Third time

I am just back home again from my third visit to Precept International. I still find it amazing that I chose to spend a week away studying the Bible-if someone had told me ten years ago that I would do that I simply wouldn't have believed it.


Went with 10 others from NI and as usual the Americans didn't quite know what had hit them.
In a state that voted overwhelmingly for McCain there was great consternation about the future under the new president elect, I did on one occasion hear of the old prejudice-colour.
But if we believe in a sovereign God then he is there in God's will.
We had a nine to five study day so didn't get to see many sights this time, however we did have a few invites- to Jack and Kay Arthur's for tea

and to Bob and Diane's for dessert(on separate nights)

Most other nights the woman spent either in the mall or in Walmarts.It was enough to put you off your food!



Arrived home safely on Monday despite having a lightning strike on the plane just as we came into land at Dublin airport.

Time goes

Everything seems to go at such a pace at the moment that I don't seem to have the time or perhaps inclination, to sit at the computer and write on the blog.This past week I attended my biannual committee meeting in Glasgow. I arrived early courtesy of Easy Jet and had some time to spare so I decided to wander around the old cathedral right beside the hospital Glasgow Scotland - Cathedral Precinct


In the grounds amongst many ancient gravestones I found the tomb of Dr Peter Low who founded the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons at Glasgow Infirmary

I liked the inscription!
On Saturday Heather and I had the weekend to ourselves -went for a walk in the sun at Whitehead.

The times they are a changing

Wednesday like many other days dawned dull and wet. Summer, for the second year in a row, appears to have occurred in April and May and ever since then we have been on a slow ride to autumn. There was a distinct chill in the air on wednesday as I left to leave my daughter to school and the leaves on the trees have long ago lost that bright green hue and have started to turn russet and fall. I made my way into Belfast and into the centre, a cold and wet tramp, with an injured leg that didn't help. It was in one of the major retail chains that it happened!
I spied my first christmas tree, admittedly a small decoration, but in a sea of other christmas paraphernalia. I couldn't believe it, that on the 3rd of September, just two days after the schools went back christmas material was out.

Surely this is too far, we don't need christmas in September-I think we should adopt the american style and not commence christmas celebrations until the first of December

Just back from a week at Capernwray Hall. Great place in the heart of the countryside. Capernwray Missionary Fellowship of Torchbearers The last time I was there I was in my early twenties and I was fascinated looking at the antics of the young people and wishing I had their energy and get up and do.
It was a great week away meeting brothers and sisters from many different continents and having that friendship because of Christ.

The Last choir standing

One of the choirs through to the last 8 was the Open Arts community choir, a Northern Ireland choir that promotes the inclusion of disabled people in arts activities.
Open Arts
This is their final piece-enjoy.



They didn't make it to the last six.

Unchained melody

On Saturday evening the BBC have a music programme called "Last choir standing"
BBC - Last Choir Standing - News - Track List
I have managed to see a couple of these shows and every time I am reduced to wiping away tears as I watch. I have a deep appreciation of choir singing brought about by my fathers involvement in male voice choirs. Every time I see or hear a male choir it transports me back to days long gone and I can see people in my minds eye now long departed.
On this weeks episode a gospel choir called Revelation came top of the heat.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/lastchoirstanding
They sang one song called shackles, a line of which is -Remove the shackles from my feet that I may dance, I just want to praise you- a sentiment that echoed deep within. I would say every time I praise God I'm shackled by chains of some sort, whether it's memories, or embarrassment or fear of what someone is thinking. Watch it as a link above or as sung by the composer on you tube

Saturday

Saturday started off as a dull, cloudy day giving every appearance that it would be wet. We headed off early to go to St Georges market in Belfast.


I love the market, so many free samples to try and foods to eat. We bought the obigatory token, this time Irish marmalade(which is delicious) and a craft maker for Heather. While we were in the market the clouds dissapeared and the sun came out making the market a very warm place to be walking arround.
In Carrick that afternoon there was a cancer charity day with the emergency services present. There were long boat races and joisting in the castle grounds as well as a display from the police helicopter



All in all it was a very pleasent day.

