Twinky

And now, here we are, 16 months from the original diagnosis. I think for Tuxedo the end is close. I went away on holiday for several weeks, and a trusted friend, that she knows and likes, came and catsat for me - in fact, he moved in due to illness in his own home. Tuxy was okay at first but after a couple of weeks started pining for me. I left a 3-3.5kg cat and came back to a 2.2kg cat. That's a huge weight loss. Every bone in her body can easily be felt. There's no muscle tone and her back legs are wobbly. She did start eating again, but only the "soups" and jelly stuff that she likes, and a bit of kibble, which no longer seems to make her regurgitate within minutes. More solid food, like the Melting Hearts soft food, is a bit too much now. Took her to the vet last week, is now 2.55kg, but her belly is huge. There is clearly a growth that is growing almost visibly. She is very weak and going up the stairs is now difficult, but she has been able to get to her little tray (upstairs, in the bath, cats' choice). Yesterday, however, I found several little pats of poo behind my couch, and a large wet patch. I'd decided if she became incontinent, it would be time to go. She's not exactly incontinent, because she can go where she chooses rather than just anywhere, but it's not the proper place and she knows it. There are litter trays now where she'd messed. Sounds like I'm talking myself into the final, horrible, decision, doesn't it? So hard, because she's quite perky and her eyes are bright, her coat good, and she is sweet and affectionate. She lies on my chest at night, on the couch. Last night she snuggled down, fidgeted a bit, gave a large sigh, then was silent. I thought she'd died there and then (would be my preferred choice) but no, she re-settled and started purring contentedly whilst being stroked gently. Today, as every day, she's demanding soups, catmilk and a bit of kibble. How to explain to Crypto? Prepare for sad news. You catlovers here will know and understand.

This is just something that may be of interest to some of you. Cliff College is a Bible-teaching college that has been running for many decades, in a sleepy little village in the middle of England. It's a place more usually passed through than visited, unless you're a hiker or rock climber. The college was set up first by Methodists in the late 1800s, building on previous outreach by others who first built the original Cliff House. Since the Methodists purchased Cliff House in early 1900s, it's been much more used for teaching and training missionaries; Methodists were (and mostly still are) always passionate about evangelising and educating. First link is to an old article in a local online historic journal or newspaper: https://places.wishful-thinking.org.uk/DBY/Curbar/CliffCollege2010.html. Note the "Joyful News" caravan (horse-drawn cart), and the "Gospel Cars" and "Gospel Vans." And the second is a link to the ongoing work and study at the College, now a small but well-known "player" in Bible studies. I particularly draw your attention to the accreditations and the choices available on the curriculum. https://www.cliffcollege.ac.uk/ (I like the look of their offerings for Theology and Biblical Studies.) Courses are validated by a very reputable university.

Hey, you guys. It's YOU dragging this off topic and making it about another poster here. That other poster just made a comment, as everyone here is entitled to do, reflecting his understanding of a situation. The actual topic here is the article noted above, and its imagery. Or, if you do want to be off topic, do you like the dancing horses?

For some reason, I thought AoS was good at the time. That ole Waybrain! I had the video. Started to watch it some decades later. (Note: "started" - didn't finish it.) It burned quite well in the woodburner.

Don't jump on Mike. I think this was one of his better posts. Short, to the point, just reporting what he heard John Lynn say.

This is a jolly sight more interesting than AoS. I like the third horse (I think it is - dancing sideways) and the two garlanded police horses midway through (looks like at Glastonbury Festival!).

It's actually not a bad article - but it's ruined by the pseudo-intellectualism of stuffing in assorted Greek words, which in context add absolutely nothing to the article. If they were removed, the article wouldn't be any the worse off. And they can't resist sticking their own special interpretation on the Greek words they pull up: see - "The first word that stands out to us is “run,” which is translated from the Greek word trechō. This word literally means to run, but metaphorically it indicates exerting oneself, to strive hard, or to spend one’s strength in performing or attaining something." Yes, that's as may be, but the whole thing is: "We know something a bit better than [someone else]." Paul said, he was all things to all men. He could talk in athletic terms to those with an athletic bent, or where it suited the context and climate of the times. In other places, he talked of putting on armour - to talk, perhaps, to a different group of people. Agricultural and husbandry references abound throughout the Bible, and doubtless Paul used many to expound to those who most understood agriculture. And so we too must explain, or use as a springboard, the imagery and terms that would most reach those with whom we want to share the Good News. Maybe we would talk in terms of athletics, or military, or gardening - or in terms of writing the best computer program (knowing what you/your customer wants, and how to achieve that efficiently), or how to make a perfect cake (follow the rules for success) or playing a musical instrument (needs diligence and practice, you may even need to learn a new language). To over-focus on one metaphor is to minimise the topic and to cut down on outreach. And please don't remind me any more of AoS. Ugh!

