Good day to you all

Paul

I'm sure Rabbi Kalman Packouz of Aish.com will not mind me sharing with you these Five steps.

Paul

The following is my Christmas piece for our local Parish Magazine.

If I have one vice, then it has to be a large bag of Jelly Beans, the ones with forty different flavours in a bag, I could sit here and start to list them all for you, but I am sure you know the ones I mean. The children always know how to get around there Dad, buy him a bag of his favourites and he will do anything, although having just said that, I am quit partial to a bar of Bendicks Plain chocolate if that‘s on offer!

So, there I am, sat with the bag in front of me, and it’s looking at me, and I’m looking at it, yes, you’ve guessed it, one of the children comes in and asks for a bean, so the packet then has to be opened. Once it has bean opened you, can smell the aroma of all those E numbers come wafting towards you? Each bean has its own unique colouring, there is a pinky coloured one, which is bubble gum flavoured and one of my favourites, is a dark brown cappuccino flavoured bean.

Now, it is okay to eat each of your favourite beans individually, but it is so much more fun to combine the beans and see what resulting flavour occurs, whatever it is, you can be sure it will be just the right mix.

Wouldn’t it be great if the whole world were like a bumper size bag of jellybeans, individuals, with all their different values, all over the globe, celebrating at this time of year, messages of Unity, Peace and Love amongst all men? But when bought together, and those messages were mixed, what a fantastic burst of colour and flavour, union, harmony and Love there would be across the world.

Thanks to my bag of jelly beans, for giving me inspiration all the way through this peace (yes I know) and I’ve just noticed that these beans did not have to be consumed until 19 January 2008 , ah well, there is always the next packet, (hint hint).

Therefore, I have decided what I would like to have as my Christmas box (does anyone still use that phrase?) a big bag of Unity, Peace and Love beans.

Warm Christmas Greetings to you all

Paul

Has anyone got into it yet?

For the life of my I can't see which target audience it is aimed for, is it a grown up Dr Who? in which case it's an insult to the adults who watch Dr Who.

If the programme are blogging in, then please, please please enough with the aerial shots of Cardiff, whilst I appreciate the beauty of the city, I don't want a constant reminder all the time.

Please can they consider the pre-watershed viewers, who think it would be fun to watch something (attached to Dr Who) could they put a warning triangle on the screen. Last nights episode was okay, but the others have been a different matter.

I must get down of my soap box.

Paul

I just had to share this with you, my thanks go to my usual source, www.aish.com

The most destructive habit...................................Worry
The greatest joy............................................Giving
The greatest loss..................................Loss of respect

The most dangerous pariah...............................A gossiper
The world's most incredible computer.....................The brain
The worst thing to be without.................................Hope

The most satisfying work............................Helping others
The ugliest personality trait..........................Selfishness
The most endangered species......................Dedicated leaders

The deadliest weapon....................................The tongue
The two most power-filled words............................"I Can"
The greatest asset...........................................Faith

Our greatest natural resource............................Our youth
The greatest "shot in the arm".......................Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome..............................Fear

The most worthless emotion...............................Self-pity
The most beautiful attire...................................SMILE!
The most prized possession...............................Integrity

The most effective sleeping pill.....................Peace of mind
The most crippling failure disease.........................Excuses
The most powerful force in life...............................Love

The most powerful channel of communication..................Prayer
The most contagious spirit..............................Enthusiasm

Hi Everyone,

Can anyone tell me where text goes? Say you have written a whole document, and are just about to post it to your blog or send it as an email and the whole thing disappears - but where does it go … answers please on a postcard to the following blog……….

I digress, what I wanted to ‘blog’ about this evening was what happen to me last Tuesday evening. I went out, I can hear some of you are say, “more like he was let out”, seriously, I had been looking forward to session two of our church’s (St. Marks, Bilton in Rugby - (www.stmarksbilton.org)) YEAST group.

What’s YEAST group, my youngest asked me, well it is a group of people who when they get together, discover, through Prayer and discussion, how exciting God’s Love for us is. Yeast, I told him needs special ingredients added to it, to make it grow, it’s a bit like your bowel of Rice Krispies, we all go Snap, Crackle and Pop all at the same time, as we fill over the bowel, as you add your sugar and cold milk. Well, it was an analogy that worked well at the time.

But, (and you can start a sentence with but) there is no mistaking the excitement, as we have met now for two weeks. Each of us peaks at the next week’s session, to see what ‘homework’ we will need to do or what part we are likely to take in it.

The YEAST group is based around four W’s, they are; Welcome, Worship, Word and Witness to the world. I am going to try to cover each of these over the next couple of email/letter type blog posting thingy’s.

Last week was all about broadening our Horizons. We had to decide what personal item we would have with us, if we were either locked in a prison cell, or deserted on a desert island. For me, I could not make my mind up, out of these;

My Glasses,
A sense of humour
A sturdy pair of shoes
A sharp axe, or
Mrs Beaton’s cookbook

I leave you to imagine why I would need anyone of those, save to say that we already have a Bible in the cell or desert island.

