I was at Grapevine 2004 (Christian event on the Lincolnshire Showground) on Sunday when during the evening celebration at about 7:30pm one of the temporary stands at the back suddenly collapsed. BBC Link.
Thankfully nobody was seriously hurt, a few broken bones etc. It could have been much worse. There was a real sense of calm and a lot of praying going off after it happened.
Everybody seemed to work well together, the emergency services and also the Grapevine staff. Our own Paul Benger was at the heart of what was going off. Paul was in charge of all the stewarding for the event, I’m sure we will get his version of events in the next few days.
Delirious? were leading worship at the time. I’m sure they would have been severely effected by what happened.
Please pray for healing for all those who were hurt physically and emotionally....including prayers for Martin and the band.
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
More on the Holiday
As I said below the forest lodge we stayed in was excellent. We had the use of our own private hot tub which we all enjoyed on a daily basis. The kids are crying out for one at home (I don't think so!!)
We visited Lynmouth which was the location of a devastating flash flood back in August 1952 where over 30 people were killed. Incredibly during our holiday a similar flood occurred in Boscastle less than 50 miles away....amazingly no one was killed.
Also whilst we were there we visited the Tanners Restaurant in Plymouth this was to celebrate our wedding anniversary. The food and surroundings were superb. Here's a taste of what we had. Jane had the Monk Fish with Tagliatelli (main course) and the Creme Brulee (dessert). I had the Fillet Beef with Tiger Prawns and Chocolate Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream. We missed taking photos of the starters...I had the plum tomato, goats cheese and basil gateau, Jane had the fish soup.
So despite the weather we had a wonderful time.
We visited Lynmouth which was the location of a devastating flash flood back in August 1952 where over 30 people were killed. Incredibly during our holiday a similar flood occurred in Boscastle less than 50 miles away....amazingly no one was killed.
Also whilst we were there we visited the Tanners Restaurant in Plymouth this was to celebrate our wedding anniversary. The food and surroundings were superb. Here's a taste of what we had. Jane had the Monk Fish with Tagliatelli (main course) and the Creme Brulee (dessert). I had the Fillet Beef with Tiger Prawns and Chocolate Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream. We missed taking photos of the starters...I had the plum tomato, goats cheese and basil gateau, Jane had the fish soup.
So despite the weather we had a wonderful time.
The Sun Shines on the Righteous?
Just got back from our holiday in North Devon (UK) and you could say it wasn't the kind of weather we were looking forward to. It has been reported that for Britain this was the wettest August ever recorded!! Also it is now officially the worst summer we've ever experienced as far as temperatures and rainfall go....and we chose to have a holiday in the UK in that particular summer and in that particular month!
Still....we had a great time! It didn't spoil our fun too much. The only downside is we would have loved to have got on the beach more than we did.
We stayed in a great place....a beautiful forest lodge in lovely woodland surroundings with 5 lakes full of fish (caught a few). I'll post a few photos next.
Still....we had a great time! It didn't spoil our fun too much. The only downside is we would have loved to have got on the beach more than we did.
We stayed in a great place....a beautiful forest lodge in lovely woodland surroundings with 5 lakes full of fish (caught a few). I'll post a few photos next.
Friday, August 13, 2004
Having a bad day?
Well I'm having a great day. I'm what they call 'demob' happy as I finish work today for 2 weeks....going on my hols!
If you are having a bad day consider these poor souls....
The average cost of rehabilitating a seal after the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska was $80,000. At a special ceremony, two of the most expensively saved animals were released back into the wild amid cheers and applause from onlookers. A minute later they were both eaten by a killer whale.
In 1992, Frank Perkins of Los Angeles made an attempt on the world flagpole-sitting record. Suffering from the flu he came down just eight hours short of the 400 day record, his sponsor had gone bust, his girlfriend had left him and his phone and electricity had been cut off.
A woman came home to find her husband in the kitchen, shaking frantically with what looked like a wire running from his waist towards the electric kettle. Intending to jolt him away from the deadly current she whacked him with a handy plank of wood by the back door, breaking his arm in two places. Till that moment he had been happily listening Jive Bunny on his Walkman.
