Flat pack

Decided to attempt to assemble a flat pack set of three tables. Total time taken to assemble one hour twenty minutes. Not bad I thought, also no parts missing and no pieces damaged, surely another record.

Boxing day traditions

Made the pilgrimage to this traditional boxing day football match. I have been doing this for almost 42 years, firstly with the 26th BB Company, then with the Campaigners and now as a father. For the last number of years I have been a spectator only! Today's event was as usual packed with action - here are a few of the more dramatic pics.

Boxing day

So Christmas day is over and so is all the fervour at least for another 365 days-only the sales now to contend with. I was up at 5.45am to run my eldest son into work as he started at 7 am and the first train from Carrick to Belfast was at 9. It reminded me of the fact that last boxing day I was down at the harbour at 6 am. This was for the dive into the harbour for the Peru trip.

I ran my Mum up to see my Dad in the nursing home just after lunch that day, not knowing that by tea time I would get a phone call to say my Dad was gravely ill and wouldn't survive for long. It is strange thinking back, in one sense it seems long ago and yet the memories of it are like yesterday!

But for today-annual boxing day football match at 10.30am so I have to go and wake other son up and drive him down to the match. Pictures of Christmas and football match to follow.

The Christmas shopping duty

Today I took my unofficial official half day to do Christmas shopping. I decided to go into Belfast - bad idea. Don't arrive in Belfast in the middle of lunch hour and five days before Christmas. Absolutely bunged, crowded, packed and any other adjective you can think off. Walked about for a while and then went home without spending a penny. One redeeming feature was this four piece jazz band playing Christmas carols.
They where really good, a trombone player, a trumpeter, sax player and the drummer who played with such enthusiasm that he reminded me of Animal in the Muppet show. Excellent group, even I gave them a donation!

The wonder of Christmas

Isaiah 9 (New American Standard Bible)
6For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.

None of the snowy landscapes or Santa's stuck in chimneys here. no cooing over a new baby in this narrative about the Christmas birth. For this child is no ordinary child. He is the mighty God. How? Why? That we poor mortals can know communion with the great creator God and call Him Father. Now that's the wonder of Christmas.

Film night

At the same time as the youth fellowship dinner the Sunday school where holding a film night. The very long but very good film "Cars" was shown.

Because of the length of this film the arrival of that special visitor was a bit delayed, hope this doesn't happen on the big day.

Food again

Today seems to have been the day for talking about food. Tonight was the young peoples Christmas dinner. A great effort was made by the youth in dressing up and decorating the hall. Some of the older young people cooked the dinner and served the meal.

Prayer breakfast

David, Jim and myself met at 8.15am for our prayer triplet. We prayed together for approximately an hour and then we moved on to our prayer breakfast. We thought of splashing out for Christmas and maybe going to the Point but instead returned to Springsteen's. The staff have come to know us over the years and as usual we got abuse from the manageress prior to ordering. However we placed our orders and received the following dishes. Can you guess who ordered what?

Saturday morning

It's early Saturday morning and Heather has been up since 6.20am! After sitting for all of 5 minutes the question "can we make some muffins?". Hence I found myself mixing chocolate chips and cranberries into muffin mix at 6.45am.(two bowls not together-chocolate and cranberry might be nice). Anyway they will be nice warm with a mug of freshly brewed coffee before I head out to my prayer triplet at 8.15am and then off for a good Ulster fry-ah the joys of healthy eating

Christmas market

The Christmas continental market is in Belfast so Ken,Tim Heather and myself headed down to have a look. Most of the stalls are to be found in St Georges market but it did give a certain chrismasy feel to the city Hall. Maybe I'm getting into a Christmas mood after all. Heather had to buy loads of sweets and a chocolate crepe.

Christmas spirit.

Having a nine year old daughter helps you remember that soon it will be Christmas. For the last few weeks there has been this build up of lunacy and excitement that only a nine year old girl can display, non stop talking and acting up. It has reached the point at the moment where it is impossible to keep her in bed in the morning and generally she has been getting up at 6.30am. The excitement of Christmas is still very much alive for her and long may it last. I think that I have lost that, I attended the first "Christmas " do on Saturday but to me it was just another event. None of that "Christmas spirit" was present. I don't think as adults it is ever possible to have the outlook of a child. Our experiences harden us and our materialism makes the receiving of gifts sometimes very mundane. I remember as a child being fascinated by the gift of a hamper from my uncle in Birmingham and I can still remember the wonder of the tins of delicacies which today I take for granted. However the tree is now up and the house is decorated Christmas is a coming.

Cliffs concert

As an early Christmas present May and I where given tickets to Cliff Richards concert in the Odyssey arena on Monday night. Now I must admit I was not filled with joy with this gift, I consider there is only one song of Cliffs that is of value -"Miss you nights" -although May has been to a number of his concerts and loosely could be called a fan.
However after it I must admit he has some voice for a pensioner and some of his productions on stage where phenomenal. He sang for 1 hour 15 mins had a break for 30 mins and then came back and performed for over another hour. Not a bad night after all.

It's December

According to the widget I have on my PC there are 21 days 5 hours and 41 minutes to Christmas, and so all the hustle and bustle is getting into full steam. On the first day of the month I went with a few others to Lillian and Lindsay home to make gingerbread houses. May and I are the only ones at present who have a young child so I don't know what the reasons for the others being there were. Jackie and Lindsay gave stirling support to thier wives while Nev and Rick just had to do as they were told. May and I had to do what Heather told us. The results can be seen and an outside adjudicator awarded Nev and Alison the prize. Jugde for yourself.

