Collared Doves

I vaguely remember seeing a film in the early sixties directed by Alfred Hitchcock called, ‘The Birds’. It was a suspense film that had you on the edge of your seat ready to dive down into the dark recess, close to your feet. The plot of the film was based on an unnatural allegiance between species of birds who joined together to attack and kill residents of a small town in the area of San Francisco Bay. I can’t remember the characters of the film, but I do recall the fear of people who cowered in seats nearby. When Hitchcock presented an introduction to the film before the actual showing, the sound of his voice and his sinister appearance set a tone of apprehension. After the first attack by a bird, more attacks occurred and the whole situation escalated into an uncontrollable scenario of ferocious attacks. From the time of seeing the film I never looked at birds in the same placid way as before, and it has taken me over 40 years to overcome this irrational persuasion. Even now, I can shiver at the thought of being attacked by birds, and I remember visiting Samson, a small uninhabited island, when I was attacked by nesting Terns intent on protecting their young. I had to fight them off with ferns I grabbed from nearby. Each time they dived for my head I had to duck and swing the ferns to fend them off. I was not sure if they would dig their beaks into my skull, but I couldn’t take that chance their aggression was only to frighten or intimidate. What has caused me to raise this subject of birds? Well, there’s been a noticeable increase in the numbers of certain birds where I live, and I put that down to the mild winters and balmy summers of recent years which have helped them breed, often with more than one clutch of young. Birds have always interested me, and of late I have been intrigued with their antics. Collared Doves have a particular repetitive flight during their mating season that is characterised by flying upwards to a point where they appear to stall before gliding down. More often than not two birds keep company, a male and a female, but at certain times they gather in flocks. Today I observed a pair attacking a Magpie, and their aggressive action reminded me of the Hitchcock thriller - Hence this contribution to my Blog. I actually like Collared Doves because they are cuddly, the sort of bird you want to hold and to stroke. They have tiny, smooth feathers that merge near the nape of the neck where there is a distinctive black half-collar marking. I’m attracted to their subtle buff, grey colouring and their white tipped tail feathers. If you can get close enough you can see their beautiful eyes with iris rings of reddish brown. Collared Doves migrated to the UK from the European mainland in the mid-fifties and have increased their numbers ever since. Wherever there are cereal crops and seed-bearing plants, caterpillars and aphids, there you will find them. They also enjoy feeding from bird tables and bird feeders. They can be identified by their persistent, repetitive call of ‘coocoo, coo’. Oh, and watch out for their droppings, a whole collage of them are by my doorstep, below the TV aerial they have adopted as their perch!

Jinxes

Let me first say that I do not believe in jinxes, i.e., things that bring bad luck. In fact, I do not believe in bad luck. I simply accept that circumstances can be related, and that happenings can coincide, or events can follow one another. Luck is defined as ‘chance’ - that’s failure or success in particular situations. Some people believe they are lucky, and others believe they are unlucky, but I don’t subscribe to such beliefs. Those who know me well will understand that I believe in the sovereignty of the God of Heaven, and it is He who ultimately rules in all things, large or small.
But, let me tell you the story of a mobile phone. Like King David who was attracted to Bathsheba, I was attracted to a Nokia 9300i and I had to get it, no matter the consequences. David suffered as a result of his lust for Bathsheba who was married, and he lusted to the extent he had her husband killed on the battlefront, so that he could take her for himself. My lust did not go as far as killing to achieve my desire; I simply paid for the phone through Ebay. It arrived and my troubles began when I tried to synchronize it with my laptop. After a long battle I managed to get the phone to occasionally respond to my computer.
A few of you will know that I spent a while cruising a small boat to the Scilly Isles last summer, but you may not know that I fell into the water from the yacht when the Nokia was in my back pocket! Having saved myself by clambering aboard, I realized the urgency for drying out the phone. I took the thing apart and allowed it to dry in the sun, but I couldn’t get it to work. Later, after returning from the cruise, I tried the phone again, and to my surprise it fired into action, but 5 of the keys and the front display did not function. Thrifty, as I am, I put the phone up for auction on Ebay with a full explanation of the malfunctioning parts, and I was astonished when the winning bid was £80. My elation was short-lived, because 5 minutes after the good news, I received an email from Ebay to say the bid had been cancelled, because the person who made it, was disreputable by previously using Ebay to defraud customers. I was informed that I could offer the phone to the next highest bidder, but he did not take up the opportunity, which meant I lost the fees for the initial auction.
Deflated, I just forgot the whole affair, until a fortnight ago when I successfully auctioned an outboard motor, which inspired me to try the Nokia again. I made sure that all the details regarding the phone’s faults were clearly set out in the description, and I limited the bidding to UK residents, but I was amazed when the first bidder from Indonesia said he would send me £30 to cover the postage. I let him know that he would have to find a UK address for me and that I would not be posting the phone to Indonesia - To this he agreed.
During the course of a week I followed the bidding which eventually rose to £28.50, but who should be the successful bidder? An Italian! He took ages to pay for it, and I had correspondence with him agreeing I would ship the item providing he sent me the cost of postage, so he let me have £5.00. I tested the phone before packing it, and to my chagrin I discovered the battery would not take a charge, although it had worked only a few days before. I thereupon ordered a replacement battery to be delivered in time to go with the phone today, but it did not arrive, possibly because of a Postal strike. The fellow in Italy requested that I should send the parcel with a tracking code and have him sign for it on arrival. Enquiries at the Post Office revealed that a tracking facility was not an option for Italy, but signed delivery was, at further cost.
Well, I posted the parcel and I’m wondering if pain or sorrows will follow. Some of you will undoubtedly think the phone is jinxed, but for me the whole sequence of events were pre-ordained by a loving, caring God who tests those He loves. For me, luck and jinxes don’t come into the equation, but I’ll be mightily pleased if I never see or hear of the phone again! I feel sure this won’t be the end of the story, because I’ll be sending the replacement battery to the Italian, and if he is not satisfied, I’ll re-reimburse his money and tell him as lovingly as I can, that he can keep the phone.

Jet Stream

At this time of year the North Atlantic Jet Stream is like a writhing, wriggling Serpent that spans the Atlantic from Nova Scotia to the UK; in fact it continues revolving around the earth between the latitudes of 30 to 60 degrees north of the Equator, sporadically declining in vigour. In the summer it tends to flow along a path nearer 60 degrees north, and in the winter reverts towards 30 degrees north. This fast-flowing, high altitude blast of air travels eastwards as the world revolves westwards, but sometimes this restless Serpent loses his energy and fizzles out altogether before being born again. Winds at the centre of the Jet Stream, a band of moving air 2 to 3 miles wide, about 4 to 7 miles above the earth, can reach speeds in excess of 100 mph and has been recorded at 400 mph while passing over Scotland. You can imagine how such a powerful force can influence the weather below and either side of it. Here can be found the reason for the strong winds and many showers, coupled with thunderheads that have plagued our so-called summer this year. This energetic Serpent has persisted in weaving an average course over Central England; hence he has wreaked havoc by bringing deluges of rain that have caused flooding and misery to those affected. Farmers are none too pleased, but some have delighted in the fact that they have not had to water their crops. Sailors of small boats such as the type* I own have found the winds have been too strong for comfortable sailing. As I don’t believe in a Wind God, I can only appeal to the One Real God, the God of the Bible, to placate 'Jet Stream', the writhing Serpent.
http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/jetstream.asp
Metcheck.com map of the current Atlantic Jet Stream.
* http://www.seawych.org/
Sea Wych Owners Association.

Ladybird

I’ve mentioned my little yacht several times, and yet I have not displayed any photos of her on my Blog. To put matters right I’ve uploaded several here. I’ve also included three photographs of the crew.

