Wow, time flies. It's been ages since I lasted posted something of worth on here. I could blame busyness, laziness, but in reality I suppose I have been a bit dry in terms of putting my thoughts and feelings into writing.
This period has seen me get better and finally am able to start work again next week, after more than a year off. Yeah, I know. A long long holiday. Humpf!
Will keep you posted as to how it goes after next week. Look forward to more comments about the care, or lack of it, for the elderly. There have been some revealing news stories lately. I could comment on them now, but quite frankly I'm tired, so I'll do it later.
Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown went to Gloucester
In a Week of Rain
He stepped in a puddle right over his middle
and never went there again
In a Week of Rain
He stepped in a puddle right over his middle
and never went there again
Let it rain, let it rain, let it rain
First we had a 3 week dry spell in April, now we have a 3 week monsoon in July. Which is better? Dry, cracked ground, or floods?
The rain is a time of renewing. Rivers flooded into roads, streets, houses, buildings. Structure is being shaken. People are having to think outside of the box. Communities are rewakened, people adapting to assisting one another out of danger, and with common difficulties. It's time. New life will come after the rains. New infrastructure, new buildings, new pathways and roads, new bridges and a new look to the river banks. It's a time for contemplating that which is important. Are your posessions able to withstand the torrents of water? Is your community able to withstand the crisis together and able to come out of it stronger? Which is more important. The things of this world will rot and pass away, but life will continue, stronger in the Lord.
Are we to be like Job and sit around moaning at his lot, or are we to be like Paul, who gets up, brushes the dust and blood from his cloak and carries on with what he was doing before being punished?
We need to build life together, community in community, help those who need help as much as we can, for there you will find life and satisfaction, otherwise, sit at your window, looking at the rising waters, seeing your jaguar float away, a bit of flotsam in the current and hold onto your precious things so they can be lifted higher than the waters, but stop and think. What do I save first? Which item do I have is more important than another?
I am high and dry and proud, but my neighbour is suffering, drowning, starving, thirsty. What do I say when I see them next, over the fence on the next hot, dry day? Do I see their suffering? Can I have helped? Shared? Whatever little you can do is like a miracle to someone else.
The rain is a time of renewing. Rivers flooded into roads, streets, houses, buildings. Structure is being shaken. People are having to think outside of the box. Communities are rewakened, people adapting to assisting one another out of danger, and with common difficulties. It's time. New life will come after the rains. New infrastructure, new buildings, new pathways and roads, new bridges and a new look to the river banks. It's a time for contemplating that which is important. Are your posessions able to withstand the torrents of water? Is your community able to withstand the crisis together and able to come out of it stronger? Which is more important. The things of this world will rot and pass away, but life will continue, stronger in the Lord.
Are we to be like Job and sit around moaning at his lot, or are we to be like Paul, who gets up, brushes the dust and blood from his cloak and carries on with what he was doing before being punished?
We need to build life together, community in community, help those who need help as much as we can, for there you will find life and satisfaction, otherwise, sit at your window, looking at the rising waters, seeing your jaguar float away, a bit of flotsam in the current and hold onto your precious things so they can be lifted higher than the waters, but stop and think. What do I save first? Which item do I have is more important than another?
I am high and dry and proud, but my neighbour is suffering, drowning, starving, thirsty. What do I say when I see them next, over the fence on the next hot, dry day? Do I see their suffering? Can I have helped? Shared? Whatever little you can do is like a miracle to someone else.
Tie Fighter for real
We have all seen the starwars movies and the Tie fighters, the small one man craft of the empire who race around trying to eliminate the heroes. Now though, I have proof that they actually exist!
Take a look at the following video clip from Nasa. During the last minute of the clip you can clearly see one hovering in space not too far away from the space shuttle Atlantis and this was filmed during their latest mission.
Intriguing.....
Take a look at the following video clip from Nasa. During the last minute of the clip you can clearly see one hovering in space not too far away from the space shuttle Atlantis and this was filmed during their latest mission.
Intriguing.....
Friday Nights
I was somehow sidelined into this thought this morning, during a reflective time with God. Why are Friday nights and Saturday nights almost always associated with partying, letting one's hair down, getting drunk, having a good time, going out, meeting mates, going clubbing etc?
Is it really because it is the weekend? or is there something else? Something spiritual?
Satan, was a fallen angel. He was once known as Lucifer. He was the head of worship. He was worship. He loved to worship God. He loved to worship for worshipping. He began to worship himself and this led to his downfall and to the whole realm of sin and seperation from God.
God ordained the Sabbath as a day of rest and also a day of celebration, a day of worship dedicated to God for who he is and what he has done for us. The Israelites and the Jews celebrate the Sabbath from twilight of Friday through to twilight of Saturday.
We brits and the rest of the world consider our Sabbath to be on a Sunday. That is the day we set apart specifically, historically and traditionally as the day for worship and celebration. Yet this leaves the gap. The original Sabbath and its spiritual connotations were regarded highly by God and by his ordained rules. These still apply, but now the fallen Lucifer has taken over the 'gap' in our lives. The worship is still there, the celebration is still ringing around the world, but it's not to God, but to the devil and to carnal desires. Music, love, lust, drunkeness, debauchery, orgies, violence, anger, hatred are all prevalent when people lose self control. The heady mix of alcohol, laughter and drugs makes for an interesting evening of escapism, which is becoming increasingly popular in our culture today. It's the devils scheme for making people worship themselves and him. Little do they know that when they are set out to have a good time, do they fall under the spell of the deceiver.
Satan still wants people to continue the sabbatical pattern of worship, but to worship anything else but God, the father and creator, as he originally ordained.
Next time you go out to have a good time, think of the reasons as to why, and then think how you can change that why to be more effective for God.
Is it really because it is the weekend? or is there something else? Something spiritual?
Satan, was a fallen angel. He was once known as Lucifer. He was the head of worship. He was worship. He loved to worship God. He loved to worship for worshipping. He began to worship himself and this led to his downfall and to the whole realm of sin and seperation from God.
God ordained the Sabbath as a day of rest and also a day of celebration, a day of worship dedicated to God for who he is and what he has done for us. The Israelites and the Jews celebrate the Sabbath from twilight of Friday through to twilight of Saturday.
We brits and the rest of the world consider our Sabbath to be on a Sunday. That is the day we set apart specifically, historically and traditionally as the day for worship and celebration. Yet this leaves the gap. The original Sabbath and its spiritual connotations were regarded highly by God and by his ordained rules. These still apply, but now the fallen Lucifer has taken over the 'gap' in our lives. The worship is still there, the celebration is still ringing around the world, but it's not to God, but to the devil and to carnal desires. Music, love, lust, drunkeness, debauchery, orgies, violence, anger, hatred are all prevalent when people lose self control. The heady mix of alcohol, laughter and drugs makes for an interesting evening of escapism, which is becoming increasingly popular in our culture today. It's the devils scheme for making people worship themselves and him. Little do they know that when they are set out to have a good time, do they fall under the spell of the deceiver.
Satan still wants people to continue the sabbatical pattern of worship, but to worship anything else but God, the father and creator, as he originally ordained.
Next time you go out to have a good time, think of the reasons as to why, and then think how you can change that why to be more effective for God.
Have we really come so far?
Reports this week in the papers regarding the care (or rather the lack of care) of patients with Alzheimers in some hospital wards where they are being treated. There is apparently very little scope for enhancement or collusion towards making these patients lives that much better. Some have not been out of the ward for more than six years. There are no facilities for exercise or even for walking around a garden. There are no activities for these people to put their minds to. So what is left but a miserable existence where the only highlight of their days are the meals and going back to bed again. It rather reminds of the dark old days of the mental home institutes where people were placed there simply because society didn't know what else to do with them and how to treat them. Nowadays there are guidelines and locksmiths and specific programmes to enable alzheimer's sufferers to improve or become that much more independent and to actually enjoy life, even if it means being wheeled around a garden in the sunshine.
What it comes down to is basic budget and priorities. Society still hold out as a general rule that alzheimers sufferers can no longer contribute to the community, are no longer needed to, should be placed somewhere out of sight and therefore out of mind, left to dwell in the confused memories of their lives until they die, but without much help from anyone else because it is too painful to care, to embarrasing to care, to expensive to care, too time consuming to care and too emotionally draining to care.
Therefore whatever care they get is given under minimum budget, to cover the basic necessities of living without giving life and enjoyment.
As the elderly population increases and the fact that there'll be more alzheimers sufferers in the future, we need to start thinking now of how society can help those sufferers in the future to have a life and enjoy it as well as they can, else we once again see the desperate and detestable places the mental institutions of old were.
We are in danger of repeating the mistakes of our ancestors when we believe we are in a society that has moved on, become more advanced and knowledgeable, yet we only attend to those who shout the loudest.
What it comes down to is basic budget and priorities. Society still hold out as a general rule that alzheimers sufferers can no longer contribute to the community, are no longer needed to, should be placed somewhere out of sight and therefore out of mind, left to dwell in the confused memories of their lives until they die, but without much help from anyone else because it is too painful to care, to embarrasing to care, to expensive to care, too time consuming to care and too emotionally draining to care.
Therefore whatever care they get is given under minimum budget, to cover the basic necessities of living without giving life and enjoyment.
As the elderly population increases and the fact that there'll be more alzheimers sufferers in the future, we need to start thinking now of how society can help those sufferers in the future to have a life and enjoy it as well as they can, else we once again see the desperate and detestable places the mental institutions of old were.
We are in danger of repeating the mistakes of our ancestors when we believe we are in a society that has moved on, become more advanced and knowledgeable, yet we only attend to those who shout the loudest.
Young at Heart
Young at Heart: Germany's First Playground for Seniors - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News
Imagine a playground in the middle of the park. One on which there are signs clearly indicating that this should not be used by those aged under 55. You'd think it strange, wouldn't you? Well, this latest idea has popped up in Germany. A playground for the elderly, where they can use several of the fixed features for gentle exercise and limb movement. It all goes to help those who find it difficult to exercise and who cannot compete with the pressures or prices of a gym. So now they can waltz down to the park and play in the playground, while the kids nominally should simply look on and then they can feel well enough to walk back home (hopefully). Only later during the twilight hours do the kids dare venture onto this new phenomenon.
I think its amazing idea and should be adapted and adopted in Britain. Only just dont let the elderly people have any black markers. Who knows what graffiti may appear on the apparatus!!
Imagine a playground in the middle of the park. One on which there are signs clearly indicating that this should not be used by those aged under 55. You'd think it strange, wouldn't you? Well, this latest idea has popped up in Germany. A playground for the elderly, where they can use several of the fixed features for gentle exercise and limb movement. It all goes to help those who find it difficult to exercise and who cannot compete with the pressures or prices of a gym. So now they can waltz down to the park and play in the playground, while the kids nominally should simply look on and then they can feel well enough to walk back home (hopefully). Only later during the twilight hours do the kids dare venture onto this new phenomenon.
I think its amazing idea and should be adapted and adopted in Britain. Only just dont let the elderly people have any black markers. Who knows what graffiti may appear on the apparatus!!
We need to pray
Panorama will show this this week. These guys are serious yet have got everything wrong. We need to pray for these people that they will see the true light.
BBC NEWS World Americas Row over Scientology video
BBC NEWS World Americas Row over Scientology video
A Sign, anything for a sign!
We need signs to show us the way, so when there isn't one, we tend to follow the path which many tread, even though it may perhaps be wrong. This path will look well worn, wide, inviting, yet could be a roadway, a railway track, a path which leads to the edge of a precipice, or the path which leads to temptation and sorrow of the soul, even though outwardly it may seem to be a party.
Follow the crowd, dodge the traffic, avoid the crevices, keep a parachute on incase you tumble over the precipice, keep a morning after pill with you and a block of strong coffee.
or...
find the narrow gate, with its weeds and its winding ways, a longer, challenging path, yet safe from the pitfalls and the dangers. Use this path for guaranteed safety even though it may not seem outwardly like a party and though there are not many others you can meet along the way, this path will lead you home to a joyous welcome and the savings from the hospital bill you can use for the benefit of others, who may not be as fortunate as yourself.
Of course, a sign would suffice to find the narrow gate, but would you read it anyway?
Follow the crowd, dodge the traffic, avoid the crevices, keep a parachute on incase you tumble over the precipice, keep a morning after pill with you and a block of strong coffee.
or...
find the narrow gate, with its weeds and its winding ways, a longer, challenging path, yet safe from the pitfalls and the dangers. Use this path for guaranteed safety even though it may not seem outwardly like a party and though there are not many others you can meet along the way, this path will lead you home to a joyous welcome and the savings from the hospital bill you can use for the benefit of others, who may not be as fortunate as yourself.
Of course, a sign would suffice to find the narrow gate, but would you read it anyway?
Friday 13th phobia
I have been reading Esther and in the book is the account of the start of Purim which is celebrated on 13th & 14th days of the month of Adar (which is roughly in March in our calendar).
On the 13th day there was issued an edict to destroy all the jews, which the Persian King then turned around to declare that the day could be used so that the Jews could destroy all of their enemies and get away with it, without being prosecuted and brought to account before the King.
Checking out the origins of friday 13th phobia, there is a large degree of uncertainty as to how the phobia started, with many references being presented in greek literature and perhaps earlier than that, and the fact that many nations where Jews resided in history, i.e. germany, spain, etc have the same stories and phobia.
The jews celebrate Purim with noisebangers and 'graggers' which were used to scare of Haman and his sons; to rid themselves of the spirits of their enemies, who had plotted against them.
Therefore, it being on the 13th of the month, I think this has transferred itself into our culture, either as a way of being scared, or having a phobia of the Jews being able to attack and kill their enemies or by the Jews being afraid of their enemies about to attack them. I think the former is more likely.
So other cultures developed this fear that the 13th would bring them bad luck because the Jews were in control, could rout their enemies and save their land and their peoples and boy, the devil hates it, so he has turned it around to become associated with horror and occult and phobias, a fear where things can or may go wrong simply for getting out of bed on such a day.
The Jews celebrate freedom whilst the rest of the world trembles in fear and trepidation.
Well, the rest of the world ain't seen nothin' yet !!!
On the 13th day there was issued an edict to destroy all the jews, which the Persian King then turned around to declare that the day could be used so that the Jews could destroy all of their enemies and get away with it, without being prosecuted and brought to account before the King.
