Today was slightly different! Took the day off work and went down to Salisbury. Saw Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral. What a cool day! 🙂
I’m sure my face wasn’t designed for this!
One of those evenings where I was, rather painfully, reminded that I wear contacts for playing football for a reason! After I got the ball in the face a couple of times, I was glad I wasn’t perching a pair of glass lenses on my nose!
It’s really cold as well. (Almost completely unrelated, but it was!!!)
a.m.: Romans 5 p.m.: Ephesians 2:11-22
As we remember those who have fallen in war, we are reminded of the great cost at which peace is purchased. A peace which is temporal and fragile.
Yet there is an even greater peace which can be obtained. For, in our sinful state, we are at war with God, our creator and sustainer. We have rebelled against his very being, refusing to give him the glory he is due. While we may have temporal peace (and even this isn’t always the case), our souls long for a deeper peace, a peace with God. Of ourselves, we cannot obtain this peace, and a just God cannot overlook our rebellion. However, God is also merciful, and in his grace has sent his Son to take on the wrath our sin deserved that we might be saved from this punishment, and that we might take on his righteousness through faith in him.
For when we consider the cost of our salvation, the mind boggles. This is the sacrifice of God for man, that we might be right with God, that we might know God, that we might be at peace with God.
There is wonder in most everything I see…
It does appear to be that my blog entries are mostly done at the weekends. It’s not that I don’t do much during the week, but I guess it’s probably not that interesting! (Although a blog would indicate an introvert, I’m not quite so introverted as to tell you mundane details such as what I had for dinner each night!) Needless to say, this Saturday was a usual Saturday, with a fried breakfast, a quick run around the football pitch, a trip to Feltham for their monthly bible rally and finally the chance to wind down with a relaxing dinner with Daniella.
Routine? yes – Dull? I don’t think so. 🙂
Mozart and Telemann
Started learning a Bagatelle by Mozart and a movement from a Sonatina by Telemann this evening. I quickly got the hang of the Mozart without too much trouble, but the Telemann could be a little trickier! It’ll be interesting to see how long it takes me to master these two pieces. (Especially as they’re both on the AB Examination Syllabus at grades 5 and 6 respectively!)
a.m.: Exodus 20:4-6 p.m.: Romans 8:35-39
The third and final part of the second commandment basically breaks down humanity into one of two camps. Those who hate God and those who love God.
In our natural state, we hate God. We want nothing to do with him, this is sin at its most basic. Those who hate God are sinners by nature. This is not to say we are completely evil. We will do good to others, we will seek the good of others, but we will not do this to glorify God. Our whole ethos is on self-preservation, and the denial of God. This culminated in the ultimate sin when God became a man, and allowed himself to be crucified by his creation. The actions of a holy, just, God towards those who rebel against him is his wrath.
This was the not the way it was meant to be though. For we are created in the image of God with the purpose of knowing God, loving God and doing his will. It is by this that we can truly enjoy life. It was through the sin of Adam, that all mankind fell, and are born into a state of sin.
Amazingly, it is through the crucifixion that we can be restored to what we were meant to be. Jesus Christ lived a righteous life, that by his blood, he would take on our sin and the punish it deserves, and his righteousness becomes ours, that we might be in a right relationship before God.
Why did God do this?
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jn 3:16
God doesn’t love us because we loved him. He loves us first, and when we are restored to our original intended state, we will love him and will want to do what he commands.
Mobile blues
After many years of trusty service, my Sony Ericsson Z600 is starting to play up. Making calls and texting still works fine, but the external loudspeaker seems to be suffering a dry joint. This means that, sometimes, when someone phones me, or texts me, I have no audible cue – it doesn’t ring! Usually a tap in the right place reconnects the speaker, but obviously this isn’t so great. If I knew when someone was phoning me so I could tap the phone so I could hear it ring, I wouldn’t need it to ring in the first place!
So the question is – What phone should I get?
I quite like phones which cover the keypad when not in use, so I don’t accidentally phone people, so either a sliding phone or a clamshell would be good. Obviously I would want to make phone calls and text people, whilst only having to charge it once a week, anything else on top of that basic functionality is not so important in my mind.
Ooh, Aah!
It’s been one of those busy yet nondescript weeks. The only evening I had to myself was on Wednesday, which allowed me to relax and play the piano to my hearts content. I would play the violin more, but I can’t play it too late into the night as it doesn’t have a headphone socket and I’m sure my neighbours wouldn’t appreciate it too much.
This morning, after hanging out the washing, eating breakfast and making a packed lunch, I joined a few others for a ramble around Shamley Green. Autumn was in full swing and the display of colour in Creation was magnificent. All manner of golden shades were on show, which were brilliantly contrasted with the clear blue sky of a fresh November Saturday.
I must admit, I was ready to curl up on the sofa and relax, but I had arranged to go and see the fireworks at Battersea in the evening. I quickly unloaded the car of all my hiking gear, and sauntered down to central London. After meeting up with others from HWEC and other churches in London (and beyond), we scoffed a KFC and stood with the assembled masses in Battersea Park. As always, the display was impressive, with a particularly good piece of choreographing with “It’s Oh So Quiet”, by Björk. Afterwards, we chatted, chilled and finally trudged back home.