Pleasurable Walk

Unexpected pleasures are the best, and today I found this to be so. I had hoped to sail my boat with my nephew and his son, but the wind was gusting to 32 mph - that was according to the Burnham-on-Crouch weather station - and I didn’t fancy taking the ebb towards the eastern end of the Maplin Sands where there would be no shelter. We had wanted to see the seals that laze on the sandbanks at low water, but commonsense prevailed. Instead of sailing, I took the car to the Yacht Basin at Heybridge from where I walked along the old canal towpath. The last time I had seen the canal was two years ago and I noted that new shingle had been laid for pedestrians and cyclists. There was also a new outdoor refreshment area by the free car park. Food and drink can be purchased there from the proprietor who has a hut and a floating pontoon for rowing boats for hire. I observed that as usual Moorhens and Mallards swam between yachts and motorboats moored beside the reedy banks. Further along the canal, seated by the water’s edge in spaces between marsh grass and bushes, there were a few fishermen with their very long carbon fibre rods and submerged landing nets. Shafts of sunlight emerging from gaps between white clouds reflected off rippled water to highlight golden water lilies and tiny stones lapped by the clear water which nearly overflowed the towpath. Apart from the soothing sound of the pulsing wind through the branches of overhanging trees and dense hedgerows there was a wonderful quietness that made the sharp calls of moorhens sound harsh by contrast with the inner peace if felt. I savoured the clean moist air as the west wind cooled my cheeks while I strode along the path. A couple of cyclists swished by and I met a man and women with their white husky dog.

Back at the Basin where the canal enters the River Blackwater, I took photos of a gorgeous wooden ketch named ‘Black Rose’, and while conversing with her shipwright owner I discovered she had been made from Siberian larch overlaid with veneers of another wood, the name of which I can’t recall. Continuing my walk, I took the path to the Blackwater Sailing Club where I chanced upon ‘Shoal Waters’, Charles Stock’s tiny yacht he has cruised locally over many years. Charles is a well-known sailor on account of his book. (http://shoal-waters.moonfruit.com/) On my way back to the Basin I briefly sat at a wooden seat strategically placed where there’s a view overlooking moored yachts. Attached to the seat there’s a bronze plaque dedicated to the memory of Bru Nichols who had been a commodore of the Blackwater Sailing Club. The short epitaph engraved into the plaque informs the reader that Bru was a man who had a great sense of humour and a zest for life. I wondered what words my nearest and dearest would choose to sum up my character and life.

After crossing the narrow bridge over the lock gates I walked a little more to a sheltered spot below the river wall from where I had a view over the mud flats; there a single Redshank searched for its lunch, while further on, Black – headed Gulls noisily vied with one another, and overhead a flock of chattering Tree Sparrows zoomed by. I ate my picnic lunch as the wind-blown clouds scudded overhead and I knew my decision not to sail had been right.

Swine Flue – Influenza A (H1N1)

How concerned should we be about contracting Swine Flu, and if we are concerned, what precautions should we take to minimise the chances of being infected? Apparently, most people who become infected by the virus recover without any adverse effect, and those most likely to fall victim are boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 14 years. The elderly and the young, along with those who have chronic health problems are more likely to find difficulty in recovering from the illness, and those same people are the ones who will possibly die because of the Swine Flu pandemic that has spread to over 100 countries.
How can we avoid contracting the disease? There are no sure answers to this question, but short of stockpiling food and drink and cutting oneself off from all human contact, avoiding the virus that spreads this flu will be very difficult. The Government organisations involved in prevention and cure are working flat out to provide Tammy Flu and an effective vaccine, but the latter will not be available until August, and then there will only be sufficient for ‘key workers’ – those who administer essential services, such as doctors and nurses who will become, and have already become frontline workers. Those who work on transport services, communication services, suppliers of electricity, gas, and of course those who provide drinking water; they and other ‘essential’ workers will have priority of immunisation. In time, the Government feels confident that enough vaccine will be produced to protect all those who will not have contracted Swine Flu. Meanwhile there is sufficient Tamiflu obtainable by prescription from local GPs that can be taken at the onset of flu-like symptoms to mitigate the effects if one has Swine Flu.
Swine Flu can become a very personal issue when it directly affects someone dear to you. In my case I would be anxious if any of my immediately family came down with the virus, and I’m not alone with these fears. There must be thousands, if not millions in the UK who are worried about the insidious invader who neither respects age nor gender, nor is the bug only selective of those already suffering with ill health; indeed, the parasite, for that’s what it is, will bring down those weakest in the community, those with the least resistance.
We can do something about not spreading the deadly disease by keeping ourselves in quarantine at home if we suspect we may have the symptoms. If we think we may have Swine Flu we can be vigilant so as not to infect anyone with whom we may come into contact - firstly, by not having physical contact with them, and secondly by using disposable handkerchiefs when coughing or sneezing. These throwaway handkerchiefs should be placed in a bin immediately after use to avoid contamination. Washing our hands frequently will minimize the chances of passing on the virus by means of contact with inanimate objects such as door handles, cash machine dispensers and shared computer keyboards that people may touch.
At the time of writing this article (16th July, 2009), there have been 26 deaths from Swine Flu in the UK. 40,000 people a week are reporting the symptoms to their GPs. This epidemic has become a pandemic, which means there’s little chance of us not being directly affected by it. Even if we do not contract the flu itself, family members, friends and acquaintances will become victims - not necessarily victims to the extent of losing their life, but some will experience anxiety and fear, and others will suffer the physical effects incumbent with Swine Flu.
This is all rather gloomy, but on the bright side it may not be as bad as predicted by the pundits, a bit like the weather forecasts of late, that have put me off sailing my boat. For the coming weekend the forecast is for rain and strong winds, as a low pressure system squeezes northwards along the east coast of England between two high pressure areas. Only time can tell, as with the Swine Flu pandemic.

Electronic Gadgets

Latest Gadget - a Nokia E71

In this technological age there is a temptation to get hold of the latest electronic gadget and since the early eighties when Sir Clive Sinclair launched the ZX80 home computer the proliferation of such gizmos has mushroomed. Bill Gates was quick to cash in on the computer market with software, and from there on, the competition has increased, resulting in numerous computerised items, and in more recent years the emphasis has been on miniaturization, especially with the aid of nanotechnology. One only needs to look at the mobile phone market to see thousands of phones available for purchase. The Apple iPhone when it was introduced two or three years ago was the most desirable gadget for yuppies. More recently there’s been a rush to buy micro- laptop computers that are small enough to fit into a lady’s handbag, and yet the technology is such that the lady can browse the Internet from any location where there is a dedicated mobile phone service.
Needless to say, I was not immune to the ‘must have’ gadget syndrome, but most of the time I lagged behind getting such gadgets when they were first introduced because of their high price due to demand and a need for manufacturers to recoup their costs. Two or three years after first hitting the market, articles that were ‘must haves’ can be obtained for a fraction of their original price, and by then any of their flaws have been rectified; hence my delay in acquiring such products.
Having the time just now for a clearout of accumulated electronic bits and pieces I have decided to auction them on Ebay, but I am amazed how little they are worth, because when I first obtained them I had to pay considerably more. Nevertheless, if I can add to the cash in my wallet I shall be satisfied, but the interest in my auction items is minimal, as far as I can tell by the counter that monitors the number of watchers who may be interested in bidding. Still, recycling my unwanted gadgets by extending ownership of them, rather than throwing them in a dustbin is more satisfying. Maybe when they come to the end of their useful life, they will be disposed of for final recycling into various materials for the process to continue, i.e., the manufacture of electronic gadgets for profit and for the satisfaction of those who must have the latest techno-gadget.

Fishing and Phishing

A Blue Marlin

Tanned and elated, my neighbour who had been on a fishing holiday in Spain, showed me photos of a blue marlin he and his son had caught. One photo in particular made me gasp, because it showed the magnificent creature at the weigh in; this was an exceptional, shimmering blue specimen - enormous, the likes of which many fishermen would give an arm and a leg to catch. I was reminded of Ernest Hemmingway’s, ‘The Old Man and the Sea’ that tells the story of Santiago, an experienced old fisherman, who battles to bring home a blue marlin he caught way out in the Gulf. After killing the fish and fighting off sharks that devoured his prize he finally managed to make it back to land with nothing but the marlin’s skeleton - he himself had almost been overcome with exhaustion.
Both of the aforementioned blue marlins took the bait - my neighbour’s in reality, and Santiago’s in the realm of fiction. I too, like those marlins have been lured by bait, but unlike them, to date, I haven’t been taken in, because I’ve fortunately spotted the difference between the real thing and a fake. As I sat at my computer downloading emails I became aware that someone was ‘phishing’, because there dangling before my eyes was a tempting morsel that wasn’t quite right. My eyes focussed on the words, ‘Security Check from PayPal’ and immediately, warning bells rang. A closer inspection confirmed that the email in the form of a web page was a fake with several links, any one of which, had it been opened, could have compromised my computer by invading it with ‘worms’, or a particular link could have filched personal details of my bank account, pin numbers etc..
‘Phishing’ is a fraudster’s method of obtaining information with the purpose of stealing money from a person’s bank account via the Internet. Scammers have tried their ‘phishing’ lures on me before and I have become very aware of their cunning deceit and persistence. Apparently one in twenty users of the Internet is taken for a ride, and yet these immoral cowards who steal from them, continue to hide behind the cover of anonymity out there in Cyberspace, constantly improving their sophisticated techniques. Few of these criminals are brought to justice; therefore, be aware, be alert and be free like the blue marlin who is not taken in by fakes and lives another day!

