Yes here I am again, up with the birds at the crack of dawn to invade your airwaves at 6:55 and 7:55am, today and each Wednesday in December, for Radio Ulster’s Thought For The Day.

So whaddaya reckon, did I abandon all mention or reference to Titanic? As if! I would never do that to you! And so today’s ‘thought’ was about Eleanor, the fantastic lady who told me the story of her father, Ambrose Willis – the man behind Titanic’s beautiful carved wooden fireplaces and panelling. If you haven’t already seen it, you really have to check out Eleanor’s video – she’s a natural born storyteller:

Eleanor’s story really brought the Titanic to life for me; all the facts and figures I’ve learnt are transformed by the picture of Eleanor’s father returning home from work, being scolded by his wife because his clothes smelt of paint and varnish. The facts become a face. Which is a tiny little picture of the story of Christmas – a story in which the awe-inspiring, far-off fact of God’s presence in the Old Testament becomes the face of a vulnerable baby, crying in a stable.

Everything changes when the facts become a face – in bringing history to life, in building relationships between people, communities and nations – and in the realm of faith. “God is”, is a pretty huge statement to make. But “God is near”, “God is personal” – how much more amazing. And life-changing. And true.

Catchable on BBC iPlayer at 1:25:00 into Good Morning Ulster by clicking here.