Rebel Church This Week

We rebelled yesterday.  The united service with our fellow church was on.  We did not go!  

The other church is High Church, all liturgy and candles.  Our church is Low, very Low, but not Low enough for me.  

An idea was formed that we would meet at our place, in spite of the united meeting.  So we did.

Several mentioned this idea, and five of us arrived to see it out.

One or two would have been there had they not been involved elsewhere.  So we few, we happy few, sat and yacked for a while.  It was not great, we had no organiser, and next time, in six months time, we may do the same again.  However, we will be better organised.

This rebelling is tiring.  It involves thinking, and this tires me these days.  However, the wee meet was good for me and left me happy for most of the day.  I even survived two football matches happily, in spite of referees.

Nothing else happened...

Xmas Shopping Already

I have done some preliminary online searching, too early to actually buy things, and also accidentally ordered some books for myself.  These things happen.  At one and the same time I am attempting to live a more frugal life while searching for 'shiny things' for others Xmas.  This I find awkward.  Less will be spent this year than last, and more basic things will be obtained, after the complaints last time!  

This morning, having returned from Sainsburys I waited until the stalls were out to take a look at the magnificent market today.  I wandered about, pausing only to buy sausages and bits of chicken from the proper butcher, and carried my expensive load around the stalls, successfully buying nothing.

This was because almost all the goods on display, mostly hand made, were not in anyway connected to what I desired.  In fact the one stall I looked for, he sells old toys, cars in boxes, and odd stuff, was not there today.  Possibly in jail for handling stolen goods, like old toys, cars in boxes and odd stuff I expect.

I limped home slowly, sorted the meat into bags and filled the freezer.  No more pies bar the yuckie  supermarket ones now.  Butchers sausages at least will be healthier than those mass produced.  I asked the girls if they had gone out to find the 'wild mushrooms' in the 'wild mushroom and other spicy stuff' sausages.  'Yes,' they said, 'We went searching through the week for them.'  Liars!

Now, with the 'Clintons' card shop closed I have to search for cards also.  I despise W. H. Smiths, a terrible shop, and avoid it when I can, but no other shop here offers decent cards.  One offers cheap tat and rude cards, but they are rarely funny or worth the cash.  I may just make my own.  Fold an A4 sheet with a pattern on it and use that.  Cheap and easy.  

Friday Fussing

I am irked by so many things today.

It's bad enough the tech problems with the mobile phone: I phoned someone and found his face staring at me.  I still don't know how I managed this!  The phone switched itself on as I was seeking the number and off as I tried to switch off.  Bah!

A radio programme featured a middle class woman offering feminist baloney.  She said 'Women are expected to be sweet and quiet and out of the way.'  I nearly swore.  This is the basis of feminism, imaginary women who never existed justifies the well to do in there wishful thinking.  When I heard this I thought of my mum and her sisters who lived through two wars, a mining strike 6 months long, cheap passage to Australia for some of them and a new life, and bringing up kids decently on no money and just 'getting on with it.'  Many still do this today.  Yet this woman, not married or attached obviously, thinks she is suffering!  You can bet she looks down her nose at the girls on the checkout.

Have you ever heard of a woman who sits 'quietly and out of the way?'  Neither have I.

This one ought to have been strung up.

Kate, Williams bint, is in my view the power in the marriage.  This comes from her pushy parents, who have just seen one of their money making schemes die owing £2.6 million.  How can they get away with this?  Is this the first time they have failed?  Their house costs £5 million, why do they not sell it and pay their debtors?  Or ask Kate for the cash, she has plenty waste now.

The wealthier you are, the less you pay...

I am amazed that Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, cannot find the many phones he uses containing 'WhatsApp' messages from the period of the Covid Lockdown.  Amazing that Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary, has gone sick just before his appearance at the Covid inquiry, that Boris could only hand over his phone, with bits redacted, if he has indeed handed over his phone.  I find all this amazing that at the top level of government there is so much incompetence.  Or should I be amazed considering the liars involved?   