Unwanted Petrol

I am selling an outboard engine with an auxiliary fuel tank and I would prefer the tank to be empty before it is collected by the new owner, but you wouldn’t believe how difficult it has been for me to find a place where I can get rid of the petrol legally and safely. One of the problems is that this particular petrol contains a small quantity of 2-cycle oil which is necessary when running a 2-stroke engine. Any number of people would be very happy to be given petrol, but this is not the case when it has been mixed with oil.
At first I thought I would take the 50:1 petrol/oil mix to my local Council Dump, but after enquiring at their base I was told they only accept oil, not petrol, and they could not advise me were to dispose of the volatile liquid. I made further enquiries with my local Council Environmental Department and they suggested I take the petrol to a garage, preferably to a large garage owned by a well known company such as Esso or Shell. Again, I found that none of my local garages would accept the petrol for disposal. Further enquiries at the Council Office led to me asking at the Civic Amenity Helpline and they said PHF Waste, a private firm who undertakes waste disposal on behalf of the Council, may be able to collect the petrol from me. A spokesperson at PHF Waste said she would find out if the Council would pay for the service; if not, I would have to pay. She also said she would let me know the outcome, but to date I have not had a reply. The Citizen’s Advice Bureau couldn’t come up with any suggestions, other than that I should contact my local Council.
My enquiries didn’t end there. I thought to go online and make searches. The Automobile Association offered a service for removing fuel from vehicles that had been incorrectly filled with petrol when they should have been filled with diesel and vice versa. I was astonished at how much was charged for this service for a non-member - £250.00, and for a member, £184.00. The Government Environment Agency had absolutely nothing to offer. Then I thought to contact the Royal Yachting Association who took note of my problem and said they would get back to me the next day when their Green Blue representative would be available. He phoned me the following morning and suggested I should contact a local vehicle breaker’s yard. This I did, and I was astonished to find there was one within easy walking distance, of which I was unaware, because it was tucked away so discretely, hidden by trees at the end of nearby lane. The owner said he would take the petrol and dispose of it.
On reflection, I think there must be a fair number of people who would like to safely dispose of small quantities of petrol because they no longer use petrol lawnmowers or chainsaws, or like me, just want to get rid of it for reasons best known to themselves. I am of the opinion that Local Councils should provide a free or low-cost facility for the disposal of small quantities of petrol or diesel. Petrol is a dangerous, toxic and explosive liquid; therefore the temptation for easy disposal by pouring it down a drain should be minimized by the provision of community service points, say at vehicle breaker’s yards. The supporting costs to local councils would be minimal. Provision of such service points might eliminate the dangerous practice of dumping highlighted by The Automobile Association who claims that thousands of litres of unwanted vehicle fuel are poured into England’s drains!

Secrets – July 7th London Bombings

Zopher while conversing with Job thought he was wise when he spoke these words, “For you have said, ‘My doctrine is pure, And I am clean in your eyes.’ But oh, that God would speak, And open His lips against you, That He would show you the secrets of wisdom!” (Job 11:4 – 6) Well, one day the deep secrets of all will be revealed ‘when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ,’ (Romans 2:16) and yet, we all continue to have secrets. Why is it that we are secretive? Do we have hidden thoughts, the remembrances of deeds we would rather have not done or the fear of revealing something because of personal hurt? There are so many reasons why we should want to keep secrets. Maybe we would not want to embarrass someone or make a person feel obliged to recompense us because of an oversight on their part?
There can be all sorts of legitimate reasons for having secrets. Even in this more open age where one can gain access to documents previously unavailable, such as MPs expenses there are certain Official Secrets necessary for maintaining the stable government of our country. Fortunately, full Public Enquiries can be sanctioned by the Government of the day, such as the call for one about the July 7th London bombings of four years ago.( http://www.julyseventh.co.uk/index.html ) In April 2007, the Home Secretary, John Reid rejected a request from opposition politicians to approve a full enquiry into the intelligence surrounding J7. Until now there has been no full Public Enquiry (http://colinbloom.blogspot.com/2009/06/we-should-have-public-inquiry-into-7th.html ) regarding this tragic event in which 52 innocent people were murdered and for whom a fitting memorial has been dedicated today at Hyde Park. Dignitaries such as Prince Charles, Gordon Brown and Tessa Jowell were there for the unveiling of 52 steel pillars, each similar, and yet different, representing those who died. As these dignitaries gathered around the memorial in remembrance of lives lost, it is doubtful that any of them were cognisant of secrets only available to MI5 which may never be revealed except, ‘when God will judge the secrets of men.’ Surviving and grieving relatives can only live in hope that a full Public Enquiry will be approved soon by the Government so that elusive secrets pertaining to the J7 bombings will be revealed to them

Pleasing Day

Smiling Granddaughter
Who am I going to please today? If I’m not miles out at sea in my boat by myself there’s every chance I’ll be near or with people. Unless I completely ignore them and avoid getting in their way I’m most likely to engage them in conversation or become involved with their wants or needs. My wife, for a starter, cannot be avoided when I am living in the same house, neither would I want to avoid her because we have been buddies for a long time and we know how to please each other. In fact, our aim is to please, not that we always do, because we are not perfect and sometimes because of our imperfectness we let the other down.
The truth is that pleasing another person is not really difficult; a smile is a first step, and because smiling is infectious there’s often a reward. So both parties benefit. “Good morning. How are you? Did you sleep well?” is a good introduction to a pleasing day.
Our granddaughter from Italy is staying with us for a week or so, and this morning I challenged her as to who she would be pleasing today. After a short pause she said with enthusiasm that she would be pleasing her Nanny.
“Why would you want to please her?” I teased further.
“Well, she’s very kind to me and gives me nice things. Today she’s going to take me on the bus to the shops, and I know she’ll spoil me.”
She was so right. When she returned home she showed me a new pair of soft shoes and a rather special pair of jeans that had been made to look well worn by having designer shreds and patches incorporated into them. She had a smile from one ear to the other. She was well pleased.
What had she done to please her Nanny? Well, she had enticed her to McDonald’s for a snack which gave both of them pleasure. She showed me two plastic mugs given with her meal and she took delight in sipping cool drinks from them. She loves McDonald’s because she always comes away with some trophy and I have a number of them she has given me for my delight; a plastic King Kong that lights up when pressed is one such article, and an articulating warrior dressed in armour who waves his sword is another.
How could I please her before her bedtime? The opportunity soon arose when she asked if I would play tennis on the back lawn. What a delight it was too! We had been watching a scintillating match on TV between Murray and Ruddock at Wimbledon and thought we would try too. I was Murray and she was Ruddock, and of course I lost, just as the English usually do and the Scots sometimes. I knew I couldn’t win, because of my age handicap and a biased referee. It was no good appealing to the line judge, because there was no Hawkeye, the electronic machine that follows the ball’s passage through the air and shows exactly where it lands.
Pleasure is ours for giving and for receiving. I can highly recommend the practice of setting out each day with the aim to please another person, because those who give pleasure in good measure will be amply rewarded. (Luke 6:38; 1 John 3:22; 2 Corinthians 5:9)

