A Chuckle A Day

 

I was on business at a seaside town in England and I finished my afternoon meeting early. I decided to take a walk on the beach.

It was warm and everyone was either swimming or lying there on the sand half-naked enjoying the sun and cooking slowly.

Not me. I decided to be as inconspicuous as possible in my pin striped suit, emerald green bow tie with pink spots, hat with a bright feather sticking out of the side, and of course, dark sunglasses. It's good to have dark sunglasses on the beach as no one can tell what you're looking at.

I must admit though, I envied all those people enjoying the cool sea. They certainly looked happy, so I decided to join them. I did what a lot of British people do when at the seaside and they don't have any swimming costumes with them.

I approached the edge of the sea and took off my shoes and socks, which I put inside the shoes. The red sock in the left shoe and the green sock in the right shoe … that way I’ll remember which is which when I get to wear them again. Then I rolled up my pin-striped trousers all the way to just above the knee and I walked into the sea.

Oh … it was lovely. Even though people looked at me suspiciously! I could see the expression on their incredulous faces through my dark glasses and they could not see that I was looking at them looking at me. So I had the advantage on them I think. Even though they were giggling surreptitiously and nudging each other.

Anyway … I ignored them as I am accustomed to doing when people stare at me in the street or on the train in my attire. I stood there in the sea, with water up to my knees, still wearing my jacket, tie and hat, of course. We gentlemen believe in decorum at all time ... what?

Suddenly, I started dancing and hopping from foot to foot in the sea, splashing water everywhere and attracting more attention to myself.

A woman asked: “Is this Candid Camera?”

A number of onlookers laughed at me and someone said “I think he’s filming a comedy film. Where are the cameras Mister?”

I must admit, the same thought would have crossed my mind if I saw someone in pin-striped suit dancing in the sea; but I was in too much pain to see the funny side of what was happening.

I got out of the water to reveal a huge jellyfish stuck to the outside of my right leg. Why is it that with all these half-naked people in the sea the jellyfish chose me to attack? Does he not like business attire perhaps? Or is it the feather in my hat and my green bowtie?

“Jellyfish … jelly fish …” I cried out in pain.

“Oh … quickly,” said a rotund woman sitting nearby, “you must wee-wee on it!”

How could I possibly wee-wee on it whilst wearing a pin striped suit? Or wearing anything for that matter! The creature was attached on the outside of my leg just below the knee. I can't exactly unzip my trousers in public and wee wee on the outside of my leg. It is a physical impossibility. The human wee wee apparatus is not designed for such a task; unless it has an extension!

The woman then said, “Or you can let someone else wee-wee on it!”

As I could not see a queue of volunteers ready to assist me in this manner I continued to jump up and down and hitting the jellyfish with my hat. It broke the feather right off and made the hat quite un-wearable.

A young man came running to my help and said, “You have to pour vinegar on it! Do you have any vinegar?”

“Oh yes,” I thought, “I always carry a gallon bottle of vinegar in my pocket just in case of such an occurrence.”

But I was in too much pain to say anything. I just shook my head.

The man asked someone to run to the Fish and Chips shop nearby and get a bottle of vinegar.

“I have no money!” said the other person standing nearby.

I got out my wallet and gave him a £5 note … the smallest currency I had. He smiled and ran away. I wondered if I’d ever see him again.

Eventually he returned with a small bottle of vinegar which the first young man gently poured on the jellyfish. It shrivelled and let go of my leg.

“You must get this seen to in hospital,” said the young man.

I nodded and thanked him. I turned round to get my shoes only to find that the tide had come in somewhat and taken them out to sea with the red and green socks waving at me happily as they sailed away!

There was no taxi nearby nor a telephone kiosk in those pre-cell phone days. An ice cream truck driver, taking pity on me, volunteered to take me to the hospital.

I hopped bare feet and minus my hat into the ice cream van and was driven to the nearest hospital to the melodic chimes of Mister Softee and Pop Goes The Weasel ... and Jingle Bells too, would you believe !!!

And the moral of this story, dear friends, is: Never go to sea in a pin-striped suit!

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Don't be bored, get on board

 

Hi folks!

Are you well and cheerful? The reason I ask is because I know for a fact that some of you are getting bored with my Christian articles here.

I make no apologies for this. The thing is, this is a Christian Blog.

Although I do my best to introduce some humour, and fun, and music and light-hearted articles; at the end of the day it is a Christian Blog. And there are times when a subject is put into my heart that I should write about. If this bores some people then I would rather people get bored for a while now than spend an eternity in regret.

