Out and about round Civray, 86

This afternoon, Steven went for a walk by the river, on the way to a village east of our little town St Pierre d'Exideuil. I had to coax Caline back to her house and as usual, she was hiding from the sun under the caravan  so I joined him later. I biked there and I'm glad I did because it's so hot...not complaining at all..just stating...a beautiful summer day! In the spring, the flowers of these 'nénuphar' are yellow.
Hope that  you are having a beautiful and peaceful afternoon.

Jesus-Christ rebuked wind and waves!

My bible reading notes brought a new explanation to the passage in Matthew 8:23-27.

1- I just thought it was a normal storm, it wasn't because: 'the language used indicates that the lake was being stirred into a frenzy, threatening to overwhelm them totally' 

2 - I learnt a new cultural element, 'to the Jews, the sea represented primeval forces of chaos, the home of monsters, and it was only the saving power of God that could bring calm.'

3 - A new idea is offered, Jesus told his disciples off. 
How could they lose their faith in Him,  after all He has done (many healings and he'd just resurrected a widow's son in Nain)? 
Jesus could not have died in a storm in the middle of his messianic work. 

However it takes discipline to ban fear in my life and I don't think  that I have managed to get it right. 
I know that Jesus says 'Do not worry'... when I hear bad news or reports, I tend to worry first and then I'll give my worries to Jesus, on the foot of his cross. 

A prayer for this time of turmoil

Father God, You are Love. 

We know through your Word that you are in charge and we put our trust in  you. 

We thank you for Jesus, our Saviour who walked on the earth to let us know about your awesome plan of redemption for us, your creatures. 

Father, Jesus obeyed you and died an awful death on the cross for us even though He was sinless. 

Father, we repent of our sins and we declare that the body and blood of Jesus made a sacrifice that satisfied God once and for all. Thank you that our sins are forgiven and blotted out forever. Keep us on the right path, guided by the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Lord, help us in this time of turmoil! Save the lost sheep and the rebellious ones. We call on You, our King and we ask you to heal all those who are ill or wounded, and heal our Land and the nations. 

Give wisdom to all the leaders of the countries and open the eyes of their hearts that they may hear your voice and see your Glory.

 We ask You in the name of Jesus. 

Amen

How many are your works, O Lord!

God's wisdom and powers are seen in nature

Romans 1:20

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities‑his eternal power and divine nature‑have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Psalm 104:24‑25

How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number‑‑living things both large and small.

Psalm 145:3‑7

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.

One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty

acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate

on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and

I will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and

joyfully sing of your righteousness.

Job 9:2‑7

Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can a mortal be righteous before God? Though one wished to dispute with him, he could not answer him one time out of a thousand. His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed? He moves mountains without their knowing it and overturns them in his anger. He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble. He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars.

Err, what's the name of this rapace please?

This morning, as I was about to do my bible reading, I was admiring the many birds in the garden. Last night I put some breadcrumbs out and I was able to count at least six types of birds, enjoying their feed. Then came the squirrels equally busy looking for nuts. At that moment, Camille started to type and all the birds left. I thought that was strange. How could a tiny noise like that scare them so much that they would leave? Suddenly on our fence, straight in front of me, I saw it, a proud sparrow hawk. Zut alors! No camera around! A missed opportunity! Still I decided to risk it, ran silently upstairs, snatched my camera and ran downstairs on my tiptoes. I went out. All I could hear was the sound of annoyed and scared birds warning each other of danger. And then I saw it again, in my friend Sue's garden, perched on the feeder! He stooped but missed and came back on the perch, almost posing!

Have a blessed week-end, the first of 2014.

bullfinch

Sparrow hawk in my friend Sue's garden

Medley

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities

 - his eternal power and divine nature -

 have been clearly seen,

 being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Romans 1:20

Have a blessed week. N

Quotes from scientists

I started to blog on Xanga before I discovered that blogger was such a better platform. I am transfering some of those posts. 

James Clerk Maxwell, 

1831-1879 Scottish Physicist, discovered the relationships between electricity, magnetism and light and introduced the concept of field of EM force, Christian

"Happy is the man who can recognize in the work of today a connected portion of the work of life, and an embodiment of the work of Eternity."

