Goldfinch

Goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis

Captain Butterfly has taken a wonderful shot of a Goldfinch, and it reminded me of this little poem I have among my favorites.

GOLDFINCH
by
Gerry Cambridge

That finch which sings above my head
last year's speckled egg, is now
a partner to some nest instead,
that finch which sings above my head,
buff-gold dandy masked with red,
and hen on eggs above some swaying bough
that finch which sings. Above my head
last year's speckled egg, is now.


Yesterday was very stormy, but with tender blue skies, full of clouds, and sometimes with ominous storm skies holding off in the distance.   And at one point there was a double rainbow over the Channel - see the Captain's log for a photo.

The Captain and I walked to the river and back in the morning, and I did my Watchtower study for the meeting tonight.  We are studying the shining faith of Abraham - his absolute faith in God's ability to resurrect the dead, for example.  

The Weather Continues

Storm Katie raged all through the night. Captain B had to get up and close the bedroom window. Now, in the early morning, there are patches of blue in the sky and the rain seems to be stopping - but the wind is not dropping.

The Captain chauffered me to the meeting yesterday and tried to visit Rewell Wood in between delivering me and picking me up, but was driven back by rain, thunder and hailstones!  As I said, its a Bank Holiday.  

There has already been one tragedy.  A little girl was killed yesterday when a Bouncy Castle was blown away by the storm... I don't suppose I can fully imagine the shock and grief of her parents today.

Oh - and an Easter egg hunt turned into chaos in the U.S.of A.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3511343/Marauding-parents-Easter-Egg-hunt-rampage-control-adults-push-children-ground-steal-buckets-leave-one-four-year-old-bloody-chaotic-free-event.html

There is a lot of criticism of the organisers, and clearly it could have been better organised. But surely selfishness, greed and lack of self-control had a role to play?  I try to avoid any event involving crowds these days, except for Jehovah's Witness conventions and assemblies, because self-control is part of the fruitage of Jehovah's holy spirit.

(Galatians 5:22, 23) "On the other hand, the fruitage of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,  mildness, self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Jehovah can give us what we lack, if we seek him, find him, and listen to him.

  

Bank Holiday Weather

It is Easter/Ishtar Saturday, therefore a Bank Holiday weekend, and therefore we have bank holiday weather - gray, white horses on the Channel and with a feeling of rain on the way.  No problem for me - I love all weathers, the earth looks so lovely whatever weather it is clad in. But its difficult for those running businesses that need a good turnout on Easter weekend - ice-cream vans, for example.

Captain Butterfly is in the kitchen making the fruit salad for tonight. I made the lamb curry (Middle Eastern) yesterday,along with the mushroom salad, and hope to be back in the kitchen soon making the ratatouille.

Yesterday's Memorial Bible reading spoke of what God's Kingdom, with Jesus at its head, will do when it rules over the earth.

Friday, March 25

The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.—1 Cor. 15:45.

How would mankind be freed from their struggle with inherited imperfection? Jehovah provided for a Kingdom government made up of “the last Adam” and chosen associates from among mankind. (Rev. 5:9, 10) Those associated with Jesus in heaven will have experienced what it means to be imperfect. For a full thousand years, their joint rulership will provide assistance to those on earth, helping them to overcome the imperfection that they could not conquer on their own. (Rev. 20:6) By the end of the thousand years of Kingdom rule, obedient mankind will have been liberated from all enemies introduced by Adam’s disobedience. w14 9/15 4:12-15

Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 15) Matthew 27:62-66 (Events after sunset: Nisan 16) Mark 16:1

.

I remember being surprised when I first began to study the Bible with the local Jehovah's Witnesses when I realised that Christianity and evolution are incompatible.  Either one is true, or the other is. They can't both be, as they contradict each other.   I was surprised because many people who identify themselves as Christians also believe we evolved.

Yet the Christian Greek Scriptures clearly tell us that Jesus came to earth to give a perfect human life as a ransom sacrifice for the perfect human life that Adam threw away in Eden. And generation upon generation of faithful Jewish scribes carefully counted the generations down from Adam.

A Wonderful Evening

184 of us gathered here in our local Kingdom Hall last night to memorialise Jesus' sacrificial death - 177 of us in person and 7 listening in on the telephone lines - so 184 in all, IF my maths is right. (And my old maths teacher, Mr Capps, would, rightly, warn you not to trust my adding up).

