General Chat

Assme you mean Helen Keller and Robert Murray M'Cheyne, kandj. Both fantastic people.

If you meant Cynthia and me, I would take issue with you. Only Cynthia is special. My ambition is to die ordinary and, like my 3 x great grandfather who died in 1853 after 47 years of Methodist preaching, be descibed as an "acceptable local preacher". Want no more :-) :-)

How humbling to read both postings of two very special people.
Thank you to Cynthia and John.......as interesting as ever.

Cynthia and John thank you both for those
wonderful words from these amazing people.
Uplifting and inspirational in every way.

Emma :-)

Helen Keller has so inspired Christians. Thank you so much, Cynthia.

I would like to bring forward a wonderful Scottish saint, Robert Murray M'Cheyne (pronounced "Mak-shayn" His dates were 21 May 1813 – 25 March 1843, and he was a minister in the Church of Scotland from 1835 to 1843. Son of Adam M'Cheyne.

He died at 29 of TB, and was painfully ill towards the end of his life. In a biography written by his friend and mentor Rev Andrew Bonar, he was said to have converted a man by his painful progress to the pulpit when he was gravely ill.

M'Cheyne said this in a sermon: "Set not your heart on the flowers of this world; for they have all a canker in them. Prize the Rose of Sharon . . . more than all; for he changeth not. Live nearer to Christ than to the saints, so that when they are taken from you, you may have him to lean on still."

Need I add the words of the famous blind hymnwriter from New York, Fanny Crosby: "Visions of rapture burst on my sight". Totally blind from the aged of 7, yet she could pen such a beautiful line :-) :-)

Good morning everyone and I hope you are all well. :-)

I came across these words from the inspirational Helen Keller, and I thought I would share them with you today:



"The marvelous richness of human experience
Would lose something of rewarding joy
If there were no limitations to overcome.
The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful,
If there were no dark valleys to traverse."

"I thank God for my handicaps,
For, through them,
I have found myself,
my work, and my God."

~ Helen Keller-


Helen Adams Keller was born on June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. In 1882, she fell ill and was struck blind, deaf and mute. Beginning in 1887, Keller's teacher, Anne Sullivan, helped her make tremendous progress with her ability to communicate, and Keller went on to college, graduating in 1904. In 1920, Keller helped found the ACLU. During her lifetime, she received many honours in recognition of her accomplishments.


An inspiration indeed!

Hope you all have a good day......Cx :-)

All very interesting...... thank you everyone.

Today's threads have made me smile,
thank you all, definitely a feel good
experience.

Have a good day all.

Emma :-)

Trust you to be a day ahead of us, Jeniwren. When I worked in Hendon Tesco (more years ago than I like to remember), Friday was a busy day of preparation and shop was busy all day. Chicken, kosher wine, and fruit juice flew off the shelves. And Saturday was a dead as a do do :-( :-(

I remember the business and excitement of customers on the Friday and they seemed to have the magic of Christmas almost every week - eating together, lighting candles, praying together. And, of course, Hanukah will soon be upon us.

So have a great Shabboth. L'Chaim to all our Jewish friends.

Mazal Tov to you all.

My house is ready now for the start of our Shabbatt,
all cleaning done, food prepared, table set and candles
ready for lighting at sunset.

I wish you all a happy and peaceful weekend.

Shabbatt Shalom xx :-)


Lovely words Cynthiaxx

Hope Friday is good for everyone.

Romans 1:16

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. "

I always find these words intriguing. Paul was of course the most Jewish of men before his conversion on road to Damascus. He was a Hebrew of the Hebrews (which meant he could trace his Jewish ancestry back 8 generations at least through both his father and his mother).

"Greek" was a word they seemed to use for anyone in Europe, including Romans and all those further west and north. And no one outside Judaism was converted to Christianity until Cornelius, the Roman governor of the fortress town (Caesarea) on Lake Galilee. (Acts 10:10–48)

Edit. What a fantastic way of explaining Christianity, Cynthia. Thankyou
:-D :-D

Good morning everyone :-)


It's interesting to discuss the different aspects of various faiths. They all seem to hold the basic views that - 'there is a higher power than us', that 'human life is valuable', that 'peace is better than violence' etc.

From the Christian point of view, the difference lies in the fact that no other faith has a Saviour who came down from Heaven to die for our sins nor does any other faith have a Saviour who died for them, rose from the dead and is with us still - in the power of the Holy Spirit.

In a way, I suppose one could say that Christianity is not a 'religion' - it is a relationship with God. :-)

As the famous atheist-turned-Christian C. S. Lewis once stated: “Christianity is a statement which, if false, is of no importance, and, if true, is of infinite importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important.”


