Love is not condescension, never
that, nor books, nor any pencil trace on paper,
no; nor in how we talk
about each other. Love is a tree
with branches reaching out to always
with roots that come from everywhere,
and no trunk. Have you seen it?
No. You can't. Your
Blog: Pictures-Books-Reflections
Upton House
Posted on by James Woodward
I enjoyed a very pleasant visit to Upton House recently. The collection of pictures is quite stunning!
Upton is a country house in the county of Warwickshire, about seven miles north west of Banbury, Oxfordshire. It is in the care of the National Trust.
Built in about 1695
doubt
Posted on by James Woodward
doubt that the stars are fire
doubt that the sun doth move
doubt truth to be a liar
but never doubt I love
Hamlet's poem, from Shakespeare's Hamlet
amazement
Posted on by James Woodward
And God is filling me,
though there are times of doubt
as hollow as the Grand Canyon,
still God is filling me.
He is giving me the thoughts of dogs,
the spider in its intricate web,
the sun
in all its amazement
and my heart,
which is very big,
I promise it is very large,
a mon
Prayers for voters ahead of the General Election
Posted on by James Woodward
Loving God
Thank you for caring about how our country is run, and that we have the right to vote for our politicians and government.
But in the run-up to this general election there are so many policies to understand, and so many different points of view to consider -
some
What is Easter?
Posted on by James Woodward
He went through a company like a lamplighter –
see the dull minds, one after another,
begin to glow, to shed
a beneficent light.
He went through a company like
a knifegrinder – see the dull minds
scattering sparks of themselves,
becoming razory, becoming usef
The End of the Party: The Rise and fall of New labour
Posted on by James Woodward
Here is the publishers blurb inviting and unsuspecting politics reader into buying this huge volume -
Andrew Rawnsley's bestselling and award-winning "Servants of the People" was acclaimed across all media as the most authoritative and entertaining account of New Labour and its
Butternut squash and cumin soup with herb dressing
Posted on by James Woodward
Ingredients
For the soup
300ml/10½fl oz chicken or vegetable stock
½ butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, flesh chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
50ml/2fl oz double cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the herb dressing
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tbs
Easter Morning
Posted on by James Woodward
a stone at dawn
cold water in the basin
these walls' rough plaster
imageless
after the hammering
of so much insistence
on the need for naming
after the travesties
that passed as faces,
grace: the unction
of sheer nonexistence
upwelling in this
hyacinthine
Easter Joy!
Posted on by James Woodward
In this reflection I share the surprise of joy I experienced within a moment of spiritual awareness at an Easter Vigil. This forms part of a conviction that Easter Christians always entertain the possibility of joy when being open to the new.
It is Easter morning 1984. I have j
Holy Saturday
Posted on by James Woodward
Grant, Lord,
that we who are baptized into the death
of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ
may continually put to death our evil desires
and be buried with him;
and that through the grave and gate of death
we may pass to our joyful resurrection;
throu
Maundy Thursday
Posted on by James Woodward
O Christ, in your presence we discover who we are.
You wash our feet,
and we learn how reluctant we are
to serve one another and the world around us.
We are so like your disciples,
who looked to their own self-centered interests
even as you prepared to give yourself
fo
Wednesday in Holy Week
Posted on by James Woodward
John 13:21-35
21When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
22Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.
23Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom
Tuesday of Holy Week
Posted on by James Woodward
John 12:37-50
37Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:
"Lord, who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord be
Monday of Holy Week
Posted on by James Woodward
John 12:1-11
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
1Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3
Palm Sunday
Posted on by James Woodward
Palm Sunday is the epitome of Lent: a day of great celebration, and a day of deep mourning. On this day, Jesus entered Jerusalem as its king while thousands rejoiced. Within a week, he would be dead, and his followers would be confused and scattered. For everyone who witnessed t
brilliant light
Posted on by James Woodward
happy are we who are free from attachment,
feeders on rapture shall we be,
like the gods of brilliant light.
The Buddha, from the Dhammapada
Heaven and earth are linked…
Posted on by James Woodward
Out of the turbulence of the little tribal kingdoms of Celtic Wales and Brittany where life was precarious and short, where violence reigned, there comes the story of serenity and peace, speaking to us un poetic language of the possibility that here in this world of flesh and
Blog Stats
Posted on by James Woodward
Perhaps statistics are not important but today my blog reached the 100 000 visitor mark.....
Here are some other figures
Total views: 100,285
Busiest day: 620 — Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Views today: 171
Totals
Posts: 577
Categories: 30
So thanks to all my readers whoever
In Praise of the train
Posted on by James Woodward
It has been quite a week! On the way back from friends in Oxfordshire on Thursday I had a tyre explode .... quite an unpleasant shock! I managed to move the car over into the emergency lane without hitting anything else! I had a close shave with danger but was glad to come out