Jackie and Captain Butterfly were there. It is the one day of the year I get to hold his hand during the prayers,

It was all such a comfort, for various reasons - one obviously being my worries over my arm/shoulder.

And here is the final Memorial Bible reading:

Thursday, March 24

He is not here, for he was raised up.—Matt. 28:6.

Jesus was alive! Events of the next 40 days left no doubt that Jesus had been resurrected. Summarizing the evidence, the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “Among the first things I handed on to you was what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried, yes, that he was raised up on the third day according to the Scriptures; and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time, most of whom are still with us, though some have fallen asleep in death. After that he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. But last of all he appeared also to me as if to one born prematurely.”—1 Cor. 15:3-8. w14 11/15 1:9, 10

Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 14) Mark 15:1-47

Interesting to note that although all those in the earliest Christian congregation had the heavenly hope - of being in heaven to rule with Jesus over the restored earthly Paradise - they had "fallen asleep in death".  As the Christian Greek Scriptures explain, the resurrection to both heavenly and earthly life was to come later.  

The Memorial, after Sundown

Memorial Date
After Sundown
Wednesday, March 23

You have an anointing from the holy one.—1 John 2:20.

Only those who have the witness of the spirit that they are God’s children should partake of the Memorial emblems. Those who have received “a spirit of adoption as sons” are God’s spirit-begotten children. His spirit bears witness with their spirit, giving them the realization that they are Jehovah’s anointed sons. (Rom. 8:16, 17) Today, there is only a remnant of the 144,000 footstep followers of Christ, who “have an anointing from the holy one,” Jehovah. It is by means of his spirit that they cry out,“Abba, Father!” (Rom. 8:15) What a blessed relationship they have with God! w151/15 2:16

Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 13) Mark 14:12-16; Matthew 26:17-19 (Events after sunset: Nisan 14) Mark 14:17-72

The Jewish day began after sunset, so it isn't the day of the Passover until this evening.  I have never seen anyone take the bread and the wine, but they will be passed round so that everyone has an opportunity.  The hope for most Christians on the earth now is to "inherit the earth", as Jesus promised, and to live forever upon it.

I am glad its tonight, as I need some real hope.

A Miraculous Healing?

My last hospital check today, 3 months after the operation.   The good news is that the x-rays are fine so they don't have to see me again - and they would have even been better if the Technician had been allowed to go ahead with x-raying the wrong shoulder as he was attempting to do.   "Amazing, Mrs Knight, your shoulder has not only healed perfectly, it seems to have absorbed the implant!"

The not so good news is that the doctor was pretty negative re my getting very much more movement back - and I am still quite limited.

Captain B is being very positive and will keep me at the physio, to see what can be done.  And he took me to the Arun View for lunch to cheer me up - fish and chips with a gin and tonic.

Thank Goodness it is the Memorial tomorrow- a beacon of hope in the darkness.  And with that in mind I will now look at and blog today's Memorial Bible reading, in the hope that it will be so encouraging for anyone who might be reading this blog.

Tuesday, March 22

I make a covenant with you.—Luke 22:29.

Unlike other covenants, in which Jehovah is one of the parties to the covenant, the Kingdom covenant is a personal covenant between Jesus and his anointed followers. The 11 faithful apostles had ‘stuck with Jesus in his trials.’ This covenant assured them that they would be with him in heaven and sit on thrones to rule as kings and serve as priests. (Luke 22:28, 30) However, those 11 would not be the only ones to have that privilege. The glorified Jesus appeared to the apostle John in a vision and said: “To the one who conquers I will grant to sit down with me on my throne.” (Rev. 3:21) Thus, the Kingdom covenant is made with the 144,000 anointed Christians.—Rev. 5:9, 10; 7:4. w14 10/15 2:15, 16

Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 12) Mark 14:1, 2, 10, 11;Matthew 26:1-5, 14-16

(Mark 14:1, 2) "Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread was two days later. And the chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to seize him by cunning and kill him;  for they were saying: “Not at the festival; perhaps there might be an uproar of the people.”"

(Mark 14:10, 11) "And Judas Is·carʹi·ot, one of the Twelve, went off to the chief priests in order to betray him to them.  When they heard it, they were delighted and promised to give him silver money. So he began seeking an opportunity to betray him."

