A Grand-moth-er

I think I am shortly to have dozens of grandchildren, as our little moth baby has left us two batches of eggs which are being carefully monitored by Captain Moth, and when she was returned to the wild Sussex Downs, she started laying more under various leaves.

Such a short life they have, yet Jehovah has made them so exquisite. And each tiny egg, containing another exquisite ermine-robed creature, is another miracle.

Finally got my magazine route finished. Not posted yet, but all finished.

The Channel is sparkling away outside the window and there are quite a few people on the Green.

Springwatch starts tonight!

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The Sea, The Sea

The Channel was so lovely yesterday - the sea full in - the water like blue glass - and a procession of little racing yachts with sparkly white sails making a clockwork toy progression across it.  And we had a classic sky above it - a joyful blue with fluffy white clouds.

Carol and I delivered my talk - and the brothers had moved the furniture for me so that I could approach the stage via the slope not the stairs. That confused the next brother coming up to give his experience of years of working for us all at the Haysbridge Assembly Hall, and he entered the stage the wrong way, and had to re-enter. Which made me feel rather guilty.

However, at least I cheered someone up. As I began my marathon backing-my-car-out-of-the-non-existent-KH-carpark, a brother who is disfellowshipped (and who is coming to meetings, so who will surely soon be reinstated) was coming out the door, looking a bit down.  As I drove triumphantly off at the end of all my backing and filling I noticed he had a big smile on his face.

We had our usual lovely evening with Jacks - lasagne, salad, cheese, and an apple strudel with ice-cream.  And lots of laughing about the plights of old age - though not one of us feels old.  Its just our bodies seem to.  We all find life more wonderful and interesting than ever.  But, as the Inspired Scriptures tell us, we were made to live forever, after all. And the world, even now, cut off as we are from our Creator, is full of beauty and wonders.

I hope that Lee Rigby, the young soldier who survived Afghanistan to be hacked to death on the savage streets of London, will wake up to see it all again when the time comes - along with all those killed and being killed in the current Crusades in the Middle East.

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My Talk in the Ministry School Tonight

This is the talk I hope to be giving this evening - from the main platform.   I found it difficult to write...  I don't know whether because this has been a stressful two weeks what with all the medical stuff, and the builders in (2 here at the moment) - or that I couldn't quite get a handle on what was required.  

Anyway, its done and dusted, and I have practised it once with Captain B and twice with my householder, so I can do no more.

WHAT STEPS CAN WE TAKE TO PROTECT OURSELVES FROM FALSE TEACHERS?

Setting:  A  home Bible study;   Study No.44: Effective use of  questions.

Assigned Scriptures: 2 John 9-11; Romans 16:17.

Sue.  Before we start our study today C, I wanted to ask you what you thought about the public talk on Sunday.

C.  It was interesting,  But what the speaker said about the religions of the world and how they have been misleading people has put a question in my mind. And I hope I won't upset you by asking it, but how can I be sure that what YOU are teaching is the truth?

Sue.  C, that is an important question.  It's one you do need to ask  because, well doesn't the Bible warn us that Satan is misleading the entire inhabited earth.  How can we protect ourselves from being misled?

C.  It seems almost impossible.

Sue.  It would be, without the help of Jehovah's spirit.  Think about the title of this book we are using in our study: "What does the Bible REALLY teach?  Why would it be so important to know?

C.  Because it contains the truth. It is inspired by God's holy spirit.

Sue. Exactly. It is the Rock against which we can measure what we are taught. If it is in harmony with the Bible we can be sure it's true. And the Bible gives clear practical advice on how to make sure that false teachers do not infiltrate the congregation.  Would you read  2 John 9-11 for us?

C. reads: (2 John 9-11)" Everyone that pushes ahead and does not remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God. He that does remain in this teaching is the one that has both the Father and the Son.  If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, never receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him.  For he that says a greeting to him is a sharer in his wicked works."

Sue. Do you see what we must avoid?

C. Those who don't remain in the teaching of  the Christ. But surely, you would have to live like a hermit to avoid all such wrong teaching?

