A SOMBRE WARNING...
Artificial intelligence
For a long time, I have had a feeling of discomfort when reading about AI, and of late a deepening concern regarding the increasing dependence on this tool/entity.
As a writer, I can quickly identify an authentic, human script vs an AI generated one.
Some of my concerns are the shrinking of brain mass in humans because of lack of use, the insidious usurping human intelligence, the loss of the ‘soul’ in written works, etc.
Prof Stephen Hawking warned that artificial intelligence could end mankind’ (2 December, 2014). "Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn't compete and would be superseded". This warning came in response to a question about a revamp of the technology he uses to communicate, which involves a basic form of AI. Prof Hawking says the primitive forms of artificial intelligence developed so far have already proved very useful, but he fears the consequences of creating something that can match or surpass humans.
A while ago we watched a movie where loving parents gave their young daughter a robot to keep her company. It seemed a perfect solution; the robot looked like a little girl, could speak, walk etc. The twist came when this delightful little robot assumed a dominating, dangerous personality when alone with the little girl. Obviously, this was total fiction but I suspect that the theme was expressing the dark side of creating robots.
So the dilemma we are facing is; what ‘advancement’ is good and will benefit humanity? And, what ‘advancement’ will lead to the demise of humanity as we know it?
FIVE STYLES OF MANAGING CONFLICT
Knowing ourselves…
The Turtle: Any signs of conflict causes withdrawal. The Turtle’s style is that of avoidance. Will rather avoid conflict than face it. Is low on both goals and relationships.
The Shark: Tackles conflict head on. Is not concerned much with needs of others and assumes that conflict is settled by one person winning and the other losing. Is high on goals and low on relationship – achieve goal at any cost.
The Teddy Bear: Smoothes over conflict. Avoids in favour of harmony. Does not believe that conflict can be resolved without it affecting the relationship unless someone gives way. Is high on relationship and low on goals.
The Fox: Is prepared to meet the other half-way. Will concede part and persuade the other side to do the same. Both sides win but both sides also lose. More or less ambivalent towards goals and relationships.
The Owl. Uses confrontation as a means of managing conflict. Sees conflict as a means of improving the relationship. Highly values both goals and relationships and therefore seeks solutions that will satisfy both groups. i.e. a third way.
NOTE: Conflict is inevitable, conflict is not necessarily negative, conflict can be productive if used properly, avoidance of conflict can cause distancing. Our challenge – learn how to have constructive conflict, it probably will be unique to each person.
ANCIENT CHRISTIAN GIANTS
Interesting life journeys
St Augustine (354-430)
Bishop of Hippo – great doctor of the Latin Church.
Born in North Africa, son of a pagan father and devout mother.
At the age of 16 went to Carthage to complete his education in law, became interested in philosophy and abandoned his Christian heritage. Offered a professorship in Rome where he founded his own school of rhetoric.
Came under the influence of Plato and St Ambrose. After a long inner struggle, again embraced the Christian faith.
Returned to Africa and formed a religious community and in 391 was ordained as a priest.
In 34 years in this monastic community, he wrote a vast number of books. Wonderful theological insights.
Thomas a’ Kempis (1380-1471)
In 1399 at the age of 19 Thomas became a monk in the Augustinian monastery where he stayed all his life. He was made Superior (A superior is the leader or head of an 'order' of religious persons) in 1429. His outer life was not significant; he lived and died a simple monk.
His inner life was deep and rich- the lasting achievement was when he edited Gerhard Groote’s diary and out of it came “The Imitation of Christ”
Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)
Born of a noble family in Spain. Belonged to a long line of nobility – he participated in the revelry of the royalty- gambling, duelling, romance..
In 1517 he did service in the army and in May 1521 received a serious leg wound from a cannonball. He underwent several surgical operations which left his right leg shorter than the left leg. Returned to Loyola to recuperate, and had nothing to do, so he read. When he read the book ‘The Life of Christ’, (Vita Christi) by Ludolph of Saxony (1374), he was converted. He also read ‘The Imitation of Christ’ by Thomas a Kempis, and stories of St Francis.
