I'd be amazed if anyone reads this post, I'm sure the title is off-putting. I realise my blog is getting a bit boring without more pictures, need to get out with the camera more.
Today I have been looking at political drivers behind health policy. It is quite interesting to note that health ministers on average have a term of 2.5 years. Each minister or party is trying to show they have achieved something so policy setting tends to be quite short-sighted looking for quick results. Osteopathy takes a more long-term view of maintaining health and has a strong emphasis on preventative medicine, this does not tend to be the case for the NHS. For example we do not have a policy of screening all post-menopausal women for osteoporosis as is the case in some Scandanavian countries. This would be a means of preventing fractures and reducing the number of hip replacements needed - but this would be a long-term cost benefit. With regard to heart problems there is now a more preventative schedule in identifying high cholesterol and high blood pressure but the sceptic in me asks whether this is driven by the pharmaceutical companies who are selling the statins and anti-hypertensives.
It is interesting to think about these things and realise that there are many hidden factors driving the way things are done. This is the same in many areas of life - business, medicine, financial institutions etc. etc.
Saturday 28 February 2009
Thursday 26 February 2009
Lovely sky and another week
The sky was beautiful at sunset tonight. Shame I didn't have a camera, some lovely purples and oranges silhouetting the clouds.
The week has flown by and I haven't got around to posting. Somehow reading other blogs is more interesting! Last weekend I had a coffee morning for Caring for Life - a charity in Leeds which looks after vulnerable adults through projects based around the farm and other outreach. I had never done something like this before and was pleased that quite a few folks from church came and we raised a good sum.
At the moment I am reading Holiness by J.C. Ryle. It is an excellent book and in a strange way very contemporary. Particular challenges that arise from the book are the need for us each to have increased faith, we so often like to keep our own crutches of support without trusting completely in the Lord and leaving all to Him. Another problem he highlights as a failing of the church is a lack of strong conviction about what we believe and why. Many were indifferent about various doctrines and therefore not standing distinct from the world and able to give an answer to faith questions. He particularly emphasises this with reference to the battle against Rome. A lack of strong conviction is a problem that is still present today although we do not just battle against Rome.
The week has flown by and I haven't got around to posting. Somehow reading other blogs is more interesting! Last weekend I had a coffee morning for Caring for Life - a charity in Leeds which looks after vulnerable adults through projects based around the farm and other outreach. I had never done something like this before and was pleased that quite a few folks from church came and we raised a good sum.
At the moment I am reading Holiness by J.C. Ryle. It is an excellent book and in a strange way very contemporary. Particular challenges that arise from the book are the need for us each to have increased faith, we so often like to keep our own crutches of support without trusting completely in the Lord and leaving all to Him. Another problem he highlights as a failing of the church is a lack of strong conviction about what we believe and why. Many were indifferent about various doctrines and therefore not standing distinct from the world and able to give an answer to faith questions. He particularly emphasises this with reference to the battle against Rome. A lack of strong conviction is a problem that is still present today although we do not just battle against Rome.
Thursday 19 February 2009
Spring
It is lovely to see signs of spring. For me the first sign that spring is on its way is the sight of the willow trees changing colour, they are the first trees to come into leaf. Now the snow has cleared the daffodils are really growing and will come on alot with this milder patch. It is lovely to observe the changing of the seasons.
That's the last bus now, who knows how long it will be until the next one.....
That's the last bus now, who knows how long it will be until the next one.....
Married to Christ
I was thinking about preaching the gospel in churches and came up with this analogy, not sure whether everyone would agree with it, feel free to comment.
When a person becomes a Christian it is like an arranged marriage, they become married to Christ but it is vastly different from earthly marriage. A big similarity is that there is love at the centre - Christ loves the sinner and gives His life for them and the sinner loves the Saviour. Whilst it is important we know that we are sinners and we are lost without salvation surely it is important that as well as emphasising our sinful state the preacher needs to point us to Christ. We need to see who He is, what He has done and therefore why we should love Him and trust Him for salvation. If someone was arranging a marriage for me I would not want them to spend ages telling me about the benefits of marriage and why I need to be married, I would want them to tell me about the person whom I was to marry and why I would want to marry them - the emphasis is quite different.
