Esther - Background Notes

TITLE  

• This book and the book of Ruth are the only OT books named after women. 
• Like Song of Solomon, Obadiah, and Nahum, the NT does not quote or allude to Esther.  

AUTHOR OF ESTHER 

1. The author remains unknown. 
2. Whoever penned Esther possessed a detailed knowledge of Persian customs, etiquette, and history, plus particular familiarity with the palace at Shushan (1:5–7). 
3. He also showed intimate knowledge of the Hebrew calendar and customs, while additionally showing a strong sense of Jewish nationalism. 
4. Possibly a Persian Jew, who later moved back to Israel, wrote Esther.

WHERE DOES ESTHER FIT INTO HISTORY?

Esther is one of the very last books in the OT history of the Jews. (Only Ezra 7-10 and Malachi is later).

• The events in Esther happened during  the Persian period of world history.  Daniel 5:30,31/Daniel 8:1-27.
• The events of Esther took place during the first return of the Jews after the 70 years captivity in Babylon (Daniel 9:1-19) and (Ezra 1-6) and the second return (Ezra 7-10).  Nehemiah's journey (the third return) happened 13 years later.

THE PERSIAN KING’S NAMES:

Ahasuerus (Hebrew name) Xerxes (Greek Name) Khshayarsha (Persian name). The king was assassinated in 465BC.  Esther's story ends before Xerxes' death.

THE ATTEMPT TO EXTERMINATE THE JEWS.

Compare the events in Esther and in the book of Exodus:  foreign powers vigorously tried to eliminate the Jewish race but God sovereignly preserved His people according to His covenant promises.

THE PEOPLE IN THE TRUE STORY.

• Mordecai:He is a Benjamite, descendant of Saul -Esther  2:5.
• Haman the Agagite.  Saul got orders to kill all the Amalekites including Agag their king. Saul disobeyed, God was displeased, Samuel killed Agag.  1 Samuel 15. So we see that Haman carried deep hostility toward the Jews - 550 years after the death of Agag.This explains why Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman (Ezra 3:2,3) and why Haman so viciously tried to exterminate the Jewish race (Esther 3:5, 6, 13).
• We see God’s purposes of keeping His people in faithfulness to His covenant,  prevail.
• Satan working in the background.

THE FESTIVAL OF PURIM - to celebrate God’s faithfulness to save His people.  In Esther 9 and 10 a festival is recorded  to celebrate the nation's survival.  This is a festival (one of two) outside the Mosaic legislation - still celebrated in Israel (Hanukkah).

• An annual 2-day holiday of feasting, rejoicing, sending food to one another, giving gifts to the poor. Esther 9:21,22). 
• was to be celebrated in every generation, by every family, in every province and city. (Esther 9:27,28)
• Later fasting with lamentation was added (Esther 9:31)
• Purim is not mentioned in the bible again - though it's been celebrated through centuries in Israel.

THE CHESS GAME IN ESTHER. 

•  God and Satan are the invisible players and they moved real kings, queens and nobles.
• Satan puts Haman into place and says "check".
• God positioned Esther and Mordecai and says "checkmate".

SATAN

•  Ever since the fall of man (Gen. 3:1–19), Satan has attempted to spiritually sever God’s relationship with His human creation and disrupt God’s covenant promises with Israel. 
• Herod slaughtered the infants of Bethlehem, thinking Christ was among them (Matt. 2:16).
• Satan tempted Christ to denounce God and worship him (Matt. 4:9). 
• Peter, at Satan’s insistence, tried to block Christ’s journey to Calvary (Matt. 16:22). 
• Finally, Satan entered into Judas who then betrayed Christ to the Jews and Romans (Luke 22:3–6). 

GOD

• While God was not mentioned in Esther, He was everywhere apparent as the One who opposed and foiled Satan’s diabolical schemes by providential intervention.
• See God’s love for Israel in this dramatic rescue of His people from pending elimination.
• “Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep” (Ps. 121:4).

GOD IS NOWHERE MENTIONED IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER (as in the Song of Solomon)

• There is no reference to the law of God. levitical sacrifices, worship or prayer - and that while the persian king's name gets mentioned 175 times!
• The Jews survived - why no recognition for God?

SOME LIGHT:

1. If God desired to be mentioned, He could just as sovereignly have moved the author to write of Him as He acted to save Israel. 
2. This situation seems to be more of a problem at the human level than the divine, because Esther is the classic illustration of God’s providence as He, the unseen power, controls everything for His purpose. 
3. There are no miracles in Esther, but the preservation of Israel through providential control of every event and person reveals the omniscience and omnipotence of Jehovah. 
4. Whether He is named is not the issue. He is clearly the main character in the drama.

OTHER QUESTIONS:

• Why were Mordecai and Esther so secular in their lifestyles?” Esther (2:6–20).
• Mordecai kept his and Esther’s Jewish heritage secret, unlike Daniel (Dan. 6:5). 
• Why is the The law of God absent (in contrast to Ezra back in Jerusalem)
• Why did Esther and Mordecai not return with the others to Jerusalem? (Ezra 7:10). Nehemiah had a heart for Jerusalem that seemingly eluded the affections of Esther and Mordecai (Neh. 1:1–2:5).