Checking out the origins of friday 13th phobia, there is a large degree of uncertainty as to how the phobia started, with many references being presented in greek literature and perhaps earlier than that, and the fact that many nations where Jews resided in history, i.e. germany, spain, etc have the same stories and phobia.
The jews celebrate Purim with noisebangers and 'graggers' which were used to scare of Haman and his sons; to rid themselves of the spirits of their enemies, who had plotted against them.
Therefore, it being on the 13th of the month, I think this has transferred itself into our culture, either as a way of being scared, or having a phobia of the Jews being able to attack and kill their enemies or by the Jews being afraid of their enemies about to attack them. I think the former is more likely.
So other cultures developed this fear that the 13th would bring them bad luck because the Jews were in control, could rout their enemies and save their land and their peoples and boy, the devil hates it, so he has turned it around to become associated with horror and occult and phobias, a fear where things can or may go wrong simply for getting out of bed on such a day.
The Jews celebrate freedom whilst the rest of the world trembles in fear and trepidation.
Well, the rest of the world ain't seen nothin' yet !!!
Annoying
I was looking forward to writing something good today and as I lay awake at 01.30 thinking about what I was going to write it all seemed clear. Now some 7 hours later when I get a chance to sit here and write, I can't think what it was!!!
Ha! Never mind. Try later.
Ha! Never mind. Try later.
The Goldilocks Zone - Part 1
We are living in the "Goldilocks" zone. A zone which, according to leading scientists, is where temperatures for life and habitats are 'just right'. Not too hot neither too cold, but just right, so that water remains a liquid over most of the planet and there is life and vegetation.
Astronomers are interested in another similar planet, near the star Gilese 381, in the Libra constellation, where so far they have identified 3 planets, but only one they surmise is inhabitable and would have liquid water on the surface because they indicate that the planet lies with in the "Goldilocks Zone" of the star, so that its heat, albeit much depleted than that of our own sun, is able to produce temperatures on the planet where it is not too hot, nor too cold, but could be just right. They further surmise that there could well be alien lifeforms living on this planet. Of course, everyone is just guessing because it is 20.5 lightyears away.
I believe God created the earth first and then created the solar system and the surrounding stars and galaxies which dazzle us and which we all dream about. God made them because he wanted to see the delight in our faces at his handiwork..
Part two on myspace blog....
Astronomers are interested in another similar planet, near the star Gilese 381, in the Libra constellation, where so far they have identified 3 planets, but only one they surmise is inhabitable and would have liquid water on the surface because they indicate that the planet lies with in the "Goldilocks Zone" of the star, so that its heat, albeit much depleted than that of our own sun, is able to produce temperatures on the planet where it is not too hot, nor too cold, but could be just right. They further surmise that there could well be alien lifeforms living on this planet. Of course, everyone is just guessing because it is 20.5 lightyears away.
I believe God created the earth first and then created the solar system and the surrounding stars and galaxies which dazzle us and which we all dream about. God made them because he wanted to see the delight in our faces at his handiwork..
Part two on myspace blog....
Tagging Dementia Sufferers
BBC NEWS UK Tag dementia sufferers - minister
I think largely this depends on how advanced people with dementia are suffering because someone may give consent at one moment and then 'forget' all about that consent and will wonder why they are wearing a strange bracelet, tag or otherwise, which they would then try to remove.
Also, if this tagging device gives a clear signal as to the whereabouts of a particular person, the member monitoring the device would need to be proactive.
They may detect that the dementia sufferer is making their way to the local shops or the pub, but how are they making their way there?
Are they dressed correctly and decently?
Have they got shoes on?
Have they got the right clothing on for the right weather?
Do they have money?
Do they carry too much money, openly displayed?
What time of day is it?
Some people can attempt to go out at any time of day, 'looking for home' (where they lived 30 - 40 years ago), or looking for their family members (who may be living in the USA or elsewhere)
or want to go to the shops but head off in the wrong direction,
or cross a busy road without the aid of a safe crossing point.
There are a 1001 different scenarios to play with here!
How long will the monitor give the sufferer before they intervene?
If this is about rights of freedom for the sufferer, at what point should we intervene?
When the tag displays it has stopped in the middle of the street for 10 mins, 1 hour or 30 secs?
As the article in the link above states: Is tagging just for our convenience or theirs?
We appear not to have the resources available to closely monitor by being physically present with a sufferer any longer.
We allow a sufferer to wander, but cannot detect what they are doing which may place themselves in danger with electricity, fire, traffic, yobbos or anything else which they may not be particularly aware of.
A tag is fine for a temporary period of time but should never replace actual physical care!
I think largely this depends on how advanced people with dementia are suffering because someone may give consent at one moment and then 'forget' all about that consent and will wonder why they are wearing a strange bracelet, tag or otherwise, which they would then try to remove.
Also, if this tagging device gives a clear signal as to the whereabouts of a particular person, the member monitoring the device would need to be proactive.
They may detect that the dementia sufferer is making their way to the local shops or the pub, but how are they making their way there?
Are they dressed correctly and decently?
Have they got shoes on?
Have they got the right clothing on for the right weather?
Do they have money?
Do they carry too much money, openly displayed?
What time of day is it?
Some people can attempt to go out at any time of day, 'looking for home' (where they lived 30 - 40 years ago), or looking for their family members (who may be living in the USA or elsewhere)
or want to go to the shops but head off in the wrong direction,
or cross a busy road without the aid of a safe crossing point.
There are a 1001 different scenarios to play with here!
How long will the monitor give the sufferer before they intervene?
If this is about rights of freedom for the sufferer, at what point should we intervene?
When the tag displays it has stopped in the middle of the street for 10 mins, 1 hour or 30 secs?
As the article in the link above states: Is tagging just for our convenience or theirs?
We appear not to have the resources available to closely monitor by being physically present with a sufferer any longer.
We allow a sufferer to wander, but cannot detect what they are doing which may place themselves in danger with electricity, fire, traffic, yobbos or anything else which they may not be particularly aware of.
A tag is fine for a temporary period of time but should never replace actual physical care!
David and other people's names
Have you ever wondered that if some of the main characters in the Bible were so great and popular, why the Israelites didn't name their sons after them until much later.
If you check out some genealogical lines such as in Nehemiah or Ezra, Numbers or Matthew, you don't find another man named David or Moses or Abraham or Isaac.
Was this out of reverence for their greatness, parhaps?
or were these names their anglicised or they were known as other names originally, and because they are great, their names were altered to distinguish them from other Israelites during their times or even during the writing of the Bible, so that their uniqueness is more pronounced.
Interesting to find out.
If you check out some genealogical lines such as in Nehemiah or Ezra, Numbers or Matthew, you don't find another man named David or Moses or Abraham or Isaac.
Was this out of reverence for their greatness, parhaps?
or were these names their anglicised or they were known as other names originally, and because they are great, their names were altered to distinguish them from other Israelites during their times or even during the writing of the Bible, so that their uniqueness is more pronounced.
Interesting to find out.
Ezra's Gold & Silver
I am currently reading through Ezra and the amazing permission given for him and his fellow Israelites to be granted freedom to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple there. Not only could they go, but they were given gifts of silver and gold too. My NIV account mentions that there was the equivalent of 22 tonnes of silver and 3.5 tonnes of Gold given. Checking today's silver and gold market prices I worked out that they were given more than £93,000,000 worth. A phenomenal gift.
Then I wondered how would they transport the 25.5 tonnes of heavy metal for the 1000km from Babylon to Jerusalem. If they packed it on to donkeys, which could perhaps comfortably carry 50kg and possibly 100kg at a push, then they would need some 480 donkeys for the task of carrying the silver and gold, let alone all of the other paraphernalia they would take with them.
Ezra's group would have numbered between 8 - 10,000 depending on the number of women and children present. At that time, a veritable city of people crunching along the desert sands.
They took almost exactly four months to achieve the journey.
Then I wondered how would they transport the 25.5 tonnes of heavy metal for the 1000km from Babylon to Jerusalem. If they packed it on to donkeys, which could perhaps comfortably carry 50kg and possibly 100kg at a push, then they would need some 480 donkeys for the task of carrying the silver and gold, let alone all of the other paraphernalia they would take with them.
Ezra's group would have numbered between 8 - 10,000 depending on the number of women and children present. At that time, a veritable city of people crunching along the desert sands.
They took almost exactly four months to achieve the journey.
Babylon the Great
Checking out the modern day location for Babylon on Google Earth led me to a surprising discovery. I typed in Babylon in the search section and almost 40 locations popped up in one small area of earth. No, not the place in Mesopatamia between the river Tigris and the Euphrates. In fact that place didn't pop up at all. It seems that archeological features are not so prevalent on Google Earth.
No. All of the 40 or so spots were placed around the land between the two rivers, (well three perhaps,) the Hudson, the East and the Raritan rivers which pass through and around New York.
I've read many articles where people comment that the Babylon the Great mentioned in Revelation is linked in some way to New York and now even Google Earth confirms many places where the name of Babylon is prevalent within the city limits. Perhaps the correlation is stronger than we think.
The modern day city of Al Hillah lies within a couple of km from the ruins of the old city of Babylon in Iraq, a city perhaps with a deeper history and its territories marked with the battle scars of millenia, where even today, we know of fighting and battles going on between factions within Iraq and the armies of the world "pretending" to be there in the name of peace.
I wonder whose leader is more dangerous?
No. All of the 40 or so spots were placed around the land between the two rivers, (well three perhaps,) the Hudson, the East and the Raritan rivers which pass through and around New York.
I've read many articles where people comment that the Babylon the Great mentioned in Revelation is linked in some way to New York and now even Google Earth confirms many places where the name of Babylon is prevalent within the city limits. Perhaps the correlation is stronger than we think.
The modern day city of Al Hillah lies within a couple of km from the ruins of the old city of Babylon in Iraq, a city perhaps with a deeper history and its territories marked with the battle scars of millenia, where even today, we know of fighting and battles going on between factions within Iraq and the armies of the world "pretending" to be there in the name of peace.
I wonder whose leader is more dangerous?
At Least some sense prevails
The government has been dealt a poor deck of cards and gambled their stake in Supercasinos away. There is no double or quits and there is no plan B. The House of Lords has decided with just 3 votes to scrap the plans for supercasinos in the country.
At least there is still some sense lingering along the corridors of power.
No doubt the lobbyists will badger the government to try again at some point in the future, and hopefully they will be stalwalled again.
At least there is still some sense lingering along the corridors of power.
No doubt the lobbyists will badger the government to try again at some point in the future, and hopefully they will be stalwalled again.
The Parenthesis of ... (Sin)
In the beginning God…
Had a plan to create the earth and populate it with people who would worship him as their creator and take delight in his creation of the animals and the plants, the trees, the mountains, hills and seas around them, plus the myriad of stars above. Perhaps also to interact with God on a more personal level and to worship alongside his angels, just as he had a relationship with Adam in the beginning.
God placed man in the Garden of Eden where there was a whole variety of species awaiting his delight and there was the tree of life.
(Then came sin…..and seperation of man and a 1/3 of angels from God. Through sin, God had to readjust his plan, and send his son to die so that man could be reconciled to God once more and the pain of seperation and death would be dealt with once and for all, by binding Satan up and evicting him in to the lake of fire. This plan took man through many phases and many generations, from two people (adam & eve) through to today, where 6 billion people are living on the earth, and over time whoever knows how many have lived and died in the earth, perhaps 10 – 12 billion over the generations).
God planned a definitive time for all things to come to a head, to judge and to overcome the sin that caused his creation to go astray. God gave man time to try to overcome sin themselves but instead are destroying the very planet they live on, and creating technological advances which they claim can match those of God (or even transcend them).
The earth will be laid bare. Bare rock. No green grass, trees, plants, animals, people. A new earth. Seedlings will begin, life begins. Lichens and moss. This spreads, young plants will grow and these will spread. Over time the green grass will be renewed and be fresh and pleasing. This will be the new earth. Heaven, where men will dwell to worship God. On the earth there will be a city. The new Jerusalem, where God will dwell amongst man. The tree of life will be there and men will worship God forever. The city will be 12000 stadia long on each of its four sides – 1500 miles long x 1500 miles = 2.25m sq. miles
The people of God in their new bodies will be forever young, forever worshipping the magnificent creator and praising him for his new creations which he will do for us to take delight in once again and never will there be any more sin or death or all of the evil that is associated with it for God in his glory will be the ultimate for whom we run to when he extends his open arms and walks with us upon the lush green grass in the garden.
Had a plan to create the earth and populate it with people who would worship him as their creator and take delight in his creation of the animals and the plants, the trees, the mountains, hills and seas around them, plus the myriad of stars above. Perhaps also to interact with God on a more personal level and to worship alongside his angels, just as he had a relationship with Adam in the beginning.
God placed man in the Garden of Eden where there was a whole variety of species awaiting his delight and there was the tree of life.
(Then came sin…..and seperation of man and a 1/3 of angels from God. Through sin, God had to readjust his plan, and send his son to die so that man could be reconciled to God once more and the pain of seperation and death would be dealt with once and for all, by binding Satan up and evicting him in to the lake of fire. This plan took man through many phases and many generations, from two people (adam & eve) through to today, where 6 billion people are living on the earth, and over time whoever knows how many have lived and died in the earth, perhaps 10 – 12 billion over the generations).
God planned a definitive time for all things to come to a head, to judge and to overcome the sin that caused his creation to go astray. God gave man time to try to overcome sin themselves but instead are destroying the very planet they live on, and creating technological advances which they claim can match those of God (or even transcend them).
The earth will be laid bare. Bare rock. No green grass, trees, plants, animals, people. A new earth. Seedlings will begin, life begins. Lichens and moss. This spreads, young plants will grow and these will spread. Over time the green grass will be renewed and be fresh and pleasing. This will be the new earth. Heaven, where men will dwell to worship God. On the earth there will be a city. The new Jerusalem, where God will dwell amongst man. The tree of life will be there and men will worship God forever. The city will be 12000 stadia long on each of its four sides – 1500 miles long x 1500 miles = 2.25m sq. miles
The people of God in their new bodies will be forever young, forever worshipping the magnificent creator and praising him for his new creations which he will do for us to take delight in once again and never will there be any more sin or death or all of the evil that is associated with it for God in his glory will be the ultimate for whom we run to when he extends his open arms and walks with us upon the lush green grass in the garden.
Watch Out!!!
