Same but Different

I have recently been watching the television series called 'Living with the Amish' where six English teenagers spent a few weeks living with various families of the Amish tradition.  For the last week of their stay, they spent time with a family who had been 'shunned' by their 'church'.  When church leaders decide that you have disobeyed any of their strict rules then you are shunned and excluded from having conversations with other members (including your own family!) or mixing and participating in any church activities.

The six English teenagers

The great misdemeanor that these particular brothers had committed was to use a machine that, although did not use electricity (the use of which is forbidden), had a part in it that the leaders considered should be removed.  The brothers disagreed and so were now shunned.  They would be allowed back into the fold when they repented and admitted that they were wrong and had sinned.  When one of English teenagers questioned one brother about if he was going to repent, he said 'No' and the reason he gave was that he felt that what they had asked him to do by adapting the machine to the leaders' specifications was not biblical but was based on man-made rules.  The future meant therefore that eventually he and his family would be excommunicated.

I remember many years ago when I first went to live in South America, I was surprised how some things that I had always considered 'not right' seemed quite acceptable and this drove me back to the Bible.  As I searched for truth, I found (to my surprise) that many things that I had accepted as right or wrong was not really based on the Bible but partly on my upbringing in the particular church group to which I belonged and partly due to English customs and culture.  I began to learn that often people are neither better nor worse but simply different.  They see things differently and their point of view is as valid as mine.

The thing that impressed me most about the Amish group was that even though they had been shunned, they still wanted to live an Amish lifestyle.  They didn’t want to turn their backs on all things Amish and certainly didn’t want to embrace modern American living as a whole, although they found the telephone very useful!  They simply wanted to live Bible-based lives.  Today, many Christians of many other denominations are also doing the same.  Some feel quite isolated as they no longer ‘belong’ as before and certainly misunderstood or just not understood at all.  Asking questions and seeking the truth tends to lead to more searching of the Scriptures and not less. 

It is easy to criticize the Amish, saying they are narrow-minded and intolerant of any who do not conform, but I need to remember that narrow-mindedness and intolerance rear their ugly heads among people of many communities and religious persuasions.   



That's ours!

It was reported on the late news last night that fighting broke out in Bethlehem in the Christan church there as they prepared for the festival to celebrate the birth of Jesus. But it wasn't Christans defending their building against other opposing religions. It was amongst the clerics of the different factions within the Christian faith - Christian cleric against Christian cleric, fighting with the brooms they had been using to clean and prepare the church! They each had their own small patch of the church building that they were preparing and apparently one section inadvertently strayed into someone else's patch. Eventually the local police were brought in to break up the fighting and calm the situation.

We may smile but even in this country, how often have we heard a denomination referred to as 'my/our church' and I have known some who would not dream of entering into the building of another denomination that they considered somehow not as good, holy or right in their ways or beliefs, they interpret Scripture differently or they emphasise something others consider not quite as important.

But I am reminded of David who wrote a song 'The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it.' (Psalm 24:1)

Many years later Jesus, talking to the woman at the well said, 'Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. ... ... Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth.'

It seems to me that when a particular place, whether building or location, becomes more important than the worship itself, then in defending the plot, humanity has actually lost the plot. Christians believe that God is everywhere and yet we seem to regard some places as more holy than others even within the same building. I'm sure it must sadden God when He looks and knows that after over 2000 years of Jesus uttering those words, his creation still struggles to grasp the truth of them.

Faith is ... ... 4

Faith is ... ...  the dependence of a new born.

He did it for us and as His followers He wants us to do the same.  That's hard!

Faith is ... ... 3

Faith is ... ... the conviction of realities I cannot see or feel.

The wise men of the East were not put off searching further when they didn't find the New Born immediately.  They just knew He was close and their convictions of what was real kept them going until they found the One they were looking for.

Feliz Navidad

Queridos amigos y familia

Ya es la epoca cuando miramos por atras y recordamos de todo que ha pasado durante los meses pasados.

Empezo con  celebracion – en enero cumpli 70! Mis dos hijos tomaron cargo de organisar (y pagar) que varios amigos se junten conmigo para disfrutar una tarde muy linda.

En junio Diego y yo disfrutamos de vacaciones de crucero por el Mediterraneo que habiamos reservado desde el verano pasado.  Habia mucho para ver y disfrutar y tiempo hermoso y caluroso.

Al fin de mayo Diego vino a ser uno de los estadisticas de los desempleados.  En Julio empezo una serie de cursos para mejorarse.  Por el momento ha conseguido  trabajo hasta enero de dos mananas por semana en un supermercado local.  El espera que esto conduzca a mas trabajo y una oportunidad para el futuro.

