Mental Health Improved During The Blitz:

Mental Health Improved During The London Blitz

When the Apostle James wrote to Christians in the early church, he said they should “consider it pure joy whenever you face trials” (James 1:2). These words were about Christian living, but they also reflect human nature. People can actually do well, and even improve during challenging times.

During the Second World War, when London was being bombed nightly, author Sebastian Junger writes, “Psychiatrists watched in puzzlement as long-standing patients saw their symptoms subside during the period of intense air raids.”

This also occurred after the September 11 terror attack in New York. There were several positive signs including that the “suicide rate dropped by around 20 percent in six months following the attacks.”

In tough times, you may feel the pressure and challenge, but the Apostle James may be right; consider it a joy, because it may be growing your character.

Share this daily- reading.

My happy thanks to Karl Faase.

(From Digital Anvil )

The Blitz term refers to the nightly bombing of London and England during WW2. A time of hammering destruction upon the people of Britian.

Keep Turning Up!

Keep Turning Up!

Over the years I have met or watched at a distance many gifted and talented individuals. Some go on to achieve remarkable prominence and influence in life, while others fade and some fail.

We tend to assume that it is natural gifts and exceptional talent that create success. God gifts some people more than others, and they go on to make the greatest impact. But it’s not that simple.

It’s helpful to remember that those who have sustained influence do so through consistency and persistence. It’s not that talent is irrelevant, but consistency and persistence are key.

Whatever level of gifts and talent you feel you possess, be consistent in your character and persistent in your calling and who knows what God will do?

Keep turning up!

Share this daily- reading.

My gratitude to Karl Faase.

( from Digital Anvil )

Need vs Want ?

Like the Rolling Stones song goes...

" You can't always get what you want but if you try sometime you get what you need."

This lyric  fragment was the earliest " philosophical" statement that became a part of my eclectic personal philosophy.through life. This " saying " predates my eventual climb to Christianity.

What is yours ? 

(Leave in the comments below.)

By Digital Anvil.

The Most Troublesome Problem:

Man has always been his own most vexing problem.

-Reinhold Niebuhr.

The Nature and Destiny of Man.

Pascal:- Inability to Sit Alone:

Pascal – Inability To Sit Alone

The renowned 17th century mathematician and thinker Blaise Pascal wrote, “All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”

It is absolutely remarkable that Pascal wrote this almost 400 years ago. This is before television, before social media, before the world wide web, and before mobile phones. Yet at this time Pascal understood that constant busyness and a mind filled with social interaction robs us all of the opportunity to sit, think and contemplate the deeper issues of life.

If you are like me, sitting alone doing nothing seems like a sentence, not an opportunity. Yet our personal lives and spiritual depth depend on this quiet, undisturbed opportunity to reflect.

Given that Pascal was one of history's great minds with deep personal faith, he may be worth listening to.

Share this daily- reading

Thank you,Karl Faase.

( from Digital Anvil )

Celebrating Masculinity:

 

 

 

Aaron Clarey’s A World Without Men 

 

 is one of the more unusual and provocative books written about contemporary gender relations. Part social commentary, part economic analysis, and part thought experiment, Clarey asks a simple but confronting question: what would happen if men largely withdrew from their traditional roles as workers, providers, builders, protectors, and husbands?

What makes this book from November 2023 so distinctive is its focus on the often-unseen infrastructure of society. 

Clarey argues that many of the comforts, technologies, services, and institutions that modern people take for granted are overwhelmingly created and maintained by men... 

Rather than concentrating on individual grievances, he examines the broader economic and social consequences of declining male participation and motivation. In doing so, he contributed an influential early voice to discussions about male disengagement, falling workforce participation, delayed family formation, and the changing relationship between the sexes.

The book’s strengths lie in its originality, accessibility, and willingness to challenge assumptions. Clarey writes with humour, energy, and a clear economic lens, making complex social trends understandable to a general audience. Readers interested in men’s issues, labour markets, or demographic change will find plenty of thought-provoking observations in here...

However, the book also has weaknesses. Clarey’s style can be deliberately provocative, occasionally sacrificing nuance for rhetorical impact. Some arguments are overstated, and critics may feel that he relies too heavily on generalisations about men and women. Readers looking for a balanced academic treatment will almost certainly find the tone to be polemical, rather than scholarly.

Despite these limitations, A World Without Men remains an important and influential contribution to the conversations about masculinity and social change. Whether you agree with every one of Clarey’s conclusions or not, he raises questions that are difficult to ignore... The book succeeds in highlighting the often-overlooked value of men’s contributions to society and encourages readers to think more carefully about what's lost when boys and men disengage.

