"May the best ye hae ivver seen be the warst ye'll ivver see.
May the moose ne'er lea' yer girnal wi a tear-drap in its ee.
May ye aye keep hail an hertie till ye'r auld eneuch tae dee.
May ye aye juist be sae happie as A wuss ye aye tae be.
Here's to all those that I love
Here's to all those that love me.
And here's to all those that love those that I love,
And all those that love those that love me.
I drink to the health of another,
And the other I drink to is he -
In the hope that he drinks to another,
And the other he drinks to is me!
Here's to them that like us -
Them that think us swell -
And here's tae them that hate us -
Let's pray for them as well!
Here's to the heath, the hill and the heather,
The bonnet, the plaid, the kilt and the feather!
Here's to the heroes that Scotland can boast,
May their names never dee -
That's the Heilan' Man's Toast!
Here's tae us -
Wha's like us -
Damn few -
And they're a' deid -
Mairs the pity!
May the hill rise behind you,
And may the mountain be always over the crest;
And may the God that you believe in
Hold you in the palm of his hand.
Lang may yer lum reek!
Wi' ither folks coal!
May we be happy - and our enemies know it!
A guid New Year and mony may ye see.
May ye ne'er want a frien' or a dram to gie him.
When we're gaun up the hill of fortune, may we ne'er meet a frien' comin' doun!"
Its Hogmanay!!!
So Happy Ne'erday when it comes...
(Don't really see the point to New Year Celebrations - never really been all that comfortable with the logic of it even as a very young child - always seems maudlin & a feeble excuse to get drunk)
But still - I'll not spoil what is for some is a fab excuse for a big party / small family gathering or whatever life brings you...
Glasgow Hogmanay 2007/8 (Runrig just after 'the bells')
Edinburgh Hogmanay 2007/8 (Fireworks across city)
Some Fab Hogmanay TV from my Childhood...
(for Salvationists - the last 30/40seconds are very funny)
Though, finally I offer up, right now, prayers for those who want or need Gods Comfort & Grace, in whatever situation or 'celebration' you find yourself the Holy Spirit & God's blanket of love will surround you & warm you. You are never alone - God's there walking beside you & me
Yay!! Been jealous of my brother's TiVo for years!!
American DVR giant TiVo is to return to the UK market by powering Virgin Media's new converged TV platform, it was confirmed this morning.
TiVo will develop a converged TV and broadband interactive interface for Virgin's new service, which will seamlessly blend linear and on-demand content. Under the terms of the arrangement, TiVo will become the exclusive provider of all middleware and user interface software for the cable operator.
"TiVo's proven track record of innovation, strength of its patented technology and experience in developing best in class user environments, make it an ideal strategic partner for Virgin Media as we move aggressively to bring our next generation TV service to market," said Virgin Media chief executive Neil Berkett.
"The superiority of our fibre optic network combined with TiVo's capabilities, will allow us to offer consumers the most significantly advanced and compelling TV service available in the UK, and we believe will do to the TV market what Virgin Media has done to the high-speed broadband market."
In September, Virgin confirmed it was replacing its existing TV infrastructure with a new IP-based TV transmission platform based on Cisco's Digital Video Headend technology. TiVo's hardware and software, which Virgin expects to make available during 2010, will run on this system.
TiVo president and chief executive Tom Rogers said: "This deal underscores TiVo's commitment to expanding its global footprint through strategic alliances with leading international media companies to help them deliver the best in-home entertainment experience for consumers.
"We are very excited about this new distribution relationship with the UK's most advanced pay television provider and are particularly proud to have been selected as Virgin Media's core software partner for its next generation DVR-enabled set top boxes and its next generation non-DVR set top boxes.
"Virgin Media is a true leader in the world of entertainment and their enthusiasm for building the next generation of pay television is an excellent opportunity to put all of TiVo's innovation to work in a product distributed by a world class partner. We believe this international deal affords us a significant subscriber growth opportunity."
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain in to joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
"Where has childhood gone?
Sexualizing of society in advertising & beyond; "hands-off parenting"? more like "hands-off" society - no-one wants to take responsibility - its always someone else's job to sort it.. the blame game is just going to lead to a downward spiral!
.. "it wasn't me! or who can I sue? or no-one stopped me!" or anything similar shouldn't stand up to scrutiny.
But who is watching out for others? Who is going to stand up & be, firstly an example of action, & secondly a positive voice? YOU? or what about.. YOU hiding behind 'trendy excuse of the day?'