Por el verano y otono tuvimos visitas de familiares y amigos, disfrutando de los asados (estilo ingles!) y pasando tiempo juntos.  Es una gran bendicion poder compartir estos tiempos con seres queridos.

Martin y Diego caminando por el parque en Yeovil

En septiembre yo fui a Latvia para visitar nuevos amigos Ian y Joanna Storie, una pareja inglesa.  Pase una semana muy linda con ellos, conociendo otra forma de vivir y hacer las cosas y encontrando con muchos de sus amigos, todo dandome la bienvenida.

Joanna, yo e Ian

Durante los ultimos dos meses, he tenido unos problemitas de salud resultando en una consulta con el especialista del hospital.  Despues de varios chequeos se descubrio que habia tenido un problema con la fluidez de la sangre por los arterios del cerebro.  Pero con atencion medica excelente estoy muy bien cuidado con remedios y atencion.

Miro hacia atras por un tiempo variado y doy gracias a Dios por su amor, cuidado y proteccion a traves de todo lo bueno y lo malo.

Esperamos a Navidad cuando Martin vendra a pasar unos dias con Diego y yo y a disfrutar una comida navidena en la casa de mi hermana Marilyn.

Los deseamos a todos

una Navidad muy feliz y

el Futuro lleno de las bendiciones del Senor.

Con mucho carino de Mavis, Martin y Diego.

Happy Christmas

Dear family and friends

It’s that time of year again when we look back and remind ourselves of what has happened over the past year.

It began with celebration – in January I reached the grand old age of 70!  My two sons kindly took charge of organising (and paying for) a number of friends to join me for a very enjoyable afternoon and evening of eating and sharing.

In June, Diego and I enjoyed our holiday cruise on the Med. which had been booked since last year.  There was much to see and enjoy and great weather.

At the end of May, Diego became one of the unemployment statistics. In July, he began a series of Open Learning studies to better himself.  He currently has a part time, temporary job in a local supermarket for two mornings a week.  He’s hoping it will lead to more work and an opening for the future.

Throughout the summer and autumn, we had visits from family and friends, enjoying barbeques and spending time together.  It’s a great blessing being able to share such times with loved ones.

Martin and Diego walking in Yeovil Country Park

In September, I went to Latvia, to visit new-found friends – an English couple Ian and Joanna Storie.  I had a great week with them, getting an insight into a different way of life and meeting many of their friends, all very welcoming.

Joanna, me and Ian

 Over the past couple of months I have had a few health problems resulting in consultations at them hospital.  After various tests and scans it was discovered that I have had a few TIAs (mini strokes).  But with the excellence of the medical professionals, I am well looked after with medication and on-going monitoring and feeling well.

I look back over quite a varied year and thank God for his loving care and protection through all the ups and downs.

We look forward to Christmas when Martin will be joining Diego and I for a few days and a family Christmas dinner at the house of my sister Marilyn.

We wish you all a very

Happy Christmas and a Blessed New Year.

Love Mavis, Martin and Diego

Faith is ... ... 2

Faith is ... ... living with the unexplained.

God breaks into history at the most unexpected times and in ways we often don't understand.  But the shepherds accepted what they were told and experienced God in a way hitherto unknown.  A great lesson indeed.

Faith is

I have a small booklet of inspirational quotes about Faith is ... ... by Pamela Reeve.  I found some that seem quite poignant at this time of Advent.  I will post a few of them over the next few days.


Faith is: Remembering that in the Kingdom of God everything is based on promise not on feeling.


We hear much of the mixed feelings about the whole situation of both Mary and Joseph - being misunderstood, doubt, being talked about, no where to stay - many forms of exclusion.  God's promises given to the prophets and how angelic visitations had told them that they were to be a part of the fulfilment of those promises must have seemed impossible and totally incomprehensible to them at such a time.

Boxed in

It is difficult at the moment to listen to the news without some comment on unions, strikes, pensions or public sector.  I listen with interest at the various reports and am amazed by some of the figures that are bandied about.  The amount paid into the pension scheme was mentioned as being 3.5% to 6%.  The focus seemed mainly to be on those paying 3.5% and noting that in the end they would receive a great deal less money.  Before retiring, I worked for over 26 years for the local Government, part of the recognised public sector.  In all my years there, I paid 5% at the beginning but rising to 6%, which I paid until I retired.  I don't know where reporters get the final amount of pension from but my total works pension after paying for a quarter of a century is about half of the amount of loss talked about.  Thinking of this incredible amount of loss, I wonder what their actual pension will be and just who has this sort of pension deal?