SOME LIGHT ON THE QUESTIONS:

• This short book does not record everything. Perhaps Mordecai and Esther actually possessed a deeper faith than becomes apparent here (cf. 4:16). 
• Second, even godly Nehemiah did not mention his God when talking to King Artaxerxes (Neh. 2:1–8). 
• Third, the Jewish festivals which provided structure for worship had been lost long before Esther, e.g., Passover (2 Kin. 23:22) and Pentecost (Neh. 8:17). 
• Fourth, possibly the anti-Jewish letter written by the Samaritans to Ahasuerus several years earlier had frightened them (ca. 486 B.C.; Ezra 4:6). 
• Fifth, the evil intentions of Haman did not just first surface when Mordecai refused to bow down (3:1, 2). Most likely they were long before shared by others which would have intimidated the Jewish population. 
• Sixth, Esther did identify with her Jewish heritage at a most appropriate time (7:3, 4). And yet, the nagging question of why Esther and Mordecai did not seem to have the same kind of open devotion to God as did Daniel remains.
•  Further, Nehemiah’s prayer (Neh. 1:5–11, esp. v. 7) seems to indicate a spiritual lethargy among the Jewish exiles in Susa. 

Let's see how these issues are ultimately resolved by God since He alone knows human hearts and all the answers.

HAMMY TRIP 4 Dunkeld, Hermitage, Birks of Aberfeldy, Glen Lyon, Bridge of Balgie

After multiple checking and rechecking of weather for Dunkeld.  Wednesday one big sun.  So promising!

Half nervous about the Ryder Cup - golf tournament between Europe and USA - only a short distance from our road - these worries were unfound, even though we saw the "delay-warnings".

Two nights and three days and good memories.
Night one a forest on the left and stretching before us the valley - grazing sheep and the high hills and more forests.  We have the parking spot with a view all to ourselves.  We get here late, so quickly start to move over our food and toiletries to the front seat - and rucksacks to the raised area above our feet.  It's cold and drizzling! - Gordon said he wasn't shivering, I couldn't say the same.  Couldn't wait to get into the sleeping bag and under the duvet while being dressed in a few layers of pajama-like clothing.  Later in the night I had to open the door to let in cool air to relieve feeling too hot!

Night 2 - We have driven 22 miles through Scotland's longest glen - Glen Lyon and became more and   more remote - which is exhilarating.  The very last bit we were forced to turn around due to deep potholes.  They are arranged in the same spot on either side of the single lane - which leaves no option but to go through the potholes.  Gordon makes a 3 point u-turn while I have to guide him to just before the ditch.  Tonight it's relatively mild - we are far from the madding crowd - nobody, no cars, no sign of people.  Gordon wait for me while I walk ahead feeling the remoteness, the cool wind and praying for the Cafe, students, team and the call of God to them to come to Him.
At night buffeting winds - one downpour of bucketing rain.  Next to the River Lyon on the other side a waterfall we could here.  Boulders which made good seats.

This time we made more use of picnic tables - which is so comfortable to eat at.  (Hermitage and Bridge of Balgie).

Saw 3 - maybe 4 RED squirrels.  Loved the start of autumn, but not at it's peak yet.  But beu

Walks:
Dunkeld with a printed guide.  Eating at the Fountain.
Short Walk around Stanley Hill and back the Tay River - fly fishing.
The Hermitage (Salmon - all 4 of them) - walking together.
The Birks of Aberfeldy - breakfast under the maple tree.  Mushrooms!
The wild part of Glen Lyon.  Never checked the mileage so we just drove on and on.
What if heart attack;  don't panic just stay and pray with me.
The Bridge of Balgi - walk together through Beech Groves

The Drive........through Glen Lyon.
Never tire of Highland Cattle especially back-lit by the morning light and seeing the antics of the
teddy-looking calves butting each other.

Tree-tunnels and splashes of colours.  Autumn leaves on wet boulders in a stream - or is it a burn?  Seated with Gordon in the sun - the sun - the sun and the fire of the acer tree having all the shine to itself as it's ablaze among many other trees still green.  The salmon leaping!  Watching our step on wet rocks.  Steps that keep going up.  Teasing young people with rucksacks to walk faster.  Listening to popular opera on full blast in a lone Glen.  Turning off the music and listening to the silence.  Seeing the odd fireplace where somebody sat around out far from nowhere, wishing we had our own firewood.  Seeing the big buzzard on a primitive telephone line - and seeing the same one, unless there were a few, several time.  Gordon would grab the binoculars and while I try to take photos.

We  are in big tree country - how to take photos:  back to trunk and look up backwards?  Well the result does give the FEEL of height.

Practicalities.
We were less cluttered.
The short lead of the cigarette holder car-kettle - frustration.
Wonderful to download a very big digital camera card in no time.
Wonderful to be able to charge camera battery, ipod and telephone with great ease.
Wonderful to listen to ipod sermons on our speakers plugged into the car.

Food:  enjoyed the cup of soups more than the coffee - but cups of steaming coffee is always double appreciated in the outdoors.  We never ate out, not even a cup of coffee.  We preferred out 3 icecreams for £1 - Danish tarts and sharing Crunchies. For the rest we had cous-cous and home-prepared skinless chicken.  We slices sweet chillie and half a cucumber with bread spread cheese and or mozerralla, tinned mackerel.  Had late breakfasts and mid afternoon meals - so that we were never never hungry when we went to bed and neither did we have to first cook and then get ready for bed.   We wipe our dishes with paper towel (very very cheap serviettes) and stuff them into a plastic bag.  At the first opportunity we wash them - discreetly - in a rest room.  It works so well for us!

Remember next time to use proper hiking shoes.

Toiletries - we used pretty much what we have in the beginning - so not much change there.  Must replace the Listerine, but no lists will leave the empty one as a reminder.
Fave toiletry moments, before bed take our time to take off our socks (either stuff them in the washing bag or peg them inside out on the car-window blowing in the wind) - then go through a few FOOT-wipes, put on clean socks and get into bed clean everything.  If there is sunlight - while we are at the "bedding-stage" - love to hang the duvet out in the sun - love to put it back into Hammy - warm and fresh.