Two animal rights protesters were protesting at the cruelty of sending pigs to a slaughterhouse in Bonn. Suddenly the pigs, all two thousand of them, escaped through a broken fence and stampeded, trampling the two hapless protesters to death.
So you think you're having a bad day!!
If you are having a bad day consider these poor souls....
The average cost of rehabilitating a seal after the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska was $80,000. At a special ceremony, two of the most expensively saved animals were released back into the wild amid cheers and applause from onlookers. A minute later they were both eaten by a killer whale.
In 1992, Frank Perkins of Los Angeles made an attempt on the world flagpole-sitting record. Suffering from the flu he came down just eight hours short of the 400 day record, his sponsor had gone bust, his girlfriend had left him and his phone and electricity had been cut off.
A woman came home to find her husband in the kitchen, shaking frantically with what looked like a wire running from his waist towards the electric kettle. Intending to jolt him away from the deadly current she whacked him with a handy plank of wood by the back door, breaking his arm in two places. Till that moment he had been happily listening Jive Bunny on his Walkman.
Two animal rights protesters were protesting at the cruelty of sending pigs to a slaughterhouse in Bonn. Suddenly the pigs, all two thousand of them, escaped through a broken fence and stampeded, trampling the two hapless protesters to death.
So you think you're having a bad day!!
Happy Birthday
My guitar is 11 years old this month.….anybody wishing to send it their regards?
It's an Ovation Collector’s Series 1993. I gave it it’s 6 weekly re-string last night and a good clean. It’s starting to sound ‘real nice’ as all the different woods it is made up of are starting to come of age. Began to realise it may be in need of some restoration work soon i.e. new frets etc…..wonder what it will cost me?
It's an Ovation Collector’s Series 1993. I gave it it’s 6 weekly re-string last night and a good clean. It’s starting to sound ‘real nice’ as all the different woods it is made up of are starting to come of age. Began to realise it may be in need of some restoration work soon i.e. new frets etc…..wonder what it will cost me?
Thursday, August 12, 2004
In the News....
Some genuine news snippets...
From the Churchdown Parish Magazine:
Would the Congregation please note that the bowl at the back of the Church labelled "For The Sick", is for monetary donations only.
From The Guardian concerning a sign seen in a Police canteen in Christchurch, New Zealand:
'Will the person who took a slice of cake from the Commissioner's Office return it immediately. It is needed as evidence in a poisoning case.'
From The Times:
A young girl, who was blown out to sea on a set of inflatable teeth, was rescued by a man on an inflatable lobster. A coast-guard spokesman commented, "This sort of thing is all too common these days."
From The Gloucester Citizen:
An adult phone line caller complained to Trading Standards. After dialling an 0891 number from an advertisement entitled "Hear Me Moan" the caller was played a tape of a woman nagging her husband for failing to do jobs around the house. Consumer Watchdogs in Dorset refused to look into the complaint, saying, "He got what he deserved."
From The Derby Abbey Community News:
"We apologise for the error in the last edition, in which we stated that 'Mr Fred Nicolme is a Defective in the Police Force'. This was a typographical error. We meant of course that Mr Nicolme is a Detective in the Police Farce."
From the Churchdown Parish Magazine:
Would the Congregation please note that the bowl at the back of the Church labelled "For The Sick", is for monetary donations only.
From The Guardian concerning a sign seen in a Police canteen in Christchurch, New Zealand:
'Will the person who took a slice of cake from the Commissioner's Office return it immediately. It is needed as evidence in a poisoning case.'
From The Times:
A young girl, who was blown out to sea on a set of inflatable teeth, was rescued by a man on an inflatable lobster. A coast-guard spokesman commented, "This sort of thing is all too common these days."
From The Gloucester Citizen:
An adult phone line caller complained to Trading Standards. After dialling an 0891 number from an advertisement entitled "Hear Me Moan" the caller was played a tape of a woman nagging her husband for failing to do jobs around the house. Consumer Watchdogs in Dorset refused to look into the complaint, saying, "He got what he deserved."
