General Chat

Good day all on this special day of remembrance.

Emma :-)

morning Cynthia and everyone else - I have managed to get up early enough this morning for church :-D and will be attending our local cenotaph in front of the library - I shall be planting a cross for my Dad's brother who was killed in WW1 aged 19 - he was born just down the road from the cenotaph and his name is on it for all to see. I never met him and my Dad was only a baby when he died, but he was the spitting image of Dad

It's a lovely day here in Cardiff so there should be a good attendance with the local silver band to provide the music

Good morning everyone on this special day of remembrance. I hope to be joining hundreds of others at our cenotaph which is in the church grounds and to then join with them for a civic memorial service inside.

Thousands upon thousands of people will be doing exactly the same both here and across the world as we unite to remember those who have died in warfare, those whose lives were torn apart and those who suffer still.


A Prayer of Remembrance

Almighty and eternal God,
from whose love in Christ we cannot be parted,
either by death or life:
hear our prayers and thanksgivings
for all whom we remember this day;
fulfil in them the purpose of your love;
and bring us all, with them, to your eternal joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


O God of truth and justice,

we hold before you those men and women

who have died in active service:

in Iraq, in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

As we honour their courage and cherish their memory,

may we put our faith in your future;

for you are the source of life and hope,

now and for ever. Amen.



Cx

Oh God our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home.

Under the shadow of Thy throne, Thy saints have dwelt secure
Sufficient is Thine arm alone, and our defense is sure.

Before the hills in order stood, or earth received her frame
From everlasting Thou art God, To endless years the same.

Thy word commands our flesh to dust,"Return ye sons of man"
All nations rose from earth at first, and turn to earth again.

A thousand ages in Thy sight are like an evening gone
Short as the watch that ends the night, before the rising sun.

The busy tribes of flesh and blood, with all their lives and cares
Are carried downwards by the flood, and lost in following years.

Time, like an ever rolling stream, bears all it's sons away
They fly, forgotten as a dream, dies at the opening day.

Like flowery fields the nations stand, pleased with the mornings light
The flowers beneath the mower's hand, lie withering ere tis night.

O God our help in ages past, our hope for years to come
Be Thou our guard while troubles last, and our eternal home.

How blessed to believe that God is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Good morning and amen indeed John.

As we approach Remembrance weekend, I thought it appropriate to post the hymn which will be sung at countless memorials around the world tomorrow.

The words are taken from Psalm 90 as follows:


Psalm 90: HEBREW TITLE: A prayer by Moses, the man of God.

1 O Lord, you have always been our home.

2 Before you created the hills
or brought the world into being,
you were eternally God,
and will be God forever.

3 You tell us to return to what we were;
you change us back to dust.

4 A thousand years to you are like one day;
they are like yesterday, already gone,
like a short hour in the night.

5 You carry us away like a flood;
we last no longer than a dream.
We are like weeds that sprout in the morning,

6 that grow and burst into bloom,
then dry up and die in the evening.

7 We are destroyed by your anger;
we are terrified by your fury.

8 You place our sins before you,
our secret sins where you can see them.

9 Our life is cut short by your anger;
it fades away like a whisper.

10 Seventy years is all we have—
eighty years, if we are strong;
yet all they bring us is trouble and sorrow;
life is soon over, and we are gone.

11 Who has felt the full power of your anger?
Who knows what fear your fury can bring?

12 Teach us how short our life is,
so that we may become wise.

13 How much longer will your anger last?
Have pity, O Lord, on your servants!

14 Fill us each morning with your constant love,
so that we may sing and be glad all our life.

15 Give us now as much happiness as the sadness you gave us
during all our years of misery.

16 Let us, your servants, see your mighty deeds;
let our descendants see your glorious might.

17 Lord our God, may your blessings be with us.
Give us success in all we do!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTqDuOvayKw


Cx.

Amen.

This storm in Philippines is their 24th this year. This one is particularly fierce with winds approaching 200mph and gusts of 235mph. And it had hit Bohal, only two months after the earthquake that led to many temporary tent dwellers.

