Goodhand in Banbury

Joining in with my Iona Family group we were looking at the annual accountability of the use of our money. This led to a wide ranging discussion, after all what is money? Why has money come to be so important? What counts as our disposable income? Then what does it mean to be poor? You might live in a  house worth a large sum but in reality only have a small income e.g.state pension. Anyway it led me to write the following. Money me I’m only paper and coins or crypto I’m useful.   With me you can buy anything!!! Politicians a seat in the house of Lord’s other peoples land bombs tanks planes I’m really neutral   about these things!!! Money me, I’m only paper and coins or crypto I’m so useful well if you have me enough of me that is. You don’t always see me I hide behind   plastic cards or apple pay interest rates bank loans loan sharks. Money I’m only paper and coins or crypto but you do need me. How else will you buy food, clothes a roof over your head a car to get from a to b? Money I

  Snowshill Manor and Garden - a day out. It’s great to have the flexibility to be able to just go off and visit different places. So the other day we headed off to Snowshill Manor and Garden in Gloucestershire. It was the home of Charles Padget Wade an architect and poet. Born 1883 and died 28th   June 1956 aged 73 years.   Charles didn't live in the manor but a small out building but at least it had the bath and toilet that the house did not possess. He merely used the manor to house his collection. Unusually nothing is labelled in the property and you could be forgiven for thinking that you have entered an antique shop.  Some Noah's ark Charles Wade loved collecting what he liked and apparently loved dressing up. He also created a delightful garden full of rooms which included a model village. How I hope my veg garden will eventually look. As we left I caught site of this sheep with her sleeping head on a small hillock and its lamb at its feet.

 On Saturday we got back to running and I managed a 5k in 35 minutes. Not a bad way to start my birthday though I suspect the meal out at lunch time put back on the calories I must have burnt up.  So I've made it to state pension age, even though I have still another month to actually receive it in full.  I've applied for my bus pass which should soon be with me and again its like another milestone.  How do I feel about all this? I'm not really sure. I mean it's just another year and just another number 66!! In fact I retired from 'work' nearly two years ago so it does not feel such a milestone except financially. The additional funds will make a major difference having coped with just my church pension these past two years, but compared to so many in our society at present I am very fortunate. Strangely this coming weekend I will be at my Iona Family group reflecting on our use of money etc. This could prove to be an interesting time of reflection. It's not

  “In Christ alone” to sing or not to sing. We all have our cross to bear and sometimes it can feel as if God has a sense of humour when things keep occurring. I had sat in a mid week communion service sometime ago now, and the minister had chosen the hymn ‘In Christ   Alone’. My wife knowing my view on this hymn did smile as I always chose not to sing verse two, but she also noted, as did I, another minister in the group kept their mouth firmly shut as did a delightful women who is also an Iona associate. What kind of God are we dealing with that requires their ‘wrath to be satisfied’ by the death of a man on a cross? More of that later! Well we have sung the hymn at the church we are attending on a   number of occasions these past two years which has surprised me.  I would describe the church we attend as middle of the road anglican and certainly not in the conservative evangelical sphere. One week recently a member of the women’s group said to Jill she was choosing that hymn to talk