where is the love

My eldest turned ten yesterday.

Tonight will be his last party for a few years. He, and a few of his closest friends, will have crazy games in the back yard and toast marshmallows over the fire.

Reading Isaiah 1 & 2 today, i am not surprised at the rebellion of Gods people, despite his great kindness to them. An injured head and a sick heart. The self inflicted wounds of chasing the stuff I want. Like a foolish child, Israel wanders off to do selfish and hurtful things - to their own.

My ten year old will at times prove the same to me. But am I the same? Do i pretend to worship God and make meaningless offerings and forget to care for the oppressed, orphaned, and widows? Jesus said  the world ought to recognise us by our love for one another.  As the B.E.P. rightly ask - "Where is the Love?"

STOP said the sun

The red sun paused in the sky like a red traffic light.

"STOP" it demanded.

The weary traffic motored on beneath, 

Paying no attention.

Emptied of all it's glistening brightness and heat

The sun called out

"STOP, thats enough!"

Your work can wait till tomorrow.

Find your loved ones and tell them you have missed them.

Many seasons have come and gone while you missed my departure,

Your head buried in your work, 

your eyes sunken in your skull, 

The light fading from your youth.

"STOP, Go home" 

It silently signalled.

There is no place hidden from my heat, and yet i depart.

Tomorrow like a champion i will race the sky again.

But you may not.

The strangled light i leave behind, may be the last you see.

As your strangled breath burns through your chest and down your arm

A heat so intense that you breathe your last.

"STOP - before it's too late"

pined the sun as it patiently lingered just a moment longer.

A little reminder

This passing day

From the fading light

the red sun.

Today the sun looked like this on my ride home. Quite spectacular. It got me all mushy & reflective.

3 Wheels Good - 4 Wheels Bad

I would dearly like to get into the game of designing my own motor vehicle.

But there are enough hours in the day only for following Jesus, sleeping, providing for the family at the moment. But here is the - would be - approach.

a) Find a 3D cad package. Free would be best. Cheap ok.

- a  few candidates.

b) Find a front end donor dual wishbone + drive suspension system from a small sports car who has been horribly rear-ended.

c) Find a rear single swingarm and adapter plate to a car wheel. (VFR?)

d) Draw a chassis design to accomodate the chosen suspension system. 

e) Choose a compact engine/gearbox that fits! VW 1600cc or MotoGuzzi v twin engine with a VW gearbox.

f) Accomodate engine mounts for chassis. 

g) Do some FEA analysis. - get some engineering knowhow to see if my chassis is any good.

h) save pennies.. lots of them. 

h) Get welding!

i) Build control arms for steering / drive. 

j) Fibreglass chassis moulding..

Plan B.
A blackjack zero!