We were greatly blessed by reading Ezra 3 and 4 together:  I read the summary notes and Gordon looks up the verses.

No signals anywhere until we got to Killin, where we had a little visit with Mammie in South Africa.

That moment of decision with no help from the information centre....finally the mountain forecast which predicts unlikely rain during the day - great, but mist.  We're 90 minutes from home.  Our bed entices us, maybe even the TV!

We were home just after 7 pm - Gordon packed everything out of the Hammy through the front door of the entrance of our flat and I took them from there up the stairs.  We packed away the food - and just relaxed at home - immediately starting to download the photos to relive all the fun again!

Before we pulled off we asked the Lord and arriving home our thanks.  Yes the Lord is good and his steadfast and unfailing love lasts forever!

Something more about The Hermitage

A feisty River Braan flowing through the Hermitage.

Just before the supertall tree I wished to see was this fine Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), itself an impressive enough sight with its towering, ramrod-straight stem.

The tallest Douglas firs in the world are found in their native range in North America. They are about the 100-metre mark! 
The only other species of tree with individuals taller than 100 m is Sequoia sempervirens - the California or coast redwood. 
The world’s tallest known living organism is a coast redwood called Hyperion – it was discovered in 2006 and has been measured at a whopping 115.6 m (379.3)!

What visitors find is a network of waymarked paths, most of which lie on the north side of the valley of the fast flowing River Braan, in an area that extends for about three quarters of a mile back from the car parks, complete with a series of features which add further interest to an already fascinating place.

Although the Hermitage looks, at first sight, like it might have developed naturally, it is actually a planned landscape. In the mid 1700s the main residence of the Dukes of Atholl was, and remains, at Blair Castle, some 17 miles north west of the Hermitage. But the family also maintained a winter retreat at Dunkeld House, which stood on the north bank of the River Tay almost opposite the steep sided valley of the River Braan.

The gardens of Dunkeld House were initially fairly restrained, but in the 1730s James, 2nd Duke of Argyll, significantly extended the landscaping around the house and introduced a series of new features including terraces and a Chinese temple. He also planted large numbers of trees.



The Hermitage Douglas Fir

This was a stone viewing pavilion which projected out over the edge of the gorge giving visitors a spectacular view of the most turbulent section of the River Braan, the Black Linn Falls. The Hermitage quickly became a "must see" on the itinerary of early tourists to Scotland, and was visited by the poet William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy, the painter John Turner, and the composer Felix Mendelssohn.

In the 1760s the poet James Macpherson captured the imagination of an entire generation, in Scotland and beyond, when he published a series of "discovered" ancient poems said to have been originally written in Gaelic by Ossian, son of Fingal. The elements of the Hermitage were quickly rebranded to exploit the mythology of Ossian. The Hermitage itself became known as Ossian's Hall. A group of angular stones above a steep section of the valley became known as Ossian's Seat. And in 1785 an artificial cave was added towards the far end of the walk through the valley, which, inevitably, became known as Ossian's Cave. The dramatic stone footbridge over the River Braan near Ossian's Hall and between the Black Linn Falls and the Black Linn Pool avoided the trend, and was called Hermitage Bridge.

 you quickly find yourself heading deep into mature woodland. The paths continue to the side of the Black Linn Pool. On the far side of the pool is the Hermitage Douglas, a Douglas Fir which in 2009 was measured as standing 61.3m or 201.1ft tall, which made it Scotland's (and the UK's) fourth tallest tree.

Pressing on, you come to the Hermitage Bridge, which gives excellent views of the turbulent river below, and then to Ossian's Hall. The original building was blown up by as a protest against tolls on the Dunkeld Bridge in 1869. The replacement you see today dates back to 1951 and is rather simpler than the original building. The interior nonetheless retains classical themes and is decorated in a striking red with mirrored panels. The hall's main attraction remains the view from the balcony beyond the glass doors at its far end, over the spectacular Black Linn Falls.

Further on the path brings you to the slight scramble needed to explore Ossian's Seat and, nearby, to Ossian's Cave. The Hermitage is deservedly as popular with modern visitors as it was with our Victorian ancestors, and is certainly well worth exploring. The "Ossian" connection is contrived, but this does not prevent the place having real charm, character and beauty. And, if you have it to yourself first thing on a Summer morning, a slightly spooky atmosphere that has you looking over your shoulder from time to time…

How do you read Popular Science

My one point here is about the reading of popular science by lay people.  Most of us know next to nothing about ,say,  the field of genetics. So we read our latest pop-sci book, pretty much ignorantly.  What is our reference point as we read?  How do we discern what to take on board and what to ditch?  How are we influenced by what may be guess-work but wrapped in gripping brilliant journalism?

So.....here am I, knowing next to nothing about genes. The title grabs me and I start to read with no reference point of a reasonable knowledge about genetics.  But, no worries, I read on.  You know, as most would read the page-turner, The Da Vinci Code, for example.  Sure I have my views.  Sure I'm not on offer as a candidate for getting brainwashed.  But I get a kick out of reading modern journalism. Yes, yes,  I'm aware I am adopting new opinions here and there.  Oooooops  - I hear that I've  missed a prominent review on my book, but this is leisure reading, not research.  Neither do my friends really know too much about genetics.  Even so, the content leaves a big or small mark on my thinking about life.  I may even throw in a line or two  about genetics and racism in conversation next time.