"Think what God has determined to do to all those who submit themselves to his righteousness and are willing to receive his gift [of eternal life in Jesus Christ]. They are to be conformed to the image of his Son and when that is fulfilled and God sees they are conformed to the image of Christ, there can be no more condemnation."

Michael Faraday

1791-1869 British chemist who discovered Benzene, electromagnetic induction, lines of force, relationship between polarized light and magnetic fields. Strong believer in the literal interpretation of Scripture. Deacon and elder in his church.
"Since peace is alone in the gift of God; and since it is He who gives it, why should we be afraid? His unspeakable gift in His beloved Son is the ground of no doubtful hope."

Blaise Pascal

1623-1662 French mathematician & physicist. Father of the mathematical theory of probability and combinatorial analysis, he provided the essential link between the mechanics of fluids and the mechanics of rigid bodies.
"But by Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ, we prove God and teach doctrine and morals. Jesus Christ, then, is the true God of men."

"There is a God-shaped vacuum in every heart."
"Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false?... if you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wage, then, without hesitation, that He exists."

Charles Coulson

1919-1974 British architect of molecular orbital theory. Pioneer of the application of the quantum theory of valency to problems of molecular structure, dynamics and reactivity.

"There were some ten of us and together we sought for God and together we found Him. I learned for the first time in my life that God was my friend. God became real to me, utterly real. I knew Him and could talk with Him as I never imagined it before and these prayers were the most glorious moment of the day. Life had a purpose and that purpose coloured everything."

Arthur Compton

1892-1962 American nobel Prize-winning physicist for his discovery and explanation of the change in the wavelength of X rays when they collide with electrons. Compton effect confirmed the dual nature of electromagnetic radiation as both a wave and a particle.

"For myself, faith begins with a realization that a supreme intelligence brought the universe into being and created man. It is not difficult for me to have this faith, for it is incontrovertible that where there is a plan there is intelligence--an orderly, unfolding universe testifies to the truth of the most majestic statement ever uttered--'In the beginning God.'"

PASTEUR

1822-1895  French chemist and microbiologist. He is most famous for inventing the process that keeps milk from going sour, which is now known, in his honor, as pasteurization. He also performed experiments that confirmed the germ theory of disease, created the first rabies,anthrax and chicken cholera vaccines, was a founder of bacteriology and made numerous discoveries in chemistry. Pasteur described on a scientific basis the process of fermentation, wine-making, and the brewing of beer. "He debunked the widely accepted myth of spontaneous generation and thus upset the evolutionists.

"The more I study nature, the more I stand amazed at the work of the Creator." 

Albert EINSTEIN
'In view of such harmony in the cosmos, which I with my limited human mind, am able to recognise, there are yet people who say there is no God. But what makes me really angry is that they quote me for support of such views'. 

Isaac NEWTON 1642-1727 English mathematician & physicist, one of the greatest scientists of all time.
Laws of gravitation and motion, developed calculus. Major contributions to optics, physics, math and astronomy.

The solar system itself could not have been produced by blind chance or fortuitous causes but only by a cause "very well skilled in mechanics and geometry."

"There are more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history.""No sciences are better attested to than the science of the Bible."

"This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being.... This Being governs all things, not as the soul of the world, but as Lord over all; and on account of his dominion he is wont to be called Lord God." Isaac Newton; Principles.

'Atheism is so senseless'.

Johannes Kepler:

1571-1630 German Astronomer (planetary orbits, optics, mathematical language of science)
The 3 laws of planetary motion. Advanced Copernicus' heliocentric theory.
"I believe only and alone in the service of Jesus Christ. In him is all refuge and solace."

"Since we astronomers are priests of the highest God in regard to the book of nature, it befits us to be thoughtful, not of the glory of our minds, but rather, above all else, of the glory of God."

“...the harmony in the universe is "a sacred sermon, a veritable hymn to God the Creator"....

"Oh God, I am thinking thy thoughts after Thee"

I find some of these quotes really inspiring. I found most of them on this website. Do let me know if you know of any others. I hope that you have an excellent half-term holiday! N.

Do not worry about your life...

 Matthew 6:25-33

When I was a youngster it was meat and two veg, by and large. There were no curries, pizzas, spaghettis - unless it was from a tin, no Chinese meals and some of the fruit and veg was delivered by Mr Jarvis with his horse drawn trailer and the horse ate oats from it's nose bag. The veg we got were the more traditional; carrots, peas, cabbage, cauliflower, various beans and I am not sure about broccoli - don't think that was around much.

 We didn't have a TV until I was six and there were two channels with 405 lines - no 625 lines or pixels or colour for that matter and it wasn't all day and night. We didn't have a phone until I was about 13 and I didn't have a mobile phone till I was 50 and it was a phone and had text and nothing else.

 It was only in the mid 60's we started to try curry and from that time that the world started to shrink in a variety of ways and it wasn't because I was getting bigger. It was the advent of what we might now refer to as instant global communications - I remember Sputnik 1 the first satellite and a few years later the first transatlantic satellite broadcast which lasted about 30 minutes. Men going to the moon, the first digital watches in the 70's. I started with computers - if you could call them that - in 1984; 1k of memory!

 The world has got smaller, in a way, and we know more about what is happening; what people eat, how they live and we hear more about earthquakes, famines, storms etc. and all very quickly. We see graphic pictures from far and wide and a lot of the world comes to our living room or even mobile phone!Hence, knowing so much about our world and being able to enjoy a much wider variety of what is produced our Harvest Celebration can take on something bigger and with that has to come our care for planet earth which we realise has been increasingly abused since probably the late 17th century and the start of industrialisation. Of course, some things have improved in our corner of the world: beaches are cleaner, rivers that had lost fish have them again and the old pea-souper fogs seem to have gone. But we hear of climate change - is it or isn't it? Who knows except I can't help but think we are doing some damage and that therefore part of our husbandry - a duty given by God in the first pages of Genesis  and which should naturally arise from Harvest Celebration - is something we should take seriously as a matter of course and not because of fear.

 Planet earth is awesome and what it can produce - often with a little (or much) help from our friends - is incredible, and, today we have the opportunity to enjoy more of it . Wearing it, eating it, going to It, experiencing it etc.

 Thanksgiving is good and proper; appreciation is helpful and the two should lead us to respect and use aright, as best we can, what is here so that whatever changes are taking place, natural or otherwise, we and others can continue to enjoy the good things that are around.

   There is no point worrying about the basics of life as life is more than this.

 Jesus was speaking into the materialism of his day which compared to ours was very different. However, materialism is not about how much or what we can get and have, it is an attitude of mind and anyone in any society in any age can be materialistic. What Jesus is saying is that there is more. Having it all, whatever it all is, does not make life or indeed happiness.

 There is much in the world that looks after itself very nicely

And he gives some simple examples of birds and flowers and the wonder of what they are without toil and the like. He is not laying down concrete facts but is being illustrative. We know that much in the world about us can be devastated by adverse conditions and Jesus knew that too. But he doesn't dot i's and cross t's because he is using broad pictures that are meant to make a simple point to us, and if we let them, they do. He is also saying that this life is passing and not lasting so why look to things that are and which will perish and fade.

 The Priority is God, his Kingdom and what he wants

 Here we come to the focus and pattern of Jesus and what he calls us to and that is, above all, to be in tune with God and His ways, His rule and His priorities.

In Jesus' book here we have a focus that is beyond the passing and of the things that fade and perish. More, this is a regular thrust from him in one form or another. Don't get it wrong, Jesus isn't anti the material world. He made it and enjoyed lots of the good things in life whilst he was here. What he is saying is there is more . . don't miss is, don't lose sight of it.

Thanksgiving, such as we are doing today, giving, receiving, sharing and celebrating are an antidote to being materialistic  because then we are appreciating the giver rather than what is given in a wrong way and being bound to it.

We live in a material world but we don't have to be bound to it. It is a world God loves and for which Jesus died so it and those within it can be restored and made new.

Conclusion

 I wonder - if we could look at the world, life, what we have and don't have more as Jesus would have us look - how would it be different? Would we be more chilled, a little less held by the growing grip of consumerism. Liberated more to see the beauty and wonder of the natural world as we see how it is and the awesome way it is held under God's creative care and love?

S. Abram

The Green thing!

 In the line at the store, the cashier told an older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment. 

The woman apologized to him and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day."

The clerk responded, "That's our problem today.  Your generation did not care enough to save our environment."

Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over.  So they really were recycled.

He was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day. 

But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.

But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw-away kind.  We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry the clothes.  Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that old lady is right; we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief, not a screen the size of the state of Montana. 

  

In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. 

  

When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. 

  

Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power.  We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she's right; we didn't have the green thing back then.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. 

We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But we didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. 

We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances.  And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?

Please forward this on to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smartass young person.

  

The Green Thing

 

Thy shall not live beyond thy means.

  

Back from our hols in Provence

where we had a lovely time, with the main activity consisting of cycling! We did cycle most days and agreed that it was the best way to enjoy the scenery and fauna in the area.

 We left the campsite La Condamine in Hyères near l'Aygade on Monday morning, stopped at the Camping Municipal of Beaune then on Tuesday set off to Calais driving through Paris (this was not our original plan), spent the night there in their Camping Municipal and took a morning ferry to Dover. Steven dropped me a few hundred yards away from the entrance of Terminal 4 and drove off home. Meanwhile I waited for Imogen to come back from India where she's had a fantastic time.The plane landed earlier than expected, 6 15 instead of 6 30 than expected but there was a delay with the luggage so Team B emerged after 7 pm. Imogen has plenty of amazing stories to tell us so watch this space! It would be lovely to hear about you did for your hols too. Your sister in Christ.

In France for a week

The girls and I left for France last Saturday at 11 am and after four heavy traffic jams, we arrived in Dover just half an hour before boarding on a Seafrance ferry at 16 30. Then we drove to Rouen and stayed in the hotel La Campanile. I asked Cami to take a photo of that old Citroen (?) car while on the motorway, the autoroute A28



We arrived at my brother in Niort in the middle of Sunday afternoon. He'd prepared a lovely 'chicken chasseur' served with rice.





Tuesday lunch time, we went to Denis favorite pizzeria...

 Walking back to the town centre after Denis dropped us off at the 'cordonnerie' where we asked if Cami's handbag could be fixed...err..I am on holidays soon so it won't be for a while. We left the bag with him.

 Monday night, we were invited at an 'apéritif' to meet DRD's friends, Mme M. and her daughter Catherine. Could I possibly drive Catherine to the station on Tuesday at 13:45 as my brother had offered! I agreed then kept worrying about it. What if I got lost in spite of the short explanations written quickly? Finally Tuesday morning  I decided to  find their house early, knocked on their door and Mme M recognised me, her face brightened up.' I am so reassured to know that  you found your way here!' Then we had a stroll in the 'centre-ville' of Niort and a 'grand-crème' in a café near the market and the 'Donjon d'Alienor d'Aquitaine' that dates from the 12th century  (photo)

On the Wednesday, we went to la Rochelle, had lunch in a restaurant Le Bodegon, cours des Dames,  in front of the harbour and the two towers

We had for starters, moules marinière,  soupe de poisson and for main meal, poisson grillé avec riz and for Imogen, the vegetarian salade au chèvre chaud et frites!

Friday we went to the quiet and dainty island of Ré. As we discovered the beach at low tide, we had a feeling of 'déjà vu', we could have been sitting at Peel, in the Isle of Man.  

We came back home monday morning at 1:30 am. We left Niort at 7:45 Sunday morning and the roads were clear until mid-morning, heavy traffic around Rouen.We also paused for coffee and rillettes sandwiches with frisée lettuce. Soon after Rouen, I realised that we would not make it to the boat at Calais on time for 2:30. When we arrived there at 3 pm, I was told the next crossing available on Seafrance was at 6:50 pm so we waited at the restaurant. We left Dover customs at 8 pm English time (there is one hour difference) and headed to the M25. By then I was exhausted and told the girls I would need to sleep for 20 min in one of the services, the one by Oxford. I felt so much better after. I asked the Lord to give me strength to finish this long journey.

Blessings. N.

Mr and Mrs Blue Tits

Thanks to a lovely weather, spring is bursting out everywhere. Imogen realised that one of the trees in the High Street was in full blossom and declared: how did I miss that? And in our garden, for the great pleasure of the boss, Mr and Mrs Blue Tit visited an empty bird house and after a thorough exploration decided it was fit to move in!

Photo, courtesy of Rev. S. A.