May 2021

IN MY OPINION

Examples of questions you should never ask are:-“Does my bum look big in this?” or “Are you pregnant?” or “Have you put on weight?” or ”Do you want fries with that?” Also, be warned that questions like “What would you do?” or worse still, “What do you think?” exposes you to someone’s opinion. Of course some people don’t wait to be asked  and defend the proffering of their unsolicited opinion with expressions like, “I just speak my mind” or “I just tell it like it is” or worse still “I just say what I think” setting off alarm bells regarding the character of the person concerned.

I remember a useful illustration heard many years ago where the “giving of an opinion” was compared to the old pocket watch where said watch was only taken from said pocket by the wearer when someone actually requested the time. In my humble opinion, I know you haven’t asked for it, as it happens, and therefore I am on thin ice but then I have the floor, so here goes. In reality I believe absolutely no-one has the liberty or license to speak their mind, tell it like it is or say what they think unless requested to do so. It makes me cringe to hear these character flaws expressed as if they were some kind of badge of honour, worn with pride as the expression goes.

Ultimately, we all need to ask questions in life and indeed of life and also express opinions if requested. But, the questions need to be sensitive and the opinions, if you have them, need to be based on relevant experience or insight. As the proverb goes... ”A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing personal opinion.” Proverbs 18 v 2.... See, I told you!

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April 2021

Ganging Up

In life there are times when we could do with the support of those around us. Do you know when circumstances are conspiring to bring us down and several mishaps or unconnected events coincide making you feel there is a conspiracy going on. They say trouble comes in threes but there is no science behind that expression and in the end there are things we just need to deal with in life and we cannot expect everything to run smoothly all of the time. Isn’t it great then when someone offers to help or ease your troubles and share your burden in some way? You know, just take the pressure off and give you a break. This feeling of being Ganged-up against could be everyone picking on you or perhaps the silent treatment and being ex-communicated. Picture the scene then when you have been arrested for something you haven’t done and your friends have run away and then strenuously denied knowing you at all. The Powers-that-Be don’t believe your explanations of events and question your answers with some low-life characters giving evidence and looking for excuses to further antagonise you. You are basically up against it from every angle. Ganging-up has reached a new level and each of the accusers feel justified in their attack. This is emphasised by the statement...“Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate” Luke 23 v 1. United in their disdain for Jesus  eventually Pilate sends Jesus to Herod and this is what happens...in verse 9.  “He (Herod) questioned him (Jesus) at some length, but Jesus gave him no answer”..... Oh, that is not good, however you look at it! I would sooner face people Ganging-up against me that face Jesus when He refused to speak to me? Which camp are you in?

 

March 2021

It is What It Is

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Somehow life goes on regardless. Some friends of ours are fatalistic in that they take the stance that either we get what we deserve or what we get is decided upon by the gods and it cannot be altered. ”It is what it is”….is an expression banded about these days which I think is rather hopeless and I have decided never to use it. Why? Because if we get to the point in life where we feel nothing we can do can actually change a situation or someone’s circumstances we have run out of resources and hope and I cannot accept that easily. The current Covid crisis is a case in point where we are Worldwide, apparently, accepting that this is simply something we have to deal with rather than finding out why it happened and where it came from in an effort to make sure that it doesn’t happen again. How would you like your car to go to the Garage every two weeks for the same fault to be repaired? Would you not eventually ask the obvious question … “What has caused the problem”? Instead of rolling over and accepting defeat should we not, of course be treating the consequences, but at the same time and with equal vigour be investigating why and where the problem came from originally? As an Engineer I believe it is pointless trying to fix something you don’t know the cause of.” It is what it is”…is absolute rubbish …we can do better than that. “Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him (Jesus) from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God”. 1 Peter 1 v 20 …IT IS..NOT  “What It Is”. But .. what you allow it to be?

