The Drowning Undercurrent of Love

‘Mary saw all that was passing in the other’s mind: no, not all; all the hostility, the disappointment, the disapproval, the unhappiness, she did see; but not the undercurrent of love, which was strong enough to well up and drown all these, if only time could be allowed for it to do so.’

Anthony Trollope, ‘Doctor Thorne’

A fabulous quote from the pages of Anthony Trollope’s, ‘Doctor Thorne’ - a book that I’ve been reading since August. More than six hundred densely packed pages which I am enjoying (apart from the political electioneering stuff) but I have resolved to not pick up another book until I’ve finished it. I forbid myself!

If you see me reading it anywhere, please do not disturb me!

However, I’ve closed the book just for a little while this afternoon so as to mull over these few words.

The brace position for Christians

So the first week of September is just what I thought it was going to be. September will never take me by surprise. I will never begin the month with an expectation of calm transition from holidays to work. It’s a bumpy ride.

Brace, brace, brace!!!

We’re feeling the impact of early mornings with a new school routine involving buses, loaded schoolbags, traffic jams and diversions. New timetables, homeworks, and the dreaded backing of books.

First week nerves, mishaps and mistakes all make for family tension. Throw in extra late nights at work, meetings at church or school, music lessons, social get-togethers, Bible studies and we’re going to have four tired people by Sunday and a week will have flown by.

One Sunday to the next Sunday.

And I suddenly realise that it was on Sunday that we assumed the brace position.