Contact me at minkyweasel@gmail.com
Posted by Shirley Anne on April 22, 2011
Jesus Christ is Lord
Jesus Christ is Lord
Jesus Christ is Lord of all
Came to die for me
There at Calvary
Jesus Christ is Lord of all.
Suffered there the shame,
Agony and pain,
Bore my sins and carried them away,
How I love that name,
Jesus Christ the same,
Yesterday, tomorrow and today.
Copyright Shirley Anne 5 Feb 94
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Posted by Shirley Anne on April 1, 2011
(Slowly)
Dm____________C
O Dear heavenly Father
__Dm______Am7____Dm
I praise you Lord this day,
Dm____________C
Fill me with your Spirit,
______F___Am7___Dm
Watch over me I pray
_______F___________C
For you are the king of glory,
____F_____Am7__Dm
The mighty God above,
________F____________C______Am
And you are the Rock on which I stand,
__F___Am7__Dm
Of everlasting love.
Meet me in the morning
And walk with me each day,
Guide my faltering footsteps,
That my heart will not stray,
For you are my true salvation,
My only destiny,
And I long to see you face to face,
In all your majesty.
On http://www.youtube.com/user/minkyweasel
Copyright Shirley Anne 16 Jan 1993, 13 Oct 1997
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Posted by Shirley Anne on March 29, 2011
Yesterday was mainly a work day, an hour or so doing a job for someone else then back home to do something in the garden, although I didn’t start in the garden until after lunch. Digging soil is back-breaking work and at the moment my back and my arms are aching probably from over-doing things lately. Today however I plan to do very little. E and I are dining out. Hopefully we shall see the waitress who is about to go on maternity leave to have her baby.
Once upon a time I often yearned to do something different from the humdrum of organised life but never managed to do anything spectacular. Going for a drink or a meal was often enough to satisfy me. These days I just cannot be bothered. I have no interest in doing things just for the fun of it, that is I won’t make special plans to do things I perhaps have never done before. The last thing I did that I hadn’t previously done was to fly in an hot air balloon but that was a prize that E had won, not something we had organised. I think holidays are the only ‘special’ events I have organised as something special to do. The older I get, the less interested I become. Maybe it is an age thing or maybe it is having the wisdom not to chase after a hedonistic lifestyle when I am content with my life as it is.
Shirley Anne
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: Balloons, Hot air balloon, Life, Lifestyle, Parental leave, Philosophy, Recreation | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on March 25, 2011
God has made all things well. He knew us while we were in the womb. Before we were conceived He knew us, He knows every hair on our heads and everything about us. Scripture tells us this
Psalm 139 (New International Version – UK)
Psalm 139
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
5You hem me in— behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
7Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
11If I say, Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.
13For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
17How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum ofthem!
18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.
19If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men! 20 They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. 21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD, and abhor those who rise up against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.
23Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting
Shirley Anne
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Posted by Shirley Anne on March 18, 2011
I used to spend hours looking skyward at night, with telescope and binoculars but sometimes I ‘saw’ more things with the naked eye! Looking at the stars and planets is fine but there is little action to observe unless one is prepared to stand for hours looking at Jupiter rotating or tracking the motion of its four major moons. Naked-eye observations can be more rewarding because one can see meteors streaking through the upper atmosphere and the movement of artificial satellites as they circle the Earth. Years ago there were few artificial satellites about but over the years their numbers have grown tremendously. Some have fallen back to Earth as their orbits have decayed but there are still many left up there! Not only that but there is a lot of ‘space junk‘ up there too! Pieces of old satellites, items lost from the ISS and other manned capsules and final-stage rocket sections left to find their own way home after being discarded. There is so much junk up there it is getting more and more dangerous to be up there with it and this poses a real threat to those on board the ISS. Plans are afoot to ‘sweep’ the space clean of debris but quite how they hope to achieve that is debatable. It seems there is nowhere safe from man’s pollution.