Photo taken on the day of the strike this week

It is not my intention to debate the rights or wrongs of the situation or play the blame game but it irritates me when all public sector workers are lumped together as being the same, when I know that home helps, dinner ladies, refuse collectors, sheltered housing workers, cleaners and many more get no way near the figures that are mentioned in the news items.  Many are on very low rates of pay.


Sadly we seem to hear a word or phrase and have a preconceived idea of those we connect with such words.  We talk about bankers in derogatory terms but not everyone who works in the banking system is in receipt of huge wage increases or bonuses.  Those working in High Street branches don't actually receive an increase in pay or a bonus if their targets have not been met.  Those are set of course by others at higher management level.  We need to recognise that the part of banking that led to the current financial situation has more to do with investment banking and private equity firms (those faceless, untouchable, unreachable people in the upper echelons of the financial world) and not those in the local High Street branch.

We have a similar reaction to investigative journalism.  Sadly those connected to a few newspapers have tainted our perception of all investigative journalists.  But many important discoveries of malpractice or bad laws have only been uncovered because of those who have spent time looking into things like sex trafficking, bad treatment of the elderly or vulnerable, unscrupulous moneylenders, cruelty to children or animals ... ... and so we could go on.

Not all unemployed people are lazy and not all those receiving benefits are scroungers ... ... and we could go on ... ...  So why is it that we want to categorise people - everyone must be put in a box - public servant, banker, journalist etc?  


This ranting post is really to say - let's stop prejudging with uninformed, preconceived criticism and recognise that you cannot tar everyone with the same brush.  Usually those reported on are only a few and the rest of said group are largely innocent of the complaints made against them. In the end, modern living in the 21st century would be very difficult, even impossible, without those working in public services, the High Street Bank or media reporting.  Whilst we need to address wrong situations and practices that arise and recognise the guilty ones, not all working in these fields are bad so don't let's put them all together in a big box labelled 'unsavoury characters'  We need maturity in distinguishing one from the other.


Rant over!!!

True Lies

I was interested this morning to hear about a particular sauce whose maker had been taken to court as it was claimed that he had stolen the recipe from a couple of friends.  There is nothing unusual about that.  What caught my attention was that the judge who considered him not guilty of the crime went on to say that however, 'he is a liar'.  Apparently he had gone on the programme 'Dragon's Den' claiming among other things that this was a recipe handed down in his family for generations - it was all lies.

Strangely, some of the comments made were that this was really creative marketing, a real entrepreneur, anything to get noticed and receive the financial help from a multi-millionaire and that the subsequent success of the product has proved its worth


It reminded me of a couple of weeks ago there had been complaints of adverts which claimed their product was 'unlimited' for the quoted price.  The problem is that here 'unlimited' doesn't really mean without a limit.  It means that there is freedom within this price range.  Some people found this out to their cost.  One consumer queried how, instead of his £38 a month bill, he actually received a bill for over £200!

So 'unlimited access' really means 'until you reach the limit'!  And 'as much as you can eat' really means 'as long as it's within a certain amount'!


Lewis Shand Smith, the communications ombudsman, says that such phrases should not be used as it is misleading but the advertising agency claims it is OK as long as you explain the limitations of 'unlimited'!

So, apparently it's alright to say something when you know it's not strictly true as long as you make money in the long run.


The Oxford Concise Dictionary says: lie - an intentionally false statement, be deceptive.  Maybe it's time they changed their definition!

Good News Week

The week began with an interview for my unemployed son, Diego.  He, along with 9 others had an appointment at the local supermarket.  They did some activities together and also an individual interview and a little work experience in various parts of the store.  The manager told him that he had passed the interview with flying colours - a great encouragement.


The following evening he received a phone call to say they would be happy to offer him a part-time, temporary job.  At least it's a start, a foot in the door.  So next week he goes for 2 days of induction  followed the following week by two mornings work until the New Year, when the situation will be reviewed.  Thank you Asda for offering some hope in what seems to be quite a hopeless job market.

The other good news also involves Diego.  During his time of unemployment he has been doing a course to improve his school exam results of maths and English and also learn some IT and interview skills and eventually update his fork lift truck licence.  He successfully achieved his maths , IT and interview skills a few weeks ago.  Yesterday he had his English exam and came home pleased to announce that he PASSED!  He is now awaiting a date for his fork lift truck refresher day.

What a difference hope and good news can make.  On so few hours a week, finances have not improved for the moment but suddenly there is a bit of light where everything seemed dark; there is hope for a future where before such a scenario was impossible to see.  Thank you Lord for good news, however small!

