Wednesday Witterings
We're Having a Heatwave
It may not be tropical but it really is too darn hot. Quite how we ever managed to get, & keep, an Empire I don't know. Except that it wasn't done by cold-loving mortals like H & me. Come to think of it, what about all those pioneering missionaries? & don't start, most of them were there to extend the Kingdom of God, not the rule of whichever monarch was currently on the British throne.
So having had a level 3 heatwave warning yesterday, which continued overnight, we have another today. Wear loose clothing, drink plenty of water, if you don't have to go out between 10am & 3pm, don't, wear sunscreen when you do go out. Just occasionally there are times when having a job might be nice - like one in an air-con building (working air-con of course). So if you have one like that - enjoy it! You're being paid to keep cool! (Even with all the attendant hassle)
I, however, shall be going out during the hottest part of the day - to discuss how we can up the profile of Tearfund and various missionaries in Church life. For those who jump to conclusions, because my English isn't always crystal clear, no, Tearfund is not a 'missionary' organisation as such. It's a Christian Relief & Development organisation which works with Christian groups in various places worldwide for the benefit of everyone. We do the work because we know that God loves us, & that He loves everyone else as well. So we go, well, I support, others go, help, working with Christian groups already on the ground, to provide various things - no strings, no 'belief requirements'. Then, if, & only if, people ask why we bother - then, & only then, we/they tell them it's because we know that God loves us & He loves them too!
A Nanniversary - today, umpteen years ago, the Mary Rose sank in the Solent. Now the French, against whom she was sailing out, like to think it was due to their action. Only indirectly. Much as we hate to admit it, 'twas bad seamanship what sank the Mary Rose. Various Naval personnel have ever since tried to make damn sure that heavy articles are safely stowed in such a way that they won't move during manoeuvers. Not having large holes in ship sides just above the waterline has contributed much to ship safety too! You can come to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard & view what's left of her, & some of the stuff they found in her. I find it fascinating. I remember them raising her too - end of Summer, Autumn storms almost upon us, so she had to be covered again or lifted. They lifted her. S was but a newborn babe then, so I watched it on TV, then went to change his nappy!
Various countries are evacuating their nationals from Lebanon. Bet the Lebanese government wishes it could do the same. Should think the ordinary Lebanese civilian caught in the shelling might wish so too. I know many of the surrounding states, also various organisations, want Israel out of existence & she does need to defend herself, but does Israel have to react so violently each time? I thought the governing principle was "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." So since when has "mass shelling of power stations, and anywhere a 'terrorist' might be for some rocket shells and a soldier, or two, abducted" taken over?
"An eye for an eye" may sound vicious but it was actually institued to LIMIT violence. To ensure reactions were proportionate. If someone hit you you were allowed to hit back, but not lethally. If they'd broken your skin you weren't supposed to break their bones! If someone killed a member of your family you weren't allowed to go & wipe out their entire village, take all their portable property & livestock & burn everything else. Or was it that this principle was, traditionally, only applied to other Jewish people & Gentiles were fair game? Hmmmm.
BBC News last night reported that the Israeli army liked to act quickly because it knew that the diplomats would move too, & then their hands would be tied. Except that the diplomats hadn't yet even begun to react - except by evacuating their nationals from Lebanon.
All this has, of course, diverted attention from the G8 Summit and their decisions. Ah well, I suppose we'll hear what the lowest common denominators were eventually. Will stop there, before all this human greed & stupidity depresses me.
Y'all have a good day now, & try to stay cool (thermally)!
It may not be tropical but it really is too darn hot. Quite how we ever managed to get, & keep, an Empire I don't know. Except that it wasn't done by cold-loving mortals like H & me. Come to think of it, what about all those pioneering missionaries? & don't start, most of them were there to extend the Kingdom of God, not the rule of whichever monarch was currently on the British throne.
So having had a level 3 heatwave warning yesterday, which continued overnight, we have another today. Wear loose clothing, drink plenty of water, if you don't have to go out between 10am & 3pm, don't, wear sunscreen when you do go out. Just occasionally there are times when having a job might be nice - like one in an air-con building (working air-con of course). So if you have one like that - enjoy it! You're being paid to keep cool! (Even with all the attendant hassle)
I, however, shall be going out during the hottest part of the day - to discuss how we can up the profile of Tearfund and various missionaries in Church life. For those who jump to conclusions, because my English isn't always crystal clear, no, Tearfund is not a 'missionary' organisation as such. It's a Christian Relief & Development organisation which works with Christian groups in various places worldwide for the benefit of everyone. We do the work because we know that God loves us, & that He loves everyone else as well. So we go, well, I support, others go, help, working with Christian groups already on the ground, to provide various things - no strings, no 'belief requirements'. Then, if, & only if, people ask why we bother - then, & only then, we/they tell them it's because we know that God loves us & He loves them too!
A Nanniversary - today, umpteen years ago, the Mary Rose sank in the Solent. Now the French, against whom she was sailing out, like to think it was due to their action. Only indirectly. Much as we hate to admit it, 'twas bad seamanship what sank the Mary Rose. Various Naval personnel have ever since tried to make damn sure that heavy articles are safely stowed in such a way that they won't move during manoeuvers. Not having large holes in ship sides just above the waterline has contributed much to ship safety too! You can come to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard & view what's left of her, & some of the stuff they found in her. I find it fascinating. I remember them raising her too - end of Summer, Autumn storms almost upon us, so she had to be covered again or lifted. They lifted her. S was but a newborn babe then, so I watched it on TV, then went to change his nappy!
Various countries are evacuating their nationals from Lebanon. Bet the Lebanese government wishes it could do the same. Should think the ordinary Lebanese civilian caught in the shelling might wish so too. I know many of the surrounding states, also various organisations, want Israel out of existence & she does need to defend herself, but does Israel have to react so violently each time? I thought the governing principle was "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." So since when has "mass shelling of power stations, and anywhere a 'terrorist' might be for some rocket shells and a soldier, or two, abducted" taken over?
"An eye for an eye" may sound vicious but it was actually institued to LIMIT violence. To ensure reactions were proportionate. If someone hit you you were allowed to hit back, but not lethally. If they'd broken your skin you weren't supposed to break their bones! If someone killed a member of your family you weren't allowed to go & wipe out their entire village, take all their portable property & livestock & burn everything else. Or was it that this principle was, traditionally, only applied to other Jewish people & Gentiles were fair game? Hmmmm.
BBC News last night reported that the Israeli army liked to act quickly because it knew that the diplomats would move too, & then their hands would be tied. Except that the diplomats hadn't yet even begun to react - except by evacuating their nationals from Lebanon.
All this has, of course, diverted attention from the G8 Summit and their decisions. Ah well, I suppose we'll hear what the lowest common denominators were eventually. Will stop there, before all this human greed & stupidity depresses me.
Y'all have a good day now, & try to stay cool (thermally)!