Bees

Every day I have to rise from my chair and open the window to allow this man and his mates out.

Outside the back window appears to be a hive, just under the roof, and these men, returning from the hunting trip, often fly in my back window while hovering around attempting to enter the hive.  Each day I find seven or eight tired old Bees attempting to leave by the front window.   But how do they get in?

Because of them I only open the window when standing there, but every so often a Bee is seen floundering around the window pane.  I have learned to wait.  I leave him for an hour or so and when I rise there are often two or three hanging around. 

But how do they get in?

Are they coming from the other room?  But that is far from the hive.  I suspect they fly in when I am not looking, either head for the window, or as most look very tired and near their end, fall on the floor or hide in a curtain.  I found one on the floor, one on a wine glass, and one on the rear window this morning, so I think they must be hiding until fit enough to fly.  Poor things, we need them but take away their plants and allow chemicals which kill them to be used in the UK, but not the EU.  Another Brexit benefit.

 

This is quite long but worth a listen.

Monday Moping

 

Every time I log on at the moment I get an extra browser page.  Microsoft offering me an expensive and unwanted 'Outlook' when I already have similar and find I do not require most of what is there now.

'AdBlockPlus' tell me they have updated and I can contribute on this page.  I like this, and sometimes contribute when I can.  It is a good way to block ads on laptops.  This does not work on mobile phones unfortunately.  'Mozilla' itself logs on to tell me the name is changing from 'Firefox.'  They also tell me how to stop their ads appearing, which is good.  'Open Source' is always good.

The problem with all this is that the new additions are always larger than previous.  This means when operating sometimes things clash, and dead screens appear.  Facebook is appalling for having too much space, mostly for things I do not want, or to grab all my information.  

It also becomes a problem when the numpty working the laptop does not know what he is doing.   

This is a position I have often found myself in.  I am becoming confused between different log-on's. This is because many are the same colour and I canny change them.  So , I click the blue one just to unclick it and click the other blue one over there.  Why can there not be more variety in the colours?  Bah!  

The cables do not help.  I have several black cables, and I had to try them all before I found the right one, the one already in the laptop, to fill the battery of the Kindle.  I have them all hanging from the tree beside me now.  I may join them if this continues!

So it goes on.  Artillery from the border, bombs from aircraft, rockets from far off.  Around 5000 dead in Gaza, all terrorists I expect, and a couple of thousand dead in Israel itself.  Over 300 soldiers apparently included.

So what do we do?

Has God returned the Jews to the land he gave them?  Are Palestinians living out an age old enmity with God?  What about the Christian ones among them?  The third oldest known church has been hit by Israel, erected around 425 AD, yet not safe, many killed.  

If the land invasion goes ahead thousands will die, including the Israeli armed forces.  Iran may attempt to get involved via proxy.  Others by negotiation.  The whole thing is a mess.  

What should we do?

Humdrum Friday

I have sat here all day trying to think of something to write.

Nothing has come.

The lack of stimulus, caused by not getting around, is telling on me.  The desire to move is easing, the effort not worth it, and I reach Tesco and am done for the day.  I tried a little exercise yesterday, now I feel it.  The view is limited and nothing rebounds.

The news remains dominated by Israel, with little understanding from all sides.  This is interrupted by the death of a celebrity, or another leaving a TV programme, or a mother complaining her school will not allow her child to be a brat.  

Then they return to the war.  

The Radio is failing me also.  Many good programmes have disappeared, the iPlayer, I refuse to call it 'Sounds,' is searched but reveals lots of mediocre rubbish of limited variety.  Anything worth having has been had.  

Even visiting Tesco has been difficult, the rain has not stopped, and may continue again tomorrow.  Quite how the people up near Brechin will manage I don't know.  A housing development there was evacuated because of the floods.  Now who allowed them to build on a flood plain?  OK, this has not happened before but...

Football and travel in North East Scotland has been scuppered.  Roods unpassable, floods everywhere, and with more rain coming it may take a week to clear.  We just get wet here.  Even down the hill they have not yet been flooded.  Global warming, except it is not that warm, but good for October.

