Archive for February, 2012
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 29, 2012
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On Monday I put my vehicle in for its annual MOT test. I have driven less than four thousand miles since my last MOT test in this vehicle so I expected it to sail through this time. Thankfully it did. It has been 14 months since I had the vehicle serviced at the same service station (they checked their records for me) and similarly I have not driven four thousand miles since then either, in fact the mileage on this vehicle is still less than 16 thousand miles after four years on the road! The guy at the station asked me when it was last serviced but I couldn’t remember because I look more to the mileage when thinking about servicing. Of course these places would have me servicing the vehicle once or twice a year irrespective of the mileage! According to the manufacturer, Peugeot, the maintenance interval is 12 thousand miles but nevertheless I have had it serviced twice since new at 6 thousand mile intervals, mainly for oil and filter changes. It is a diesel engine so it will be less prone to the same wear as a petrol engine would be but for peace of mind I like to change the oil more often. There is a minor oil leak, very minor really but I will be taking the vehicle back within the next month or two to have it checked out. So now I have another twelve months ‘free’ motoring! Not exactly free though is it? It will be free from requiring official documentation replacement that’s all. When I take my vehicle in for its MOT test I generally wait at the station until it is done, no so when it is having a service though for that takes much more time to complete. This time whilst waiting, a young woman came in asking if they could check her oil as she thought it had all drained out. Having driven from Liverpool some twenty or more miles away I said that her engine would have seized-up had she no oil at all in the sump. It turned out that in fact half of the oil had drained out, evidently through a loose oil filter. She told me that she never checks anything under the bonnet except maybe the water reservoir for her screen wash! I thought that these days it was a requirement to know what goes on under the bonnet as part of the driving test.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Driving, Maintenance | Tagged: Driving, Liverpool, MOT test, Oil filter, Peugeot, Vehicle | 3 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 28, 2012
Our granddaughter Isabella was born on New Years Eve and E and I got to see her the next day but we hadn’t the chance of seeing her since then due our circumstances and those of our son and daughter-in-law. Sunday, around noon, they came round to see us. We were supposed to be dining with them on Friday last but Isabella had a chest infection and was taken to see the doctor. It appears she had a cold. She has changed quite a lot over the weeks since her birth and is just beginning to take notice of her surroundings. I couldn’t wait to have her in my arms once more so I was very happy that I could do that knowing that she could see me for the first time. The last time I held her in my arms her eyes were closed. She is beginning to stay awake more often now. During the short stay with us Isabella had her nappy (diaper) changed twice by her dad and I looked on remembering that once he was having his nappy changed by me! I am so looking forward to seeing Isabella more often as she grows and becomes even more aware of things. It will be fun getting to know each other little by little as the months go by. Whilst she was here on Sunday I took her to the window overlooking the back garden and she seemed as fascinated with the view as she was with the bookcases in the same room. Sadly she had to leave with her mom and dad but I know she will be back soon. She’s a little darling. When my son sends me the photos he’s taken I’ll be able to post one or two on here. I suppose I could have taken one or two myself but I simply didn’t think of doing that for some reason.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Family | Tagged: Diaper, Family, Home, Isabella, Parent | 4 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 27, 2012
Now I’ll wager that title had some of you thinking but I am not referring to romps in the hay! I am referring to what has now become known as your five a day, fruit and/or vegetables. I was listening to some music on my computer through ‘Jango’, an on-line service that allows you to choose the type of music you want to listen to. As each song is played you can add it or not to your personal preferences. This enables the program to play the music that you may like to listen to and add to your ‘station’. I digress. On the main page of the website is advertising space for their sponsors. One of the adverts was promoting the use of two products used together which they claim eradicates the signs of ageing by removing wrinkles and skin blemishes. One of the products uses anti-oxidants to achieve their claims. The other product it seems provides the moisturiser, essential for eliminating dry skin and the effects of daily living. Their claims were backed by photographic evidence. The key point in all of this is the fact that anti-oxidants really do revitalise and rejuvenate the skin. This fact has been proven in scientific studies in the last few years. Since my childhood I have always enjoyed eating fresh fruit and vegetables, many of the things that some people dislike such as cabbage, sprouts and other things. According to a ‘old wife’s tale’ my mother used to tell me was that by all accounts I should not like tomatoes because she ate them whilst carrying me! That did not stop me eating them by the dozens! I still love tomatoes and eat many of them each week. They are full of anti-oxidants as are many other fruits and vegetables, especially those with red or purple-coloured skins like grapes and plums which I also eat. One thing that set me apart from one or two of my siblings was the fact that I ate so much more fruit and vegetables than they did as far as I can recall. Since my teenage days I have always looked far younger than my age and I think that may be due to my eating habits more than anything else. I still get my ‘five a day’ as a minimum but more often it is eight, nine or ten! I write this just after lunch on Saturday and even now I have had six portions of fruit and vegetables already. Whilst at one time I ate my fruit and vegetables simply because I enjoyed them now I eat them because they help to make me stay young-looking too. I mention also that red wine is full of anti-oxidants only because I enjoy a glass or two of it quite regularly! Of course getting enough fruit and/or vegetables each day is only a part of the equation, we have to look after our health in other ways too by eating the right food and getting exercise. There are links on this site pointing to healthy food options. Are you getting enough?