Anyway, enough seriousness for now. How about some levity.

A man is stumbling by the riverside totally drunk when he comes upon a preacher baptising people in the river. He staggers to the river’s edge and subsequently falls in. The preacher turns around and is almost overcome by the smell of alcohol. He asks the drunk, “Are you ready to find Jesus?”

The drunk answers, “Yes I am.”

So the preacher grabs him and dunks him in the water. He pulls him up and asks the drunk, “Brother, have you found Jesus?”

The drunk replies, “No, I haven’t.”

The preacher shocked at the answer, dunks him into the water again for a little longer this time. He again pulls him out of the water and asks, “Have you found Jesus, my brother?”

The drunk answers again, “No, I haven’t.”

But this time the preacher is at his wits end and he dunks the drunk in the water again, but this time he holds him down for about 30 seconds, and when he begins kicking his arms and legs, he pulls him up. The preacher again asks the drunk, “For the love of God, have you found Jesus?”

The drunk wipes his eyes and catches his breath and says to the preacher, “Are you sure this is where he fell in?”

Let us now consider where we might have lost Jesus in our lives.

Christian articles

 

Over the years, I have written various Christian articles here on a variety of subjects; The Holy Trinity, The Holy Spirit, Forgiveness and so on. They are not always easy to find in the search engine by searching for key words. However, for those searching for a particular subject I have listed all my Christian posts HERE.

The Holy Trinity

 

For centuries people have been trying to comprehend the mystery of the Holy Trinity as if it is a puzzle which we are meant to resolve and when we do we get a prize.

God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit ... (no title) ... three in one. What is that supposed to mean?

We accept (those of us who believe) that God exists and is up there somewhere, in Heaven , above the clouds or wherever. He has always existed and has created us as well as everything else in the Universe and beyond. OK ... we can understand and believe that.

Then there is Jesus. Born as a baby of a Virgin by the power of the Holy Spirit, and came to earth as a human. OK ... so He is the Son of God.

But wait a minute ... in the Credo it says I believe "in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and born of the Father before all ages. God of God, light of light, true God of true God. Begotten not made, consubstantial to the Father, by whom all things were made."

Jesus was begotten, not made by God just like He made us and everything else. "Before all ages" - this means that Jesus has always existed. He did not just begin to exist when He was born on earth. When He was born on earth is when He appeared to us in human form. But before that, He has always existed with God, because He is God.

Consubstantial to the Father. From Latin consubstantialem, of one essence or substance. This word was used by the Council of Nicaea (325) when they wrote the Credo to express the Divinity of Christ. The Trinity is not a hierarchy. It isn't God at the top, then Jesus, and then the Holy Spirit. All three are equal and one; and have always been so.

Confusing? I suppose it is. But there's more.

We are then told about the Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit of God - His soul perhaps. He doesn't have a title as such. God is God, the Creator, Our Father in Heaven. Jesus is His only Son, our Saviour. But the Holy Spirit ... no title!

It was St Hilary of Poitiers, a Bishop in the 3^rd Century AD, who first described the Holy Spirit as ‘the gift’. He is the gift given to us by God after Jesus ascended into Heaven. He is the very Spirit of God Himself. His very soul come back to us on earth to dwell within us and to help us in our Christian life. That’s why He is sometimes referred to as the Helper, the Counsellor, God’s own Being living within us.

And that is the Holy Trinity which we believe in and perhaps don't understand.

But let's be honest, there are many men in this world who do not understand their wives; so what hope have we really got of understanding the Holy Trinity?

When we get to meet St Peter we will not sit an exam to check how much we have learnt and what we understand.

God will instead look into our hearts ... our Faith ... and our actions.

God does not ask us to understand Him ... He asks us to trust Him and love Him.

 

EXPANDED VERSION HERE

I've waited for you

 

Why should you be happy?

 

 I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 

John 10:10

 Look folks, this is going to be a hard talk. Are you happy in life, or just getting by? Be honest now.

There are so many people who are not really satisfied with life. They just get along from day to day as best they can but not really living life to the full and enjoying it everyday. And would you believe it; a lot of these people are Christians. Or so they think.

I believe that by having such a poor attitude to life they are doing Christ a disservice. They are making Him out to be a liar about the quotation above. Read it again at John 10:10. 

