According to Wikipedia (see here): “Motorway service areas (MSA) also known as services or service stations, are rest areas in the UK and Ireland where drivers can leave a motorway to refuel/recharge, rest, eat and drink, shop, use the toilet or stay in an on-site overnight hotel. They are also a safe refuge for drivers who break down alongside leaving at a motorway junction. The vast majority of motorway services in the UK are owned by one of three companies: Moto, Welcome Break and Roadchef. Smaller operators include Extra, Westmorland and EG Group. The first two service areas in the UK, Watford Gap and Newport Pagnell, opened with temporary facilities when the M1 motorway was opened, on 2 November 1959”.
Continue readingWatching from my wall (2024/25) – an introduction
According to Got Questions (see here): “Watchmen in the Bible were guards responsible for protecting towns and military installations from surprise enemy attacks and other potential dangers. Ancient Israelite cities often stationed watchmen on high walls or in watchtowers. Their job was to keep watch and warn the townspeople of impending threats. The Hebrew word translated “watchman” means “one who looks out,” “one who spies,” or “one who watches.” Sometimes watchmen were scouts who looked out for approaching friends as well as enemies”. The Bible exhorts ordinary followers of Jesus to be watchmen, to “watch and pray”.
Continue readingDaniel’s Four Visions – Vision 4: (Daniel 10-12) Kings of the North and Kings of the South
We come to the final episode of our “Daniel’s Four Visions” series. Rather than going over old ground to establish the context and background, besides pointing out Daniel’s ministry overlapped that of the later part of Jeremiah’s and all of Ezekiel’s (who refers to Daniel in glowing terms (Ezekiel 14:14,20)), might I suggest readers check out the previous four episodes for the story so far:
Continue readingAttending a National Speed Awareness Course
A few weeks back, I opened and read the contents of a brown envelope put through my door, the sort none of us like to have to read, but I suspect some reading this have themselves received.
Continue readingChristian festivals, Jewish festivals and Christians who don’t care for either
It is that time of the year again and while we (my family) aren’t particularly Christmasy people (although we do send Christmas cards, go along with the festivities etc.) there is no escape from this season to be jolly and the action that usually happens in the lead up to what as a child I looked forward to as a magical time of year.
Continue readingThe chicken and the egg; mental ill health and addictive behaviour
A Google search revealed: “The phrase “chicken and egg” is a metaphor used to describe a situation where it’s difficult to determine which of two events is the cause and which is the effect”.
Continue readingEnglish Test Cricket Winter Tours 2024
Toward the end of the English summer after England’s men had played all their home cricket Test matches, I wrote my “Before then; A Summer (2024) of Men’s English Test Cricket; After then” article where I considered English Men’s Test Cricket prior to then and after then.
Continue reading
The 2024 World Chess Championship – some thoughts
According to Wikipedia: “The World Chess Championship 2024, officially known as the World Chess Championship 2024 presented by Google, was a chess match between the reigning world champion Ding Liren and the challenger Gukesh Dommaraju to determine the World Chess Champion. The match took place between 25 November and 12 December 2024 in Singapore. It was played to a best of 14 games, with tiebreaks if required. The match was won by Gukesh 7½–6½ after 14 games. The win made Gukesh the 18th undisputed World Champion and, at age 18, the youngest of them”, and like many chess fans I have been following it.
Continue readingDaniel’s Four Visions – Vision 3: (Daniel 9) Daniel’s Seventy Weeks
Having introduced my latest Bible focused project (see here), which is to write about Daniel’s four visions, then turning our attention to the first of these (see here) and the second of these visions (see here), we turn to his third vision concerning “the Seventy Weeks”, following his amazing prayer.
Continue readingDaniel’s Four Visions – Vision 2: (Daniel 8) Daniel’s Vision of the Ram and the Goat
Having introduced my latest Bible focused project (see here), which is to write about Daniel’s four visions, and having turned our attention to the first of these (see here), I would like now to consider Daniel’s second vision – the Vision of the Ram and the Goat, which is described in Daniel 8.
Continue reading