He became determined to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, disposed of all his worldly goods, and clothed himself in sackcloth.
His ship was detained for a year in Manresa (a town in Spain) and here he wrote a large portion of “The Spiritual Exercises” (1522-1524). These exercises became the standard for Jesuit retreats and are still in use today.
BECOMING MORE POSITIVE
We do have the ability to become a more positive person!
Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends know that there is something to them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best and expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear and too happy to permit the presence of trouble
(Christian D Larson)
WISDOM TO LIVE BY
Twenty-eight reflections on how to live with purpose, humility, courage, and care
Over the years I have collected wise proverbs, idioms, sayings, that I found helpful to ponder on. Here are a few of them…
Where God guides, He provides.
Putting God first in all things.
Action creates motivation. Don't wait to "feel like it." Start the task, and the motivation usually follows five minutes later.
You can’t "fix" people. You can love them and support them, but you can’t do the work for them.
Kindness is free, but invaluable. The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention. A person who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter (whatever problems you are having with the meal), is not a nice person. (This is very important. It is always true.)
Time is the only non-renewable resource. You can always make more money, but you can’t get back an hour spent on things that don't matter.
Your health is your true wealth. Small habits in your 30s and 40s pay massive dividends (or debts) when you hit 60 and 70’s.
Listening says, ‘You are worth my time. To listen is to honour the fact that someone else’s world is as real as your own.
Vulnerability is a strength. Being real about your struggles invites others to do the same, creating deeper bonds.
It’s never too late to start. Whether it's a hobby, a career shift, or a new habit, the "best time" was yesterday, but the second-best time is now.
Silence is a valid answer. Never miss a good chance to shut up. You don't have to attend every argument you're invited to.
The “Good Old Days” are right now. Don’t spend so much time looking back or forward that you miss the life you’re currently living.
Don’t Fear Failure. The fact is most of the glorious successes in life come from experiences of past failures.
Nourish Relationships. No road is long with good company.
Always have an attitude of Gratitude. The older you get, the more you realize how much power gratitude gives you in making your outlook positive.
Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved and never will achieve, it’s full potential, that word would be “meetings.”
Nobody cares if you dance well. Just get up and dance.
Watch Your Words. Words are powerful, they can bless and be helpful to another, but they can also be destructive.
The most destructive force in the universe is gossip. Often people that criticise your life are usually the same people that don't know the price you paid to get where you are today. True friends see the full picture of your soul.
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.
Humour is a survival tool. If you can laugh at yourself, you’ll never run out of entertainment.
Forgive and forget.. "When you forgive, you in no way change the past — but you sure do change the future."
Regret is heavier than failure. Trying and failing feels much better than wondering "what if" for twenty years.
Asking for help isn't weakness. It's an acknowledgement that we are built for community, not isolation.
In all your problems, ‘Let Go, and Let God’.
The Greatest Commandment remains, ‘Love God, Neighbour and Yourself’.
GOD LOVES YOU ANYWAY.
TODAY’S HUMOUR
Good one liners!
Did you hear about the guy that lost his left arm and leg in a car crash? He’s all right now.
How do crazy people go through theforest? They take the psycho path.
How do you get Holy water? Boil the hell out of it.
How does a spoiled rich girl change a lightbulb? She says, “Daddy I want a new apartment.
What did the fish say when he hit the dam wall? “Dam”
What do Eskimos get from sitting on the ice too long? Polaroids.
What do prisoners use to call each other? Cell phones.
What do you call a boomerang that doesn’t work? A stick.
What do you call Santa’s helpers? Subordinate Clauses.
What do you call four bull fighters in quicksand? Quatro sinko.
What do you get from a pampered cow? Spoiled milk.
A deliberate refocussing …Be Thankful
A deliberate refocussing…
Those that are thankless are blind to the many good things in their lives…
Sometimes it is because they have been hurt and wounded by life.
Some are so captured by the ‘tinsel’ of life, that they cannot appreciate the gold.
Some are trapped in a survival for existence, and their lives are days of endless toil.
