Beautiful September

What a beautiful September it has been!  I spent some of Tuesday afternoon out on the balcony doing my studying.  We are in Joshua at the moment  - specifically at the city of Jericho.  The sky was full of grey-white clouds scudding along and the Channel was full of galloping white horses.  On Wednesday I had my third dental surgery. I no longer say "last", as I have lost confidence in the process ever ending, and am thinking of opting for the "missing front tooth" look.

Could it possibly become fashionable?  Will Kate Moss consider launching the look?  I have to hope so, as after my third bout of dental surgery I am not only still minus one front tooth but am now minus the infrastructure that was so painstakingly put in.   And my mouth hurts.

Once again, with all this suffering, you would think I would be very belle indeed. But, alas...

The news today has been full of the tragedy that befell young Sarah Everard who on her way home one night was waylaid by an off-duty policeman who pretended to be arresting her, handcuffed her, and drove away with her.  Her body was found several days later.   Poor girl.  Poor heartbroken family.  

I wish so much they knew, or will come to know, that our Creator promises that they WILL see their daughter again, right here on the earth.  I have spoken before in my blog about the resurrection promise, but I want to say something today about why we can be sure of the truth of the Inspired Scriptures, how we can be sure that Jehovah's promises never fail.  For example, to return to the book of Joshua which tells how the city of Jericho was brought down in a few days, by Jehovah himself, not by human power, not by a long siege.

And I found this interesting information on the JW.org website:

"In ancient times, it was common for attackers to besiege a fortified city. Regardless of how long a successful siege lasted, the victors would plunder the city’s riches, including any remaining provisions. In Jericho’s ruins, however, archaeologists found large supplies of food. In this regard, Biblical Archaeology Review states: “The most abundant item found in the destruction, apart from pottery, was grain. . . . This is unique in the annals of Palestinian archaeology. Perhaps a jar or two might be found, but to find such an extensive amount of grain is exceptional.”

According to the Scriptural account, the Israelites had good reason not to plunder Jericho’s grain. Jehovah had commanded them not to do so. (Josh. 6:17, 18) The Israelites attacked in the spring of the year, just after harvesttime when grain supplies were abundant. (Josh. 3:15-17; 5:10) The fact that much grain remained in Jericho indicates that the Israelite siege was of short duration, just as the Bible describes it.

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2015847 

The Heroism of Abalone Divers

Captain Butterfly spent his weekend camping out in the badlands of Dorset - at a metal detectorist rally.  He went off with tent and camp bed and a load of food to see him through his weekend in the wilderness, otherwise I expect he would have had to exist on Cream Teas and Designer coffees.  He hasn't come back with any treasure, but he had a good time.

And its very nice to have him back. 

I had my meetings on Saturday and Sunday morning, and a friend came round on Saturday afternoon and we had innumerable cups of tea on the balcony.  She bought a copy of Disraeli Hall. It was a lovely September day on which to sit out there, among the geraniums, and watch the sea.  

Cousin Sheila rang yesterday, so we had a good catch up on cousin news. 

I frightened myself while Col was away while watching my new Youtube discovery Mr.Ballen.  He is a wonderful story teller - true stories - with some powerful warnings.  Some of them I don't watch - much too frightening and upsetting.  But there is a clip in this video which tells of the heroism of the Abalone divers, who support their families by risking their lives diving for these shellfish which are, apparently, considered a very upmarket delicacy in China.

I ate one once in our travelling years - nearly 40 years ago - and it was like eating a rubber band.  Not even an upmarket one.  I would not of course eat one now, they are like so many things endangered. 

The South African abalone divers, who have no other work, no other way of feeding their families, swim for three hours to get to the abalone beds (they cannot earn enough to buy a boat). There they dive for a couple of hours, and swim back - 3 hours - with their catch.  But they only come back if - IF - they have not been attacked and killed by the many great white sharks who are hunting seals in the same area.

They go out day after day so they can feed their families.  And many do not come back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8swB7qMU7gk

They are true heroes. But what a cruel cruel world system we live in.  The poor get poorer and poorer as the rich get richer.  Truly, as the Inspired Scriptures warn, we live in the time when "man has dominated man to his harm".

But not for much longer.  Please please read the letter you will be getting, or may already have, from your local Jehovah's Witness congregation.  Or go to our website JW.org.