Sue:  Yes, indeed. And, as you know we don't do that. We don't isolate ourselves - for a start we have to do the preaching work - and we have normal contacts with our neighbours, our workmates, our schoolmates, and many others. But did you notice the word "remain"?  He that does not remain in the teaching of the Christ.  So we must avoid anyone who tries to bring wrong teaching and wrong conduct within the Christian congregation.  In fact, the elders have to remove any such ones from the congregation, and we must all co-operate with this disfellowshipping arrangement.    So we all have our part to play in keeping the congregation free of false teachers.  Would you read Romans 16:17.

C: Reads: (Romans 16:17 "Now I exhort you, brothers, to keep your eye on those who cause divisions and occasions for stumbling contrary to the teaching that you have learned, and avoid them."

Sue:  How might each one of us keep an eye on those who cause divisions and avoid them?

C:  I was thinking about  the Watchtower study that followed the talk on Sunday - didn't the Speaker say something about apostate sites on the internet, and how important it was to avoid them?

Sue.  Yes, that is a real protection for us  An apostate is someone who has left the truth, and who then turns round and tries to mislead their former brothers and sisters. Jehovah tells us, clearly and simply, to avoid them.

C.  So you are saying that following Bible teaching is our protection against falsehood?

Sue.  Yes. Just to illustrate that, you know those antique shows on the telly where you see an expert pick up, say, a small blue and white china bowl, turn it round, have a look at it, and say: "Ming dynasty. This is worth at least £500 at auction."  Then he picks up an identical (as far as I am concerned) blue and white bowl, and says: "Made last month, shipped by the container load, and worth about a fiver". Now, how can he tell? I can't see any difference between them.

C. Well, I suppose because he has examined so many of the real thing - he sees the difference straight away.

Sue.  Yes. And so the more we examine the truth, God's word, the more we will be able to recognise false teachers for what they are and avoid them.

Carol:  We had better get on with our study then.

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Paperwork - and I become a Moth-er again

Muslin Moth, Diaphora mendica

First batch of May butterfly members hatched, dispatched, and sent on their papery way. It took longer than usual though as I had a slight problem with the computer and had to enter everything twice.

I also did my studying for the day, and went through tomorrow's talk a couple of times with Carol.

Plus a trip to the Supermarket - Waitrose - which exhausted me.  They do have lovely customer service though. As the Captain was putting our shopping away and I was struggling into the car, sounding like a champion lady tennis player in the Wimbledon Final (lots of grunting and groaning) an employee appeared, took Captain B's trolley and helped me into the car.

Our plumber reappeared and did a great job - the bathroom may be finished tomorrow . Then there is a vast dusting job to do.

I am a moth-er again. We have a white moth baby with a lovely fluffy stole - its called a Muslin Moth I believe - being photographed by Captain Butterfly even as I type this.   In the way of moth photographs, this will probably be its baby/kindergarten/graduation/retirement photo.

Mind you, at the moment our own lives don't seem so very much longer.

The news is unspeakable.  A soldier has been hacked to death - it sounds like he was beheaded - on the streets of London in broad daylight.

The increasing of lawlessness...

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The Circuit Overseer's Visit ends

albino Bluebells, Hyacinthoides non-scripta

I haven't been able to walk in the bluebell woods this year, but Captain Butterfly has bought them home to me in photographs.

Today was made lovely  - in spite of severe knee pain - as it was the last day of the Circuit Overseer's visit - and he gave us a wonderful talk and presentation.  Captain B the Superhero drove me up to the Hall, and Frances helped me in. We had a presentation about the work the Society has been doing in the translation field.

Wonderful.

In his talk after our shortened Watchtower study, the C.O. brought out a point from the account of Pentecost in the Book of Acts that he said he had  never picked up on before.  And neither had I.

