Hearing from the Heart

Susan Boyle is the newest ‘hit’ to come out of the TV show “Britain’s got talent”. When she came out on stage, her appearance and her age made the audience and the judges literally make fun of her and laugh at her.

Then she opened her mouth to sing … And suddenly the audience were clapping and cheering and half way through the song they were giving her a standing ovation. You can see the excerpt from the show on YouTube.

When the prophet Samuel (in the Bible) was told by God to anoint one of Jesse’s eight sons to be king over Israel, he mistakenly thought Eliab would be the one, because of his stature. But Samuel was wrong! It ended up being the youngest son, David, whom Jesse himself didn’t even consider, as David was the youngest and was out tending the sheep. God said to Samuel, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

And it’s not just Samuel who is guilty of that. How easily we judge people on outward appearances and how wrong we can be! Who doesn’t get (at least) slightly concerned when three or four young people are approaching with their hoods up?

The audience suddenly changed their tune when Susan Boyle sang from her heart. Let’s not make ‘snap’ decisions about people but let’s wait until we’ve heard from their hearts.

A new idea for plastic flower pots

I’ve recently found out about a new sport. It’s called Sport Stacking. You use what look like either plastic flower pots or largish plastic coffee cups and stack them in 3’s, 6’s etc. (called ‘upstacking’), and then unstuck them (called ‘downstacking’). I kid you not! The picture shows my wife just completing a ‘six’ stack.

You may be wondering whether you could really call this a sport. Well, there’s a World Sport Stacking Association and the world record for upstacking and downstacking three stacks of three cups is 1.86 seconds, set at this year's world championships by an 11 year old! It could only happen in America!

You know, there’s a whole unexplored world out there …

No more Frinton Gates

Further to my blog, two below, I hear that the Frinton level crossing gates have finally been removed and a new barrier-type level crossing installed. So the Frinton Gates Preservation Society (yes, such an organisation does exist) has failed.

No longer will people who live on the seaward side of the railway be able to say they live "inside the gates". They will have to say they live "behind the barriers". Doesn't have the same ring, does it?

Keeping Fit

This photograph was taken at our local gym. The car park is actually full of cars but the bike rack, as you can see, is empty. Interesting, I thought. Or maybe if you cycle, you don't need to go to the gym. If you drive everywhere on the other hand, you'd need to go to the gym to use those exercise bikes!

Hang on a minute, isn't there something a little odd there somewhere?

Apologies for even more pedantry!

I'm sorry to go on about the bad use of English, but I had to show you this one. It's not that the incorrect spelling and grammar are any surprise generally, BUT this sign was spotted in Frinton! AND, it was INSIDE the gates!

For anyone who doesn't know about Frinton, it is a kind of independent republic in Essex, bounded by the North Sea on one side and the railway on the other. The only way in is via "the gates", that is the level crossing gates. Actually there are two other ways into Frinton, but I'm not able to disclose them. The level crossing actually consists of two gates, and a man comes out and closes them (or opens them, depending on whether you are in a car or a train).

However, Network Rail wants to replace them with one of those new-fangled things with barriers that come down. But be afraid Network Rail, be very afraid! You are up against the might of Frinton residents! They are holding a demonstration this Saturday. I can just see lines of riot police up against serried ranks of mobility scooters! My advice to the police is, don't worry about water canon or CS gas, just set up some loudspeakers and blast them with some garage. That should disperse them pretty quickly!

Happy Easter!

I would like to wish a Happy Easter to all my readers!

I'm looking forward to my Easter eggs tomorrow - or anything chocolate come to think of it!

Tell us about the animals

We often hear the travel news, even when we're not traveling. In spite of all the many accidents that have been reported, I've never heard of people ringing in to find out if the victims are ok. However, yesterday, a horse box had apparently overturned, and so many people were concerned that they told us there were two Shetland ponies on board and kept us informed as to how they were progressing to get them back and reassured us they were ok.

I know we're a nation of animal lovers, but hasn't something gone wrong somewhere?