Found this on Paws for thought and wanted to share it with you. The link is to the youtube song by Gretchen Peters – When you are old. It’s only short; I love it because it is comforting and the singer is new to me.
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland starts its yearly meeting today in Edinburgh. Technology behaving, you can see an online live streaming of what happens.
This is my second attempt at a post for today. When I re-read the first post – it sounded like work, or the church equivalent of LocalGovernmentSpeak or similar. So I give up and encourage you to check the link out if you are at all interested. It offers some amazing insights on democracy in the church.
In contrast to the last few days there is a chance to take a breather. No rushing around – unless by accident – and space to breathe and relax. These times of quiet are needed by everyone from the youngest child to the oldest adult. Sometimes I think that the very oldest are the ones who have developed the knack the most. Of course there are those who have quietness and silence thrust upon them by illness and fragility, but for the rest of us it is an escape from the pressures of life.
Yesterday I was talking about the procedures of our democracy, and very grateful I am for it too. One thing I didn’t mention, was that when the Prime Minister, David Cameron, and the Leader of the Opposition, Harriet Harman, each gave their traditional opening speeches, I felt a patriotic sense of belonging and a fondness for the whole system. (Maybe yesterday I was too cynical or tired – that’s my excuse anyway.) The quality of speeches should also be commented upon. Occasionally, when I see extracts of the proceedings in the Commons, I cringe at what is going on. But the over-riding thing that is important is that democracy is seen to be at work.
Lunch today was to be a healthy option snack (Hard boiled egg – forgot the twist of salt – oatcakes, Babybel cheese, Grapes and coffee.) In the event we had it at Son #3’s flat whilst watching the BBC News Channel. It happened to be the Commissioning of the Commons to appoint the Speaker (kind of like a referee) and see to the taking of the oath, required of all MPs by law. Son #3 is as irreverent as HBTW so the accompaniement to my meal was a background of snorts and derision.
OK – so the proceedings on this precursor to the official opening of Parliament by the Queen is a matter of history, law and precedent going back hundreds of years. However, it must have seemed incomprehensible to people from foreign climes. I had thought the Church of Scotland long-winded in their insistence upon procedure and custom, but this was the first time that I realised it is in our combined nations’ psyche. The Speaker, by tradition is supposed to be dragged to his seat; in this instance he was so keen to take up his Office that he appeared to drag the two designated MPs. As I understand it, the taking of the oath takes place over the next few days and technically an MP is not fully elected and paid until he or she takes the oath.
Fascinating stuff but hard times ahead.
Oh and by the way, the picnic was lovely thank you.
Strictly speaking, today was a visit to a friend, (John) who has recently moved to Kinlochleven. From where we live it is a 50 mile trip each way over the Rannoch Moor and through Glencoe…… places that invoke romance and spookiness depending on the weather. Today has been mainly sunny so everything looked its best. What surprised me more than anything were the trees. Kinlochleven is at the head of Loch Leven, a sea loch, so spring is further along than in Dalamory. And the blossom trees were stunning.
John has recently moved into a retirement complex. I know he won’t mind me telling you that he is profoundly deaf. Ruby is his Hearing Dog, she works to alert John to sounds like the door bell, smoke alarm or mobile phone (for text messages – Yes, she is that clever, though I am told that she is a little bit lazy sometimes now that she is getting older.) Ruby and John give demonstrations and talks at schools, churches and societies round about. (The charity is Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.) John is also a (Lay) Reader in the Church of Scotland and is much in demand for leading worship.
The village is set around the River Leven, and is a stop on the West Highland Way, as well as being a popular area for climbing and walking.
The tail-race is the run off from the hydro-electric scheme. Fascinating just to stand and watch. The electricity generated feeds into the national grid though it would be sufficient to serve the power needs of the whole village. Or is it a township?
An excellent day – so thank you to John and Ruby. Misty also enjoyed meeting up with them in their new home and going for the walk. And I am glad to be able to think of John sitting at his seat in the window with a view.
The deer are a regular feature now and we are trying to keep an eye on them to keep them out of the garden. They hop over the fences so easily. Today being Sunday, they make me think of the 1980s chorus below.(A loose rendition based on Psalm 42).
The music brings back many memories, some good and some ambivalent. There was the time at Keswick when 4,000 people belted it out alongside a modern band – an almost unheard of innovation for most of the people there. And then there was a time in a small rural church in Dumfriesshire, where people were learning it for the first time. To be honest, I am not sure what I make of the words now. I do wonder if many people in an average congregation would feel excluded rather than included by the open devotion that is shown. Even the use of capitals for the personal pronoun and descriptors of Jesus kind of says a lot. It has been included into the new CofS hymnal (CH4) so I guess it is now considered a mainstream song, however the capitals have disappeared, except at the beginning of sentences. What do you think?
As the deer pants for the water
so my soul longs after You.
You alone are my heart’s desire
and I long to worship you.
You alone are my strength, my shield,
to You alone may my spirit yield.
You alone are my heart’s desire
and I long to worship You.
I want You more than gold or silver,
only You can satisfy.
You alone are the real joy-giver
and the apple of my eye.
You alone are……
You’re my Friend
and You’re my Brother,
even though You are a king.
I love You more than any other,
so much more than anything.
You alone are……
Here is a flavour of the last 24hrs
So I am clearly not a numpty – am almost an Interesting Person.
What about your last 24hrs?
It continues to be a fascinating time for British politics. Nick Clegg and David Cameron did a good job of their first double act press conference. Some of the commentators were parodying it as being like a civil partnership. It may be friendly and civil at the moment but when the going gets tough, I wonder…..?
I was saddened at the statistic that there are so far, 13 people in the new front bench team from Cameron’s old school, Eton. Says a lot really. I don’t like the idea of who you know, and the old boys’ network being seen to be real and alive today. Even worse is the shocking lack of women in cabinet and government posts so far. What about equality and a less confrontational style of politics? When things get hard will we see a return to the adversarial model? I can only hope and pray that things work out. Difficult times ahead.