Shirley Anne
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: Astronomy, Earth, International Space Station, ISS, Jupiter, NASA, Satellite, Space, Space debris, Space travel | 2 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 25, 2011
Do you ever wonder where this world is headed? All around you there is violence, crimes of all descriptions, wanton destruction, murder and such. The attitude of people’s hearts are hardened to the world in which they live. Many don’t like what they see but if the truth be known are themselves no angels (to coin a phrase). It is a sad world, a world lost and heading for great disaster. Many attempts at curbing crime and anti-social behaviour have been tried but all of them are to no avail and the situation seems to get worse as time goes by. There is a form of morality and an obedience to a greater power but much of that is simply lip-service. Many believe in God, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit but lack the power to fight the good fight and fall prey to the ways of the world. A compromise results. Second best will not do and we are unable to change the world ourselves try as hard as we may. Ultimately the will of God will be fulfilled and those who refuse to listen will be wiped clean away from His presence. Unbelievers will suddenly believe but it will be too late for them. It is while we are alive in this world that the right decisions need to be made. Think about your future and listen to the words of Jesus who said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. That means you too!
Shirley Anne
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Posted by Shirley Anne on February 4, 2011
The guys duly arrived yesterday morning to concrete over my new path. They even broke down the last section of sandstone for me in order to finish off the hardcore. I had a small job to do in another town but I got back a couple of hours later by which time they were well on with their job. Whilst they were here I approached them regarding the laying of flagstones to completely surround the lawn. They seemed enthusiastic about that request as they do quite a lot of that type of work. They have agreed to do this and also some other work which needs to be done at the front of the house, more flagstones and tiles. So the way is almost clear for me to begin erecting the new greenhouse now, just a couple of small tasks to do like running out the cable which is presently coiled up and fitting the other power socket and then cleaning up the area. My eldest son has offered to lend a hand in erecting the greenhouse but whether he will be able to find the time is another matter. He has enough on his plate as it is with his rather unsocial work schedule as a police officer. So things are making progress. Hopefully I shall not need to spend much more money on the house and garden for a while but knowing me that could be difficult! Will I ever finish? I suppose not but it is nice to see improvements where they have been necessary and believe me, they have been necessary. When I look back just ten months and remember what the house and gardens looked like then and compare them to what they look like now, even though all isn’t quite finished yet, I am very pleased that I made the effort, paid out the cash and had it all done.
Shirley Anne
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: AC power plugs and sockets, Garden, House and home | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on January 28, 2011
I will be the first to admit that I do use this blog as a platform to speak about God and I make no excuses for that. However I don’t overdo things and you will find that this blog covers many different things, most of which concern my daily life. This is the point I am making in the heading ‘Blog or Platform’? Many so-called blogs you see on the Internet major on one thing only which to my way of thinking makes them simply a platform to promote a single subject to the exclusion of everything else. I am of the opinion that a blog is really a log, a diary of events in a person’s life. This is a blog in that sense. Those whose ‘blogs’ are simply a platform for their chosen subject should really be called a Web Site. To that end I hope my blog is just that, a blog, filled with a variety of things that happen in my life, the good, the bad and the ugly! It’s funny when I think of it. When once I kept a diary, which I thought was very personal, although I don’t know why, there was never anything untoward in my diaries, now I write about events which are open for all to see! We are a funny lot us humans don’t you think? Now that people can see what I write I have to be careful when it comes to what I write. I also have to monitor any comments that might be made. This site allows comments by regular visitors, whom I’ve previously marked as approved authors, to be posted without my having to moderate them. I can carry out any moderations, approvals or un-approvals later if it is necessary. This allows my readers, those who comment, to have the freedom to post and not having to wait to see it published. Any inflammatory material will naturally be discarded and result in the author being marked as unapproved. Common sense prevails. I hope my blog serves the purpose that was intended of it and that my visitors continue to enjoy its content. Happy reading!