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Food, Health | Tagged: Antioxidant, Eating, Food, Food and Related Products, Health, Produce, Vegetable | 2 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 26, 2012
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I was sitting at home on Thursday afternoon quietly contemplating my life and my situation. I had not much sleep the night before, I guess that was because of the days events and the devastating news of someone I knew who had been murdered the evening before. I heard of the sad story whilst watching the news on television. It is at times like these that we take stock and especially so when we have time on our hands. I should have been working at home but I’d been out to do a job for someone else and was feeling very tired. My mind full of enthusiasm but my flesh wasn’t up to it and I resigned myself to taking it easy instead. I was listening to BBC Radio 4 and drifting in and out of a few cat naps. One program was about the merit or not of short stories and introduced a couple of short story writers to give their opinion as to why they wrote them and if they thought they were well received by the reading public. One or two of those readers, when asked, were very supportive of short stories and talked about how they encouraged the reader to get into the story quickly, why they were not kept waiting to discover the plot as it were and how much more enjoyable they were as opposed to having to spend days reading a standard novel. Each to their own though, not everyone thought the same. I got to thinking that much of what we do here in our blogs are essentially short stories, clips, snap shots and random experiences in our lives put to the electronic page. I find reading other people’s blogs fascinating for the most part although some, probably my own too but hopefully not often, can be a little boring. It all depends on the reader though doesn’t it? We can only guess what our readers think unless they respond in a comment. I say that because I do have a lot of readers each day but of course not all of them comment. I might be swamped trying to answer in response if that were the case. I have never really enjoyed reading fiction always preferring facts which I suppose is why I like reading blogs although I will read short stories because, well, they are short! When blog posts begin to get too long I begin to lose interest but I try my best to stay with them if the subject is particularly of interest to me. With that in mind and the fear of driving my readers away I now close this post having written what I wanted to say and having reached 455 words.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Writing | Tagged: Arts, BBC Radio 4, Classics, Fiction, Literature, Online Writing, Short Stories, Short story | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 25, 2012
Gender 'tag cloud' (Photo credit: ILRI)
The article below is copied entirely from Yahoo news pages on 24 Feb and can be seen there. I think it is a step in the right direction and makes for positive reading in the light of recent mishandling of the same subject by some areas of the press. I felt it worthy of posting for those who find the whole subject confusing…..