Remembering

Maybe I have just not noticed it before, but this year there seems to be much more controversy over 'the poppy'.  As I understand it, the whole idea of buying and wearing a poppy was originally to remember all those who had been killed in the two world wars.  As there are ongoing conflicts, it has now come to be a support for those even today who have been physically, mentally or emotionally affected by such events.  In itself, that is a good thing - to be of help where possible.  Although it would seem a bit unfair that the country expects troops to go into these situations (on our behalf, so they tell us) but when they need help, they have to depend on public charitable donations.

So it seems that, instead of one day of the year (Remembrance Day) when we wear a poppy and spend time thinking of the fallen and praying for their families and above all for peace, we have somehow come to think of it as a month when we support 'our heroes'.  As I said before, I am not against it per se but I just feel that the language and attitudes behind it all have become rather jingoistic and not about a search for peace.  It's as though the original meaning has been hijacked by mob-rule and we need to conform or be frowned upon.  (Where has our human right to make our own choices gone in this freedom we call democracy?)

I had a very dear uncle who died only a couple of years ago, who had been held in terrible conditions as a prisoner by the Japanese in WWII and when anyone spoke of the war, his comment was simply, 'War makes people on all sides do some terrible things.'  I think in remembering those who have suffered, we should also think of those caught up in many conflicts throughout the world and of those who suffer on all sides, whatever colour of skin or religion or any other cultural tendency they may have.

Some will be wearing the white poppy of peace but whether we wear a red poppy to remember those who suffer, a white poppy of peace or no poppy at all, above and beyond that, let's pray for peace in a world ravaged by war and learn how to share the planet as God intended His creation to do.  As David says in the Bible, 'Seek peace and pursue it.' (Psalm 34:14) 

Autumn

One of the beautiful things about autumn is the changing colour of the leaves.  In fact many people visit woodlands at this time of year just to see the spectacular colours.

Of course the downside to autumn is that the changing colours of the leaves really means that a gradual process is taking place - that is the death of the leaves.  Eventually they fall to the ground.  How often as children have we enjoyed wading through a pile of fallen autumn leaves and hearing the rustling sound under our feet.

But, as we know, this process is necessary so that the tree can conserve energy to last the cold spell of winter and then produce new growth in the spring.  God's creation makes even dying into something beautiful to contemplate.


Life brings many changes, colouring our lives with different shades, all beautiful and necessary in their own way, maybe bringing a dying of one circumstance in order to allow growth of something new.  It may be hard to let go sometimes but God's recreation in us can result in something beautiful for others to see and a future full of hope and renewal. 

Another Handful of Aphorisms

Here are another handful of aphorisms - those short, pointed sentences that express a wise or clever observation or truth.

Money will buy a fine dog but only kindness will make it wag its tail.

Seat belts are not as confining as wheelchairs.

I've reached the age when 'happy hour' is a nap.

Do you realize that in 40 years we'll have thousands of old ladies running around with tattoos?  And rap music will be 'the Golden Oldies'!

Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Sad for loss

Without seeming to come across as a bit morbid, I have been aware of the mention of deaths in the news lately.  Apart from the ever-present awareness of our military who die while working in other lands, there have come to our notice a number of others.  It was sad to hear the other day of the death of indycar driver Dan Wheldon whose tragic end came during a race.

Not many days before that we heard of the loss of Steve Jobs who personified the Apple company and is linked to so many of their technological gadgets that have changed the lives of so many people.  

Yesterday people were remembering the 96 fans who died at the Hillsborough football stadium 20 years ago, seeking answers to appease their grief.

It is not my intention to discount the pain suffered by so many at the death of loved ones but I couldn't help thinking of how many deaths go unnoticed because either they are not of celebrity status or their deaths don't have tremendous consequences in the world at large.  Yet the pain and devastation they bring are just as great to those around them.  It reminded me of a poster I saw shared on Facebook.

As I said at the beginning, I do not wish to minimize the loss of people we learn about in the news but I wonder how God must feel about the great loss and waste of so many lives that are lost due to war, famine, slavery, poverty and corporate greed.  What difference would they have made to the world, how would they have enriched our lives if only they had been given the opportunity?  I thank God for those who have enriched my life in so many ways but am aware of so many who seem to go unnoticed.

Aphorisms

Aphorism: a short, pointed sentence that expresses a wise or clever observation or a general truth.    Here are a few:


A good time to keep your mouth shut is when you're in deep water.

How come it takes so little time for a child who is afraid of the dark to become a teenager who wants to stay out all night?