Ahh, I say, but don't forget,  the book is written by a science writer and he has based his thesis arguing about...and I go on to paraphrase what I think I remember...."economic success can, at least in part, be attributed to racial differences with a genetic foundation." 

I am really getting into the book and I may happen to feel a bit uneasy - but hey! - I'm not the scientist around here.  And this guy knows what he is writing about.

To add to the muddle I'm getting into  - I haven't spotted in the media that 150 SCIENTISTS  in the field of genetics are incensed and they have now signed a letter criticising Mr Wade for his latest book A Troublesome Inheritance: Genes, Race and Human History, published in the US by Penguin Press.

My one point for this blog is a caution of reading popular science as a lay person who cannot discern between true science and guess-work - without a solid life philosophy.   

It's common knowledge that all scientists are not in agreement. 

What is your reference point when you read popular science as a lay person?  Is it your accumulated opinions up to now, common sense, personal preferences?

Personally. as a Christian I'm profoundly thankful that God, in His grace, reveals Himself to all peoples in His Word.  I believe He has given the human race enough knowledge of Himself, of our origins, of ourselves, to have peace with Him through Jesus and also how to live our earthly lives. 
My Christian reference point is that God loved the whole world so much He sent His Son and that spiritual life is offered to all to receive God's forgiveness by faith in Jesus.  Racism?  That's a word and a reality I grew up with in South Africa. I'm convinced with my whole heart that there are only 2 groups of people of  all skin colours: 

1. those in the kingdom of darkness 
2. and those who have been transferred to the kingdom of light.

If you are interested in the Independent article,  please click here.

A Quote from The Independent UK

A quote from The Independent (UK)
They claim that Mr Wade, a former science editor on the New York Time, has “misappropriated” research from their field to support his arguments about inheritable differences among human societies – epitomised in a biological basis for race.
“Wade juxtaposes an incomplete and inaccurate account of our research on human genetic differences with speculation that recent natural selection has led to worldwide differences in IQ test results, political institutions and economic development,” the letter says.“We reject Wade’s implication that our findings substantiate his guesswork. They do not. We are in full agreement that there is no support from the field of population genetics for Wade’s conjectures,” it says.In his book, Mr Wade attacks the “longstanding orthodoxy” among social scientists that human races are a social construct with little or no basis in biology and genetics, along with the idea that human evolution effectively stopped long ago in the distant past.
He states that the latest research on the human genome establishes beyond doubt that there is indeed a biological basis for race, and that the human population can be broadly divided into three main racial types: sub-Saharan Africans, Caucasians and East Asians.
In addition to obvious physical differences – notably skin colour – natural selection on the main continents has resulted in marked differences in some aspects of brain function, which has in turn influenced the kind of economic success enjoyed by some countries, and missed out by others.Britain, and specifically the English, pioneered the Industrial Revolution in the 18th Century because since the Middle Ages the rich had more surviving children than the poor and this meant that the values of the upper middle classes – nonviolence, literacy, thrift and patience – spread as genetic traits within the population, according to Wade, an old Etonian.Europe benefited early on from industrialisation because their people were more genetically predisposed to being open and tolerant, unlike the Chinese, while the Ashkenazi Jews have the highest average IQ because the more intelligent among them were richer and therefore able to afford more children, he says.“Conventionally, these social differences are attributed solely to culture. But if that’s so, why is it apparently so hard for tribal societies like Iraq and Afghanistan to change their culture and operate like modern states?” he writes.“The explanation could be that tribal behaviour as a genetic basis. Human social structures change so slowly and with such difficulty as to suggest an evolutionary influence at work.”
Mark Stoneking, an evolutionary geneticist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig in Germany, who signed the letter to the New York Times, said that Mr Wade is wrong to say that modern genomics shows there is a biological basis for race.“How to define the concept of race biologically is not easy, but to me one prediction is that not only should one be able to define discrete clusters of people that correspond to races, there should be distinct boundaries between them,” Dr Stoneking said.“And if you look at patterns of genetic variation in human populations, you find they are distributed along geographic ‘clines’ with no distinct boundaries,” he said.“It's like a rainbow. Sure, I can identify parts of a rainbow that are different –red, yellow, blue, and so forth – but there are no sharp boundaries between them; a rainbow is a gradient of colours.”
Jerry Coyne, an evolutionary geneticist at the University of Chicago, said that Mr Wade should be deeply embarrassed because his propensity to “make up” stories.
“For Wade to write a whole book resting on this speculative house of cards – the idea that genes and natural selection are everything in explaining culture – is simply bad popular science,” Professor Coyne said.
Mr Wade, meanwhile, has issued a statement saying that the protest letter is driven by politics rather than science and that most of the signatories have not read his book but are responding to “a slanted summary devised by the organisers”.
“As no reader of the letter could possibly guess, A Troublesome Inheritance argues that opposition to racism should be based on principle, not on anti-evolutionary myth that there is not biological basis to race,” Mr Wade said.

Popular Science, the lay person and the Christian's reference point,

My one point here is about the reading of popular science by lay people.  Most of us know next to nothing about ,say, about the field of genetics. So we read, pretty much ignorantly.  What is our reference point as we read, how do we discern what to take on board and what to ditch?  How are we influenced by what may be guess-work but wrapped in gripping brilliant journalism?