A good, if rather exhausting day!
a.m.: Exodus 20:4-6 p.m.: Romans 8:33,34
I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God Ex 20:5
When we think of jealousy, we usually think of small-minded individuals. Thoughts along the lines of “I like what you’ve got, and I want it” spring to mind. So how is it that God can be jealous? Is it possible that human jealousy and godly jealousy are similar, or very different?
Looking at the commandment, it seems quite clear that God does not want us to have a knock-off copy of himself. The whole reason for forbidding the construction of idols is that we’d get to know the real God, and not some small, finite fantasy idea of him.
As such, God’s jealousy is a strong desire that we know the truth. He is zealous for us to know him and not some figment of our imagination. For God alone is worthy of all glory, and so his jealousy is righteous. If we were to seek to worship anything else, we would be neglecting not only God, but ourselves, for our chief end is his glory, and in so doing having joy. Any synthetic idea of God will ultimately lead to our destruction.
I appear to ache all over
After my usual Saturday start of a full English breakfast, I headed down to Lampton Park for a good run around with a football. I hadn’t quite figured I’d be running around as much as I did! Since there were only five of us, we split the teams as evenly as we could and had tiny goals. After half an hour had passed, I was being to feel like there was lead in my legs! I really should stop playing this game!
Afterwards, I had a bath and then headed down to to Feltham to meet up with Daniella and her friend at Nandos. We shared a chicken and a half between us, and I was feeling distinctly stuffed by the end of the meal! A leisurely walk along the Thames in Richmond burnt off the chicken.
A good day! 🙂
A peasant’s dish
Went to the Slough Empire this evening to watch Rataouille with some of the usual suspects. Whilst Cars was a good film in its own right, I thought it wasn’t as good as what we’d come to expect from Pixar, so I had a sense of both excitement and apprehension when I wandered into the cinema.
In true Pixar tradition, there was a very amusing short film prior to the main feature. I shan’t spoil it for those who haven’t seen the film yet, but needless to say, it set the mood brilliantly.
Every time I watch a Pixar film, I’m amazed by what they’ve managed to achieve technically.This was no exception, I spent a good amount of time watching the fur on the rats, the water effects and all manner of other computer generated wonders.
The story itself is great, with plenty of twists and turns, with the characters having all manner of difficult choices to make. The characters are very much alive, with some great voices and animation. There is plenty of humour, both of the slapstick kind, and of the more subtle variety.
Even though this film has a U certificate, it has plenty to keep both adults and children entertained. Pixar have done it again and produced a film which is well worth seeing.
DéjàVu
Saw DéjàVu this evening. I must admit, I was a little sceptical about seeing this film, as the blurb on the back cover sounded cheesey. It all looked like a serious version of Back to the Future, except I couldn’t see how that would work! Saying that, Denzel Washington doesn’t usually appear in bad films, although Val Kilmer has contributed to some shockers in the past! Denzel was the lead though, so there was hope.
It starts off with an investigation into an apparent terrorist bombing, with ATF agent Doug Carlin (played by Denzel) who is investigating. The story seems fairly predictable to start with, but takes a slight turn when Carlin is invited to use a device which can see past events. The device is used to see the steps of the bomber and others involved in order to aide evidence gathering. There isn’t any real explanation of how the device works, suffice to say, Carlin is a little suspicious.
I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised by the end of the film. The story had been executed skilfully, with expert direction, and good acting. Philosophical questions on the nature of time, predestination and causality were raised, with more than a passing nod to God.
For a film of this nature, the portrayal of events was balanced and necessary, instead of needless gratuitousness.
All in all, a good film.
Talents…
I saw Classical Star on BBC2 and was pleasantly surprised with its execution. Instead of the in your face approach of shows like the X-Factor, this show was a little more down to earth. It started off with a handful of teenage musicians who were evidently talented, but also had worked hard to master their instruments.
The first major challenge was for the musicians was a trip to a shopping mall to busk. There was no glamour, no glitz, but the musicians selected their own repertoire, given a few tips and then left to it. This was an exercise in engaging an audience. I must admit to being slightly surprised at the outcome, with the more talented musicians not necessarily being the more talented entertainers. Just goes to show, performance is more than musical talent.
The second, and final, major task of the week was to perform before their peers. This wasn’t well-groomed, public school teenagers, but everyday common or garden teenagers. Again, the musicians chose their own repertoire, and again, I was slightly surprised at the outcome. Bearing in mind the audience, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was the more complex, both emotionally and technically, pieces which provoked the most reaction from the audience. Those musicians who had shied away from presenting ‘heavy’ classical, instead going for light classics, were respected and got a polite applause. Those who had gone for harder pieces had their efforts rewarded, with some of the audience visibly moved by the performances. (To the point of tears in some cases). Who says teenagers can’t be interested in classical music?
Finally when it came to elimination, unlike other contemporary shows, this wasn’t some form of public humiliation being passed off as entertainment. It was all fairly private, polite and low-key. I’ll try and keep a reminder in my diary to keep watching. 🙂
Miscellaneous
BOINC
