Published!

Does another career beckon? I've had a photograph published in the Times Newspaper.
View the article here

It was all a bit of a rush.  I had a phone call about midday Friday 15th from the Manager of our bookshop saying that the Times had interviewed us for an article in the Saturday edition, but needed some photos by 13:00. As I'd been the one taking photos I rapidly went through what I had, made a couple of edits, and emailed the best of them to the newspaper. I had a very pleasant reply shortly afterwards.

I heard someone say that 'photography is very hard to make a living from.' I've no illusions of grandeur. It remains a hobby.

But I have found some great quotes about photography here

On being a hoarder

I'll confess to being a bit of a hoarder - especially when it comes to books and papers.  This characteristic has pros and cons (although only fellow hoarders will agree with the pros).

But inevitably the need for some clear flat space (the floor, the desk) brings me to the point of clearing out.  In recent years while not wholeheartedly endorsing the principle, I have moved closer to the idea that if I haven't used/opened/looked at something for a decade, I'm unlikely to ever do so, so dispose of it.

So it was in this spirit that I did some serious clearing out after Christmas, but not without some associated emotion.  Take, for example, a set of teaching transparencies for use with an overhead projector.  I know we moved to PowerPoint ten years ago and I haven't used them since.  I acknowledge that all the notes I had so carefully written on the frames surrounding the slides I have used so many times that they are committed to memory.  I know that it is unlikely I will ever use an overhead projector again (thankfully).  But still there was the emotional tugging of history.  The people who attended some of those early seminars, the places I went, the lives that were helped...

Which led me to thinking about what God has to say on the subject.  I'm not talking about 'treasures on earth' but more of the balance between past and future.  Paul writes of 'Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead... [Philippians 3:13, NIV].  But in balance we know too that God 'will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.' [Hebrews 6:10, NIV]. And the Bible frequently tells God's followers to use a tangible item as a memory jogger to recall his goodness in the past.  So I've thrown out the slides, and a whole host of other stuff, but kept a handful of other items so that when I do look at them - this year, next year or in a decade's time, I might be reminded of God's work in various ways.

New Year's Day Tradition

For several years our Homegroup has met for a New Year's Day walk around East Head and BBQ brunch at West Wittering car park.  (If you've done it for a second year it must be a tradition, and three years or more, a firmly established tradition.)

This year conicided with a spring tide High Water on the back of the 13th full moon of 2009.  I wondered if the 'Hinge' - the piece of land joining Wittering to East Head - might be flooded, but although we couldn't enjoy all of the normal coastal path on the east side of East Head, we had no trouble getting on to the spit.

The walk seems to go more quickly each year.  Perhaps it's something to do with the children getting older and walking more quickly.  It was cold, but nowhere near as bitter as last year.  We had sunshine this year, and the wind was much lighter.  Quite a number (but not from our group) were enjoying a swim in the sea.  Brrrrrrr.

Once back at the fairly crowded car park, warm mulled wine was followed by sausages & bacon rolls, with onions, tea, coffee, choclate biscuits, and toasted marshmallows.  By the time we'd got through all of that the heat was disappearing, we were getting progressively more cold, and it was time to head home to warm and soporific houses.

The Real Reason for Participating?