PJBelfast

My Slimming World community says "that it doesn't matter so much about what you do between Christmas and New Year's but it does matter what you eat between New Year and Christmas!" This space between Christmas and New Year is a great time to binge on Christmas goodies. It's also a great time to take stock, think about the possibility of holidays and also generally tidy up all those wee loose-ends before getting back to the daily grind. My friend DC is championing the discipline of weight-loss, having lost well over 5 stones in a four month period. I started at the end of September and feel so much better with just one stone off. It works! Maybe this new year will be your time to achieve some new goal. Weither you choose 'food optimising' used by Slimming World ...or some other tried and tested regime.. may your new year be prosperous and light. Or in the words of Captain Spock may you "live long and prosper"!

Thanks to live streaming, during 2018 I was able to watch the funeral tributes that celebrated the lives of three of ' God's Generals'.  Before you think this is morbid read on. Each one of these lives had a profound impact and influence on my life for good. They also made a difference for time and eternity on all those received their message and ministry. There was the renowned American evangelist and pastor to presidents, Rev. Billy Graham aged 99 (1918-2018). He was probably the most famous General of the Christian faith in our times, preaching God's unconditional love and saving grace to millions. There are two others, a little less well known to the masses, but those who nevertheless had a major impact and influence upon my life and many of those who knew them.  One was Rev. Dick Iverson the former pastor of Bible Temple, now City Bible Church, Portland, Oregon, USA. 'Brother Dick' as he was affectionately called, was a pastor of pastors, leading a n...

Thanks to live streaming, during 2018 I was able to watch the funeral tributes that celebrated the lives of three of ' God's Generals'. Before you think this is morbid read on. Each one of these lives had a profound impact and influence on my life for good. They also made a difference for time and eternity on all those received their message and ministry. There was the renowned American evangelist and pastor to presidents, Rev. Billy Graham aged 99 (1918-2018). He was probably the most famous General of the Christian faith in our times, preaching God's unconditional love and saving grace to millions. There are two others, a little less well known to the masses, but those who nevertheless had a major impact and influence upon my life and many of those who knew them.  One was Rev. Dick Iverson the former pastor of Bible Temple, now City Bible Church, Portland, Oregon, USA. 'Brother Dick' as he was affectionately called, was a pastor of pastors...

Q. Why is Tuesday night movie night? A. It's because it is only £4 for admission. Yes it's cheap Tuesday at Dundonald Omniplex. I just love a good movie. In fact I'm writing this blog as I watch the trailers for Bohemian Rhapsody. My wife just loves smuggling in sweets to avoid the premium pricing found at the cinema. Most movies tell a story really well.  I was at a documentary movie last night called ' Guardians of the flame' which celebrates the very best of what makes Northern Ireland great. My friend Beryl Quigley is one of those featured. To say she shares an ultimate act of forgiveness is an understatement. Check out the trailer below and then search out a show. https://vimeo.com/267884097 Now back to tonight's movie.

Slimming World has been my weigh-in station since September 2018. This community group has helped me loose weight while enjoying great craic with various people with a similar aspiration. Tomorrow is our festive bash, with everyone dressing up and bringing  along a slimming world recipe for us to all to sample. I'm making Christingles. I think the last time I made them I was in school! O how the years are flying by. I bet you wanna make some. In true Blue Peter tradition here's what you need. Several mandarins, red ribbon, birthday candles, whole cloves, cocktail sticks and goodies - sweets and sour - to put on the cocktail sticks.This includes cheese, grapes, cherries, marshmallows, soft centred sweets & a variety of pickles. There is amazing symbolism in all the elements that go to make up the Christingles. I could tell you them but you'll learn more if you do a Google search under the word Christingle. In the proverbial words of an old sage: ...

A friend of mine, who likes to remain anonymous, has supported a load of charitable projects, but particularly loves it when he can fund-match. What he is looking for is when someone else is first prepared to put "skin in the game" - that is, committing some of their own hard earned cash. This is what we call "putting our money where our mouth is." To understand this phrase "skin in the game" it has the thought of someone else first incurring risk, to helping in achieving a mutual goal. "Skin" here, is a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa. For the person involved the "game" is the metaphor used for the field of play or goal under discussion. When someone demonstrates that they have "skin in the game" my friend happily matches the donation to double the amount! This year my wife and I went on a one day silent retreat to contemplate "Advent." From the scriptur...

The local chicken factory was reputed to have supplied the leanest and plumpest of chicken breasts in Northern Ireland. So, having heard this, my wife sent me on an errand to buy, not just one but two boxes of those plumper than other chicken breasts – one for the work colleague and one for our family freezer. It was a rare hot summers day, when I arrived at the chicken factory, to collect the said luscious chicken breasts. I paid my £100 at the factory office and hurriedly carried the two boxes to the boot of my car, to get them out of the sun. And then it happened – in my haste I had set my car keys beside the chicken boxes and promptly closed the boot lid, inadvertently locking the keys inside. What a fool I felt I felt when I realised my faux-paux. As ‘ingenuity is the mother of invention’, I thought, if I phoned a local locksmith that he’d maybe gain access to the boot before the factory closing time. Unfortunately, the locksmith and I were to discover that this car b...