.. News headlines this week proclaimed the story of five-year-old Zach Avery, the British boy who rejected his sex and now lives as a girl.Zach Avery © Caters News But away from all the controversy over one child’s tale, we take a look at how to handle this rare, but very real, condition: gender identity disorder or GID. While most often seen in adolescence or adulthood, GID – where a person feels alienated from their biological sex – can also be experienced by children. Cases of very young boys and girls, such as that of Zach Avery, are in the minority. At the UK’s only national medical centre for the disorder, London’s Tavistock and Portman Foundation Trust, only seven children under the age of five were diagnosed last year. [Related story: Meet the parents raising a genderless child] But the number of children of all ages diagnosed with GID rose from 97 in 2009-10 to 165 so far this academic year. Much of the upsurge may be due to greater awareness. But, as experts point out, around 800 adults are referred annually to NHS gender identity clinics. And although most say they experienced discomfort about their sex from childhood, only about 50 children per annum are referred to the Tavistock and Portman. That means many childhood cases of this gender dysphoria – that is, unhappiness or anxiety about biological gender – may be going unreported and undiagnosed. And it can manifest itself, as the NHS notes, “at a very young age”. But how do you know if your child has the syndrome or if their protestations are just another phase? Should you be concerned if your little boy wants to dress as a ‘girl’, your daughter only has boy playmates or your son says he wants to be a lady when he grows up? It’s a difficult and sensitive issue with as many grey areas as there may be black and white – but there are organisations and support networks out there that can help. One of them, the British charity Mermaids, is specifically aimed at helping young people and their families through what can be a very confusing time. As the website site explains: “Your daughter may say that she wants to be a boy, or your son may identify himself as a girl. Or perhaps you are worried about your child’s cross gender behaviour, but they won’t discuss it with you, and instead are isolated and withdrawn… Don’t panic, you are not alone.” [Related story: 'Gender neutral' child says 'it's silly' to differentiate between boys and girls] Firstly, it is important to remember that even children who experience gender identity disorder are not inevitably going to wish to change their sex when they reach adulthood. Sometimes the issues are transient, and pass. The NHS says: “In most cases, this type of behaviour is just a normal part of growing up, but in some cases of gender dysphoria, it persists into later childhood and through to adulthood.” UK charity the Gender Identity Research and Education Society (GIRES) notes that, of the relatively small number of cases of young children the organisation has seen, 80 per cent “did not progress to become transsexual people” – i.e. undergoing surgery to alter their sex. As for what causes it, the reasons remain largely unknown. While GID is currently classed as a psychiatric condition, recent studies suggest it is more to do with biological development. Whether passing or permanent, psychological or physical, the reality is that when children do go through these issues, the stresses can be immense – from bullying at school to alienation within the home and disgust at their own bodies. According to official NHS advice, if the behaviours are occasional, or in early childhood, there is often little cause for concern. But if your child repeatedly insists they want to be the opposite sex, behaves as the opposite sex, dislikes or refuses to wear clothes typically worn by their sex, shows unhappiness with their genitalia, has not yet reached puberty and has behaved in this way for at least six months then they could have GID so visit your GP for a referral to a gender dysphoria clinic. Here is some advice on how to deal with the condition as a parent, teacher or family member: .Remember that, while rare, it is not that rare. GIRES estimates that in any school of 1,000 pupils there are likely to be six who will experience transgenderism throughout their lives. Among younger, pre-adolescent, pupils, there are likely to be 60 who will experience “atypical sexual orientation”. Try not to conform to stereotypical views of gender. If your son prefers to wear ‘girly’ clothing or your daughter displays ‘boyish’ behaviours, don’t forbid it even if it makes you feel uncomfortable. If your child or a young person in your care brings up the matter of gender (e.g. expresses anxiety about being a boy/girl) always listen, reassure and offer support. GIRES adds: “If it feels right to ask a few questions, you can do that, but do it gently and don’t make it sound like an interrogation. Try not to act as though you are amazed or shocked. Be relaxed and matter-of-fact.” Reassure the child that he or she is not the only one – and that although it may be unusual, there are other young people who feel exactly the same. Organisations such as Mermaids and Gendered Intelligence can show young people and their families that they are not alone. Ask how they feel about it: if they say they are very upset or depressed or have even considered suicide, take them seriously and tell your doctor. Ask if anyone else is aware of this and inquire, gently, if they have ever been bullied because of it. Prejudice and bullying can be a serious problem. Organisations such as the Anti-Bullying Alliance can help. Try to understand the nature of gender variance – that is, not to think of gender identity as being either totally male or totally female. GIRES says: “Sometimes people of any age may be ungendered. In many people, especially those who are young, gender identity may be partially both male and female and also fluid.” Seek support and advice yourself – it is normal for parents to feel worried, confused and uncomfortable. Don’t ignore it and don’t react with anger – forcing a child to hide his or her feelings will not make them go away. Remember that gender identity is naturally variable; it is no-one’s fault, so do not feel guilty or blame anything you may or may not have done. . If you do decide a GP referral is the appropriate course of action, specialist doctors can make a proper diagnosis, as well as undertake psychological assessments and possibly hormone tests. Counselling, group support, and other treatments are available. Lastly, as the NHS advises: “You should try to be relaxed about cross-gender behaviour in your child, even if you do feel concerned. It is important that children do not feel judged or rejected because of who they are. “Sometimes, in the case of a child who wishes to cross-dress, you may feel it is appropriate to negotiate some boundaries to this, by explaining to your child that although this isn’t a secret, it is private and should be done at home, but perhaps not at school as other people may not understand. However, it is important not to make the child feel that this is something shameful.” For information and advice see www.mermaidsuk.orh.uk or call their helpline on (0208) 1234819 Mon to Sat, 3-7pm. Also see www.gires.org.uk, www.genderedintelligence.co.uk and www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk…. . @YLifestyleUK on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook .. . . Family and Parenting Editor Picks
Copyright Yahoo 2012
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Transgender, Transsexual | Tagged: Gender, Gender identity, Gender identity disorder, Gender Identity Research and Education Society, National Health Service, NHS, Sex, Zach Avery | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 24, 2012
Your love is all I need
To last my whole life through
For it to me is everything
And in my heart such joy it brings
That all I need is you.
