It is said that everyone has a book in them, and I, for one, agree with that!

Garnier – Ultimate Blends Shampoo Bar Zero Plastic Waste I’m sure that you, like me, are very concerned about plastic waste cluttering up our planet. So, when I came across these shampoo bars a couple of years ago in my local branch of Boot’s I thought I’d give them a go. I felt that if we could ditch plastic shampoo bottles it would be a big step in the right direction. I admit that the first time I used the shampoo bar it seemed strange. Instead of pouring shampoo into my hand I had to wet the shampoo bar. After that I simply rubbed the bar over my wet hair and lathered up as usual. And… after I’d rinsed the shampoo off, my hair felt cleaner than it had ever felt after using liquid shampoo! Wow. One wash was all it took to convert me to the Shampoo Bar. There are various options to suit all types of hair. My favourite is Delicate Oat for sensitive scalp and fragile hair. Apart from ‘no plastic’ there are other bonuses for using this product. One is that it smells fabulous. Another is that the little bar is perfect to pop in your luggage when travelling. If you try it out I’d love to hear your feedback. Enjoy! Teresa

“The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want…” Psalm 23:1 Being in nature brings me in closer communion with God. After returning home to Wales from Greece, where I had lived for some years, I settled for a while in a small, tranquil, former coalmining village. Its industrialized landscape thankfully returned to its naturally beautiful state. Walking out of my house and up beside the nearby river, usually with only sheep for company, my mind frequently turned to Psalm 23. “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want; He makes me down to lie in pastures green. He leads me beside still waters.” (Ps 23:1-2) At this time of Advent, though, as we prepare to celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ our Saviour, this psalm takes on a special significance, belonging, as it does, to the trilogy of psalms, 22, 23, and 24, that foretell of His coming upon the earth. Psalm 22 reveals the Suffering Saviour and His rejection by His own people, and by the world. Indeed, it opens with the words that He spoke during His agony on the cross: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Ps 22:1) Psalm 23, the best known of all psalms, foretells of Christ, the good shepherd, which Jesus called Himself, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (Jn 10:11) While Psalm 24 reveals that Christ will be the sovereign King. “Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.” (Ps 24:9) Having read those psalms my mind then skips again to the Gospel according to John where I read those words which always make my mind stop with incredulity: “He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, yet the world knew Him not.” (Jn 1:10-11) Still, as I write those words I am shaking my head with disbelief. We owe Him everything. Yet, too many in the world, even after millennia, still do not know Him. And so, I have a plan that you could, if you’d like, join me in. Let’s focus our Advent preparation on three aspects : 1. Let’s ponder on what He has done for us and thank and praise Him. 2. Let’s speak of Him to whomsoever we meet in our daily life, when it feels right, in the hope that our quiet words may bring Him closer. 3. Let’s pray that this Christmas all Christians on earth will put their focus onto the real meaning of Christmastide. That they will, for instance, send each other Christian Christmas cards, not wishy-washy “happy holiday” greetings. And put prayer and thanksgiving to God at the centre of their celebrations. And, yes, let’s promise to do that too! If we prepare for the celebration of Jesus’ coming on earth for us in this way, on Christmas morning we will be able to hear the opening words of John’s gospel and be filled with Joy; no matter what our circumstances . “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.” (Jn 1:1-4) Wishing you and yours a very happy and holy Christmas! And please do get in touch and let me know your take on this topic. God bless, Teresa

As I write, COP27 is taking place in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheik