A break in Bologna

I have been in Bologna, Italy, for a few days, visiting . I flew to Milan with Ryanair, well in fact, Bergamo, 50 minutes far from Milan by coach. It was raining, cold and blustery! Camille met me at Milan train station. In the afternoon we saw the Arcimboldo exhibition at Palazzo Reale. For centuries Giuseppe Arcimboldo was forgotten until he was rediscovered in 1930, when Alfred H. Barr, director of the Museum of Modern Art of New York, included some of his works in the exhibition  Fantastic Art, Dada Surrealism.  In the evening, we took the train for Bologna. Camille found her bike and we walked to her place. I was surprised to see so many people out and about, chatting, drinking and eating pizza slices even though it was past midnight.

The following day, we got up at 11 and after a strong home-made coffee with no milk (!)we set out to visit, first the piazza Maggiore, a  huge square surrounded by Renaissance buildings. Then we looked at the two towers, the torre Asinelli and the torre Garisenda. The Garisenda tower was built  by Fillip and Ottone Garisenda in the early part of the 1100s. It was originally a height of about 60metres. The tower was reduced in size to its current 48 metres  in the 14th century  as it was in danger of collapsing. Later we went in the Basilica of San Petronio. Though it is the 5th biggest church in the world, its facade is not finished. The story says that in 2002, the basilica was the target of an unsuccessful terrorist attack. Five men, believed to have connections to Al-Qaeda, were arrested in connection with a plot to blow up the building. Another attempt, this time in 2006, was foiled by Italian police. Their reason was a 15th-century fresco by Giovanni da Modena that depicts a scene from Dante’ Inferno where Muhammad is shown in Hell being devoured by demons. 

As you can see, I love the ochre color of the medieval buildings.

Lectures are held in various places. However Camille and her friends' lecturer cancelled his as he was ill (said the note on the door)

Blessings. 

Have you become a Christian recently? Have you been a Christian for years?...

...then, this could be right for you. As I was wandering through the rejesus website I found this course Now a Christian designed for 'new or  lifetime Christian'. It seems really exciting. Why don't you join me and we could exchange impressions and comments! Yours in Christ. N.

Discovering Christianity.

Good news in Hixon.
We are getting ready to do a Start course that should start after Easter. I love the dvd and the activities. Personally, I think that Robyn and Phyllis are brillant and full of joy.
I invite you to pray for us while we are getting organised so that we utilise the resources for the best and that our group members (we are not sure who is going to come yet) discover the good news of Jesus. May the Lord give us strength and wisdom. In Jesus-Christ. Amen.

Heaven

A man dies and goes to heaven. St. Peter meets him at the pearly gates. 
St. Peter says, "Here's how it works. You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you've done, and I give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in." 
"Okay" the man says, "I attended church every Sunday" 
"That's good, says St. Peter, " that's worth two points" 
"Two points?" he says. "Well, I gave 10% of all my earnings to the church" 
"Well, let's see," answers Peter, "that's worth another 2 points. Did you do anything else?" 
"Two points? Golly. How about this: I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for homeless veterans." 
"Fantastic, that's certainly worth a point, " he says. 
"hmmm...," the man says, "I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart." 
"That's wonderful," says St. Peter, "that's worth three points!" 
"THREE POINTS!!" the man cries, "At this rate the only way I get into heaven is by the grace of God!" 
"Come on in!"
Hubby did not particularly find this funny. Could it be because since the beginning of they year he's had to take five funerals and there are more to come!  There are more, worse and better here. Do you have a favourite joke? Let us know! Blessings. N

The school diary: a European blunder or a deliberate decision?

The Europa Diary of the European Commission   Each year, the European Commission publishes a European school diary for schoolchildren throughout the European Union. Three millions copies of the 2010-2011 version of this diary, distributed to schools for free at the request of teachers, have been edited.The current version of this diary does not mention any Christian feasts, but do give the dates of Islamic, Sikh, Hindu and Chinese feast days.It does not refer, for example, to Christmas, recently celebrated through all Europe.