Compatibility

Compatible Couple

I recently bought a new Dell Studio laptop computer with a Vista Premium platform, and as I expected, some of the familiar applications I used on my old Fujitsu Siemens laptop running Microsoft XP are not compatible with the new laptop. Although I am not currently building web sites or uploading them to an Internet Service Provider (ISP), I could do with a suitable File Transfer Protocol (FTP) application so that if I decide to make web sites again I shall have the ability to upload them to my web space. Unfortunately, Terrapin FTP, my favourite and most used application, is not compatible with computers running Vista. This will mean that I’ll have to find a compatible FTP application.
The very subject of ‘Compatibility’ is a fascinating one, as I’ve had years in which to study what is involved in the process of being compatible within a marriage – my own! Not only have I had more than 48 years of marriage to my dear wife in which to study our compatibility or lack of it, but I’ve had ample opportunities to work at being compatible with her. “What is it that keeps you together?” they may ask. “You are so different in many ways.”
That’s true, but perhaps those differences can be likened to the mixing of chemical ingredients that bring about new materials for testing: those of value can be used to good effect and the useless ones discarded. Where there are found to be irreconcilable differences in the chemical mix, only an attitude of acceptance by both parties can result in a satisfactory solution. I suggest that differences can be like a catalyst, an unchanging binding agent that can keep people working at their relationships. Tell, me, are there any married couples who do not have differences of opinions and different interests; they may even have different faiths and yet their marriages work? The secret seems to be this word, ‘work’. My experience leads me to believe ‘working at a marriage’ is an essential aspect of a successful union.
Over time people change; they develop new interests, have new jobs, come into contact with people who have lifestyles unlike their own and they are influenced by the changing scenes of life, particularly by what they see via the media, be it TV, films, magazines and nowadays, the Internet. Technology has brought about vast changes in our expectations and our material possessions, as well as offering opportunities for jobs that previously did not exist. The ageing process itself brings about inevitable change. Because of these constantly changing influences and situations, a married couple, if their relationship is to flourish, must continually adjust to one another and accept the changes they find – they could more so embrace changes so as to mutually benefit from them.
Within the timescale of any lasting union through the bond of marriage, a couple committed to one another will experience changes of circumstances to which they must adjust if their relationship is to remain compatible. If they have children and grandchildren they will undergo many traumas, but they will also have great satisfaction and an inner sense of fulfilment - all because they have worked at being compatible, but Paul the Apostle warned of marriage with these words, ‘I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion,’ and, ‘Even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you.’ (1 Corinthians 7:8,9; 28) There’s food for thought!

Forgetfulness

Anne Robinson

Forgetfulness is the act of failing to remember or inadvertently neglecting to do something. Of late, I admit to being more forgetful than I used to be. The excuse for older people is that they experience ‘senior moments’ when their grey matter does not tick as it should, causing situations where instant retrieval of facts locked away in the mind is not possible. Such irritating happenings can be highly frustrating, not only for the one who cannot remember, but also for those waiting for an answer or a resolution to a problem. You rush up the stairs to do something important and when you arrive on the landing you have forgotten what you intended to do, which means you have to return to where you were when you thought of the action, in order to remember what it was you forgot! Then you kick yourself, because you immediately remember what it was you had forgotten.
The brain is an amazing computer comprised of systems devoted to logical actions and responses to information processed by it from the five senses; in addition to the above, there’s a repository of information received through those same senses. Somewhere deep within the cerebrum a process takes place almost instantly where data stored is equated and compared to information being received from the senses so that an individual can make appropriate responses, perhaps with words, physical expressions or other reactions, some even being reflexive responses, such as the blinking of an eye or an emergency stop when a person is faced with an unexpected hazard while driving his car.
Despite the fact that the brain is fearfully and wonderfully made*, there are times when it falters; maybe when a person is tired or under the influence of alcohol. Age can play its part too, because all body cells, including those of the brain, deteriorate over time. The linking mechanisms between the cells, likewise can fail. Additionally, the brain is susceptible to diseases such as Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia; many of them are progressive, bringing about a gradual declension towards a condition of severity, so that the person cannot function without outside help.
No one wants to suffer the ignominy of a having a brain that does not function efficiently and the prospect of having to be cared for in a home because of dementia would be a terrifying thought. I can only hope that my recent forgetfulness is not a precursor of brain lapses in the future as I grow older. Meanwhile I shall continue to match my brain with those of the ‘Egg Heads’, arguably the most distinguished TV quiz contestants of our time. I am an ardent enthusiast of the team who continue to win game after game with hopeful challengers for the £47,000 prize or more, should they succeed. I also enjoy ‘The Weakest Link’ compared by Anne Robinson, who despite her age, manages to entertain with intelligent, but often sarcastic wit.
• Pslam 139:14

Cats

Here are photos of Lisa's cats.

Mistakes

Stephanie McIntosh made a single named ‘Mistake’ which was released in her debut album Tightrope in July, 2006. The theme words are, “I don’t want to make another mistake like you.” The lyrics tell of a girl’s regret for rushing too fast into a relationship and the stifling affect it brought about. She didn’t want to be alone again, but she was stone cold and hurt inside. She doubted she could find real love without being ‘stung’ again and seemed prepared to live within the relationship because of being lonely. That’s a sad tale - all because of a mistake.
Mistakes can be costly to those who make them and to others who are affected by them. In hindsight we can look back and admit we have made errors that have cost us dearly, perhaps financially or in wasted effort and time. Mistakes can come about through carelessness, miscalculation or incorrect interpretation of the facts; they can even come about through lack of forethought or ignorance. There’s a right way and a wrong way to achieve an objective or to effect a solution, and failure to do it correctly is a mistake.
Those who make the least mistakes are the most effective in doing what they set out to do.
I was led to ponder this subject of ‘mistakes’ when I was on my way in the car to my daughter’s place with the purpose of letting the cats out of her house before they may foul her kitchen. She has two cats that are getting on in terms of cat’s age and in her absence while she is away on holiday she asked my wife if she would let her cats out in the morning and her friend would usher them in at night and feed them at the same time. Well, my wife can’t drive, therefore I became involved in the exercise of releasing the cats before they could foul the kitchen with their what’s-its. This particular morning I had almost driven half the way to her house, when I realized I did not have her front door key! That was a big mistake, because I had not thought the matter through. I duly returned home to obtain the key before setting off again on the 10 mile journey. On my arrival at my daughter’s place I found the cats looking rather sheepish; odd I thought, cats looking like sheep. Well, there it was: two large dollops of watery, brownish stuff that smelt vile. I quickly opened the back door and the animals scuttled into the garden, whereupon I equally speedily opened the kitchen windows.
How could I remove all trace of the offending matter? A search of the house and the garden revealed a large quantity of tissue paper that had been used for packaging, a plastic bag and in the garage I found a garden hoe. With care, not wanting to make another mistake, I set about scooping up the brown stuff, but I had failed to realize the handle of the hoe was longer than I had assumed, and as I tried to lift the gubbins into the plastic bag, the end of the handle came into contact with the wall which caused me to drop the smelly stuff onto the floor in a different place! In my effort to avoid that happening I moved the hoe forward and it came into contact with the bottom of the sink cabinet, where a blotch adhered to the oiled wood. Eventually, I had everything cleaned and gleaming bright by using some patent floor cleaner I discovered under the sink. After feeding the cats and leaving them outside I returned home with no further mishaps.
The completion of the mission left me thinking about the cost of mistakes. If only I didn’t make them, how much more rosy things would be, but that’s not life, because we are all fallible; none of us are perfect. If only we would learn from our mistakes, that would be a blessing. You won’t believe it, or would you? I made the same mistake of not taking the key which is kept in my wife’s handbag. The moral of the story, is not to make the mistake a third time, and better still, get a new key cut to keep on my key ring so that the error will never occur again.
Addendum – It would be impossible not to take the key when it is attached to the ring on which the car key is kept. Boy, am I learning!

Success

How do you measure success? Success is the accomplishment of an aim or a purpose; therefore when the aim or purpose has been attained, one has been successful, but how do people measure success? There’s an external measurement and an internal measurement. The external assessment is done by others, whereas the internal measurement is determined by oneself. Those who do the external test are not aware of the aims or purposes known only to the individual; for example, if I intended to kill people as a suicide bomber because I believed in a certain cause, but instead I accidentally blew myself up, people may think I simply wanted to commit suicide and had been successful. Under those circumstances I had not been successful; unfortunately I was unable to make a judgement of my lack of success, because I was dead!

