Hope For Today

Dear Friends,  This Is Me A few weeks ago Jason took me to the cinema to see "The Greatest Showman". We don't often get to the cinema, but I was so glad we got to see this film which in my opinion is so good. The film is inspired by the story of PT Barnum and how he rose to fame, as he built his circus which featured various star attractions.  Many of the performers had known rejection and prejudice in the past because they were 'different' to those around them.  One member of the group is the bearded lady (played by Keala Settle) who learns through Barnum what it means to be loved and accepted for who she is. She sings my favourite song from the film, "This Is Me". The lyrics are powerful and so moving. In the past , she had hidden  away because of the hurtful words spoken by others which had left her feeling cut and bruised. But now that she has become part of the circus family, and learned what it means to be loved and accepted, she is a...

Dear Friends, During our holiday in Cyprus, Jason suggested we (and the kids) all went paragliding. Now, if you know anything about me, you'll know what my answer was. It was a no brainer. Nuh huh! No way! No how! Brave is not a word I would describe myself. I don't do heights; I don't do fairground attractions; I don't do water slides and I don't do water sports! I prefer to have my feet on terra firma! I was perfectly happy for the rest of the family to do it, whilst I sat on the side-lines watching. However, with gentle persuasion by Jason, I agreed I would do it. Now where did that come from? I can't believe those words came out of my mouth! The heat must have addled my brain because I would never have agreed to it if I was in my right mind. This holiday I've been reading John Ortberg's book "If you want to walk on water you've got to get out of the boat". It was as if God was prompting me to go paragliding. To take m...