Ground Hog day

Do you ever feel that life is just a routine, nothing really changes and every day is like the last one and tomorrow will be like today? As someone in their mid fifties the realization of the briefness of our time on earth is beginning to strike home and all those plans I had as a young man are now distant wishes and far off dreams. As a teenager I always had a wanderlust, certain days would just make me long to be somewhere on the far side of this planet. Those days usually occured in the spring, those bright sunny days with the promise of the summer to come. I watched the series "The Long way round" last year as two men biked their way from London to America and I longed for that spirit of adventure. I have become stuck in a sedentary lifestyle where spontaneity is a thing long gone and to be shunned at all cost.


Last Fridays daily reading read-If you plan to do it-do it now

James 4:14 "For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away"

To quote from the daily reading; Redwood trees last 1000 years. Most other things go relatively fast. The average life span is between 75-80 years of age. That sounds pretty good if you're young, but tends to be sobering when you pass 50. The bible says my life is like a vapour, and vapours aren't known for longevity; just a puff of smoke and they're gone! So why am I still waiting? I don't have forever, get at it!
You say you've always wanted to play the piano. Stop talking about it and start taking lessons! You say you feel better when you exercise. Start jogging! Or that you love the taste of homegrown tomatoes- grow some.
Think you're too old? Not a chance. So get out of neutral and get going. Put your life into God's hands and let Him show you what He can do with it!

Getting older Keeping young

I found this on a UCB daily notes several years ago and I just had to make a copy of it. As I grow old I find myself occasionally reverting to that Old Man mode where nothing is like the old days. Kinda like the Monty Python sketch ' We used to dream of that' and the end line is tell that to the kids of today and they wont believe it! You know some older people where everything and everyone has turned out bad , well I don't want to end up like that so here is my wish

In Time Out Ladies, Dale Evans shares this prayer:

"Lord, you know better than anybody that

I'm getting older and will someday be old.

Keep me from being talkative; from the fatal habit

of thinking I've got to say something on every subject and on every occasion.

Release me from the need to straighten out everybody's affairs.

Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details;

give me wings to get to the point.

I ask for grace to listen to the tales of others' pains

and to endure them with patience.

But seal my lips when it comes to my own aches and pains,

for they're increasing, and my love of rehearsing them

is becoming sweeter as the years go by.

I ask for improved memory, but even more for a growing humility

and a lessening cock-sureness

when my memory seems to clash with the memory of others.

Teach me that occasionally I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet.

I don't want to be a 'saint' because some of them are

so hard to live with

-and a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil.

Make me thoughtful, but not moody;

helpful, but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom,

it seems a pity not to use it; but you know, Lord,

I still want to have a few friends at the end.

Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places

and talents in unexpected people,

then give me the grace to tell them so.

Amen."

Found this today thought it was good to republish

WHAT MASK SHALL I WEAR TODAY? .........

OR SHALL I BE REAL?

What mask shall I wear as I venture out into my day,

The attitude that matches and the role I shall play?

As I stared into the mirror this morning, O what did I see,

Am I ready to be REAL with a perspective based on eternity?

Was I pleased by the reflection revealed to me by God's Word,

Am I ready to go forth to battle like a soldier with his sword?

Do I tear down the facades that keep me from being real,

Are do I seek to maintain an image that is comfortable to others' appeal?

O this daily fight to be real before my friends and foe,

Will they except me as I am, I don't know.

The past masks in my closet mock me as a pretender,

O the prideful facades I must daily surrender.

Today, I go forth as who I am focused and real,

May God quickly correct me and my other masks reveal.

Today, I shall be real and crush the masks which I wish to wear,

For I must be real, I have a name to bare.

That name is Jesus Christ, my Saviour and Friend,

It is He today upon whom I must depend.

So if you are wearing a mask please remove it from your face,

Walk forth today in victory and bow before the throne of Grace.

School days

This is my school picture of P3 ,Mrs Gordon class in Carr's Glen Primary, taken 1959. That's me second row from back on the extreme right. My twin sister is sitting second from the left on the front row. I'd love to know where we all ended up- I know some are now dead, one lives in the same town now as myself ,one is a mega player in the retail world, another is a Doctor of Science one a Doctor of Philosophy, another lives two houses up from my Mum, but the rest of my classmates----who knows.

A few years later this is my P5 class, a Mr Kennedy who later became president of the BB in the Belfast Battalion. I'm sixth from the left on the back row and my sister again is second from the left on the front row.(a bit of colour has been added by someone who shall remain nameless!)

The good old days

I came across this photo on a web page. I was at this event, the 60th anniversary of Campaigners, held in the Albert Hall, London. This is the Northern Ireland contingent in a team game called "skin the snake". Some friends are included in the picture-no less than David Dickson & Phillip Whyte. This was my first experience of Campaigners at large, unfortunately I was to let the side down by buying things on a Sunday. The Northern Ireland team of course won the competition.

Ulster Rugby

I went with my son and his girlfriend on a balmy October Saturday afternoon to watch Ulster play the leading French team Toulouse at Revenhill. The butterflies where fluttering in the warm sun as we watched a magnificent performance by Ulster side beating Toulouse by 30-3

New look

I took a week off work just to relax and do all those things you want to do but don't get the chance to but instead I was physically sick and didn't eat for three days. On the Wednesday I decided I needed some fresh air so I went for a walk along the sea front and down the old pier. As I was walking up the harbour it struck me how much the seafront had changed over the last few years. How different it must have been for those soldiers who landed here so many hundreds of years ago