We sang this in church last Sunday. Some of the words really hit the spot for me. These in particular: And we magnify his strictness /With a zeal he will not own. (Words shown on the video, and reprinted following the link.) How easily we magnify fault - our own, and others - and condemn ourselves, and others, for that slight or imagined fault; and how often we forget God's graciousness and compassion - for ourselves and others - and so we don't show that love and compassion to others. There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, Like the wideness of the sea; There’s a kindness in his justice, Which is more than liberty. There is no place where earth’s sorrows Are more felt than up in heaven; There is no place where earth’s failings Have such kindly judgment given. For the love of God is broader Than the measure of man’s mind; And the heart of the eternal Is most wonderfully kind. But we make his love too narrow By false limits of our own; And we magnify his strictness With a zeal he will not own. There is plentiful redemption In the blood that has been shed; There is joy for all the members In the sorrows of the head. There is grace enough for thousands Of new worlds as great as this; There is room for fresh creations In that upper home of bliss. If our love were but more simple, We should take him at his word; And our lives would be all goodness In the joy of Christ our Lord.

We sang this in church last Sunday. Some of the words really hit the spot for me. These in particular: And we magnify his strictness /With a zeal he will not own. (Words shown on the video, and reprinted following the link.) How easily we magnify fault - our own, and others - and condemn ourselves, and others, for that slight or imagined fault; and how often we forget God's graciousness and compassion - for ourselves and others - and so we don't show that love and compassion to others. There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, Like the wideness of the sea; There’s a kindness in his justice, Which is more than liberty. There is no place where earth’s sorrows Are more felt than up in heaven; There is no place where earth’s failings Have such kindly judgment given. For the love of God is broader Than the measure of man’s mind; And the heart of the eternal Is most wonderfully kind. But we make his love too narrow By false limits of our own; And we magnify his strictness With a zeal he will not own. There is plentiful redemption In the blood that has been shed; There is joy for all the members In the sorrows of the head. There is grace enough for thousands Of new worlds as great as this; There is room for fresh creations In that upper home of bliss. If our love were but more simple, We should take him at his word; And our lives would be all goodness In the joy of Christ our Lord.

Interesting, T-Bone. Not seen that Lexicon before. I found this bit especially interesting: by the trickery κυβείᾳ (kubeia) 2940: dice playing from kubos (a cube, die) by craftiness πανουργίᾳ (panourgia) 3834: cleverness, craftiness from panourgos in deceitful πλάνης (planēs) 4106: a wandering fem. of planos scheming; μεθοδείαν (methodeian) 3180: craft, deceit from methodeuó (to employ craft) Equates dice playing with trickery! Which it often is, especially in the hand of a skilled conman. Planos - associated with the word Planet - the planets were once known as "wandering stars" because their erratic orbits (compared with the rest of the stars) made them inexplicable to ancient astronomers "Methodeian" translated as "deceit" also elsewhere as "wiles," both times with negative overlay.

What's your yield, from, say, 1lb of butter? I've seen some commercially, listed thus: Ingredients Milk Fat (99.8%) Ethyl Butyrate 0.01% Ethyl Butyrate appears to be a flavour enhancer but although it appears in some fruits naturally, it also isn't a healthy product. Maybe it occurs naturally in ghee? Any comments, anyone?

I'd like to see this movie, though not sure it's the kind of thing the Odious (Odeon) will be showing. I don't see it at the independents, either.

Be interested in your view, and your take-away from the book.