I did make an effort to work out the Christmas offerings.  Things I bought last year appear pricier this year.  Even the PIES bought from Forres have been dumped, they too show evidence of the cost of living rise.  Having struggled to pay thanks to technical problems I decided it was costing too much and abandoned the idea.  I will need an alternative from somewhere as it really is too costly now.  

My idea was to send a box of chocolates of some sort to various peoples.  But then one is vegan, one cannot eat this, another that, and only the dogs will eat everything, except they shouldn't!  I saved money by deleting the links to the high prices.

The rest of the day has been spent in a dream.

Getting Shirty

I noticed a man crossing the park this morning with his dearly beloved, he was wearing a Manchester United football shirt, this just before 9 am.  Here we are, 350 miles from Manchester, and a typical Man U fan is seen!  I'll bet this creature has never lowered himself to enter the local teams stadium to watch them in action.  A connection to the local side appears less welcome than following a side whose ground you have never visited!  

This irks me.

Some years ago, delivering post up the Ridgeway, I noticed a 10 year old wearing a similar shirt.  His dad told me he supported Ipswich, which makes sense as it is quite local and once was a top side, and he may well have originated from that area.  But the kid was influenced by tv as so many are.

My football influence came from my dad, reading about the Hearts and wanting to play football constantly, even if rubbish at it.  A dozen years of wandering about Scotland in all weathers, mostly wet, following a side with less hope of success than an ice cube in the Sahara.  But this is what the fan does, and they still do.  Those days have gone and the chances of ever seeing Edinburgh again diminish daily, but the club is still in my life.  Not so important as it once was, real life now dominates, but if they win or lose I feel it.  The long distance fan who has rarely seen his team in action cannot comprehend the life of a true fan, it is not possible.  Anyway, next year his shirt will change colour and he will follow another.

Which brings me to thankfulness for Scotland qualifying in marvellous fashion for the Euros in Germany next year.  Win, lose or draw matters not.  We are again amongst the elite, this is where we ought to be as only by playing amongst the best can we improve.  Steve Clark, much unsung by the Glasgow mafia, has led his side to success and looks good for more.  Congratulations and applause for him.

Hopefully he will take on the Heart of Midlothian job afterwards...

Saturday Morn

I sit here sipping my 'Buttermint Green Tea,' cogitating on the condensation on the windows this morning.  I also cogitate on the type of person who produces 'Buttermint Tea!'  The windows indicate the end of the warm spell, it was down to 7c last night, that's 44f to you, and a normal October has arrived.  Limping up the road to Tesco I passed a typical English man dressed in shorts and summer shirt but wearing a big coat over it all.  Some folks are reluctant to end summer, even in Autumn.  

The windows are wiped down, just as well I cleaned them properly a few weeks ago, and the open windows soon dry them, even though I am now freezing!  At least the feeble sun is shining, hanging low behind the town hall as I passed, bringing some warmth to the earth, brightening the leaves rusting in the trees, warming the birds when the stop from feeding their faces long enough to enjoy what warmth is on offer.

The 'Buttermint tea' is quite refreshing as I sit languidly gasping for breath at the desk.  Tesco's was quite quiet this morning, for a Saturday, the lass at the checkout friendly, the price increases enormous!  What a rip-off Tesco has become.  Starmer will not have the guts to demand a windfall tax on their profits!  I notice how much things have increased, how do some people survive?  I remembered, for no reason at all, this morning David Cameron's response to a question regarding an old women unable to afford to turn the heat up.  'Just put on a pullover,' he replied!  A true Tory!

Thursday Thoughts

 

Interesting to read how Bernie Ecclestone, the 93 year old one time owner of Formula 1, has been given a suspended sentence for dodging £400 million tax.  A Trust he did not comprehend, I think is the excuse.  He has agreed to pay £650 million to the tax man to avoid jail.