Your love I treasure most
In each and every way
For it brings me such happiness
Like nothing else I must confess
And gets me through the day.
Your love is over all
Against it nought can stand
For it’s more mighty than the sword
And I ask you my dear sweet Lord
To spread it o’er this land.
Your love will conquer all
It is the purest kind
No other love compares to it
For your love is the ultimate
And there for all mankind.
Your love is who you are
The greatness that is you
There is nobody else beside
There is no place that we can hide
From such a love as You.
Copyright Shirley Anne 26 Feb 2004
Each morning I awake I get down on my knees and speak with my love. He is everything I need. He cares for me like no-one else does. Nothing I do surprises Him and He is very patient with me. When I make mistakes He is ready to forgive me. When I present Him with gifts of love He returns it in greater measure. Nothing is impossible for Him. Others let me down but He remains faithful and loving. Who else can compare to Him? No-one. He is the ‘I am’, He is and was and shall be forever the same. He is Almighty God. He is my Father and I am His child. He comforts me in times of sorrow and gladdens my heart in times of joy. Without Him I am nothing. His love for me goes beyond all measure. He gave to me His only Son as an atonement for my sins, the sins which kept us apart. He gave me Jesus. He is wonderful, He is kind, He is forgiving, He is approachable and He waits for those who don’t yet know Him. He never rejects those who earnestly seek Him. Gracious and wonderful God He is. He is my own true God.
Amen.
Shirley Anne
- Love Like Christ… (sunshinelittleone.wordpress.com)
- 2 Corinthians 1:20 (davidthefourth.wordpress.com)
- How wonderful is my God (minkyweasel.com)
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Posted in God, Jesus | Tagged: Amen, Christ, Christianity, God, Jesus | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 23, 2012
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After the debacle on Monday we are still no closer to having our roller door fitted. The ball, as they say, is in the other persons court but I am optimistic it will get done soon. So most of Monday was spent elsewhere for me doing jobs away from home. I lay awake for the third time on Tuesday but finally got out of bed and downstairs by 09.30. By ten o’clock I was busy getting ou the ladder and tools ready to install the extract fans grill for the new wet room. Ordinarily this would be a straight-forward task but its position on the wall made access difficult being too close to the window for positioning the ladder and too far to be able to work from on top of the garage roof. The ladder was the safest option but even then it had to be securely tied because of the angle being a little steeper than it would normally be. This was due to the fact that it was in a narrow passageway. I used my little grinder to cut the brick and mortar but even so it was hard going. The bricks are called ‘Stock bricks’ made in the latter part of the 19th century (the house was built in 1877) and are very hard indeed. Then I had to drill the bricks for the fixing holes and almost wore out the new drill bit as the bricks were so hard. The otherwise simple job took me two hours if we take the time for setting up and clearing away into account but at least it got done. I went indoors and channeled out the plaster ready for installing the electrical wiring. So I am on track now and hopefully much more progress will be made now. E and I were thinking of a trip into Liverpool one day this week but our eldest son asked if we might like to dine out with he and his wife and their little daughter on Friday. We have accepted of course and Liverpool will have to wait until another day. As I write this on Tuesday evening I have no work scheduled and if I don’t get any I shall carry on working at home. I’ll have to see what happens. It looks like we are in for some fine weather which would be a handy thing if I could do some work in the garden. I still have to dig out the roots and balls of those trees and shrubs but at the moment it seems unlikely that I’ll get the chance.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in House and Home | Tagged: Brick, Brick and mortar, Friday, Home, Ladder, Liverpool | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 23, 2012