Why is this omission unacceptable ?   - The role of Christianity in the European construction is an undeniable and historical fact. How can this diary pretend to inform teenagers about the EU, removing all references to Christianity, negating a religion that contributed so much to its construction and unity ?

- Christianity is the first religion in Europe. This oversight offends many people. The denial of something so important for them, the oversight of the values and beliefs they share, is intolerable.

- Christianity is not only a religious factor, but also a cultural and founder factor of the history and identity of many European Nation’s. Christian holidays, in particular Christmas and Easter, absent in this diary, are celebrated through all Europe by many persons, even non Christians.

Whatever the reasons of this oversight of the Christian holidays in the 2010-2011 Europa diary may be, with this petition, we ask :

- That the school diary, in its current version, may not be distributed.

- That the future 2011-2012 diary explicitly mentions Christian holidays.

I have signed the petition, if you want to join me, click on this link. 

Medley

I don't know about you but I have found it very hard to get to a routine after the Christmas-New Year break. I thought that I was very good at cramming everything in a day, the important and the trivial. Somehow, it is not working so smoothly..and I am running after time....

Last week I was reading Exodus and tonight, I found this picture.. of course it is silly but hey why not!

Yesterday I went to the doctor as I wanted to find out why I keep having pins and needles night and day almost continually.. I still don't know why as I had to have a  blood test and they will 'investigate'..so we shall see..
Last night, I was reading Job 12 and I share the following verses that struck a chord in my soul
Job 12: 9 Who doesn’t know that in all these, the hand of Yahweh has done this, 10 in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind? Not only the Lord's power is awesome but in view of what happens in the world or near us, it is so reassuring to know that He who is holy and loving, is in charge. What do you think? 
Blessings, 
N.
Your sister in Christ.

Too young to care

Tonight, I watched on ITV 1  the last programme in a series looking at childhood. The journalist Jonny Maitland I quote, hears the remarkable and courageous stories of children as young as 12 who have to juggle school work with the pressures of being a full-time carer. It was heart-breaking to see how much those loving children had to do, looking after their parents and as it was said, without complaining about it. So brave! 
It's estimated there could be over a million children in the UK who care for a sick or disabled relative.
This 'hidden army' of young carers is faced with huge levels of responsibility which can force them to grow up much quicker than their peers – effectively ending their childhoods early. What was upsetting is that they would not tell the social workers about their difficult situation for fear that they would be taken away from their family. 

It’s thought that at least one in twelve school children has a caring role, yet there's growing concern that these children are not receiving enough support to cope with their situations.
And in an exclusive survey – carried out by the Children’s Society for the Tonight programme – we look at the impact that young carers’ responsibilities have on their lives.

Peace on Earth? - Answers in Genesis

Peace on Earth? - Answers in Genesis

Happy New Year 2011

Wishing you all a very happy and blessed New Year 2011. May the Lord pour his blessings on you, your family, your friends and your church.Yesterday we also celebrated Steven's 60th birthday and  it was lovely to have lots of family members with us.

I will post some photos later as time is ticking..and my brain needs a rest! Blessings.

Silent night

I thought that like me, you would enjoy Silent night beautifully interpreted by Gemma-Dawn Shaw. Raised in a single parent family with 3 brothers and a sister, Gemma found it hard to understand the role of God the Father. Although she grew up in church, Gemma developed an incorrect understanding of salvation. “I thought I had to be a good person first then God would accept me as a Christian.” It wasn’t until the age of 21 that Gemma made a real commitment to God with a biblical understanding of salvation by grace. “When I realised that I could commit myself to God and the Holy Spirit would change me then all the pressure seemed to go away.” You can read on more about her on her website.

Wishing you a very Happy Christmas. Blessings. Yours in Christ. N.