When my relatives or friends assess what I have done with my life do they see me as being successful? Knowing me well, they would at least be in possession of the major facts to make sound judgements, but what criteria would they use? Would they be looking for my social status, rank or position within the local community, and how would they assess my social status within the strata of that community? Even after rehearsing the facts, their views would be subjective according the value they put on my attainments. A lot would depend upon what they see as being important; if they put wealth and possessions high on the list, they may rate me on the lower scale, but if they were to place more emphasis on happiness and contentment they may rate me quite highly. Their judgements could be wrong, because they may see the external presentation which may not match the internal or hidden truth. In fact, I would judge myself as being contented and happy, whereas others may be fooled by my appearance!

From birth we are all encouraged to adopt a disposition or desire for success. Our parents want us to do well, and in order to achieve the objective of doing well we are rewarded when we achieve success. One of the earliest achievements is crawling. We are encouraged to crawl because our parents want us to be mobile achievers. The next goal is to get us to walk, so our mums and dads help us to achieve success. Along the way, we are given rewards for our successes; maybe kisses, hugs, shouts of approval, and by these rewards we are given the mindset of wanting to achieve success.

As we go on, goals are set with a view to achieving objectives. Sometimes these goals and objectives are determined from outside and sometimes from within. Continuing with the parent/child analogy, parents may want their children to accomplish certain skills that will help them achieve an objective. A parent who wants their boy to obtain a degree will have a long-term strategy of ensuring their child will be well educated at school to attain the best qualifications for gaining entrance to a university. At the achievement of each goal they will encourage their boy by rewarding him. As he scores successive goals his satisfaction increases because of his success - that’s if he is successful - the opposite could be devastating, because instead of being rewarded for success he may only receive disapproval.

What is crucial here, is how ‘we’, each one of us measure success, particularly success with regard to our lives, because lives can only be lived as they are on this earth, unless, of course you believe in a new earth with new life to come as portrayed in the Bible. After all, we are responsible for ourselves, first and foremost. We may be dropouts from society and measure our success by how well we achieve our objectives. We may reject the values of the society in which we live and be gratified that we do not accept or live by them. Morality and ethics could play a large part in our value system, and if so, we will want to measure our lives by how well or badly we have lived according to our consciences. These are internal judgements which may make their mark externally for others to see, so that they may judge our lives as being successful, worthwhile and worthy.

Respect

Respect for authority and respect for individuals over the past 50 years has markedly declined and I would suggest there’s a strong correlation between the numbers of people attending Christian church services and the obvious lack of respect today which is particularly evident in the younger generation, of course with exceptions. This equates to the fact that the average age of church attendees has risen to its highest peak while churchgoing has fallen to its lowest. (http://www.whychurch.org.uk/trends.php)

Although many in the swinging-sixties who attended such services were nominal Christians, they at least received instruction in the biblical principle of ‘Love thy neighbour’; likewise they would have been familiar with the commandment, ‘Honour thy father and mother’ - a fundamental tenet of respect. Even for those unfamiliar with this commandment most would have been aware of The Golden Rule to ‘Treat others as you would have them treat you,’ (See Luke 6:31) and of course they would have appreciated such respect, but today abuse and disrespect are increasingly becoming the norm, particularly in deprived and rundown areas of the UK where crime, drug-taking, gang feuds, gun and knife carrying, graffiti and litter make their impact.

When I was a boy it was drummed into me by my parents that I should respect the elderly and those in authority; likewise I was to respect all females, and if travelling on public transport I was to offer them a seat if none were available while I was occupying one. My teachers insisted I should doff my school cap when meeting the parents of other children or when encountering teachers on the street. This latter act of greeting was a formal sign of respect. Teachers were to be addressed as ‘Sir’, ‘Miss’ or ‘Madam’ as appropriate. Such behaviour would seem formal today when some teachers allow their pupils to address them by their forenames and visa-versa. My teachers always addressed me by my surname, with the exception of one who adopted me as his favourite student.

The onus for instilling respect lies squarely upon parents; they should not expect teachers to take on the role which should start at the cradle. Simple things like insisting their children should say, “Please” and “Thank you”, “May I?” and “Will it be all right?” can help show the relationship of respect they should have for their parents and others. Without such respect there comes a break-up of relationships which weakens social structures to bring about the demise of law and order. Without law and order there is no stability, neither is there justice. It becomes a free-for-all, the law of the jungle, where only the fittest survive, and for what? - The loss of dignity and the loss of self-respect which is the heart of all respect for others, because the person who cannot have respect for himself cannot have respect for others. He who throws used gum onto a pavement, drops litter, spits in the street or sneezes without using a handkerchief shows a lack of respect, not only for others but for himself.

The Apostle Peter wrote the words, ‘Honour all people,’ (1 Peter 2:17) within the context of those endowed with authority, both civil and Church authority. The Greek meaning of the word ‘honour’ is to highly esteem, i.e., respect. Perhaps we should get back to basics and learn from our forefathers, better still, learn from the word of God?

Honesty is the Best Policy

Over the past few weeks many British politicians in the House of Commons have had to own up to their moral corruption because although in their own words they had not ‘broken the rules’ they were found wanting by judge and jury - those whom they were appointed to serve - the British public. These politicians who had lost their sense of proportion and lacked self-discipline by spending lavishly on themselves by means of the expenses system brought shame upon themselves and the institution they represent. In so doing they lost the trust of their constituents who now look upon them with disdain. All this came at a time when local and European elections were about to take place. Only today, the Prime Minister shuffled what remained of his Cabinet after embarrassing resignations and he hurriedly plugged the gaps with those he could find who were untarnished from shameful behaviour. Did we ever expect to find what some may equate to corruption at the very heart of Government, the cradle of democracy? How does this bode for our future in the Global Village where trust and honesty are vital ingredients for leadership?

Thomas Jefferson said, "Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom." Honesty is, according to the dictionary, to be free of deceit; to be sincere; truthful, trustworthy; wholehearted and worthy. William Shakespeare wrote, "Honesty is the best policy. If I lose mine honour, I lose myself." These are definitive sayings that not only our politicians should take note of, but in humble truth all of us should consider them. None of us can claim to live wholly by a policy of honesty. For further clarification and understanding we need to outline the meaning of ‘a policy’. According to one online dictionary it is, ‘A deliberate course, guiding principle or procedure considered expedient, prudent or advantageous.’ Therefore, if we are to adopt the slogan, ‘Honesty is the best policy’ we need to be clear about what we want to achieve by being honest. Here I think William, the supreme Bard, is spot on; he makes it clear that it is to do with ‘honour’. The Right Honourable Gentlemen of the Commons had forgotten about their honour, their trustworthiness, their integrity, and Spencer Johnson like William Tell hit the mark when he said, “Integrity is telling myself the truth, and honesty is telling the truth to other people."
What do we want to achieve by being honest? I suggest the answer is self-discovery; the true revelation of who we are; the kernel of our very being. If we can’t be truthful to ourselves, how can we be honest before others? Such honesty can bring contentment and peace of mind, despite the opposition and difficulties we may find in bringing it about. The path of honesty is not smooth, neither is it straight because of obstacles along the way, but it is a path well worth pursuing for the rewards to self and to others.

Fact or Fiction – the Missing Link?

Why is it that man spends so much energy and uses every resource available to discover the origin of the universe and the origin of his own species? These are two burning enigmas that have puzzled mankind over the centuries and continue to do so today. Modern science has revealed discoveries that could never have come about without the use of computers; the Hubble Telescope 350 miles out in space is one such marvel dependent upon computers. According to empirical knowledge based on the speed of light, images of galaxies, exploding stars and coloured cosmic gas clouds formed 500 million years ago are recorded by the computers that process them.

Last night, on BBC 1, yet again David Attenborough presented a programme supporting the theory of man’s evolution from primitive species, but unlike his programme on the 1st February, he did not make a case for denying the validity of the account of Creation given in the Bible in Genesis. Perhaps he had received flack from Biblical Creationists, or maybe he believed his case was proven so that denial of the Genesis account was no longer necessary?