Christ came into this world so that we may have a good life, an enjoyable life, lived to the full. Not endured and tolerated until death becomes a relief.

Now don't misunderstand me folks.

I know full well there are many people suffering ill health with constant pain and suffering. I also know there are many in poverty, in bad or wrong marriages and with several other problems in their lives. Many in great difficulties are an example to us by the way they live and inspire us. I am not making light of their conditions or circumstances.

I knew an old man who was very ill and in constant pain. Whenever I asked him how he was he always used to say, "there are so many much worse off than me!" He is now in Heaven and telling me, "See, I told you I'd be OK!"

Many years ago I was discussing the state of the world with another friend of mine. Nothing new in that. It seems the world has always been in a bad state one way or another. He said to me, "You don't have to live in this world!"

What he meant is that we can live happily and be satisfied in our own private world in full knowledge that God is close at hand to protect us and look after us. 

Sure, the world around us may be in bad shape, but generally we have little influence on the world and how to change it personally. But ... but ... we have a lot of influence when we pray to God about what is happening and ask Him to take care of what we are all doing to this world and each other.

There are many people today living life in dissatisfaction with their job, their marriage, their state of being, their family, neighbours and so many other things. People are not happy, and many are angry. I've never seen so much anger in the world.

People are always looking forward to the next best thing in their lives like an illusive dream that is forever just that little bit out of reach ... ... ... a new job, a promotion, a better house, a new car, a great vacation, a happier marriage or whatever else would give them temporary respite from their unhappiness.

Chasing dreams based on self rather than focussing on someone else's well-being and faithfully relying on God to provide for all our tomorrows and have it to the full.

There once was an old man who could not longer live alone and look after himself. His family decided the quickest way, (for them), was to despatch him to a care home for the elderly. They convinced him "it was for the best!"  

He did not put up much of a fight. The day came when he was driven to the care home and left there. The matron in charge helped him with his luggage and showed him to his room. 

"It's a small room," she said on the way there, "not as big as your house, I would imagine!"

"It will be OK," he said as he followed her.

"It's at the back of the care home," she said, "along this long corridor!"

"Oh, that's OK," he said.

"Sorry about the noise from the kitchen," she said as they walked along the corridor.

"That's not a problem," he said.

When they reached the small room she looked out of the tiny window. It overlooked the back yard and car park; and the area where service trucks came to unload various goods. "Sorry about the view," she said, "it's not exactly great scenery, is it?"

"Oh it's lovely," he said.

"You seem to have been positive about everything I have said," she told him, "Even before you saw the room you said it will be all right. I'll admit it is not the kind of place I'd like to stay, or where I would put my parents; but that is all one can expect at the economic charges for this place. Yet you seem to have been happy before you even entered this place!"

"That's because I made up my mind to be happy regardless of the circumstances," he replied, "this place may be sparse, and a little noisy, and without a good view, but I know for certain that there are people living rough in the streets, under bridges and in parks tonight and every night. My life is a luxury compared to them!"

 I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 

John 10:10

A Cup Of Humour

 

In Britain 23% of people take their pets with them in bed at night. Not me ... ... ... The last time I had my pet with me in bed the next morning the bed was totally soaking wet and my goldfish had died. 

The thorny devil lizard can absorb water through its skin like a blotting paper. Then it drinks the water by opening and closing their mouth - they drink through their scales like sipping through a series of straws. They do not use plastic straws like we do because they have their own straws under their skin. So remember, never let one of these lizards stand in your glass of wine or else he'll get drunk and start singing, "I did it my way!"

The cricket chirps at night depending on the temperature. If it is very hot it could chirp 30 or 40 times a minute. If it is a little cooler it would chirp perhaps 15 to 20 times a minute. In very cold conditions it does not chirp at all because it is frozen out of its tiny mind.

Whilst staying at a cheap hotel once I killed a cockroach in my room. Within minutes the place was infested by cockroaches who had come for the funeral.

Did you know that flamingoes stand on one leg because if they were to lift it up they would fall?

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Do you ever read a book in public and laugh out loud? On the bus for instance, or the train, or at the hairdresser or other public places? I don't mean just a smile to yourself, or a semi-giggle; but laughing out loud at something you've just read. 

This happened to me the other day as I was reading one of my books. I was at a school parents' evening. Everyone was sitting cinema fashion and the headmaster was on the stage telling the parents that the school needed more funds for repairs to the roof and unless generous donations arrived soon the school would close down. I was reading my book A CUP OF HUMOUR and I burst out laughing.   

