Eternal Refuge

All my life I had heard of the city of Ephasus as a part of the New Testament story (in the Bible)

It is a stunning city, with some beautiful work being discovered, and saved ... as you can see













Mosaic footpath



Standing in front of The Library of Celcius















Latrines





Well worth a visit

A bit of a later start again today, although not as late as yesterday - but still nice not to have to set the alarm clock!

So washing was done, and on the line, and then I wrote a couple of letters and some Easter cards.  Really glad I was able to collect some in the garden centre yesterday.  I also bought a couple of shrubs, so when I came home I tidied up the tubs (4) in the front garden, weeded around the edge of the drive, but luckily not much was needed, and swept down.  One of the shrubs was for the lower section of my back garden so I also sorted out that area and moved a couple of tubs around, so am pleased with my positive start.

After lunch I met a friend from work (another Christine) for  a walk .... and even managed a couple of photos for you all to see.











And, as ever I want to keep up to date -


18. What did you love to do as a teen?
Same as now - reading, jigsaws, sightseeing, and spending time with Mum & Dad



On an extra note on my Bible Reading this morning I read about Deborah ... the lesser known character of the 2 Deborah's in the Bible (and yes, where I got my name).  This Deborah was a nurse ... must mean I am now doing the correct job!!

I was keeping up pretty well ... and then ... OOOOOPPPs

I supose part of the problem is in making sure I can keep doing the 2 hours a day at work. However on a couple of days (including Saturday, at home) I did more ... and regretted it. However I did 2.5 hours this morning, and other than doing a load of shopping I am not going to do anything else other than type this up, and catch up with the meme.

Tomorrow I shall be doing another 2 hours as I have a dental appt as well (which is a 25 min drive away), so need to be a good girl. The advantage of my zero-hours contract is that I arrive when I can, and leave when I need to. So it's been a good stepping stone. However next week I need to start setting the alarm earlier to get into work at the proper time.

Jiffy's ears & skin is much better (thanks to those who asked), but it is hard to watch him really slowing up. I know he will be 14 in May, but still hard to see the reality of this.

Well, I had better catch up ....


8 It’s International Women’s Day. Who is a woman you greatly admire and why do you admire her?
Mum!
Someone who left school at almost 15, yet never stopped learning. If you want to read the eulogy I wrote for her when she died it is here

9 What’s your favorite movie quote?
I don't tink I have one ... although the Gone with the Wind one of "Tomorrow is another day" is pretty good

10 What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of fear?
Loosing family and friends ... especially if someone is hurt near me, and I can't help them

11 What’s your first and middle name(s), if you’re comfortable saying? Do you think the meanings of your names matches who you are?
Deborah Jacqueline
We did the bit about meaning, didn't we? However Deborah is a Bible name (Mum & Dad wanted us all to have names from the Bible, which we do). Deborah was first mentioned in Genesis as a nurse, which is what I am now! And secondly as the only female Judge in the book of the same name. I am not a femenist, and her other description was that she sang a song on the victory of the army (I can't sing!!). Jacqueline is actually the feminine of James, my Dad's middle name.
I almost had Victoria, as well. And in fact that would have been good as it's the middle name of both my grandmothers, and I was the only girl in the family.

12 What’s your birth order in your family? Do you think it affected who you are as an adult?
I am the oldest, then Nick, then Tim
I was often blamed for chaos ... but maybe it was my fault some times!!

While I was in London I went to a couple of "B" locations.

The first is The Banquetting House, which was built in the eartly years of King Charles I reign, and the ceilings are all by Rubens in honour of King James I ... and the sovereign rule of kings.  It became, sadly, more famous later in King Charles reign as the place where a scaffold was built, and he was beheaded there.