When holy spirit was poured out on those present and they began to speak in different tongues, Acts records this:   "As it was, there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, reverent men, from every nation of those under heaven.  So, when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.  Indeed, they were astonished and began to wonder and say: “See here, all these who are speaking are Gal‧i‧le′ans, are they not?  And yet how is it we are hearing, each one of us, his own language in which we were born?"- Acts 2:5-8 

The C.O. pointed out that the common language at the time was Greek - and that very likely all, or most, of those present, could speak and understand Greek.   But Acts clearly records that each one got a witness about the Kingdom of God in their own language, the language in which they were born.

Our birth language has an emotional charge like no other - and Jehovah wants to reach our hearts as well as our minds.

Anyway, in harmony with the Christian Greek Scriptures, the Watchtower Society has teams of volunteers translating all the time.  We saw experiences from some of the parts of the world they are reaching.  These languages are not always written down - so there is no dictionary to consult; and in some languages there is no written literature apart from what The Watchtower Society publishes.

You could see how much it meant to people to have a copy of the Bible in their own language.

And the C.O. told us that in some countries the authorities have waived the import tax on our publications, as they appreciate what we are trying to do, and know that we are teaching people to read and write, where that is necessary.

Just as Jehovah's spirit empowered Jesus's followers to speak in different languages at Pentecost so that all present got a witness, his spirit is now moving and organising a witness about the incoming Kingdom of God is being given, as never before - to the ends of the earth.

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The ice-axe slips again

I took another slip further towards the frightening edge last night at the meeting.  I found I was no longer able to stand for the songs and the prayer.

Its sunny today, though not very warm.  The tiler was a'tiling all yesterday and our bathroom is starting to look real now.  The man from the Bathroom Shop came to see that all was OK.  It is, as far as we know.  

And Col picked up Nute from the station about 11.00 clock yesterday morning.   We had lunch together - Cooks Thai green chicken curry, and the downmarket version of Eton Mess (yoghurt instead of cream).  Then the Captain went off to transect butterflies (count them, not dissect them!) and we had an afternoon of talking and watching The Great British Bake-Off.

We both fell asleep briefly after lunch.   And I thought, how old we are getting. And yet my siblings seem the same to me as when we were children.    But we are now living Arnold Bennet's "The Old Wives Tale" - great book by the way, if you haven't read it.

I feel I ought to be making some kind of comment on the News of the day... but all I can find to say is that I don't understand why anyone doubts the Bible's warning that "the whole world" is lying in the power of Satan. And he is called "the father of the lie". And his lies are designed to, among other things, set brother against brother.

Which reminds me that I HAVE to get my talk written today so I can practise it with my householder on Sunday.   It has taken me ages to work out how to do it. The theme is how to protect ourselves against false teaching.

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More Medical Matters

Or is it all too boring? But this is my internet diary and I need to know what and when. On the plus side, got to the Clinic early and got seen straight away.  Doctor, new to me.  Very blunt, not much of a bedside manner.   But as Mrs.Captain B, I can take that.  I would rather know where I stand. And you always know where you stand with the Captain. You may not always like it, but you know.

Anyway, back to the surgery.  People are outliving their joints -  knee replacement very serious operation - but given that you have lived too long you will have to face it (I paraphrase, but not all that much).  He laughed at my jokes. I laughed at his.  Did I understand the position re my thyroid - showing me the chart - yup, I spoke of it in terms of that very vivid dream I had years ago in Saudi that I realised was about my new thyroid medicine - he was surprised but said that, yes, that was exactly it. So more blood tests before any decisions taken there.

Same same with blood pressure. He showed me my graph - how my bp shoots up to the "Explode the Machine" indicator when taken anywhere medical, but goes down to "Pretty much Normal" when taken at home.  Which faithfully reflects my fear of all medical procedures. And my love of home.  So more tests and then another appointment.

It shows how true Inspired Scriptures are. They told us, thousands of years ago, that "a calm heart is healing to the bones".

How does anyone find time to be bored in retirement?!

Plumber here - tilers to come this afternoon, probably.  Its overcast and windy - not butterfly weather.  Looking forward to meeting tonight.  Thank goodness the kind Captain will take me, as my knees are as more painful than ever this morning.

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