I will write to my friend who is the Bishop of the Angican communion there for northern Europe. His parish is very extensive, and he has a lot of his "flock" in Lancashire and North Wales. And these disasters have occurred very frequently in the time I have known him and his wife (nearly 10 years now). Most villages are very poor and very isolated, and it must be very difficult to gain access and help the relief effort.

Let us pray together:

Heavenly Father, we remember our Filipino friends in our own communities who are worrying about their families back in the Philipines. Our prayers reach out to them and to all those affected by this storm. To President Manola and the Government, and to all faith leaders. Keep everyone safe, we pray. In their adversity, reach out to them and assure them of your love.

And if you can show me any practical ways that I can help, I pray you come to me today, dear Father in heaven.

Through Jesus Christ our beloved Saviour, we pray. Amen.

Good morning..... :-)


Listening to the news this morning, I was shocked by the storm which has ravaged part of the Philippines. I am sure we will be remembering those suffering people in our prayers. We have some folk from the Philippines in our congregation so I am hoping all is well with them, but they must be very concerned about their families.


A thought for this morning:

My God Is No Stranger

I've never seen God,
But I know how I feel ...
It's people like you
Who make Him so real.

It seems that I pass Him
So often each day,
In the faces of people
I meet on my way.

He's the stars in the heaven,
A smile on some face,
A leaf on a tree,
Or a rose in a vase.

He's winter and autumn
And summer and spring,
In short, God is every
"Real," and wonderful thing.

I wish I might meet Him
Much more than I do ...
I would, if there were more
People like you!

~ Helen Steiner Rice ~


Have a peaceful day Cx :-)

Guess it depends on how 'modern' you are Dermot. :-D

'Vatican launches world survey on modern family life'.

Should I be looking forward to participating in this exercise?

John I too laughed out loud at your final comment.
Morning Cynthia and all.

Emma :-)

Good morning everyone and it's nice to see you again Emma. :-)

Kandj - I'm a constant natterer to God too........I have to remind myself to take time out to actually stop and listen sometimes. :-)


Your visit to the library sounds wonderful John, and I completely understand how it must have felt to visit such an impressive place but, moreover, to actually have the privilege of reading an ancestor's diary with such a wealth of material in it. :-)


Your final comment made me laugh as a couple of similar things happened to OH recently. Firstly, the barber helped him on with his coat and then, on a visit to the dentist, about 3 people jumped up to let us sit in the waiting room. My husband said it made him feel old!! :-D

Some words for today:

Through me
let there be kind words, a warm smile, and a caring heart.

Through me
let there be a willingness to listen and a readiness to understand.

Through me
let there be dependability, steadfastness, trust and loyalty.

Through me
let there be compassion, forgiveness, mercy and love.

Through me
let there be every quality I find, O Lord, in Thee.

-Unknown


Enjoy your day. Cx :-)

Reason I have been so quiet is that I have been researching in the Wren Library in Trinity College in Cambridge since Tuesday morning and just got back.

An ancestor of mine who lived 1833-1909 and her husband (1828-1910) wrote very detailed diaries of everything they did in their lives. He was a gentleman and a Barrister and did gentlemanly things like go to the club, go to meetings addressed by Gladstone, was friends with Ruskin and the Rossettis. She was his servant for many years before marriage, a simple country girl with very simple tastes. Was very pleased to see that every morning they read a portion of the Psalms and Gospels and discussed their meaning over breakfast. And they never failed to attend church morning and evening wherever they were.

Their diaries are absolutely fascinating. And the Colleges in Cambridge are out of this world. What a priviledge to walk over the cobbles in the huge quadrangles, push open doors that have been in place for over 500 years and say good morning to the porters with their bowler hats.

Got back to the good news that your OH had a good report from St Paul's, Cynthia. Very pleased. And I too had missed Emma's posts.

I will end on a depressing note. I was standing on a crowded tube train near Baker St, and this young lady offered me her seat. I smiled and thanked her and declined - then have been upset ever since that she thought I was less able to stand than her :-(

Praying for me is a continual ongoing chatter to God........ anytime, anywhere,
but I do like the Virginia Ellis poem, simple yet profound..
Many thanks Cynthia, your words are always very much appreciated.