Tim's 22nd

Yesterday was my second eldest 22nd birthday, so for a change and for the first time in my life we went to a sushi bar.
I have always thought that the sign of Belfast becoming a cosmopolitan city would be the opening of a sushi restaurant. Now in Belfast there are several such places. Who would have imagined in the dark days of the 70's that in the 21st century people in Belfast would be sitting down to plates of raw fish and vegetables.





It was a very enjoyable experience and the staff were extremely helpful in explaining what was on each plate. The cost depended on the colour of the dish - obviously related to what was on it.
When I got home I looked at my 11 year old daughter and reminded her how fortunate she was. I was 56 before I sat at a sushi train and here she was with that experience already taken. I wondered what it will be like for her when she reaches my age, will there still be things to look forward to experiencing?

A race apart

During May of 2001, while on a course in Amsterdam, I managed to visit the home of Ann Frank. One could not but be moved in reading the diary excerpts and viewing the room that in which she hid.


On a dark dank December night that same year while in Boston on another training course I visited the Jewish memorial, and was yet again moved in reading the thousands of names inscribed on that structure.



As you look up from these monoliths, the six large towers of glass immediately grab your attention.
Each of these towers represents one of the sixth death camps (Belzec, Auschwitz-Birkenau, Sobibor, Majdanek, Treblinka, and Chelmno). Each tower is made out of plates of glass that are etched with white numbers, which represent the registration numbers of victims.
When you walk underneath the tower, you realize a number of things.
When standing there, your eyes are immediately drawn to the numbers on the glass. Then, your eyes focus on a short quote from survivors, different on each tower, about life either before, within, or after the camps. Soon, you realize that you are standing upon a grate in which warm air is coming out. As Stanley Saitowitz, the designer of the memorial, described it, "like human breath as it passes through the glass chimneys to heaven."

While on a short break in Prague last week I visited the Jewish memorial in the Pinkas Synagogue.


The Pinkas Synagogue is dedicated to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust from Bohemia and Moravia; their 77,297 names are inscribed on the walls of the main nave and adjoining areas.
The text of the inscriptions was compiled from card indexes, which were drawn up shortly after the war on the basis of extant transport papers, registration lists and survivor's accounts.
As I visited all these sites I couldn't help but be moved to tears as I thought of the inhumanity inflicted on young and old alike, male and female. Surely there is something exceptional about the race of Jews, who have faced persecution throughout history.
Is it because the Messiah was to come from David's line?
Issiah 62
1 For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,
for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet,
till her righteousness shines out like the dawn,
her salvation like a blazing torch.
2The nations will see your righteousness,
and all kings your glory;
you will be called by a new name
that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.
3You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD's hand,
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4No longer will they call you Deserted,
or name your land Desolate.

Carrick in the sun

Carrickfergus has been bathing in sun now for almost three weeks Carrickfergus Council: MARINA . It all came to an end yesterday-the day we were having our home group b-b-q. There was I standing outside, in the rain, wood smoke belching everywhere and everyone else sitting in comfort in the house. Anyway on Saturday Carrick council held a farmers market in the town, a bit disappointed in the number of stalls, but as a first for Carrick I hope it develops.

Walk for life

Tonight was the first night of six nights in which the ladies of Carrick Baptist Church Welcome to - Carrickfergus Baptist Church will run a walk for life outreach with the woman of the town


In order to gauge the length of the walks on Sunday afternoon we sampled the delights of the glen, now having lived in Carrickfergus for almost thirty years, I had seen the signs but never had been into Oakfield Glen. Oakfield Glen, Antrim
It was a delight , like a total oasis in the midst of a busy town.



Another walk took us down by the duck pond where a swan was caring for her six baby cygnets, the cob having been savaged to death by a dog.

