The International Lymphoedema Framework celebrate the World Lipoedema Day
Jesus is King
I have set my king on Zion. Three thoughts on the consequences
Jesus is our God and king
He lived and died new life to bring
He shall return judgement to bring
When the trumpet loud shall ring
Jesus lives and is our king
He who died and rose now reigns
He’ll come again judgement to bring
Upon us all as he ordains
Jesus lives! He is the king
Who gave himself for sin to die.
He shall return judgement to bring
Be ready now, the end is nigh!
- Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,
“Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us.”
He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision. Then he shall speak to them in his wrath, and distress them in his deep displeasure:
“Yet I have set my King on my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree:
The Lord has said to me, ‘You are my son, today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”
Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.
Blessed are all those who put their trust in him. ↩︎
Un-Iberian Astrolabe
Coco noted it in a very interesting article about an astrolabe about to be sold at auction:
Courtesy Sotheby’s
Beware of your appetite
It was in a BBC article, Your pictures of Scotland: 10 – 17 April, that the thought was provoked in Coco’s head. The article contains several quite delightful photographs including one of a short-eared owl in flight near Caithness, but it was not this that inflamed Coco’s thoughts.
But rather one of some large mammals in a field. The caption catches the attention:
Travelling through Embo, we came across this scene and wondered… just what was it that someone had fed those horses.
Allister Fraser © 2026
A song for April 2026
When April arose to bring us her help,
Didn’t she know we had run out of kelp?
The salt’s in the sea, the breeze in the air
But kelp is a find if it is anywhere.
Deep in the ocean stramenopiles thrive
Do we not know, they are truly alive
Doing their business, breathing their air
They turn the sun’s light into forests most fair.
When we do find them, they’re dry and forlorn
Looking like daggers on beaches at dawn
Pneumatocysts pop, releasing the air
Which may be much fun for the babe and the bear.
Now what has this kelp to do with your day?
We haven’t so much as an answer to say.
We speak to the sea, the earth and the air
But they do not listen, they have not a care.
When April arose with help on her wing
The kelp on the beaches began to sing
To sing of a day, to sing to the King
Who good gives to all, may he it to you bring.
Two doors
You may know the riddle of the two men at the fork in the road. You are walking along the road and you know that there is a fork, one way of which will lead you to Althringham the other to Seudhampton. You wish to reach Althringham. There is only one signpost but both pointers say Althringham, how do you know which way to go?
Well you wait and hope that someone shall pass who will be able to help you. In due course a man comes along the road. You do not know where he comes from or where is he is going, but you do know that a man from Seudhampton will never the tell the truth, and a man from Althringham will always tell the truth.
Continue readingDavid
No, not king David this time, but Ashforth of whom it has been said:
Continue reading“Consider the ministry. You will have lots of time for reading, and will be able to run your own show by thirty.” Such was the claim made by the Rev. David Ashforth, coordinator of the West London Chaplaincy, an ecumenical student ministry at various colleges in West London (UK), including my own Royal College of Music, in the late 1970s. His hope was that at least a few of us students might consider post-graduate study in theology and possibly ordination. Most would continue in sciences, mining, engineering or as with myself in the arts. David made his appeal at a time when many churches in Western Europe and North American still had buildings and could financially support the staff to run their programmes. There was an inkling however, even then, that things were about to change.
Ken Gray, a recently retired Anglican priest and Cathedral Dean living in Kamloops, BC Canada
Theresienstadt
Ilse Weber (1903-1944) was an Austro-Czech composer who wrote this song during her time in Theresienstadt before she left for Auschwitz where she was murdered in the gas chamber with her young son.
Ich wandre durch Theresienstadt,
das Herz so schwer wie Blei.
Bis jäh mein’ Weg ein Ende hat,
Bis jäh mein’ Weg ein Ende hat,
dort knapp an der Bastei.
dort knapp an der Bastei.
Dort bleib ich auf der Brücke stehn
und schau ins Tal hinaus:
ich möcht so gerne weiter gehn,
ich möcht so gerne weiter gehn,
ich möcht so gern nach Haus!
ich möcht so gern nach Haus!
Nach Haus! du wunderbares Wort,
du machst das Herz mir schwer.
Man nahm mir mein Zuhause fort,
Man nahm mir mein Zuhause fort,
nun hab ich keines mehr.
nun hab ich keines mehr.
Ich wende mich betrübt und matt,
so schwer wird mir dabei:
Theresienstadt, Theresienstadt,
wann wohl das Leid ein Ende hat,
wann sind wir wieder frei?
wann sind wir wieder frei?
Whilst wandering through Theresienstadt
My heart as heavy as lead
My way came to a sudden end
My way came to a sudden end
Just by the bastion gate.
Just by the bastion gate.
I linger there upon the bridge
To look out on the vale
I long to walk on further then
I long to walk on further then
I long to go back home!
I long to go back home!
My home – those words are wonderful!
They cause my heart to groan.
They snatched my home away from me.
They snatched my home away from me.
I have nowhere to go.
I have nowhere to go.
Weary I wend my way distressed
Painful is life for me.
Theresienstadt! Theresienstadt!
When truly shall our sorrow end?
When shall we be set free?
When shall we be set free?
There is a beautiful snippet of Anne-Sofie von Otter singing Theresienstadt on Boosey’s website.
ChoralWiki and Noteworthy Scriptorium
The copyright of the arrangement and translation is held by Stuart Moffatt (© 2026).
The midi file was produced using Noteworthy Composer.
The mp3/ogg were produced using Myriad software.
Nurnberg
In 1945 several men fled to Christ in the face of the enormity of their sin. Major Henry Gerecke, a Lutheran army chaplain had been appointed to the accused at Nuremberg. His work was recorded by F T Grossmith in his book The Cross and the Swastika.
Continue readingUnto us a child is born
At this time of year we, in the West, have remembered the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Many in the Eastern church have yet to arrive at their day of remembrance, but whether West or East whilst it is good to remember his day it is better to remember what he said when he came into the world:
Continue reading