Some do not want to look deeply into life and frantically seek distraction in work and endless entertainment.
Perhaps being thankful does not come naturally to us, we become complacent…
However,
We can CULTIVATE thankfulness, teach ourselves to see the reasons to be thankful each day.
Each new day to live, and love, is a gift from God, so let us be thankful.
All that our eyes can see in nature, is created by God, so let us be thankful.
All new life is a promise filled with possibilities, so let us be thankful.
All pain and sorrow can build character, so let us be thankful.
Each person has in their soul the image of God, so let us be thankful.
Each failure is an unforgettable lesson in wisdom, so let us be thankful.
Each compassionate, loving act, makes God’s kingdom come, so let us be thankful.
Each departing soul leaves their mark upon this earth, so let us be thankful.
Each man, woman, child is precious in God’s sight, so let us be thankful.
God loved us so much that He came to earth to tell us of His love, so let us be thankful.
CHANGES TO IMPROVE OUR LIVES
We do have the ability to improve our lives!
These suggestions are guidelines to start our journey to keep improving the quality of our lives. It would be advisable to make the changes gradually. In this way you can assess the value of the change before proceeding to the next.
Developing a clear sense of purpose; meaningful roles and responsibilities.
Discovering your unique talents. Be aware that social pressure can confuse you.
Include physical exercise as a regular part of your day
Begin healthy sleep:
4.1 Check your bedroom for possible irritants e.g. lighting, noise factors ventilation etc, “Good sleep cleans the body cells”
4.2 Avoid naps in the day and have a regular bedtime.
4.3 Stress management: Creatively deal with stressful issues early in the dayand develop a ‘plan of action’.
4.4 Recognise that as we age our stress levels may increase which often are irrational.
4.5 Check the side-effects of medications and/or supplements you are taking.
4.6 Check your diet; be aware of any foods, drinks etc. that might be negatively affecting you. These can cause low-grade inflammation, for example - I was unaware for a long time that coffee was upsetting my liver.
4.7 Include physical exercise as a regular part of your day.
4.8 Be aware that inhaling/ingesting artificial substances has an effect.
4.9 Note that social isolation can have detrimental effects.
4.10 Include a healthy, enjoyable recreation into your lifestyle.
Add years to your life, and, life to your years!
AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT
What have we missed?
On the 12th January, 2007 a man who was dressed casually in a T-shirt and baseball cap played his violin in a Metro station in Washington DC. He played six Bach pieces during the morning rush hour. He played on his 1713 Stradivarius violin, valued at around $3.5 million. His name? Joshua Bell, a world-famous classical violinist. The event was organized by the Washington Post and aimed to assess whether commuters would recognize and appreciate his talent.
What happened?
A middle-aged man noticed there was a musician but did not stop…
A woman threw a dollar in his till without stopping…
A few minutes later, someone leaned against a wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started walking again. Clearly, he was late for work.
The one who paid the most attention was a three-year-old boy. His mother tugged him along, but he stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to walk. This action was repeated by several other children. All parents, without exception, forced them to move on.
In the 45 minutes the musician played, only six people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no-one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition. Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua sold out at a theatre in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
A question for ourselves; Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context? Are we too rushed to pause and “smell the roses?” Do we pause to question whether we judge too hastily? What are we missing?
We humans are fickle, for example, when Jesus came to Jerusalem many took off their coats and laid them before Him. However, only a few days later, Jesus was alone and nailed to a cross…..
THREE EXERCISES FOR RELAXATION
We often have unrecognised tension…
So often we have unrecognised tension, however, there are ways to release stress and tension leaving us more equipped to deal positively with our lives.
CONTROLLED RELAXATION:
a. Find a comfortable place where you can have an undisturbed ½ hour.
b. This exercise involves tensing and relaxing muscles:-
Tense, hold, release muscles starting from your toes, then feet, ankles, calf muscles, upper leg, lower abdomen, chest area, hands, arms, shoulders, neck, face, and scalp.
c. This is a slow exercise where you breathe deeply (one of two breaths) each time when you relax.