Nativity paintings...do you have a favourite?

This painting, the only surviving work signed by Botticelli appears to be complex. I have read that it does not simply represent the traditional events of the birth of Jesus and the adoration of the shepherds and the Magi. Rather it is a vision of these events inspired by the prophecies in Revelation. 

This painting was done by Correggio between 1528 and 1530.  I like the way Mary holds her son Jesus affectionately. However I am not sure why Joseph is so far away from her.

Nativity painted by FRANCESCO DI GIORGIO MARTINI in 1475 on wood. It can be seen at the Pinacoteca Nazionale in Siena (Italy)The Nativity with two angels, Sts Bernard and Thomas of Aquino is the only signed work of the Sienese master. 

I think that this painting by Philippe de Champaigne is my favourite as it shows Mary and Joseph's love and adoration towards Jesus. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:11-12
I also recommend a very interesting website called the Web Gallery of Art 
So do you have a special Nativity painting? Let us know.
Blessings. N

To trust in the Lord

Photo, courtesy of Cathy

To trust in the Lord is always the right thing to do. 

I am referring to a few difficult periods I have had in my short life as a Christian, In these instances, I have had two choices; either to let panic invade and ruin my decisions, or to calm down and leave it to the Lord. 

I have had to learn how to stop over-reacting, this in itself is hard to do, you must take a conscious decision to ask the Lord for help. 

The Lord is full of compassion and He is faithful. Advice has come to me in various ways, either a passage of the Bible has sprung to mind or I have read and heard wise comments from fellow brothers and sisters. 

In any case, faith is the keyword and patience is the tool I need.

Blessings. Yours in Christ. 

Psalm 28:7

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

Nahum 1:7

The LORD is good, 

   a refuge in times of trouble. 

He cares for those who trust in him.

Fasting? Should Christians fast?

...The most significant Biblical characters, with the possible exception of Abraham, were all men of fasting and prayer. Jesus, the Son of God, was a man of fasting and prayer (Matthew 4:2). So was the apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 11:27). Moses fasted 80 days. Elijah fasted 40 days....God wants to do many amazing things, but He looks for those willing to urgently make the corrections needed to come into line with him. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Successful fasting is also the fastest way to learn patience.
This excerpt comes from an article called Fast - key to power where the author develops the view that fasting is pleasing to the Lord. If you wish to read this very convincing post click on this link: http://www.christian-faith.com/forjesus/fasting-key-power. Maybe you are totally opposed to fasting, if so, tell us why. I would like to know what you think on this question. Do you fast? If yes, will you spare a moment and tell us why?  
Blessings. Your sister in Christ.

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus

Isn't it just so good? Blessings.

A very quiet Saturday

For a change, I am having a very quiet day. I must explain, last night Steven went to Weston church for a prayer vigile with the Mid-trent team. He came back at 7 o'clock and went straight to sleep. I got up at 9ish and obviously moved round the house very quietly. I must say that at times you'd think that this house is made of paper as it is easy to hear sounds..The kitchen door will not stayed closed if you do not actually shut it so I had to remember that before I heated the milk in the microwave and got on with some tidying...Of course in this kind of situation, there is nothing you can do if the phone rings and you are not as near it as you wish. Two phone calls and fortunately I picked them up at the second ring! As I wanted to watch a dvd on 2 Corinthians I made sure to go in Im's room as somehow once the door is shut, it is pretty soundproof! 

I am still suffering from my tooth abscess even though it is not as bad as previously, the antibiotics must work! and somehow I am wondering if it is affecting my brain, I feel very lethargic! 

Outside my window, the snow is melting slowly as it is raining on and off, just as my friend Mandy told me last night, the meteo forecast was right! Later on Camille and I were skyping and somehow it is raining in Bologna too but she did say it was really cold last night!

I'd better wake up and do some school work before Im's return from town. She has two girlfriends sleeping over and it will be noisy..and fun!