Homosexual Penguins in the Curriculum: Gay Fairy Tales for British Pupils - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News
We need to be observant about what our kids are being taught in our schools. The flames of the devil are deepening in the minds of our kids through the subtle ways of simple books.
We need to be observant about what our kids are being taught in our schools. The flames of the devil are deepening in the minds of our kids through the subtle ways of simple books.
The 4th Horse - Revelation 6
UN Report Exclusive: Climate Change Impact More Extensive than Thought - International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News
The above link to DER SPIEGEL's report on Climate Change makes interesting reading, particularly when read in conjunction with Revelation chapter 6, where it describes the Seals and in particular the 4th Seal which reveals the 4th Horse, a pale horse whose rider is called Death and he is given power over 1/4 of all the earth to kill by sword, famine, plague and wild beasts.
1/4 of the earth by sword - Islamism is growing ever popular and 1/4 of the countries on the earth now fully claim they are islamic, and there are representatives of islam in almost every other country, so we could argue that 1/4 of the world's population may base their religion beliefs on Islam.
The link above indicates that global warming is on an alarming increase, and by 2050 they estimate that 20% - 30% of all species (including humans?) will be killed off due to the effects of global warming to cause rising sea levels, eradicating low lying lands and islands, freak weather patterns, destroying the hiterto natural pattern of life and causing animals to seek food elsewhere around the planet and thus affecting their breeding rates and populations which also directly affect us for use of food sources and by attacks as certain animals may develop wilder characteristics in the chase for food and attack anyone in their way.
Plants and crops will be affected as the temperature warms and desertification spreads northwards and southwards and a distinct lack of rainfall over much of the lands means that crops will fail and there will be more famines which would not just affect those in poor Africa but may affect North Americans and Europeans since they consume most of the world's supply of foodstuffs and these will become scarce necessitating a change in lifestyle which most would deem to avoid if at all possible.
High ground will become a precious commodity as sea levels rise and those living in flood plains and low lying areas will likely lose their dwellings.
Imagine 1/4 of the earth's population. If by 2050 it is 7+billion then that would equate to 1.75 billion losing their lives.
If global warming continues then the rains may stop. They were not known before the time of the flood. Perhaps the earth will resort back to pre-flood conditions where everything was tinder dry and rain was not known. Then God will destroy the earth this time not by a great flood, but as he says in many passages, by fire. The vegetation will be tinder dry and we already know the devastation that forest fires can cause, as in Australia at the end of 2006. A forest fire on a global scale will destroy the earth and everything in it.
The above link to DER SPIEGEL's report on Climate Change makes interesting reading, particularly when read in conjunction with Revelation chapter 6, where it describes the Seals and in particular the 4th Seal which reveals the 4th Horse, a pale horse whose rider is called Death and he is given power over 1/4 of all the earth to kill by sword, famine, plague and wild beasts.
1/4 of the earth by sword - Islamism is growing ever popular and 1/4 of the countries on the earth now fully claim they are islamic, and there are representatives of islam in almost every other country, so we could argue that 1/4 of the world's population may base their religion beliefs on Islam.
The link above indicates that global warming is on an alarming increase, and by 2050 they estimate that 20% - 30% of all species (including humans?) will be killed off due to the effects of global warming to cause rising sea levels, eradicating low lying lands and islands, freak weather patterns, destroying the hiterto natural pattern of life and causing animals to seek food elsewhere around the planet and thus affecting their breeding rates and populations which also directly affect us for use of food sources and by attacks as certain animals may develop wilder characteristics in the chase for food and attack anyone in their way.
Plants and crops will be affected as the temperature warms and desertification spreads northwards and southwards and a distinct lack of rainfall over much of the lands means that crops will fail and there will be more famines which would not just affect those in poor Africa but may affect North Americans and Europeans since they consume most of the world's supply of foodstuffs and these will become scarce necessitating a change in lifestyle which most would deem to avoid if at all possible.
High ground will become a precious commodity as sea levels rise and those living in flood plains and low lying areas will likely lose their dwellings.
Imagine 1/4 of the earth's population. If by 2050 it is 7+billion then that would equate to 1.75 billion losing their lives.
If global warming continues then the rains may stop. They were not known before the time of the flood. Perhaps the earth will resort back to pre-flood conditions where everything was tinder dry and rain was not known. Then God will destroy the earth this time not by a great flood, but as he says in many passages, by fire. The vegetation will be tinder dry and we already know the devastation that forest fires can cause, as in Australia at the end of 2006. A forest fire on a global scale will destroy the earth and everything in it.
Drills, Drills and more Drills
Have you ever wondered if there is a place where all sorts of drills can be heard. Dentist drills, Pneumatic road drills, hammer drills. Well. I went to such a place. For 20 minutes all I heard was drilling, from all sorts of drills. I felt like I was in a one man submarine being attacked by drills or even by automatic aircraft gunfire. I felt as if I was trapped and people all around were desperately drilling through rock to rescue me.
Well, I was in an MRI scanning machine, you know the time where you lie on a bed and slide through into a large tube.
Best thing? Totally painless. Apart from the drills......
Well, I was in an MRI scanning machine, you know the time where you lie on a bed and slide through into a large tube.
Best thing? Totally painless. Apart from the drills......
Alzheimers not being treated (with respect)
Major reports flying through all UK newspapers about the treatment, or lack of, to Alzheimers patients. The NHS feels the cost of drugs such as Donepezil, Rivastigmine, and Galantamine are too much to give to these necessary users for the little effect they seem to achieve.
I know first hand how they can enhance a sufferer's life and give them back a little dignity and little chance of being independant.
If the difference between taking the medication and not taking the medication means complete loss of independence and dignity then surely the medication must account for something in their lives. They may not acknowledge it and the effects may appear to be minimal however they are key drugs if they do the right job. These sufferers may be incapable of working or being thankful for the drugs yet see their smile when they achieve even the smallest things and surely the expense is worth it.
In our cost cutting culture, because these drugs do not appear to make a life change completely around and help a person return back to normal thinking after suffering from alzheimers, those with the power think these people do not need them. Absolute rubbish!
Even the smallest amount of independence they achieve lesson the burden on carers and give them a sense of belonging in life, in their homes and in their communities
I know first hand how they can enhance a sufferer's life and give them back a little dignity and little chance of being independant.
If the difference between taking the medication and not taking the medication means complete loss of independence and dignity then surely the medication must account for something in their lives. They may not acknowledge it and the effects may appear to be minimal however they are key drugs if they do the right job. These sufferers may be incapable of working or being thankful for the drugs yet see their smile when they achieve even the smallest things and surely the expense is worth it.
In our cost cutting culture, because these drugs do not appear to make a life change completely around and help a person return back to normal thinking after suffering from alzheimers, those with the power think these people do not need them. Absolute rubbish!
Even the smallest amount of independence they achieve lesson the burden on carers and give them a sense of belonging in life, in their homes and in their communities
Is God younger than you?
We had a guest speaker in our church (an ozzie), and he said something which seems on the outside fascinating.
When the devil caused sin to enter our world the period of aging began and now we take it as normal that we have our allotted time of three score and ten (70 years) or there abouts (on average) to live out our lives.
We know from the bible that people pre-Noah's time lived far longer, i.e. Methuselah lived 969 years.
It was not God's original intention that we grow old so quickly. This is a cause of sin in our lives.
Jesus says let the children come to him.
God wants us to have a simple faith in him. To believe him and trust in him without us complicating things and making provisos or ifs and buts, but just to trust him, like a child simply trusts its parent without question.
My child trusts me even though he has often no clue what I am doing. I say to him, come we are going out in the car, and he tags along because a) he enjoys going out in the car, b) because he enjoys being with me, whereever I go and whatever I do.
This is how God wants us to be.
Could it be that we age to become older than God? That God is an eternal child in simplicity and without complication? He sets down the rules and he never changes. There are no provisos. No ifs and buts with God. He wants us to simply love him and trust him. His rules are there to keep us close to him, like we tell a child not to wander off or stick their grubby fingers in the electrical sockets. Those rules keep them safe and God's rules are designed to keep us safe in him.
That's all he wants folks........
When the devil caused sin to enter our world the period of aging began and now we take it as normal that we have our allotted time of three score and ten (70 years) or there abouts (on average) to live out our lives.
We know from the bible that people pre-Noah's time lived far longer, i.e. Methuselah lived 969 years.
It was not God's original intention that we grow old so quickly. This is a cause of sin in our lives.
Jesus says let the children come to him.
God wants us to have a simple faith in him. To believe him and trust in him without us complicating things and making provisos or ifs and buts, but just to trust him, like a child simply trusts its parent without question.
My child trusts me even though he has often no clue what I am doing. I say to him, come we are going out in the car, and he tags along because a) he enjoys going out in the car, b) because he enjoys being with me, whereever I go and whatever I do.
This is how God wants us to be.
Could it be that we age to become older than God? That God is an eternal child in simplicity and without complication? He sets down the rules and he never changes. There are no provisos. No ifs and buts with God. He wants us to simply love him and trust him. His rules are there to keep us close to him, like we tell a child not to wander off or stick their grubby fingers in the electrical sockets. Those rules keep them safe and God's rules are designed to keep us safe in him.
That's all he wants folks........
Age of Methuselah
Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to live to the age Methuselah did? In Genesis 5 v 27, the bible states that he lived for 969 years. Longevity in those days was the norm. Imagine if Methuselah had been born 900 years ago in Britain. The year 1107. As he grew up what would he have witnessed? What events would have been key in his memory? Born into medieval Britain, witnessing the change of Kings and wars with scotland, the collapse of the Roman empire, the rise of the protestant church and the beginnings of the methodist movement, Queen Elizabeth 1 and her wars with spain and france, the civil war - would he have been a roundhead?, the conquering of the new worlds of america and the exploration and expansion of the British Empire to boast the Empire is such that the sun never sets upon it, and then man's almost nihilistic destruction beginning at the start of the 20th Century leading through until today.
He'd be saddened by the fact that 800 years had gone by where yeah there were battles and unrest, poverty and decline, power and victory, but never had there been near total destruction as there is nowadays on a almost global scale. The skirmishes he'd witness as a young man would have affected perhaps two villages and their fields, perhaps upto 300 men each; now its two or more countries with 3 million people at stake
How he would now feel the need for the hunger of God. He would know man needs God so much now than ever before. Even the dark days of the civil war do not account for anything like the dangers we see on our streets.
Methuselah did actually live in a similar time. An unlawful and uncivil society, keen on getting their own way and doing what they wanted and wishing to live lavishly against the rules of God and morality. Society was then at breaking point.
What happened?
God intervened and through Noah decided he would save the human race, but at a cost to everyone else who were all drowned in the flood.
The bible says God will intervene again. This time not by flood but by fire. We humans didn't learn from the first lesson and the devil has made God seem totally unimportant in this world of personal freedom, gain, TV and PCs, where all of our attention on God has been directed elsewhere, so that now God is a little less than a picture on a wall, a dusty book hidden under glossy magazines, a gold effigy hung on a chain for good luck; a book from the past hidden in a darkened cupboard long forgotten behind the bright lights of a plasma screen.
Man is causing damage to the world. The boulder rolling down the hill can no longer be stopped. It's momentum gaining speed as it heads down to flatten and destroy.
Only God can now save us.
Jesus Christ is the key. Look to him and believe and you will be saved.
Man cannot be saved by Noah again. His time is gone.
Now the world is the stage for Armageddon. Beware for your time is soon up. In the twinkling of an eye, it will come to pass and you will question yourself as you see the burning flames of hell and wonder where your time is gone and wonder why in the end it was all for nothing. Meaningless.
You have your chance. Take it now before it is too late. Jesus is waiting for you with his arms open wide. Go to him before you sink below the flames.
He'd be saddened by the fact that 800 years had gone by where yeah there were battles and unrest, poverty and decline, power and victory, but never had there been near total destruction as there is nowadays on a almost global scale. The skirmishes he'd witness as a young man would have affected perhaps two villages and their fields, perhaps upto 300 men each; now its two or more countries with 3 million people at stake
How he would now feel the need for the hunger of God. He would know man needs God so much now than ever before. Even the dark days of the civil war do not account for anything like the dangers we see on our streets.
Methuselah did actually live in a similar time. An unlawful and uncivil society, keen on getting their own way and doing what they wanted and wishing to live lavishly against the rules of God and morality. Society was then at breaking point.
What happened?
God intervened and through Noah decided he would save the human race, but at a cost to everyone else who were all drowned in the flood.
The bible says God will intervene again. This time not by flood but by fire. We humans didn't learn from the first lesson and the devil has made God seem totally unimportant in this world of personal freedom, gain, TV and PCs, where all of our attention on God has been directed elsewhere, so that now God is a little less than a picture on a wall, a dusty book hidden under glossy magazines, a gold effigy hung on a chain for good luck; a book from the past hidden in a darkened cupboard long forgotten behind the bright lights of a plasma screen.
Man is causing damage to the world. The boulder rolling down the hill can no longer be stopped. It's momentum gaining speed as it heads down to flatten and destroy.
Only God can now save us.
Jesus Christ is the key. Look to him and believe and you will be saved.
Man cannot be saved by Noah again. His time is gone.
Now the world is the stage for Armageddon. Beware for your time is soon up. In the twinkling of an eye, it will come to pass and you will question yourself as you see the burning flames of hell and wonder where your time is gone and wonder why in the end it was all for nothing. Meaningless.
You have your chance. Take it now before it is too late. Jesus is waiting for you with his arms open wide. Go to him before you sink below the flames.
Is loneliness dangerous?
BBC NEWS Health Loneliness link with Alzheimer's
This article is a real eye opener, by revealing that a study shows that the more lonely a person is the more likely they are to develop Alzheimers.
This is significant in our day of family breakdown and the wider divide of the ages between young and old.
It says loneliness not only increases emotional stresses but can lead to physical conditions.
When people are not stimulated, they do not use their brain as much and therefore lose the links to react to thought and memory and speech.
Great news that companies like ExtraCare promote well being and activities for the elderly so they can continue to function normally for longer and remain part of a social group and status within it.
This article is a real eye opener, by revealing that a study shows that the more lonely a person is the more likely they are to develop Alzheimers.
This is significant in our day of family breakdown and the wider divide of the ages between young and old.
It says loneliness not only increases emotional stresses but can lead to physical conditions.
When people are not stimulated, they do not use their brain as much and therefore lose the links to react to thought and memory and speech.