Amazingly some years later most of London was destroyed by fire in 1666, but King Charles II managed to save the building by blowing up buildings around it ... and then during the Blitz of WWII it survived ....
( An amazing survivor )

The other B, is The British Library ... you can register and request to see any books of the millions they have stored in the vaults.  However, there are some books, and documents that are on display ... including one of the copies of the 1215 Magna Carta, as well as the Papal Bull annulling it!
( Much prettier than a Kindle )

I know, I have been MIA (again), for those who read this and not just look at the icons! I have been working some extra shifts, which is good for the bank balance, but not great for my CFS. However I must be positive and say that 6 years ago I could hardly walk across a room without wobbling, so the fact that I have just worked 4 - 5 days a week for the last 3 weeks, is great ... However it means that I tend to just slob around, and not even turn on the pc in an evening. And even my weekends have ended up busy ... but one day (soon, I hope) I will post a proper update (on LJ), and will try and finish the Snowflake Challenge that I still have a couple of days to do.

Anyway, until then, at least I have icons to share. I started off making them from the last episode of BtVS, but then ended up doing 3 different ones, as I read the challenge ... anyway, I hope that you enjoy them. They are made for Round 7 of icons10in20

Negative Space	Yellow	No Eyes	Red Carpet	Text Only
Half Face	Wings	Animated	Provided Texture	Soft Colouring

As ever, all are snaggable, and the credits can be found on my icon journal - over on LiveJournald4s_icons


And I even have a spare text one -

Well the year, so far, is going well!!

Had a very late night as a lot of locals had a lot of fireworks which really upset Jiffy ... so it was late before we settled.  I have tried twice to take him for a walk, but he is reluctant, so am not pushing him.

I have started my Chronological Bible for this year ... so it's goog to see where some of the books fit in with each other.  Although as it is day 1, I was reading Genesis 1 - 3 ... so no "muddle" yet.

Went to the gym this morning for a 45 minute class, and then swam 10 lengths ... does that mean I don't have to go back for the rest of January??!!  I usually also use the jacuzzi, but it was being cleaned, so a good reason for being out of use.

So to lunch, and now catching up with LJ, as I promised myself.  I have made some scones for tea while I was cooking dinner ... so been busy.

I just hope I manage to keep up with life more this year, and not get knocked out by the bugs ... watch this space.

Anyway, here is a picture that Claire took when they came for lunch last Friday .... Happy New Year from us both!

Back 18 months ago I started posting a verse that had lept out at me while I was reading the Bible in the morning.  As I said then, no insults meant, just for my own personal focus and reminder.  Over the last months life has been weird, and LJ got missed more than read, so although I read the Bible, I didn't post much.

However a couple of verses I read this morning I loved.  I read from The Message in a morning, which is a paraphrased Bible written in modern English.

One of the readings i had today was Psalm 36, and here is one of the sections -

v 5-6

So many people say that they can't believe the Bible as it was written so long ago.  However this morning as I was reading in the book of Acts, from a modern version, I read the following verse -

"On the day set for the meeting, Herod, robed in pomposity, took his place on the throne and regaled them with a lot of hot air."
From Acts 12 (The Message)

So even though this was written about a political leader in 40AD, it seems to fit many of todays political leaders, whether here in England, or around the world.

Hoping that you will all stop for a moment and remember the real meaning of Good Friday.

John 19: 16 - 19 (NIV)
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. 19 Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews.

This is a version of a hymn that we all know, many sang it at Sunday School .... There is a Green Hill, but it is sung to the tune of House of the Rising Sun

I have been a bit out of sequence recently as the exhaustion has hit, but am back on track again today.

So, I return to Genesis, and Jacob marrying the love of his life and her sister.  The sister Leah has children, and a couple of the meanings jumped out at me in the first 4 children.  Not just were they named to help Leah at the time, but their names continued to mean something when these babies grew up and became heads of their tribes.

LEVI -  His name means attachment, connection.  Leah felt thet Jacob would feel connected to her again at this time.  Levi became the head of the priests ... they are the ones who helped the Jews connect, stay attached to God.

JUDAH - His name means praise.  She praised God that she had children from her marriage.  The tribe of judah is also the tribe that Jesus was born into ... the true reason to praise God.