Jools

Amazing ...

Jools — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Taken from: http://www.joolshamilton.com/blog/read.php?p=1690

Ever since Indie Jones went through that cave to get that small gold thing, I have had a fascination with the archeology of Scripture - never enough fascination to do anything about it mind you. But then you find articles like this - and you remember 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel disappeared into history - attacked by the Assyrian Empire around 2800 years ago - which by the way was an Empire that at it's height reached into Africa as far as modern Ethiopia ... Anyway - enjoy.

Don't know whether I am scared or heartened by this ...

Jools — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Taken from: http://www.joolshamilton.com/blog/read.php?p=1689

Don't know whether I am scared or heartened by this ... Dad brings son to work - into the air traffic control tower to be exact.

Oh, now - this is interesting

Jools — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Taken from: http://www.joolshamilton.com/blog/read.php?p=1687

It may look like an academic 'don't even read me' article at first sight - but there are drawings, so take a closer look! It is particularly interesting for anyone who claims to want to communicate through various forms of media, and the future therein ... check it out ...

Israel letter

Jools — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Taken from: http://www.joolshamilton.com/blog/read.php?p=1686

This letter appears in the recent Methodist Newsletter - on the first day of release I received 3 calls/messages about it ... so thought I would put it up here as well ... just saying what I saw! Dear Editor, I have read with interest the recent correspondence concerning Palestine & Christian Zionism. I had the pleasure of, along with John Alderdice & Gail Mercer, leading a group of students to the Occupied Palestinian Territories & Israel last August. I do think I am being overly dramatic when I say that the experience of witnessing the lives of Palestinian Christians and Muslims left us highly challenged and changed. I have lived in Northern Ireland almost all my life, the first twenty two years of my life were lived during the Troubles. I have travelled to South Africa on three occasions and I visited Rwanda on the tenth anniversary of the genocide. I am accustomed (sadly) to violence. But I have never witnessed the oppression and violence I was faced with in Palestine. The Israeli government is systematically destroying a people, while the international community, under international law, condemns Israel but does not nothing to stop them. We have many evils in the world, and many regions are often quoted as being the most dangerous to a peaceful world. Depending on where you stand often dictates whom you see as dangerous. After standing against the wall in Palestine I have no doubt that Christian Zionism is one of the most distorted and hazardous doctrines of our time, and Israel one of the most dangerous threats to peace in our world. Perhaps some of your readers would like to use the prayer (attached) that I wrote, used in Christmas celebrations this year around the DCM circuit and Trinity college. Yours very sincerely. Julian Hamilton ... the prayer was put on the blog in December ...

millenials

Jools — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Taken from: http://www.joolshamilton.com/blog/read.php?p=1685

I have not had the chance to get into this new report on church & young adults yet - but I will ... anything strike you?

Love is all you need ...

Jools — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Taken from: http://www.joolshamilton.com/blog/read.php?p=1683

Soooo, it's Valentine's weekend, and I have a huge mixture of emotions - some good & helpful, some negative and not that helpful. But over-riding all the emotions is something I heard on the radio: A recently retired postman in Dublin told a very interesting story. He said that when he began delivering mail in the late 1970's Valentine's day was a major part of the postie year - the management always had to bring in extra shifts and posties would get overtime. The post bags literally swelled with cards for & from star-crossed lovers. He retired this year. Would you like to know how many cards he delivered last year? Seven. That's a shame. I wonder what I could do about it? hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ......

Bart boy

Jools — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Taken from: http://www.joolshamilton.com/blog/read.php?p=1682

Another cracker prayer letter from Bart Campolo ... As much as she doesn't belong there, I almost left Denise in jail. The $400 it cost to get her out is a lot of money, after all, especially for a woman surviving on food stamps in a $25 per month HUD apartment our fellowship covers to keep her off the street. Then again, we cover it because we know she’s too sick and disabled to work, let alone do jail time. Of course, as a taxpayer I understand the county’s case against Denise, whose three kids were raised entirely on county funds despite the fact that neither parent ever paid a dollar in child support. I understand why they want the more than $15,000 she still owes, and why they call it contempt of court when she is consistently unable to pay even her $65 monthly minimum. What I don’t understand is why the judge continues her case every few months, even though it’s obvious she’s permanently broke, or how it helps anyone to lock her up for missing one of those countless court dates, like they did last week. "I can’t do this, Bart!" she wailed into the phone. Just the night before we had celebrated her long-awaited return to our Monday night dinner, after she nearly died of pancreatitis. Now she was worried about having to move too much, and losing sleep, and missing her medications. “I’m gonna die in here,” she cried. I felt sorry for her, of course, but I also felt frustrated and angry with her. After all the time fellowship folks have spent hustling around for her these past few years, and all the money we’ve spent on her rent and prescriptions and household needs, and all the phone calls and application forms and letters and hospital visits, how could Denise mess everything up by forgetting her court date? Forget becoming an addict and abandoning her kids in the first place; I almost left someone I claim to love in jail for the higher crime of stupidly inconveniencing me once too often. Or maybe I almost left her there because I couldn’t stand the thought of having to listen to Denise whine and complain and blame everybody but herself for her troubles all the way home. Maybe I’m just up to here with people telling me about how it was the boss’s fault they got fired, or the teacher’s fault they got suspended, or their friend’s fault they got arrested, or their lawyer’s fault they got convicted, or their landlord’s fault they got evicted, or the minister’s fault they quit going to church. In any case, the next morning I paid the purge order, drove down to the county jail, and gritted my teeth as Denise got into my car. And then it happened. “Bart,” she said, “As soon as they told me I was getting out, I knew it was y’all that did it. And I’m just so thankful that I have this fellowship family that does so much for me. But all last night I was laying there feeling sorry for myself, and I got to thinking how all of this is my own fault, and how it wasn’t anybody else’s job to remind me of my court dates or take me to them or anything. I know I told you I couldn’t do it, but I was wrong. If I had to stay there for a week or a month, I decided I wasn’t gonna complain or blame anybody, I was just gonna pray to God and hang on. It was me that put me in this situation, not you or nobody else.” To me, it was a pure miracle. My frustration, my anger, all gone in an instant. That was all I wanted, I suddenly realized. That’s all most of us want, most of the time, Almighty God included. Not perfection. Not even close to perfection. All we really want is for the people in our lives--our friends, our spouses, our children—to just take responsibility when they let us down. We can put up with a lot, we can forgive a lot, and we can help with a lot, and even do it with a smile most of the time, if only the person who blows it is just willing to admit that they are the person who blew it, not us, not somebody else. That, mixed together with a little genuine gratitude...my God, it is the jet fuel of compassion, the wonder drug for an ailing love. I didn’t drive Denise straight home. I took her out to lunch first.

Dinosaur feet

Jools — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Taken from: http://www.joolshamilton.com/blog/read.php?p=1681

This is a 100 million year old problem for creationists ... but 'wow!' to the rest of us. Check out the dinosaur footprints!

curiosity killed the ....

Jools — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Taken from: http://www.joolshamilton.com/blog/read.php?p=1679

'curiosity' from Nic Askew on Vimeo.

common sense

Jools — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Taken from: http://www.joolshamilton.com/blog/read.php?p=1678

I have no idea if this was actully printed or not, but it's a thought provoking small piece ... An Obituary printed in the London Times - Interesting and sadly rather true. Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: - Knowing when to come in out of the rain; - Why the early bird gets the worm; - Life isn't always fair; - and maybe it was my fault. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition. Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses;and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault. Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement. Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son,Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights I Want It Now Someone Else Is To Blame I'm A Victim Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.