Some words for today:

Hello God

Hello God, I called tonight
To talk a little while ...
I need a friend who'll listen
To my anxiety and trial.
You see, I can't quite make it
Through a day just on my own;
I need your love to guide me,
So I'll never feel alone.

I want to ask you please to keep,
My family safe and sound;
Come and fill their lives with confidence,
For whatever fate they're bound.

Give me faith, dear God, to face,
Each hour throughout the day;
And not to worry over things,
I can't change in any way.

I thank you God, for being home,
And listening to my call;
For giving me such good advice
When I stumble and fall.

Your number, God, is the only one
That answers every time;
I never get a busy signal,
And never had to pay a dime.

So thank you, God, for listening
To my troubles and my sorrow;
Good night, God. I love You, too,
And I'll call again tomorrow!

~ Author Unknown ~

Have a good day my friends....... :-)

Dear Jeniwren

Hello

Very good to see you posting.

Shalom, my friend. <3


Take gentle care
Best wishes
Elizabeth, EOS
xx

Vera. In a sense we are all travelling. I have just been doing a bit of research today for one of my brothers in law. His ancestor (Richard Hughes) was lighthouse keeper at Point of Ayr at mouth of Dee near Prestatyn.

The other keeper was Samuel Brooks (born c 1790). He had a young wife and family in 1851c and, later that year of 1851, the family settled in Utah as Mormons!!! What faith!! What an adventure. Similar to the Welsh colonists in Patagonia in their bravery.

As a Christian, I believe there is only one way to heaven. Jesus states that “no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). He used several picturesque descriptions to emphasize this point—He called Himself the way (14:6), the door (10:9), the living bread (6:51), and the good shepherd (10:11).

So I agree with John Bunyan that whichever paths we take, at some point we have to find that little door (he called it a little "wicket gate") in heaven. But I do find any religious discussion fascinating, love to hear about different churches, mosques etc. Love that phrase Mazal Tov. As I do Shalom (lots of chapels here in Wales called Salem - peace)

L'Chaim :-)

As a regular reader but only an occasional contributor to the thread I've been made to feel very welcome so I am sure you will be too Jeniwren.

I'm still not totally sure of my own beliefs and am a very irregular church goer, but I am interested in all the major religions and would be happy to learn more about Judaism.

I went to school in the 1950s and was very lucky to go to a school with quite an advanced outlook. It was never a case of "doing scripture" but we did do quite a bit of comparative religion (unusual at that time) and we were certainly taught tolerance. It was suggested to us that those that believed in the one God whatever their religion were simply taking different paths up the same mountain. As an adult I have done a couple of short comparative religion courses and have always been amazed at the similarities between them.

I look forward to reading anything you have to say.

Vera

I really like Helen Steiner Rice way with words.
Thank you Cynthia. :-)

Have a good day all.

Emma :-)

Good morning to everyone :-) :-)

Cynthia lovely words, thank you for sharing them :-)

Hope you all have a good day :-)

Mazal Tov xx

Good morning my friends..... :-)



A few words for today:


My God Is No Stranger

I've never seen God,
But I know how I feel ...
It's people like you
Who make Him so real.
It seems that I pass Him
So often each day,
In the faces of people
I meet on my way.

He's the stars in the heaven,
A smile on some face,
A leaf on a tree,
Or a rose in a vase.

He's winter and autumn
And summer and spring,
In short, God is every
"Real," and wonderful thing.

I wish I might meet Him
Much more than I do ...
I would, if there were more
People like you!

~ Helen Steiner Rice ~


Have a lovely day..... :-)

Jeniwren. I am personally very interested in Judaism and Islam. And had some good discussions with Hare Krisha devotees (a sort of Western style of Hinduism) when I was running some courses for them (not religious courses) in George Harrison's beautiful old house in Letchmore Heath near Watford..

Both Jesus and John the Baptist were Jewish rabbis. John never knew anything about the Pentecost after Jesus died (which Christians consider the birth of the Christian religion) . John was only 31 when he died and he had only been a rabbi for a few months. But he took the modern and sophisticated Jews in his day back to a time of original and basic Judaism.

I do feel that all religions have a tendency to go away from their roots. There needs to be a constant process of reform. Anyway, a warm welcome and I know we will all enjoy learning about your faith
:-) :-)

Cynthia, another beautiful Irish prayer and John the jolly One More Step Along the World I Go hymn comes to mind..... thank you both.
Hello Jeniwren and "welcome". I am sure we all think....the more, the merrier..... I found your comments really interesting, so please feel free to share your thoughts anytime.

Hello Rose, I don't mind answering any questions you want to ask,
am always happy to discuss any subject.
Mazal Tov xx :-) :-)