Tom

There was another farewell on Wednesday.  We said goodbye to Tom at Worthing Crematorium.  It was a lovely simple service - elegant and appropriate - with family and friends speaking and doing the readings.  We had not known Tom and Jill for very long.  We met them in our retirement, through Jacks, as Tom and Jill were long term friends of hers - and now they are both gone.  It is very sad for Jacks that she was not well enough to go to the funeral.   But Adam came and it was nice to catch up with him and get an update.

Jill and I discovered we had the same taste in books just before she died. We shared many favourite authors.  And I would have loved to be able to share my own books with her and with Tom too. 

They were the sort of people the world needs more of - not less of.

I always wish that the Biblical hope for the dead would be explained at funerals, as it is so comforting.  And because of it, I am hoping this is not goodbye but Au Revoir.  I hope they will see this lovely earth again when the time comes for the resurrection of the dead.  Here is the promise:

          "Your dead will live.

My corpses will rise up.

Awake and shout joyfully,

You residents in the dust!

For your dew is as the dew of the morning,

And the earth will let those powerless in death come to life."

Isaiah 26:19

I posted copies of Disraeli Hall to Lilian and  Kathryn - and another friend told me she has already ordered it on Kindle. She wants to take it on her upcoming holiday. Which makes me feel that she must have found Gordo a good read.   She and Kathryn knew the house that is 5 Disraeli Crescent in the book.  They spent many winter Sunday afternoons with me and my siblings there back in the day.

So Farewell Then...

John Challis, the actor who played Boycie in Only Fools and Horses has died.  He was wonderful, like the whole cast.  It seems to me, rightly or wrongly, that comedy is much harder to act than tragedy, as mistiming can kill the funniest line.

Anyway, as a tribute to John Challis, here is one of his great lines - and it was, of course, beautifully delivered:

‘I’ve left my Mercedes parked downstairs and you know what they’re like on this estate. They’d have the wheels off a jumbo if it flew too low.’ 

"We have a problem" said Captain Butterfly grimly as he fluttered back upstairs on Sunday morning.  "Someone has been smashing china on the Green, and throwing some of it over the wall onto our cars."

What?  And Why?   And yes, the Green was littered with shards of rather good quality white china, some of which had obviously been hurled over our wall in the early hours.  None of the parked cars were damaged, thankfully, but some had shards of china on them.

Very very strange.  Captain B went down and cleared it all up and emailed all round.

There is a locked-room mystery by Carter Dickson called "The Ten Teacups".   Could this inspire my own next thriller?   "The Ten Smashed Teacups"?  

Well, not so far, but who knows.   My only Sherlockian thought so far is that one of our local restaurants had been broken into and vandalised... but i haven't heard of any such incident.

To return my blog to where it began, John Challis.  Will he live again, when the time comes for the resurrection?   He contributed a lot of happiness to many of us while he was here, so I feel very hopeful.

I got a lovely review of not just Disraeli Hall, but my whole oeuvre (the other two books), from a fellow author.  I hope to be able to post it in my next blog - which I had probably better title: The Ego Has Landed.  And we have had a smashed-crockery free night.

Another Part in the School

On Thursday night I did my first 5 minute part in the School - a whole 5 minutes!  (I ought to acknowledge that the brothers have to do 30 minute talks...and do them very well too.)  The Brief was:  

• Return Visit: (5 min.) Begin with the sample conversation. Then offer the Enjoy Life Forever! brochure, and start a Bible study. (th study 16: Upbuilding and Positive)   And looking at the little demonstration video, I saw that I needed to play the video.

• You can find the video I play here:  https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/VODSampleConversations/pub-mwbv_202109_2_VIDEO 

And this was my talk:

Sue: Thanks for the coffee. Its nice to be able to meet up regularly again. How has your week been? 

HH:  OK thanks Sue - oh and I must tell you this. You know you were saying last week that you Jehovah's Witnesses were doing your witnessing work by letter because of the pandemic. Well I got a letter from your congregation!

Sue. Great!  Who was it from, and what did it say?

HH:  I can't remember her name.  I meant to bring it to show you, but  I forgot.  She said pretty much the same as you were telling me last week, about the Kingdom of God and the earth becoming a paradise.  And she quoted some words from that frightening book at the end of the Bible - the Apocalypse I think its called.  But they were lovely words.