Hope you are having a blessed Saturday! N.

Happy Hanukkah!

This morning as I was listening to Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks on thought for the day (BBC 4) and I thought that I should do some more reading on this Jewish holiday.  During the 2nd century BC a Greek ruler tried to force Mattathias, a Jew from the priestly class, to offer a sacrifice to a pagan god. Not only did Mattathias refuse, he murdered the Greek official. The Greek king Antiochus launched a series of reprisals, including desecrating the Holy Temple in Jerusalem by filling it with statues of Greek gods. Mattathias and his five sons rose up against these actions and fought for Jewish liberation of Judea. Mattathias' sons can to be known as the Maccabees, which comes from the root of the Hebrew word for "hammer" since the band of insurgents were said to strike hammer-like blows against their enemies. The patriarch Mattathias was killed shortly after the fighting against the Greeks began. His son Judas took over as the leader of the rebels and is credited with great tactical ability and unparalleled bravery. By the end of the war against the Greeks, the only brother to have survived was Shimon (Simon). The heroes of the Chanukah story, the Macccabees, guided by their fierce and steadfast belief in God. The Maccabees rededicated the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, which had been desecrated by the polytheistic Greeks during their rule of the city.

Did you know the only biblical reference to Hanukkah is in the New Testament? John 10:22-33

• Did you know that Jesus celebrated Hanukkah? 
• Did you know that Hanukkah is the feast of lights and the feast of dedication?
• Did you know that Jesus Christ completely fulfilled this celebration by being our Light of the world? Many aspects of this holiday point to Jesus as the promised Messiah.
• Here's a short excerpt from the "Jews for Jesus" website blog. The article is entitled "The Light of Hanukkah" and it's a good summary of the spiritual significance of Hanukkah and how it relates to Jesus as our Messiah:

  The Hanukkah candles are traditionally lit by a special candle called the shammash. Shammash is Hebrew for "servant." In the shammash candle, we can see a symbol of our Messiah Jesus, for as the Gospel of Matthew says,

  "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28

  The shammash serves the other candles by bringing light to them. In the New Testament, Jesus is frequently referred to as "the Light," and Jesus Himself once said,

  "I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8

  
  Blessings. Yours in Jesus-Christ.
  
  

Christianity and other faiths (part 2)

Post modernism means 'select what suit you', 'pick and choose', 'my experience is self-validated', 'there is no absolute'. This understanding of life is 6000 years old. There are 3three million of Hinduist Gods however hinduism has got no foundation. In Christ you have someone who has the audacity to say: I am the ultimate truth. Truly, truly, I say. This claim that fascinated the gentiles is just as great now as in Jesus' time. ¹⁹ So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” John 12:19. 
Our faith can come from a variety of sources. Looking at nature, rainbow, birds, you can be ecstatic. Surely there is a designer. In nature, we have clues of a divine being. Hinduism is based on an intuitive speculation. Islam shares one understanding with us, that God is an external being, not a product of our psyche. Muslims say we are all people of a book and claim the Coran is the last testament. If you tell them that Jesus is unique, this is not an argument.  The Muslims argue that they have the finality of revelation and will tell you that 
the Jews use the Old Testament, the Christians, the New Testament and the Muslims have the final product! Give me a break! Jesus is the alpha and the omega. Jesus is the ONLY testament! Time and knowledge is contained in him. 
God challenges us to go out and tell others the Good News. In our obedience, we are being changed. By being vulnerable, we begin to have a deeper appreciation of God and his love. 
Notes written at Doxey. Speaker: Rev. Canon George Kovoor
It looks as if we are snowed in tonight so I am not even sure that the school will be open tomorrow! We shall see. Blessings. Yours in Christ. N.