In the end, if you don't stand up with positive action.. then just sit down & keep your words of condemnation to yourself!! {Actions or being an Example shouts so much louder than all the words in the world!}
- Just my opinion, but wrong as what the 13yr girl was doing is... where was the positive action that would have lead to a possibly different life experience? For her & thousands-upon-thousands like her?"
This blog, is probably the hardest thing I have ever publically written:
There are no words…
(This blog entry has evolved over the last 4hrs {I kept walking away from it!} as I have written it has gone from something that was mine –so I thought- into something bigger than me… It is – what it is) No apologies if it seems incoherent but, I make less sense than God!
My #1 Son is 17 today, almost to the minute as I begin writing this in fact!
He was born at fourteen minutes past one in the morning, on Thursday 23rd January 1992. When I saw him for the 1st time, well there are no words to describe the emotions & level of love, that I felt in those seconds & minutes that followed, for him & my then wife.
A lot of time has passed since then, a lot of life for him, & my 2 other children (his younger brother & sister) as well as me, has been lived since then. Not all of it good, not all of it easy, & some of it, more than children should have to witness or endure! Separation & divorce can be messy. There are no words to describe the pangs of pain I feel, when I, somewhat inevitably, look back over some of it.
The detail is unimportant & perhaps for some would be unfair/unpalatable to be aired so publically. The past is important, but only as a starting place for our future (for what is to come). We should learn from it & acknowledge it. But never carry it with us as ammunition or baggage. There are no words that could explain how hard that is to do sometimes. (Especially if, at the time, that is what is being done to you)
As a Dad, I haven’t always got it right & sometimes got it really badly wrong! (Especially in that “past”) But I can (mostly) accept that & (mostly) forgive myself. This is because my 3 weans (kids) have told me that its ok, there’s nothing to forgive & that I’m a good Dad really! (They’re teenagers!)
Ok, I realise I was going to go on & on trying to explain more, without giving details.
But that is firstly, fruitless & superfluous.
Secondly, completely impossible without being public & personal.
Thirdly, oh so, a BIG mistake!
Those paragraphs are deleted & gone, as well as any obviously personal details. (before being published)
The long & the short of it becomes this then:
As a parent, it becomes hard to accept, as your children become more independent:
That a lot of the time you will be a bystander & a supporter standing on the sidelines, in their life. Now I can live with & adapt to that. But you also have to be, I think, sure in yourself (as a good parent) that in reaching that point that you’re now, in the majority a supporter/bystander, has come at the right age? For my parents I reckon it came when I was 18 (they might argue otherwise). But for every child & parent it will be different & in there lies my dilemma & possibly my reason for creating this blog entry…
I (as well as other family members & friends) haven’t really seen my #1 son, much since May 2008. He kind of (quite unexpectedly) drifted away. From then until now we have come across each other maybe on average 2 times a month (that’s about 16 times) Sometimes its been for seconds or minutes on a bus – sometimes its been for most of a day, like at parents on Christmas Day. Sometimes I know where he is staying (usually when he’s at his Mum’s) but most of the time no-one does & that is extremely hard.
I can understand, he feels he is ready to face this world alone & maybe, I concede, he is right. But not perhaps, if those who were important supporters (on whatever scale) in his life, before May last year are all now bystanders.
I don’t want to make this blog entry - inappropriate, publically humiliating & misguided – so I wont (& wouldn’t)
I have realised why this blog entry exists, because my eldest son is 17 today & that has made me think about this situation in a different way that, I perhaps have been avoiding. Its called giving it all to God (My biggest supporter). Something I now must do…
So, I want others to know that, I believe, everything in life happens for a reason. There are no coincidences only ‘God-instances’. I have faith & believe that God will be there in all the good & bad times of my life. But God is there acting in all our lives you just have to look to see his effect in your world (He’s your biggest supporter). That’s where faith comes in…
I have just remembered this: A handful of years ago, a man who I had only met a few days before (& haven’t seen since) came & sat beside me. He didn’t know much about me other than; We were on the same course, both went to church in The Salvation Army, & that he needed to talk to me! We had a long conversation (most of which I now don’t remember) at a point in the course when we had the afternoon off. So instead of spending a summers afternoon with his wife he spent it with me! But I needed it & God had told him so! Most of what he said that afternoon, has long since faded… But the line that lived with me was (is) “Let Go-Let God”. Easily said & with enough faith equally easily done…
I don’t always have enough faith (FYI! Christians are human!) so letting go of a struggle or hurt isn’t always 1st thing on the agenda all the time! Plus God gave everyone free-will, that can make things a bit complicated & messy at times! I suppose that’s what my #1 son is expressing at the moment – so as much as I don’t like his choices in life & the effect that has… I have got to trust God.