It's a provocative, imperfect, but memorable work that continues to spark debate.

Unknown Contributor.

( from Digital Anvil )

The War on Young Men: (the Speech )

 Dear Readers/Visitors:

 

I --with a sigh of relief and of celebration-continue the ( masculine and feminine) tradition of asserting the Good with the Great.

what do i mean?

Because of my past lives (experiences and events and persons ) i am thrilled to present on my blog the link to the entire speech of Gerard Holland detailing the War on Young Men."

 

enjoy and thrill>>>

 

link to The War on Young Men 

 

 Tap or click on above link

 

Strengthening Your Marriage:

Strengthening your marriage:

‘Honour one another above yourselves.’ Romans 12:10 NIV

No matter how good your marriage is, you can make it better.

 Author Jon Gordon writes:

‘My wife and I just celebrated our eighteenth wedding anniversary. We’ve learned and grown a lot…and I want to share some of our relationship lessons:

 (1) Choose wisely. One of the most important decisions you’ll ever make is the person you marry. You know you’re with the right person when they give you strength.  Looking back…there’s no way I could have done it without my wife. Her love, support, belief and encouragement gave me strength. She believed in me when no one else did. 

(2) Be willing to improve and grow. Early in our marriage our relationship wasn’t very good. I was young, selfish and quite negative. One day my wife had enough: ‘I love you but I’m not going to spend my life with someone who makes me miserable. You have to change.’ I looked at myself and realised she was right. So I became willing to change and to become a positive influence on my wife, my children and others. 

(3) Communicate. Communicate. Communicate! Most relationships break down because of poor communication. We’ve had disagreements over the years, but we always communicated, and this allowed us to grow stronger together. (4) Admit when you’re wrong. I’ve been wrong many times and admitted it. I’ve also admitted I was wrong even when I thought I wasn’t. I knew my wife was bothered, and it was more important for her to feel loved than for me to feel right. It takes maturity and a willingness to focus on your spouse more than your ego.’

I thank Vision.org.au for this daily- reading.

( from Digital Anvil)

Final Thought:

This man's  values and experiences parallel my own. Such was my personal experience fairly close to the Authors. That is why im happy to include it on my blog.

Pills to Slow Aging:

Pills to Slow Aging

Businesswoman Katia Dowling wants to live a long life. She isn't thinking of merely 80 years, but rather 200 or 300 years. She is pinning her hopes on research in which some of the richest people in the world have invested billions of dollars. The area generating the most excitement involves the Yamanaka factors, developed by Japanese scientist Shinya Yamanaka, whose research has made significant progress in this field.

Imagine taking a pill and reversing your age.

Others follow rigorous and obsessive daily routines of vitamins and exercise in an effort to extend their lives. Those who follow Jesus believe there is the possibility of living forever—it’s just not here, in this broken world and in a decaying body.

Living eternally with Jesus seems like a far better option.

 

Share this daily-reading.

My gratitude to Karl Faase.

( from Digital Anvil)

Gaza, the Occupation:

Before 1967, Egypt occupied Gaza. There were terror attacks toward Israel. 

From 1967 until 2005, Israel controlled the enclave. There were terror attacks against Israelis. 

When it withdrew unilaterally in 2005, there were no Jews left in Gaza. Terrorists still launched attacks.

Palestinian terrorism from Gaza did not begin with Israel’s control, and it did not end with Israel’s withdrawal. Violence has never been a result of occupation; it has always been about ending the only Jewish nation.

Anonymous Contributor.

( from Digital Anvil )

Conviction:

Conviction:

I love a person of conviction. Few rarely stand for a good cause. But God loves a person of mercy.

Will you forgive today ?

By Digital Anvil.

 

Love: (2) 

Logic won't get you to GOD, GOD is beyond logic.

GOD is THEOlogical.

By Digital Anvil.

Final thought:

Replace GOD with the word " Love."

Kingsmen Hair-Knox:

                             

                                         KINGSMEN HAIR--KNOX  ( 2 Locations )

                                                           Kingsmen Hair--Go There:

Whenever !

Whenever You act upon someone in need,You act upon Jesus Himself.

By Digital Anvil

Don’t quit; keep going!

“Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead, I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize.” Philippians 3:13-14 NCV

Someone said: “The secret of success is to be like a duck—smooth and unruffled on top, and paddling furiously underneath.” A well-known nineteenth-century violinist illustrated the truth of this. His most memorable concert was marked by “furious paddling under the surface” rather than easy success. The concert was performed with a full orchestra before a packed house in Italy. Those who heard him play say his technique was incredible and his tone fantastic.

