Pessimism

The day can seem lost when scarcely begun.

Sermon writing

Sermons written in haste are the least self-conscious
And usually the better for it.

Plan your day

Always plan out your day.

Even if you are derailed

And don't do all you say,

At least you will know you've failed.

"Don't mention it"

It is amazing what will burn itself into the retina of the mind. I have this vivid memory of a Sunday afternoon when I was about the age of 9 or 10. We heard the sound of an ice cream van round the corner as we often did and I was sent out to buy what was called "a family block" (no home freezers then). It must be in my mind as one of the first times I was sent on such an errand. Anyway having got the family block I was careful to thank the ice cream man very much, mainly because I was taught to do it that way, although it probably came over very sincerely. Anyway he said (I remember what he said not the man himself) trying to equal my politeness "Don't mention it". Now this wasn't a phrase I had come across before and I wasn't sure if I'd slipped up and said something I shouldn't. Anyway I pondered this all the way home and asked about it, if I recall correctly, and was reassured I had done nothing wrong.

How many sugars do you love me?

When I was a kid this was a question my mother would ask me.

How many sugars do you love me?

Was I the only one to be asked what is now a rather un-PC question?

Lovers speak

We rarely do it these days but my wife and I developed this repeated conversation years back

I love you
I love you too
I love you three
I love you four
Ah but for what?

Coffee Pleasure

Part of the pleasure of a good cup of coffee is having someone serve it to you

Play to win

Always play to win - there is no virtue in any other approach

Concentration

Concentration - the key to success

William Aldred A5 and A4

I prefer A5 meaty to A4 waffly

- William Aldred

(I heard Bill say this yesterday. He was talking about prayer letters but I think the saying has wide application).
Thanks Bill.
(A4 and A5 are paper sizes as illustrated).

Early rising

One late night does not mean that you cannot get up early the next day

Disappearing words

Mind your head!

An article caught my eye the other week. It began "Aerodrome and charabanc are among the words presumed to have become extinct in the past year, according to lexicographers. Collins Dictionary experts have compiled a list of words which have fallen out of use by tracking how often they appear."

The article went on to mention several other words most of which I'd not heard of except supererogate (to perform more than is required) which I know from the study of Romanist teaching, which claims that some did more than enough and so have merit to share with others.

Aerodrome is of interest to me in connection with my father and charabanc with my grandfather. When my late father had a stroke some years ago he made a pretty full recovery. At first however I noticed him using the word aerodrome instead of airport. I would guess that something had happened in his brain to cause him to revert to the older word, which he would have learned first before airport replaced it.

Charabanc takes me to a story my grandfather would tell and that my father would repeat as I do to warn kids against sticking their heads out of the widow of a moving vehicle. My grandfather was once on a charabanc outing when a fellow stuck his head out and got it knocked off by a telegraph pole!

When you are young and hear an older person use an unfamiliar, especially an old fashioned, word, it always seems strange (my dad would talk about alleys (pronounced arllees) not marbles, football togs not football kit, ashcart not rubbish lorry and the picture house not ... we'll come to that. Also the now quite unacceptable half-castes). It's strange then to be caught using words that my own sons find strange. Eg I still tend to say training shoes rather than trainers, pictures rather than cinema. My boys also pick me up on junior school rather than primary school and being in goals rather than in goal. I think as you get older you become more stubborn. I obviously made a switch somewhere along the line from continental quilt to duvet quite easily but these other words I find difficult to alter.

Fresh Air

Fresh air - an antidote to sin, depression, tiredness and self-centredness. Take in some every day you can.

Instead of sinning

There is always something else you can do instead of sinning.

August

August - the minister's squirrelling month

Repentance

Repent as soon as you can - nothing is gained by waiting

Cymraeg

I am not competent to cover this properly but I hear Welsh spoken and I notice any number of little phrases knocking about that appear to be buried under layers of mystery.

Examples

1. Esgob Dafydd - Translates Bishop David, probably a euphemism for Esgyrn Dafydd (David's bones) I guess.

2. Rargian Dafydd or Rargian fawr (Yr argian fawr) - No idea but possibly form of Lord David or omen of David or Great Lord or Great omen (Arglwydd or Argoel) 

3. Bobl Bach Y Bala - Translates Little people from Bala, probably some sort of euphemism

4. Nefi wen, nefi bliw - This is something to do with the Welsh word heavens (nefoedd). Nefoedd wen would be blessed heavens.

5. Boys bach - another bit of English in there but really bys bach, little finger, I would guess, not that that explains anything.