 

February 2021

Choose Your Battles

 

I don’t know about you but in life I have found that sometimes it is necessary to ‘Choose Your Battles’. My experience of dragging-up eight children with  their differences and peculiarities has taught me that some issues are more important than others and on occasions a degree of flexibility is essential when taking into account the personality you are dealing with at any particular time. Of course there are definite no-no’s, but there are also situations in which some give-and-take can be sensible. Do we let an incident slide so we can tackle a more important issue or do we make a scene out of everything in order to be consistent? Wisdom and experience teach us to ‘Choose our Battles’. Do you remember Lazarus? Well he was dead, yes really dead, like no heartbeat … dead, in-fact wrapped up in bandages and placed in a tomb dead. But Jesus, remember Him… raised Lazarus from the dead. And yet despite this evidence of a clearly blessed life, death, or whatever it was, the Scribes and Pharisees decide it would be better if Lazarus was dead again and this time simply remained dead, and so they plot, in their wisdom, to kill him…. Really? I mean he has already been dead and was brought back to life! What are they thinking? ‘Choose Your Battles’. Even if you kill him, he is not going to stay dead if Jesus is involved, look at the evidence and learn from experience. Perhaps even acknowledge that Jesus doesn’t respect death, only life. “I am the way, the Truth, and the life”, He said in John 14 v 6. If Jesus is God and God is who He claims to be then you and I are not going to beat Him…… ‘Choose Your Battles’ is good advice.

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REMEMBER You can join us on Zoom on a Sunday Morning At 11am Spanish Time and 10am UK Time …Sunday 21st February We will be Looking at WHO IS JESUS with Christianity Explored which is a Video followed by some discussion around the Topic….ID 858 0435 5966

....The Password  is …Sharing….All are really Welcome, Feel Free.

 

January 2021

BALLOONS

 

In order to Illustrate the importance of putting other people first the following two experiments were conducted:- In a room full of children and loose balloons floating around with a child’s name written on them, the task given was simply to find the balloon with your own name on it and then sit down. The children ran around rejecting balloons with other’s names and looking for their own. Eventually the children found their named balloon, this was timed and recorded. The test was then modified slightly and the task repeated. The new task was to find and match the named balloons for the other children in the room while also looking for their own.  As these children knew each others’ names it became clear that the matching of named balloons to children was completed in a considerably shorter time. I suppose there are at least two lessons we could learn from this exercise. One is that when we look out for others and their needs, our own tasks may, as a direct result, become easier. Secondly, if we all combined our efforts and looked out for others all of our needs would be met more quickly and with considerably less hassle. The Bible teaches us to “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6 v 3. When tackled on the most important commandments by the skeptics, Jesus said “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength’. The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these”. Mark 12 v 30. There is nothing new under the Sun..another Bible quote! Maybe we should start listening?

 

December 2020

Cita Previa

 

In the midst of this current pandemic efforts have been made to contain the spread of the virus, some more successful than others. Almost without exception there are winners and losers in this climate. In Spain restaurants and bars are closed for the time being and of course the consequences for families in that line of work and their dependants is severe. Remember it is not just those directly affected but also their suppliers and their transport and those who dispose of waste and everyone involved in between. Conversely if you provide Personal Protection Equipment and/or hand sanitizer you are quids-in. As I type, we in Murcia, Spain, are not allowed to cross from one Municipality (Local Area) to another unless we have a written Cita Previa (which means a pre-arranged appointment) from some organization or authority outside of our home address therefore allowing us to cross that particular border. Now this can be for essential paperwork transactions, or medical attention, not available within your particular municipality and I suppose this would be at the discretion of the Police attending a checkpoint. We have had these Cita Previas from Solicitors and also Medical Care. To avoid the Police turning you back or fining you for infringing the rules you need to have the pre-arranged appointment in writing. This reminded me of our situation on earth where, as Christians, we believe for travelling from earth to heaven we need to have a Cita Previa. The Bible talks about a “Book-Of-Life” in which names are recorded of those who have an approved appointment. Jesus says “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you will be also”. John 14 v 3 ..A Cita Previa is essential.

 

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