General Chat

Ooooo I do like that one by HSR, Cynthia.

Good and quick answer to the question of David, John.

Some of us read but sometimes get caught up in the trivia of the day and so don't post.

Emma and kandj :-) :-)

I wish it were true (absorption of literature) :-) I must admit I do like to go into depth on certain Bible passages, particularly if I am preaching on said passage. Though I do lean very heavily on commentators, hoping I have understood passage at least partially. My two favourite commentators are both from 18th century - Matthew Henry and John Gill. One an Anglican, the other a Baptist. They explain every verse thoroughly, compare with other verses, and explain things in very simple (if old-fashioned) language. Henry and Gill must claim any credit for any slight success I have 3 centuries later, I fear. All they get from me that is unique is up-to-date examples from managing supermarkets in London and elsewhere and reading newspapers and talking to people.

I have not read a book (apart from being, like John Wesley, a man of "only one Book") for over 10 years. And it is hard work. But I want to write something next summer, and these 3 books are part of my necessary research. So you are likely to get more boring snippets from these pre-Raphaelite diaries in next couple of weeks.

At end of 1866, my diarist met a man called Hepworth Dixon - who had just visited Longfellow and Brigham Young in America. Dixon tells my diarist poet that he advised Brigham Young "to migrate with his followers en masse to the Holy Land, if they be again disturbed." No idea why the Mormons were "disturbed" in 1866, but someone might know.

Getting dark at 3.30 here (very gloomy day). At least it means in only 4 weeks time the nights will quickly start to shorten
:-) :-)

As always HSR words touched me, so meaningful,
thank you Cynthia :-)..my thoughts are with you all
at this sad time.

John you amaze me at times with your need to find out
about certain things and the literature you read :-)..a dog
with a bone comes to mind..I'm a bit like that myself at times :-D :-)

Emma :-)

Thanks Cynthia for the HSR words, so kind of you to post each day. Much appreciated
I hope all goes as well as it can be at your family funeral today. Sending prayerful support to you all right now on so sad a day.

John, your posting made for interesting reading..... how do you find the time to read and absorb such deep literature? Thanks for sharing.

Unusual to have to go so far back to find Christian thread. But no response to lovely post by Cynthia yesterday and BananaNana not responded to answers to her question about David and Goliath :-S Hope our answers were what she expected.

Anyway, my thought for the day is a seasonal verse by Christina Rossetti. I know almost nothing about the pre-Raphaelite brotherhood, but am working my was through a biography of one of their members who kept a detailed diary. This poet was a friend of Ruskin and brothers Dante and William Rosetti, Morris, Burne Jones etc etc ad infinitum.

Dante had just got married (1861)and then almost as suddenly lost his young wife and moved to Chelsea. But it is the ladies attached to the pre-Raphealites that are catching my eye - Mary Severn and Dante's sister Christina (1830-1894). Here is one beautiful and seasonal verse Christina penned:

"What can I give him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man
I would do my part;
Yet what can I give him -
Give my heart."

Christina comes across in these diaries I am reading as the loveliest of women. She is still only 33 (got as far as 1864) and looks much younger. But she already has that most contrite and beautiful of possessions - a deep love for her Maker :-) :-)

Edit. Posted at about same time, Cynthia. Thankyou for verse this morning. Hope funeral goes well.

ps. Last night (after midnight) I was thinking of death of Stan Stennet (88). And my thoughts turned to his friend Wyn Calvin in Cardiff (have met them both recently). So I dropped a message to Wyn (who is now 87 himself) and went to bed. This morning I opened my post and there was a lovely message from Wyn, thanking me for my thoughts. Sent 20 minutes after my email!!!!

Good morning everyone - if anyone is around...... :-S :-D

We have a family funeral today. Our son's father-in-law was, sadly, found dead in bed ten days ago so naturally, we are going to support them as much as we can.


A thought for today:

Complainingly I told myself,
“This cross was too heavy to wear!”
And I wondered discontentedly
Why God gave it to me to bear.

I looked with envy at others
Whose crosses seemed lighter than mine,
And wished that I could change my cross
For one of a lighter design.

Then in a dream I beheld the cross
I impulsively wanted to wear ...
It was fashioned of pearls and diamonds,
And gems that are precious and rare.

And when I hung it around my neck,
The weight of the jewels and the gold
Was much too heavy and cumbersome
For my small, slender neck to hold.

So I tossed it aside, and before my eyes
Was a cross of rose-red flowers;
And I said with delight as I put it on,
"This cross I can wear for hours."

For it was so dainty and fragile,
So lovely and light and thin;
But I had forgotten about the thorns
That started to pierce my skin.

Then in a dream I saw my cross ...
Rugged and old and plain;
The clumsy old cross I had looked upon
With discontent and disdain.

And at last I knew that God had made
This special cross for me;
For God in His great wisdom
Knew what I before could not see ...

That often the loveliest Cross
Are the heaviest crosses to bear;
For only God is wise enough
To choose the cross each can wear.

