How to half term #6

My final lie-in today was scuppered by two separate sets of scaffolding going up very loudly on both sides on the house before 7am. I mean, I had been up since 5.30 anyway, but I still wanted to lie-in with my book. Not to be.

Still, it gave me plenty of time to do some more pottering, make lunches for the week, shop, read and watch a bit of Netflix. Oh, and indulge in some delicious food.

I don't know if it's because of the attacks last night but I found myself drawn to watching a documentary called 'The Jihadis Next Door'. With a name like that, I'd usually steer well clear as it smacks of rubbish like Benefits Street etc etc but I found it equally interesting and disturbing. I feel for peace-loving Muslims whose name is tarnished by the kind of people who believe that one day the black flag of Islamic state will fly over Westminster and Allah is delighted by the death of innocent lives. I pondered it for the rest of the day. While their thinking is evil, I still can't help but think that the foreign policies of some western countries (us included) have undoubtedly added fuel to their fire. Killing of innocents is despicable whether it's done with vans and knives in London or drones in Syria. It's hard to think of a peaceful outcome to all of this, with the causes running so deep and the pain of loss needing retribution.

I also listened to a wonderful service on Radio 4 this morning, recorded at the Big Church Day Out (quite the change from the normal Sunday slot). Archbishop Justin Welby and the brilliant Pete Greig linking Pentecost with 'Thy Kingdom Come'. It's a prayer we need now, more than ever, even in the midst of disbelief for a peaceful outcome.