In last night’s presentation he showed that he was convinced the ‘missing link’ in the fossil chain had been discovered, because of a fossil found at a Hamburg mineral show in 2006. According to the theory of mankind’s evolution there is a split in the evolutionary tree that results in two branches, i.e., the branch of the Prosimians and the branch of the Anthropoids, but where is the common ancestor that shares characteristics of both Prosimians and Anthropoids? Well, according to Mr Attenborough a creature more resembling a lemur than a human is the ‘missing link’. The fossil of this animal, purporting to have been formed 47 million years ago, was made subject to intensive interrogation by eminent scientists in their fields and by the use of computerised 3-D graphics; they concluded that the creature looked almost identical to a lemur which belongs to the Prosimian branch, not the Anthropoidal branch from which monkeys, apes and humans are supposed to have evolved. Nevertheless David Attenborough presented various arguments to support his view that we humans had evolved from this ‘transitonal’ animal and that we had more in common with the fossilized creature than did a lemur. Apparently a lemur has a grooming claw on the second digit of the hind foot, but this creature named Eda for identification purposes does not; also a lemur has ‘combed’ teeth at the front of the lower jaw, whereas Eda does not. In both respects David argues she is more like us, and to press his point home he explains that the shape of her pelvis is similar to that of humans who walk upright - quadrupeds require a different shaped pelvis. Her hands, with inward articulating thumbs, just like humans (and lemurs), has nails similar to ours. She also has a Talus bone in the ankle just as we do, which is necessary for walking upright, but lemurs have a different set of bones. Incidentally, the same science is used to ‘prove’ that lemurs have hardly evolved over the time span of 47 million years required for the evolution of man.

On the basis of the above discoveries David Attenborough believes Eda is the ‘transitional missing link’ and without it there is no conclusive proof that humans have evolved from some lower form of life. The fact that no other such transitional link has been found begs the question, ‘Is his theory proven?’ It is claimed that a unique set of circumstances accounts for the preservation of the fossil, namely the coming about of the Messel pit in Germany 50 million years ago by an underground explosion that forced molten rock upwards thereby creating a deep crater that filled with water. Eda had been drinking from its edge when she was overcome by carbon dioxide bubbling to the surface causing her to fall unconscious into the water so that she sank to the bottom where she was covered with layers of silt; hence she was preserved until this day.

Webcam Truth

Have you ever seen yourself through the lens of a webcam? Well, I have, and what a shock it was. Truth was revealed just as I’d never seen it before. The stark reality of everything was there to see and hear with no escape. Rembrandt made a series of self-portraits throughout his life; therefore it was no shock to him when he grew old to observe exactly how he looked, but for me to behold a ‘movie’ portrait of myself as a septuagenarian, without seeing transitional renderings of my appearance through the lens of a webcam, the experience was more shocking than I imagined it would be. Yes, I’ve looked at photos of myself and encountered reverse images of myself in the mirror almost every day of my life, but they did not prepare me for the impact of a moving three-dimensional webcam image. The camera doesn’t lie, so the saying goes, but a two-dimensional static image only bears some resemblance to the source; whereas animated three-dimensional images render the truth more accurately. If you want to see yourself as others see you, perhaps the best way is to watch a video clip, because the camcorder or digital camera will accurately record details you would rather not want to see, even if you know about them or subconsciously put the facts out of your mind. After watching the video clip you have a choice - you can face up to the truth and accept what you see, or you can attempt to put the truth out of your mind. Even if you delete the video clip, the truth cannot be changed and perhaps the best option is to thankfully accept it.

Making a Will for Eternal Life

The majority of people die intestate; that’s to say they do not make a will. Such a situation brings difficulties for those left behind when the tragic moment comes perhaps unexpectedly, particularly for a spouse or close relative because they are left with the tasks of sorting everything out. If my own attitude until recently about making a will is the common one, then I would suggest you urgently reconsider the priority of settling your affairs before it is too late! Who’s to know when you will die? Only God has the answer.

When you are young you feel invincible; you are fit and vigorous and in your mind life stretches out before you. Death is a long way from you beyond a distant horizon. You believe there’s nothing you can’t do or achieve if you put your mind to it. Well, that’s what you think. At the age of forty you are told you have reached the top of the hill and maybe you feel it - you are on the downward slope to senility and inevitable death, and yet you reason, “Well, that’s a long way away, another forty years to go perhaps.” Your mind blots out the inevitable and you forget to reason that death could come at any moment – there’s no urgency for making wills.

An Elder at our church recently spoke of the difficulties there were for those left behind in a state of bereavement after a dear one dies intestate. Not only do they have to cope with the physical and real loss of someone precious to them, but they have to sort out a tangle of hidden things left behind shouting for resolution. ‘How is the gas bill paid?” and “What is to happen to the car?” and more importantly, “Who should inherit what?” I wonder, “Did he want to be cremated, or did he want to be buried?”

It wasn’t until I heard this from the Elder that I suddenly realised how important it was for me to make my will - after all, I am well past the biblical allotted time for a soul to live on earth. The Scriptures give us, ‘four score years and ten’, and sets out the exception that only ‘by reason of strength’ does a man live longer; yet we know also from the Bible that man lives for as long as God determines. The Elder went on to say that he appreciated it greatly when the wishes of the deceased had been set down in writing, particularly with guidance as to what should be included in the funeral service.

I gave this much thought and resolved to write a will and record what hymns and scriptures I would like for my funeral. What I didn’t expect was the attitude of mind I would acquire during the process. I was greatly humbled and profoundly thankful for the life that had been given to me. I became acutely aware that every minute of it is precious as the seconds tick by. Another unexpected result of the exercise of writing a will and setting down what I want included in my funeral service was a grieving for the imaginary loss of those near and dear to me because they would no longer be with me. Of course, in truth, I shall never experience such a loss, because I shall be with my Lord in life beyond death. As I thought of these things I was awestruck with the power of God, His goodness and love.

Not only for the practical value of writing a will and preparing for ones death, but for the benefit of gaining an insight into the value of life itself, I would recommend everyone to prepare for the inevitable by taking pen to paper and setting down in black and white your wishes. There is no greyness in the future beyond the grave, only black or white – which do you choose? Do you opt for the searing whiteness and brightness of the glorified Christ, or the loneliness found in the utter darkness of everlasting death?

mobile phone upload

This an attempt at uploading an article by using my mobile phone. If you are reading this I have been successful.

Email Test

I understand that I can upload to my blog by using email and it's even possible to add photos too by attachment.  So this is my attempt at making it work.

 

I am hoping I can add a photo of Jadon, my most recent great grandson, the son of Natasha and Dominik.

Edit Note: Well, it actually worked.

Lustful Passions

Desires that become lustful passions* can overpower our fundamental instinct of survival if we indulge in them so that our cravings gain the upper hand, causing us to lose self-control to the extent that our health, both physical and mental can adversely be affected. Overcoming even a singular lustful passion played out in practice can require a high degree of mind control on our part. When we are engaged in our lustful pursuits our survival instinct is subjugated or entirely ignored because of the intense action involving our mind and perhaps our body, and yet, without our survival we cannot fulfil our cravings. We become a bit like a parasite that depends on the body upon which it feeds, but ultimately destroys that same body.

Cunning advertisers bombard us through TV, the Internet and by other means with attractive temptations by way of suggestions or offers designed to satisfy our desires, wants or needs; therefore the utmost vigilance is required to over-rule and filter the incoming information which may mean ignoring or putting out of mind what the eye sees or the brain hears. It’s a matter of keeping a balance without excess; for what the mind lustfully desires must be subjugated in order to maintain equilibrium. Any disproportionate desire for a particular thing is a recipe for disaster because it acts like a compulsive drug upon which we become addicted.

Do we want riches? Do we want good health? Do we seek pleasure or do we want chocolates? Our wants can become so demanding that they escalate into ‘must haves’ without limit, at which point they become cravings for the satisfaction of our lust. The continued practice of our lust can eventually destroy us so that we become slaves to whatever we crave; then we’ll abandon the morals and principles that originally shaped our being; we’ll no longer be the balanced person we once were. A taste of amphetamine leads to a taste of ‘Crack’, and a taste of ‘Crack’ brings a desire for heroin which paves the way for a cocktail of drugs that leaves us sprawling on the floor where we die a wretched death.

So beware; be vigilant and control the mind that brings desires for those things that may eventually destroy both mind and body. Maintain equilibrium and never be excessive. If you can be satisfied with what you have, you’ll never fall into the temptation of lustful desires.

* Within the context of this article ‘lustful passions’ are defined as grossly excessive longings for a particular thing or experience which may include over-indulgence in sexual activity.

Pruning for a Rich Harvest

One of my recent blog entries was about the topic of ‘Shedding Branches’ which spoke of drastic action on my part. I likened the procedure to a tree losing its branches; such a painful happening may be necessary for me and for you also.