So.....here am I, knowing next to nothing about genes. The title grabs me and I start to read with no reference point of a reasonable knowledge about genetics.  But, no worries, I read on.  You know, as most would read the page-turner,  The Da Vinci Code, for example.  Sure I have my views.  Sure I'm not on offer as a candidate for getting brainwashed.  But I get a kick out of reading modern journalism. Yes, yes,  I'm aware I am adopting new opinions here and there.  Oooooops  - I hear that I've  missed  a few reviews, but this is leisure reading, not research.  My friends don't really know what's going on either.  Yet, the content leaves a big or small mark on my thinking about life.  I may even throw in a line or two  about genetics and racism in conversation next time.

Ahh, but don't forget,  the book is written by a science writer and he has based his thesis arguing that .........in this example ......economic success can, at least in part, be attributed to racial differences with a genetic foundation. 

I am really getting into the book and I may happen to feel a bit uneasy - but hey! - I'm not the scientist around here.  And this guy knows what he is writing about.

To add to the muddle I'm getting into  - I haven't spotted in the media that 150 SCIENTISTS  in the field of genetics are incensed and they have now signed a letter criticising Mr Wade for his latest book A Troublesome Inheritance: Genes, Race and Human History, published in the US by Penguin Press.

My one point for this blog is a caution of reading popular science as a lay person who cannot discern between true science and guess-work - without a solid life philosophy.   It's common knowledge that all scientists are not in agreement. 

What is your reference point when you read popular science as a lay person?  Is it your accumulated opinions up to now, common sense, personal preferences?

As a Christian I'm profoundly thankful that God, in His grace, reveals Himself to people  in His Word.  I believe He has given the human race enough knowledge of Himself, of our origins, of ourselves, to have peace with Him through Jesus and also how to live our earthly lives. My Christian reference point is that God loved the whole world so much He sent His Son and that spiritual life is offered to all to receive God's forgiveness by faith in Jesus.  Racism?  That's a word and a reality I grew up with in South Africa. I'm convinced with my whole heart that there are only 2 groups of people of  all skin colours:

1. those in the kingdom of darkness 
2. and those who have been transferred to the kingdom of light.

If you are interested in the Independent article, either google it or click on this link.

Church without God - tragically, not only for atheists.

It  could be interesting to compare the atheists’ “church without God “ - on the one hand with churches with suffocating or empty man-made rules/regulations who claim that God is their King, but He isn’t really that to the attendees.

 27 Jul 2014 - America

Step inside where people are swaying along to music, listening to talks and discussing ways to help their local community, it sounds very much like a church, too. 

There is, however, one rather fundamental missing ingredient - this is a church without God.

Started in London in January 2013 by a pair of British stand-up comedians, Sunday Assembly offers a church experience but without the ‘God part’.  

In America…for Kris Tyrell, a 28-year-old atheist who was raised as a Catholic but brings up her six-year-old daughter, Kai, outside any faith, the Sunday Assembly provides a welcome opportunity to belong to something without having to believe and to positively embrace a life without God.

“The idea is why not steal all the good bits about church – the music, the fellowship, the community work – and lose the God stuff,” he says. 

“Not having a church doesn’t mean I don’t have a moral code,” says Landry Butler, a 46-year-old graphic designer who co-founded the Nashville branch. “I want to get away from this idea that ‘you have to have God to be good’. You don’t.”

 “Sunday Assembly is all about coming together to celebrate the one life we know we have,” she shares the snappy motto,  ‘Live better, Help Often, and Wonder More’.”

The Sunday Assembly model includes music, active participation, short talks, humour and pop music.” Sometimes there is a long moment’s silence, at which the congregation is invited to “turn down their inner volume knob” and be grateful to this impersonal universe that you have a place, and people in it that love you.”

But mostly the emphasis is upbeat and life-affirming.  One member talks about coping with depression; then a life-coach talks about the importance of self-knowledge.

It all ends with a quotation from Albert Einstein – “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving” – before coffee and doughnuts are served, followed by lunch at a local Southern barbecue restaurant.

HAMMY-TRIP 2 - South of Edinburgh.

Day 1 Tuesday 22 July.

While we have close to 100% more confidence for the 2nd than the 1st trip we find we can remember most of what we need and yet we have to put on our thinking caps again.

We make things better in that we have a double duvet instead of a king-size duvet. What else? I wanted a more sturdy dustbin, but the one we took this time  is too bulky and just got in the way and shouted "rubbish!"  I forgot to put the scissors in but on our short trip it wasn't an issue.  Planned to take a nail brush, forgot again.  I think our toiletry boxes worked very well second time around - well, better in that we had the bulk of our travel bags out of them.  Wet-wipes rule!!!  This time we had a little rubbish bin in there, popped the used ones in there all the time.

We had very hot weather this time - and just to cool off with a few wet wipes was.....well, refreshing!

A late start, a longish pack and quite a job carrying our things down the steps.  Gordon organised the inside of the Hammy, I tried to organise and pack upstairs.  Next time:   a lot of this could be done the evening/s before.  And some could easily be done the day before:  like making our bag and putting in some things.

Oh I don't think we will take a chair again...?


So back  to this trip.

We are on the road by 1.15 and start off with a heavy but fortunately not a l ong-lived traffic jam:  we couldn't recall planning this.   Gordon hands us wicked Gypsy Cream biscuits to get the Gypsies in the the jam in the right frame of mind.

How strange to see people through the window, people in a cold country, usually in coats, in winter in scarves etc - but today in the blazing sun - in beach clothes!  We put on FM Classic loudly FM 13h50. The fields are more gold in the sun!.
We've heard of St Abb's Head - today we see why people say:  we went to St Abb's Head.  A cute harbour, people sitting outside of the National Trust parking place - that charges £2 parking!  Maybe that money goes towards maintaining an exquisite cliff walk among ripe corn onto cliffs, watching the huge gull chicks practise their flying between high cliffs.  The black birds - which we should identify soon - plunging from a low rock into the water and afterwards sunning themselves.