From The Derby Abbey Community News:
"We apologise for the error in the last edition, in which we stated that 'Mr Fred Nicolme is a Defective in the Police Force'. This was a typographical error. We meant of course that Mr Nicolme is a Detective in the Police Farce."
It's Pay Day !
Who looks forward to pay day? As a Payroll Manager this is a busy time for me. When pay day arrives people receive their pay-slip. Guess what…nobody ever phones up/or pops their head round the door and says, ‘Oh thank you, thank you so much for this wonderful undeserved gift. How can I possibly thank you enough for my wages this month?’
If that ever happened I’d probably faint. Certainly you would think something was wrong with them because - the payslip or pay is not a gift. You’ve earned it…you deserve it. (I hope!) In the workplace there is no such thing as grace. We earn what we receive, we work for it. The wage is not a gift.
Romans 4:4-5: When people work, their wages are not a gift. Workers earn what they receive. But people are declared righteous because of their faith, not because of their work. (NLT)
But with the God the economy is altogether different. Spiritually speaking you and I haven’t earned anything but death. What do we deserve, what have we earned? The answer…..Zip!
But…
Ephesians 2:8-9: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast. (NIV)
Because of God’s ‘amazing grace’ the free gift of eternal life has been given to us…….wow!
If that ever happened I’d probably faint. Certainly you would think something was wrong with them because - the payslip or pay is not a gift. You’ve earned it…you deserve it. (I hope!) In the workplace there is no such thing as grace. We earn what we receive, we work for it. The wage is not a gift.
Romans 4:4-5: When people work, their wages are not a gift. Workers earn what they receive. But people are declared righteous because of their faith, not because of their work. (NLT)
But with the God the economy is altogether different. Spiritually speaking you and I haven’t earned anything but death. What do we deserve, what have we earned? The answer…..Zip!
But…
Ephesians 2:8-9: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast. (NIV)
Because of God’s ‘amazing grace’ the free gift of eternal life has been given to us…….wow!
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Important Questions that must be Answered
Why is it that no matter what colour of bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?
Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with the hopes that something new to eat will have materialised?
Why do people keep running over a bit of string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give their vacuum one more chance?
Why is it that no plastic rubbish bag will open from the end you first try?
How do those dead bugs get into closed light fixtures?
Why is it that when you're walking up the stairs and you get to the top you always think there's still one more step?
Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?
Why do women always ask questions that have no right answers?
Why is it that inside every older person is a younger person wondering what the heck happened?
If diamonds are a girl's best friend and a dog is man's best friend, who really is the dumber sex?
Why is it that men can react to broken bones as 'just a sprain' and deep wounds as 'just a scratch', but when they get the sniffles they are deathly ill 'with the flu' and have to be bed ridden for weeks?
Why do men forget everything and women remember everything?
Do Chinese people get hungry an hour after they eat English/American/Aussie food?
If at first you don't succeed, shouldn't you try doing it like your wife told you to?
Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with the hopes that something new to eat will have materialised?
Why do people keep running over a bit of string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give their vacuum one more chance?
Why is it that no plastic rubbish bag will open from the end you first try?
How do those dead bugs get into closed light fixtures?
Why is it that when you're walking up the stairs and you get to the top you always think there's still one more step?
Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?
Why do women always ask questions that have no right answers?
Why is it that inside every older person is a younger person wondering what the heck happened?
If diamonds are a girl's best friend and a dog is man's best friend, who really is the dumber sex?
Why is it that men can react to broken bones as 'just a sprain' and deep wounds as 'just a scratch', but when they get the sniffles they are deathly ill 'with the flu' and have to be bed ridden for weeks?
Why do men forget everything and women remember everything?
Do Chinese people get hungry an hour after they eat English/American/Aussie food?
If at first you don't succeed, shouldn't you try doing it like your wife told you to?
Storms
We’ve had some nasty stormy weather in the last couple of days which reminded me of some thoughts I shared recently at church concerning the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7:24-29.
Storms know now boundaries and have no favourites. Notice the similarities in what happened to both men.