New Attitude | Articles

Came across this blogger, thought it was an interesting piece.

New Attitude | Articles

Who do you think you are?

I am fascinated by the BBC series of programmes entitled "who do you think you are?"

Who Do You Think You Are? BBC Magazine -

In this series famous people, with the help off genealogists, research their family background. I guess it appeals to the innate nosiness that I have-I love to take train journeys just to be able to see parts of property that you can never see by car.
In these programmes certain events stand out, I will never forget that hard man of political journalism, Jeremy Paxman, reduced to tears as he read of his family's stay in the poor house or John Hurt in total devastation when he found that there was no Irish blood in his line at all.

My niece has managed to trace my family on my fathers side back my Great,great,great,great,great grandfather,born in 1699 died 1780. She managed to go back on my Great,great,great,great,great grandmothers side to 1563 another 5 generations!



I find this amazing that you can trace history back and know that you are part of this line going back to the 16th century. So much detail can be found, my Great,great,great,great,great grandfather(& GGGGGGmother) had nine children and lived in East Moen, Hampshire, England East Meon, Petersfield, Hampshire, United Kingdom - Google Maps

Gloria Prisca Novatur.

Carrickfergus Borough Council
Gloria Prisca Novatur ,is the town motto of Carrick, translated "The glory of the old made new". Lately the town has been certainly living up to this motto and it has been interesting to watch the upgrade of the sea front(even when they didn't have the lights arrive on time). The other weekend I took my first stroll down the new esplanade and it is a vast improvement to the town and over the summer I'm confident will be well used.

Saying of the week

While listening to The Museum of Curiosity on BBC 4 yesterday

BBC - Radio 4 - Comedy - The Museum of Curiosity

I heard this quote from the Late Robert Runcie, Archbishop of Canterbury



"The church is like a swimming pool, all the noise is at the shallow end."

What a difference a week makes.

Last Monday, St Patricks day, we enjoyed a sunny day with the warmth of the sun promising us brighter days ahead. Today, Easter Monday, a biting North wind blows bringing the occasional snow and sleet shower.



I took this picture of a gorse bush in full flower last week, it was a tree we always looked out for in the run up to Easter as we boiled our eggs in water infused with the flowers to give the eggs colour. On Easter Monday we were taken down to Tullymore forest Park and we rolled our eggs down the hill.

Tollymore Forest Park Homepage | Northern Ireland Forest Service


Oh the innocence of those days some 40+ years ago - today it's a competition to see who has the most chocolate eggs!

Political incorrectness

The other week I flew to Scotland to attend a meeting at a hospital in Glasgow and on Wednesday past I had to go to a hospital in Dublin. What amazes me is the fact that from home to destination, I could get to the Scottish hospital quicker than I could to Dublin. Now admittedly I flew to Scotland and took the train to Dublin but it still seems odd that I can get to Glasgow in about 2 and a half hours. It also does not take away the incongruity of flying to Scotland for a committee meeting in the electronic age that we live in.



The meeting in Scotland was held in the Museum Suite and asking at the reception no one knew off it. Eventually on finding it I found it was a "shrine" to Lord Lister the forerunner of antisepsis. The room had an old conference table and 12 ancient leather chairs, the one free wall having old photos and documents displayed.



The other three walls had floor to ceiling display cabinets, the contents of which where obscured by paper. These where anatomical specimens dating back to 1710 from a Dr Noble but also included Lord Lister's collection. In the politically correct days in which we live it was felt that it would be too offensive to display such specimens. On asking what was going to happen to them I was informed that they could possibly be sold to the USA!

St Patrick shines

So the 17th March has come and gone, another year less to debate the denominational bent of this man,Patrick. But the day came and the sun shone.
We went for a walk along the blackhead in Whitehead-there's an Irishism for you.

http://www.walkni.com/Walk.aspx?ID=322

Took the climb up to the lighthouse and the view was spectacular across the lough