Glen’s away at the moment, so I’m seeking solace in the arms of another man.  He’s called Mr Hesse and I picked him up in the library. Herman’s not here in person, but he wrote some stonking fairy stories. Proper ones: with giants and goblins and elves and all the rest. I can hardly put ‘em down. All of life is here. Unrequited love. Family feuds. Friendships and quarrels.   Anger and malice and grief and greed. The beauty who can’t get out of bed. (Depression? Or just too many late nights?) Fashion victims with crystal ... Read More

It’s just one day.  For goodness’ sake: there are another 364 potential not mother’s celebrations, right? Okay, that’s not helping. So, how to get through this one? Is it possible to wring a genuine sense of peace from a heart that’s currently sucking on a lemon?.. Seems to me I’ve got a few options: 1. Despair (Very appealing): I’m not pregnant.  That’s terrible.  I’m terrible.  I can’t cope.  I’ve screwed up my life and my biology and everything I touch turns to mulch. ... Read More

I’ve just found out that Another friend is pregnant.  (Is there anyone left?!) I’m genuinely pleased for her – it hasn’t been an easy process and she and her hubby will be brilliant parents.  Plus, having gone through that horrible yearning, it’s wonderful to see an end in sight for people I care about. But it’s painful too because I want that to be me – I want to be yelping with delight over the right blue line too! I’m properly pleased for her, but also properly sad for myself. So after the initial congrats and talk, ... Read More

On Sunday Glen and I wrote a post on childlessness. Thank- you to everyone who’s been so supportive and for those who have shared some of their own experiences too: it means a lot. I’ve been asked to write a bit more on how churches can help those who are struggling with this issue. This is tricky, for a number of reasons. Every person’s struggle is unique: there can be hundreds of reasons why a couple cannot conceive – many of which are deeply personal.  And whilst we can support them, we can’t make the problem ... Read More

Glen preached on 1 Samuel 1 this morning, which includes the story of Hannah’s longing to conceive.  This is something of a live issue for us, as we’d love to have kids – but it may not be possible. I’ve been recovered from anorexia for a good few years now, but this may be an area where the damage can’t be reversed. If you’re struggling with some of these issues, this is a great incentive to seek help early on. But it’s hard for me not to turn in on myself with all sorts of guilty, self-accusing ... Read More

Well, here we are again. Am I alone in feeling like Mondays wear roller-skates?  It’s barely the weekend and then – whoosh! New week.  Sunday might be the technical start, but there’s a psychological shift when the clock tips over into the weekday. Plus, Mondays always seem to throw up new challenges.  Well, I say new, but that’s a complete misnomer.  Is it just me, or do you spend a lot of your life going over old ground?  The same battles, albeit from different angles.  A Groundhog life, without Bill ... Read More

Stuck for something to do with the kids this weekend? Well, fret no more. Why not take ‘em to Northampton – and the ‘Make Me Fabulous’ pole-dancing studio.  There, your four year-old can while away the hours with classes training them in the essential art of ‘holding their legs in a V-shape while sliding down a pole’. Not convinced? Well, maybe you oughta loosen up. As the site reminds us, ‘you were born with wings – don’t ever forget to fly’.  Damn straight. I’m like a bird, ... Read More

When did Halloween become so HUGE?  Seriously, you can’t step outside the house without being accosted by some sort of ghoul or smothered in cobwebs.. (Actually wait – that’s inside the house – note to self, must dust. ( Next Year Job.) Nor is there one unifying theme.  Marks + Spencers, normally the bastion of shortbread and cosy respectability, seem particularly conflicted. Exhibit A – enormous chocolate halloween eggs, priced at £18.99. Look, I like chocolate as much as the next person. But at that ... Read More

Those struggling with eating disorders have things in common, but each case is also unique. When it comes to finding reasons for the disorder, the same rules apply. It’s easy to point the finger at say, family (see previous posts here , here and here),  but automatically apportioning blame is  simplistic and harmful… What’s much harder  is to suggest ways in which such disorders can be managed, or even prevented. A friend of mine sent me a link to an article in Eating Disorders Review, by Andrea Wachter. Here are some ... Read More

I’ve been struck today by two different passages from the Bible, both about what it means to grow up. The first one is from Proverbs 22. But first, a digression.. I’ve always thought of Proverbs as one of those books that made the final Bible cut by the skin of its teeth.  It comes right after Psalms.  That’s like Elton John as warm-up band for the The Cheeky Girls.  Proverbs mate, get off the stage! You and your home-spun wisdom have no right mixing with the Bad Boys of Romans and Isaiah.  If I want handy practical ... Read More