Storms know now boundaries and have no favourites. Notice the similarities in what happened to both men.
- The rains came
- The streams rose
- The winds blew
Some may look at Jesus’ teachings and go away thinking, "That’s really some tough teaching, but if I work at it really hard and follow all of these principles then life will be one blessing after another - right? I’ll have life figured out and I’ll be able to avoid the heartaches and hardships that so many others seem to experience"….well no not exactly.
The reality is, life is full of storms. And storms are no respecter of persons. At some point…
- The rains will still come
- The streams will still rise
- And the wind will still blow
So often we want to make the trials of life to be one of two signs, either something that proves that we are living for God or something that proves that someone else is not living for God. And many times we miss the whole point.
No matter what kind of life we’re living the storms will still come.
People want to debate the cause of the storm; but all Jesus wants us to see is the kind of foundation on which these two lives are built.
Listen to what Jesus is saying and build your life on Him…the only true foundation.
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Monday, August 09, 2004
Dad....can I have.....?
My eldest son's (Daniel) favourite read at the moment is the Argos catalogue (do I get some freebies for that link?). In particular the gadgets page - pocket PC's, palms, i-pods, mp3 players. He keeps showing them to me....'here Dad have a look at this...'. He's got Christmas mapped out already....so he thinks!
Kids are great aren't they. Thinking ahead (4 months in this case) for the next big treat from Dad. Comparing last year's present value to what they hope to receive this year.
I believe God loves to give 'good gifts' to his children....but more than that he loves it when his kids come and ask him for those things. It's the relationship, the interaction that God loves. We should never expect our kids to just sit back and wait and see what happens (although we may say to them 'wait and see what happens' everytime!)
God wants us to come and ask. Read Luke 11:5-13 from the Message....I love it!
Kids are great aren't they. Thinking ahead (4 months in this case) for the next big treat from Dad. Comparing last year's present value to what they hope to receive this year.
I believe God loves to give 'good gifts' to his children....but more than that he loves it when his kids come and ask him for those things. It's the relationship, the interaction that God loves. We should never expect our kids to just sit back and wait and see what happens (although we may say to them 'wait and see what happens' everytime!)
God wants us to come and ask. Read Luke 11:5-13 from the Message....I love it!
Grow
We’ve just had a 2 part series at church entitled ‘Grow’, which has been excellent. Our Pastor (Paul Benger) gave us several keys to growth which were spot on.
Teachability – remain teachable at all times (never think you know it all…you don’t!)
Servanthood – having the kind of servant heart that Jesus had.
Faithfulness – in whatever we do in life loyalty and faithfulness are fundamental to our growth and success.
On this last point he shared something which is so important when it comes to being loyal. Never stand in the neutral zone, nail your colours to the mast and be loyal.
Proverbs 18:24 says ‘A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.’
Sometimes we try and be a friend to everyone, even those who speak badly of those we love. Get out of the neutral zone and be loyal to the ones we love.
Bottom line is...God wants us to grow.
Teachability – remain teachable at all times (never think you know it all…you don’t!)
Servanthood – having the kind of servant heart that Jesus had.
Faithfulness – in whatever we do in life loyalty and faithfulness are fundamental to our growth and success.
On this last point he shared something which is so important when it comes to being loyal. Never stand in the neutral zone, nail your colours to the mast and be loyal.
Proverbs 18:24 says ‘A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.’
Sometimes we try and be a friend to everyone, even those who speak badly of those we love. Get out of the neutral zone and be loyal to the ones we love.
Bottom line is...God wants us to grow.
Sunday, August 08, 2004
Why do people do that?
People who point at their wrist while asking for the time....I know where my watch is where’s yours?
People who are willing to get off the sofa to search the entire room for the TV remote because they refuse to walk to the TV and change the channel manually.
When people say "Oh you just want to have your cake and eat it too". Too right I do! What good is a cake if you can't eat it?
When people say "it's always the last place you look". Of course it is. Why would you keep looking after you've found it?
When people say while watching a film "did you see that?". No, I paid £5 to come to the cinema and stare at the floor.