When a person becomes a Christian it is like an arranged marriage, they become married to Christ but it is vastly different from earthly marriage. A big similarity is that there is love at the centre - Christ loves the sinner and gives His life for them and the sinner loves the Saviour. Whilst it is important we know that we are sinners and we are lost without salvation surely it is important that as well as emphasising our sinful state the preacher needs to point us to Christ. We need to see who He is, what He has done and therefore why we should love Him and trust Him for salvation. If someone was arranging a marriage for me I would not want them to spend ages telling me about the benefits of marriage and why I need to be married, I would want them to tell me about the person whom I was to marry and why I would want to marry them - the emphasis is quite different.
Here come the buses.....
No posts for ages and now I have several things to post about. There never seems to be the time to sit down and write on this.
Did anyone hear the news reports last week about Neandertal man? It seems they have some more research which suggests that he may have been able to talk! They even had a recording of what it would have sounded like - no idea how they know what it would have sounded like? To me it sounded like someone talking without moving their tongue! Next thing they will be saying Neandertal man was a human very much like us!
Last Friday there was a fantastic article in the Daily Mail by the Archbishop of York - very direct and to the point about the bias against Christians in the country and also how those who call themselves Christians - 72% in the last census (from memory) - need to stand up and be counted. A summary is given here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1144203/Archbishop-York-John-Sentamu-tells-Christians-wake-defend-beliefs.html
Did anyone hear the news reports last week about Neandertal man? It seems they have some more research which suggests that he may have been able to talk! They even had a recording of what it would have sounded like - no idea how they know what it would have sounded like? To me it sounded like someone talking without moving their tongue! Next thing they will be saying Neandertal man was a human very much like us!
Last Friday there was a fantastic article in the Daily Mail by the Archbishop of York - very direct and to the point about the bias against Christians in the country and also how those who call themselves Christians - 72% in the last census (from memory) - need to stand up and be counted. A summary is given here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1144203/Archbishop-York-John-Sentamu-tells-Christians-wake-defend-beliefs.html
Friday 13 February 2009
Valentines Day
Only time for a short post, but thought it was interesting to look at the Christian perspective on Valentines day and the background to it. Below are two views on it (the second one is an interesting biblical perspective - not sure about it though). I like the idea of making the day about the best love - the love of Jesus.
http://www.geocities.com/alexstevenson.geo/valentine/
http://home.sprynet.com/~pabco/stvalen.htm
http://www.geocities.com/alexstevenson.geo/valentine/
http://home.sprynet.com/~pabco/stvalen.htm
Tuesday 10 February 2009
Woops
Woops, hope this blog is not going to turn out like my old diaries - regular entries for the first few weeks and then a gradual dwindling to nothing!
The Bank of England lowered the interest rates again last week which is all well and good but I can't help thinking a hole is being dug. All those pensioners who have saved up and were using their interest as a source of income will now be having to spend their capital. As pensioners they will not have any means of regaining that capital so it is a steady wearing away of their resources. It seems very unfair. One source said that pensioners would have lost 80% of their income if they were relying on savings. In the long-run they are likely to have to rely more heavily on the state which will possibly be a greater cost to the state than maintaining a higher interest rate - even just for pensioners! I don't know enough to make suggestions for solutions but I do feel that the politicians are often so coccooned in their world that they seem very out of touch with what is happening on the streets and long-term consequences.
The Bank of England lowered the interest rates again last week which is all well and good but I can't help thinking a hole is being dug. All those pensioners who have saved up and were using their interest as a source of income will now be having to spend their capital. As pensioners they will not have any means of regaining that capital so it is a steady wearing away of their resources. It seems very unfair. One source said that pensioners would have lost 80% of their income if they were relying on savings. In the long-run they are likely to have to rely more heavily on the state which will possibly be a greater cost to the state than maintaining a higher interest rate - even just for pensioners! I don't know enough to make suggestions for solutions but I do feel that the politicians are often so coccooned in their world that they seem very out of touch with what is happening on the streets and long-term consequences.
Thursday 5 February 2009
Low Back Pain
I did some research a little while ago looking at what factors can be identified in children that could predict that they would suffer with chronic low back pain as adults. Of all the things you might immediately think of - height, weight, carrying a heavy school bag, sports participation, sedentary lifestyle - none of these things can be validated in the research. The only factors for which there is strong evidence in many papers for predicting chronic low back pain as adults is experiencing psychosocial distress as children and smoking. Smoking is generally tied up with psychosocial status anyway. Interesting isn't it!