Great news that companies like ExtraCare promote well being and activities for the elderly so they can continue to function normally for longer and remain part of a social group and status within it.
Official - A Dog eat Dog Society
Check out the link to the Unicef Innocenti Report Card 7 on child poverty throughout Europe and non OECD countries.
It is enlightening to find or even confirm that UK is at the bottom and children in the UK find themselves in the worst situations of poverty and well being in Europe.
The BBC report and the Unicef report (as you can read for yourself in the pdf format) concentrates on children, but what will these children learn.
They learn they have to fend for themselves, the dog eat dog syndrome, and this is taken into adulthood, so the rich become richer, the poor become poorer and guys, we even have to think that history may repeat itself of there being masters and servants, or dare I say it, slaves and masters, or a society where the weak and the powerless are simply 'bumped off', a lesson of saying 'we don't need you, we can't afford you, you have no worth to our society'
I can see euthanasia increasing. What of the elderly. Who is going to care for them? The children of today are found themselves not being cared for, so why should they care for others in the future?
Why should the children love others when they receive no love themselves now?
The family unit is being constantly split and divided. Children are left to their own devices. They don't relate to others or their peers or other adults. They are in a world of mindless games and movies promoting sex and violence and drugs, where rules are there to be broken and when broken it is celebrated.
I feel for the elderly of the future (Me!) whereby advancements in modern science and health promote the lengthening of life into perhaps an era where the average age of death will be 100 and not currently 80. That means 20 years further being contributed to by society, comprising of today's children.
Somewhere society will crash. Terrible things will be done and then and only then will the government wake up. What we need are brave pioneers. The John Peel, the Mr Barnado, the William Booth of tomorrow, who will step up and challenge society, for I fear it will be bogged down in its own dirth and mire.
Where are the heroes? Are you one of them? Are you willing to step up and be counted and pave your way through a moral minefield and win the hearts of those who really need love and compassion?
It is enlightening to find or even confirm that UK is at the bottom and children in the UK find themselves in the worst situations of poverty and well being in Europe.
The BBC report and the Unicef report (as you can read for yourself in the pdf format) concentrates on children, but what will these children learn.
They learn they have to fend for themselves, the dog eat dog syndrome, and this is taken into adulthood, so the rich become richer, the poor become poorer and guys, we even have to think that history may repeat itself of there being masters and servants, or dare I say it, slaves and masters, or a society where the weak and the powerless are simply 'bumped off', a lesson of saying 'we don't need you, we can't afford you, you have no worth to our society'
I can see euthanasia increasing. What of the elderly. Who is going to care for them? The children of today are found themselves not being cared for, so why should they care for others in the future?
Why should the children love others when they receive no love themselves now?
The family unit is being constantly split and divided. Children are left to their own devices. They don't relate to others or their peers or other adults. They are in a world of mindless games and movies promoting sex and violence and drugs, where rules are there to be broken and when broken it is celebrated.
I feel for the elderly of the future (Me!) whereby advancements in modern science and health promote the lengthening of life into perhaps an era where the average age of death will be 100 and not currently 80. That means 20 years further being contributed to by society, comprising of today's children.
Somewhere society will crash. Terrible things will be done and then and only then will the government wake up. What we need are brave pioneers. The John Peel, the Mr Barnado, the William Booth of tomorrow, who will step up and challenge society, for I fear it will be bogged down in its own dirth and mire.
Where are the heroes? Are you one of them? Are you willing to step up and be counted and pave your way through a moral minefield and win the hearts of those who really need love and compassion?
Laughable!!
4cm of snow falls and England collapses under the strain!
No terrorists, no war, no fallout. Just snow.
England is a mockery and making itself a laughing stock. We lack education. We need to train our drivers to cope in the snow.
When I was a kid at school, there was in 1983 a deep snow fall in Coventry, perhaps 1 metre of snow. It was banked high along the roads and lasted for days. We went to school. Teachers drove into school. Life went on as best it could in the circumstances.
Nowadays its health & safety policy to close schools, in case kids slip on snow or get hurt by a snowball, or even worse if a teacher slips or gets hit by a snowball, (HASWA!!) so, no its best to close the schools, preventing parents from going to work, cancelling appointments, meetings (what if a mother is a top doctor about to do an operation planned for months and then the school closes and she cannot get child care etc for the time she is at work, and she was willing to battle through the elements to reach the hospital so the patient could have the long awaited operation).
It is complete nonsense.
Businesses suffer and traffic snarls to a halt because someone skidded and got stuck, but those around the poor driver dont offer to help because they are all cocooned in their own warm tin can listening to the traffic reports and wishing they could just get on, so they sit their honking their horns or calling for all of the emergency services to help a poor fellow stuck in the snow, when they could simply step out and assist.
we don't know how to carry spades and shuffles, extra clothing and flasks. We don;t want to help our neighbours.
No wonder this country is grinding slowly into its own grave!!
No terrorists, no war, no fallout. Just snow.
England is a mockery and making itself a laughing stock. We lack education. We need to train our drivers to cope in the snow.
When I was a kid at school, there was in 1983 a deep snow fall in Coventry, perhaps 1 metre of snow. It was banked high along the roads and lasted for days. We went to school. Teachers drove into school. Life went on as best it could in the circumstances.
Nowadays its health & safety policy to close schools, in case kids slip on snow or get hurt by a snowball, or even worse if a teacher slips or gets hit by a snowball, (HASWA!!) so, no its best to close the schools, preventing parents from going to work, cancelling appointments, meetings (what if a mother is a top doctor about to do an operation planned for months and then the school closes and she cannot get child care etc for the time she is at work, and she was willing to battle through the elements to reach the hospital so the patient could have the long awaited operation).
It is complete nonsense.
Businesses suffer and traffic snarls to a halt because someone skidded and got stuck, but those around the poor driver dont offer to help because they are all cocooned in their own warm tin can listening to the traffic reports and wishing they could just get on, so they sit their honking their horns or calling for all of the emergency services to help a poor fellow stuck in the snow, when they could simply step out and assist.
we don't know how to carry spades and shuffles, extra clothing and flasks. We don;t want to help our neighbours.
No wonder this country is grinding slowly into its own grave!!
It's downright Criminal
So, according to Speigel Magazine, a poll from people of Europe (35,000) were asked about the state of life and criminality in their country and what has affected them from break ins and car theft to muggings and sexual crimes.
They conclude that the UK and Ireland are the worst countries for crime in Europe (which I can well understand) and that London has 50% more crime than New York or Istanbul.
I think this is down to education and society and in the UK society is more a breakdown point than anywhere else in Europe.
So hold on to your hats and car keys, until you are in Finland, as this is one of the safest.
They conclude that the UK and Ireland are the worst countries for crime in Europe (which I can well understand) and that London has 50% more crime than New York or Istanbul.
I think this is down to education and society and in the UK society is more a breakdown point than anywhere else in Europe.
So hold on to your hats and car keys, until you are in Finland, as this is one of the safest.
Is our life our choice or is it God's?
Did we choose to live?
Was it our choice to be born?
When did we realise we were born? During our first memories? More likely,when someone, whether our parents or a teacher made us realise the process of our birth into life and our life for the future and how our life up until that age of realisation is documented either by stories, photos, certificates etc.
Our realisation that somehow we had started living in our world began when it became a fascination of how we could then live in it. Planning for our future through education and relationships; finding out what drives us, whether it be money, love, career, attention, fame or reputation.
If it wasn't our choice to be born, is it really our choice to live, and how we live?
Yes, and no.
Is it our choice whether to continue living or to die? Yes.
Is it our choice when we die? Yes and no.
Obviously we choose our time to die if we want to commit suicide, but then sometimes that may not work, and chances happen that people survive their attempts.
Does this mean God is in ultimate control, even if we think we may take our own life at the time we choose?
Yes.
God allows us to choose our paths in life, who we develop relationships with, where we live, what we do for work, whether we are successful or poor. So as we steer our lives, we may believe we are holding the wheel, yet God is standing behind us navigating and warning us to steer in the right direction, according to his plan and purpose for our lives.
What of those who don't believe in God? God is still in control yet allows people to get into all sorts of scrapes and trouble with the choice of accepting Satan as the one who navigates their lives for them.
Is it God's plan for people to be murdered? Or killed in vehicle and plane accidents? Yes, often God allows disasters to befall man because of man's sin.
What choices do I have to make?
Firstly, believe in God and his love for you.
Believe in Jesus Christ who died to save your sins. Jesus conquered death and rose again victorious. He took away the sting of death.
Believing in God gives God direct control of our lives and our destiny
And he will still allow you choices, yet if you are humble and allow him to control your thinking every day, then that destiny will become as God has originally purposed for you.
God chose you to be born. He chose you to live, lavishing his love upon you, and he will lift you up to sit on the right side of Him when he so fulfills the purpose of your life on earth. Our life is not destined to be the only life we know. It is but a stepping stone to eternal life with God himself in his beautiful heavenly mansion, with streets paved with gold, where we will worship the Lord, forever and beyond even then.
Will you do that?
K. S White
6/12/04
Was it our choice to be born?
When did we realise we were born? During our first memories? More likely,when someone, whether our parents or a teacher made us realise the process of our birth into life and our life for the future and how our life up until that age of realisation is documented either by stories, photos, certificates etc.
Our realisation that somehow we had started living in our world began when it became a fascination of how we could then live in it. Planning for our future through education and relationships; finding out what drives us, whether it be money, love, career, attention, fame or reputation.
If it wasn't our choice to be born, is it really our choice to live, and how we live?
Yes, and no.
Is it our choice whether to continue living or to die? Yes.
Is it our choice when we die? Yes and no.
Obviously we choose our time to die if we want to commit suicide, but then sometimes that may not work, and chances happen that people survive their attempts.
Does this mean God is in ultimate control, even if we think we may take our own life at the time we choose?
Yes.
God allows us to choose our paths in life, who we develop relationships with, where we live, what we do for work, whether we are successful or poor. So as we steer our lives, we may believe we are holding the wheel, yet God is standing behind us navigating and warning us to steer in the right direction, according to his plan and purpose for our lives.
What of those who don't believe in God? God is still in control yet allows people to get into all sorts of scrapes and trouble with the choice of accepting Satan as the one who navigates their lives for them.
Is it God's plan for people to be murdered? Or killed in vehicle and plane accidents? Yes, often God allows disasters to befall man because of man's sin.
What choices do I have to make?
Firstly, believe in God and his love for you.
Believe in Jesus Christ who died to save your sins. Jesus conquered death and rose again victorious. He took away the sting of death.
Believing in God gives God direct control of our lives and our destiny
And he will still allow you choices, yet if you are humble and allow him to control your thinking every day, then that destiny will become as God has originally purposed for you.
God chose you to be born. He chose you to live, lavishing his love upon you, and he will lift you up to sit on the right side of Him when he so fulfills the purpose of your life on earth. Our life is not destined to be the only life we know. It is but a stepping stone to eternal life with God himself in his beautiful heavenly mansion, with streets paved with gold, where we will worship the Lord, forever and beyond even then.
Will you do that?
K. S White
6/12/04
The obligatory shopping trolley
Why is it that shopping trollies are ending up in our streams and rivers?
Do they collectively attempt to commit suicide after years spent burning along supermarket aisles?
It is a sad end to see endless amounts of junk in our streams and rivers from trollies to tyres to old boots and computer monitors.
Its the trollies though which bug me because some people have to cart these miles from the supermarkets and dump them into a stream for really no good reason other than its fun and they cannot be bothered to send them back.
The supermarkets would need to advertise soon, for people who wish to shop there to first go to the local river and fish out their own trolley!
Do they collectively attempt to commit suicide after years spent burning along supermarket aisles?
It is a sad end to see endless amounts of junk in our streams and rivers from trollies to tyres to old boots and computer monitors.
Its the trollies though which bug me because some people have to cart these miles from the supermarkets and dump them into a stream for really no good reason other than its fun and they cannot be bothered to send them back.
The supermarkets would need to advertise soon, for people who wish to shop there to first go to the local river and fish out their own trolley!
Supanova
Before a star dies it heats up and expands. Its inner particles challenge each other releasing heat and energy, angry and red, burning and vicious. Particles lose heat and are ejected by those stronger and more forceful. Eventually the star collapses as its energy is spent. It cannot withhold its members, its particles, its energy and they float off in all directions.
The once bright star is now a simmering blackened dwarf, an sixteenth of its original size, with no light emission and no energy, it sinks into nothing to become an ugly black hole sucking in light from around it and stealing light which other stars enjoy.
The once bright star is now a simmering blackened dwarf, an sixteenth of its original size, with no light emission and no energy, it sinks into nothing to become an ugly black hole sucking in light from around it and stealing light which other stars enjoy.
The Pact Mat 25 v 14-30
The old man walked through the shopping centre with an air of grace. He looked through the shop windows casually eyeing his surroundings, appreciating the décor of the expensive facades. Pete followed him at a distance, yet somehow he sensed the old man knew he was behind him. He absentmindedly fingered the diamond stud in his ear, as he watched the old man take the escalator up to the next level. The old man walked with a sense of purpose, his long silver coiffured hair swaying slightly, the sharply tailored business suit, extenuating the deep tan of his olive skin.
Pete stood overlooking the balustrade to the levels below and observed as the old man rang the security bell to the heavy, dark tinted glass doors leading to the executive offices of the owners of the shopping centre. His own offices. Pete decided not to follow. Instead, observing the people around him and wanting to blend into the crowds for a short time, he walked into a shoe shop and pretended to browse the aisles of expensive leather and crocodile skin shoes, to give himself time to think strategy.
His pager rang. Maria, his secretary called to inform him of his visitor.
"I'll be an hour" he announced when he placed the call on his mobile phone. Let the old man sweat it out a bit. So he was right. He did recognise him. The Prince. Memories flooded back. Good memories, yet mysterious. And now, why had he returned. Why after all these years? Forty three years, Pete calculated. He knew the Prince would return, yet he hoped he never would, or at least, give him time until he could receive his substantial pension. Only a few years left.
They hugged. Two old men creasing their expensive suits and crying like babies. Maria left them to it and closed the door to Pete's office quietly.
"Great to see you" the Prince said, "and you've done well for yourself". The Prince looked around the office, eyeing the expensive furniture and décor, looking at the many photographs and sports certificates which adorned the walls.
Pete fingered the diamond stud in his ear once more, and suddenly felt embarrassed. The Prince noticed. "The stud. You've changed it."