Here’s this weeks offering. Drop in and see what Chrissie’s up to she’s at http://chrissie-chrissiesplace.blogspot.com/
Shirley Anne
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Posted by Shirley Anne on February 22, 2012
I heard a snippet of news on the television this morning regarding a double, maybe multiple murder in my town but missed out on hearing much detail. I got the name of the street, Lonsdale Road and I immediately thought about a client of mine who lives there. I have done many jobs for this lady and I hoped she wasn’t the subject of the report. I went out to a job around noon and on my way back home I had to pass by this road, a cul-de-sac, on route. The road was closed off and there were many police cars about. Driving further toward home I noticed another road cordoned off. This road runs on the opposite side of the local cemetery the other side of which is Lonsdale road. Tonight I made a point of listening to the news again and discovered that there had been at least two murders one in Lonsdale road and the other in Birch Street which is located down the second road I’d passed that had been closed off. Then I saw a picture of Margaret’s house with policemen in the driveway and heard the shocking news that it was indeed Margaret who had been one of those murdered. I was only in her house a couple of weeks ago. If you will remember me mentioning in a post about some scaffolding at the front of her house leaning dangerously over because of the high winds we had been experiencing. I had gone to reinstate the supply to her freezer, (see Jan 25 The Weekend). I am so shocked to learn of her untimely death at the hands it seems of a 43-year-old taxi driver. She was a lovely woman, gentle and quite lonely. She wasn’t treated very well by her family as far as I can gather and she always loved having me come round to chat with her. I’d do a job and spent more time chatting. May she rest in peace.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Crime, Death and mortality | Tagged: Crime, Murder | 4 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 22, 2012
On Monday we were expecting to have our roller-shutter door fitted in the garage but nobody showed up during the morning. I telephoned the firm to enquire why hadn’t anyone turned up. I was told by the guy I’d given the job to when he came a few weeks ago to replace the draw wires on the door of the other garage, that he hadn’t been able to attend due to an injury he’d sustained but that he had passed the work to a sub-contractor. He apologised and told me he would look into the matter and call me later. In the meantime I received a call to do some work about a mile or so away and I went to do that. I then received another call an hour or so later to another job and on my way back home from that one I received the third call to do yet another job. E had remained at home in case the workmen arrived whilst I was out. During the last job I got the promised call and was told that he couldn’t get in contact with his sub-contractor so he had given up on them. He promised to call me in the evening with details of a new installation date but at the time of writing, and it is now eight o’clock, I still haven’t received that call. I am wondering if this door is ever going to be fitted! I don’t know how some people remain in business when they treat their customers this way. It is something I would never do and never have done throughout my working life, there really is no excuse for it. The only redeeming thing is that I managed to earn enough money on the day to pay for the job when and if it finally gets done. I did have the money in any case. Whilst at my third job I phoned E to let her know that no-one was going to come and that she could go out as she had wanted to do. During my excursions I managed to buy in some more materials for my work at home too.
