but also…

My heart is heavy. Many tears came to my eyes as I read the hundreds and hundreds of prayer requests that have come in. How many tears has Our Lord shed for humanity over the centuries? In Scripture Jesus was always compelled by compassion to reach out to us. He has not changed in this. Many cry out for help in relationships. Help between husbands and wives, between sons and daughters and parents, between brothers and sisters, between work colleagues. So much strife, unhappiness, unforgiveness, hatred. Sometimes it is abuse of one to another, of the strong demeaning the weak. Addictions of things like alcohol, drugs, and pornography that lead…

My ten-month-old granddaughter Abigail is at such a cute age. She waves goodbye to you. She plays peek-a-boo and giggles, she chuckles. Stands on her own when she does not know it and loves looking and smiling at herself in the mirror. Looking at herself in the mirror it is gorgeous to see. She pulls faces at herself, laughs and chatters to the little girl she can see. Who knows if at that age they realise it is them they are seeing in the mirror, or do they think it is another little baby? The next day I stopped to look in the same mirror to check if my hair…