Temptation

Temptation is no sin - more an honour than a failure

Pious thoughts

Having pious thoughts for the good of others
Won't actually help them in the end.

(Cf James 1:26 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 1 John 3:18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth)

Monday

Monday - a dangerous day for the minister.
Plan it, fill it with activity
And don't aim too high.

One thing at a time

One thing at a time
That's all we can do -
Prop'ly anyway.
You'll find this is true.

Work, relaxation

An hour's relaxation followed by two hours' work is probably more efficient than three hours trying to do both.

Plan the day

If you'll just spend a few moments
At the start of each day
Looking ahead, planning events,
You'll keep trouble away.

Imperfection

You are not perfect. Expect, therefore, to be disappointed in yourself.

(This was an original observation though I have seen "No one is perfect. Therefore do not expect too much.")

Criticism

Always take note of criticism. There's usually some truth in it.

Emotions

There are times when emotions need to be suppressed and times when they need to be stirred up.

Trouble with a capital "T"

Trouble with a capital "T" was a favourite of my mother's. I was delighted when years after I had first heard it the Irish band Horslips came out with a song of the same title.

For the high jump

My mother (and sometimes my father) would warn me that I was for the high jump. Once I was in senior school or a little younger and aware of the high jump competition, it was always tempting to take it literally. It refers, of course, to punishment for doing wrong. It is apparently military slang originally, in connection with a horse and really refers to facing a difficulty of any sort.

Taking down a peg or two

My mother would talk about me needing to be taken down a peg or two sometimes.

According to the Wordsworth Dicitonary of Idioms it refers to making (a proud person) more humble. Example: She thought she was very clever, but she was taken down a peg when she failed the exam. The reference is apparently to tuning musical instruments, and dates from the 16 Century.

Encouraging

In general, our calling is more to encourage than to humble. God will do the humbling.

(This arises from something I heard preached once. The context is my mother's feeling that I needed "taking down a peg or two" [must blog that next] at times, which I did. I think God does that though so we don't need to worry about it.)

Obsession

To varying degrees, there is something obsessive in us all. We need to use this and not be used by it.

Little by little

Little by little in all things - the only way. This is the teaching of Scripture and Providence.

Tiredness

If tiredness comes, then you must fight.
It will pass; just sit tight.
A nap's okay, if you feel dead,
Just don't go back to bed.

(Tiredness during the day is not the problem it once was for me but I still think this is good advice).

Morning Communion 04

To go from sleep to prayer
Is not an easy thing
The posture's too akin
Stand up and take in air
And then "thy suit prepare".

Morning communion 03

The joy of meeting God
At the start of the day
The self-denial required
Will always far outweigh

Apologetics and heresy

An apologetics agenda has often given the impetus to heretical views

(This was prompted largely by something I heard Dr P J Williams say)

Shouting at a spouse

Never shout at your wife. Even if it is the reason, she will never guess that it is because you love her.

Shouting

Don't shout at anyone in temper. It destroys all respect they may have for you.

Shouting at children

I've often failed to obey my own advice, sadly.

Never shout at a child. Defeat his will by your calm persistence.

Doctrine Paradox

I found this statement at the end of an old sermon of mine recently. I think it is original.

Christian doctrine is a wonderful thing – it is, paradoxically, to be held on to and passed on. It is there to encourage believers and to refute false teachers.

Morning communion 02

I eventually found my missing notebook of maxims, compiled many years ago (the first entries must be from October 1991 and I think the final entries are from September 1998). See the right hand column of this blog. It actually contains some 245 maxims. This will keep us going for a while then.
The first is a sort of syllogism:

For communion with God,
Silence is desirable.
The best way to find this is to rise early in the day.

A one sided coin

I heard this one when away recently. New to me I can't find it anywhere else on the internet. It's about fairness and hearing both sides of the story.

"A one sided coin is not legal tender"

Pessoa was wrong

I've been reading about Fernando Pessoa, who I'd never heard of before. Apparently he wrote these words:

If a man writes well only when he’s drunk, then I’ll tell him: Get drunk. And if he says that it’s bad for his liver, I’ll answer: What’s your liver? A dead thing that lives while you live, whereas the poems you write live forever.

— Fernando Pessoa

Surely it is wiser to say

If a man writes well only when he’s drunk, then I’ll tell him: don't write. And if he says that it’s bad for his creativity, I’ll answer: What’s your creativity? A living thing that lives while you live, whereas the poems you write will perish!

World famous

"He was world famous in his own country"

I think this is original, although I did find one or two other instances on the web. I use it in referring to people like Jan Akkerman and Thijs Van Leer who are indeed world famous but chiefly in their own country of Holland.