MINI HOLIDAY:
For a few moments, perhaps when you are lying in bed trying to sleep, think of a place on earth, or even anywhere in the universe that you would love to visit. See yourself travelling there and arriving…look around at everything, take time to enjoy the scene...touch different things, feel them with your hands or feet, feel the warmth of coolness…smell the various aromas…hear the sounds, music, the sea, the birds… enjoy the moment!
BREATHING EXERCISE:
Breathe out anything that is painful, negative, depressing, worrying, frustrating…
Breathe in everything that is beautiful, true, uplifting and precious…
Breathe in God’s love, peace and joy. Feel His presence….
THE HIDDEN PATH TO WISDOM
We chase glory, but it rarely changes us. Instead, it’s the quiet experiences of struggle and powerlessness that form us. This article redefines what it really means to grow.
American psychologist the late James Hillman (writing as an agnostic) wrote these words (paraphrased): Think back, honestly and with courage, and ask yourself: What are the experiences in your life that have made you deep, that have given you character? In almost every case, you will have to admit that it was some humiliation or abuse you had to endure, some experience of powerlessness, helplessness, frustration, illness, or exclusion.
It is not the things that brought glory or adulation into your life that gave you depth and character, the time you were the valedictorian for your class or the time you were the star athlete. These did not bring you depth. Rather the experience of powerlessness, inferiority, is what made you wise.
We all know the incident in the Gospels where James and John come and ask whether they might be given the seats at his right hand and left hand when he comes into his glory. It is significant that he takes their question seriously. He does not (in this instance) chide them for seeking their own glory; what he does instead is redefine glory and the route to it.
Jesus asks them: “Can you drink the cup?” Mark 10:38. They, naïve as to what is being asked of them, responded: “Yes, we can!” Jesus then tells them something to which they are even more naïve. He assures them that they will drink the cup, since eventually everyone will, but tells them that they still might not receive the glory because being seated in glory is still contingent upon something else.
The cup, as is revealed later, is the cup of suffering and humiliation, the one Jesus has to drink during his passion and dying, the cup he asks his Father to spare him from when in Gethsemane he prays in agony: “Let this cup pass from me!”
In essence, what Jesus is telling James and John is this: There is no route to Easter Sunday except through Good Friday. There is no route to depth and wisdom except through suffering and humiliation.
[Ron Rolheiser posted in his blog https://tinyurl.com/2rmbm6tr]
TODAY’S EASTER HUMOUR
Easter humour!
Light & classic one liners
Why did the Easter egg hide?
Because it was a little chicken.
What do you call a mischievous Easter egg?
A practical yolker.
Why shouldn’t you tell an Easter egg a joke?
It might crack up.
What kind of stories do Easter eggs tell?
Yolk tales.
The Chocolate Dilemma
A kid asks his mum, “Why do we get chocolate eggs at Easter?”
She says, “It’s a tradition—it represents new life.”
The kid pauses and says, “So… why am I eating all the evidence?”
The Ambitious Eggs
Two eggs are talking.
One says, “I’ve been working on myself—discipline, mindset, really pushing to be better.”
The other asks, “What’s the goal?”
He replies, “I’m trying to get promoted.”
“Promoted to what?”
“Eggs-ecutive level.”
The Honest Child
A child asks, “Why do we celebrate Easter with chocolate?”
The parent replies, “It’s a way to celebrate something meaningful with joy.”
The child thinks for a moment and says,
“So… we’ve turned a profound event into a sugar-based coping mechanism?”
The Experienced Bunny
A young bunny asks an older one, “What’s the secret to surviving Easter?”
The older bunny says, “Simple. Deliver the eggs, keep your head down, and don’t ask questions about how any of this actually works.”
PRACTICAL COMMANDMENTS
Helpful rules to consider…
You shall not worry for worry is the most unproductive of all human activities.
You shall not be fearful, for most of the things we fear never come to pass.
You shall not carry grudges, for they are the heaviest of all life’s burdens.
You shall face each day as it comes. You can only handle one day at a time anyway.
You shall not take problems to bed with you, for they make very poor bedfellows.