At the bottom of my garden there’s a bountiful plumb tree that almost every year produces a bumper crop of sweet-tasting Victoria plums. The harvest is so prolific that the very weight of the fruit can tear off branches. This is Nature’s way of improving the quality of the fruit left on the integral branches. Manual pruning of baby plums would bring the same result, but without the loss of branches.

My previous article pointed to a pruning that was taking place in my life to bring about a simple lifestyle by eliminating items and activities that were hampering me. In the same way the ancient Greek athletes ran naked to avoid handicapping themselves with the impediment of restrictive clothing.

After working through the process of severe pruning of branches, there comes a time for the more delicate activity of removing unhealthy leaves that no longer contribute to the well-being of the tree. Then with patience there comes a time of harvest well before the early days of autumn. During the sharp winter months nothing seems to happen, but when spring arrives new shoots appear that undergo a metamorphosis to become blossom for the bringing forth of a rich harvest. This is an annual repetitive cycle that can be applied to our lives for a greater harvest of reward, a reward not related to wealth, possessions or power, but one that concerns our well-being, both spiritual and physical. This reward comes in the form of better relationships with our family, friends and workmates. Why? Because without the clutter of branches and unprofitable leaves we can move better, see more clearly and be more easily assessable to others. We find we have more free time and spend less effort needlessly looking after useless possessions which in turn gives us less to worry about in addition to freeing us not only for our own welfare, but for the benefit of others.

Change

Change is inevitable; nothing can stop the process. Even in the womb before we are born subtle changes take place until after nine months we emerge into the world in the form of a disproportionate mini-human with a large head. As we continue to grow our proportions subtly change so that by comparison with the rest of our body our head would appear to decrease in size. In fact our head grows larger, but our body grows proportionately larger.

Change is everywhere, but perhaps it is best typically represented by the changing seasons. Just now, the spring flowers and blossoms are cheering up the scene. They remind us of the life cycle. In their youth their colours are scintillatingly gorgeous, but as spring fades so does their beauty until they crinkle and putrefy into ugliness far removed from their former glory.

A change is a panacea for getting out of a rut or for beating ‘the blues’. We deliberately employ this remedy to stimulate the mind; that’s why we love taking a break from the workplace by way of a holiday in a location removed from the familiar. In the past my wife and I have had the privilege of visiting different countries to break the routine and open the mind.

The current ‘Credit Crunch’ and the global financial downturn are bringing about vast changes in people’s lives, particularly those in the poorer countries of the world, countries where there is no welfare state to cushion the effects of unemployment and loss of income. Some are profiting from the situation, like cobblers whose businesses are flourishing, and property speculators who are snapping up bargains as apartments and homes come under the hammer. The rich and the powerful seldom suffer to the same extent as the poor, while both polarities of the community experience unavoidable change in the form of situations beyond their control. The rich, providing they have spread their monetary income resources, will remain rich, while the poor can only expect to get poorer.

When I look back over my life I realize how fortunate I have been to have owned many different small sailing boats. Boat ownership continues, despite the economy, and indeed, owning a boat could be seen as an investment for the future as the fiscal situation improves, for surely it will, because history shows that the pendulum of change swings first one way then the other.

My latest acquisition is a 1977 Seawych 19 sloop with considerable more accommodation than ‘Faith’, my 14’ Paradox. Because ‘Ladybird’ has been well looked after by several owners she is in remarkably good condition and I am looking forward to changes she will bring to my sailing experience, particularly being able to share her with others for their enjoyment as well as mine.

'Great Expectations'

‘Great Expectations’ is one of those novels that one is supposed to have read when at school, but if I did read it I cannot recollect doing so. Charles Dickens wrote of his contemporaneous conditions when social position due to inheritance and class fractured society. Snobbery, status and ignorance played their part. Back in the mid-nineteenth century there was little hope of any expectation of moving up the social ladder. Pip, the main character of the story was an orphan. He had a crush on Estella who was the adopted daughter of the wealthy Miss Havisham who hired Pip as a companion to Estella. Pip’s infatuation for Estella developed into a one-sided relationship of un-requited love, but Pip had high hopes that he may win her heart when he inherited money that enabled him to learn and acquire the ways of a gentleman.

Dickens wrote two endings to the novel; one gave little hope that Estella and Pip would ever be united in love, but the other hinted that there could be a glimmer of hope. Could that unsatisfactory situation ever have been yours; not necessarily the example of unrequited and unfulfilled love, but of expectations that were never realised? I would suggest that the common experience of us all is that we have expectations that are never realised, but without the hope of expectations we would lose much our motivation in life.

As a Christian I have a great hope and expectation that one day I’ll meet my Lord face to face and that I will be privileged to see Him and reflect His glory. On a lower plane I experience the everyday humdrum of activity just as those who have no expectation of Christ. On that same level I place my expectations of again owning a sailing boat, and to that end I have been searching for a suitable vessel, but you can’t imagine the lies and deceit I’ve encountered along the way. These same blatant deceptions of descriptions of craft for sale have led me to spend hours travelling by road with ‘Great Expectations’, only to find boats described as beautifully fitted, seaworthy and ready for sea, being nothing but leaking, stinking wrecks! The foolishness of advertising such vessels in glowing terms rebounds on the perpetrators; not only do they waste their time, but they callously cause disappointment to those who seek their ideal.

Despite my expectations being dashed over and again, I am a fool for yet another expectation that will be fulfilled to my satisfaction. What is it that drives me on in this way? The answer is that I have an unquenchable desire for a new relationship with a mistress of the sea.

Personal View of Evolution

The Darwin ‘Big Idea’ Exhibition at the Natural History Museum commemorating the findings of Charles Darwin when he sailed on HMS Beagle from 1831 to 1836 will close on 19th April 09. As a result of Darwin’s observations, particularly those on the Galapagos Islands, he formulated a theory that species evolved by the process of natural selection. Some years later, Alfred Russel Wallace independently expressed an almost identical view to that of Darwin, which spurred the latter on to publish, ‘On the Origin of the Species by Means of Natural Selection’. In the 6th edition of the book, published in1872, the title was changed to ‘The Origin of the Species’. The book propounded the theory that species populations evolve over generations through a process of natural selection. As a result of the book, which would seem to undermine the teaching of the Bible that God created the world in 6 days, there have been many objections to his thesis by Christians.

A modern protagonist supporting the theory put forward by Darwin is David Attenborough. Last night on BBC 1 TV, in a film called, ‘The Tree of Life’, he bluntly presented a case against the biblical account of the creation of the universe. He did not explain how matter came into being, perhaps by using another theory, that of the Big Bang, but started his thesis with the assumption that there was a primeval mass from which primitive creatures emerged who evolved into more complicated forms eventually becoming distinct species, which in turn evolved into other species. (The word ‘evolve’ means to develop gradually into more complex forms.)

The Bible affirms that God made creatures of various ‘kinds’ as noted in the account of the animals entering the Ark prior to the global flood - birds after their kind, animals after their kind, and every creeping thing of the earth after its kind. (Genesis 6:19-21) Likewise the Word of God states that God created seed-yielding grasses, herbs, and fruit trees according to their kinds. (Genesis 1:11-13) In biblical terms a ‘kind’ or ‘type’ is a particular species; for example the cat type, the dog type, the horse type, the elephant type, the grass type, the tree type or the fish type. None of them are capable of reproducing themselves except through their own kind. David Attenborough’s ‘theory’, which he proclaims as ‘fact’, purports that species can evolve into other identifiable species. The truth of this concept is essential if his theory is to hold water and indeed be fact. We therefore have the possibility of something like worms eventually changing into a zebras, over millions of years, but from the foregoing argument it can be seen that different ‘kinds’ are unable to naturally propagate with other ‘kinds’, which leaves the only alternative whereby change can come about, that is by mutation. Mutated genes can be inherited by subsequent generations, but the basic gene structure remains unaltered so that its ‘type’ or ‘kind’ does not change. Yes, it is true that by man’s intervention a process of selective breeding can bring about changes to a species, but the process cannot change that species into a different one. Man can also do what would be impossible for nature on its own to accomplish by inserting genes from an animal species into a vegetable species and visa versa. Genetic engineering is on the cards today.