People who ask "Can I ask you a question?"...... Didn't really give me a choice there, did you sunshine?
When something is 'new and improved!'. Which is it? If it's new, then there has never been anything before it. If it's an improvement, then there must have been something before it.
When you are waiting for the bus and someone asks "Has the bus come yet?". If the bus came would I be standing here?
People who say things like 'My eyes aren't what they used to be'. So what did they used to be? Ears? Legs?
People who are willing to get off the sofa to search the entire room for the TV remote because they refuse to walk to the TV and change the channel manually.
When people say "Oh you just want to have your cake and eat it too". Too right I do! What good is a cake if you can't eat it?
When people say "it's always the last place you look". Of course it is. Why would you keep looking after you've found it?
When people say while watching a film "did you see that?". No, I paid £5 to come to the cinema and stare at the floor.
People who ask "Can I ask you a question?"...... Didn't really give me a choice there, did you sunshine?
When something is 'new and improved!'. Which is it? If it's new, then there has never been anything before it. If it's an improvement, then there must have been something before it.
When you are waiting for the bus and someone asks "Has the bus come yet?". If the bus came would I be standing here?
People who say things like 'My eyes aren't what they used to be'. So what did they used to be? Ears? Legs?
Saturday, August 07, 2004
Lovely Day
It's a hot summers day today. Been out for a run and it was hot at 7:30am! I'm definitely a morning man when it comes to running. More energy at that time of the day.
Later we're all going for a picnic to Chatsworth House, Derbyshire. We'll be down by the river playing cricket and paddling in the water. The kids love it!
Later we're all going for a picnic to Chatsworth House, Derbyshire. We'll be down by the river playing cricket and paddling in the water. The kids love it!
Thursday, August 05, 2004
The Holy Grail Script
I love the script for Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Here's one of my favourite excerpts (and there's quite a few)....
[Arthur and Servant come hopping across the countryside with the coconuts making the sound effect of horses' hooves.]
Arthur: WHOA THERE!
[More clopping up to the castle.]
Guard 1: HALT! Who goes there?
Arthur: It is I, Arthur, son of Uther Pendragon from the castle of Camelot, King of the Britons, Defeater of the Saxons, Sovereign of All England!
Guard 1: Who is the other one?
Patsy: I am!
Arthur: And this is my trusty servant Patsy. We have ridden the length and breadth of the land in search of knights who will join me in my court at Camelot. I must speak with your lord and master!
Guard 1: What? Isn't that a horse?
Arthur: Yes.
Guard 1: You're using coconuts!
Arthur: What?
Guard 1: You've got two empty halves of coconut and you're bangin' 'em together!
Arthur: So? We have ridden since the snows of winter covered this land, from the Kindom of Mercia...
Guard 1: (interrupting) Where'd you get the coconuts?
Arthur: We found them!
Guard 1: Found them? In Mercia? The coconut's tropical!
Arthur: What do you mean?
Guard 1: Well, this is a temperate zone!
Arthur: The swallow may fly south with the sun, or the housemartin or the plumber may seek warmer climes in the winter, yet these are not strangers to our land!
Guard 1: Are you suggesting coconuts migrate?!
Arthur: Not at all! They could be carried.
Guard 1: What?! A swallow, carryin' a coconut?!
Arthur: It could grip it by the husk!
Guard 1: It's not a question of where he grips it, it's a simple question of weight ratios! A five-ounce bird could not carry a one-pound coconut!
Arthur: Well it doesn't matter! Will you go and tell your master that Arthur from the court of Camelot is here.
Guard 1: Listen, in order to maintain airspeed velocity, a swallow needs to beat its wings 43 times every second, right?
Arthur: PLEASE!
Guard 1: Am I right?
Arthur: I'm not interested!
Guard 2: It could be carried by an African swallow...
Guard 1: Oh yeah, an African swallow maybe, but not a European swallow, that's my point.
Guard 2: Oh yeah, I agree with that...
Arthur: Will you ask your master if he wants to join my court at Camelot?
Guard 2: ...but then of course, African swallows are non-migratory...
