General Chat

Good morning :-)

Well done to Jack indeed! That was a great effort on his part and you must be so proud. :-D

We had 3 babies baptised yesterday.......oh my! One family was from Nigeria so we had some beautifully coloured African outfits in church. Lots of children too - my daughter had about 10 under 8's to entertain with books and building blocks during the service. She did a grand job ably assisted by 2 11 year olds and a mum. I will have to go back and tidy up I think...... :-D

For today:

A young blind paralympic swimmer is not only showcasing her athletic talents; she is also putting her Christian faith into practice. McClain Hermes is currently in Rio de Janeiro for the paralympic games. At 15 years old, Hermes is the youngest member of Team USA’s paralympic team.

Hermes will compete in the 100-meter breaststroke, 400-meter freestyle, and 100 meter back-stroke events.
Her motto, a reflection of her religious beliefs, is “swim by faith, not by sight,” a reference to 2 Corinthians 5:7.

Hermes is not only a talented swimmer, however. She has a heart for those less fortunate.

"My father, Matt Hermes, and I founded Shoes for the Souls in 2009,” she said. “Shoes for the Souls donate shoes to the Atlanta Mission and we have collected over 15,000 pairs of shoes since we began the program seven years ago. We are constantly collecting shoes for the mission to be donated each winter."
Even though Hermes faces challenges by being blind, she doesn’t waste time feeling sorry for herself.

"I've turned my disability into my ability," she said. "Bad things have happened to me, but you can't let that hold you down if you have something that you love."

Many of us could learn a lot from that young lady. 



Cx :-)

Hello all

He did it......... awww. We didn't see Jack on TV but with over 70,000 taking part
that was always going to be unlikely. Jack phoned as he was waiting to begin and
he was clearly excited and slightly overawed by so many who had turned up early.

His number had a microchip and our daughter had a tracker so that she kept all
the family updated with all the miles that Jack completed. He did the Great North
Run in 3hr 3minutes and was a little disappointed afterwards as he had set a
2hr 30min personal target for himself, which we all felt was far too ambitious.

So far he has raised £370 and is more than happy as he wanted to get £350, so
the extra is a bonus for all his hard training and efforts on the course. Well Done!
We are so proud of him and know that Asthma UK will be pleased with donations

Well done to all who took part. It isn't easy but so many worthy charities will benefit

Good morning :-)

Thinking of those taking part in the Great North Run today - I've just seen an item on the tv - so many good causes taking part.

The Collect (special prayer) for today:

O Lord, we beseech you mercifully to hear the prayers
of your people who call upon you;
and grant that they may both perceive and know
what things they ought to do,
and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil them;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.


Today’s gospel reading tells the story of the lost sheep. A wonderful teaching story.

Cx :-)

Hello all

I join in your thoughts and prayers Vera. A tragic death for the man and
a life changing event for all his family and friends.

Sorry that your sciatica is no better Cynthia. Perhaps another appointment
with a different GP might be needed?

The Paralympics Team GB have won

13 GOLD
6 SILVER
10 BRONZE

A total of 29 medals so far. How amazing is that?? A brilliant achievement
and there are still 10 more days to go. Very humbling to watch I might say.

We have spoken to our Grandson and he is relaxing today and doesn't seem phased by tomorrows half marathon. This is all new to Jack. He has stood on
the sidelines for several years cheering on the thousands of runners and he
decided last year to take part. He has been training for a year and found it hard
to keep motivated but the big day arrives tomorrow for him and many others!

Good morning :-)

I have now seen some of the action and have to say how amazing it all is. :-D

Sadly, my sciatica is no better at all Vera......causing me disturbed nights. I reckon I must rattle with the amount of painkillers I have had :-(

Awful news about the accident in your town - always so sad to hear of fatalities.

Good luck to your grandson tomorrow kandj - he's a brave lad.

For today:


My word, those Paralympians are incredible athletes. It seems that there are four types of disability covered in the classification process. These are for athletes with:

• an amputation
• celebral palsy
• vision impairment or blindness
• spinal injuries or other physical disabilities.

Much is made of the Disability Act but, in comparison to Olympic athletes Paralympic athletes do not enjoy equality of structures, resources or even media air time.

We can all learn from these youngsters that disability does not mean inability. We thank God for their determination to succeed in their chosen field.


Cx :-)

Hope your sciatica is a bit easier now Cynthia. <3

You are right to be proud of your grandson Kandj. It's great that he is able to do the Great North Run and I hope he gets lots of donations for his asthma charity. We will think of him on Sunday.

There was a nasty accident in our town yesterday and a man tragically lost his life. My prayer tonight is for his grieving family, and also for everyone on our roads, that they keep safety at the forefront of their minds and take just that little bit more care. This is particularly in my mind at the moment as I have just heard that our granddaughter has passed her driving test and is anxious to get mobile.