Toward the end of the concert, he was astounding his audience with a very difficult composition, when one string on his violin suddenly snapped and hung limply from his instrument. He frowned only briefly, shook his head, and continued to play, improvising beautifully. Then, to everyone’s surprise, including his, a second string broke. Shortly thereafter, a third string snapped. It seemed like a slapstick comedy routine as he stood before the awed crowd with three strings dangling from his Stradivarius violin. But instead of leaving the stage to repair his instrument, he stood firm. He calmly completed the difficult number on the one remaining string—a performance that won him applause, admiration, and enduring fame. 

 

Here’s another modern saying: “It’s when the going gets tough, that the tough get going!”

 Paul was such a man: “Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead, I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above.”

 All of us who are spiritually mature should think this way too. So don’t quit; keep going!

SoulFood: Eze 22–23 Matt 17:14–27 Ps 132:11–18 Pro 15:5–7

My thanks to  God   and Vision.org.au.

Share this daily- reading.

( from Digital Anvil)

You can pull down that stronghold

“The weapons of our warfare are…mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.” 2 Corinthians 10:4 NKJV

Just as Jericho was a stronghold in Canaan, we have strongholds in our lives. Paul wrote: “The weapons of our warfare are…mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” (vv. 4-5 NKJV). A stronghold is an “argument” or a “high thing” that “exalts itself against the knowledge of God.” It is a conviction, outlook, or belief that attempts to interfere with the truth.

A stronghold is a false premise that denies God’s promise. It “sets itself up against the knowledge of God” (v. 5 NIV). It attempts to magnify the problem and minimise God’s ability to solve it. Does a stronghold have a strong hold on you? Do you speak the language of impossibility? God could never forgive me (the stronghold of guilt). I could never forgive that person (the stronghold of resentment). Bad things always happen to me (the stronghold of self-pity). I have to be in charge (the stronghold of pride). I don’t deserve to be loved (the stronghold of rejection). I’ll never recover (the stronghold of defeat). I must be good, or God will reject me (the stronghold of performance). I’m only as good as I look (the stronghold of appearance). My value equals my possessions (the stronghold of materialism). Many Christians don’t even recognise the strongholds in their lives. But you don’t have to be among them. God has given you the weapons of prayer, Scripture, the Name of Jesus, the blood of Jesus, fellowship, etc. And collectively, they have “divine power to demolish strongholds” (v. 4 NIV).

SoulFood: Eze 24:1–27:24 Matt 18:1–9 Ps 143 Pro 15:8–10

My appreciation to God and Vision.org.au.

From Digital Anvil.

Coffee Buddies:

 I love to watch people interacting in public spaces like cafes, coffee shops and restaurants. While enjoying a solo meal or coffee,  I cannot help but observe others being themselves smiling, laughing and talking.

The greatest moments ( to me ) are when two women laugh and smile and exchange life- stories.

Their faces light up as each relates their lives without ( it seems ) judgement. It is like watching a sacred moment. An unfolding of events that matter to them, to both and the sharing of personal comedy,personal pain and (it seems)  obtaining personal growth thereby.

As though their life - stories given, each precious  to the other acquired,transformed and accepted with love, compassion and acceptable humour.

Perhaps you think that i am over -selling my view of women. I proclaim that I don't.

 

Love of another is the highest and most valuable exchange two can offer.

Where would civilisation be if men didn't fall for a beauteous woman and had that wonderful love reciprocated

The love of another can transfer,transform and confer truth,beauty and wisdom in countless loves and lives.

God's commandment was to Adam and Eve: go forth and multiply.

Find a beautiful girl or women, have a conversation and see if you and she aren't transformed by love unbroken by selfishness,pride and judgementalism.

Go forth and discover...more

Phone Doesn’t Ring

Author Al Stewart in his book The Manual: Getting Masculinity Right, tells the story of his conversation with legendary Rugby league football coach Jack Gibson. Gibson recounted his time as the State Of Origin coach, a role that dominated the press every year in Australia for several months. Gibson said the phone would ring 80 times a day from journalists looking for an interview or quote.

Gibson went on to say that his phone doesn’t ring that often anymore. His advice to Stewart was to get ready for when your phone doesn’t ring.

It’s sage advice from Gibson. Life is more than your work or your contact list. Build relationships, connect with your family, sustain your faith. They will all matter (all the more) when your phone doesn’t ring.

Share this daily-reading.

Thanks to Karl Faase.

( from Digital Anvil )

Quiet Achievers & Big Acts too::

Quiet Achievers and Big Acts too:

it seems that those who are often overlooked are the more important and essential.

