Still watching the end of the first new 'Lewis', the sequel to 'Morse'.

We saw some of it being filmed last summer in broad street in Oxford.

Even more interesting - the leading character (Inspector Lewis) has a sidekick, a rather solemn young sergeant. The plot for him is that he was training to be a priest in Cambridge, was kicked out and joined the police.

Very interesting plot - worth watching out for. Already had a couple of good God-quips...

Lewis: I'm sorry I was a bit shirty about God last night
Chap: He doesn't mind.

Mary's little car has bitten the dust.

To be more precise, it has become too much rust, too little metal. The MoT has not even been taken.

No sills, the tyres were gone (perished), bits of front suspension rusted away, bulbs gone... The car (a 16-ish year old Micra) had sentimental value, from a friend who emigrated to Australia a couple of years ago. She had it from nearly new, so we said we would take it and look after it.

But all to no avail. It hasn't gone to be scrapped - yet - it's still at the garage, awaiting its fate.

But we went and bought a 3 year old new shaped Micra as a replacement. We have some limited reserves to keep us going at college, and that's made a pretty impressive dent in them, but it will get Frankie to nursery, Mary to work and all the running around done that we need to do.

So, as the title says, the Micra is dead, long live the new Micra. Time to reflecy on things passing, the value of sentimental attachment but decisions on modernisation and efficiency. We could have fixed up the old car for a lot less money, but the economics of it are mixed with desirability of new things, investment in failing institutions etc. Much to ponder...

Up about normal today - after 7am - can't complain.

Dash to shave and plaster sticking up hair back down (does God care?)

Black shoes on, kids' pack lunches made. Out to chapel, via study to put my cassock on.

Book of Common Prayer (1662) Communion at 8am, college principal presiding. King James bible readings - familiar stories, arcane (but beautiful language).

Realised a minute before we started that I didn't know the BCP distribution of communion words - it's not 'Body of Christ' or 'Blood of Christ'.

Memorised it as much as possible in the minute...

Now, a few hours later, I think it's
'The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ shed for you, that your body and soul will gain everlasting life'
then
'Drink in remembrance that Christ died for you and rejoice'
(or something a bit like that).

A lot of kneeling on the very hard floor, then all over by 8.25am.

But there is a strong sense of worship and the presence of God. And that's just the first 25 minutes of the day.

Kitten doing well...

A new venture - we have a new kitten (already have a dog and a cat) - Ellie's new pet.

This a very in-your-face sort of animal, puts himself about, climbs everywhere - totally irrepressible. Hisses at the dog and cat, but so far so major fights.

Could be an interesting process getting the three of them to integrate. This blog may become a kitten-integration journal for the next few weeks!

Another little spot of interest - look at:

type 45

This was a project I worked on from the blank sheet of paper days, up to the end of the design phase - the hull gets wet in a couple of weeks!!!

At last - world domination has been achieved!

Well, nearly. The Swift family have finally acquired control over the student finances of the college, following the successful coup d'etat to obtain the post of Common Room Treasurer. Add to this the Social Club (aka) bar Treasurership, and we've got the lot...

In other words - Mary and I are mug enough to volunteer to keep the books, write the cheques, make the financial statements, endlessly visit the banks etc. to try and keep the student side of things ticking along.

Actually, it feels positive to have a definite, pragmetic role in the place. Now, to theologically reflect on the impact of looking after the filthy lucre at a Theology College...

Gaffer tape is like the Force...

It has a dark side, a light side, and it holds the world together...

As Master Yoda would say: Wise words those are, young Obi-Wan.

Preached in Dibley this morning (aka Turville, in Hambleden Valley).

Lovely people. No animals in the church.

Almost fell over with a hidden step by the lectern (and I was cold sober, unlike Geraldine in the Christmas Dibley).

Graveyards today - the theology of death!

Village life is harsh and real in the local open churchyard. In the Cuddesdon yard there are loads of bishops - and local drunks, suicides, stillbirths, the whole range of human experience.

It felt appropriately cold and icy as we walked round the yard, this one in 2005, that one in 1896.

I went extra curricular and popped off to find the grave of C S Lewis, a few miles away in Headington Quarry. He is a hero of mine, although I haven't read everything he wrote. Surprised by Joy was very helpful to me as a late convert to Christianity!

Anyway - found the grave, in another busy open yard, full of Great War veterans, babies and local pensioners.

I have always been able to spend time in grave yards - there is something calm, almost welcoming about the yew-filled peace you find.

very interesting but strange day today. Visit to Oxford crematorium.

Did you know it takes 1 hour to burn 10 stones?

More than about 35 stones and the coffin won't fit through the doors of the furnace...

The bucket of coffin nails, hips, knees and other joints (collected during the day and buried respectfully once per week) was very, very strange.

You come into the world without implants, and you leave it without them.

Lots to process...

Day 2 just passed of the dying and bereavement course at college.

Heavy duty stuff - good, but lots of issues for the past and the future.

Take away lines (generic and blurred) for the moment:

"Helpless is good - when you are feeling helpless when you're with bereaved people, you're probably doing some good. When you feel you are doing something useful, you have probably taken control and are doing it for yourself."

But then again:

"What harm can you do? The loved one is dead. Can it get any worse?"

I guess worse is bereaved and angry at being treated in a crass way.

Unanswerable question for the day:

"If your God is any good, why does he let this stuff happen?"

Poor Mary and Frankie are under the weather. I am feeling the strain of doing the washing, cleaning the floors and doing the ironing.

Reflection - why do men manage to spend so much time watching TV, playing on playstations, blogging etc., rather than doing useful stuff. I am doing so much useful stuff I end up staying late (after finishing the useful stuff shift) to waste my allotted time.

And I should be writing a sermon for Epiphany (a last minute gig) and an essay for the start of term. Oh well, there's always tomorrow...

;-/

Good New Year's Day service - in Dunblane pisky church. Very welcoming! If Ship of Fools had ever got back to me about becoming a mystery worshipper, I would have given them an excellent write up!

Rector (didn't catch her name) presided well. Curate looked rather sore of back (Giles - the curate's name, not his back), could have been funnier in his sermon. Fiddle before and after the service was achingly beautiful. People all very friendly...

A long silence - my apologies! Back home in Oxford, getting back to normalish.

Reflection for today - the kids got a Playstation 2 for Christmas, and have been playing a few games on them. One game, given to Ellie, was 'The Lion, the Witch and the the Wardrobe'.

I wonder how quickly C S Lewis is spinning in his grave - from almost the very start the children are smashing furniture, beating doors open and killing packs of wolves with their bare hands, using ninja style moves...

My childhood memories of reading the books were of swordfights, but I guess lots of running away with a little bit of fighting doesn't make good gameplay for modern console junkies.

The college principal advises exorcism to deal with games consoles...