Hello all

Paralympics Team GB have actually won 11 medals in the first day in Rio....
what an amazing achievement. I'm sure there may well be others to follow.

Our Grandson Jack is taking part in the Great North Run on Sunday morning.
We are all incredibly proud of him as Jack is quite a bad asthmatic but he has
trained hard and hopes to make a decent amount of money for Asthma UK.

Good morning :-)

We seem to be doing very well on the medal scene don't we? I haven't actually watched anything yet but my daughter keeps me up to speed. Am going to try and catch some of the excitement over the coming days.


“Knowing Jesus is the ultimate journey to eternal life”. South African triple gold medallist, Fanie Van der Merwe was born with cerebral palsy and became a Christian whilst in High School. He also says…

“It was also good to see all my friends from around the world who I've met over the years. And I just realise that this is what it's all about, building relationships and inspiring others. I'm very happy and privileged to be at my fourth Paralympics and super excited to shine God's light on the track.”

Lord, may we be as excited to shine God's light in our lives. Amen.


Cx :-)

Hello all

The Paralympic events will be watched here with great interest each day until the closing event on 18th September.. We both find that all the competitors taking part are so humbling to watch and an inspiration to us all. Triumph over adversity!

Heavenly Father
We pray that despite the financial issues surrounding the Paralympics,that they are a successful celebration of what people with disabilities can achieve.
We pray for all who are involved in the many outreach faith organizations in Rio
who will support the athletes and witness to tourists and others throughout this time.
Amen

Good morning :-)

Now it is time for the Paralympics to take place. Those brave men and women who overcome their handicaps to compete in many sports.

The slogan for the 2016 Paralympics is “A New World”

Along with the Olympic torch, the medals and the mascots, the slogan plays a major part in creating the unique identity of each Olympic Games. For Rio 2016, the core values of the slogan and the manifesto are unity, respect for diversity and the will for change.

"It is what the Olympic movement is all about – changing the world for the better" said Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the event.

As we watch and wonder at the events which are about to unfold, we thank God for the bravery and courage of these athletes.


Cx :-)

Hello all

Sorry you are still having the sciatica pain, hope it gets better soon Cynthia.

Yes, it's unlikely that they would steal a fire engine, but who knows ? The fire officer
and the two firemen looked the part, all were professional and very pleasant too.

You are the King of Glory
You are the Prince of Peace
Your are the heaven and earth
You're the Son of Righteousness
Angels bow down before You
Worship and adore You
For You have the words of eternal like
You are Jesus Christ the Lord.
Hosanna to the King of David
Hosanna to the King of Kings
Glory in the highest heavens
For Jesus the Messiah reigns.

Good morning....... :-)

I was laughing to myself kandj, 'cos if a fire engine drew up outside your front door, then I guess identification is hardly necessary. Were they all hunky chunky guys? :-D

Getting tired of having sciatica now.....fed up of taking painkillers too......hope it doesn't hang around much longer :-(


On a brighter note :-)

You are the glorious morning,
You are refreshment and peace.
You are the sounds as the dawn breaks,
You are the rose that smells sweet.

You are the Lord, my creator,
You are the wonder of life.
You are the great words of wisdom,
I read them and fill up inside.

You are the wonderful sunrise,
You are restorer of hope.
You are the air that we breathe now,
You are the warm winter coat.

You are the Lord, my creator,
You are a love without end.
You are all grace and forgiveness,
I stand loved and free as your friend.


Cx :-)

Hello all

I didn't need to ask the fire officer for identification Cynthia as he was a very
professional gentleman and had his ID clearly visible when he introduced himself.

I do love the tune and the words of the Old Rugged Cross but sadly, I only ever seem to sing this now during funeral services.

Here is a rousing chorus of another old hymn, declaring the Christian faith.

Life high the cross
The love of Christ proclaim
Till all the world adore
His sacred name............... tra la la la la la la

Good morning :-)

I hope you asked for identification from the firemen kandj :-D

The fire service are very good at dealing with smoke alarms - its worth checking their website as they fit alarms for free and it saves so much hassle.

For today:

Our final look at Christian symbols…..the most recognisable of all……The Cross.

Strangely, whilst the cross is known as a symbol of suffering and defeat it is also known as a symbol of triumph and salvation. It is the universal Christian symbol – acknowledged by all denominations as the single visual image of the faith.

The cross is everywhere, not just in churches but in homes, movies, paintings and music. It is worn as a necklace, as earrings, as a tattoo - a fashion statement.