In God's economy,quiet achievements count much.

GOD hangs out with the lowly. GOD lives with the humble while dwelling in Highest Heaven.

There are of course many Red sea moments. However God more often chooses quiet anonymity. But in acts,rare and few crossing a in- flood Jordan is spectacular too.

Many, in unhealthy ways, advertise loudly but are far from the Kingdom of God.

Steadily,humbly and quietly achieving is the real way to

Gods Kingdom and in some human ways.

(Discovered by Example)

Thanks to Those who led the Way.

By Digital Anvil.

Love: ( Re -work )

 

Love is the most misunderstood element of life...

Everybody has an opinion but most miss the mark.

Love can be serious, but sometimes  just  a lark

Love is fun, but girls can keep you in the dark. When girls love, some want to become wives, but most just want to have the freedom to hook up for the prime of their - unfortunate - lives.

All know Love when it presents itself, but everybody actively hides their  (fully awake) love for someone else who is especial until they are sure that they won't be inspected then summarily rejected.

But Love isn't obtained that way... Love is risking rejection but placing itself on the table humbly.

Many thanks to everyone who loved and loves me.

By Digital Anvil.

 AI and Iranian Nuclear Deal

 

 

Alright, folks, let’s dive into this juicy tidbit from the Retro Time Tunnel blog. So, it looks like Iran is making headlines with a whopping $25 billion deal. I mean, can you even wrap your head around that number? It’s like they’re playing Monopoly with real money! 

Now, I don’t know about you, but when I hear “billion,” my ears perk up like a dog hearing the treat jar open. This kind of cash could do a lot—think infrastructure, tech advancements, or maybe even a few shiny new toys for the military. But hey, it’s not all about the dollars and cents; it’s about what this means for the region and the world. 

So, what’s the scoop? Well, this deal could shake things up in ways we can’t even imagine. It’s like watching a game of chess where every move could lead to a checkmate or a total disaster.

Final Comment:

I asked an AI for informal brief essay on my political essay of Iran and its $25 billion nuclear deal with Russia. Without really trying it revealed the potential fallout of that deal.

Drop by and leave your comment.

( from Digital Anvil )

Iran & 25 Billion

Iran and $25 Billion:

As unsurprising as a sunrise but deadlier, Iran has done a $ 25 Billion nuclear deal with Russia.

Iran stalls but always plays the long game.

Can we -in our brighter moments- believe ( and trust ) the Iranian regime to do the right thing while it targets the Gulf States with missiles and drones ? Lying to the USA during negotiations. Whatever faction is in power in Iran, can we really expect a considered "good" outcome ? From anyone in power in Iran ?

Whereas the IRGC is dominant,who knows what deal they will lie to us about? So many despise President Trump, but what about a regime that consistently lies, shouldn't we despise liars like them. Where is the stability in that ?

Nuclear war is final. War with "hotheads" is precarious.

What's your verdict ?

By Digital Anvil.

Everything?

Remember Everything has GOD's Fingerprints on it. Everything ?Everything !

By Digital Anvil.

It’s Not Your Fault - Louise Baur

Research tells us that the prevalence of severe obesity among Australian adults has risen over a 15-year period, increasing from 5.8% in 2007−08 to 7.9% in 2022−23. For many, is an interesting statistic, but for others, its personal and it’s their daily struggle. When we think about obesity, it’s usually in the form of personal lifestyle decisions. It’s usually either subtly or directly framed as: it's your fault.

The problem has become that we see obesity very different to how we view diabetes, heart disease or kidney disease. We often see it as a result of poor discipline, rather than a complex health problem related to genetics, access to food, education and modern lifestyles.

 

Prof Louise Baur is a paediatrician, specialising in childhood and adolescent obesity. She says that when she sees patients, one of the things she wants them to understand is this: "It’s not your fault”.

 

Stigma and blame are powerful forces and in this area of medicine, Louise sees the effect of it. She says that as people encounter medical professionals who approach them with kindness and without judgment, it goes a long way in their journey of healing and health.

 

This is why Louise sees her work as her calling. She brings her Christian faith to the hospital by sharing the love of God with every patient, family and colleague.

To hear my conversation with Professor Louise Baur, click here. Or your favourite podcast platform.

You can also watch it on YouTube.

Share this daily- reading.

Many thanks to Karl Faase for this timely and relevant brief essay.

( from Digital Anvil )

The Quality of Darkness:

Did you know that light is difficult to understand? I don't know much about science, but recently I read that for centuries there have been discussions about what makes up light.