Sue:  Oh yes, also known as the Book of Revelation - and actually it does reveal some lovely things.  Was it the verses that tell us that God will wipe out every tear from our eyes?

HH:  Yes that was the one.  Lovely words.  And I only wish I could believe they would come true. 

Sue. Indeed. And they do seem too good to be true, don't they? But would you like to be able to be sure that you can believe them?  Because the men who wrote the Bible tell us over and over again that what they are writing down is inspired by our Creator, Jehovah. It is his message to us. In other words, that it is the truth.

HH:  Honestly, I would find that hard to believe. A book written that long ago has to be pretty out of date for a start.  We know so much more than those writers would have.

Sue.  That is a very good point, because, yes, if it is a book written by men then for sure much of it would be very out of date, and some of it likely plain wrong.. But is it?  You might be surprised if you study it. For example, the writing of the Bible was completed over 2,000 years ago - most of it being much older than that - so when it touches on scientific matters, do you think it would be very out of date.

HH:  Yes. No question. We have made such advances in science since then.

Sue. Then I hope you might want to think about this. Although the Bible is not a scientific textbook when it does touch on matters of science, it is one hundred per cent accurate.  And I would love to demonstrate using this little brochure I was telling you about last week.  I hope to show you that not only is the Bible accurate, but is actually ahead of its time - ahead of human knowledge.  I have a copy with me - shows ENJOY LIFE FOREVER. There is a great little video, very short, in this section here: Science Agrees with the Bible",  Would you like to watch it?

HH:  Ok, why not?

VIDEO

Sue:  Do you notice the two wrong things people used to believe about the earth?

HH:  Yes, that it was flat - that you could even sail off the end of it.

Sue.  Yes. I have often thought how brave those early explorers were, when they did first sail round the world. They must have been afraid that any minute they could be swept over the edge by a gigantic waterfall!  And do you notice what else they thought.

HH:  Yes. They thought this flat earth had to be supported on something.

Sue. Yes, which is only logical as they did not understand about gravity.  But did you notice that when describing the earth, the Bible not only tells us that it is round, a sphere, but also that it floats unsupported in space. And I would like to read you that verse from Job, the one that was quoted in the video,  as it was written three thousand five hundred years ago:   Reads Job 26:7: 

"He (that is, Jehovah, the Creator) stretches out the Northern sky over empty space, suspending the earth upon nothing."

Until I began to study the Bible with the Jehovah's Witnesses, I had no idea that the Inspired Scriptures told us the shape of the earth and how it floats through the universe, suspended on nothing, long before scientists had worked it out.

HH: This has made me realise that I don't know very much about the Bible.

Sue:  I would love to help you learn more if you would like to. Could I leave this little publication with you and we could talk some more about it when we meet next week.

UntiS

S

Sue

Il Faux Souffrir Pour etre Belle

As the French say, it is necessary to suffer to be beautiful.  But I seem to be getting the worst of both worlds. I am suffering but I am not becoming beautiful.  I spent Monday morning at the dentist, as he tried to give me back my two front teeth.  It was a morning of what hospitals call "discomfort" (as in: the Gestapo caused discomfort to those they interrogated) - but I only got one tooth out of it.

I am now in for another trip to the Dental Surgeon...  and am continuing to look like someone who has been barred from every pub in town for fighting.

What I did yesterday escapes me - beyond that I attended the Field Service meeting in Zoom - and did some witnessing letters - oh, and I did get my script for Thursday night kicked into shape and despatched to my householder.  

The Scripture I am concentrating on is Job 26:7, which says, of Jehovah, "He stretches out the northern sky over empty space, suspending the earth upon nothing."    So, three thousand, five hundred years ago, the Bible accurately describes the position of earth in space.

We plan to practise it tomorrow morning.

Today was a lovely September day - a calm and sparkling sea under a blue blue sky full of drifting white clouds.  I had my balcony time doing my studies, and thinking of how wonderful it will be to be in the restored earthly paradise.  I hope we will all be  there.