In itself there is not much here in this story, except that a rich man has been forced to pay money to the taxman.  Bernie himself has always been his own man, that's how he became rich, and after paying this cash he will still have millions, if not billions, put aside 'for the family.'  I am left considering why a 93 year old needs so much cash?

He is described as 'frail' in court, but such 'frail' men are often seen on their yachts with young ladies later looking quite frisky.  Remember that Guinness man who developed dementia while on trial and then forgot about it after release?   What does a 93 year old require billions for?  He must have family, he must have friends, but once again I think, had it been me, I would be making positive use of this money.  Maybe of course it is having the riches is where his life is based.  The wealth, the boasting, the power, is what matters, the actual cash means little.  

I wonder when the HMRC will decide to take such action amongst the present cabinet...?

I wonder if Benjamin made a mistake?  We hear from many sides that an attack by Hamas was expected.  Lat night I heard two BBC correspondents mentioning this, and the BBC foreign correspondents are quite good, unlike those in London.   The problems on the border, the jailing of Palestinians, the difficulties in Gaza, the deaths of young Palestinians, all have created tension.  Hamas have been looking for an excuse to launch an attack, did Israel misunderstand this?  

The more I read the more I wonder if Benjamin considered a small outrage by Hamas worth suffering as then he could go in heavy and deal with it, and strengthen his leadership.  He is not one to avoid an excuse to build himself up.  However, the Hamas attack was very creative, totally beyond what was expected, hundreds killed, many wounded, and total shock in an Israel slowly building itself into a 'European/World State.'  The immediate response was expected, but who suffered Hamas or others?

Now there has been created a 'national government' of sorts.  Maybe this will save Netanyahu, maybe not.  Many on Twitter blame him, indeed a poll today almost 60% blame the man himself.  The problem with playing with war is that you can get hurt.  If he overdoes the response now it could go very wrong, much more dangerous for the world that Ukraine, which we now all ignore.     

Prospect

I've just been listening to a podcast on 'Prospect' magazine, featuring a 'Haarez' journalist in Tel Aviv.  It was good to listen to a calm thoughtful 25 minutes, including a big 'bump' in the distance, as she spoke of the situation there.  Well worth a listen.

Monday Murmering

This is October and people are walking around in summer gear!

The weather is warm, it ought to be cold, while we have had heavy rain closing roads and rail way up north, some floods damaging housing etc, down here we are doing OK.  This has nothing to do with climate change says a politician holding a bundle of money donated by an oil company.  This is just coincidence.

Talking about backhanders, did you note how much leading Labour ministers have received from private health companies?  Hundreds of thousands, and the NHS is 'safe in their hands?'

Meanwhile Rishi is doing the unthinkable, he is having an 'event' while the Labour conference continues, something that has not been done before.  Do Tories only know how to misbehave?

Anyway, this shipwreck remained indoors yesterday knowing the walk would not be good for him, neither would having to think.  Braindead and weary all week.  Today, life returns somewhat and I look forward to proper health soon.  In the meantime I just rested in God choosing to love me, something I would not choose to do, and in some degree of wonderment muse upon this and what to do about it.  

Al-Jazeera

You may have noticed a war erupt in Israel.  I think this has been coming for some time.  Whether 'Hamas' visited Iran or Moscow makes no difference, clearly there has been 'outrages' in the region for a while, and bad feeling going back well over a century here.  We will not be surprised at this latest battle.

What does a Christian do here?

Do we, as many US do, back Israel unthinkingly?  Do we stand up for tortured Palestinians?  Do we make an effort to understand the region, or indeed what God is actually doing here?

What we must not do is look on in  human manner.  We must see this as part of Gods work.  However, we do not know what he is doing here, and constant warfare makes many take the easy option of joining one side or another.

The fact that God has returned the Hebrews to Israel is important.  Any who try to remove them become an enemy of Gods plan.  However, this is not a religious Hebrew nation, some are, many are not.  Quite a number see themselves as of the 'Jewish Race' rather than religious.  Politically, many are

opposed to the present leadership as they knew this is what would happen, especially while he leads with extreme right-wing types alongside him.  