You shall not borrow other people’s problems. They can better care for them than you.
You shall not try to relive yesterday for good or ill; it is forever gone. Concentrate what is happening in your life and be happy now!
You shall be a good listener, for only when you listen do you hear ideas different from your own,
You shall not become “bogged down” by frustrations, for 90% of it is rooted in self-pity and will only interfere with positive action.
You shall count all your blessings, not overlooking the small ones.
(From the book “A Bucket of Surprises” by J.John & Mark Stibble)
HOW TO HANDLE ANGER
Anger is a normal human emotion…
HOW WE RESPOND TO ANGER, AND A BETTER WAY TO HANDLE IT…
1. We suppress/repress anger:
To suppress anger, we ignore our feelings saying, “I’m not angry!” This is like putting it into a barrel that will eventually explode. 0r, we are aware of our feelings, and we try and contain ourselves by pushing it under the surface.
Refusing to accept that we are angry, when we, actually are, is not healthy. John Powell says, “When I repress my emotions my stomach keeps score.”
Dr William Menniger writes: “Sometimes we push each other away and the problem between us festers and festers. Just as in surgery, free and adequate drainage is essential if healing is to take place.”
2. We incorrectly express our anger:
Anger is a strong emotion, and it needs to be expressed in some way. Expressing anger with violent passion, yelling, sharp words and high emotions may get results, however, the outcome is not positive.
Concentrating on ‘scoring’ points against someone.
Blaming the other person (as loudly as you can).
Walk out and feel sorry for yourself.
3. We correctly confess our anger:
Be in touch with your own emotional state. Admit that you are angry before it gets out of control. There is no shame in that, only gain. Anger is a normal human reaction, but it is important how we correctly handle our anger.
Consider what the actual reason is behind the feeling. Is it something personal that you are struggling with? Is it a relationship issue? Is it a new issue, or a reoccurring scenario? Does it have its roots in a situational/circumstantial cause? E.g. loss of sleep through worry, a new-born irregular hour, or an unresolved issue of concern?
A good Bible teaching is this; “In your anger do not sin; when you are in your beds, search your hearts and be silent” (Psalm 4:4)
Our anger is a gift, an alert signal, a way to resolve, or prevent, a negative in our lives.
Oscar Romera
Salvadoran Priest murdered by right-wing squad...
“Give generously to them and so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.” (Deuteronomy 15:10)
The transcendence that the church preaches is not alienation, it is not going to heaven to think about eternal life and forget about the problems on earth. It’s transcendence from the human heart. It is entering into the reality of a child, of the poor, of those wearing rags, of the sick, of a hovel, of a shack.
It is going to share with them. And from the very heart of misery, of this situation, to transcend it, to elevate it, and to say to them, “You aren’t trash. You aren’t marginalized.” It is to say exactly the opposite, “You are valuable.”
Oscar Romera
Who was Oscar Romera?
St. Oscar Romero (born in 1917) was a Salvadoran Roman Catholic archbishop who was a vocal critic of the violent activities of the government armed forces, right-wing groups, and leftist guerrillas involved in El Salvador’s civil conflict. Although Romero had been considered a conservative before his appointment as archbishop in 1977, he denounced the regime of dictator Gen. Carlos Humberto Romero (no relation). The archbishop also refused to support the right-wing military-civilian junta that replaced the deposed dictator. Further, his outspoken defence of the poor—who were powerless victims of widespread violence—brought repeated threats to his life. In the face of those threats, Romero declared his readiness to sacrifice his life for the “redemption and resurrection” of El Salvador. His unreserved advocacy for human rights made him a hero to many, and he was nominated for the 1979 Nobel Prize for Peace by several U.S. congressmen and 118 members of the British Parliament. The following year Romero was assassinated on the 24th March,1980 at the hands of an unknown assailant while saying mass. The “Truth Commission for El Salvador”, approved by the United Nations, later concluded that Romero’s death had been carried out by a right-wing death squad. During his funeral a bomb or bombs went off outside the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador, where tens of thousands of mourners were gathered at what has been considered one of the largest demonstrations in the country’s history. Gunfire then rained down on the panic-stricken crowd, leaving an estimated 27 to 40 people dead and more than 200 wounded from the violence and subsequent stampede. (Britannica)
My comment: human beings are capable of the highest good and the worst atrocities…
DISCOVERING WHO YOU ARE
A bold step to knowing yourself.