(Matthew 26:1-5) Now when Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples: “You know that two days from now the Passover takes place, and the Son of man will be handed over to be executed on the stake.”  Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the courtyard of the high priest, who was named Caʹia·phas,  and they conspired together to seize Jesus by cunning and to kill him.  However, they were saying: “Not at the festival, so that there may not be an uproar among the people.”"

(Matthew 26:14-16) "Then one of the Twelve, the one called Judas Is·carʹi·ot, went to the chief priests  and said: “What will you give me to betray him to you?” They stipulated to him 30 silver pieces.  So from then on, he kept looking for a good opportunity to betray him."


Tomorrow after sunset it will be Nisan 14, the day of the Passover, and the congregations worldwide will be Memorialising Jesus' sacrificial death.    One of the many things I will be feeling so grateful for is the way Jesus healed people when he was on the earth, showing what he can and will do when he is ruling over the earth as the King of Jehovah's Kingdom. That Kingdom will restore the link so fatally broken in Eden, and restore faithful mankind to perfection and the earth to the Paradise it was always meant to be.

The Anointed

The anointed Christians are the ones with a heavenly hope - the saints, the holy ones. They are the ones chosen, by Jehovah (it is not for us to choose), to be resurrected to heavenly life and to rule with Jesus as kings and priests. They will rule over the restored earthly Paradise.   All the first century Christians had that hope.  Our Scriptural thought for the day is about the anointed.

Monday, March 21

This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood.—1 Cor. 11:25.

Those who rightly partake of the Memorial emblems are absolutely sure that they are parties to the new covenant. God has made the new covenant with the spiritual Israelites.  Galatians 15,16 says:   "For neither is circumcision anything or is uncircumcision, but a new creation is. As for all those who will walk orderly by this rule of conduct, peace and mercy be upon them, yes, upon the Israel of God."   This covenant has been validated by Christ’s sacrifice and has been made operative by his shed blood. Luke 22:20: "Also, he did the same with the cup after they had the evening meal, saying: “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in your behalf."  Jesus is the Mediator of the new covenant, and loyal anointed ones taken into it receive a heavenly inheritance. Hebrews 8:6:   "But now Jesus has obtained a more excellent ministry because he is also the mediator of a correspondingly better covenant, which has been legally established on better promises." (see also Hebrews 9:15)   Individuals entitled to partake of the Memorial emblems know that they have also been taken into the Kingdom covenant. Luke 12:32: “Have no fear, little flock, for your Father has approved of giving you the Kingdom."   Because they are in the Kingdom covenant, faithful anointed ones will reign with Christ as heavenly kings forever.   Revelation 22:5: "Also, night will be no more, and they have no need of lamplight or sunlight, for Jehovah God will shed light upon them, and they will rule as kings forever and ever." 

Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 11) Mark 11:20–12:27, 41-44

Mark 11:20-12:27 explains the lesson Jesus was teaching his Apostles with the fig tree.  It starts: " But when they were passing by early in the morning, they saw the fig tree already withered from its roots..."      And Chapter 12 begins with an illustration teaching the same lesson:  "Then he (Jesus) started to speak to them with illustrations: “A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a vat for the winepress and erected a tower; then he leased it to cultivators and traveled abroad.  In due season he sent a slave to the cultivators to collect some of the fruits of the vineyard from them.  But they took him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed..." 

I hope to come back to this lesson tomorrow.

The Captain and I shopped at Waitrose this morning, and (with my Membership Secretary hat on) I posted the publication a member had requested - and I also posted a copy of "Till they Dropped" to my internet friend Ash, along with some chocolates he can eat while reading it.   We had a roast chicken dinner at Jackie's last night- yummy - and she and Terry are coming with us to the Wetland Trust tonight.

The Ransom

A very important Bible reading today, as it covers the ransom sacrifice.  Why did Jesus come to the earth to die?  What was it that had happened in Eden, when Adam willfully threw away his perfect human life?  And please bear in mind that the world has erected a giant smokescreen of Evolution, Evolution, Evolution to try to stop us seeing what Genesis so plainly tells us.    Jehovah's word tells us that perfect justice requires a life for a life. But who could give a perfect human life for the one that Adam threw away?   None of us, his damaged children. We are all born imperfect and dying.  We are born "in sin" - sin means "to miss the mark of perfection" -, through no fault of our own.