During the word section, we looked at the two great commandments of Jesus, and it was interesting for those of us who had different versions of the Bible, to see the slight changes in words, especially from James to newer versions.

Tomorrow nights session should be another “cracker”, during the Welcome part we have to change places with our favourite Bible character for a day, you have to say who it would be and why. I have decided who I am going to be or more so what, can you guess?

Tomorrow evening, we are all going to lead one of the four W’s, I selected, Witness to the World, I don’t know why, I just have… well it’s probably because I already do something like it, through my blogs and email letters.

We are asked tomorrow, “to pray for individuals and groups at church that they may exercise their gifts wisely and to the full.”

Therefore, my prayer for tomorrow evening is;

Dear Lord,

We pray for all the Faiths of the world. We pray for the followers of those Faiths, whether they are at home or place of worship, whether meeting as a group or at their place of worship. We pray that the gifts given to them, to enable groups of study and worship to take place are wisely used to their fullest.

Amen

So, to my personal witness to the world, I would like to form the biggest Prayer circle blog, how do you do that???? Any help and guidance warmly welcomed. Perhaps a dedicated blog, which we all join and then try to grow, like yeast, further and further, so we can all pray for others in farthest corners of the globe.

Shalom & God Bless

Paul

Just when you think you are just a Mr or Mrs nobody sat blogging away to your hearts content, along comes a mother who suggests looking up her family tree. Within Five minutes we have traced a line backed to William 1. My youngest came up to me to enquire what all the excitement was about, and we explained that we were indirectly related to HRH, but several hundred times removed. "What does removed mean" Now that bit is the bit that is a little difficult to explain.

Have you ever tried that thing, where when you have posted all you can think of posting in an evening, and just before you sign off, you think to yourself, I'll just see who that friends friends are.
(Hope that makes sense)

Well the other evening, after clicking and clicking, I went from my blog's friends, clicked to Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Spain and then got back to mine.

That is amazing to think that someone sat in Spain has got a blog friend, who's got a blog friend, who's got a blog friend and on and on, who is Little old MeD

The first one to say I'm Sad, is the one to say, they have not tried it themselves.

TTFN for now

Paul

The drive way to the crib is a little narrow, you have to leave the Porsche (is that spelt correct) right at the top, but at least after a drop of sunday spirit, you will feel refreshed, by the time you walk back up to the car.

A welcome awaits at my local Sunday Crib, we've got no Swimming Pool, or Garage full of cars, but the family are great

Help, it's time to cover up the trampoline again, the heating even went on last night.....

Hello All (30)

Paul’s letter from the Patio Doors

It just seem ages since I last put finger to keyboard, there is no good excuse for not doing so, but if anyone wants to take me to task about it at any point, they are welcome to do so.

So you would think that there is a lot of catching up to do, well yes, I suppose there is, but the fact that my short term memory is so, how do you put it…… not there, I’m not going to remember things as I used to. I have even forgotten, the layout of my letters, well apart from the joke at the end, which I will still include. Nevertheless, I think that with time, comes change, we all move forward, so I hope you will not mind if the format of my letters takes a change. If it’s okay with everyone, I think I will try to make them a little shorter (yes, I can see that happening, break out the mug of coffee and Hob Nobs)

As the months have passed, I have had many obstacles to over come, and with the help of family and friends around me, I have managed some of those with ease, and some are still trying to get me down, but I remember a phrase of Winston Churchill, he would say KBO, which stands for Keep Buggering On, so I do.

So, why did I not KBO with my letters, well I believe “him upstairs” has been asking me to do a few other things, he has, as I have already alluded to, given me some, not so pleasant tasks to sort out.

As I write this, I am awaiting the arrival of the Parish Magazine, why …. Because for those of you who don’t reside in Bilton, I’ve started putting together a 380 word piece for the magazine, if I remember correctly, October’s magazine is an article on ‘Hugs’, you can always catch up on that story on the blog site (www.akerman.blog.co.uk). By the way, the blog site has suffered as well as my friends to whom I send this letter, I have not bean as prolific as I used to be.

Did I mention that I had joined the PCC at Church, it’s already given me one issue which I still have to get my head around. When someone explains it, it makes so much sense, but when I pray about it, it still troubles me, the subject; Communion before Confirmation, well suddenly the other morning as I was trying to think what to write for the November Magazine article, it came to me - Age. Here is the article, for those who do not have the pleasure of receiving a copy of it.

Age
I was sat at the computer the other evening, I turned and looked at the Patio Door glass and with the inky dark evening sky behind them, and all I could see was a reflection of myself. I was shocked, so got up and looked into the dining room mirror. Yes, there I was, still feeling 20ish, but looking much more than that. The grey hair had started to creep into my four-day designer stubble. Go away old age I thought, but there was no escaping the fact that old age creeps up on us all.

Age has been in the news a lot recently, you apparently cannot work past 60 if you are a teacher, where do all those years of experience go, you surely cannot train a teacher that quickly. They might come fresh faced from University or teacher training college, with all the letters after their name, but they will not have the life skills, necessary to enthuse their students.

