“It is not surprising today that there are so many films and TV shows about a place to call home. Arguably, we are witnessing the greatest migration of peoples across our planet in history. Sadly war or violence or poverty or destruction force many of them to leave their homes and even their countries. They don’t have a choice so they go in search of a place to call home.  …”

"During the pandemic I received two ‘you must watch this’ messages and rather naively, I did. I thought they were terribly funny, two rather pompous men explaining that Covid was a hoax and that all their predictions had come true. They looked like they were straight from Monty Python. A couple of days later, I realised that I was meant to take them seriously and that I was meant to share this wisdom with you! ..."

"The start of another year so at this time we think of all those going back to school, the students, the teachers and all those who work to make the school a place of welcome and discovery. We pray especially for those who are starting out on this new stage of life. And memories may come flooding back about our own school days too.  We took school pretty much for granted until Covid lockdown. So many had opinions about education what it should be doing and possibly wasn’t. But then lockdown made going to school a privilege, a luxury almost. ..."

Biblical scholars may question the historical accuracy of this story but it is certainly heavy with symbolism. The Joseph of the Christmas story is clearly reminiscent of the Joseph of the Exodus story, he too has a dream, he too goes to Egypt, and he too saves the family.

No birthday is ever the same; there is a richness in each year and a welcoming invitation to the next. The precious gift of life ebbs away and sometimes there is often an ache within us when we look back on our lives, we carry a bit of sadness and nostalgia, perhaps even regret.