Today is the year’s last
It finally has passed
With its Covid, recession, and pain
Today is the year’s last
Its likes – you won’t be seen again
But wait – not so fast
For is this an echo of the past?
Surely I heard it all somewhere before
Let’s face it – you never know what’s in store
Padre
Do we take things for granted?
Are we confounded by spin?
Do we accept things unexamined,
Even when the truth of it’s thin?
Political agendas and claims to debunk
But the world loves a soundbite
Even when junk
Let us be like Bereans
Let us stop and look
We will soon find that real truth
Is found in the Book
Padre
Acts 17:11
A timely reminder
To go out and buy
Stuff you might need
But you don’t know just why
It said so on the commercial
It said sale ends soon
And if you just get one
You’ll be over the moon
It’s a timely reminder
That you must go and get
A twizzled plastic thingamajig
If you don’t have one yet
Padre
Unmerited favour, a gift underserved
Concepts of grace – contained in His word
Grace freely given – in His own Son
The ultimate gift of the Beloved One
Padre
Ephesians 1:6
Left unfinished
Chapters unread
When drowsiness beckoned
And you went off to bed
It is why books are so great
Unlike TV you can take a break
Padre
Do you call it St Stephen’s
Or is it Boxing Day
Or is just the time when shops
Virtually give Christmas wrapping paper away
A day of left-overs
A time to recoup
Or a time to hit the stores
In a big group
However you see it
Whether relaxing or a pain
364 days of Christmas shopping
Are all that remain
Padre
It is a day unlike the rest
The remembrance of the event blessed
When God and man did unite
In the form of a babe born in the night
Proclaimed by angels
And by shepherds viewed
The reconciliation process
Now renewed
Padre
They were not friendly, the bitterness was off the scale
True acrimony between them did prevail
They would bicker, insult, and snipe
But it generally fell short of an actual fight
What was the cause of the constant strife?
It all started with Peggy, Tom’s wife
Who cut down Tammy’s fuchsias, with a kitchen knife
Padre
“I have my integrity to consider,” Liam said defensively.
“We aren’t asking you to compromise your integrity. All we want is for you to let us through the door.”
“But I was told not to let anyone in this way, and if I let you in just because you are my friends, I would be shirking my sworn duty.
“Liam, you aren’t guarding the Royal Mint, you are an usher at the cinema.”
“Duty is duty,” Liam responded.
Liam was found a hour later stiped to his underwear, gagged, and with his hands and feet bound by duck tape. He did, however, still have his integrity.
Padre
My wife and I were given a lovely present of a getaway. We booked into the Sprowston Manor Hotel, Golf & Country Club and founded it a convenient base of operations to see that area of the Norfolk Broads. As can be expected, the hotel was decked out for Christmas and there were multiple festive trees and displays around the facility. As can be seen from the photos our room over looked the pool (a window in the hallway opposite the room gave a clear view. That said the heat and chlorine of the pool sis make that section of the corridor a bit hot and we needed to run a fan in the room to keep the temperature comfortable. The bed was a bit overly firm as well, but as a whole it was a pleasant stay.
We had dinner at hotel restaurant the first night, my wife having a large portion of pork belly and I the haddock and chips. Both were well cooked and tasty. Breakfast was the typical hotel buffet type with eggs, toast, mushrooms and the like. My wife found the bacon a bit on the crisp-side of British bacon, but breakfast was on the whole good on both days of our stay.
After breakfast on the first morning we set out for Ranworth Broad. It being winter, the boat hires and tours were suspended, but we had some nice views of the water and the ducks and geese. After having a look about we headed to Wroxham. I have always found the town amusing as it is dominated by a single company: Roy’s of Wroxham. The company bills itself as the world’s biggest village store, but in Wroxham itself it is a village that is a store. There is a Roy’s Department Store, Roy’s Toys, Roy’s Food Court, and even Roy’s out of town car parks and a Roy’s McDonalds.
On our second evening we had a very nice dinner at a Castle Carvery which I will review separately.
The Broads are quite busy in the summer-time and the roads at some places (Wroxham and Acles) can have jams. In the winter the area is much more quiet, and while many of the activities are not available, it is still a nice place to get away to.
Padre
See: https://padresramblings.wordpress.com/2017/08/08/an-afternoon-of-southern-comfort and https://padresramblings.wordpress.com/2018/09/01/waterways-getaway
Padre's Ramblings 