The cross on which Jesus was executed 2000 years ago has been a symbol for his followers from very early on. At first, they were scared to display it publicly in case they were persecuted or mocked. But after the Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity in the 4th Century, crucifixion was abolished as a punishment, and the cross was promoted as a symbol of the Son of God.

On a hill far away, stood an old rugged Cross
The emblem of suffering and shame
And I love that old Cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
So I'll cherish the old rugged Cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross
And exchange it some day for a crown

Cx :-)

Hello all

Is it really three years since your popular vicar died so suddenly? Unbelievable.

Of course you are more than welcome to use the Ten Commandments for
Reducing Stress. I hope that others might find this useful.

Today a large fire engine pulled up in front of our bungalow???

An officer rang the doorbell while two others stayed in the cab.
I invited him inside and he explained that they were doing a check in the village
and fitting fire alarms for free. The two other firemen came and have replaced
one battery smoke alarm that was originally fitted in 2010. We also have a
wired smoke alarm which the officer said was perfectly fine. Reading Cynthia's
post today about Fire....... is very appropriate I think.

Good morning :-)

Love the 10 Commandments - if you don't mind, I will share them on our church FB page :-D


It's three years today since our beloved vicar collapsed and died......he is still much loved and much missed. Looking across my room now, I can still see him sitting on the settee with a mug of tea, telling us a tale or two. <3


For today:

Continuing with our Christian symbols for a couple of days……today we look at ‘Fire’.

Fire often appears as a symbol of God’s presence and a sign of his power - there are many stories about fire in the bible. We remember the story of the disciples when they were filled with the Holy Spirit – it was as though tongues of flames rested on their heads.

The mitre which bishops wear is shaped like a flame as a reminder that they are chosen by God to do the work of the disciples.

The Salvation Army motto is ‘Blood and Fire’…….the blood of Christ and the fire of the Holy Spirit.

Candles in church denote Jesus, the light of the world and we give candles to those who are baptised in our church….’shine as a light in the world to the glory of God the Father’.

Father,
come and fill the hearts of your faithful
and enkindle in us the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit
and renew the face of the earth.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. AMEN.


Cx :-)

Hello all

A friend is struggling with lots of stressful situations. I have passed on the
Ten Commandments for reducing stress. Hope this list will interest others.

1. Thou shall not be perfect or even try to be.
2. Thou shall not try to be all things to all people.
3. Thou shalt sometimes leave things undone that ought to be done.
4. Thou shalt not spread thyself too thinly.
5. Thy shall learn to say "NO"
6. Thy shalt schedule time for thyself and for thy supportive network.
7. Thou shalt switch off and do nothing regularly.
8. Thou shalt be boring, untidy, inelegant and unattractive at times.
9. Thou shalt not even feel guilty.
10 Especially.. thou shall not be thy own worst enemy, but be thine own best friend.

Good morning :-)

Oh poor Vera......I certainly sympathise with you and hope that your problem will soon be sorted out. Forming an 'Ouch' club seems a very good idea. <3


Today our Women's Guild will have their annual rededication service. It's quite a large group and they have a lot of activities going on. I haven't joined it yet - I was a member of the Mothers' Union for many years but, on retirement, took a step back.


For today:

The Collect (special prayer) for today :

God, who in generous mercy sent the Holy Spirit
upon your Church in the burning fire of your love:
grant that your people may be fervent
in the fellowship of the gospel
that, always abiding in you,
they may be found steadfast in faith and active in service;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.


The Gospel for today reminds us of the cost of discipleship when we follow Jesus.

Love to all. Cx :-)

Hello all

Vera, sorry that you are another suffering with aches and pains. I do like your
suggestion of an OUCH club. I think there will be a long waiting list to join!
It is good news that your OH is much better. I pray you will feel better before long.

Looking at the many Celtic blessings would be really interesting I think Cynthia.

Alpha and Omega

You are Alpha and Omega
and we worship you our Lord
You are worthy to be praised

We give you all the glory
We worship you our Lord
You are worthy to be praised..

I too love the Celtic blessings. They seem to say so much in simple words.

I am sorry your back is not good at the moment Cynthia, and Kandj too. I am thinking of you. I know it must be hard for you as you are both carers and can't just give in. Sending you a cyber hug <3

Could we start an 'Ouch Club'? I am in bed at the moment trying hard to forget the pains in my back. For the third time in three years I had to see the out-of-hours doctor in the early hours of this morning . He is based at our local hospital, local being 20 miles away. No-one seems able to diagnose what is wrong so the latest idea is that my GP should arrange for me to see a urologist in case it is a kidney problem. Thankfully OH seems to have fully recovered from his 'turn'.

With our experience of last weekend and yesterday in mind, my prayers today are for those living alone who must find such events very frightening. May they find strength and reassurance.