Wednesday 4 February 2009
Riches
I was thinking about the verses below:
And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
Perhaps this is where God's blessing will be in the 'credit crunch', and people who have their riches removed will turn to Christ. It would be wonderful to see a revival in our day and generation.
Although the divide between the rich and poor in this country is ever-widening we are all rich compared to those in so many other countries. It is so easy to begin to rely on our possessions and trust in our wealth but at the end of time these will all come to nothing. The one thing that is certain is that at the end of our time we will leave this world naked, just as we came into it. All our riches will be as nothing unless we have eternal riches in heaven.
I was listening to something on the radio this evening where a man was complaining about how chastity education was taught in schools and creation instead of evolution in America. How nice it would be if that complaint could be made in the UK.
Monday 2 February 2009
SNOW!!
I really love snow and really enjoyed spending some time playing in the snow this afternoon - shame I had to miss work, many patient's cancelled and the weather was too bad to travel. It was lovely to see so many children and families outside having fun.
I thought it would be interesting to see how many times snow is mentioned in the Bible:
It is mentioned three times relating to leprosy on Moses (Exodus 4:6) and Miriam (Numbers 12:10) and Gehazi (2 Kings 5:27). There is an interesting verse which is almost exactly the same in 2 Samuel 23:20 and 1 Chronicles 11:22:
'And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two heroes of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen.'
Job uses the word snow 5 times.
Other 'snow' verses:
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7
When the Almighty scatters kings there, let snow fall on Zalmon. Psalm 68:14
He gives snow like wool; he scatters hoarfrost like ashes. Psalm 147:16
Praise the Lord from the earth,you great sea creatures and all deeps,8 fire and hail, snow and mist,stormy wind fulfilling his word! Psalm 148:7,8
Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters. Proverbs 25:13
Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool. Proverbs 26:1
She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. Proverbs 31:21
"Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. Isaiah 1:8
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heavenand do not return there but water the earth,making it bring forth and sprout,giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;it shall not return to me empty,but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10,11
Does the snow of Lebanon leave the crags of Sirion? Do the mountain waters run dry, the cold flowing streams? Jeremiah 18:14
Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, the beauty of their form was like sapphire. Lamentations 4:7
The Ancient of Days Reigns“As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. Daniel 7:9
In the New Testament there are only two mentions of snow:
The angel of the Lord who came and rolled away the stone from the tomb has snow coloured clothing: "His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. " Matthew 28:3
John describes the hair of the voice that was speaking to him as "The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow" Revelation 1:14
It is surprising how many verses there are.
I thought it would be interesting to see how many times snow is mentioned in the Bible:
It is mentioned three times relating to leprosy on Moses (Exodus 4:6) and Miriam (Numbers 12:10) and Gehazi (2 Kings 5:27). There is an interesting verse which is almost exactly the same in 2 Samuel 23:20 and 1 Chronicles 11:22:
'And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two heroes of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen.'
Job uses the word snow 5 times.
Other 'snow' verses:
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7
When the Almighty scatters kings there, let snow fall on Zalmon. Psalm 68:14
He gives snow like wool; he scatters hoarfrost like ashes. Psalm 147:16
Praise the Lord from the earth,you great sea creatures and all deeps,8 fire and hail, snow and mist,stormy wind fulfilling his word! Psalm 148:7,8
Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters. Proverbs 25:13
Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool. Proverbs 26:1
She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. Proverbs 31:21
"Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. Isaiah 1:8
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heavenand do not return there but water the earth,making it bring forth and sprout,giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;it shall not return to me empty,but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10,11
Does the snow of Lebanon leave the crags of Sirion? Do the mountain waters run dry, the cold flowing streams? Jeremiah 18:14
Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, the beauty of their form was like sapphire. Lamentations 4:7
The Ancient of Days Reigns“As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. Daniel 7:9
In the New Testament there are only two mentions of snow:
The angel of the Lord who came and rolled away the stone from the tomb has snow coloured clothing: "His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. " Matthew 28:3
John describes the hair of the voice that was speaking to him as "The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow" Revelation 1:14
It is surprising how many verses there are.
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