At the other end of the spectrum are our young children, hungry and desperate for knowledge of the world and the mysteries it holds waiting for them. The young Akermans all went through the Who, what, why, when questions and it‘s not only at home that they seek to gain the answers to a myriad of questions.

Young Christians are also seeking answers, why do we go to Church on Sunday? Why do sermons go on so long? (Just a joke) Why do Mum and Dad have something to eat at the altar rail? Why am I not included? Today’s youth seem to have wisdom beyond their years, for I would not have thought about that when I was their age, but they are all very good questions.

We have an opportunity to change the way we include our whole Christian family in worship, because we all have a ministry, whether we are young or old, to share in the mystery of holy communion and then talk about it with our friends, whether they are in the playground or in the office.

I know how I will be answering these questions from my children and I will encourage them to explore the sacrifice, which our Lord made for us and the last supper with his disciples.

Guess what, I found a joke for you, I hope you like it.

One day, two bees are buzzing around what's left of a rose bush. "How's your summer been?" asks bee number one. "Not too good," says bee two. "Lotta rain, lotta cold. There aren't enough flowers, therefore not enough pollen." The first bee has an idea. "Hey, why don't you go down to the corner and hang a left? There's a bar mitzvah going on. Plenty of flowers and fruit." Bee two buzzes, "Thanks!" and takes off. An hour later, the bees bump into each other again. "How was the bar mitzvah?" asks the first bee. "Great!" replies the second. The first bee, however, notices a small circle on his friend's head, and inquires, "What's that on your head?" "A yarmulke," is the answer. "I didn't want them to think I was a Wasp." (Thanks to www.chebucto.ns.ca)
For now, Shalom and God Bless

Paul

Just a quick thought, if you are in Rugby, England on the 6th October, please stay off the roads, my son is having another driving lesson.....

Hi

Paul

Washing's on the line .... tick
Rabbit fed .... tick
Kids off to school .... tick
Garden birds fed .... tick
Nights drawing in .... tick
Apples falling .... tick Apple crumble .... tick tick
Waiting for Boss to turn up, 45 minutes late .... tick

Is there anyone who would like to form a Prayer Circle?

Paul

Hugs

Aren’t hugs important, youngest Akerman came up to me the other night, as I sat on the Patio door steps, and we went into our usual routine, both saying “arms extend, grab and hug”.

Does anyone remember those first hugs from their Grandma and Grandad, for me, it was a mixture of the smell of mothballs, and extra strong mints, and Grandad’s tickly moustache. But for someone who has a poor short term memory, but great long term, these senses bring comfort, even today.

Then there are always the hugs which Mum gives you on your first day at school, along with the “don’t worry”.

What can one say about the way our European cousins openly hug each other as a formal greeting, whereas we still, reservedly, shake one another’s hands.

I was going to say, how I could see Sainsbury’s from the Patio door, but of course I can’t but you only have to walk through their, or any other store, and you are ‘hugged’ by the smell, they pipe to the front of the shop of warm, of fresh, warm baked bread, just like Granny used to make, making us feel secure, that we are at home.

I thought I might tell you about that first kiss in the school playground, (well you will have to allow me some poetic license here), I think mine was a kiss and a hug, as five year olds Susan Walker and myself (see I even remember her name) hugged, with the rest of the school looking on.

All of the above hugs are good ways of making us feel secure and safe in the peace of mind that there is someone there to look after us, with me, yes it’s our Lord guiding me, but it’s also the feeling of my Father, my Grandparents and the congregation at St. Marks hugging me along my way.

The church hugs me all the time, the physical structure gives me a hug, it makes me feel warm, content and at home, whereas the familiar friends and faces which makes up the body of our church offer those embraces of Love and Peace which are the signs of Our Lords Love for us all, the more hugs we share the stronger his Love will grow.

Paul

Oh what a silly fool I am, I should have listened to number one son, who kept on at me to get some surge protection for the computer. The recent storms we had decided to take their revenge on my hard drive. So we are back, alive, and kicking with the aforementioned protection, plus a new mousey, who has a strange alien red light, shining from it's bottom.

TTFN

Paul

PS., I'm also going to get on at the users of this PC, who don't backup their data!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now, (even if we don't speak often or if you are a random reader) please post a comment with a COMPLETELY MADE UP AND FICTIONAL memory of you and me. It can be anything you want - good or bad - BUT IT HAS TO BE FAKE. When you're finished, post this little paragraph on your diary and be surprised (or mortified) about what people DON'T ACTUALLY remember about you...

I was presented with a couple of presents the other day, and all I can say is a big thank you, they came at a time when I needed them most of all.

My Father's Book of Common Prayer, presented to him when he was 7 years old.

My Grandfather's Bible presented to him when he was 17.

I used the BCP the other morning at Communion, but unfortunately instead of saying Elizabeth our Queen, I read as printed and it came out as George our King. Woops

Paul