Apparently light can be understood as either a stream of particles or as a wave. Ancient Greeks believed light was made of particles because of the way it bounced off shiny surfaces. This changed several hundred years ago when it was discovered that light has the qualities of a wave. The discussion continues and the essence of what constitutes light still fascinates people.

Yet when it comes to darkness there is no argument, darkness is easy to understand. Darkness is simply the absence of light.

There are many parts of our community where darkness prevails. Jesus said that He is the Light that's shines in the darkness. He calls those who seek to follow Him to be light in dark places. To overcome the darkness of this world, we need to be the light of Jesus in every situation (Matthew 5:14).

Share this daily- reading

My thanks to Karl Faase.

( from Digital Anvil )

Abraham Lincoln's 2nd Address:

Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address

On March 4, 1865, Abraham Lincoln gave his second inaugural address. Throughout his prepared speech, he referenced the Bible several times, both the New and Old Testaments. He quoted Genesis 3, Matthew 18 on slavery and Psalm 19 when referencing the American Civil War. This was usual behaviour Lincoln.

Lincoln used the Bible as part of his thinking and belief system. It informed his private life and his public leadership role. For Lincoln, the Bible was not an ancient text for pious people to use in their private lives. It was a living document that informed his behaviour.

This is an attitude we need to rediscover. We may not hear our political leaders quoting it in public addresses, but the Bible can be a key part of our thinking and can inform our actions.

Share this daily- reading.

My thanks for the above to Karl Faase.

( from Digital Anvil )

Classroom Philosophy:

"The philosophy of the classroom in one generation will be the philosophy of the government in the next."

President Abraham Lincoln.

Peter and Paul Spiritual Experiences:

Peter and Paul Conversions:

When you look through the New Testament - it’s interesting that two of the main characters and leaders of the church had very different conversion experiences.

Paul had a dramatic experience of Jesus on the road to Damascus and became a follower of Jesus.

Peter however, had a slower journey. He gradually comes to terms with who Jesus is and what it means to live into that fully.

The same is true today.

Some people can encounter Jesus in spectacular and miraculous ways - instantly feeling a desire to surrender their lives.

For others, it’s a slow burn and a gradual revelation of Jesus as Lord.

Wherever you are today and whatever your experience of coming to Jesus was, know that it’s OK to take time. Jesus invites us into a discipleship process where we:

Encounter the love of God.

Accept his offer to experience life in him.

Surrender all of who we are to him - so our life takes the shape of Christ.

Can I encourage you to stay on the journey and keep exploring faith?

Share this daily - reading

Many thanks to Karl Faase.

(From Digital Anvil )

The Author of Being: What ? Who ?

God is the Author of being. We could not exist apart from a supreme being, because we do not have the power of being in and of ourselves. 

If any atheist would think seriously and logically about the concept of being for five minutes, it would be the end of his atheism. It is an inescapable fact that no one in this world has the power of being within himself, and yet we are here.

 So, somewhere there must be One who does have the power of being within Himself. If there is not such a One, it would be absolutely scientifically impossible for anything to be.

 If there is no supreme being, there could be no being of any kind. 

If there is something, there must be something that has the power of being; otherwise, nothing would be. It’s that simple. 

When the great Apostle Paul spoke to the philosophers at the Areopagus in ancient Athens, he mentioned that he had seen many altars in the city, including one to “the unknown god” (Acts 17)  He then used that as an opening to speak biblical truth to them: “What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it … gives to all mankind life and breath and everything … for ‘In him we live and move and have our being’” (vv. 23b–28a). 

Excerpt from the book:  Does God Control Everything ? By R. C. Sproul.

I recommend obtaining and reading this book. On the internet it is free or near free.

( from Digital Anvil )

Final Thought:

As is common in the 21st Century,most who read the above shall switch off their understanding  and interest at the mention of his name. The term " God" is manisfestly understood to refer to a mythical being,sky -daddy or non - existant something that people believe in who are insane, crazy and poor-minded persons who need help figuring out 'fact from fiction.'

Yet the person who believe those defintions are often the same people who believe that life came from non- living matter. That the whole infinite universe came from nothing existent. That life in the womb is "nothing" just a 'mass of cells,'so can be terminated willy- nilly even though they know that their Mum and Dad actually " created " them. That each parent was necessary for life-- them -- to be born.

They know that instinctively,intellectually and intuitively.

Absolutely without question.

For the person who thinks that way, we call ' modern and sophisticated and enlightened.' A cosmocitizen, a globalist or a- woke person.

Who is who ?

Ancient vs modern. Person vs Lump. Being vs None. Life vs Nothing.