Did they bring this about deliberately?  Or was it a reaction from a frustrated people?

You and I cannot tell, though many spout, like me, their opinions.  

All we know is we must seek Jesus and be found in him, rather than window gazing in Israel.  We seek to 'pray for the peace of Israel,' and seek 'peace in Jerusalem.' We remember that the Hebrews remain Gods chosen people, though Christians now take that place, and God will bring the Jew back when they repent and choose to follow Jesus the Messiah.

In the meantime pray for peace, and do not forget Syria, Ukraine, Sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere that war exists still.   

Worn Out

Having woken feeling almost normal I attempted to do normal jobs.  Now I am worn out.  Maybe I will leave the rest until next week...

Wednesday Rambling Nonsense

 

It is to be regretted the way the cloud cover keeps changing.  One minute bright sun glints of the leaves opposite, the next a dim darkness falls and the leaves lose the sparkle.  Once bright green many are now turning golden as they begin to fall across the road.  Already today the greenkeepers have driven around in their wee vehicles, grass cutting mostly, but also shredding many leaves, either deliberately or by chance.

While a blue sky appears above the treeline all appears well, but we know this means soon the branches will be bare, the leaves biodegrading across the park, and a council worker driving another wee vehicle around the streets early in the morning attempting to scrub the streets clean.  Some hope.

I note the railways are already sending out those trains who's single job is to smear the line so trains do not slide past their stops because of the fallen leaves.  Some suggest cutting down the trees, others raise alarm at the thought.  Nobody is ever happy.

I've enjoyed looking at the swaying trees all day.  There has been no energy for anything else.  The weariness has reached a new height today.  Aches everywhere and tired limbs.  This is not unexpected, but it is worse than feared.  It will disappear overnight while I enjoy a deep brandy cocoa encouraged sleep.  

It is to be hoped that it is less tired tomorrow, then I can start the things I promised to do on Monday.  The 'to do' list sits here crossed out, but nothing actually done.  This of course is not unusual in this house.  There is a list of must do jobs, such as 'Spring Clean,' that have not yet begun, and routine work is haphazard without a woman to bully me.  

I bumble about emptying the sink of its contents, tidying up so I can make a similar mess again tomorrow.  All this eating each day takes up so much time.  I recall the announcements in the press of years ago promising a 'Pill' that would nourish us as well as a three course meal.  Sadly such wonders do not appear to have arrived.  Possibly they are all on space craft wandering around the earth feeding spacemen?  

The books pile up unread beside me, the biblical ones to the right, the others spread about.  It is just too much effort to concentrate for long.  I return to staring at the leaves, watching US trains arriving and departing noisily from railway stations in various parts of the US.  Most US trains are of course found in the US.  

This appears boring to some, and at times it certainly is.  However, for those scribbling notes to one another at each Rail Cam, it is a way of meeting friends, the subject becomes less important than the communication.  All appear happy, friends chat and greet one another in that kind US manner.  Happiness flows.

I rarely comment.

The situation regarding these railways reveals much about the US way of life and how they do business.  It makes the UK appear almost normal.  We see small towns with around a couple of thousand people struggling to survive in one state, while elsewhere a vast metropolis has miles of railways running through it, reflecting their history as well as their trade today.  

Of course they drive on the wrong side of the road.

The rush hour appears dead tonight, hardly anyone trundling slowly past.  All is speed, well, 30 mph, and all ignore the 20 mph side the county council wasted thousands on.  All this rush is wearing me out, time for bed...

Conkers & Chick Peas

The walk through the 'dingily dell' beside the Police Station was enlightened by the finding of these conkers.  I grabbed them quick before the kids start taking them for selfish reasons.  It was clear there had been a struggle for these before I arrived, the floor was littered with shell cases.  Another time of youthful enjoyment for kids, unless some schoolteacher forces them into armour plating 'In case they get hurt.'

Hurt the teacher I say.