Shirley Anne
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Posted by Shirley Anne on January 17, 2011
Well Sunday wasn’t all that good after all. It rained all morning but I did manage to chop that huge branch which fell into our garden the day before. I also managed to move the cement mixer which had been left on soft ground and had gotten bogged down. It belongs to E’s youngest nephew, a bricklayer, who is out of the country for a while. The bricklayer who is doing the job for us today is a friend of his and might find the mixer handy. It will save him having to bring along his own. I had too many other things to do yesterday so I left the garden alone. I am hoping that things will improve around here soon so we can get on with building the greenhouse. I am deliberately not taking on too much work each week to leave more time for tasks at home. Spring isn’t all that far away although theoretically we are only just approaching the end of the first month of Winter! It certainly feels like Spring lately but I fear there will be colder days ahead yet. Time has a habit of catching up with us so I feel it is prudent to do what we can while we can. Things can only improve.
By the time I returned home around one o’clock the bricklayer had almost finished the job but he had omitted to put an extra course of brick on one side as I had originally requested. Fortunately we found the extra bricks needed and he had mortar left over anyhow so he added the course. It seems you cannot trust people to do as you ask sometimes. My own job today was to run wiring beneath the ground floor of the bungalow in which I was working. I had to run an earth cable to the main gas pipe which the previous electrician had omitted to do. I discovered the need the last time I was there installing a new power board but as the work entailed lifting floorboards the client asked if we could do it after Christmas. I had to install two new power outlets too which entailed cables running almost the same route. Now this client is a great guy, not only did he have all the boards lifted but he actually went under the floor himself and pulled in the cables for me! He insisted on paying me the full amount I’d originally asked for and a little extra too! Now I thought that was remarkably generous of him but not only did he do that but he gave me a one litre bottle of the finest Scotch Whisky, a bottle of the finest Port and also a bottle of Irish Cream Liqueur! I am beginning to think he fancies me. Naturally I didn’t want him to give me all of that but when someone insists, well what can you do? I wouldn’t mind so much but my cabinet if already packed full of spirits! Looks like I shan’t be needing to buy any for quite some time.
Shirley Anne
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Posted by Shirley Anne on January 3, 2011
I invite and welcome comments to old posts so if you come across anything you might like to comment on then please do not hesitate to do so. Many are the subjects I have written about and it seems a shame that any newcomers to my humble pages might miss out on being able to comment. Browse to your hearts content but remember, the opinions and thoughts I had then may not be the same as those I hold now. We live and learn.
Shirley Anne
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Posted by Shirley Anne on October 1, 2010
Today I had to complete a job I’d started earlier in the week (the one featuring the two ‘nice guys’) and then proceed to another some miles away. I had thought that I wouldn’t be finished until after lunchtime but as it turned out I had both done before noon. That being the case E and I went out to dine. When we arrived back home a couple of hours later I sat down and began reading a magazine. What seemed like a short time but in fact turned out to be almost an hour, I woke up! As often happens with me after a big meal I had fallen asleep. Now this isn’t planned but nevertheless I rather like having a ‘cat nap‘ after a meal. I used to wonder why it happens but I now understand it to be due to oxygen starvation whilst digestion is taking place. Whether that is true or not doesn’t really matter, I simply enjoy the experience. Anyhow all that has nothing to do with what I had planned to write about today. Yesterday evening I was watching television and something I heard gave me the inspiration to write my post for today. However and unfortunately that is academic because I have forgotten what it was I wanted to write about! I find that I forget about things that I have planned unless I make an effort to at least make a start toward dong it. The events of the day take over my attention and my plans go astray. No doubt I will remember what it was. Maybe?
Shirley Anne
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: Behaviour, Oxygen, Siesta | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on September 29, 2010
During the course of any week I browse through some of my old posts. When I look at the statistics for this blog each day I see that some of my readers also look at old posts I have written. Presumably they are following tags of course but I simply go straight to my post history and browse that way. I notice a couple of things in doing this. First of all I notice just how many posts I have written in such a relatively short time. They amount to at least one post per day since the blog’s inception. The next thing I notice is how my writing skills have improved over that same period, helped along by the proof reader of course! Thirdly I find that the subject matter is fairly diverse, I would hate to think that my posts had become stagnant through lack of diversity. This is why I do not major on the one subject. Yes, I will write on certain things quite often, work, life, religion, events in my day and many other things because I feel it makes for a more interesting blog. When I browse my old posts it sometimes helps me to write something new.