Guard 1: Aah yeah...
[Arthur and Servant come hopping across the countryside with the coconuts making the sound effect of horses' hooves.]
Arthur: WHOA THERE!
[More clopping up to the castle.]
Guard 1: HALT! Who goes there?
Arthur: It is I, Arthur, son of Uther Pendragon from the castle of Camelot, King of the Britons, Defeater of the Saxons, Sovereign of All England!
Guard 1: Who is the other one?
Patsy: I am!
Arthur: And this is my trusty servant Patsy. We have ridden the length and breadth of the land in search of knights who will join me in my court at Camelot. I must speak with your lord and master!
Guard 1: What? Isn't that a horse?
Arthur: Yes.
Guard 1: You're using coconuts!
Arthur: What?
Guard 1: You've got two empty halves of coconut and you're bangin' 'em together!
Arthur: So? We have ridden since the snows of winter covered this land, from the Kindom of Mercia...
Guard 1: (interrupting) Where'd you get the coconuts?
Arthur: We found them!
Guard 1: Found them? In Mercia? The coconut's tropical!
Arthur: What do you mean?
Guard 1: Well, this is a temperate zone!
Arthur: The swallow may fly south with the sun, or the housemartin or the plumber may seek warmer climes in the winter, yet these are not strangers to our land!
Guard 1: Are you suggesting coconuts migrate?!
Arthur: Not at all! They could be carried.
Guard 1: What?! A swallow, carryin' a coconut?!
Arthur: It could grip it by the husk!
Guard 1: It's not a question of where he grips it, it's a simple question of weight ratios! A five-ounce bird could not carry a one-pound coconut!
Arthur: Well it doesn't matter! Will you go and tell your master that Arthur from the court of Camelot is here.
Guard 1: Listen, in order to maintain airspeed velocity, a swallow needs to beat its wings 43 times every second, right?
Arthur: PLEASE!
Guard 1: Am I right?
Arthur: I'm not interested!
Guard 2: It could be carried by an African swallow...
Guard 1: Oh yeah, an African swallow maybe, but not a European swallow, that's my point.
Guard 2: Oh yeah, I agree with that...
Arthur: Will you ask your master if he wants to join my court at Camelot?
Guard 2: ...but then of course, African swallows are non-migratory...
Guard 1: Aah yeah...
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Anagrams
A bit sad I know but I love playing around with anagrams. This is a great site if you can't be bothered making them up yourself. For myself I like 'Godly Anvil' but certainly not 'Lady Loving'. A good friend of mine comes out as the 'Pub General'. Happy anagramming!
The Fools Award for First Place goes to....
19 year old Ohio student Robert Ricketts had his head bloodied when he was struck by a Conrail train. He told police he was trying to see how close to the moving train he could place his head without getting hit. That’s foolish!
Foolishness well describes the Seattle thief who attempted to siphon petrol from a motor home parked on a Seattle street. When police arrived at the scene they found the sick thief curled up next to the motor home. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying to steal petrol, but said that he plugged his hose into the motor home’s sewage tank by mistake and while attempting to siphon gas got a mouth full of sewage instead.