We don't have a life to give, let alone a perfect one.

Sunday, March 20

The Son of man came . . . to give his life as a ransom in exchange for many.—Matt. 20:28.

How would this ransom satisfy justice? (1 Tim. 2:5, 6) As a perfect man, Jesus had prospects similar to those of Adam before he sinned. Jehovah’s purpose was to fill the earth with Adam’s perfect offspring. Hence, with deep love for his Father and for Adam’s descendants, Jesus gave up his human life in sacrifice. Yes, Jesus gave up a perfect human life that corresponded to what Adam had lost. Thereafter, Jehovah restored his Son to life as a spirit. (1 Pet. 3:18) Jehovah could justly accept the sacrifice of that one perfect man, Jesus, as a ransom, or purchase price, to buy back Adam’s family and give them the life prospects that Adam had forfeited. In a sense, Jesus took the place of Adam.—1 Cor. 15:45. w14 9/15 4:11, 12

Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 10) Mark 11:12-19

(Mark 11:12-19)   "The next day when they were leaving Bethʹa·ny, he felt hungry.  From a distance he caught sight of a fig tree that had leaves, and he went to see whether he could find something on it. But on coming to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.  So he said to it: “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” And his disciples were listening.  They now came to Jerusalem. There he entered the temple and started to throw out those selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves,  and he would not let anyone carry a utensil through the temple.  He was teaching and saying to them: “Is it not written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a cave of robbers.”  And the chief priests and the scribes heard it, and they began to seek how to kill him; for they were in fear of him, because all the crowd was astounded at his teaching. When it became late in the day, they went out of the city."

Some people seem to feel that this was a rather petulant loss of temper on Jesus' part. But, no, he was using the fig tree as an illustration of an important spiritual truth.  I shall return to that point, maybe tomorrow.

Yesterday was a Rugby day - and England won - so the Captain is happy.  I lay on the sofa reading, occasionally whirring my rugby rattle and shouting: "Get your specs on Ref!".and "ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY" on every possible occasion.  I like to take an intelligent interest.

Ron and Daphne are taking me to the meeting this morning.  I am still nowhere near driving - my shoulder/arm being very sore today.

Sanity and Insanity (and Toddler George)

The headline in The Daily Mail this morning tells me that toddler George does not call his granny, the Queen of England, "Queen" but calls her "Gan gan".   I am still reeling from the shock - but very relieved that nothing more shocking is happening in the world today that could have made headlines instead.

Is the world getting madder?  Or is it me?

So on to the sanity of today's Memorial Bible reading:

Saturday, March 19

Learn from me, for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart.—Matt. 11:29.

During his earthly ministry, Jesus spoke and acted in ways that revealed genuine humility. He never called undue attention to himself. Instead, he directed all glory to his Father. (Mark 10:17, 18; John 7:16) He never talked down to his disciples or made them feel inferior. Rather, he dignified them, praising them for the good he saw in them and expressing his confidence in them. (Luke 22:31, 32; John 1:47) Jesus outstandingly showed humility by his obedience. (Phil. 2:5-8) Unlike arrogant individuals who disdain obedience, Jesus humbly submitted to God’s will for him, becoming “obedient to the point of death.” Is it not clear that Jesus, the Son of man, was “lowly in heart”? w15 2/15 1:7

Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 9) Mark 11:1-11:

(Mark 11:1-11) "Now when they were getting near to Jerusalem, to Bethʹpha·ge and Bethʹa·ny at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples  and told them: “Go into the village that is within sight, and as soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied on which no man has sat until now. Untie it and bring it here.  And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.’”  So they went away and found the colt tied at a door, outside on the side street, and they untied it.  But some of those standing there said to them: “What are you doing untying the colt?”  They told them just what Jesus had said, and they let them go.  And they brought the colt to Jesus, and they put their outer garments on it, and he sat on it.  Also, many spread their outer garments on the road, but others cut down foliage from the fields.  And those going in front and those coming behind kept shouting: “Save, we pray! Blessed is the one who comes in Jehovah’s name!  Blessed is the coming Kingdom of our father David! Save, we pray, in the heights above!”  And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple, and he looked around at everything, but since the hour was already late, he went out to Bethʹa·ny with the Twelve."

Captain Butterfly has just flown off to Binstead Wood (near Arundel) to look for a rather spectacular fungus. He has been entrusted with the co-ordinates, so watch his blogspot (linked via The Captain's Log.)