The Orange Zealots

Friday was a medical afternoon: phone calls to the doctor's surgery - on hold for 30 mins such is the demand - a phone call to my medical suppliers as I noted that I have double booked on Monday and their delivery may clash with my dental appointment, so I got the delivery re-assigned to the evening.  Only a 10 minute wait this time. Then I had to make an appointment with the podiatrist... nothing available till next month - oh and I had to make a blood test appointment - routine for next rheumatology appointment which is looming.

I am stressed out but at least it is done.  And I should get my new teeth on Monday - after 2 months of looking like someone who has been banned from all the pubs in town for fighting and brawling.  Not looking forward to another trip to the dentist though.  In the meantime I need to get on with my witnessing letters and also start writing my part for Thursday night. I have the 5 minute part this time!

So much of my life seems to be taken up with medical matters now.

Returning to these two prophecies in the Christian Greek Scriptures: "However, when you see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, then know that the desolating of her has drawn near. Then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains, let those in the midst of her leave, and let those in the countryside not enter into her,"  (Luke 21:20,21)

And “Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let the reader use discernment), then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains." (Matthew 24:15,16)

Continued from my previous blog...

"Surprisingly, Cestius Gallus and his soldiers left Jerusalem and started to return home. The Zealots chased after them. Now that the Romans and the Jewish rebels had left the city, Jesus’ followers had an opportunity to escape. Jesus had clearly told them to leave the city right away and not to take their things with them. (Read Matthew 24:17, 18.) It was very important for them to obey Jesus and leave right away. Why? Because within a few days, the Zealots returned and began forcing the people of Jerusalem and Judea to join their rebellion. Several Jewish groups fought for control, and the situation in the city quickly got worse. It became harder and harder to leave Jerusalem. When the Romans returned in the year 70 after Christ, it became impossible to leave Jerusalem. (Luke 19:43) Anyone who stayed in the city was trapped! But the Christians who obeyed Jesus’ instructions and fled to the mountains were saved. They saw for themselves that Jehovah knows how to save his people. What lesson can we learn from this account?"

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/402012284?q=zealots&p=par

I am not sure why the Zealots keep being highlighted in orange... they do not sound pleasant characters going by the way the Jewish historian Josephus described them. But it was the sudden (and inexplicable) withdrawal of the Roman army that drew them away from Jerusalem that meant that the Christians were able to leave the city.   Because when first the Zealots and then later the Roman army returned there was no escape..

And what lesson can we learn from this account?   Please please listen to our Creator, the God of Abraham.  He is having he good news of the Kingdom preached worldwide for a reason.  

The New Beach Cafe

 On Tuesday it was - allegedly - hotter here than South India!  It was certainly HOT.  We met up with friends and tried out the new beach cafe.  It was very nice.  And we had another visitor in the morning - Butterfly Richard - who came to photography the Clifden Nonpareil and stayed for a cup of tea and a catch up.

We seem to have set up a Butterfly and Moth Seaside Cafe of our own, as Col put out a small saucer of cotton wool soaked with a honey and water solution - and they loved it!

Are we getting back to normal?  Yes and no.  It is still uncertain Covid-wise...  I have a friend calling in and we may have a coffee on the balcony if the weather is balcony-friendly.  She came and in fact we had tea and cake - banana bread,  It was a lovely warm September afternoon.  She left us some grapes from her garden, some different cream to help with my skin problem, and a copy of our new brochure: Enjoy Life Forever.  I am so pleased to have a copy.

Its strange to have people dropping in for coffee again.  Its been a long time.  Oh and I also got a call from one of the congregation elders - a lovely upbuilding shepherding call.   So a very pleasant afternoon all in all.

In my Tuesday blog, I discussed this strange prophecy at Luke 21:20,21 where Jesus said: “However, when you see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, then know that the desolating of her has drawn near. Then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains, let those in the midst of her leave, and let those in the countryside not enter into her,"

And I want to add these two verses from Matthew:   “Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let the reader use discernment), then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains." - Matthew 24:15,16

So, why not go BEFORE Jerusalem was surrounded - and before the disgusting thing was actually standing in the holy place?   Well, secular history gives us the answer.  