"Yes. It's a solid diamond. 1 carat. It still means the same though." More than his wedding band did, Pete thought glumly.
"Have you seen Charlie and Joe?" The Prince asked.
Pete thought before answering. They were all once good friends. He tried to suppress the memories from popping into his head. He had spent years trying to forget the pain of lost friendship. "No. Not for years. Charlie, I've heard is down on the river. The last I heard of Joe was when he went to prison for fraud. Must have been at least twenty years ago."
The Prince thought for a long time, staring at the gleaming mahogany desk in front of him, toying with his fine china coffee cup.
"Pete. You know why I am here." He said suddenly.
Pete swallowed hard and nodded.
"Good. I want you to meet me here" the Prince produced a sketch map and pointed to a particular spot with his manicured finger "in one month's time. Bring what you need to. I'll see you then."
Pete sat and watched the Prince reach the door. "I'll have to have my lawyers with me." He said, but the Prince waved and was gone.
Pete told Maria, his secretary that he was not to be disturbed and sat in the dark for a very long time.
The trucks containing the racing cars were being loaded into the middle deck of the "Flaming Sword" a Catamaran cargo ship. Men were milling around watching the gleaming advert filled trucks inch forward to cram as much in as possible. The director was standing on the balcony of the office block overlooking the quay, watching the operation with a pair of binoculars.
"I assure you, there will be no problem with the equipment. You'll have them in Montreal in three days time"
The director put the binoculars down and looked directly at Charlie, smiling. "Good, I know I can rely on you. You're the best, even if you are a little expensive. You crook."
Charlie smiled back. "As you know, this little circus is one of the biggest money generators in the world. What's wrong with a little class. This is first class travel and you know it. Who else is there who can guarantee safe delivery of all of your equipment. Especially in this age of terrorism, where any such equipment can be used as leverage against governments."
The Director smiled once again and looked across the quay and out to the horizon beyond.
"You know, Charlie. Why don't you meet me in Montreal. I can get you a free pass and you can enjoy the next weekend looking around a Grand Prix circuit with me as your tour guide. In fact, it'll be an honour to have you there."
"Well, I've got commitments. It's not easy to leave Ginny alone, especially for four days or so." Ginny, his wife had suffered much over the years. She did not leave the house, and he had to care for her most of the time. He employed three carers, but she always preferred to have him around and became upset if he stayed over at work. "Why don't you give work up. Retire. It's not as though you need the money. We can be together each and every day." She often said, chiding him. Work was for Charlie a respite. Something else to think about rather than the suffering of his wife. Besides he had so much at stake in his business.
Sudden shouting from the quay broke his thoughts. Men were pointing and reaching for their guns.
Charlie looked through his binoculars at the silver Mercedes which had stopped alongside the vessel. The dark, olive skinned man stood near the door, looking at the ship and at the men advancing towards him, guns in their hands. The man stood assured and strong. Charlie gasped and hawked into his radio. "Leave him. He's alright. I know him He's my guest. Bring him up to me."
The Director looked at Charlie. "Who is he?"
"He's an old friend." He said, absentmindedly fingering his gold ear stud. "He's the Prince and he's returned."
"So, this is what has kept you busy over the years. Messing about with boats on the water, just as you were when you were eight."
"Yep." Charlie explained, looking along the quay, proud of his achievement "Started off with one vessel and now have a fleet of seven, including the 'Flaming Sword', the fastest cargo ship in the world. She can get to New York in just 38 hours, when the waters are calm."
"Fully laden?"
"No. It's been tried with only half the allowed weight." Charlie explained. He smiled and looked carefully at his guest. "You've kept well. My, how long has it been?" he thought aloud.
"Forty three years, two months, seventeen days" the Prince said matter of factly.
"Forty three years. It seems just like last week, when we all had ambitious plans and dreams to fulfil" Charlie remarked.
"Well. It's good to see you. I would like you to meet me here" the Prince said, placing his finger on the same map he'd shown to Pete, "next month."
"Next month. Why?"
"To allow you to sort your affairs. I think you know why." The Prince said, standing up. "See you next month and thanks for the drink." He said as he slipped out of the room.
Charlie stood staring after him. "I don't believe it" he thought. He picked up an old dog-eared book off the shelf, rifled through the pages and found the number he was after. He placed a call to someone he'd not seen for fifteen years.
The man with the long lank hair and dirty clothes shuffled along the queue at the night shelter. His hair gleamed, still wet from the shower he'd just had, his face red with the heat of the water which had just washed a month of grime off his skin. He felt fresh, though his nose told him otherwise. His clothes smelled of fish. Still, he was one of the lucky ones. He held onto the job at the fish market for a week now, and he intended to keep it for at least another and hopefully for longer than he'd held a job in years. The queue moved ahead slowly. The man behind started jostling him.
"Come on. Move it."
"Wait your turn" Joe said, seeing a scruffy version of himself, yet something about him was wrong. Joe couldn't think what it was. The smell of food made him feel hungry, yet the feeling was always there. In fact he couldn't remember a time when he was not hungry. The night shelter, run by a charity, had free accommodation. At least he had a roof over his head. The nights were becoming colder and the fierce grip of winter would soon fall so that all such spaces would be fought for, amongst the homeless who arrived from all over town. He hoped this winter to find a permanent place at the shelter. He had a job and could prove responsibility.
He reached the soup table and the portly woman on the other side slopped a ladle of soup into his polystyrene cup and pointed to the bread plate. Further along he could see a roast being prepared. This is a good shelter. Perhaps he could give some of his hard earned cash towards getting a better meal. He thought of that on the way to grab a coffee. No. He needed his money. He had to save up to find a cheap sleeping bag.
"Hey Joe."
Joe turned around. The man preparing the roast gestured to him to come across. Stuart. One of the 'Christians' who thought he was doing God's work by helping out people like him. Not more Bible stuff. Not tonight. Joe felt a headache coming on.
Joe thought of ignoring him. He'd only just sat down near the heater. If he were to get up, he'd lose his place and would have to sit closer to the door.
"Joe. I need to see you. It's important."
"So is my soup. It can wait, till I've finished. Promise me I can be first in the queue for the roast and I might think about seeing you."
Stuart showed Joe a letter. "It's addressed to you."
"How does anyone know I'm here? Why should anyone write to me?"
"Cos you haven't got a mobile" Stuart joked.
Joe stared at him, not seeing the humour. He looked at the envelope. Nothing special. Just an envelope. Inside was a handwritten note. He started to take the note out, but noticed Stuart taking a lot of interest in it as well. He walked away, into a corner, his plate of roast balanced on his knee. When he thought no one was looking he took out the note.
Meet me at the Bus stop. November 14th. You know why.
P
Joe stared at the note. A small sketch was on the reverse, indicating the bus stop. He shook. He looked around. Did anyone notice. Someone was staring at him. At that moment he walked out of the shelter. It was the man who was behind him. Now he realised what was wrong. The man had been in disguise. His clothes were too clean.
Could he have been the Prince? After all these years. Joe fingered his left ear. There was no stud. He'd sold it years ago whilst in prison so that he could buy a pillow. Desperate times required desperate measures.
Joe forgot about his meal and his hunger. He launched out of the corner and through the door into the cold night. The street, crowded with traffic leaving the theatre district, all heading for their comfortable beds in suburbia. A silver Mercedes tore away from a parking bay. He looked the other away. Cars and buses. Joe walked towards town. He didn't know where to go. He began walking. He thought of the bus stop. He didn't need a map. He'd been there numerous times just to pass the days, and the nights away. Of course it had changed. The conglomerate which owned the shopping centre had bulldozed away the street and the closed buildings around the original bus stop, yet had decided to maintain and even build a superior bus stop for the new trams which glided along linking the shopping centre with the town and the port. The bus stop now comprised of an executive waiting area, rather like one at the airport, yet Joe had not yet been inside, for a charge of £3.00 was levied just to wait for bus inside the cabin. No. Joe was content to wait on the hard benches outside watching the trams, buses and the world go by.
Joe was not heading for the bus stop. He couldn't, despite it being close by. Instead he meandered along the dark streets and up the hill, across the river to the cemetery. He made his way amongst the tended lawns and bushes to his father's grave. Here he sat and awaited the sunrise, which always pleased him from this spot. His father would be happy to have such a view each morning. Looking across from the grave Joe could make out the outline of a stone angel lying in the grass. The fallen angel, Joe called it. It had been there for years. It had once been upright, but through one reason or another it had fallen to the ground and being too heavy, no one had ever put it right. The grass grew high around it, yet just beyond, the caretakers of the cemetery had maintained the lawn to keep it neat. Why they had not fixed the angel no one knew. Joe was happy though. He liked the fallen angel, and it's buried secret, for it reminded him of himself.
The waiting room in the bus stop was filling up, Pete saw. He sat on a leather seat and watched the door. His lawyers were there, having been asked to come early and with the prepared accounts. They had no idea why though. The door opened and Charlie walked in. He sauntered across to sit next to Pete, yet they did not speak. Both were nervous. Charlie carried a business case as well as a suitcase and an expensive raincoat. He looked every part as if he was going to travel somewhere this day. Charlie took note of Pete out of the corner of his eye. They hadn't spoken for more than twenty years, yet Charlie had followed Pete's career and his rise in popularity.
The appointed hour came and went and still the men in the room sat in silence. Charlie wondered about the other men. They looked at him too, asking silent questions as to his presence at this unorthodox meeting.
Yet another tram glided to a halt. Pete stood and went to the coffee machine for the sixth time since he'd arrived. This time however he returned with two cups and passed one to Charlie.
"For you. I knew it would be waste of ti.."
The door opened. "Time..?" announced the Prince, who sauntered in, with great authority.
"Gentlemen, excuse me" he said, squeezing in the small gap between Pete and Charlie and sitting on the back, with his feet on the seat. Just like he did back in the old days. The lawyers suddenly looked uncomfortable, not knowing how this would play out. "Where's Joe?"
Charlie shrugged his shoulders. Pete grunted. "Late. As usual." He smiled.
The ice was beginning to melt. They were eighteen again. Young and youthful with a slight mischievous manner.
A police car pulled up outside. A policeman approached the door, thought better of it and returned to the car. Leaving the car he paid the three pound fee and entered the waiting area. "Is there a Prince here?" he asked, rather sheepishly, Pete thought.
The Prince just stared at him, whilst everyone turned to the Prince.
"Ah, Good. We have arrested a man at the Old Hill Cemetery. He insisted on speaking to his lawyer. He told me that was you and the only way to contact you was in person, in this very bus stop. Weird. Still, he's right. If you talk to him, we can then take him away to the station."
"Bring him in here" the Prince said.
"No Sir. We cannot do that. He's under arrest."
"For doing what?"
"For digging up buried treasure at the cemetery."
"He claims it is his. Judging him by what I know of him and his past, I rather doubt it."
"Bring him in here. You can come in too, and I will explain his case." The Prince said.
The room was full. Every seat taken. Pete brought coffees all round. Three lawyers, two policemen, four old friends and one unfortunate man who wanted to travel somewhere and who was asked to be a witness to the proceedings.
"A hundred and three million, two hundred and seven thousand, one hundred and twenty eight pounds" Pete announced, after consulting with his lawyers about the exact figure.
He took a deep breath and looked around the room. Producing a bag, which his lawyer had carried, he counted ten long gold bars. Everyone stared open mouthed at the gold. Everyone, that is apart from the four friends. They were not surprised. The two policemen looked at each other bewildered. They had seen a similar gold bar, just a couple of hours ago.
Pete continued. "Your five gold bars which you gave me, had a value of ten million pounds each. I managed to invest the gold with the branch of the Swiss bank in the town, that same week. If you remember the very next Monday, all hell broke loose. The stock market crashed, the government was toppled in the coup, the army moved in and closed the economy down. The Swiss bank swiftly moved its operations back to Switzerland, including the gold. It took four years for things to settle down and for a new government to be set up. I cashed in the gold, invested the money in property and began to rebuild the town. I even designed and built this place" Pete laughed, looked at the Prince. "That amount I read out is the net worth of everything I have. All debts being paid, all monies due, everyone paid. Just as you asked. The extra three point two million is mine, shall we say as interest due to good work."
The Prince smiled and nodded. "Pete, my good friend, you have done a fantastic job. Well done. I commend you. I gave you five gold bars and you have earned five more. I knew I could rely on you. Yes, I give you the three million as your reward."
Charlie cleared his throat and looked once again at his papers in front of him before reading out his net worth. "Forty one million, six hundred and twenty three thousand, five hundred and forty two pounds net. After you gave the two gold bars, I followed Pete and also invested them into the Swiss bank. I had a hard time during the coup. I was beaten for my views and I fled abroad. I returned after about nine years, but had lost the bank receipts and the deposit book. I approached the headquarters and explained my situation. It took another four years and an expensive court case to finally get my gold.
I started a business, after spending a fair amount on a good house, and flash goods. I mean twenty million is a lot when you have nothing. Fortunately, my business picked up, I won some good contracts and began reaping the money in. I only broke through the forty million pound target six months ago. I thought of when you would return and hoped that it wouldn't be whilst I was struggling to even get ten million pounds together." Charlie stared forlornly at the floor.
The Prince put his arm around Charlie's shoulder. "You did well, Charlie. You took my two gold bars and have earned two more in return. Your wise business sense has earned you well. Congratulations, for you have built up a good fortune. You may keep the one point six million as your reward."
"You did what?" the Prince bellowed.
"I buried it" replied Joe, now quivering between the two policemen as though facing a headmaster for missing class.
"You buried it. Why? Tell me, from the beginning."
Joe sat silent for a while longer. He seemed to find it difficult to sit up and look at the Prince. Then he began to speak.
