Diary w/e 13 Jan 2018

Sun 7 Jan

Excellent sermon from Paul on the second part of Mat 2 which promoted me to think and blog the next day. Our Harrogate visitors left after church. Once again I did my tandoori chicken lunch for three visitors, one from Oman and Virginia - the same young man. I was up too early in the morning so too dopey in the evening service but blessed by a new elder presiding at the table. Someone remarked he was too emotional to be a Presbyterian. That BTW was a compliment with Presbyterian humour.

Mon 8 Jan

Surgical stocking ordered as preventative for the left leg which is now healed of ulcers but recent night pain in the right leg is due to a new ulcer in the ankle so compression bandaging is on there for at least two more months AFAIK.
   Most of the day writing an article which stemmed from Paul Levy's sermon on Mat 2, the lessons from Jesus return to Bethlehem and God's providence there.
   Cooked spaghetti carbonara for supper then session meeting. Full complement of nine Ealing elders, one each from Less and Ilford and two men under the care of IPC Ealing. Saddened by news of work taking some members away from us. Rejoicing to hear news of an engagement. Pastoral concerns over baptism and church unity. Overall a very encouraging meeting including plans for church planting in France.

Tues 9 Jan

Excellent Ealing Lunchtime talk on John 14:6 by Paul Levy, Is Christianity intolerant? Yes Jesus is - but he loves sinners. Then a pastoral visit to an aged saint struggling withe onset of dementia. She was in very good spirits. Slow cooking chicken casserole cooked for dinner. Booked ticket to California for Feb 15 but refused insurance. Am I bothered? No. Angry that it seems insurers will not exclude pre-existing medical conditions and insure against any new ones, loss of luggage, cancellation etc only.

Wed 10 Jan
Excellent hose group on ! Sam 7 with one lively new member for the group.

Thur 11 Jan

Very good Greenford Lunchtime Talk by Pal Levy on Is God sexist? Once again he was trying out a new talk to be given at a Belfast CU mission. I am his first elder for feedback with constructive criticism. Finished very helpful book on Islamic State. Real insight as to the nature and diversity of Islam. Surprise phone call from a former missionary in Nigeria. Her late husband Tony Berry died three years ago @92 years. He was the first ever pharmacist at Vom and used by the Lord to call me out there too. I was Vom's third pharmacist.

Fri 12 Jan

House re-insured via the meerkats lot. Still no satisfaction from Privilege over the excess on our car claim in March. They last wrote in June. Several phone calls. It is due for litigation he says. I reply that I do not care why my excess has not been refunded. If it is not refunded they will not have my renewal. He rings back to say they have not received the papers needed for litigation. I say they were sent in June. He finds them after saying they were not received. Between the inefficiency of my insurers and the idiocy of the other party's I have had enough. When the renewal comes I shall be back to the meerkats. And you wonder why I think insurers are one of the lower forms of life?

Sat 13 Jan

Great news from my friend in Baghdad. ' The security situation in Iraq is now much better than before. Almost, no terrorist attacks happens. Many of those who joined ISIS were killed. Some of them escaped to Europe as refugees. Many displaced Iraqi Christians and Yezeedies returned to their villages and towns in north of Iraq.'

Looking forward to old friends coming for lunch. Friends for nearly 48 years. United in Christian faith. Poles apart in politics - but I manage that in my family too. I treat the first as serious. The latter is more like sport - not of ultimate import. So when they came great accord as ever and surprised to find they think Jeremy not fit to be PM and agree with me that Labour should ditch him for Benn.