Matthew 6

When you fast, do not look sombre as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

--

My grandfather was born into a life of Brylcreem, the hair oil of the 20th century. Up until the last time I saw him, a couple of years before he died, his hair was set and shiny. Over the years he became more weary and distracted and saggy but his hair was the same. They talk a lot about the stoicism of the ‘depression generation’ people who grew up through the depression years between the two great European wars. Maybe my grandfather was a stoic - always cheerful - a whistler.

His first wife, my grandmother, died when I was young. His second, a bizarre woman with high heels, believed she saw bears. Luckily, perhaps, she didn’t last long. He was a POW in North Africa and Italy before escaping to hide in the country; a six foot blonde South African surrounded by, shall we say, less tall, less blonde Italians. Man, what a life. I may get some the notes of his experiences and put them on the blog.

I used to fast, but having children threw out my schedule. Perhaps it is time to start again. I probably shouldn’t be telling you all this, seeing as the whole of Matthew 6 seems to be about doing ‘spiritual stuff’ in private – and not public. I guess I will avoid putting prayers on the blog. We’ll see.

By the way, my professional drug administering friend didn’t know the origins of the URL for this blog (freddiefreeloader). For more info see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_davis

and do a search for Freddie. (Ain’t Wiki great?) If you are really interested look for So What.

Must go funeralise.