Two turtle doves
Two turtle doves DM 7th February 2026 Whenever members of my congregation let me know that they will be bringing guests to church, I always threaten to preach on the Levitical skin diseases. They smile and know I won’t. And I don’t. But maybe I should, for there is plenty of gospel in those exotic […]
The stunning downgrade
The stunning downgrade DM 31st January 2026 In those travel-logs that sometimes pop up in magazines, there’s always one lucky person spruiking the joys of an upgrade, whether to a better hotel room, or seat on a plane, or type of car. In all my travels, the closest I’ve ever come is to score one […]
The Father’s care
The Father’s care DM 24th January 2026 When Wycliffe missionaries Alan and Faye Canavan took up their ministry posting on a small island off PNG, they were issued with a special two-way radio. Among other things, they were instructed to ring in, once a week, to report that they were safe. Should HQ not hear […]
Oiling the bat
Oiling the bat DM 17th January 2026 Fond memories. Each summer my brothers and I would take turns to brush the family cricket bat with linseed oil. I don’t know if that still needs to be done with the modern bats, but in the olden days, bats certainly required such regular treatment, else they would […]
The Acorn Child
The Acorn Child DM 10th January 2026 I’ve heard of identical twins dying on the same day, but who has ever heard of twin-oaks being erased from the world on the same day? Many years ago, a friend gave me oak-triplets – one I gave away, one I kept in its pot to attempt to […]
The Impossible Puzzle?
The Impossible Puzzle? DM 3rd January 2026 A puzzle pops up on my sidebar that requires certain obstacles to be removed in order to collect some treasure. In one obstructing-chamber is burning lava, and in another, cooling water; and the challenge is to remove, but in the correct order, and without scorching your player, the […]
O Christmas Tree
O Christmas Tree DM 27th December 2025 I didn’t realise that Isaiah wrote so many of the Christmas Carols. In their original form, ‘Silent Night’ and ‘O Come, O Come Immanuel’, were penned this way: ‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.’ Isaiah even […]
How to make Grace
How to make Grace DM 20th December 2025 The twenty-first of December in Australia is called ‘Gravy Day’, by virtue of Paul Kelly’s famous song ‘How to make gravy’ – a melancholy ballad about a family-man in jail, missing his wife and kids, and lamenting that he won’t be with them on Christmas Day. “It’s […]
Surprise catch
Surprise catch DM 13th December 2025 I’ve fished out my fishing rod for the holiday break. Last time I used it, I didn’t catch a thing. A few bites, but nothing hooked. And I didn’t mind a bit. Just to stand on the beach with my toes in the water, sun on my back, no-one […]
Letter to self
Letter to self DM 6th December 2025 One of the questions that is typically asked when interviewing people of more mature years is this: “If you could give some advice to your younger self, what would it be?” It’s a thoughtful question. But an even better one is this: “If you could give some advice […]