"That night. The night you gave me the bar of gold and told me it was worth ten million pounds. You said I could do with it whatever I could. You told me to look after it, and ordered me to pierce my ear to keep the pact with you. I didn't know what to do. I told you when you offered it to me, that I didn't want it. Didn't want to lose it. Didn't want to know how to pay you back if I did lose it. It weighed heavily in my pocket. Pete and Charlie had their gold bars. I was glad you'd only given one. I walked up to dad's grave and sat there all night. I saw the angel and it seemed to be staring at me. I knew then what to do with the gold bar, so I buried it close to the angel in the cemetery. Then when the army moved in and placed curfews and filled the streets with guns, I was glad to have buried it. Over time I forgot it. I lost a few bets and began to owe people money. I got entangled up in crime and was sent down for running drugs. All the time in prison I laughed at the irony. I knew I could get my hands on ten million pounds, yet here I was stony broke and in prison. I even had to sell the ear stud to get a pillow, I was so desperate. When I was let out, I didn't know what to do. I worked in many jobs, trying to keep clean from drugs and crime. My life was empty. I couldn't handle anything and ended up on the streets, in hospitals and rehab centres, in jail a few more times, until I found solace once again up on the hill at my dad's old grave, looking across to the angel. It had fallen down on its side. The irony of it was that is was pointing to the exact spot where the gold bar was buried. I often stayed days up there, hoping no one would come along poking about looking for grave loot and all that. I became a guardian of the fallen angel. I worked up there as a gardener until my health got the better of me. I grew a long beard and kept my few belongings under an old wheelbarrow. People regarded me with contempt and mostly steered clear of me. Hecklers would often come along and jaunt me and throw stones. One threatened to put me in a fresh grave in the cemetary since that is where I wanted to be, but his threat was empty. All along, I knew that I had done right. I knew that you would come down hard on me if I had lost the money. I dug it up this afternoon to pass on to you. Old Mr Harbinger, being nosy, phoned the police. Told them I was grave robbing. So here am I sitting beside my two new friends, my gold bar in their car outside."
The Prince looked like thunder. "If only you hadn't buried it. If only you'd put it in a bank and left it. The interest it would have earned would be far better than simply burying it. You are wicked and lazy. You have no sense." The Prince turned to the policemen. "Go, fetch the gold which belongs to me. Arrest him for robbing me. I could have at least earned interest on the gold."
The gold bar was brought from the car. "Thank you." The Prince said. "This, I give to Pete as his reward for his hard work. For he will have an abundance, yet you Joe, you have nothing for that which you have is now taken from you. Arrest him, charge him and lock him up. He deserves nothing else."
Pete received the eleventh bar with gratitude. Charlie looked relieved as the Prince patted his head and Joe was taken away shouting something inaudible as they dragged him to the car.
The Prince stood alone in the waiting area of the bus stop and smiled. His judgement had been right all those years ago. After all, he had given them all an equal chance. If only Joe had had more faith. He closed the door quietly behind him and slipped out into the night.
Pete stood overlooking the balustrade to the levels below and observed as the old man rang the security bell to the heavy, dark tinted glass doors leading to the executive offices of the owners of the shopping centre. His own offices. Pete decided not to follow. Instead, observing the people around him and wanting to blend into the crowds for a short time, he walked into a shoe shop and pretended to browse the aisles of expensive leather and crocodile skin shoes, to give himself time to think strategy.
His pager rang. Maria, his secretary called to inform him of his visitor.
"I'll be an hour" he announced when he placed the call on his mobile phone. Let the old man sweat it out a bit. So he was right. He did recognise him. The Prince. Memories flooded back. Good memories, yet mysterious. And now, why had he returned. Why after all these years? Forty three years, Pete calculated. He knew the Prince would return, yet he hoped he never would, or at least, give him time until he could receive his substantial pension. Only a few years left.
They hugged. Two old men creasing their expensive suits and crying like babies. Maria left them to it and closed the door to Pete's office quietly.
"Great to see you" the Prince said, "and you've done well for yourself". The Prince looked around the office, eyeing the expensive furniture and décor, looking at the many photographs and sports certificates which adorned the walls.
Pete fingered the diamond stud in his ear once more, and suddenly felt embarrassed. The Prince noticed. "The stud. You've changed it."
"Yes. It's a solid diamond. 1 carat. It still means the same though." More than his wedding band did, Pete thought glumly.
"Have you seen Charlie and Joe?" The Prince asked.
Pete thought before answering. They were all once good friends. He tried to suppress the memories from popping into his head. He had spent years trying to forget the pain of lost friendship. "No. Not for years. Charlie, I've heard is down on the river. The last I heard of Joe was when he went to prison for fraud. Must have been at least twenty years ago."
The Prince thought for a long time, staring at the gleaming mahogany desk in front of him, toying with his fine china coffee cup.
"Pete. You know why I am here." He said suddenly.
Pete swallowed hard and nodded.
"Good. I want you to meet me here" the Prince produced a sketch map and pointed to a particular spot with his manicured finger "in one month's time. Bring what you need to. I'll see you then."
Pete sat and watched the Prince reach the door. "I'll have to have my lawyers with me." He said, but the Prince waved and was gone.
Pete told Maria, his secretary that he was not to be disturbed and sat in the dark for a very long time.
The trucks containing the racing cars were being loaded into the middle deck of the "Flaming Sword" a Catamaran cargo ship. Men were milling around watching the gleaming advert filled trucks inch forward to cram as much in as possible. The director was standing on the balcony of the office block overlooking the quay, watching the operation with a pair of binoculars.
"I assure you, there will be no problem with the equipment. You'll have them in Montreal in three days time"
The director put the binoculars down and looked directly at Charlie, smiling. "Good, I know I can rely on you. You're the best, even if you are a little expensive. You crook."
Charlie smiled back. "As you know, this little circus is one of the biggest money generators in the world. What's wrong with a little class. This is first class travel and you know it. Who else is there who can guarantee safe delivery of all of your equipment. Especially in this age of terrorism, where any such equipment can be used as leverage against governments."
The Director smiled once again and looked across the quay and out to the horizon beyond.
"You know, Charlie. Why don't you meet me in Montreal. I can get you a free pass and you can enjoy the next weekend looking around a Grand Prix circuit with me as your tour guide. In fact, it'll be an honour to have you there."
"Well, I've got commitments. It's not easy to leave Ginny alone, especially for four days or so." Ginny, his wife had suffered much over the years. She did not leave the house, and he had to care for her most of the time. He employed three carers, but she always preferred to have him around and became upset if he stayed over at work. "Why don't you give work up. Retire. It's not as though you need the money. We can be together each and every day." She often said, chiding him. Work was for Charlie a respite. Something else to think about rather than the suffering of his wife. Besides he had so much at stake in his business.
Sudden shouting from the quay broke his thoughts. Men were pointing and reaching for their guns.
Charlie looked through his binoculars at the silver Mercedes which had stopped alongside the vessel. The dark, olive skinned man stood near the door, looking at the ship and at the men advancing towards him, guns in their hands. The man stood assured and strong. Charlie gasped and hawked into his radio. "Leave him. He's alright. I know him He's my guest. Bring him up to me."
The Director looked at Charlie. "Who is he?"
"He's an old friend." He said, absentmindedly fingering his gold ear stud. "He's the Prince and he's returned."
"So, this is what has kept you busy over the years. Messing about with boats on the water, just as you were when you were eight."
"Yep." Charlie explained, looking along the quay, proud of his achievement "Started off with one vessel and now have a fleet of seven, including the 'Flaming Sword', the fastest cargo ship in the world. She can get to New York in just 38 hours, when the waters are calm."
"Fully laden?"
"No. It's been tried with only half the allowed weight." Charlie explained. He smiled and looked carefully at his guest. "You've kept well. My, how long has it been?" he thought aloud.
"Forty three years, two months, seventeen days" the Prince said matter of factly.
"Forty three years. It seems just like last week, when we all had ambitious plans and dreams to fulfil" Charlie remarked.
"Well. It's good to see you. I would like you to meet me here" the Prince said, placing his finger on the same map he'd shown to Pete, "next month."
"Next month. Why?"
"To allow you to sort your affairs. I think you know why." The Prince said, standing up. "See you next month and thanks for the drink." He said as he slipped out of the room.
Charlie stood staring after him. "I don't believe it" he thought. He picked up an old dog-eared book off the shelf, rifled through the pages and found the number he was after. He placed a call to someone he'd not seen for fifteen years.
The man with the long lank hair and dirty clothes shuffled along the queue at the night shelter. His hair gleamed, still wet from the shower he'd just had, his face red with the heat of the water which had just washed a month of grime off his skin. He felt fresh, though his nose told him otherwise. His clothes smelled of fish. Still, he was one of the lucky ones. He held onto the job at the fish market for a week now, and he intended to keep it for at least another and hopefully for longer than he'd held a job in years. The queue moved ahead slowly. The man behind started jostling him.
"Come on. Move it."
"Wait your turn" Joe said, seeing a scruffy version of himself, yet something about him was wrong. Joe couldn't think what it was. The smell of food made him feel hungry, yet the feeling was always there. In fact he couldn't remember a time when he was not hungry. The night shelter, run by a charity, had free accommodation. At least he had a roof over his head. The nights were becoming colder and the fierce grip of winter would soon fall so that all such spaces would be fought for, amongst the homeless who arrived from all over town. He hoped this winter to find a permanent place at the shelter. He had a job and could prove responsibility.
He reached the soup table and the portly woman on the other side slopped a ladle of soup into his polystyrene cup and pointed to the bread plate. Further along he could see a roast being prepared. This is a good shelter. Perhaps he could give some of his hard earned cash towards getting a better meal. He thought of that on the way to grab a coffee. No. He needed his money. He had to save up to find a cheap sleeping bag.
"Hey Joe."
Joe turned around. The man preparing the roast gestured to him to come across. Stuart. One of the 'Christians' who thought he was doing God's work by helping out people like him. Not more Bible stuff. Not tonight. Joe felt a headache coming on.
Joe thought of ignoring him. He'd only just sat down near the heater. If he were to get up, he'd lose his place and would have to sit closer to the door.
"Joe. I need to see you. It's important."
"So is my soup. It can wait, till I've finished. Promise me I can be first in the queue for the roast and I might think about seeing you."
Stuart showed Joe a letter. "It's addressed to you."
"How does anyone know I'm here? Why should anyone write to me?"
"Cos you haven't got a mobile" Stuart joked.
Joe stared at him, not seeing the humour. He looked at the envelope. Nothing special. Just an envelope. Inside was a handwritten note. He started to take the note out, but noticed Stuart taking a lot of interest in it as well. He walked away, into a corner, his plate of roast balanced on his knee. When he thought no one was looking he took out the note.
Meet me at the Bus stop. November 14th. You know why.
P
Joe stared at the note. A small sketch was on the reverse, indicating the bus stop. He shook. He looked around. Did anyone notice. Someone was staring at him. At that moment he walked out of the shelter. It was the man who was behind him. Now he realised what was wrong. The man had been in disguise. His clothes were too clean.
Could he have been the Prince? After all these years. Joe fingered his left ear. There was no stud. He'd sold it years ago whilst in prison so that he could buy a pillow. Desperate times required desperate measures.
Joe forgot about his meal and his hunger. He launched out of the corner and through the door into the cold night. The street, crowded with traffic leaving the theatre district, all heading for their comfortable beds in suburbia. A silver Mercedes tore away from a parking bay. He looked the other away. Cars and buses. Joe walked towards town. He didn't know where to go. He began walking. He thought of the bus stop. He didn't need a map. He'd been there numerous times just to pass the days, and the nights away. Of course it had changed. The conglomerate which owned the shopping centre had bulldozed away the street and the closed buildings around the original bus stop, yet had decided to maintain and even build a superior bus stop for the new trams which glided along linking the shopping centre with the town and the port. The bus stop now comprised of an executive waiting area, rather like one at the airport, yet Joe had not yet been inside, for a charge of £3.00 was levied just to wait for bus inside the cabin. No. Joe was content to wait on the hard benches outside watching the trams, buses and the world go by.
Joe was not heading for the bus stop. He couldn't, despite it being close by. Instead he meandered along the dark streets and up the hill, across the river to the cemetery. He made his way amongst the tended lawns and bushes to his father's grave. Here he sat and awaited the sunrise, which always pleased him from this spot. His father would be happy to have such a view each morning. Looking across from the grave Joe could make out the outline of a stone angel lying in the grass. The fallen angel, Joe called it. It had been there for years. It had once been upright, but through one reason or another it had fallen to the ground and being too heavy, no one had ever put it right. The grass grew high around it, yet just beyond, the caretakers of the cemetery had maintained the lawn to keep it neat. Why they had not fixed the angel no one knew. Joe was happy though. He liked the fallen angel, and it's buried secret, for it reminded him of himself.
The waiting room in the bus stop was filling up, Pete saw. He sat on a leather seat and watched the door. His lawyers were there, having been asked to come early and with the prepared accounts. They had no idea why though. The door opened and Charlie walked in. He sauntered across to sit next to Pete, yet they did not speak. Both were nervous. Charlie carried a business case as well as a suitcase and an expensive raincoat. He looked every part as if he was going to travel somewhere this day. Charlie took note of Pete out of the corner of his eye. They hadn't spoken for more than twenty years, yet Charlie had followed Pete's career and his rise in popularity.
The appointed hour came and went and still the men in the room sat in silence. Charlie wondered about the other men. They looked at him too, asking silent questions as to his presence at this unorthodox meeting.
Yet another tram glided to a halt. Pete stood and went to the coffee machine for the sixth time since he'd arrived. This time however he returned with two cups and passed one to Charlie.
"For you. I knew it would be waste of ti.."
The door opened. "Time..?" announced the Prince, who sauntered in, with great authority.
"Gentlemen, excuse me" he said, squeezing in the small gap between Pete and Charlie and sitting on the back, with his feet on the seat. Just like he did back in the old days. The lawyers suddenly looked uncomfortable, not knowing how this would play out. "Where's Joe?"
Charlie shrugged his shoulders. Pete grunted. "Late. As usual." He smiled.
The ice was beginning to melt. They were eighteen again. Young and youthful with a slight mischievous manner.
A police car pulled up outside. A policeman approached the door, thought better of it and returned to the car. Leaving the car he paid the three pound fee and entered the waiting area. "Is there a Prince here?" he asked, rather sheepishly, Pete thought.
The Prince just stared at him, whilst everyone turned to the Prince.
"Ah, Good. We have arrested a man at the Old Hill Cemetery. He insisted on speaking to his lawyer. He told me that was you and the only way to contact you was in person, in this very bus stop. Weird. Still, he's right. If you talk to him, we can then take him away to the station."
"Bring him in here" the Prince said.
"No Sir. We cannot do that. He's under arrest."
"For doing what?"
"For digging up buried treasure at the cemetery."
"He claims it is his. Judging him by what I know of him and his past, I rather doubt it."
"Bring him in here. You can come in too, and I will explain his case." The Prince said.
The room was full. Every seat taken. Pete brought coffees all round. Three lawyers, two policemen, four old friends and one unfortunate man who wanted to travel somewhere and who was asked to be a witness to the proceedings.