So never complain about your cross,
For your cross has been blessed;
God made it just for you to wear
And remember ... God knows best.

~ Helen Steiner Rice ~


Hope everyone has a peaceful day. Cx :-)

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



An interesting question to begin the day - thank you BananaNaNa. The question of 'what actually killed Goliath - stone or sword?' has been around for a very long time and, like many bible stories, has been discussed and dissected countless times. The end result always seems to be the same - the triumph of good over evil.


A short prayer for today:


Hold my Hand in Weakness

Lord God, you are my strength. Hold my hand in my weakness and teach my heart to fly. With you, there's nothing to fear, nothing to worry about. Hold me tight in your embrace, so that I can be stronger than the challenges in my life. Amen.


Wishing you all a peaceful day.... Cx :-)

Yes, looking at what I wrote late last night seems right this morning too (note - I am a morning person and brain is like scrambled egg after dark :-))

Goliath represented the enemy of God (or good). He was the champion not only of the Philistines, but of the "prince of this world", none other that Satan. Had he not been so severely defeated by David (the direct ancestor of Joseph, father of Jesus), David's colleagues would have been attacked and possibly routed.

But the absolute shock of the total defeat of Goliath sent the Philistines into total disarray and removed the great threat to the people of God.

To say something twice is often thought a fault. In scripture, it is very often done on purpose. And it always emphasises something important. If it is worth saying once, it is worth saying twice. "Verily" is usually followed by Jesus with another "verily" for example - if he was saying something particularly important.

BananaNaNa. Bit late for me, but will have another look tomorrow.

My first thoughts are that Goliath was slain by a stone (Verse 50). But the Philstines, a distance away would not have believed he was dead. They would have hoped he was just stunned.

So, to emphasise his death, David took Goliath's sword and decapitated him. And stood on him. Those who watched from afar would have no doubt their champion was dead

All through the Bible, each truth is proved over and over - so that it is beyond any reasonable human doubt.

Question to ponder

1 Samuel Chapter 17


50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

If David slew Goliath in verse 50 why did he in v 51 have to take Goliath's sword and slay him again ..... just asking

I well remember Stir-up Sunday and the excitement of helping Mum to stir the Christmas Pudding. We were taught to stir clockwise and never anticlockwise as this would stir in the devil...!!! We were allowed to stir and make a wish at the same time, then pass on the wooden spoon to my brothers ans sisters. A very magical time as this was the lead up to Advent and Christmas not too far away.

In one of our children's books was a poem relating to Stir-up Sunday written by
Eleanor Farjeon which my brother used to read while us littlies giggled.

STIRRING THE PUDDING

Stem the currants
Stone the raisins
Chop the peel as fine as fine
Beat the eggs and shred the suet
Grate the crumbs (no flour in mine)
Freely shake to make it nice
All the virtue of the spice.
Pour the brandy liberally
Stir and wish, then three times three.

It was interesting to hear poems by Eleanor Farjeon read out on Sunday's Songs of Praise. No mention of Stir up Sunday though, which I thought was a bit odd?

Good morning everyone. :-)



I have been thinking along similar lines John.......next week is the first Sunday of Advent - this means that - yesterday was the last Sunday before Advent - also known as 'Stir-up' Sunday :-)


Traditionally, this was the day when the family took turns to stir the Christmas pudding whilst making a wish.

The name comes from the opening words of the Collect for the day from the Book of Common Prayer of 1549.

"Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of they faithful people;
that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works,
may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.



I wonder how many of us actually make our own Christmas puddings? Not me I'm afraid but, I'm sure someone has a story about making them.


Have a good day everyone Cx :-)

Last week before Advent. Next Sunday starts the countdown.

Also, I note next Saturday (30th) is St Andrews Day. Is that special in Scotland? I know all about Burns on 25 Jan - as it is OH's birthday. :-) :-)

As you have giv'n, so we would give
Ourselves for others' healing;
As you have liv'd, so we would live,
The Father's love revealing.

(Charles Venn Pilcher 1879-1961). Born in Oxford, England, Venn Pilcher was Bishop Coadjutor of Sydney, NSW later in his life. :-)

Loved the poem Cynthia, reminds me that we all have so much to be grateful for.

I have spotted Channel 5 on Saturday evening 9pm a programme called The Bible. Could be interesting, I'm glad this Christian drama is on a channel that is easily available to all.

Thanks kandj, it was an amazing amount indeed....and the fact that everyone worked together so well was the icing on the cake. :-)

Some thoughts for today :

The Most Beautiful Flower

The park bench was deserted as I sat down to read
beneath the long, straggly branches
of an old willow tree.
Disillusioned by life with good reason to frown,
for the world was intent on dragging me down.
And if that weren't enough to ruin my day,
a young boy out of breath approached me,
all tired from play.

He stood right before me with his head tilted down,
and said with great excitement,
"Look what I found!"