 

By making use of two tins of these Chick Peas I made myself some excellent soup this morning!  The recipe is simple, boil the peas, crush them down, throw in anything lying about, add too much Chilli Powder, light the blue fuse and stand back.

What came out was in fact quite tasty, and the Chilli within made me check the fire alarms afterwards.  A success this time, it is not always, but several more to actually enjoy this week.

Monday, Twitter and Kirk

So I gave in!

I removed the 'offending' post, though only an AI machine was offended, and returned to the 'Twitter' fold.  At least for now.  I attempted to revisit my old site, which appears still to exist, yet it would not let me in.  Possibly still banned, or maybe the password changed.  Typical Tech problems.

I have looked at what is on offer today and found little of excitement.  Pictures from the Tory Conference in Manchester reveal empty seats indicating the bars are open early, or they are still sharing rooms with those who can 'progress' their careers.

Cabinet ministers are making promising sounds, Sunak apart as he never actually says anything, and the impression given is not encouraging for anyone outside of the Labour Party.

After much prayer I hobbled slowly, oh so slowly, down to the Kirk on Sunday.  Having breakfasted well, enough sweet coffee to last me till lunchtime, I made it.  I had to, I was reading from Ezekiel and had promised I was OK to be there.  

Today was communion, but also  a 3 yr old being baptised.  This meant some 40 relatives, non church goers, were in attendance.  It also meant a long morning, hence the coffee.

At one point the kids are ushered out, after the baptism bit, and then the adults, minus most women who ran for the door also to avoid the sermon, that is the men, were left to endure the morning.  None were keen.

As I read the Ezekiel bit I could see lots of blank faces in front of me.  They were not interested, failed to grasp what was going on, and reflected the men of today.  The good thing is there is no pretence to  like what is happening as would have been the case 50 years ago, they were just not into it.  This reflects the difficulty in getting people to understand what God is all about.  The actual words I used I realised later were probably not opening their minds.  The words were a bit old-fashioned, I ought to have sought a different versions for a better, more modern rendering.  Those words spoke to me 50 years ago, but they may not speak to men today.

The girls, hiding with the kids, were also getting a similar message, and probably heard it better out there.  We look to see what may happen as we pray for the relatives.

Mind you, I am not one for kids baptism, I se no justification for this.  To me, you must be old enough to understand what you are doing, toddlers cannot grasp this, especially when all they wish to do is run around the hall like a daft one!  We let him do this.  I think the reason for kids baptism, or christening, is based on the story of the Philippian Jailer. 

Acts 16:16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, ‘These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.’ 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned round and said to the spirit, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!’ At that moment the spirit left her.

19 When her owners realised that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market-place to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, ‘These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practise.’

22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, ‘Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!’

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’

31 They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.’ 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptised. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God – he and his whole household.

It is the phrase: 'He and his whole household.'  That some say children can be 'Christened' or 'Baptised.'   But where are children mentioned?  Philippi was a 'Roman' town.  That is, to offer a pension to his army Augustus, once he had defeated Mark Anthony, threw everyone out of the town and offered the facilities to those of his men who had retired, or were disabled, from service.  After 16 - 20 years they were given a Wine Bar, or fats food place, a shop or whatever, as their pension.  By Pauls time the population was therefore sons and grandsons of Roman soldiers, and many had arrived in the years following the original men, and therefore it is likely the jailer could have been an ex-soldier.

If I am correct, and occasionally I am, this jailer, a tough man indeed, may have been in his 40s at least, he probably was in his 50s and had sons and slaves working with him.  Jails are not places for wimps like me to run, especially in Roman towns.  So I suspect any child the jailer had was at least an adolescent, not a child.

I note John Calvin disagrees with me, but you remember he was French!

Anyway, I was knackered after the day and glad of a lift home.  Of course all the dishes were in the sink, nothing easy was for lunch, so cheese sandwich on stale bread had to do until I could be bothered washing up.  Where is that maidservant?  Still knackered today, but well over the worst and looking for the cough to go, which it must eventually.

David Roberts - Pyramids of Giza