Skip to main content

Record Breakers...

Yesterday the 2012 edition of that perennial favourite the Guinness Book of Records was published, with a huge amount of coverage in the “and finally” section of many news reports… including the news of St. Annes Primary School, Dunmurry and their Bobble Hat record here on Good Morning Ulster. I heard and read about all sorts of strange achievements like Clare Pearce from Peterborough and her 47 inch long cucumber… Chanel Tapper, from California, with the world's longest tongue at 3.8 inches from tip to top lip… and Christine Walton, from Las Vegas, with her 19ft 9 inch fingernails.
Then there is Dr Who fan Rob Hull and his collection of 571 Daleks… I actually think my son Ciaran could give him a run for his money on that one… Or Wei Shengchu who set the record for the most needles on his face with a horrendous 2009. Given I feel weak at the threat of one injection I’m not going to go for that record any time soon. Nor will I challenge for the record of Reverend Darrell Best, who owns, drives and presides over the fastest wedding chapel in the world; a converted fire truck which allows couples to tie the knot whilst careering along the road at 62mph.
Shakespeare tells us that some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them… You could also substitute the word weird for great… But if truth be told the vast majority of people will never be record breakers… No matter how much "dedication" we put into our chosen endeavour, as Roy Castle used to encourage us, we may never make it into the hallowed pages of this book, or indeed "be the best", or "beat the rest" in anything… Most people will not get As, A stars and firsts in exams, nor will most people achieve that most treasured attribute of celebrity…
But such things are not the measure of a person… Even record breakers and celebrities are more than that for which they are famous. Indeed like icebergs, most of who we are is hidden from public view. God alone knows all there is to know about us… He’s counted each hair on our heads… So he’s the only one who knows who is a record breaker on that front. And only he knows all that we are capable of.
Perhaps that is one reason why the preacher Robert Murray McCheyne once said "A man is what he is on his knees before God, and nothing more."

My "Thought for the Day" for Radio Ulster this Morning.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

LentArt: Washing the Disciples' Feet

Today's #LentArt post is "The washing of the disciples' feet" by Ghislaine Howard, another piece from the wonderful Methodist Modern Art Collection. It has clearly struck a chord with a number of people, and I am delighted that tonight's guest blog is by my friend and fellow 4 Corners Director, Father Martin Magill, who, he will be embarrassed to have me say, is for me the epitome of a servant leader. Indeed it was interesting to have a friend and artist respond to my earlier post saying that this time last year she remembers having her feet washed by Martin... How much has changed in a year: This painting (completed in 2004) was inspired by these words from the gospel of John in today's lectionary:  Jesus knew that the Father had delivered all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was returning to God. So He got up from the supper, laid aside His outer garments, and wrapped a towel around His waist. After that, He poured water ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Living under the Empire... (2) Where is Babylon?

We were driving back from school last week, talking about books that we had been reading and my younger son, Ciaran, asked me "Where is Babylon?" I have to confess that my history is better than my geography, and I said that it no longer exists as an inhabited city, but its ruins were to the north west of the current capital of Iraq, Baghdad. When I checked however, I discovered that it is actually about 50 miles south of Baghdad and the modern town is the administrative centre of the province of Babil... But just as the modern city is but a shadow of the historic capital of 2 ancient empires, first under Hammurabi in the 18th century BCE and then the "Neo-Babylonian" empire (under Nebuchadnezzar etc) in the 6th century BCE, so the earthly Babylonian empire/s was/were fleeting in comparison to the enduring metaphorical idea of Babylon. The original Empire under Hammurabi was probably the ultimate origin of some of the early Biblical stories, including the ...
2 comments
Read more

A Woman of no Distinction

Don't often post other people's stuff here... But I found this so powerful that I thought I should. It's a performance poem based on John 4: 4-30, and I have attached the original YouTube video below. A word for women, and men, everywhere... "to be known is to be loved, and to be loved is to be known." I am a woman of no distinction of little importance. I am a women of no reputation save that which is bad. You whisper as I pass by and cast judgmental glances, Though you don’t really take the time to look at me, Or even get to know me. For to be known is to be loved, And to be loved is to be known. Otherwise what’s the point in doing either one of them in the first place? I WANT TO BE KNOWN. I want someone to look at my face And not just see two eyes, a nose, a mouth and two ears; But to see all that I am, and could be all my hopes, loves and fears. But that’s too much to hope for, to wish for, or pray for So I don’t, not anymore. Now I keep to myself And by that ...
3 comments
Read more