The Memorial Bible Reading starts

Today the Memorial Bible reading starts:

"See, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" —John 1:29.

Jesus explained that he came, “not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his life as a ransom in exchange for many.” (Matt. 20:28) The “many” who would benefit from Jesus’ ransom were not to be limited to repentant Jews. Rather, it is God’s will that “all sorts of people should be saved,” since the ransom “takes away the sin of the world!” (1 Tim. 2:4-6) Did those early disciples of Jesus have the needed courage to keep on witnessing about him? Indeed they did. (Acts 5:30-32) Some 27 years after Pentecost 33 C.E., it could be said that “the message of truth of the good news” had reached Jews and Gentiles “in all creation under heaven.”—Col. 1:5, 23. w14 7/15 4:7, 8

Memorial Bible reading: (Events after sunset: Nisan 9) Mark 14:3-9

We always read about the incident recorded at Mark 14:3-9 at this time of year, and you will see why if you read it:

"And while he (Jesus) was at Bethʹany dining in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil, genuine nard, very expensive. She broke open the alabaster jar and began pouring it on his head.  At this some said to one another indignantly: “Why has this perfumed oil been wasted?  For this perfumed oil could have been sold for more than 300 denarʹi·i and the money given to the poor!” And they were greatly annoyed with her.  But Jesus said: “Let her alone. Why do you try to make trouble for her? She did a fine deed toward me.  For you always have the poor with you, and you can do them good whenever you want to, but you will not always have me. She did what she could; she poured perfumed oil on my body beforehand, in view of the burial.  Truly I say to you, wherever the good news is preached in all the world, what this woman did will also be told in memory of her.”"

We shopped at Tesco's early this morning and then I finished taking the Memorial invitations round the flats. Had one pleasant chat with an elderly lady.    My shoulder/arm very painful today after yesterday's physio session.  The Roger has been in touch, and Linda. And I got another royalty payment - which was very exciting - and just about paid for our morning's shopping.

Lovely Reviews on my Amazon page

Thank you so much all reviewers.   Your comments are very very much appreciated!

"A must read for the classically educated, this wonderful short had me reaching for my reference notes and chuckling at the subtle nuances throughout. For a piece that's under 10000 words, this strangely terrifying short held me in a disturbed reality for many hours after I'd finished it. Read away, if you dare!"

"A triumph! Bravo Ms Knight, you have a beautiful knowledge of the classics and the sprinkling of references made this a very enjoyable half hour's reading. Thank you."

"I read this in one sitting. It’s short but perfectly formed. It starts with a child, Emily, trapped but it isn’t quite clear where or how. The where and the how unfold with the story. It’s creepy and racks up the tension as Emily gradually finds her friends / toys, and the scene clears. The sense of escaping a ravening horde is nail-bitingly dramatic – and as an aside: Dorabella is a brilliant character! At the end it has come satisfyingly full circle and yet it ends on a shiver as it shows where the futuristic nightmare all began."

"An exquisite coming-of-age prose-poem, written in the form of a second-person dreamlike narrative. A privileged but lonely young female student in her first few weeks away from home at University becomes hopelessly lost in a closing shopping-mall, and searches for escape. Stairs and doors lead to mysterious and disturbing places that morph into tangled labyrinths of red marble and sparkling granite. She is accompanied by her childhood toys, her memories. There are retro-echoes of Alice in Wonderland and the films of Hayao Miyazaki in these dark tunnels and magical doors opening to bright seascapes and cosy fireside parlors. So the imaginary landscape of images and symbolism created by Sue Knight is therefore not really scary at all, but oddly familiar and comfortable, like opening an old sepia photo-album or picking up a long-forgotten tattered favourite childhood storybook."

"This novella is a must for fans of magical realism, and for those who like their stories with a sinister twist. The narrative opens with a sense of mystery - where are we, what is happening? - and slowly builds up into a story with real fear and tension. It's beautifully written, and It's also extremely topical - a timely warning contained in a truly original piece of writing."

"A very dark Alice in Wonderland reimagined through a dystopian lens of corporate greed, consumerism, killer robots, and out-of-control technology. Intelligent literature for grown-ups - highly recommended!"