Shirley Anne
- Finally? (minkyweasel.com)
- Just typical (minkyweasel.com)
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Posted in Business, House and Home | Tagged: Garage door, Home, Materials and Supplies, Monday, Roller shutter | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 21, 2012
Less work, more work sounds a bit daft but in my corner of the world it makes great sense! The less occupational work the more time I have to do the other tasks I have to do at home. This seems to be the case for yet another week lately but at the moment I don’t mind. The thing I like about any work that I do is the challenges that are presented before me and as in every task I undertake I am constantly assessing the situation and making adjustments as necessary until it all comes together as a completed job. There are very few things I cannot turn my hand to around the house and it all comes from a lifetime of experiences both in my occupational work and work done privately at home. This makes any project easier to do as I have most of it already done in my head before I actually do anything with my hands. I see the finished job long before it is started and really only have to make minor adjustments along the way. It is very satisfying to see the fruits of my labour and to be able to enjoy the finished job. Whenever I have completed a project I find myself beginning to think about the next one. Between jobs and indeed during them I like to take time out for myself for a day which gives me time to recharge my batteries and sometimes reflect on my game plan. There’s a lot to be said for having a busy work schedule whether that is for yourself or working for someone else, it gives purpose for life. Living it up for a season might be fine and for some people that’s all they want to do but for me, I need variety and something to keep my mind active and my body exercised. Work does both for me.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Activity, Work | Tagged: Activity, Construction and Maintenance, Philosophy, Work | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 20, 2012
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Well what else? I am not a drinker, honest! On Friday, I took to having a day off, free from all work and left to my own devices! Yeah, sure, who would leave me to my own devices? As it happens, me! I had no work scheduled so I invited E out to lunch. No problem there because E is usually very accommodating as a dining partner, especially if it is free. As is usual I let E decide where we were to go and she has no shortage of places in her preferences. We ended up at a place we had come across some time ago when out looking for somewhere nice to eat and we have been there on a number of occasions since but it has been some six months or more since we were there last I think. I’d had a vodka-laced coffee about a half hour before we left and on the way to this restaurant, which lies about fifteen miles away from home, E dropped me off in the village in order that I could collect my hormone prescription. We call it the village and although it was once a village it has now become a part of Southport as there are no natural boundaries now between them both. The area in which we live comes under the same name as that of the village and our house is just over a half mile from the centre of the village. The main rail link between Southport and Liverpool runs through the village too so it is easy for those commuting. I digress. After I had collected my prescription I had to walk some way to where E had parked her vehicle as there was no available spaces near to the chemist (drug store). We drove out-of-town to our destination. I ordered a bottle of red wine, a Merlot, and when I tasted it I got a pleasant surprise. It was mildly sweet and had a soft fruity bouquet, something I like in a red wine rather than the drier varieties, although I like those too. I like to try new wines so I am not always aware what they will taste like. Sometimes I choose a wine by name. This wine was made in Chile and like so many of the new world wines, it was very palatable. We spent quite some time in the restaurant and soon the wine bottle became empty. Now any sensible person would have stopped at this point but I fancied having a glass or two of cider and had some when E left the restaurant to visit a cash-point about a mile down the road. For some reason the card reading machine wouldn’t work and rather than leave my card details for the restaurant to debit my account later I asked E if she wouldn’t mind getting some cash for me. I gave her my card and off she went. We stopped for a short while then drove back home but on the way E dropped me off at the pub as I was desperate to use the toilet. I met with some friends and had one or two more drinks of cider. I really must stop doing this stopping off at the pub business, seriously, I end up drinking far too much and although it is very infrequent it is still unnecessary. I am going to promise myself not to do that in future which will be easy to do, all I have to say to E is don’t drop me off and I know she won’t! If I want to visit the pub I shall have to walk which is probably not going to happen if I’ve been out dining. One thing is for certain, I am determined to limit my alcohol intake when I dine out!
On Saturday morning I went out to do some shopping collecting more materials for the new wet room, cable for the shower unit, a wall mounting fan heater suitable for bathrooms, switches and accessories, some mortar and plaster and piping for water supplies and such. I hope to do some more work on the wet room during this week.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Drink, Food, House and Home | Tagged: Chile, Food, Friday, Liverpool, Restaurant, Southport, Wine, Wine tasting descriptors | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 19, 2012
