h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Right, it's April the First and they are supposed to be coming to install a new window today. They are very grudging with the service. They don't like me at all. Perhaps because I don't worship their angry godlet.

Nasty people. I was friendly to them, when they came; they came scowling and frowning but I smiled at them and they were happier. Perhaps their angry godlet is giving them a hard time. No way is it an Abrahamic faith, no way Jose.

So... another day. Feeling good, feeling groovy, despite my den and its state of undress. Blinds out at the far end. They had better guarantee their work, and it had better not leak.

Sethu is in a very funny mood tonight. I don't know why. She's twitching and staring. Looks like Charles Manson in this mode. Unnerving. I may lock the door tonight...

My conclusion for tonight is that many Christians of the lower persuasions need to chill out about God. We're made in his image and we're found in his Son. He is good, and loving, and kind. Merciful. Gracious. His Spirit is a gentleman. Jesus is gentle. Now you don't want to get on his wrong side, but really, a lot of modern evangelicalism is so intense about God. You can be as intense or not as you want to be, you don't have to be. In fact it's like maturity is growing so that the intensity happens in your heart and you show peace on the outside. Peace is what's needed today, I think. Lots of them seem so freaked out about being Christians, whereas Jesus is Sar Shalom, the Prince of Peace. I think sar there is a loan-word. So you could capture the flavour by translating it Sultan of Peace.

I am happy in Jesus tonight. God is good. Many, it say, are the troubles of the righteous, but God will deliver them from them all. Where is that I wonder, and what is the word for 'troubles' there?

Psalm 34:19. It's ra'ot - literally 'evils' but it means, let me see if I can remember, kind of yeah, just bad stuff happening. Again I find myself wishing I could quote in Hebrew on this site.

The verse before is beautiful: The LORD is close to the broken-hearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Yes he does, I can testify to that. Praise his Name, for he is Love.

Holy is the Lord, and worthy to be praised. From everlasting to everlasting, his love endures forever. Praise, praise the Name of the living God. Oh, he has come to me tonight, and I am stilled like a child at its mother's breast.

So God's people have hassles - that's what it says. The believing life is not all roses and cream. But tonight, it's my turn to enjoy God. And to think, we shall enjoy him forever! That's so cool. We start now, in fits and starts, interruptedly, with troubles. Although I have noticed lately in the window saga that God has kept me in perfect peace throughout. Only was I annoyed earlier at someone's blatant --- well anyway.

Yes, my turn tonight. So often does it happen that I am last, when others enjoy before me, and in front of me, while I am left outside. But tonight, it's my turn, and it's lovely.

If only I could have this in church.

Still, my lot is not to be ungrateful for. No way! The boundaries have fallen for me in pleasant places.

I ought to be discipling Sethu, because she has received of the Spirit, and of the New Birth; but she is reckless and fickle, and prides herself in her indomitability. This is a shame, because I would love to teach someone from the beginning. Humility hey. Still. It took God many difficult years to teach me the beginnings of that, and I still have much to learn.

Well o ye sons of God, bless with me the Name of the Most High, for he is God.

Come let us talk together, and mention him. Let us talk about God together, and enjoy his Presence in our midst. He is so gentle with me tonight. Even Sethu is tip-toeing around and being very quiet; his Presence has come upon my home and truly is this place now Shem Elohim, the Presence of God. Yes I named it well.

Well Shem means "name" but in Old Testament thought, God's "Name" is synonymous with his Presence.

And Hebrew wouldn't have a word for "presence", that would be too abstract. Let's see what the Modern Hebrew is for "presence"...

I see "yeishut" is one of them. Very modern!

Gosh, I have suffered, and maybe I must suffer still. But for now, I find rest by the pools of God and on the greensward of his holiness.

Thank you Holy Spirit for coming and blessing my home with the Shekinah tonight. It is appreciated.

Many of the modern lot like a lot of noise when God is around, but I like it like this: quiet, still, peaceful. Above all, peaceful. That's what I love. And Jesus as we said, is the Sultan of Peace.

He seems to say, Thank you for noticing that the Hebrew is a loan word and translating it accordingly. My pleasure, Lord.

Loving God. I mean that both as an adjective and as a transitive participle.

Now, what about my music. I'd like to finish the Sonatina but it has to be a good finish. I'm at the Coda. It's only a very slight piece really, but I hope it works. It's got a beautiful opening, sort of a chromatic Englishness about it. Really a slight piece. I may have to look at it again, not sure. The slow movement is the best.

I ought to try to set up a Windows XP virtual machine on this computer so I can have Sibelius with the Ultrabook. I'm sure it's do-able but it would be beyond my ken. The hard drive isn't big enough for dual-booting, although Sib alone doesn't take up that much space. If I were a proper geek I'd do that with this machine, partition the drive and install Windows XP and so on. But I might struggle with the drivers with such a modern box.

This is the waltz that David said there had to be a reason for. Well, only that the Finale is in three time.

I could quote the Waltz in the Finale? Even now, as part of the fortissimo Coda? even Presto fortissime?

Oh this slow movement is lovely, even though I say it myself.

I'm glad it's the centrepiece of the music.

Yes, well, it's OK. I'm quite pleased with it. It should go down well at the concert. Just have to finish it now! the Coda. I might well quote the waltz of the second movement.

I ought to get on with the Sonatina while the window people flummox themselves.

I've finished the Sonatina.

Will put it up here when I've uploaded it.

Here it is:

http://rjhillier.net/compositions/sonatina.mp3

The metadata doesn't show up on Facebook for some reason.

But it is by an "Unknown Artist"...

Enjoy.

It's raining and because the Den is empty of stuff, I can see exactly where the rain gets in.

Polish girls are SO pretty.