Why is it that at a class reunion you feel younger than everyone else looks?

Scratch a cat ... ... ... and you will have a permanent job.

No one ever says 'It's only a game' when their team is winning.

Dependence

Learning to depend on others, for me is something I need to learn and become accustomed to.  It seems that it has often been me that is there to help others out but now the shoe is on the other foot, so to speak.  For those who read my blog regularly, you will know that last week, I had a bit of a hiccup in my health (See entry for September - 'Change of Plans')  I am pleased to say that the medication that the specialist has prescribed for me is having the desired effect and I am now feeling much better.  But some things that I always managed to do need to change.  I need to simplify my life!  


One thing I always enjoyed was working in the garden although lately I admit that the length of time I could do this was gradually getting less and less - I just seemed to run out of energy.  So now, my offspring have told me NOT to do it any more but to get someone in to help.  I must confess that I don't always do as they ask but this time I did and so yesterday it was arranged.  Here in the southwest, it is still mild and the garden still needs some attention before the winter sets in.  So we have arranged a couple of visits to tidy it all up before the cold weather and to resume again in March.

Then yesterday, my computer rebelled!  I was checking someone's blog when suddenly it became a screen full of vertical lines and after a few seconds switched off.  I unplugged everything and plugged it all back in again and the same thing happened.  I tried again this morning only to find that the computer hadn't had a change of heart - it just didn't want to do anything!  Fortunately my son who shares the house with me has a new computer and so for the time being I am able to access my account on his.  Phew!  Now I am dependent on him for access to his room when he is out so I can use his computer and keep up to date with everything and everybody.

We (at least I) can become so used to things the way they are that we don't always realise just how much we depend on things continuing in the same way until suddenly life pulls us up with a jerk and makes us reassess the way things are done and seek an alternative even if it is only temporarily ... ... ... and never to take anyone, any thing or any circumstance for granted.     

Style?

You see many magazines and articles about style.  The adverts bombard you everywhere – what clothes to wear and what not to wear.  There are programmes about how to look good and how to make the most of your particular shape.  Others endeavour to give you a makeover so you can look 10 years younger.

But the other day I saw an article that I found amusing and puzzling.  It said ‘How to fake unkempt bedhead hair.’  It was mainly telling you just how you could achieve the ‘sexy unkempt look with minimum effort’.  I found it funny to think that anyone would really want to go out looking as though they had just got out of bed and hadn’t at least tidied their hair.  Then I was puzzled that people might even consider it looking sexy and that they would go to great efforts to achieve the said look. 

The model in the above photo actually paid a lot of money and went to great lengths to have her hair look like that!  They were trying to tell you how to do this with minimum effort.  Surely if you really want to go out looking as though you have just got out of bed without doing your hair, then the least effort of all would be – DON’T DO ANYTHING!  What effort do you need to make at all?  Hmmm.  Am I missing something? 

Change of plans

This week the weather has been glorious – an extension to the summer we didn’t get in August.  So the plan was to spend time in the garden, sorting out and preparing for the winter.  I should know better than to make plans!

On Monday night, or rather at about 2.30 on Tuesday morning, I awoke feeling the usual necessity to visit the bathroom.  So I got out of bed … … and immediately fell over on my left side.  What is going on?  Where has my left leg gone?  I managed to lift myself back onto the bed and looked in the mirror.  You know the advert, you need to check for – FAST – face, arms, speech, time to phone.  Well my face was ok (not twisted), arms could be raised and held, no problem, so I began talking to myself in the mirror!  Everything seemed to be in order so it appeared not to be a stroke so it wasn’t time to phone for an ambulance.

After a short while, I did feel my leg but I didn’t get much sleep that night.  The following day I went to see my GP who sent me immediately to A & E where they did tests and took blood and referred me to the Consultant of the Stroke Unit who would be in touch.  This morning I got the phone call to ask if I could go this afternoon (yes, that quick! – and on the NHS) I had more tests – ECG, ultrasound scan on my neck and MRI on my head sandwiched by two consultations with the doctor, one before all the scans and one after.

It was apparent that I have had a few TIAs (mini strokes) but not within the past 14 days but because of family history he has put me on medication to counteract any future attacks.  It seems that the problem with my leg is something different and will be dealt with when I go back for future appointments – maybe connected to back pain.  So for the moment I can’t drive and am limited in my digging in the garden.  So much for my plans! 

But I’m so grateful that although my leg problem was not what I thought, the scans revealed things that did need immediate attention that I am now receiving.  And thanks to doctors and nurses in the NHS who are so thorough in their treatment of patients.