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I make no excuses for declaring that I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus the Son of God and sometimes in this blog you will see reference to this in the form of a post of some description. I use this platform occasionally to act as a witness for God but I do have another blog dedicated solely for this purpose. As Christians we are commanded, not asked, to spread the Good News, the Word of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world, which means you dear reader. It isn’t meant to be an exercise for hammering home or trying to force anyone into belief for we as Christians do not have that authority. Only God can transform people and only the Holy Spirit can bring people under conviction. What is needed for any recipient is an open heart. All we can do is present the facts. It is true that there are many religions in the world, many belief systems, many ideologies, some almost as old as mankind, some modern. Only Christianity proclaims salvation through a Saviour and He, the Son of God, Jesus. The Bible teaches that there is no other name by which we can be saved (salvation) and that name is Jesus. This means that there is no way to be at one with God unless it is through Jesus but still many will not accept that, those who believe in God that is. Many simply don’t believe in God but prefer either what their own hearts tell them or place their belief elsewhere. I came across this very interesting site some time ago but it is only recently that I began to explore what it had to say about the various belief systems around today. This is the address http://www.allaboutspirituality.org/ (There is also a link on the right under ‘Religion’). On the front page you will see a short list which describes various themes. At the bottom of that list there is a link to ‘New Age‘. On the New Age page you will see in the column on the right a sub heading called ‘What do you believe’? At the bottom of that list there is another link to ‘Additional content to explore’. Here is a comprehensive list of belief systems held in today’s world. The short link directly to this list is here… http://www.allaboutspirituality.org/what-do-you-believe-aasp-8669.htm See if your belief system is present and see what is said about it. Compare what is said to what the Bible says. Perhaps it will get you thinking about changing or perhaps it won’t. That’s up to you.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in God, Jesus, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit, Religion | Tagged: Christian, Christianity, God, Good News, HolySpirit, Jesus Christ, Son of God | 2 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 18, 2012
On Monday we have someone arriving to install the roller-shutter door on the garage. It has been quite some time since we purchased the door so we hope it works! I shall be fitting the control panel this weekend ready for the door wiring to be connected via its plug. Earlier in the week I purchased an extract fan and transformer for the new wet room and I plan to begin work in that room this coming week. There is plenty of work to do but at least we have the room stripped and ready. I cannot make any more excuses for delaying this project. I didn’t want to work on it over the last couple of months for several reasons but now I am eager to start. On Wednesday I finished clearing away all the tree branches and shrubs we had cut down a few weeks ago. The weather, coupled with other things I had to do prevented me from finishing the task beforehand. We still need to dig out all the roots and remove the many large stones that had been laid there years ago. The whole area needs sculpturing and that will take quite some time to do but I am afraid it will have to wait a while yet. I might be able to do something with it in the meantime but that will depend on my other commitments. It is time to start the ball rolling. On Thursday when E went out to do the weekly shop I set about knocking the hole through the wall for fitting the extract fan. I set up the ladder to get on the new garage roof and I drilled two pilot holes where the hole would be on the outside but I didn’t remove the brick as I didn’t have the grill to fit over the hole. Apart from that it began to rain a little so I abandoned the idea. Instead, I went indoors and dug out the brick on the inside together with some plaster that had become loose over the years and which needs replacing. I had to stop work after this because I had other things to do but it has put me in the mood to continue as soon as I am able. Yesterday, Friday, E and I went out to lunch so nothing much got done in the morning. Maybe I’ll do something tomorrow instead. Watch this space.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Activity, Garden, House and Home, Time, Work | Tagged: Construction and Maintenance, Garage door, Home and Garden, Home Improvement, Roller shutter, Work | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 17, 2012
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Many years ago when I was much younger and in my teens I often thought about what would happen if my then world was to crumble around me. I have only ever been employed in the electrical installation/maintenance business with minor diversions into other fields such as air conditioning, heating and ventilation and refrigeration amongst a few others. I have never been unemployed and although I have had dry periods of unemployment since becoming self-employed fifteen years ago they were no more than the seasonal trend that is sometimes a part of the building trade. In my youth the thought that I might sometime become unemployed was a little scary and I hoped it would never happen. I wondered how my family and I might cope in not having an income but the reality was unlikely as there always seemed to be plenty of work available in all areas. There was no reason to doubt that things would never change. It was an era of prosperity and all was well. How things have changed since those days! With the fall in worldwide prosperity and a financial recession becoming worse on a daily basis many have found themselves bankrupt and out on the street. I was watching a program about the American unemployment problem now put at over 50 million out of work with millions living rough. Many people over there are now living in tents because they have no homes to live in and some are even living in the storm drains beneath the city of Las Vegas where a few feet above them are people squandering vast amounts of cash in the gambling houses and institutions! The gap between the rich and poor is ever-widening. No-one seems to care. No-one seems to know what to do. There are those who care of course but with little or no resources and little or no help from those who have plenty to spare, nothing gets done. When it comes down to the hard facts very few people care. In a news item a few days ago it was reported that a young boy had felt faint and collapsed in full view of hundreds of commuters in a railway station. Only one person came to his aid after many had just walked on by. People are either frightened to get involved or they are simply too self-centred and uncaring. Obviously not Samaritans. What is happening to our world? Why is it that poor people exist in our societies? While we are affluent and comfortable we forget those who are less so or even not so. The time to help is when we have, it is too late when we have not but who really cares?
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Community, Society, Sociology | Tagged: Construction and Maintenance, Employment, Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning, Mechanical, Society, Sociology, Unemployment, Unemployment benefits, United States | Leave a Comment »