Such high cliffs and no fencing off - parents shouting at kids to stay away.  But it does give that natural feel.  And yes, care is needed as there are numerous off the beaten path (National Trust maintained) right to the very edge of the cliff which is overhung by long grass:  not the best to judge where the actual edge is.

The sky is blue!!!   The corn is yellow!!.  The highlight here is Gordon and my phonecall from where we could see each other:  well all I could see was a dinky toy-sized white Hammy at the edge of the harbour and Gordon could see me through the binoculars and when I waved my hat - he said:  you are waving your arms.

Yes we were wearing hats:  At the Coldingham Priory we had no doubts that we should wear our hats.

The summer seeds of the Thistle sparkle in the sun - the Scots blue bell is finding shelter in the long grass.

Eyemouth harbour was fantastic - authentic, quietly busy.  REAL fishermen - today only in the rubber overalls, no T-shirt underneath, working quickly.  A 6-person rowing boat - lovely rythm of the long oars.  Old rusted boats, harbour hotels - are there guests.  This is not show-off this is all in real time, but also warped time.  How old is this harbour?  Hahahaha we drive right around the harbour, we drive on its walls - we have something to eat here - just parked right there with the 2 swan parents and their 7 cygnets snoozing on the dry part of the wide jetty..

Then to the beach - gold-pink sand, write everyone's name in the sane and take photos, a small group of learner snorklers. It's difficult for Gordon to walk down the steep hill to the beach, but he does so and we find a place in the sand - because the grass was quite prickly.  So nice to take walking boots off and walk in the small waves.  Mustn't get sand in our bed!

Our first sleep is where?  Ha I've already forgotten!  It was  next to a noisy road but it didn't matter.  We still feel disorganised.  Main goal for now is to go to bed clean, no sand, fresh.  How comfortable and soon we are fast asleep.  Hot - but really nice that we can just open the Hammy door and the cool air floods in - WITHOUT midges!

Just us and the cornfield and the Deadly Nightshade!

Wednesday 23 July 2014

We are slightly worried that the farmer may want to harvest his ripe corn and we are blocking up the gate, so we left space for him and of course he could ask us to move - but no such thing materialised. Strange to wash and put moisturiser on right next to towering nightshade lit up by the morning light.  It's overcast but no rain, more a case of mistiness.  Oh the golden corn looks absolutely beautiful in this light!
To think the pharisees kicked up such a racket because 12 men picked barley, rubbed it between their fingers and ate it on a Sunday. We eat fruit and swish out our wiped-clean dishes.  Wonderful to have the kettle this time!

In the woods.
Tuna, mayo, olives and we are off to see our first Abbey at Kelso - nice intro. Then to Dryburgh - we take our time here:  read the boards, read Psalm 14 in the shade of the Abbey.  What was the monk's prescribed reading?  Psalm 14 tells us what a fool is:  1) aggressive ungodliness 2) not only outwardly but the fool is also the person who thinks in his heart there is no God.  Actually he says this in his heart.  His creed is "there is no God" and that drives his life:  God doesn't exist, matter or count.
There are consequences of corruption including in influence and impact.  We test our own hearts and we wonder if what some of these monks said in their hearts while they did their duties and kept the rules.  Luther was not happy.

Also talked about those who prefer believing the world started spontaneously to having a Creator in their lives.
While we were there some were practising their singing.

On with Psalm 14 - God peers down and looks at people and His verdict is nobody seeks, desires, longs for and knows and enjoys God.  There's no hunger and craving for God.  Verse 3 - not even one.
What a morose assessment - it's God's assessment can we judge it?  Paul picks up the crisis  in Romans 3:9-20.
Every man is under the power of sin.  This verdict is everyone's biography - even among the professing people of God.

Later we would read more about Ephesians illustrating this truth and once we are home again we would be astonished again.....that this verdict is in Isaiah 53 and that our iniquities were laid on the spotless innocent Lamb of God who fully pleased God and who is in perfect fellowship with His Father!   Ephesians 2 also went on from the crisis to the "and so WERE some of you"  Did the Abbotts and monks get the gospel?

How lovely to sit in the shadow of the Dryburgh Abbey on this very very hot day, to appreciate the slightest breeze, to see the gnats flying like maniacs in the sunlight and to face up to what we were and what we are now!  And to be warned not to think we are exceptions.

From here on to the Wallace Monument and with a sweet French couple we cannot believe how HUGE it is!!
We eat flavoured Cous-cous and for a second time in a row - tuna.  We are at the Scots outlook and can see far from here.  Make food slowly and eat it on one of the benches - hot - no shade here.  We have biscuits for dessert.  The trees start to throw shadows on the green and gold fields.

Back to Psalm 14, read the paper and Gordon sees hunting birds in the distance.  Ephesians 2:1-3  Dead in sins and trespasses - corpses - agreeing with the verdict in Psalm 14.  Walking in lockstep under the authority of the ruler of the air - living in the lusts and desires of our old nature, our God-rejecting nature:  governed by Satan and sin and damned.  Ephesians 3b - we were by nature children of wrath.
Verse 6 - but God - rich in mercy - verse 5 made us alive together with Christ!  1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Ephesians 2;3,12 - don't forget where we came from. Psalm 14:4-7.

Jets flying overhead at Kelso and Scots Outlook.

