The word “advent” comes from the Latin “adventus” meaning “arrival” or “coming,” particularly of something having great importance. It is a season in the church calendar which begins in the Western church on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day. It is a time of spiritual preparation in which Christians look forward to the coming of
How should companies advertise their wares? There has been a lot of noise in the news and on social media in the last few days concerning two adverts in particular. The John Lewis advert is a cute story about a pet penguin who yearns for true love. Sainsburys however have opted for scenes from the
Odd title for a Thought for the Week you may think, but it’s exactly what I heard someone say earlier this week. It was mild and fairly sunny as we all arrived at work. We had been talking about how much fine weather we have had in this country during the summer and also more
The clocks went back this morning. This practice of daylight saving began during the First World War in Germany and Austria-Hungary to conserve fuel supplies during the summer months, though it had been first suggested back in 1895. Winding back the clock doesn’t mean winding back time. There will be many people reading this who
I saw someone this week in the local shopping centre with this printed on his T-shirt: ‘Give me a moment and I’ll try to look interested!’ All very tongue-in-cheek I’m sure, but it started me thinking about whether this person was really disinterested in anyone who might want to talk to him. It’s very likely
I’ve been thinking a bit more about my ladder experience of a couple of weeks ago. Believe me if you’ve fallen off a ladder it really does play on your mind as well as your bruises! I said at the time that I had been complacent with my own safety. There was an assumption on
I think it’s fairly safe to say that falling off a ladder is not a good idea, yet it’s something I did last Sunday. I was too complacent about health and safety, and the feet of the ladder slipped away on a wooden floor so down I came. The only injuries I sustained were some
I’m writing this in a hotel room in Germany. I’m away on business, but only for a couple of nights. It’s surprising how long a couple of nights can seem though, if you are away from the person you love. Sure, we can text, phone, even Skype, but it’s not the same as actually being
You will no doubt remember the floods earlier in the year, particularly if you’re anywhere near the Somerset Levels. The water table was so high that it did not take much rain to cause flooding, both from the rain directly falling on the land and also from the increased amount of water coming off the
Wednesday 10 September is World Suicide Prevention Day, organised by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). The theme for this year is Connectedness. It is estimated that over 800,000 deaths occurred worldwide in 2012 through suicide. In richer countries three times as many men take their own lives than women. It is also estimated