Life is too serious to be taken seriously. Seriousness makes you frown and have lines all over your face. Wrinkles that make you look older than you really are.

 

With humour you smile more often, or you giggle, or even laugh out loud. Such joviality makes you look happy and fights the signs of ageing and wrinkles.

Sit back and relax with A CUP OF HUMOUR. It will make you feel better. 

 

From the moment I picked your book up until I laid it down I was convulsed with laughter; 

some day I intend reading it - Groucho Marx.

A room without books is like a body without a soul - Cicero.

Some books should be tasted, some devoured, but only a few should be chewed 

and digested thoroughly. - Sir Francis Bacon.

There are two motives for reading a book; one, that you enjoy it; the other, that you can boast about it. - Bertrand Russell. 
 
Literature is a luxury; fiction is a necessity. - G.K. Chesterton. 

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Things to know and remember

 

LAW OF QUEUE: If you change queues, the one you have left will start to move faster than the one you are in now.

LAW OF TELEPHONE: When you dial a wrong number, you never get an engaged one.

LAW OF MECHANICAL REPAIR: After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch.

LAW OF THE WORKSHOP: Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.

LAW OF THE ALIBI: If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tyre, the next morning you will have a flat tyre.

BATH THEOREM: When the body is immersed in water, the telephone rings.

LAW OF ENCOUNTERS: The probability of meeting someone you know increases when you are with someone you don’t want to be seen with.

LAW OF THE RESULT: When you try to prove to someone that a machine won’t work, it will!

LAW OF BIOMECHANICS: The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

LAW OF COFFEE: As soon as you sit down for a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.

 

Never stop at traffic lights

 
I tell you folks, take my advice. Never stop at traffic lights. Dangerous things can happen at traffic lights. Over here it can take several minutes or hours before the traffic lights change from red to green so you can go. And that's when I get distracted and start thinking. Thinking at traffic lights is dangerous.

There I was, thinking something funny to amuse myself, and suddenly I came up with a story for this Blog. I had to write it quickly before I forgot it. I pulled a pen from my jacket pocket. In my hurry I knocked the pen against the steering wheel and it flew out of my hand and went on a small shelf behind the steering wheel. I reached out to retrieve it but could not find it.

I looked down and could not see it. I bent forward to see through the steering wheel and still could not see it. I poked my head through the steering wheel to see better, in between the two spokes on the wheel. 

And that's when the lights turned green. I could see the reflection on the window. But I could not move because my head was stuck in the steering wheel. I could not move forwards, or pull backwards. I was stuck in the steering wheel and the cars behind me were tooting their horns as a display of lack of patience and tolerance. 

Moments later the police arrived. A policeman asked, "Is your brake stuck?"

"No, my head is ..." I replied in a reclining position. 

He tried pulling my head out of the steering wheel with no success but much screaming and pain ... me ... not him. He tried rubbing butter and margarine all around my head and ears but that did not work either.

He asked me, "What were you looking for behind the steering wheel?"

I replied, "La plume de ma tante!" which is a stock phrase one memorises when learning French.

Oh ... did I forget to tell you I was in France at the time? Well I was. Not far from "le Pont d'Avignon"; hence the popular French song "Frère Jacques".

Anyway, as we were in France they finally got my head free with crème fraîche.

Thoughts to ponder

 

Pentecost

 

HAPPY PENTECOST

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PENTECOST

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Being a Grumpy Old Man

 

Being a grumpy old man, or woman, can often be a good thing because the chances are you are still holding to good old fashioned values, habits and modes of behaviour. Some things that the modern idiot fatheads of today know nothing about as they graduate from so-called educational establishments with degrees in stupidity.

In olden days, and it was not that far back as you might think, a man would stand up when a woman entered the room, or left the dinner table. He would open a door for a woman or give up his seat on a bus or train. It was called courtesy. Young readers: look up this word in a dictionary if you have one; that is if you can spare a minute from taking selfie-pictures of yourself to post on social media.

Why do youngsters do that? Why do they take so many photos of themselves to share with all and sundry? Is it lack of self-confidence, or is it an impotent search for stardom in  a world of mediocrity?

In olden days, despite often poor education compared to today, people generally had the ability to think, to analyse, to discuss and come to conclusions. You did not need a degree to know right from wrong, how to behave as an individual, and how to respect other people even if you don't agree with them, and how to behave as a community or as a nation.