By Maurice Boyd
Searching questions that reveal your character: -
If you could have an autograph, whose would it be?
Who are your hero’s?
If you could have tea with someone who would that be?What are the important things to know about somebody else?
If you could write your own epitaph, what would it be?
If your last words were to be remembered, what would they be?
What is the quality of your anger? Your tears? Your loneliness?
What is the quality of your moral indignation?
(Martin Luther- “When I am angry, I pray and preach well”)If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?
That are the hungers of your heart?
(Prayer refines our desire, the very nature of Jesus stops us asking certain things)What is it you rather die than do?
What are your incentives for living?
What is your favourite text in the bible?
What do you personify? What have you become?
(Jesus – He did not preach the Kingdom, He was the kingdom)
Each of us are unique and wonderfully made. However, often in our lives we focus on the negatives more than celebrating the positives. So, take some time to celebrate who you are, and celebrate the uniqueness of others!
THE LAST WISHES OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
What do we treasure most in our lives?
On his death bed, Alexander summoned his generals and told them his three ultimate wishes:
The best doctors should carry his coffin:
The wealth he has accumulated (money, gold, precious stones) should be scattered along the procession to the cemetery, and
His hands should be let loose, hanging outside the coffin for all to see.
One of his generals who was surprised by these unusual requests asked Alexander to explain.
Here is what Alexander the Great has to say:
I want the best doctors to carry my coffin to demonstrate that, in the face of death, even the best doctors in the world have no power to heal
I want the road to be covered with my treasure so that everybody sees that material wealth acquired on earth, stays on earth
I want my hands to swing in the wind, so that people understand that we come to this world empty handed and we leave this world empty handed after the most precious treasure of all is exhausted, and that is time.
TIME is our most precious treasure because it is LIMITED.
We can produce more wealth, but we cannot produce more time.
When we give someone our time, we actually give a portion of our life that we will never take back.
Our time is our life.
May God grant us plenty of TIME and may we have the wisdom to give it away.
‘There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven’ (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
TODAYS HUMOUR
CHURCH LADIES WITH TYPEWRITERS
CHURCH LADIES WITH TYPEWRITERS
They're Back! Those wonderful Church Bulletins! Thank God for the church ladies with typewriters. These sentences actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced at church services:
The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
Scouts are saving aluminium cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
The sermon this morning: “Jesus Walks on the Water.”
The sermon tonight: “Searching for Jesus.”Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
Miss Charlene Mason sang “I will not pass this way again”, giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
Next Thursday there will be try-outs for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow…
At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice.
Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
Pot-luck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.
The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM . Please use the back door.
Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.
LIFE STAGES
Anger is a normal human emotion…
(A quote from William Shakespeare’s play “As you like it”)
All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Muling and puking in the nurse’s arms,..
Then the whining school-boy, with his satchel,
And shining morning face,
Creeping like a snail
Unwillingly to school.
And then the lover,
Sighing like a furnace, with woeful ballard
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow.
Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like a pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the canon’s mouth.
And then the justice.
In fair round belly, with good capon lin’d,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instance;
And so he plays his part.
The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well sav’d a world too wide
For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice,
Turn again towards childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound.
Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
In second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans.. Everything.
A challenge…. Write a poem/story of your own life journey 😊
Mine would start like this: “There was a girl named Margaret Ann, but everyone called her Margie. She lived in a small town called Waterfall Boven (meaning town above the waterfall)…. Etc.
CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE
We have more influence in our children’s lives than we realise…
If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to be shy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with tolerance, they learn to be patient.
If children live with encouragement, they gain confidence.
If children live with praise, they learn to appreciate.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with security, hey learn to have faith.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with acceptance and friendship, they learn to find love in the world.