Suddenly the sound of the Piper up and behind us far from houses or village or town.  No touristy touch:  there is an undertaker with a box, a grieving widow, and a man supporting her. A bottle of whiskey and red roses.  To the piper's haunting sound they come through the gate, and down the steep path to a spot in the rough shrub with the far far views which Scott loved.  We with another couple and a small family were the onlookers - with great respect.  The box was opened and the ashes scattered with three or big throws in the bright sunlight.   We are forced to think of mortality and exalt in God who has overcome death and even though we die, we will live.
Then...to our great surprise the whiskey bottle is opened - 2 or so streams of whiskey over the spot the ashes were scattered and then the undertaker puts the bottle to his mouth and drinks, then the widow's turn and then the turn of the man (the son?) supporting the widow.  Just a time of contemplation and with the bottle in hand and the widow helped up the steep uneven path and the piper playing again (beautifully) the small party return.  We sit on our 3 benches quietly and trying to show the respect we feel.  Back at the car the small party faces the piper who is still playing and then it is all over.

This has been our worst night ever to find a place to park.  There is virtually no off-road car-sized spots.  Eventually and quite late we find a spot with a fairly busy road between us and the entrance drive to a Church of Scotland, just before a small village.  Again a busy road but again we go to sleep very well.  At least tonight we only have to do our washing and Listerene and crawl in  - food done at the Scotts outlook.  We sleep very well and feel refreshed the next morning.

Thursday 24 July 2014

We find moving things around from where they were when we slept to the back so we can drive off, something we can do quite quickly.  So quite soon we were on the road - often laced with deadly nightshade.

Our first stop in Howick - pronounced Hoik!  We hope to surprise some of our Scottish friends with our new-found knowledge!  It's a BIG town - the biggest in the Borders.  At Morrisons at the just-cleaned rest-rooms we brush our teeth, get batteries for the one dead torch and replenish on food.
As we haven't had breakfast yet and as we haven't got a fridge and as it is a very very hot day....we just HAVE to eat our stick-ice-cream straight away and what a good combination with popcorn. I love packing the foodstuffs (like red chillies, cous-cous, tinned mackerel, apricots, meringue nests, strawberries and yogurts straight into our two food boxes.   So we can see what is where at a glance.

On the road again: gold cornfields, the odd viaduct and quite a few quaint stone bridges - tree tunnels and open country side.  Mmmmm in places tame in comparison to the Highlands.  Sooooo nice to have the kettle for coffee and cous-cous  and cuppa soup.

First to the Hermitage - South. There is not a shady spot to spot - but this was only a good thing, because we were in a way forced to cross the bridge with the beautifully sounding stream and walk up to the ticket office - what a blessing the Scottish Heritage Cards are!!   The lady informs us we have about 30 minutes there then the castle door will be closed.  Mmmmm this was a bit of a shady thing (the only shade we found!) because a little later there were a few more tourists and the opening times were moved on another hour.  But we were walking around with this medley of fish in a rucksack and the heat forced us to move on.

Actually Hermitage Castle was impressive inside and we had enough time to walk in all the spaces and admire the high high walls and the colourful stones and the masonry and to learn a very little about all the wars in this border area.

Despite the river, virtually no shade - I think we eventually stopped somewhere and thoroughly enjoyed the healthy fish meal.  We discovered again that there are very few stopping places in this area - mainly passing places which is a definitely no-no to stop.  We HAVE to do something about the lovely fish medley, ready to eat, we got at Morrisons in Hoik.
Onto Jedburgh!

Jedburgh - what a jewel.  On approach already it sits there in all its glory and with the sun out in full force - every bit of yellow in the stone is lifted out.  Oh it is hot!

We hydrate and hydrate and walk in and out stunning Jedburgh Abbey ruins - what a delight!  We spend a long time here:  not hungry, not thirsty and the right time.

Back at the car - we walked down to the river -where children are playing in the water - and sat down in the SHADE next to bunches and bunches of Campions,  There we took our time filling our meringue nests with yogurt and strawberries - enjoying the river and shade and reading Psalm 14: a question that searches us and a description that searches us.

Back at the car and in the far corner of the massive parking area we find shade under a tree and start the big plan:  Is it worthwhile to sleep over another night only to see Melrose after we have seen 3 abbeys and a castle?  Is it worthwhile meandering over to the West Coast? If we could take the car over to Arran - yes.  But at £90?  Nope.  Are we ready to car-camp another night - yes more than one night.  How far are we from Edinburgh? 32 miles!!!!!  We can easily - God-willing - be home by 8 pm.  Let's go home!

Unpacking:  left our bed as is in the Hammy and a few other things which will not be a security problem. It's is quite a bit of PT to carry things up - well if we knew we would be home tonight we wouldn't have stocked up on food in Hoik!  But there you are.

We thank the Lord for this short break:  the sea, the corn, the abbeys, the castles and being able to open the Hammy door at night and let the cool night air flow in - the reminder of death, the sound of the piper and the small river and the frantic gull and the harbour.  For togetherness, shade, fun food, hot weather, Psalm 14 and touches of history.  For music and the ipod, the camera and the binoculars and for safety and a memory from which to learn and to enjoy.

Our second Trip in Hammy - planning slightly different this time.

Instead of heading North of Edinburgh, we are hoping to start off South-East.  These places are not too far from us but we haven't even explored that area.
So today, a good chunk of time has been given to reading Lonely Planet's suggestions, marking the map and the plotting a very rough route.
We've got the privilege of having Historic Scotland membership cards, and it's very satisfying to see a good number of really good properties.  In the past we may have driven past these but never had the time to stop and explore.

To tell the truth, we are hoping to have as much reading of 1 Kings and Keller's book on suffering as possible.  Talking about these things and if we remember, as we should, praying them and seeing how we can build our lives on these truths and be shaped by them - these are great joys to us.  How wonderful that we feel the same.