This morning I have been reading the ‘Good News‘ magazine which is posted to me each month. Several subjects are touched upon in the publication such as (in this issue), ‘Has America Lost Its Way’? ‘The Magnificent Millenium’, ‘A World Held Captive’ and in the supplement which is produced for the UK and European readership, ‘The Economy’, ‘A World Beyond Today’ and ‘When Will God Intervene’? Often the subject matter is not specifically ‘religious’ although explanations regarding world events point to prophetic writings in Scripture and from this we get a much clearer understanding of the direction where things are going. It’s like watching a movie whilst already knowing the plot and the outcome. The amazing thing is that what was written is actually happening before our eyes! I digress. This post was not meant to be about religion. The point I make is that inspiration can come from any direction, even the past. I may read something from my old posts and be inspired to write something new. Today I have been reading the ‘Good News’ but it could be any magazine or any other thing which gives me inspiration. Sometimes it pays to look back and reflect on things.
Shirley Anne
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Posted by Shirley Anne on May 27, 2010
Have you ever been through places and not really noticed the hidden places? I have lived where I am for almost twenty-two years now and I am still surprised at some of the hidden places my town has. Those places hidden behind buildings where few people go are many in my town. The subject came up in conversation today and I had to admit I knew nothing of the place that was under discussion. I have had no reason to visit that particular location and consequently never gave it a thought. Around the town and it’s environs are little passageways and cobbled areas we call mews that once housed small cottage industries. Some of these places still have some form of activity, a small shop or two plying their trade. Some places have been turned to other uses. Over the last few years I have enjoyed simply walking about the different streets and taking in the many quaint places I see. I see old buildings, some somewhat derelict, some with outbuildings that have long since ceased to be of use. Grass grows through the cobbled yards and all that is left are the memories of times gone by. I see these places and imagine what it must have been like say a hundred years ago. Local history fascinates me. There must be many places large and small of similar interest near you. Have you noticed them?
Shirley Anne
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Posted by Shirley Anne on April 27, 2010
I don’t know about you but I get impatient quite often. If I have a plan I need to see it executed as soon as possible. This is the feeling I have right now with the jobs I am having done in and around the house, I want things to happen. Knowing however that things will happen when those doing the work are ready means that I will just have to bide my time. When at work I want the job doing as soon as possible but I know that I can only work so fast. It is one thing being impatient with one’s self but quite another to be impatient with others. We are all different and we live at our own pace and do things at our own pace. Sometimes and not often enough, I chastise myself when I become impatient with someone. I am trying my best to have patience but some things and some people really do test how patient I am. Is it possible to be impatient with one’s self? I am sure it is and it might seem a bit ridiculous but we should try to forgive ourselves when we are and then forgive those who make us impatient too. They have done nothing wrong.
Shirley Anne
Posted in People, Relationships, Uncategorized | Tagged: Behaviour, People, Relationship | 2 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on April 25, 2010
Today we are having two more groups of visitors come and view the house. This is something we have become very accustomed to over the last few years. We were unfortunate to want to sell just before the financial slump and although we originally had a buyer he backed out at the last-minute. Today’s visitors will be wasting their time but because they made their appointments some time ago and have taken the time to even bother we have decided to allow the viewing to go ahead. E and myself recently came to the agreement to continue to live together and stay here. We are interested in what response, if any we’ll get when the viewers discover our plans to improve the property (double glazing etc.) which will also raise its market value. E will be escorting them around the house but I will be beavering away clearing the garden and taking over the task of reducing more branches to wood chippings! Come to think of it a beaver would be an asset right now! E had spent most of the afternoon yesterday doing the same so today it is my turn! Gradually we are getting there. We have chosen the people we want to do the alterations and repairs about the house and we now have the dates for the works to commence. Apart from the ongoing ground-works we have been having done the first major works will begin on 10th May with the erection of scaffolding and the rebuilding of the front wall.
Shirley Anne
Posted in House and Home, Uncategorized, Work | Tagged: Home, Work | Leave a Comment »
