icy east wind
whipping over fells
curling around barns
squeezing under doors
past ill-fitting windows
slicing through the layers
freezing breath and fingertips
digging stock from snowdrifts
lambing morning, noon and night
daily feed-round, on quadbike or foot
maintaining fences, building walls
protecting from rustlers and dogs
set loose on sheep for 'sport'
bio-security, official papers
vets, auctions and dealers
a shepherd's working day
woman, dog and flock
'the sheep follow her
for they know her voice'
what makes a good shepherd?


Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
1st April 2025
following John 10.4

heated till the dross is burnt away
the refiner's fire of love and holiness
furnace of hearts, minds and spirits
from which emerges soul gold
moulded, crafted, burnished
designer's plan revealed

but who am I
and what's my life
how to assess my being
my motives and actions tested
against the yardstick, the plumbline
of what's good and godly, just and true
all that's of self-giving love and compassion
which lies deep rooted in the heart of being
the nature, character, purposes of God

just a little something to ponder
to explore, with which to wrestle
as 'I commune with my heart in the night;
my spirit searching for understanding"


Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent
31st March 2025
following Psalm 77.6

the list is endless
through the pages of history
women known and unknown
though mainly unknown
as men mostly wrote the histories
women who between them did it all
led countries, commanded armies
designed, built, discovered, explored
researched, taught, sang, danced
painted, sculpted and otherwise created
prophets, priests, monastics
doctors, the wise women
wives, mothers, life-bearers
and so, so much more

so on Mothering Sunday
or Mother's Day as some would have it
we remember them, celebrate even
flowers, chocolates, breakfast in bed
all a bit saccharine, a touch twee for
the resilience, the grit, the determination
it takes to be a woman, a mother
in all the complications and
complexity surrounding such words
managing the stuff of daily life
not just in nice comfortable places
with relaxed cosy lifestyles
but in the war zones, disaster areas
floods, droughts, earthquakes
facing economic exploitation
*** trafficking, as migrants
caring, consoling, healing
doing what needs to be done
to make homes, raise children
somehow keep family going
knowing in the end to keep them
you have to let them go
bone of your bone
flesh of your flesh
'a sword will pierce
your own soul too'

such women, such mothering
is deserving of celebration
so, to misquote Ben Sira
'let us now praise famous women,
and our mothers in their generations'


Mothering Sunday
Fourth Sunday of Lent
30th March 2025
following Luke 2.33 & Ecclesiasticus 44.1

text without context
almost meaningless
used or misused
to justify choices
actions, inaction or
passive disengagement
from circumstances
of what has been
what might be
what is

'into your hands
I commend my spirit'
words from the cross
almost Jesus' last
his ending sounding
like failure, horror amidst
heart-break, disbelief
and yet

and yet
the words quoted
carry greater meaning
of vision incarnate, enacted
'for you have redeemed me
O Lord God of truth'
no ending here but resilience
persistence, fulfilment
and in God's good time
doors breaking open
of future hope as
the Psalmist
writes


Saturday of the Third Week of Lent
29th March 2025
following Psalm 31

'My God, my God
why have you forsaken me
and are so far from my salvation
from the words of my distress?'

words torn
from the darkest places
of mind, soul, spirit
no sense of hope
future possibilities
evaporated, snuffed out
in deepest despair

and yet

the words were written
pondered, reflected
became part of worship
the text of scripture

not the end

in the darkness
a glimmer of light found
glimpse of a scintilla of hope
perhaps discovering
in the darkness, God
as much as in light

a future
different
but future
nonetheless


Friday of the Third Week of Lent
28th March 2025
following Psalm 22.1

"what is truth" the politician asked
surrounded by those wanting their truth heard
and only theirs, none other
no inconvenient truths telling different stories

seeking  a grand theory of everything
scientists delve such truths of the universe
as can be measured
but what of those myriad things which can't

religious folk know their truths
certainties tested over centuries, sacrosanct
rejecting other perspectives
yet if God is God no human knows the whole

and I know my truths
my experiences, perceptions rationalised
those ideas which I hold fast
so don't give me your truths, confuse the facts

"know the truth" one man said
"and the truth will set you free" but how
and which truth, whose
knowing, that's the problem, what's the test

I'll just stick with what I know
that's the easy way, keeps everything simple
alone with my certainties
me in my corner, you in yours, beyond reach


Thursday of the Third Week of Lent
27th March 2025
following Luke 8.32 and John 18.38

searchlight cutting the skies
lighthouse signifying safety or danger
dim bulb faintly illuminates the darkness
waving phone-lights signalling connection
purposeful light with laser sharp focus
light creeping around locked doors
lantern searching out the path
torch of the night time guide
starlight crossing the eons
in waves and photons
signature of creation
foundation of life
then there is light
that's the source
the light of lights
in whom is our
being


Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent
26th March 3025
following John 8.12