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Till-They-Dropped-Sue-Knight-ebook/dp/B013P0QWO4


I admire Lewis Carroll very much - especially "Through the Looking Glass" - which he somehow gives the logical inconsequence of a dream - so I am honoured by the comparison and I wish I could write like that.    And, in some wonderful way, "Through the Looking Glass" is a game of chess.  Which I am certainly not capable of. The last time I played chess I lost to my tiny niece in Oz.  While I would love to say it was because, as a kind aunt, I let her win, it was actually because I confused my King with my Queen at a vital moment, and she checkmated me.

And I was pleased by the "sepia photograph" and the "long-forgotten tattered favourite childhood storybook", as one of the inspirations for "Till" was an illustration in a tattered old Victorian children's book. It was of three children, in Victorian nightwear, riding through the night on a rocking horse.

And love that Dorabella was appreciated - the 1950s doll who wanted to be a Barbie.

And, of course, when I wrote"Till", I did not know the Bible's promise that Jehovah will "bring to ruin those ruining the earth".   All I could see was that we were ruining it.

Yesterday I had my 6 months dental check - OK - and a painful clean - much needed as I have only just been able to start flossing my teeth again - one of the many things that requires two working shoulders.   The Captain dropped me at the dentists and afterwards I popped across the road to the Field Service Group - arriving rather late - had to disappear into the loo to deal with my bleeding mouth.  (I am not swearing - it was bleeding from the clean!)   Then I managed to finish the Close Jean and I were working in last week - have one lady to go back to  next month - and walked home, via a stop at Tesco to re-stock the cheese biscuits.

But that was all I could do.  My feet hurt so much I could barely stand. So I hope to finish the Flats this morning - IF I have enough invitations left.  

Supper with Jackie

Jacks came to supper on Saturday - chicken pie (courtesy of The Roger, via the Rustington Pie Shop) - cauliflower cheese, new potatoes and carrots (by moi) - along with wine, cheese and chocolates. Above all, of course, all of it was by courtesy of Jehovah, the God of Abraham.   He could have made eating as simple and dull an experience as filling up a car with petrol.  But he didn't.  He made it both a pleasure and a creative art, in that it is very satisfying to cook a meal that people enjoy.

And when paradise is restored, I am sure we will not be eating the animals, nor will they be eating each other (or us).  Under the loving rule of the Kingdom of God - the heavenly government for whose coming Jesus taught us to pray - all will return to the peace and harmony it had in the beginning before our first parents' tragic decision to go it alone.

We had a lovely talk and Watchtower on Sunday reminding us to look forward to that. And also reminding us of the harmony in the Christian congregation worldwide - and the part we all have to play in that.  Jehovah is drawing all who will listen back into the one loving family we were always intended to be.

As the world outside gets filled with violence, Jehovah's word shines like a beacon of hope, drawing more and more people to it every day.

A Sea Fret

The mist is on the Channel this morning, and is fading out The Green rapidly.  Ron and Daphne gave me a lift to the Hall last night, so I was able to join Maggie and all the family.    I am due for a shearing at Malcolm's at lunchtime and am going to have to force myself on up to our local supermarket to buy some cakes, as it is our group's turn to host the Broadcast at the Hall tomorrow afternoon.

Iron Age Mirrors

Avon  House

We went to the Museum this week, and they had a couple of iron age mirrors on display.  They were so elegant and beautiful - rather Art Nouveau - or, as I should say now, Art Nouveau is rather Iron Age.  Being of polished metal, they didn't give much in the way of a reflection - perfect for ladies at my time of life.  I want one!

The Captain took a photo of this house with its strangely placed door.

February 8 sunrise

Yesterday we had a walk on the beach - to the pier and back - quite cold.    And I got my magazine route started.  I packed up nearly half, with the Memorial invitation inside. We will  have room for one in our car, so I was able to extend the offer of a lift to one very nice guy on the route.   When he began to look at our website: https://www.jw.org/en/ he said to me that he felt he needed to start taking all this more seriously and was considering coming to meetings. So I hope he will.

There is so much I need to do, but I have so little energy.  And my shoulder is so painful.   Still I must always keep in mind that there is a wonderful hope ahead of us.  Health and energy such as we - the children of disobedient Adam - have not yet known.

And the beauty and artistry of the Iron Age mirrors were a good reminder that we are not evolving, but are falling from a perfect state, exactly as Genesis tells us.