By comparison with man’s puny efforts at playing with nature, would it be beyond the wit of a Creator God to create creatures able to adapt to gradually changing situations such as climatic change which brings about different ecosystems? Obviously, it would not. Would it be possible for a Creator God to create ‘types’ with similarities such as gene characteristics? Obviously, it would. Therefore the Christian has no conflict with the scientific proof that identical and similar genes can be found in different species. When David A claims that certain intermediary creatures as identified in fossil forms make the missing link between species, could it not be that God created those so-called living forms, they themselves being species or kinds? He believes that strata of the earth’s surface came about over countless millions of years and that fossils formed at various depths within the strata indicate when the creatures lived. In order to establish when strata was formed he relies heavily upon the flawed science of carbon dating. This science has by no means been proven reliable because there are many geologists who by their research prove shortcomings and inconsistencies of the process. You need only do a Google search to substantiate this.

David Attenborough’s trump card would seem to be that some identical genes can be found common to Homo sapiens and apes - for him this clinches the deal that he is related to an ape, that his ancestors were indeed apes; likewise he would have it that all human beings have evolved from a common apelike species. Again, I ask the question, “Is it not possible that a Creator God who formed the universe, could He not also make the man Adam from ‘the dust of the ground’ (Genesis 2:7) and his companion from the rib of Adam?” (Genesis 2:22) A chemical analysis of the materials from which a man’s physical body is made would reveal that it is composed mostly of those same elements that are found in the dust of the earth.

Except for life and death, nothing is certain, apart from revelation by the infinite God. It is He who gives the gift of life (Ephesians 2:8) and it He who has the power to take it away at any time. (Deuteronomy 30:15; 1 Samuel 2:6) The Lord gives and He takes away.

David concludes that he cannot conceive of a loving God who would create a worm that bores into a human’s eye because this is the only means for its survival. The balance of the equation which he cannot comprehend is that God gave His only Son to die on a cross as a sufficient sacrifice for the eternal salvation many. (John 3:16)


Link to the ‘Big Idea’ Exhibition:

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/darwin/more-about-darwin.html

Total Commitment and Single-mindedness

Jesus said, “Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33) A disciple is one who follows and learns from a teacher which infers that there is a desire on the part of the disciple to obey his teacher. The starkness of Jesus’ statement is evident, that without forsaking all possessions and all self-seeking there is not a remote chance of being His disciple. Jesus has also said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24, 25) Exclusion from the life Jesus talks of and exclusion from His discipleship is only too evident for those unable to comply with the requirements.

It would appear that the disciple of Jesus must be totally and wholeheartedly committed to following Him in all things. Taking up ones cross implies hardship beyond imagining. How can one qualify for discipleship of Jesus? How desirable is such a walk? The blessings of inheriting an eternal kingdom that far exceeds anything this world has to offer is something really desirable while the temporary deprivations and hardships encountered along the way are trifling by comparison, and yet our experiences tells us that what we have now is tangible and what is promised for the future is ephemeral.

This is where ‘faith’ plays her part. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6) and be a disciple of His Son. This God-given gift (Ephesians 2:8) enables His disciples to forsake all and to count hardships along the way as sheer joy for His sake. (James 1:2) The single-mindedness of the Christian is summed up by the author of Hebrews in verses 1 and 2 of Chapter 12 when he implores his readers with these words, “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

What has this to do with my passion for boating and sailing? It has absolutely everything to do with it, because if I place my self-centred obsession before my discipleship of Jesus I am no longer worthy to be a son of His. (Luke 15:19)

Pragmatism

Pragmatism is the conscious or unconscious philosophy that most of us adopt for our survival. We tend to look at what is practical and what is not practical and make choices accordingly. Outside forces intervene and they have a significant influence on our course through life, but where we are born and who are parents are determine most profoundly the start of our earthly journey. We have genes inherited from our mother and father and there’s no escape from that relationship. To a certain extent we are moulded in their image. In our early days we are shaped by the teaching of our parents before we are influenced by our friends, associates, teachers, and others with whom we come into contact.

We cannot divorce our likes and dislikes, our prejudices and preferences from those who have shaped us; indeed we are grateful to individuals who have taken an interest in us, those who have helped us on our way, who have contributed to our understanding, the people who have seen our potential and have encouraged us in our walk. Without nourishment, without feeding, without love we would not have made it.

All these pieces of the jigsaw make up the whole picture in which we can see how we have achieved our ambitions and what they were; within the total picture we can see our development, growth, maturation, and fulfilment before contentment and understanding leading to enrichment of life; finally comes a gradual realization of decline, a lessening of our physical prowess and sometimes our mental ability, leading to an acceptance of partial dependence on others, until perhaps a time comes when total dependence upon others arrives. Finally, the inevitable occurs when dust becomes dust and life enters the eternal realm which is the eventual purpose of our being.

Some people think hard and long about eternity, but they do not use their philosophical pragmatism to determine a choice as to how they would like to enter the inevitable state of eternity. Only now in our present life can we do anything about how we shall be at the moment before the sap that runs in our veins finally runs no more. What sort of persons do we want to be? Surely what we are is far more significant than who we are. I may be the Prime Minister, the Queen, a nurse or a dustman, but the nature of my occupation has little to do with my desires, my wants, my needs and most importantly my motivations.

How do these things impinge on the time I set aside for relaxation? What is the best form of relaxation for me? Those who know me will immediately say by sailing yachts. That is true, but now I wish to share my sailing more than in the past and to that end I’m planning on buying a half share in my next boat. This sharing is not just pragmatically practical for the reduction of costs, but for the imparting of skills and knowledge I have gained over the years, so that my new sailing buddy will indirectly learn from my mistakes and successes. Initially, we looked for a trimaran, but we have come to the conclusion that it will be better for us to have a traditional Bermudan sloop with good accommodation and a reasonable performance.

Follow this Blog to learn how we get along.

Shedding Branches

Yes, it’s true. I’m going to simplify my life by shedding a few branches. Over the years one collects all manner of junk until there is so much clobber there is no room for standing. Walking and running are out of the question! Immobilisation is the result. There’s a time for renewal and simplification, a time to discard all unnecessary impedimenta and invent a new uncluttered future. To this end I am retreating from the subtle Internet entrapment into which I have drifted. I shall undo the self-imposed handcuffs and chains attached to my ankles.

What does this really mean? Well, I shall be closing down my web sites that demand lots of my time, effort and energy, not to mention enthusiasm and fresh creativity. There will be a sense of loss, almost bereavement, but the pain will be worth the relief when I can skip happily again, to be free without encumbrances having abundant energy to spare. I shall shed my self-imposed burdens and seek a new, freer and simple life.

None of the foregoing implies that I’ll abandon sailing or yacht ownership, far from it. In fact I’m planning on sharing ownership of the next boat, a trimaran, because I’ve never had one before, although I was terrified while sailing a F 32 which went like the clappers or should I say clippers. To my mind, for excitement and speed, trimarans are unsurpassed. They have disadvantages, such as their wide beam, which makes manoeuvring in marinas and confined waters more difficult than the usual run of yachts with less beam and their movement in certain sea states can be bumpy, but generally they sail fairly upright, and a well-designed cruising trimaran has excellent accommodation and ample deck space.

Unlike my web sites, I have no intention of closing this blog, so watch out for new entries.

Editing Posts

I'm having problems editing my posts.

using the Mobile Phone

This was an abortive attempt at copying and pasting a document from the QuickOffice application on my mobile phone. There must be a way, but I haven't found it.

Access by mobile phone

This is my first attempt at posting to my blog by using a mobile phone. I shall be pleased if it works because I only need to carry the phone rather than my Asus EEE laptop.
I am currently sat at a table in a MacDonald's using the free WIFI.

Jogging Along

It's quite a while since my last entry on 24th July 08 and I just want to keep in touch to maintain use of the blog.

To obtain a CD with a user-friendly presentation of my two month cruise aboard 'Faith', my Paradox sailboat, please visit my Small Sailboats web site at http://www.smallsailboats.co.uk; then click on the link to the Editorial page for for the CD page.

Thank you for your interest in this blog which I may take up again for regular postings, especially in connection with my adventures aboard 'Faith'. If my health, time available, finances and good weather allow opportunities for cruising in the future, I'll make efforts to let you know here.