In his hand was a flower, and what a pitiful sight ...
with its petals all worn ... not enough rain,
or too little light.
Wanting him to take his dead flower
and go off to play,
I faked a small smile and then shifted away.

But instead of retreating, he sat next to my side
and placed the flower to his nose;
He declared with overacted surprise,
"It sure smells pretty and it's beautiful, too!
That's why I picked it.
Here ... it's for you!"

The weed before me was dying or dead,
not vibrant of colors ... orange, yellow or red;
But I knew I must take it,
or he might never leave,
So I reached for the flower, and replied ...
"This is just what I need."

But instead of him placing the flower in my hand,
he held it in mid-air without reason or plan.
It was then that I noticed for the very first time,
that weed-toting boy could not see ...
He was blind.

I heard my voice quiver; tears shone in the sun,
as I thanked him for picking the very best one.
"You're welcome," he smiled,
and then ran off to play,
unaware of the impact he'd had on my day.

I sat there and wondered how he managed to see
a self-pitying woman beneath an old willow tree.
How did he know of my self-indulged plight?
Perhaps from his heart,
he'd been blessed with true sight.

Through the eyes of a blind child, at last I could see,
the problem was not with the world ...
the problem was me.
And for all of those times I myself had been blind,
I vowed to see the beauty in life,
and appreciate every second that's mine.

And then I held that wilted flower up to my nose
and breathed in the fragrance of a beautiful rose;
I smiled as I watched that young boy,
another weed in his hand,
about to change the life
of an unsuspecting old woman.

~ Cheryl Costello-Forshey ~


I hope you all have a blessed Sunday Cx :-)

An amazing amount Cynthia. Just so pleased that your church has been so well supported and although you are shattered the money will be put to good use and your late vicar will surely have been near everyone today. Well Done! Enjoy your meal.

Oh my word.......am I tired......... :-S

I haven't been in too long and am shortly going to fetch a takeaway. Am absolutely bushwhacked!


The crowds were massive and the atmosphere was great thank goodness. It was so odd not having our lovely vicar around to spur us one but I hope we did him proud.

We serve lunches as well and I heard that they sold out - big trays of hotpot just disappeared. Santa's grotto was amazing with lots of technology involved.

The chocolate fountain next to me was a great crowd puller and looked very appetising but I didn't get round to having anything.

I've just been told that we raised £3000. :-D

Cynthia. You have so much energy and commitment. I am quite in awe sometimes. And a lovely prayer.

I watched two programmes from the DAYSTAR channel very late last night (I tend to be up about 5am). I am finding them so uplifting. The first was my weekly "fix" of Judaism a la Rabbi Schneider. He is preaching through the Song of Solomon and relating it to the Christian church, where all can be the bride of God. Jesus finds you and me to be so beautiful, that he wants us to be his bride. Now I can understand that applied to Emma and Cynthia - but does he really want an old, bald, toothless man :-0 :-0 I will certainly need to wear a veil of modesty :-) ;-)

Another programme was a lovely American lady called Joni interviewing a Hindu man of about 50 in India about his conversion to Jesus aged about 20. It was most "real" and most humbling.

One thing is that neither he nor Rabbi Schneider have revoked their Hinduism or their Judaism one iota. One is a Hindu Christian, one is a Jewish Christian. But there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Jesus has accepted them both as his brothers, the same way he has accepted you and I. All are equal in the eyes of God - we must all (as Christians) help to break down the blindness of the Greek and the stumbling block of the Jew.

The stumbling block of the Jew is that they believe Jesus must have been accursed to suffer death by crucifixion. Therefore Jesus is the "accursed thingt" mentioned in their law of Moses. Yet to my mind it cannot make sense that God in the first person (Father God) can curse God in the second person (God the Son). I have no Jewish credentials to make such a comment - but am pleased that Rabbi Schneider makes similar points every week.

And, as far as the Hindu is concerned, they work themselves to their heaven by "being good". This man felt he was innately a bad person and had decided to commit suicide by hanging (he had cut his father's newly dead body down a few years earlier and wanted to follow his example to the pyre). Then he decided to read some of the story of Jesus before he committed the fatal act. His life since has been hard, but his love of Hinduism and his love of Jesus have helped him to grow spiritually every step of the way.

Cynthia, I hope your Christmas Fair will be well supported as this is usually one of the major fund raising events of the church calender, so hopefully folk with come prepared to spend generously. It is also a magical time to work together in fellowship with other members of your church family. Always very hard work but an exciting event when all the local folk can come together. Some people I never see from one year to the next owing to ill health or frailty make the effort to come along.

Our own church is joining in the Parish Christmas Event next Saturday. It is the first time we have not had our own Christmas Bazaar held in church, but the PCC made the decision this year to join other village organizations under one roof to be held in the Community Centre This is going to be very different from previous years and you can imagine we have had mixed feelings within our small elderly congregation. We are praying hard for a happy and successful outcome next week.

Amen.

Thank you again Cynthia.

Emma :-)