With this blog, I don’t focus that often on personal stuff about myself. It is more about gathering ideas and resources that I don’t want to lose and filing them under a set of labels where I can find them easily. But when I do become more personal they tend to be topics that soften me – because I am a bit of a sook. So here goes my final list, roughly in order of the millilitres of tears expended in their writing and reflection.

12th man    dmin: the journey 
Trying to exorcise the DMin was a long and painful journey. More perspiration, than inspiration – mingling with the sweat were a few tears as well.


#11    unforgettables from the nougthies  
Making memories is a glue that holds families together. Remembering memories is one of the best ways to remain in a molten state. Here are one decade’s most memorable.

#10    pilgrimage
The way God has led the family in which I grew up – and now what he has asked of us within our own family – is to keep the focus on pilgrimage, with all its upsides and downsides.


#9     those unlike ourselves  
A basic principle of living life well crystallised for me in the training of preachers. It is increasingly important. The compassion which flowed by engaging these two images will not be forgotten easily.

#8    a mother’s poem, a mother’s prayer, and a mother’s plea
This poetry has come to me through my mother, my grandmother and my daughter – and it is a largely sad little triumvirate that has greatly enriched my life.

#8     christchurch comfort 
In listening to Sri Lankan pastors, in the land of the tsunami, pour out their hearts in prayer for my people most evenings – and then in reading Isaiah 40-60 early every morning – God drew near.

#7    mk musing
The experiences of the ‘missionary kid’ creates plenty of emotion. I am no exception. For example, as a child, those separations from parents were tough – but I’d not trade the life in for anything.

#6     pakistani scandals and the messiah over syria
Emotion is never far away when I draw near to the peoples of the world and listen to their stories. It happened both in moving among the people of Pakistan and in flying over the people of Syria.

#5     fifty not out  
It will be a day in which I luxuriate for the rest of my life. Although I neglected to invite my own brothers (something I regret so much), the day opened up just as it did in my dreams.

#4     turning eighty (dad) and turning eighty (mum) 
My parents are very dear to me. These were my tributes to them on their eightieth birthdays.

#3     subdued by obedience  
My life is not my own. It is given over to serving Jesus my Lord in His mission in the world wherever he chooses – but that is not always an easy choice to make.

#2     path of blessing 
Parents cannot guarantee how the kids will turn out. It doesn’t work like that. Who hasn’t wept over this one? But goodness, deary me – there is still a lot that can be done and prayed over…

#1     remembering dad with song 
I miss my Dad. I just do. Nothing has helped me more with my grief than listening to him sing these simple, powerful hymns – particularly one night in the company of faithful and patient friends.

nice chatting

Paul