Did anyone else in Cyberworld hear the thunderstorm yesterday morning in South Nodnol? I feared for the roof crashing in at St Mary's. There was a description of a couple in a Radio 4 play I heard once: they liked weather, that was how they'd got together. Didn't matter if it was a typhoon or a snowstorm, rain or wind, sunny day or solar storm, they liked weather. There was something also about how the worst days for them were literally grey days, when the heavens were quiet and dull.
I kind of like that understanding of the heavens as a sort of a Divine entertainment, free for all with the time to appreciate it and the inclination to enjoy such splendours. Nelson used to take readings of the weather twice a day for the whole of his life. Apparently that was the reason he won the battle of Trafalgar, having learnt the skills to predict the approaching storm and use it for strategic advantage. Something in there about discipline.
'Hold fast to discipline, never let her go, keep your eyes on her, she is your life.'
Proverbs 4, Jerusalem Bible
One translation refers to discipline as 'your salvation'.
Aviary has been pretty disciplined of late with her spoon balancing practise. Why, only today, she managed an unofficial Cappucino Spoon 3rd attempt (see photo), which has now been submitted to the Olympic Council for consideration for her application to the GB team.
After thunderstorms, Unc M and Aunty B plus one headed to Margate on the M2 for a lovely lunch in the Harbour Bar Cafe. The pleasures of the winter seaside are along the above weather appreciation type: I like Margate. Whether there's glories in the skies or in the seas, on the beach with Jack Russell Harmer, or round the dining table with Ma and Da or more. A town for all seasons. It does get pretty cold though. They say there's only Norfolk between you and the North Pole. That could well be true.
Home swiftly after post-prandial to teach at Clapham North and St John's Hill and then to Basstone to endure sitting through about 15 plus takes of dear Peter's song by Marcelo on first his guitar then mine, finally in tune, ma non troppo fortissimo. It's a good little song but I don't want to hear it again for the next 6 months.
What does that say about discipline or patience? Exercise gives pleasant side-effects of lovely positive chemicals and all that, plus all the other stuff - but Marcelo's wrestling with the click track and buzzing guitar strings was giving mostly unpleasant side-effects to his assembled audience to be brutally honest. That's the sharp end of the business I suppose, the hours of practice, and the drudgery it can be.
Jez had a word for me for this 5th decade about 'the joy of restraint' which I revelled in on receipt. About how much amateur decorators don't enjoy the preparation that the professional knows is essential to a carefully executed result. Guess you have to learn to enjoy the preparation or you'll never really enjoy decorating (or be very good at it!)
But the joy when you see the growth in skill, the corner turned, the passage mastered. Apparently, if careers were chosen according to the satisfaction received for the job, most folk would choose to be teachers.
Dat Deus Incrementum
Growth is the gift of God
(Me old school motto)
Aviary has been exercising her ministry of spoon growing for over 2 hours already and results just in show that the cutlery drawers of Peter Jones are already showing signs of upward mobility. If you touch the screen (and dial our toll free number to make your donation) she guarantees that a spoon near you will feel the blessing of the anna-ointing she is moving in.
We have Sky down in Margs and my secret late-night vice is flicking through the options that come up when you tune in to the satellite channels and press the Religion option.
Would be prepared to wager at least a decade of the rosary said for the intention of your choice, that should you do similarly on almost any day, after 1030pm, you will find a rather high percentage of the chat is about money. The P.G. tips you could call it - and I don't mean advice for or about paying guests.
Almost every time there has been an indulgence of this horrid tendency (we don't seem to receive EWTN), it seems that every other channnel is talking about the Prosperity Gospel. Is there a Bible translation by that name I wonder?
For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. (NIV Luke 6:45)
'Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.' (NIV Luke 12:32)
The Gospel of Immediate Profits: a non-gospel of unimpeded fiscal growth for the West in the 21st century (!!)
or
the Gospel of Eternal Dividends? A gospel of disciplines of heart and mouth and wallet. Disciplines of mind and eyes as well. We have to learn to love the practice - we are built to work that way; that's what Christianity says anyhow. The Christian is meant to run on God... 'Like a car running on petrol' (Jack)
What are you filling the tank with these days? thefellowshipofthestring.blogspot.com/?
Guess we have to enjoy the discipline of giving, the joy of giving, and the ultimate joy and pain of sacrificial giving.
Whatever the weather.
Grazia.
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