Then there was Larry. Larry’s boyhood dream was to fly. But fate conspired to keep him from his dream. He joined the Air Force, but his poor eyesight disqualified him from being a pilot. After he was discharged from the military, he sat in his backyard watching jets fly overhead.He hatched his weather balloon scheme while sitting outside in his comfortable lawn chair. He purchased 45 weather balloons from an Army-Navy surplus store, tied them to his tethered lawn chair dubbed the Inspiration I, and filled the 4 foot diameter balloons with helium. Then he strapped himself into his lawn chair with some sandwiches, drinks, and a pellet rifle. He figured he would pop a few of the many balloons when it was time to descend.Larry’s plan was to sever the anchor and lazily float up to a height of about 30 feet above his back yard, where he would enjoy a few hours of flight before coming back down. But things didn’t work out as Larry had planned.When his friends cut the cord anchoring the lawn chair to his Jeep, he did not float lazily up to 30 feet. Instead, he streaked into the LA sky as if shot from a cannon, pulled by the lift of 42 helium balloons holding 33 cubic feet of helium each. He didn’t level off at 100 feet, nor did he level off at 1000 feet. After climbing and climbing, he levelled off at 16,000 feet.At that height he felt he couldn’t risk shooting any of the balloons, lest he unbalance the load and really find himself in trouble. So he stayed there, drifting cold and frightened with his beer and sandwiches, for more than 14 hours. He crossed the primary approach corridor of LAX, where Trans World Airlines and Delta Airlines pilots radioed in reports of the strange sight.Eventually he gathered the nerve to shoot a few balloons, and slowly descended. The hanging tethers tangled and caught in a power line, blacking out a Long Beach neighbourhood for 20 minutes. Larry climbed to safety, where he was arrested by waiting members of the LAPD. As he was led away in handcuffs, a reporter dispatched to cover the daring rescue asked him why he had done it. Larry replied nonchalantly, "A man can’t just sit around."
But the Psalmist David gives the fools award for first place to the man who says in his heart, "There is no God" (Psalm 53:1) The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."
Foolishness well describes the Seattle thief who attempted to siphon petrol from a motor home parked on a Seattle street. When police arrived at the scene they found the sick thief curled up next to the motor home. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying to steal petrol, but said that he plugged his hose into the motor home’s sewage tank by mistake and while attempting to siphon gas got a mouth full of sewage instead.
Then there was Larry. Larry’s boyhood dream was to fly. But fate conspired to keep him from his dream. He joined the Air Force, but his poor eyesight disqualified him from being a pilot. After he was discharged from the military, he sat in his backyard watching jets fly overhead.He hatched his weather balloon scheme while sitting outside in his comfortable lawn chair. He purchased 45 weather balloons from an Army-Navy surplus store, tied them to his tethered lawn chair dubbed the Inspiration I, and filled the 4 foot diameter balloons with helium. Then he strapped himself into his lawn chair with some sandwiches, drinks, and a pellet rifle. He figured he would pop a few of the many balloons when it was time to descend.Larry’s plan was to sever the anchor and lazily float up to a height of about 30 feet above his back yard, where he would enjoy a few hours of flight before coming back down. But things didn’t work out as Larry had planned.When his friends cut the cord anchoring the lawn chair to his Jeep, he did not float lazily up to 30 feet. Instead, he streaked into the LA sky as if shot from a cannon, pulled by the lift of 42 helium balloons holding 33 cubic feet of helium each. He didn’t level off at 100 feet, nor did he level off at 1000 feet. After climbing and climbing, he levelled off at 16,000 feet.At that height he felt he couldn’t risk shooting any of the balloons, lest he unbalance the load and really find himself in trouble. So he stayed there, drifting cold and frightened with his beer and sandwiches, for more than 14 hours. He crossed the primary approach corridor of LAX, where Trans World Airlines and Delta Airlines pilots radioed in reports of the strange sight.Eventually he gathered the nerve to shoot a few balloons, and slowly descended. The hanging tethers tangled and caught in a power line, blacking out a Long Beach neighbourhood for 20 minutes. Larry climbed to safety, where he was arrested by waiting members of the LAPD. As he was led away in handcuffs, a reporter dispatched to cover the daring rescue asked him why he had done it. Larry replied nonchalantly, "A man can’t just sit around."
But the Psalmist David gives the fools award for first place to the man who says in his heart, "There is no God" (Psalm 53:1) The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
The Pewor of the Hmuan Mnid
Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
Wedding Anniversary
We've just celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary. I thought it would be a good thing to say something about my beautiful wife (I can hear her wrenching as I type). Just to say she's a great woman and I love her very much. We've booked a table at the Tanner's Restaurant in Plymouth which we will be visiting whilst on our forthcoming holiday to Devon...we can't wait!
My Blog Begins
My best friend Paul Benger (well apart from my wife) - who's also my Pastor at Chesterfield Christian Life Church has inspired me to 'have a go' as it were. So this is my first entry into the world of blog.
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