A few days of good weather ahead.  The Isle of Arran looks interesting!  Glasgow should be looing differently with the Common Wealth Games having its Opening Ceremony on Wednesday.

We are still reliving our Highland Fling and first road trip car-camping around the Isle of Skye and North West and the very Northen parts of mainland Scotland.  But we are pausing the memories and the sharing of them for this new time away.

This time we are not taking gas cookers or pots, but are both in total agreement that we can get good and healthy food in the supermarkets.  Last time our little car-kettle that was probably on its last legs just gave up the ghost.  Despite trying at every camp shop we had to wait till we got back to Edinburgh before we replaced it.  So we should be better armed to make our own coffee and mabe couse-couse or the like as a base for other food - let's see.

Gordon had another plank sawed for our luggage above our feet so that should be an improvement and we also thought a double bed duvet instead of a king sized duvet would be a less cumbersome fit.
I think this time I'm also taking a pair of shoes to wear at times of non-walking.  What else?  Oh yes, far less travel and reading books.  As for our rubbish bag, I'm still trying to think of making it stand in something more solid and out of the way.  We found that the space behind our heads when we were in bed weren't really used.  But we have to think what would fit in there.  Oh yes we also thought that we would have a small bag to hang on our washing line for car-keys and glasses and pens.  This time I have an extra big memory card for photos, so hopefully that will relieve the stress of downloading.


It's all just as exciting - all over again.  This time we haven't got 17 days in hand and we are less apprehensive.
We've also been really very busy with different things, under some pressure but hopefully what should be done before taking to the road has been finalised.  A few phone calls tomorrow, Gordon's routing blood test for his heart, packing the Hammy and hopefully we can be on the road by about 2 pm - let's see!

DAY ONE - Edinburgh to Loch Duich

THURSDAY 5TH JUNE 2014

We gave a lot of thought what to take and how to pack and were just hoping it would work as we have never done anything like this before.

This kind of travel is filled with adventure and the unknown - so how appropriate, at the start of our journey in front of our flat. to commit ourselves to the keeping of our God.  He will keep us from stumbling (Jude), He saved our souls and we know that we can entrust ourselves to His love and care in our travelling.

So off we pull from Ferry Gait Drive via Perth, on the A9, we turn West on the A86 and travel alongside Loch Laggan to Spean Bridge.  Turned in at Fort William - looking for a big midge net but  no such magic exists.  The salesman compared a midge net with a mosquito net and concluded the midges will get through.  So we will have to make do with our head-nets. Back to Spean Bridge and turned North on the A82 past Loch Lochie and turned West at Invergarry onto the A87.

Gordon and I walk together along the river Shiel after crossing the old pedestrianstone bridge.  When Gordon goes back to Hammy, I hobble over pebbles, find the biggest to sit down on and take boots and socks off.  How refreshing the River Shiel is to feet!  No towel - but lots of pebbles dry enough to absorb the cold water and rough enough to use as a skin smoother. Cool, bracing and clear-running river.  The Dippers are right there and so is the big fat black slug.  This does NOT remind us of South Africa but does remind us of the first time we saw these in the Lake District.

The wild Rhodendendrums - and Lupins always catch the eye.  Where is Scotland's big melancholy soul?  Maybe it is still too picturesque?  But already we've had signs of peat and sights of horizontal drizzling - safely inside Hammy listening to "There she was just a walking down the street singing dodidi - etc.!

At Clune we washed our faces in nice clean bathrooms.  Clean bathrooms along the way always turned out to be a real treat and so much quicker to get ourselves ready for bed and other necessities.

At the River Shiel we have our first picnic: the low rocks were beautifully placed and spaced and just the right height for us to perch on and on which to pack out our picnic.  Our chicken which we stir-fried at home, boiled eggs and tomato and cucumber - eating like Lairds!   And Flask Coffee.  This was the last time we would have our own coffee on the road as our ancient travel kettle packed up and no matter at how many shops we asked along the way for the next 16 days - there would not be one to be found!  We try out the Dunelm pop-out silicon plates and wipe them with serviettes afterwards before rinsing them out properly either later or from water in a bottle.

We stayed on the A87 until we turned off West at the Shiel Bridge onto the steep and zig-zagging unknown minor road for our first sleep over just above Ratagan - a sight-seeing high look-out with some picnic tables.

This was our first try at creating our sleeping space.  We put the 2 picnic blankets on the front seats - the food plastic boxes on the passenger seat and 2 small plastic boxes with our toiletries on the floor of the driver's seat.  Gordon packed our clothing rucksacks on the back shelf we created with 2 planks under the Hammy luggage cover.  We left space for our boots (in plastic packets) and our jackets.  The rest of the things we packed on the back shelf above our feet to block the back windows.  And the rest of our belongings in the front for the same reason. So when we changed into our pjamas and were ready for sleep the whole area behind the front seats was free and actually quite spacious and definitely comfy.

War Memorial 50 miles from Skye. We had lunch here.

I so loved being with Gordon!

Rhodendendrums and Tree Tunnels

 National Emblem

Double Delight

The last of the Gorse

Our first Sleep Over - can't believe the view over Loch Duich!

Chased by the Midges we found ourselves a Eilean Donan in our pjama's

This is what Hammy looks like on the inside

 We are here all by ourselves 4.30 in the morning - of course no other tourists around

Iconic

After we tidied up Hammy and changed into our day clothes - 

we crossed the bridge into Skye for what turned out to be

5 wonderful days!