Really? Kids can't read joined-up handwriting?????? So strange! Kids in the UK are taught a handwriting style that has serifs, so that they quite easily and naturally start making joined-up words. I know a few people who can only write in block capitals. They seem unable to write in lower-case letters at all. But that surely is much harder work? I prefer to write script, joined up writing, and if circs permit, it's quite neat. A little less neat now than it used to be, but I just got some glasses so I can see better. I write less and use my laptop more. I just had a long holiday, journalled every day, and yes, it's all cursive. 80 pages of it, well, perhaps 70, a few blanks at the back, to write my later thoughts and reflections. And yes, my shopping lists are cursive and on the back of random old envelopes, too.

Welcome, JoyfulSoul. Glad you found a good way out and you sound quite happy in your life. Anyone is welcome to share things TWI and your later input is very welcome. 1993 might have been my last RoA. (I'm unclear on dates).

And that's just the spam you know about. Your internet provider may well be filtering out other spam messages. Fed up with the vast number of emails get about my "expired anti-virus protection" purporting to be from various businesses that I've never had contact with. And I get a lot from random addresses purporting to be from [a woman's name] -- I've never heard of this woman, who claims to be sending me some photos that she forgot to send before. I always report these as Phishing. Does it make any difference? Seems doubtful. These days most websites ask viewers to "accept" cookies. I always click the Decline button and hope that this means that my e-addy does not get sent off in a batch to a zillion "advertisers" as "legitimate interest." I recently had a hard disk crash. It seems something really did get through my anti-virus and completely wiped my hard disk. And I hadn't backed up regularly enough and had to spend a lot of time reconstructing worksheets, etc - as well as which, there is information that I really did want, that is now lost forever. Bummer. Cost me no small amount to get my computer back up and running again.

It's interesting to read the comments below the video. Maybe someone should post a link to GSC, maybe to one of the critical thinking type threads.

An the WoWs weren't in it because they had no dosh to spend, and anyway they were on a 2 drink limit.

T-Bone, you could have a fantastic job putting together humorous greetings cards for Hallmark.

@T-Bone View from the other side of the fence: that pastor went home and said to his wife: "I met a very disturbed young man today, possibly possessed of many devil spirits. Please pray with me for him. Something is not right." And as you see, his prayers, though not effective immediately, have come to pass and been answered.

From an outsider's PoV, I find American Evangelism frankly embarrassing. Or worse. Evangelical? They are NOT promoting any Christian message, not one that Christ, or God, would recognise. Evangelising for the Devil, maybe. Their actions belie their words. They may be "sincere," but their basis is a "challenging counterfeit," if anything. Many are deceived. I wonder if they read their bibles for themselves, or only read selected passages, and those through SBU tinted glasses. Haven't had time to listen to the second video yet. One for the To Do list.

Don't think that the Bible references physical strength much at all except in specific cases, much as it doesn't give physical descriptions of people. God wants us to be strong in heart. In love for him, and for his people - for all people. [Thou shalt love the lord thy God; and thy neighbour as thyself.] Inner strength and resilience will outlast physical strength, where the mind is weak. Anyone who's escaped TWI and is making a healthy, independent, life for themselves is resilient!

Okay, I'm late to the party, but just wanted to say that the Poker face video was hilarious. ( I wasn't going to watch any of them until I read later comments.) I did wonder if the three kids matching the actions were going to do a real spoof, especially when the male started waving an arm around towards the end - was he going to turn it into a slow "strip," Chippendale-style? (Hey, just renew your mind, anything, even stripping, done in the love of God... etc etc). From "The Full Monty" (available on YouTube if you haven't seen this hilarious comedy about living in poverty):

Oh wow. Look at that. Average house price slightly less than twice the average income. Dnno how that average income was estimated, but nowadays you might more be looking at not x2 but x20.

That was one of LCM's fave phrases at one time. Made me wince then, and makes me wince now. Can't imagine how he thought it would fit with: Amplified Bible Now we who are strong [in our convictions and faith] ought to [patiently] put up with the weaknesses of those who are not strong, and not just please ourselves and Christian Standard Bible Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not to please ourselves. New American Standard Bible Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not just please ourselves. 2Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. 3For even Christ did not please Himself... (or choose your own version of Rom 15:1) Hey, did Christ get it wrong? By bearing the weaknesses of human beings? Was Christ's strength brought down by human weakness? Are we not supposed to: Amplified Bible Carry one another’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ [that is, the law of Christian love]. And going forward: Haven't we overcome the weakness of our human abilities (not necessarily our human physical strength): New International Version You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.