"A hundred and three million, two hundred and seven thousand, one hundred and twenty eight pounds" Pete announced, after consulting with his lawyers about the exact figure.
He took a deep breath and looked around the room. Producing a bag, which his lawyer had carried, he counted ten long gold bars. Everyone stared open mouthed at the gold. Everyone, that is apart from the four friends. They were not surprised. The two policemen looked at each other bewildered. They had seen a similar gold bar, just a couple of hours ago.
Pete continued. "Your five gold bars which you gave me, had a value of ten million pounds each. I managed to invest the gold with the branch of the Swiss bank in the town, that same week. If you remember the very next Monday, all hell broke loose. The stock market crashed, the government was toppled in the coup, the army moved in and closed the economy down. The Swiss bank swiftly moved its operations back to Switzerland, including the gold. It took four years for things to settle down and for a new government to be set up. I cashed in the gold, invested the money in property and began to rebuild the town. I even designed and built this place" Pete laughed, looked at the Prince. "That amount I read out is the net worth of everything I have. All debts being paid, all monies due, everyone paid. Just as you asked. The extra three point two million is mine, shall we say as interest due to good work."
The Prince smiled and nodded. "Pete, my good friend, you have done a fantastic job. Well done. I commend you. I gave you five gold bars and you have earned five more. I knew I could rely on you. Yes, I give you the three million as your reward."
Charlie cleared his throat and looked once again at his papers in front of him before reading out his net worth. "Forty one million, six hundred and twenty three thousand, five hundred and forty two pounds net. After you gave the two gold bars, I followed Pete and also invested them into the Swiss bank. I had a hard time during the coup. I was beaten for my views and I fled abroad. I returned after about nine years, but had lost the bank receipts and the deposit book. I approached the headquarters and explained my situation. It took another four years and an expensive court case to finally get my gold.
I started a business, after spending a fair amount on a good house, and flash goods. I mean twenty million is a lot when you have nothing. Fortunately, my business picked up, I won some good contracts and began reaping the money in. I only broke through the forty million pound target six months ago. I thought of when you would return and hoped that it wouldn't be whilst I was struggling to even get ten million pounds together." Charlie stared forlornly at the floor.
The Prince put his arm around Charlie's shoulder. "You did well, Charlie. You took my two gold bars and have earned two more in return. Your wise business sense has earned you well. Congratulations, for you have built up a good fortune. You may keep the one point six million as your reward."
"You did what?" the Prince bellowed.
"I buried it" replied Joe, now quivering between the two policemen as though facing a headmaster for missing class.
"You buried it. Why? Tell me, from the beginning."
Joe sat silent for a while longer. He seemed to find it difficult to sit up and look at the Prince. Then he began to speak.
"That night. The night you gave me the bar of gold and told me it was worth ten million pounds. You said I could do with it whatever I could. You told me to look after it, and ordered me to pierce my ear to keep the pact with you. I didn't know what to do. I told you when you offered it to me, that I didn't want it. Didn't want to lose it. Didn't want to know how to pay you back if I did lose it. It weighed heavily in my pocket. Pete and Charlie had their gold bars. I was glad you'd only given one. I walked up to dad's grave and sat there all night. I saw the angel and it seemed to be staring at me. I knew then what to do with the gold bar, so I buried it close to the angel in the cemetery. Then when the army moved in and placed curfews and filled the streets with guns, I was glad to have buried it. Over time I forgot it. I lost a few bets and began to owe people money. I got entangled up in crime and was sent down for running drugs. All the time in prison I laughed at the irony. I knew I could get my hands on ten million pounds, yet here I was stony broke and in prison. I even had to sell the ear stud to get a pillow, I was so desperate. When I was let out, I didn't know what to do. I worked in many jobs, trying to keep clean from drugs and crime. My life was empty. I couldn't handle anything and ended up on the streets, in hospitals and rehab centres, in jail a few more times, until I found solace once again up on the hill at my dad's old grave, looking across to the angel. It had fallen down on its side. The irony of it was that is was pointing to the exact spot where the gold bar was buried. I often stayed days up there, hoping no one would come along poking about looking for grave loot and all that. I became a guardian of the fallen angel. I worked up there as a gardener until my health got the better of me. I grew a long beard and kept my few belongings under an old wheelbarrow. People regarded me with contempt and mostly steered clear of me. Hecklers would often come along and jaunt me and throw stones. One threatened to put me in a fresh grave in the cemetary since that is where I wanted to be, but his threat was empty. All along, I knew that I had done right. I knew that you would come down hard on me if I had lost the money. I dug it up this afternoon to pass on to you. Old Mr Harbinger, being nosy, phoned the police. Told them I was grave robbing. So here am I sitting beside my two new friends, my gold bar in their car outside."
The Prince looked like thunder. "If only you hadn't buried it. If only you'd put it in a bank and left it. The interest it would have earned would be far better than simply burying it. You are wicked and lazy. You have no sense." The Prince turned to the policemen. "Go, fetch the gold which belongs to me. Arrest him for robbing me. I could have at least earned interest on the gold."
The gold bar was brought from the car. "Thank you." The Prince said. "This, I give to Pete as his reward for his hard work. For he will have an abundance, yet you Joe, you have nothing for that which you have is now taken from you. Arrest him, charge him and lock him up. He deserves nothing else."
Pete received the eleventh bar with gratitude. Charlie looked relieved as the Prince patted his head and Joe was taken away shouting something inaudible as they dragged him to the car.
The Prince stood alone in the waiting area of the bus stop and smiled. His judgement had been right all those years ago. After all, he had given them all an equal chance. If only Joe had had more faith. He closed the door quietly behind him and slipped out into the night.
Carbon Footprint
How big is my Carbon Footprint and does it really matter?
I have fairly large feet (size 10 or 44 if you prefer) and use them to great extent to go walking when I can and to press on the pedals so they hit the metal as you glide along roads dodging speed cameras and speed bumps and just dodgy coppers, but does all this activity contribute to affecting the global incapacity of more carbon in the atmosphere?
I mean I need to work out how far I go. Perhaps on any given day, I may walk on average say 5km. I may drive perhaps upto 50km on average. So. Over a week this is 35km walking and 350km by car. Over a month it equates to on average 140km walking and 1,400km by car. Over a year then it may be that I walk 1,680km and drive 16,800km. Then what about public transport I use over the year? It depends on where I go, whether by train or bus. Perhaps I can add on another 6000km. Then perhaps I take the odd flight to Germany. Another 2,300km in the air. (well, less the 10km spent on the runways and taxiways!)
What about my global area of influence. The furthest north I have been is John O Groats in Scotland. The furthest east I have been is Lands End in Cornwall. The furthest south I have been is Malta in the mediterranean and the furthest west I have been is Rhodes (also in the med). So, then perhaps I can work out that I have placed particles of carbon over an area of 7,000,000 sq.km over the course of my life.
So in my 36 years I have perhaps travelled by foot and by vehicle something like 721,100km (+/- 10%)
This equates to 16 times the distance around the earth.
Now. How long does my carbon footprint last. If you were a carbon footprint detective could you trace my steps? Would they be a fixed imprint in the sand of time? I think the only evidence of my carbon footprint is the fact that I exist as a living human being. When I die, my body will be left somewhere in a grave. How much of a carbon footprint to corpses have. Skeletons hundreds of years old are found all the time. There is evidence of a person having once lived and worked and used fire and travelled and made their own unique individual influence on their world.
What about those footprints of long gone heroes? Masters of science and art, like Da Vinci and Einstein, who changed their world completely, and by their influence, the world changed for everyone else. Their carbon footprints still exist in the souls and minds, attitudes and abilities of everyone today.
Whatever I do today influences others for the future tomorrow. My footprint is placed indellibly in the sands of time. Written in God's book of life and forging future generations through my seed.
If I use less carbon, for heating and cooking then I would not last for long, particularly in these climes and especially in the winter. God made us, man, to live on the earth. Now to live, even in the basic hierarchy of need, we need to eat and we need shelter and we need warmth. All of these needs force us to generate carbon emissions. Thus it makes no sense to worry about footprints because unfortunately it is a fact of life.
How about communicating to God, praying for God to reduce carbon and to make the ice not melt and to make the seas not flood, but no. We want to do our own thing.
"It doesn't matter about anyone else, as long as I can have a good life and go where I want to go, then I am happy and who cares about others? oh, except you cannot do that because your carbon is too much, but it's ok for me, because I am stronger and richer and more famous than you "
Where is our freedom? What can we do? Even Prince Charles feels as though he shouldn't travel. Just think. In my 721,000km lifetime of travel, I bet over the whole time, I have used far less carbon than the lifetime of a jumbo jet which travels far further, or the travels of a ship which circumnavigate the globe year on year and carry tonnes of fuel just for one journey or the ships which crash and sink spilling their cargoes of fuel etc into the seas. My carbon footprint over my life is just a drop in the ocean of activity.
So I say, it doesn't matter. Let's enjoy our life, for God is in ultimate control.
I have fairly large feet (size 10 or 44 if you prefer) and use them to great extent to go walking when I can and to press on the pedals so they hit the metal as you glide along roads dodging speed cameras and speed bumps and just dodgy coppers, but does all this activity contribute to affecting the global incapacity of more carbon in the atmosphere?
I mean I need to work out how far I go. Perhaps on any given day, I may walk on average say 5km. I may drive perhaps upto 50km on average. So. Over a week this is 35km walking and 350km by car. Over a month it equates to on average 140km walking and 1,400km by car. Over a year then it may be that I walk 1,680km and drive 16,800km. Then what about public transport I use over the year? It depends on where I go, whether by train or bus. Perhaps I can add on another 6000km. Then perhaps I take the odd flight to Germany. Another 2,300km in the air. (well, less the 10km spent on the runways and taxiways!)
What about my global area of influence. The furthest north I have been is John O Groats in Scotland. The furthest east I have been is Lands End in Cornwall. The furthest south I have been is Malta in the mediterranean and the furthest west I have been is Rhodes (also in the med). So, then perhaps I can work out that I have placed particles of carbon over an area of 7,000,000 sq.km over the course of my life.
So in my 36 years I have perhaps travelled by foot and by vehicle something like 721,100km (+/- 10%)
This equates to 16 times the distance around the earth.
Now. How long does my carbon footprint last. If you were a carbon footprint detective could you trace my steps? Would they be a fixed imprint in the sand of time? I think the only evidence of my carbon footprint is the fact that I exist as a living human being. When I die, my body will be left somewhere in a grave. How much of a carbon footprint to corpses have. Skeletons hundreds of years old are found all the time. There is evidence of a person having once lived and worked and used fire and travelled and made their own unique individual influence on their world.
What about those footprints of long gone heroes? Masters of science and art, like Da Vinci and Einstein, who changed their world completely, and by their influence, the world changed for everyone else. Their carbon footprints still exist in the souls and minds, attitudes and abilities of everyone today.
Whatever I do today influences others for the future tomorrow. My footprint is placed indellibly in the sands of time. Written in God's book of life and forging future generations through my seed.
If I use less carbon, for heating and cooking then I would not last for long, particularly in these climes and especially in the winter. God made us, man, to live on the earth. Now to live, even in the basic hierarchy of need, we need to eat and we need shelter and we need warmth. All of these needs force us to generate carbon emissions. Thus it makes no sense to worry about footprints because unfortunately it is a fact of life.
How about communicating to God, praying for God to reduce carbon and to make the ice not melt and to make the seas not flood, but no. We want to do our own thing.
"It doesn't matter about anyone else, as long as I can have a good life and go where I want to go, then I am happy and who cares about others? oh, except you cannot do that because your carbon is too much, but it's ok for me, because I am stronger and richer and more famous than you "
Where is our freedom? What can we do? Even Prince Charles feels as though he shouldn't travel. Just think. In my 721,000km lifetime of travel, I bet over the whole time, I have used far less carbon than the lifetime of a jumbo jet which travels far further, or the travels of a ship which circumnavigate the globe year on year and carry tonnes of fuel just for one journey or the ships which crash and sink spilling their cargoes of fuel etc into the seas. My carbon footprint over my life is just a drop in the ocean of activity.
So I say, it doesn't matter. Let's enjoy our life, for God is in ultimate control.
Wind is God's sculpture tool
God is in the wind.
The Wind is God's sculture tool. He likes to sculture rocks and landscapes with the wind. Consider the art of the mesas in Utah's monument valley or the angle with which a line of poplar trees lie in the fields of Belgium or how the rolling dunes of sand are shaped in the sahara.
Wind is full of matter. Of tiny particles of rock and tree debris which smash into these rocks at high speed. Time is a factor. If it occured just once, then like a drop of H2O in the ocean they would have no affect, yet over time, and continual hammering of the rocks and they become sculpted and shaped by the passing winds. Sand dunes roll over the lands of north Africa, travelling like ripples through water. Particles are carried all over the world by the wind. If we could place a GPS tracker on a given particle and send it into the air over time we could see it travel around the world. It would settle for long periods in certain places yet will then travel again, caught in with water droplets it may eventually become embedded in the frozen ice sheets at the poles until released with the warmth of the sun once again to begin its journey anew.
The Wind is God's sculture tool. He likes to sculture rocks and landscapes with the wind. Consider the art of the mesas in Utah's monument valley or the angle with which a line of poplar trees lie in the fields of Belgium or how the rolling dunes of sand are shaped in the sahara.
Wind is full of matter. Of tiny particles of rock and tree debris which smash into these rocks at high speed. Time is a factor. If it occured just once, then like a drop of H2O in the ocean they would have no affect, yet over time, and continual hammering of the rocks and they become sculpted and shaped by the passing winds. Sand dunes roll over the lands of north Africa, travelling like ripples through water. Particles are carried all over the world by the wind. If we could place a GPS tracker on a given particle and send it into the air over time we could see it travel around the world. It would settle for long periods in certain places yet will then travel again, caught in with water droplets it may eventually become embedded in the frozen ice sheets at the poles until released with the warmth of the sun once again to begin its journey anew.
Is Linfen really to blame?
Link: www.itv.com/news & click on the "big meltdown"
Watching the reports streaming in from Antartica and the worry from the reporters and scientists regarding the speed with which the Antartic ice is melting, is it right and fair to blame China and cities like Linfen in china where coal production is at a premium, producing steel for the construction and vehicle industries?