Today, it seems the current generations are led by slogans and sound-bites and placards at demonstrations rather than consider seriously the outcomes of their views and proposals were they to be implemented. 

There's no denying the honesty and passion of their thinking, but they seem to be led blindly, almost robotically, rather than through well thought out and reasoned argument. Regardless of the subject in question: the environment, global warming, cost of living, the future or whatever; the modern debate is led by passion rather than reasoning. 

The present generations do not seem to consider the consequences of their proposals; or indeed act personally in accordance with what they preach.   

For example, would all those concerned about saving the planet from environmental disaster be willing to forgo their holidays abroad to ever distant locations? 

Would they give up updating their technical gizmos like cell-phones, tablets, and other techie gadgets every few months to the latest models just to be fashionable? 

Would they consider giving up all the beauty cosmetic products and perfumes and latest fashions and designs in clothing?

Can you imagine how much raw materials, not to mention energy and costs, are used in providing those three consumables alone? Holiday travel, technical gadgets and fashion and cosmetics? 

Do they realise how much fuel alone would be saved if they did not go abroad on holiday? And how this would affect their carbon footprint? The same argument applies to ever changing electronic devices and cosmetic and fashion items.

In olden days people were lucky to go to the local beach for a few days as a vacation. Their only techie machine was a clothes mangle which they turned by hand. I remember we had one which we also used to push dough through and make round pizzas. And the only cosmetic was a red paste colouring made of beetroot which auntie used as a lipstick and to colour her cheeks red. (The ones on her face!)

Personally, I find advantages in being a grumpy old man, (or looking like one, because I'm not that old really).

For a start I can say what I want and people accept it. They say, "Oh it's him again ... better ignore him!" So I give them a piece of my mind, whereas a younger person would be more cautious of getting punched on the nose.

Yes, you can say what you want when you're old and get away with it. If you're Catholic, like me, you can go to confession and ask the priest if he's heard any good gossip lately.

Or you can put a stick of celery through someone's window and shout, "The Triffids have landed. The Triffids have landed!"

Or put a carrot on your shoulder and tell everyone you are a vegetarian pirate. Or poor cream on your shoulder and tell them your parrot had diarrhoea.

For a laugh you can put some cake, custard and jelly in someone's handbag and say, "Don't trifle with a woman's affections!" (For those young ones who don't know what a trifle is look it up on Google. For those old ones who don't know what Google is ask a young one to tell you).

If you have to wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom; and you don't know what time it is. Just open a window and beat a drum, or blow on a trumpet or bagpipes. Someone is sure to shout: "Who's making all that **** racket at three in the morning?"

And finally ... and finally ... there's an advantage to being a grumpy old man. You can afford not to shave every day. You can wear ill-fitting clothes. And you can wear your trousers right up to your nipples and hold them there with a large belt as well as braces. And with such sartorial elegance you'd be the sex symbol for the woman who doesn't care any more.

There is nothing like a laugh

 

A man comes to the entrance of Heaven and is told, "You haven't done anything good, but you haven't done anything bad either. If you can tell me of something amazing you have done, I will let you in."
The man replies, "Well, one time I was driving down the road and I saw some gang members threatening a young lady in an alleyway. I stopped and confronted them. I walked up to the biggest looking dude and slapped him and said, 'You need to leave this young lady alone, or I'm going to beat you and all your gang!'"
The man at the entrance to heaven asked him, "When did this happen?"
The guy replies, "About five minutes ago."

====================

Yesterday I gave my food to a beggar.........and today the beggar gave me a book titled "HOW TO COOK".

==================== 

I was at the hospital and I walked into a surgeon’s office “Can I help you?” He asked.
“I keep thinking that I’m a moth.” I replied.
“You probably want a Psychiatrist for that.”
“Yeah, I know.”
He looked confused. “Then why are you here?”
“The light was on.”

====================

There was a break in at the police station today and the toilet was stolen. The police have nothing to go on.

====================

A man is walking through the woods, and he finds a magic lamp on the ground. Instinctively, he picks the lamp up, rubs the side of it with his sleeve, and out pops a genie. The genie thanks the man for freeing him, and offers to grant him three wishes. The man is ecstatic and knows exactly what he wants.
“First,” says the man, “I want a billion dollars.”
The genie snaps his fingers and a briefcase full of money materializes out of thin air.
The man is wide eyed in amazement and continues, “Next, I want a Ferrari.”
The genie snaps his fingers and a Ferrari appears from a puff of smoke.
The man continues, “Finally, I want to be irresistible to women.”
The genie snaps his fingers and the man turns into a box of chocolates.

