The Logical Thing To Do

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Nothing is impossible with God...

With God there is always hope, no matter how bad things look. You've heard it before - nothing is impossible with God.

It might defy logic, but there are so many around who have proven it to be true. Whatever struggles you or I are facing at the moment, however difficult life looks, however impossible the situation seems, God loves us to bits - and wants to help.

Matthew 19:25-26 (MSG)
The disciples were staggered. “Then who has any chance at all?”
Jesus looked hard at them and said, “No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it.”

Vulcan Hello, Irish Goodbye

This week has been a week of learning new ways of saying 'hello' and 'goodbye'...

It started last weekend with a binge watching session to catch up with the latest Star Trek series, Discovery, which is now available to watch on Netflix in the UK. And, I have found it to be pretty good so far! Well worth a watch, and definitely full of nice little plot points and pieces of character development to please a long time Trek fan such as myself. And it has also introduced me to the concept of the Vulcan Hello.... (the title of the first episode) ... I won't give any surprises away - however, I'm sure that the reasoning behind such a greeting is logical... or will be by the end of the series ...

And later on that week, thanks to a podcast, I have been taught a whole new way to say goodbye. Ever think of what is worse than going to a party that you didn't really want to be at? It is trying to find the right time to get up and leave that party... remembering to politely say your goodbyes. I think we've all been there. Ugh

I was intrigued this week to hear about something called the Irish Goodbye... referring to leaving a social gathering without saying your farewells. Just slipping out the back way, as you won't be noticed in the crowd... Apparently, the phrase stems from the Irish predilection for extreme hospitality (oh go on, go on, go on... Father Ted reference) and the resultant, tremendous difficulty in getting away from an Irish get-togethers. It's far, far easier to slip away unnoticed...

Yes, I know what you're thinking. How rude to leave without saying goodbye! And there's the problem. Many of us are far too polite to simply walk out without saying thank you. Even if you said thank you when accepting the invite, and once again, when coming in the door in the first place, you have to say it again on the way out... Probably why an Irish Goodbye is so frowned upon. And yet, the practice is now so popular, there's even a term for it. And it's not as if you didn't bother turning up at all, is it...

If you are a slave to etiquette, you simply have to say something. The Emily Post Institute (which advises readers of its website about the correct way to do things) advises that party guests should... "make sure to say goodbye and thank you to each of your hosts... If they're not by the door, seek them out and thank them personally before you go."

I wonder if I could get away with an Irish Goodbye more often...

Do It Anyway...

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centred;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

Written by Kent M. Keith as "Paradoxical Commandments" and promoted by Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Trust Your Feelings?

Time for some really deep questions... Are we, as human beings, designed with some sort of inbuilt defence mechanism to protect us? Should we therefore follow our feelings, our instincts?

I've been giving this question some serious thought during the last month, during my monthly break from blogging.

You see, over the past few decades it seems to me that it's become socially acceptable to follow your feelings. It assumes that something deep within you will steer you right. If you feel strongly about something, it has to have some meaning. It's also become part of our popular culture - Luke Skywalker is encouraged to "trust his feelings" in the original Star Wars film (1977, pictured above). However, how logical - and therefore, how safe - is it to let your feelings control your behaviour?

Some clarity first - when I talk about "feelings", I'm making a clear distinction between emotion and intuition. Blindly following your emotions is clearly not a good idea. If we continue our comparison with the Star Wars movies, you will recall that characters are warned that emotions can lead you to the Dark Side. I can't argue with that in the real world, either!

The problem with feelings is having a sound base to start from. If our thoughts are based on incorrect information or on false assumptions, then consequently any feelings associated with these thoughts are bound to be equally distorted—and hardly to be trusted. For example, if you truly believe you are in a "hopeless" situation, the subsequent feelings of despair that you'll experience could well be overwhelming. On the other hand, you might truly believe that you can have anything you ever wanted - that "the world is your oyster" - so it's clear that you will probably feel unfairly treated the first time that anyone says 'no' to you.

Both of these situations are based on a false assumption - therefore, any consequent feelings cannot be reasonably justified. Hence, we should always try to seek the truth first. However painful that truth may be.

More later... as I unpack this further.

Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV)

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

Elementary...

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson went on a camping trip.

After eating and drinking well, they settled down for the night and went to sleep. Some hours later, Holmes awoke and nudged his friend. “Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see.”

Watson replied, “I see millions upon millions of stars.”

“You know my methods. What does that tell you?” asked Sherlock.

Watson pondered for a minute. “Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. I think it's highly probable that some of those other planets may have sentient life. Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo. Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three. Theologically, I can see that God is all-powerful and I'm simply in awe of the fact that He cares for us, even though we are so small and insignificant. Meteorologically, the blackness of the sky and the crispness of the stellar images tells me that there is low humidity and stable air and therefore we are most likely to enjoy a beautiful day tomorrow. What does it tell you?”

Holmes was silent for a minute and then spoke. “It tells me someone has stolen our tent!”

Faith is...

Hebrews 11:1 (New International Version)

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Two blog entries in one day - but it is an exceptional day!

The words from Hebrews 11 have been swimming around in my mind all evening, following a particularly challenging day at work (actually, it was from the song by Doug Horley, proof that these worship songs do help you learn key bible verses). At last, pieces of the jigsaw of my life seem to be coming together!

What I received this evening was nothing less that a real revelation - an assurance that I have a way that I need to pursue. It's God's way and not man's way. In fact, some of the methods that have been used in previous years to 'distract' me from the right path have finally come to light. If what I'm considering doesn't follow logic, this has to be because I'm trusting Him. I believe that I have received the faith for which I have been praying for a LONG time.

U is for the Ultimate Detective

Who else but - Sherlock Holmes? Could I have done an A-Z on this very subject without a mention of the ultimate example? The most famous consulting detective in the world first appeared in 1887, the creation of British author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Holmes' use of observation and deductive reasoning in his work are now considered as standard in both real life police work and in modern-day detective fiction. 

Conan Doyle wrote four novels and fifty-six short stories that feature Holmes, many written from the perspective of his friend, Dr John H. Watson. Holmes is now so famous that the address of his consulting rooms at 221b Baker Street, London are as legendary as himself. Even Baker Street tube station is decorated with silhouettes of the great man - a fitting tribute to what has become an immortal character.

L is for Little Grey Cells (Poirot)

Hercule Poirot is a Belgian detective created by Agatha Christie. With the possible exception of Miss Marple, Poirot is arguably Christie's most famous character, appearing in 33 novels and 51 short stories that were published between 1920 and 1975 and set in the same era. The character is regularly seen on TV and film, and perhaps the best known modern incarnation of the character was portrayed by David Suchet (pictured). The character's almost fanatical neatness borders on the obsessive, however his logical approach to solving crimes is represented in his vocabulary by two common phrases: his use of "the little grey cells" and "order and method".