This information is from our website JW.org:

"The meaning of Jesus’ words became clear many years after he had spoken them. In the year 66 after Christ, Roman armies led by Cestius Gallus came to Jerusalem to stop a Jewish rebellion. When the Jewish rebels, known as the Zealots, hid inside the temple, Roman soldiers began to destroy the temple wall. Those Christians who remembered Jesus’ instructions knew what all of that meant. They understood that the pagan Roman army carrying its idolatrous flags outside the temple wall was the “disgusting thing” standing in “a holy place.” It was time for Jesus’ followers to “begin fleeing to the mountains.” But how would they get out of a city that was surrounded by enemies? Something unexpected was about to happen."

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/402012284?q=zealots&p=par

How could they get out of a city that was surrounded by the enemy - and such a formidable one too?

To be continued...

The Clifden Nonpareil

Neil came round yesterday morning to photograph the Clifden Nonpareil that turned up in the moth trap overnight.  It was good to see him again. He stopped for a coffee and a chat and we caught up a bit.  I wonder if we will be having a real AGM this year, as opposed to a virtual one. And if so will we go?  I am still being careful.  Time will tell, I guess.  I usually make two large fruit cakes - one for the AGM (we sell coffee and cakes in the interval to raise funds for butterfly conservation) - and one for the freezer.

Our Gorgon's Lock boardgames arrived, along with our Abel & Cole order and my latest parcel of medicines.

Richard is coming today to photograph our nonpariel, after which it will be set free.  I am glad he is coming in the morning, as every hour is a long time in the life of a moth.

And our talk on Sunday was also a bit of a nonpareil - wisdom without compare (IF I am understanding the French here correctly - my schooldays were a long time ago).

He discussed this strange prophecy at Luke 21:20,21 where Jesus said: “However, when you see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, then know that the desolating of her has drawn near. Then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains, let those in the midst of her leave, and let those in the countryside not enter into her,"

I say "strange prophecy" because wouldn't you think it would be too late to wait until Jerusalem was surrounded by encamped armies?  Surely you would need to flee before that?  Well, history (secular history) tells us exactly how that prophecy was fulfilled - and why the moment to get ready to flee was when Jerusalem was surrounded.  I hope to get back to this - and also show how the Hebrew Scriptures - or Old Testament - warned about the desolating of Jerusalem after the Messiah was "cut off" in death.

Olympian Thoughts

We, the Captain and myself, have been watching and enjoying the Paralympics in Tokyo. The athletes always make me feel like a complete wimp, but then all athletes do really. I remember the horror of P.E.Lessons at school - or Gym, as we used to call it.   Looking back, as a child I used to run and climb and jump and swing off and over things outside school, but I was hopeless at school, and being shouted at by various P.E.teachers did not help really.

Though if they ever make Synchronised Sofa Sitting an Olympic Sport, I reckon I might be a strong contender for a gold medal.

Here are three things I am still waiting to see at an Olympics:

1.  The little chap who starts the Keirin by peddling slowly round while the racing bikes have to follow him - I want to see him surge ahead and win it, just once.

2.  The Pacemaker in any race leaving the pack behind and going for gold. That may have happened of course, but i haven't seen it.

and

3.  One of the competitors in the Freestyle Swimming race opting for breaststroke.

Disraeli Hall has sold some copies already, mainly from people who read and enjoyed "Waiting for Gordo".  Hurray!  Now I am not exactly rivalling J K Rowling, but I am thrilled.   What any author wants is for someone to enjoy reading their book and want more.  My aim is to make my books as readable as possible - to draw people into the world of the book.

And HOLD THE PRESSES  I made some banana bread on Thursday, so the freezer is well re-stocked.  But - more earth-shaking news - it did not turn out as well as it usually does. I think possibly because the bananas weren't ripe enough.  I usually make it when we have bananas that are so ripe they are no good for anything else. Clearly I jumped the gun (to use an Olympian metaphor).

As for what is happening in the world...  including frightening floods in New York - we just saw a news clip of water pouring onto a subway train... how desperately we need the Kingdom of God, and for His will to be done on the earth.   And it is so close.

Jesus, as the King of that Kingdom, showed us what he can and will do when he was so briefly on the earth.  Famously, he calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee.  The winds and the sea obeyed him.  What human government can control the elements, the natural forces?  But the heavenly one can, and it will. All will come back into the perfect harmony that prevailed in Eden.

I hope I am there to see it.  I hope we all are.  Jehovah does not want any one of us to be lost. We are all his children, his creation, and He will help us every step of the way.