==================== 

At the library, I asked the librarian if they had any books on turtles "Hardback?" she inquired. "Yes" I said. "and little heads that go in and out."

==================== 

I received a thesaurus in the mail today, but when I opened it all the pages were blank. I have no words to describe how angry I am.

====================  

What do you call a nun who walks in her sleep? Roman Catholic.

====================    

My wife has just phoned me to tell me that 3 women in her office have received flowers today and they are absolutely gorgeous. I said, "That's probably why !!" 

====================    

A little boy was walking on the road eating a chocolate.  A man came over and said, "Son, eating chocolates is bad for your health."
The boy replied, "Do you know, my Grandpa lived to be 105 years old."
"By eating chocolates?" The man asked.

"No, by minding his own business." He replied.

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YOU'D BE SURPRISED WHAT YOU'LL FIND

 

The Power within you

 

You don't need me to tell you that the world is in a bad place right now. Just read the papers, or watch TV or listen to the radio and find out for yourself.

Do you know something? The world would be in a much better place if every Christian acted like a Christian. If every Christian acted like Christ did when He walked this earth. He treated people with love, care, and compassion, as well as mercy and forgiveness. Each time He met someone in need He treated them as individuals. He took them aside, listened to them and healed them or answered their prayers.

The problem with the world today is Christians. Never mind pointing the finger at others. It is we, Christians, who are the bad example. There are many angry Christians out there. Many unforgiving Christians too. I bet you know someone who still bears a grudge. Maybe you are still hurting and finding it difficult forgiving someone. 

Forgiveness is a trade mark of a Christian. It's in the Lord's Prayer after all. Yet, many amongst us still find it difficult to forgive.

Well, if we Christians behave this way, then what an example are we setting for the world?

How many Christians are there out there who cheat on their employers by getting to work late, or leaving early, or taking long lunch hours, or taking stationery or bits and bobs home with them? All these examples are stealing, and not a Christian thing to do. 

How many Christians cheat on their taxes, or on their spouses, or in their business affairs and employees or customers and think nothing of it?

You know, I'm convinced that if we Christians behaved like Christians then the world would be much better. It only starts with one. You, and then me, and then another and another and so on.

Have you ever met someone who is always kind, and friendly, and helpful, and cheerful and fun to be with? And people always describe that individual as a nice person and good to know.

Well, would you not rather be that person? The one whom people describe in such positive terms? The chances are that people talk about you anyway; would you not rather give them something good and positive to talk about?

Then why not start behaving a little differently, a step at a time, starting from now. Be kind to someone every day; without telling them even.

In a dark and obscure world be the light that shines out for all to see. Be the kindness that is missing.

Living the Word

 

 

Living the Word ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8324642266

“Living the Word” means being Jesus Christ to someone every day. To pray that God may send us someone who needs our help. Whether it is someone in great hardship, illness or difficulties, someone in despair and hopelessness, someone grieving or all alone; our responsibility in Christ is to be there for them. To help, to advise, or just to be a shoulder to cry on and a listening heart sharing in their hour of need.

This book follows in the footsteps of Father Ignatius and is the seventh stand-alone novel in the series, as well as an addition to the other Father Ignatius short stories selections.

“Living the Word” sees Father Ignatius as teacher, advisor, counsellor, as well as victim of circumstances and the subject of gossip from the public and within his own congregation. Yet despite all his trials and suffering he continues to trust in God and to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

This novel combines a thought-provoking story line with your favourite life-like characters, and also tries to answer serious theological questions which must have crossed your mind at some time or other. 

When you read "Living the Word" you will find you'll put yourself in Father Ignatius' place and wonder how you would have behaved in those circumstances. You will consider whether he did the right thing or not; and would you have acted any differently.

Often the Lord allows us to be in certain situations, perhaps so that we might learn from them, or to test our reactions and behaviour. Whatever His reasons, we should be assured of His continuous love and protection. 

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Searching for peace

 

John 16:29-33

Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”

“Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

There is no need to point out in what bad state the world is right now. We can all see for ourselves and come to our own conclusions.

At a time when things are going bad and wrong around us, one thing we could do is to consider someone worse off than ourselves and lend a helping hand. Let us focus on others rather than on ourselves.

This world will never know peace until it learns to forgive ... and love.