God is always there in my son’s life waiting for him to see that what he has planned out is nowhere as fantastic, compared to God’s life plan for him! That realisation for my son may come tomorrow, next year or never…
Let Go-Let God… Because I must! I cannot live my son’s life for him – that would be a massive mistake – he needs to find his way. I can be a supporter only if he wants me to be. So for now I remain a bystander to my precious precious son. I may not always be comfortable with that, but I don’t remain the only supporter. My family & friends are supporters too & will be there for him when/if he is ready. Above all that is his biggest supporter of all – God.
So… happy 17th Birthday to my #1 son (as in 1st born) & I pray you know that your supporters are here for you.. Thank you God for being there for him, even if perhaps your unwanted. I may worry about ‘my boy’ but hey I’m Dad… but I worry a lot less because God’s on my side & supporting me & my son (I wouldn’t want to be on the other team!)
Some people may think this blog entry to be misplaced & should have remained unwritten. Perhaps your right & your very entitled to that opinion. But I didn’t set out to write this, at all, or in the way it turned out…
It is-what it is. I don’t understand why – something had to be said & apparently its been said here. Take from it what you will. I ask for your prayers & understanding.
Trust me pressing publish for this blog entry is not taken easily or lightly at all ~ so be gentle?
Its now after 5 in the morning so I concede & retire for a few hours sleep…
~ A xxx ~
I find it curious & very humbling that, all these people in all these countries look at my little blog!!!
Better still some even read it!!!
Just thought I would (once again) plug A Hint of Bergamot - a photo blog a number of my online friends & I are submitting photos to… I would encourage you to have a look & if so inclined, join us!!
"a hint of bergamot makes a cup of tea into a cup of "Earl Grey" tea... from something ordinary into something special.
This "photoblog" is a collection of photographs where we document the specialness in the ordinary... if that makes any sense whatsoever?"
The Picture above isn’t new (duh it’s date-stamped Alex!) but does sum up my Monday Mood
Created from a testing of Windows Live Writer (jury Still Out-Tho Polaroid option is Cool)
Just an insight into Burns' Words, Hogmanay & Scotland :May the best ye hae ivver seen be the warst ye'll ivver see.
May the moose ne'er lea' yer girnal wi a tear-drap in its ee.
May ye aye keep hail an hertie till ye'r auld eneuch tae dee.
May ye aye juist be sae happie as A wuss ye aye tae be.The above, in translation, reads:
May the best you have ever seen be the worst you will ever see.
May the mouse never leave your grain store with a tear drop in its eye.
May you always stay hale and hearty until you are old enough to die.
May you still be as happy as I always wish you to be.Here's to all those that I love
Here's to all those that love me.
And here's to all those that love those that I love,
And all those that love those that love me.
(You have to think about that one!)I drink to the health of another,
And the other I drink to is he -
In the hope that he drinks to another,
And the other he drinks to is me!Here's to them that like us -
Them that think us swell -
And here's tae them that hate us -
Let's pray for them as well!Here's to the heath, the hill and the heather,
The bonnet, the plaid, the kilt and the feather!Here's to the heroes that Scotland can boast,
May their names never dee -
That's the Heilan' Man's Toast!Here's tae us -
Wha's like us -
Damn few -
And they're a' deid -
Mairs the pity!May the hill rise behind you,
And may the mountain be always over the crest;
And may the God that you believe in
Hold you in the palm of his hand.Or alternatively:
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
The sun shine warm upon your face,
The rain fall soft upon your fields.Lang may yer lum reek! (Long may your chimney smoke!)
Wi' ither folks coal! (With other people's coal!)
(The second line is said to have originated in Edinburgh!)May we be happy - and our enemies know it!
A guid New Year and mony may ye see.
May ye ne'er want a frien' or a dram to gie him.
When we're gaun up the hill of fortune, may we ne'er meet a frien' comin' doun!
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.This quote has been attributed to Nelson Mandela, indeed for a long time I thought he had used it in his Inaugural Presidential Speech, but the source of this excellent thought lies elsewhere.
Richard Halverson:Seems very true...“When the Greeks got the gospel, they turned it into a philosophy; when the Romans got it, they turned it into a government; when the Europeans got it, they turned it into a culture; and when the Americans got it, they turned it into a business.”