Cynthia am still reading these lovely posts <3
Good to read about your husband's recovery :-)

Emma :-)

Good morning and thank you Renes and kandj......we continue to take each day as it comes :-)

Has anyone seen Emma around? I miss her posting. Hope she's okay.

A thought for today:



Teach Me To Pray

Please teach me, Lord ...
I want to know
Exactly how to pray.
I need some words
Which ones are right?
Please tell me what to say.
I've bowed my head
I have knelt down,
But ... should I be upright?

I've closed my eyes,
I've raised my hands,
Or ... should I fold them tight?
Do I stand up?
Should I sit down?
Dear Lord ... what do you like?
Are lights turned on
Or are they off?
Maybe ... candle light?

Wear my glasses?
Take them off?
Be at my desk or table?
Should I whisper?
Speak out loud?
Do I quote the Bible?

What do you think
About the time?
Do You prefer the dawn?
Should I pray fast,
Or keep it slow?
Better short ... or long?

I'm new at this
What are the rules?
I want to do it right.
How do I know
You'll even hear
That I am in Your sight?

And while I sat there quietly,
Waiting for some sign,
I heard a gentle voice say,
"Oh, dearest child of mine ...
Do you think I really care
About the time of day,
Or whether you are standing up,
Or kneeling when you pray?"

"I don't care about your posture,
Or about the place you choose;
Just open up your soul to me,
I have no other rules.
Tell me what is in your heart,
And tell me what you seek;
Tell me of your sorrows,
And of those things that made you weak."

"Speak to me in private
About what concerns you most;
I know about your good deeds ...
You have no need to boast.
My child, you don't need lessons,
Just talk to me each day;
Tell me anything you want, dear child,
Anyone can pray."

~ Virginia Ellis ~


Cx :-)

Cynthia:-

Some days you're the pigeon...
Some days you're the statue!

Liking that particular one (story of my life!).

I am pleased that the hospital appointment was a good experience for your husband and yourself. It must have been a worrying time for the two of you.

Pleased all went well with OH eyes Cynthis <3 <3

Good morning everyone. I'm happy to say that the doctor was very pleased with my husband's eye recovery and he doesn't need to be seen again for 4 weeks. It will be a while before we finally know how much vision he will have in that eye but we press on. :-)


Hello Dermot.

I have to admit that, when I saw your question, I was very tempted to reply........"to keep genealogists in work!" :-D

The whole of nature seems to be a continuing cycle......animals too, are born, reproduce and die and their offspring the same. Plants live, reproduce seeds and die and so it goes on. I am sure that a theologian could give you a much better answer but, personally, I consider it all to be part of God's plan for His world.

For today, I found the following quotes both interesting and, occasionally, amusing :


Words Of Inspiration and Encouragement

"The marvelous richness of human experience
Would lose something of rewarding joy
If there were no limitations to overcome.
The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful,
If there were no dark valleys to traverse."
~ Helen Keller ~

"I thank God for my handicaps,
For, through them,
I have found myself,
my work, and my God."
~ Helen Keller ~


A Diamond is only a chunk of coal ...
That made something good under pressure!

Every flower that ever bloomed
Had to go through
A whole lot of dirt to get there!

There is no oil without squeezing the olives,
No wine without pressing the grapes,
No fragrance without crushing the flowers,
And no real joy without sorrow.

If you want to see the rainbow ...
You have to put up with the rain!

Some days you're the pigeon ...
Some days you're the statue!

If you keep your face to the sunshine ...
Then you cannot see the shadow!

If you want a place in the sun ...
You've got to put up with a few Blisters!

After the clouds ... comes the sunshine!
After the winter ... comes the spring!
After the shower ... comes the rainbow!
After the night ... comes the day!

The soul would have no rainbows
If the eyes had no tears.

When it is dark enough ...
You can see the stars!

Some days you're the bug ...
Some days the windshield!


Have a good day.....Cx. :-)

For millennia, the cycle of human life has continued. Children are born; they grow up & most eventually produce children of their own.

One generation dies & is replaced by the next. But what is the purpose of this repeating cycle of life?