It is like the speck and the plank syndrome. We see a speck in china's eye, ignoring the plank in our own.
Britain and Europe and the USA have all been through the process we termed the industrial revolution. While we were smogging the air with our coal and steel plants and London was doused in permanent smog, China was still a farming community with virtually no hope of finding its wealth. They watched as Britain, Europe and the USA, and it's neighbour Japan developed its toys and fashioned its wealth. China could only stand by and wonder.
Politics did not have much to do with it. It is knowledge and technology and learning.
We have now learnt. We went through the phase. Did Britain care about greenhouse gases when they were producing cars etc? Nope!
Did the USA care? Nope!
Even if they knew. Even if people were aware 100 years ago that the emissions from factories and vehicles and production were damaging the environment no one paid attention. Local environments and eco systems were damaged but no one cared. Think of the brown field sites. The toxic waste dump sites. The pollution in rivers and seas.
Now though. Now we don't produce anything as much as we used to and our factories have turned into shopping malls and our green vehicles are being produced elsewhere, we feel it is right to blame those people producing goods for our markets and our over-consumerism for the damage effecting the environment.
We blame China now, although the gases from 100 - 200 years ago have had to have landed somewhere. We produced Ozone holes, but China didn't blame us.
Guys. It is our fault. China is only producing vehicles and steel goods and other goods simply because they have a cheap labour force. It is investment from Britain, Europe and USA which is assisting China in sprouting these industries and products and are developing themselves. Yet what happens when China become developed and demand high wages and high quality products and lower emissions etc. Where will be get the goods from so we can go shopping?
Africa? Then the cycle starts all over again!!!!
No. Our hunger for consumerism is fueling the environmental damage.
Also, as God has made our planet and our environment, he is fully able to sort it out, if it means that he'll protect us, for he promised never to flood the world again.
Also, natural cycles of heating and cooling periods around the earth over time always continue.
Also, I think God has let us produce damaging effects on the planet because we can see what our sin is doing to our lives. God is allowing us to choose sin. We do have a choice. We can choose God and godly living. Not being greedy. Being content. Loving our neighbours instead of producing arms to destroy them.
Antartic Ice may melt, but God wants you to melt your heart towards him too.
Watching the reports streaming in from Antartica and the worry from the reporters and scientists regarding the speed with which the Antartic ice is melting, is it right and fair to blame China and cities like Linfen in china where coal production is at a premium, producing steel for the construction and vehicle industries?
It is like the speck and the plank syndrome. We see a speck in china's eye, ignoring the plank in our own.
Britain and Europe and the USA have all been through the process we termed the industrial revolution. While we were smogging the air with our coal and steel plants and London was doused in permanent smog, China was still a farming community with virtually no hope of finding its wealth. They watched as Britain, Europe and the USA, and it's neighbour Japan developed its toys and fashioned its wealth. China could only stand by and wonder.
Politics did not have much to do with it. It is knowledge and technology and learning.
We have now learnt. We went through the phase. Did Britain care about greenhouse gases when they were producing cars etc? Nope!
Did the USA care? Nope!
Even if they knew. Even if people were aware 100 years ago that the emissions from factories and vehicles and production were damaging the environment no one paid attention. Local environments and eco systems were damaged but no one cared. Think of the brown field sites. The toxic waste dump sites. The pollution in rivers and seas.
Now though. Now we don't produce anything as much as we used to and our factories have turned into shopping malls and our green vehicles are being produced elsewhere, we feel it is right to blame those people producing goods for our markets and our over-consumerism for the damage effecting the environment.
We blame China now, although the gases from 100 - 200 years ago have had to have landed somewhere. We produced Ozone holes, but China didn't blame us.
Guys. It is our fault. China is only producing vehicles and steel goods and other goods simply because they have a cheap labour force. It is investment from Britain, Europe and USA which is assisting China in sprouting these industries and products and are developing themselves. Yet what happens when China become developed and demand high wages and high quality products and lower emissions etc. Where will be get the goods from so we can go shopping?
Africa? Then the cycle starts all over again!!!!
No. Our hunger for consumerism is fueling the environmental damage.
Also, as God has made our planet and our environment, he is fully able to sort it out, if it means that he'll protect us, for he promised never to flood the world again.
Also, natural cycles of heating and cooling periods around the earth over time always continue.
Also, I think God has let us produce damaging effects on the planet because we can see what our sin is doing to our lives. God is allowing us to choose sin. We do have a choice. We can choose God and godly living. Not being greedy. Being content. Loving our neighbours instead of producing arms to destroy them.
Antartic Ice may melt, but God wants you to melt your heart towards him too.
Are we losing faith?
International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News
Read this great article on the changing faith throughout the world.
Would value your comments.
Read this great article on the changing faith throughout the world.
Would value your comments.
I'm flying
There is a piece of genius software out there which I dreamed of as a teenager. This software is finally here, becoming increasingly more detailed. It is Google Earth. This spectacular view of the earth allows you to fly wherever you want to without having to leave your computer desk and without the flight costs and the security clearances and the hassle of having to wait for 2 hours prior to check in at airports. This will take you where you want to go to within 10m of an area in spectacular detail.
As a child I was always interested in maps and geography and could tell an area simply by looking at it on a detailed map. Like the OS maps. I wished (and maybe even prayed) that there would one day be OS maps for the whole earth, so I could see what the land is like in russia, Kamchatka, Japan, Canada, Africa etc, without needing to go there. I would collect them all.
Even now, maps excite me so this new tool is actually phenomenal as it takes the map and actually gives a picture of the ground itself and you can fly across seas and mountain ranges, imagining you being on a boat or in an aeroplane or in a rocket zooming off into space until the earth is a tiny ball on the screen.
You can look at exotic places that mariners only dreamed about only a few decades ago, such as easter island or the Kerguelans or follow Lewis and Smith as they explored the wild west of the american frontier, or even closer to home, the route of the offa's dyke or hadrians wall or even good old Bedworth!
Well done Google Earth.
As a child I was always interested in maps and geography and could tell an area simply by looking at it on a detailed map. Like the OS maps. I wished (and maybe even prayed) that there would one day be OS maps for the whole earth, so I could see what the land is like in russia, Kamchatka, Japan, Canada, Africa etc, without needing to go there. I would collect them all.
Even now, maps excite me so this new tool is actually phenomenal as it takes the map and actually gives a picture of the ground itself and you can fly across seas and mountain ranges, imagining you being on a boat or in an aeroplane or in a rocket zooming off into space until the earth is a tiny ball on the screen.
You can look at exotic places that mariners only dreamed about only a few decades ago, such as easter island or the Kerguelans or follow Lewis and Smith as they explored the wild west of the american frontier, or even closer to home, the route of the offa's dyke or hadrians wall or even good old Bedworth!
Well done Google Earth.
Fast Detox
I know. Too many choccies, mince pies and sherry trifle. In fact so much good food; a year's supply eaten in the space of two weeks over Christmas. No wonder many return back to work depressed, fat and broke. Depressed because the sugary food gives a sense of well being and feeling 'high', unless you eat too much in one session, and then you puke. That besides, after the christmas season is over, and all of the good food is off the shelves, it's time to think of reality once again.
You may be spiritually high too, as many attend church at Christmas and hear the real Good News of the birth of Christ, lured by the nativity scenes and the sound of angels.
It's good to keep up the spirituality and keep in touch with God all through the year and now you want to lose a few pounds too.
Go on a a fast. And you think detox is a snazzy new idea brought into the modern thinking person through the likes of c list celebs blaring it through their adverts and the media. No! God had designed it way way back. At the beginning. With the Israelites.
They fasted. God designed it to focus more on him. If you don't need to spend time preparing, cooking and eating food, all of that time (perhaps 30 hours a week) can be spent on praying and meditating on God's word and listening to God. Drink healthy fluids and you'll detox your body too.
A fast can be a few days and anything up to 40 days.
That's fun. A 40 day fast. After 20 days your body gets used to it. - Check with your GP first if you have any doubts.
Afterwards you'll feel amazing because God will be with you stronger and your faith will be with you stronger, and you'll feel lighter too.
You can do this at any time during the year and you don't need to go on holiday to do it either.
PS try to not watch TV either. Then you'll soar....
You may be spiritually high too, as many attend church at Christmas and hear the real Good News of the birth of Christ, lured by the nativity scenes and the sound of angels.
It's good to keep up the spirituality and keep in touch with God all through the year and now you want to lose a few pounds too.
Go on a a fast. And you think detox is a snazzy new idea brought into the modern thinking person through the likes of c list celebs blaring it through their adverts and the media. No! God had designed it way way back. At the beginning. With the Israelites.
They fasted. God designed it to focus more on him. If you don't need to spend time preparing, cooking and eating food, all of that time (perhaps 30 hours a week) can be spent on praying and meditating on God's word and listening to God. Drink healthy fluids and you'll detox your body too.
A fast can be a few days and anything up to 40 days.
That's fun. A 40 day fast. After 20 days your body gets used to it. - Check with your GP first if you have any doubts.
Afterwards you'll feel amazing because God will be with you stronger and your faith will be with you stronger, and you'll feel lighter too.
You can do this at any time during the year and you don't need to go on holiday to do it either.
PS try to not watch TV either. Then you'll soar....
Where's Respect?
Reading an article in the local rag, it seems that even simple pleasures are not allowed to be left outside. Over a period of three weeks before Christmas, three sets of Christmas lights were stolen off the tree outside the Almshouses in Bedworth, which were placed there primarily for the pleasure of the old folk who live in the home, but as it is in the centre of Bedworth, it also provides pleasure for people walking through the town on a dreary afternoon.
it seems that the lights have been taken and then replaced by a new set, for them to be taken again. perhaps by the same group of mindless people or by different ones. However, where is the respect gone for other people's property.
It saddens me greatly that we live in culture where people have to spoil the enjoyment of others simply because they are selfish and show they don't care for anyone else.
The old folk didn't do that when they were young. They worked hard and respected others. Nowadays our culture shows people live and fight for themselves.
In Germany, there were objects such as christmas trees (with and without lights) simply tied to bollards in the town (to prevent the wind from blowing them away). These trees were never wrecked or stolen. Shops left candles outside in pretty glass containers. These were still there the next day and the day after. In the UK, they would be wrecked in less than a few hours. Why?
What has happened to the education system and the parental moral system we have in the UK?
Why do youngsters (and others) think it is 'fun' to go on a wrecking spree?
We need to seriously think about how these people will be brought up and how they will let their kids in the future do things without respect, because otherwise our society will become completely heathen.
it seems that the lights have been taken and then replaced by a new set, for them to be taken again. perhaps by the same group of mindless people or by different ones. However, where is the respect gone for other people's property.
It saddens me greatly that we live in culture where people have to spoil the enjoyment of others simply because they are selfish and show they don't care for anyone else.
The old folk didn't do that when they were young. They worked hard and respected others. Nowadays our culture shows people live and fight for themselves.
In Germany, there were objects such as christmas trees (with and without lights) simply tied to bollards in the town (to prevent the wind from blowing them away). These trees were never wrecked or stolen. Shops left candles outside in pretty glass containers. These were still there the next day and the day after. In the UK, they would be wrecked in less than a few hours. Why?
What has happened to the education system and the parental moral system we have in the UK?
Why do youngsters (and others) think it is 'fun' to go on a wrecking spree?
We need to seriously think about how these people will be brought up and how they will let their kids in the future do things without respect, because otherwise our society will become completely heathen.
It starts in the universities
Reading articles on the BBC news website shows that there is a huge spiritual battle raging through our universities about Christian Unions
Link to Archbishop Williams statement on BBC NEWS Education Evangelical students 'suppressed'
Link to the CU of Exeter University BBC NEWS UK Christian group take legal action
I remember reading books like Spycatcher whilst at school (when it was still banned during the late 1980's) and spies would recruit agents and helpers and other spies by trawling the corridors of well established universities such as oxford or cambridge to entice and recruit candidates for future spy programmes.
Now our universities are hotbeds of ideas and ideals, and they claim that all societies should become 'universal' and embrace and adopt the practices of our sad world to include those who practice homosexuality and all types of others.
There is nothing wrong with inviting these people to join in the discussions but the battle is for these people to also be invited to be the leaders of the Christian Unions should the opportunities arise. This is a far different matter entirely. The battle is here. If there is to be genuine Christian Unions with genuine values based on biblical principles then people who are not genuine in their belief should never be allowed to be leaders.
If this is fundamentalism then so be it.
The world is falling faster into the arms of the devil without many people even realising it. I think going back to basics and being fundamental is vital for the Christian church to survive even the next 80 to 100 years because without genuine young people being interested and taking up leadership positions and responsibilities basing their lives and values on the bible and the teachings of Jesus, then the church will fail.
Jude 17 - 23 But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,that they were saying to you, "In the last time there shall be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts." These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.
Revelation 2 v 1 - 7 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: 'I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary. 'But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 'Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you, and will remove your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent. 'Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.'
Be strong in the universities and the church will remain strong.
May Jesus soon return.
Link to Archbishop Williams statement on BBC NEWS Education Evangelical students 'suppressed'
Link to the CU of Exeter University BBC NEWS UK Christian group take legal action
I remember reading books like Spycatcher whilst at school (when it was still banned during the late 1980's) and spies would recruit agents and helpers and other spies by trawling the corridors of well established universities such as oxford or cambridge to entice and recruit candidates for future spy programmes.
Now our universities are hotbeds of ideas and ideals, and they claim that all societies should become 'universal' and embrace and adopt the practices of our sad world to include those who practice homosexuality and all types of others.
There is nothing wrong with inviting these people to join in the discussions but the battle is for these people to also be invited to be the leaders of the Christian Unions should the opportunities arise. This is a far different matter entirely. The battle is here. If there is to be genuine Christian Unions with genuine values based on biblical principles then people who are not genuine in their belief should never be allowed to be leaders.
If this is fundamentalism then so be it.
The world is falling faster into the arms of the devil without many people even realising it. I think going back to basics and being fundamental is vital for the Christian church to survive even the next 80 to 100 years because without genuine young people being interested and taking up leadership positions and responsibilities basing their lives and values on the bible and the teachings of Jesus, then the church will fail.
Jude 17 - 23 But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,that they were saying to you, "In the last time there shall be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts." These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.
Revelation 2 v 1 - 7 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: 'I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary. 'But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 'Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you, and will remove your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent. 'Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.'
Be strong in the universities and the church will remain strong.
May Jesus soon return.
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