From our Sunday School Days (Lift up our hearts)

Maybe lindatee, you would have seen Benji our little pooch sitting on the slabs outside waiting for me to get home from school (Moseley Ave.). If you were to walk further up Batsford Road you would have seen another little store on the opposite corner.

Hi all, A friend of mine has recently returned from a holiday, her postcard has arrived today. I've just been reading about this place too. I like the PamPhilia bit, even though I've corrupted the spelling.

Well, I hope your postal service is better than ours Philip.

Hi Dreamtime, No, she's been home over a week. She enjoyed Sunday lunch with us over a week ago, the card arrived yesterday. We received a card that she sent at the start of her holiday in Rhodes, the day she arrived back at the airport. Now, was the ship showing a white or black flag? Answers on a postcard please!

Hi all, Just a general statement from me. There are topics where I express my opinions, trying to be your kind uncle. This topic, Retirement topic, Coping, being three of them. I will only ever express my whole opinion, that sits well with me, that I believe in wholeheartedly. The subjects of equity release, or other retirement schemes & the like. The subjects that so many folk wish that "If only they had known". If I'm guessing, that will clearly be stated. Most issues involve principles, where the principles never change. That makes me feel a bit more comfortable telling you that. It's amazing how decisions folks made sixty years ago, where even last Friday, a married lady regretted her decision to pay a married ladies NI stamp, instead of having her own NI full payment stamp. She made that decision in 1958. The team love you all so dearly, we just want you to receive the best.

Hi all, Whilst I am enjoying really good health at present, I'm constantly aware that the trials of life are ever present in so many lives. I'm going to describe the precise events that I experienced yesterday morning, very soberly. Walking to have a cafe cooked breakfast around ten yesterday, I passed a home where there were two ambulances, as well as a paramedic estate car. All the activity was inside the home. There was hope in my mind. I enjoyed my scrumptious breaky, so in full swing, left the cafe to return home, passing the medics who were packing up. I said "Good morning" to two of the crews, I then said "but maybe not so good for some" where I received a very polite acknowledgement. I was in no doubt. This morning, I was out early to help with chapel cleaning, when whilst walking, I saw a hearse parked outside that same home. Tomorrow, a former senior accounting colleague of mine from Courtaulds, lays his wife to rest in Rugby. In these circumstances, it's those that are left who need support, help & caring. With my faith belief, it would be fitting for me to post a passage from Scripture, but no I'm not. Instead, knowing that there are ample posts of such in previous posts, at least if we can all the more than ever, value the warmth of belonging to our forum. Love to you all.

Hi all, I want to add a burdening to me, post script to my last post. STRESS!!! A program that I was chance listening to earlier this afternoon on wireless whilst doing a bit of a job on our railway, was about strokes. So much of our wellbeing is dependant on cutting down on anxiety. Sharing issues is so stress relieving. Whilst sharing on our open forum, we aren't going to wash dirty linen. The act of sharing subjects is that it aids stress relief, sorting stuff in our minds, often giving a clearer picture in our minds. Now I could once again go to into chapter & verse from Scripture, where this subject is loaded to the brim, but again that would be totally wrong in context on here. The physics of our bodies when stressed, is like a steam engine that is blowing both safety valves, but it can't move an inch because one piston valves is at top dead centre, whilst the other is slightly out of adjustment. Sometimes putting the loco cut off gear into reverse can relieve just enough for the loco to start, hopefully panic over. This was part of the calamity that all but destroyed the huge Pacific steam loco Blue Peter in 1994. A video shows the awful destruction. The boiler pressure was exerting so much pressure that the crew couldn't force close the regulator, instead it was forced into fully open position, breaking the arm of the engineer. Sharing in polite conversation is often such a relief therapy for each of us. Sharing, usually means that we make a point, but watch & listen to the replies. Our cogs in our mind can then start to digest the points raised by others, even if just a passing interest. The act of feeling stressed or tense is the release of dozens of toxic chemicals into our veins. If they remain in us for lengthy periods, they do become toxic. A bit of stress, like taking a driving test, or will the window fit the frame is reasonable exercise, just as walking is for me. I walked up a lengthy flight of steps whilst out today, but was glad when I reached the top, so my system could recover, but if I bottle up stress, well.......... Thank you, each & everyone for contributing on the various topics on our forum. You've created a stress relief therapy Rob. Love to you all

Hi all, It's my turn to need a bit of assurance, I can't share anymore detail, certainly just now. So from the Old Testament, book of Isaiah, Ch41 v10, So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. I hope this might be of comfort to anyone going through an issue. Thank you. It's come to my attention just how poorly another member of our forum has been, so I'm so mindful of that. In Sunday School, I was often told things, usually from Scripture, where to be really honest, I was never sure that the one doing the talking actually believed what they were teaching. What I share on here, I do hold dear. Often, stories secular or otherwise would end with the sentiment, that everyone lived happily ever after. The End. I see what I see, whether looking at warfare or civil unrest. For that on our forum, we all make our own mind up on that. In sharing what I do here, restricted by the forum rules of respect, I'm in no way telling anybody how to live their lives from a faith prospective. I believe that is wrong anyway, anywhere. Often it's a lesson to me. Anxiety that folk endure from time to time is real. I might say to someone "How are you today", where the reply is a heartbreaker, yet how often after saying sorry to hear that, then I walk on just using it as a turn of phrase.

Many thanks Philip, your words can be very reassuring.

I'm at Walsgrave now. Very restricted signal.

I'm home after five hours at medical assessment.

Hope all went well Philip

Hi Anne, Thank you so much for that Anne. I'm certainly better than I was when I was whisked off to Walsgrave by my GP, yesterday. Thanks to her emailing the department, as well as up front letters, meant that I was fast tracked to the department. Got back home at 11.15 last evening. A scan & a probe, ahead of me, but all told, hopefully I will live to tell the tale.

Hi all, It's only me again! Sales folk aim to get you & me on their side, or as Mr. Arkwright from Open all Hours would say whilst rubbing his hands, "Once they're in Granville, I've got-em". My opening line for this chat I was going to start off with, how much I've come to know & love most of you who participate on our forum, but that is truly meant, not just sales talk. World events, Paris, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, the most abusive atrocities in so many parts of Africa, that hardly get a mention in media, then, closer to home, our own parliamentary turmoil, maybe even issues in our close circle of friends. Not a lot has changed throughout history. That is documented & recorded history, that doesn't include religions or my faith belief. Starting at the beginning of last December, I started reading (actually having read to me via audio reader), the old testament. What's amazing, is that what I'm seeing today, is very little different to what I'm reading. I'm ploughing through 2 Chronicles at present, nearly half way through Scripture. In doing this, I'm no goody-goody, proof is that I've had some of my worst life trials during the first six months of this year. An awful, in fact dreadful experience last Sunday, in spite of me feeling exceptionally well, just as I'm feeling so well today. What else is amazing, it's as though I've never read Scripture before. So what cheer can I bring to our forumites in these troubled times. The rules of our forum participation prohibit my faith in God testimony, but I can remind us all that we are still alive. I'm very well fed. We have our forum & I'm not frightened of death. I'm such a coward at feeling poorly though. A quote to help us all. PHIL 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. God Bless.

Big, hugs for those who need them.