Walking

Got a lift to the Kingdom Hal this morning, but walked back.  Made it, with a sit down in the bus stop shelter en route. But its frightening how its exhausted me.  However, I must get walking again. We had a walk in Arundel on Thursday and Col got some lovely pics.

The talk this morning was so good that Jean is going to see if she can get a copy of it for Col to listen to.  If she can, we hope any pray he will.  It was all about the natural world - the beauty, wonder and complexity of the creation.

Maggie is back at the meetings!    She has been so ill I didn't know if we would see her there again, but she is back.

And Jacks is back too - and treated us to a Thai chicken curry last night, and a butterfly cake.  A lovely evening full of laughter, as it always is.

Snow

Not here, but yesterday, in Bea's garden.  Oop North.   She sent us some photos of the garden disappearing under the snow.  It was sunny here - and is sunny this morning.

She also sent me a lovely watercolour rose, which arrived in the post today, to cheer me after my recent flare-up.

Back to the field for the first time since my accident. There was a big Field Service Meeting at the Kingdom Hall this morning, because of the Memorial invitation campaign.   Col drove me up there - and Jean and I got some territory close to the Hall and her bus stop and did as much as we could before Jean became too cold to go on.   I left her at the bus stop - the bus coming - and walked back. Col picked me up on the seafront.  That walk, which I used to do regularly, has completely exhausted me.

Which is depressing. But at least I got out.

Jacks is back from her hols - hurray - and we are going to her for supper tonight.  Its getting colder and colder as the day goes on.

The Energy of Creation

The day started off sunny, if cold. And I saw the Captain off in his working gear, making sure he had his sandwiches with him.  My right arm is coming back on line, thank God.  It even moved enough for me to make the sandwiches.   I am still very restricted, but its definitely getting better.

I was worrying in the early hours, about my mother, and the way she lost her shoulders to arthritis, so I was up about 5 composing a letter to my Arthritis doctor as Col has a hospital visit of his own today, and can take it in.  Only I seem to be in the awkward position of needing - urgently needing - to exercise the left shoulder/arm regularly (or I wont get the movement back, it will set solid), but I have a strong feeling, remembering what happened to my mother, that I should be very careful to rest the arthritic right shoulder/arm.  Now I need the one to exercise the other to an extent...   its all getting to be a bit of a health nightmare.  But probably to be expected as I approach my three score years and ten.

Back to the weather:  suddenly about 11 a.m. the wind got up, the garden trees started to hurtle about and the rain started.  Then there were legions of white horses roaring across the Channel. What a wonderful wonderful world it is!    Full of change and energy and beauty - the Channel looks so lovely at the moment with all its white frills that it lifts my heart.

And now - lunchtime -  its sunny again.

This is a verse from Isaiah I put on facebook today, about the abundance of dynamic energy.

(Isaiah 40:26) “Lift up your eyes to heaven and see. Who has created these things? It is the One who brings out their army by number; He calls them all by name. Because of his vast dynamic energy and his awe-inspiring power, Not one of them is missing."

Jehovah's inspired word taught us that matter comes from energy long before science did, I guess. And I am loving the energy of the creation today, as I feel a little energy creeping back into me.

A Severe Arthritis Flare-up

On Sunday, after the meeting at the Kingdom Hall - which was lovely (of course) - my right shoulder began to ache.  I quickly took a dose of my arthritis meds. But I no longer seem able to take them - they simply added a horrible sickness - I was literally sick at one point - to the increasing agony of the arthritic shoulder.

In a few hours, I was in such pain I did not know what to do with myself. I couldn't drink anything unless Col held the cup to my mouth.  it was awful.  A day of pain yesterday, with me lying awake in the early hours remembering how my mother lost both her shoulders to arthritis.

I felt a bit better this morning and slowly the right shoulder has come up to the level of competence of the wounded left one and is now starting to overtake it. Slowly.

My fellow sufferer Charles - an elder in the congregation - rang today and we had a long chat about all the horrors.   And Bea and Jackie rang, so i had losts of sympathy, along with wonderful help from Captain Butterfly, who managed to keep me laughing through all the pain and indignity.

He cancelled his work party on Monday seeing that I could not cope with anything.  But I must be well enough tomorrow as he has a work party plus a necessary hospital appointment that he has been waiting for for some rime.

Fatally damaged children of disobedient Adam...