The Christian faith and other faiths

Steven and I went to a deanery synod in Doxey church. Our guest speaker was called Rev. Canon George Kovoor .We had an excellent evening.
Here are my notes.
For years, the UK has been the bastion of christianity and you sent the finest young men and women round the world to spread the gospel. They actually believed that Jesus was the Good News. There was something so important in the message of Jesus that they believed it was GOOD NEWS. So it should still be JOY in the Church. Therefore it is difficult to understand why there are too many miserable faces, constipated faces in the Church nowadays! Who wants to hang out with boring people! I train people who want to be equipped and not afraid to share our faith wherever they go.
However, if the Church itself is biblically illiterate and theologically clueless, it will find sharing the Gospel to people of other faiths difficult. Surely it is incumbent on the Church to share the Good News with everybody. If you do not know your bible and start talking to a Muslim for instance who will pick up on many apparent contradictions in the Bible, you will be stung! In the Royal Albert Hall, not long ago, an American apologist was decimated by a Muslim leader.
The Jews have had to live round the nations and they have always been a minority. They know how to engage. They consider themselves as called out people to whom God revealed his name. Abraham an Iraqui, was to be a light to the people. This always was the intention of God to reveal himself to all nations.
What is heaven like? When John is in Patmos he has a revelation, he sees that heaven is multicultural, multi-ethnic but not multifaith. In heaven the worship is super.
I am here in front of you because your grand-parents took trouble to come to our country and share the Gospel of Jesus-Christ. Brothers and sisters in Christ I am not prepared to collude with the system.
Isaiah 56:6-7 And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD 
   to minister to him,
to love the name of the LORD,
   and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it
   and who hold fast to my covenant—
⁷ these I will bring to my holy mountain
   and give them joy in my house of prayer. Let's think about Jesus'triumphant entry in Jerusalem, He made a beeline to the temple. Mark 11:15-17 Did Jesus have a problem with money? Let's go back to Solomon. We have a blue print of what the temple looked like, notice there was a vast court for the Gentiles. God has made a gracious place for the nations to come. Hospitality and generosity for those who do not know Him. By clearing the temple, Jesus who incarnates God, restores the hospitality and generosity of God so that the nations can behold the splendor of God.
How much more the Church must do to adjust to the world?
What preparation is there for new converts?
To be popular you mustn't compromise your faith. It seems that the Church of England is a plate of jelly, nobody knows what to believe. Engaging with people of other faith require integrity. Dialogue is better than monologue. Dialogue requires listening. Why were we created with two ears and only one mouth?
You must meet people, promote an activity where people are welcome. Take trouble to go where they are.
Dialogue requires mutual respect.
Canon Kovoor's speech was full of humour too. I am afraid that jokes do not do so well on the paper. There is more so watch this space. Blessings in Jesus-Christ. N.

Protecting children!

Mothers’ Union believes children should be valued as children, not consumers. Yet marketers target children’s natural inexperience in order to reach the household purse
Their Bye Buy Childhood campaign aims to empower families to challenge the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood through positive action.

Join their campaign to say “bye bye” to buying childhood. Giving children the message that they are what they own, rather than being valued for who they are, can negatively affect their wellbeing. Nearly three-fifths of parents believe that advertising seen by children can be harmful to them. Using sex to sell to children is particularly objectionable and 80% of parents are concerned about the impact of sexualised content in television, films, magazines and the internet on their children.

This is such an important issue. Somehow in our world, it looks as if children are robbed of their childhood, they are under pressure to conform to adult fantasies. Their innocence is at stake. In my view, I would say that the way films are categorised in 12 and 15 is not effective. What do you think ?

 It is the same with magazines and their never-ending gossips. It becomes more and more difficult for parents to monitor what their children read or watch. Then begins a huge task to counteract the effect of those violent, wicked stories, where evil seems to dominate love and loyalty. I am not even going to start mentioning the soap operas! Let me know what you think. I hope that Mothers Union challenge is going to be successful and show that parents do care for their children. Yours in Christ. N.

The Archbishop of Canterbury's lecture on heresy (part 3)