The Shard's Laser show

Wimbledon 2012

Be Grateful

I will praise the name of God with song, And shall magnify Him with thanksgiving.  Psalm 69:30

Thanksgiving is possible only for those who take time to remember; no one can give thanks who has a short memory

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, and confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow."
- Melodie Beattie

Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.

We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if  it  is good, because it is good, if bad, because it works in us patience, humility and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country

The U.K. Celebrates : Final Countdown to the Queen's Diamond Jubilee - 2012

Events to mark the Diamond Jubilee of the Queen's Coronation  started months ago.

 Now as the Jubilee weekend draws near , preparations are at fever pitch  to make the event a memorable one. After months of hard work by all sections of the nation , the results are visible as cities nationwide are wearing  festive looks  for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee 2012.

The Queen, Elizabeth 11, is the only monarch other than Queen Victoria to serve 60 years on the British throne. Londoners and visitors will celebrate this remarkable achievement during a four-day national holiday this weekend.

Congratulations to Her Majesty , the Queen and to the entire Royal Family.
God save the Queen and long may she reign !

Celebrations this weekend.
The Jubilee celebrations reach a climax over four days from June 2 to June 5 with a 1,000-boat river pageant on the Thames, a concert featuring some of pop's biggest names and the pomp and splendour of a ceremonial parade.
Hundreds of street parties and local celebrations will be taking place throughout the city.
 In addition to major events in central London, which include the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant and Big Jubilee Lunch in Piccadilly Square, on Sunday 3 June; the lighting of the National Beacon and the Diamond Jubilee Concert in the Mall on Monday 4 June, which will be watched by large crowds in the Mall, Hyde Park and St James's Park; and the Ceremonial Procession, which will be watched by millions on television and broadcast on the screens in Hyde Park, St James's Park and Trafalgar Square on Tuesday 5 June.


Following the National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, receptions at City venues and a Livery lunch at Westminster Hall, a carriage procession will convey the Royal party to Buckingham Palace.
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Henry of Wales will all participate in the procession.
The route is expected to be lined with thousands of spectators.
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will be transported in the 1902 State Landau in which the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge rode after their wedding last April.
The Queen's Landau carriages, her exclusive Bentleys and the royal horses being used in the Diamond Jubilee procession are put through their paces ahead of the weekend's celebrations.
The Queen's Carriage

The royal carriages are being polished, giant Union Jack flags hang over the streets of London and the largest image of the royal family ever produced has been erected over the Thames.

  London's South Bank has become a temporary home to the largest image of the royal family ever produced. 
The image, which measures 100m by 70m and weighs in at nearly two tons, was erected onto the Sea Containers building - and will be visible to her Majesty as she passes by during Sunday's boat parade on the Thames.

The chosen picture is one of the most memorable photographs ever taken of the Queen, Prince Philip and their children.
It was snapped by an unknown photographer during the Silver Jubilee in 1977 .

The Royal Procession route and major landmarks in the city of London and all over the UK , have been decked with buntings  for the event.

Buckingham Palace

Windsor Castle

Regents Street , London

 Jubilee   at Heathrow Airport

Covent Garden , London

The Queen's Guards

The Prince of Peace is alive forever!

^1"Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

 ²And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

 ³And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

 ⁴And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

 ⁵And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

 ⁶He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

 ⁷Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

 ⁸And they remembered his words,

 ⁹And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest ". Luke 24: 1-8.

5. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

 ⁶Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

 ⁷But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

 ⁸And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

 ⁹Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

 ¹⁰That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

 ¹¹And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phillipians 2:5-11.

Immeasurable Love .

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends ".
  John 15: 13.

Sport Relief 2012

Last weekend March 23rd  - 25th was yet another  opportunity  to  raise funds for the annual  Sport Relief. Among the  numerous  events lined up  was the Sport Relief Extravangaza  Night  in London , on Saturday night; which featured numerous celebrities doing their stuff to entertain the audicience and to raise  money.

One of the highlights of the night was the  performance of the  All-Stars Rugby Team dishing out a  piece with the JLS Band . 

Before the night' s events ended , over £50 million pounds was raised for this year 's Sport Relief  as aid  to various charity projects in the UK and abroad.

Of course, Sports Relief would be incomplete without the famous Sport Relief Mile Race .

On Sunday , March 25th, 2012 , runners had a choice to take part  in slots of 1, 3 or  6 miles races , at various venues all over  London  and in  many  other cities all over the UK. 

For thousands of  runners all over the country , it was time , once again to lace up our running shoes for the annual Sport Relief  fund-raising Run . 

One of this year's routes was in Central  London ; starting  from the Horse Guard Parade ground , near Whitehall down the Mall and past Buckingham Place  and Hyde Park and ending at  the starting point.

The Prime Minister David Cameron  and his wife , Samantha , and a good number of  celebrities took part in the Race.

Star Comedian  David Williams

 Kimberley Walsh of Girls Aloud Band and  her co -cast of  SHREK  musical

 JLS Band , music stars who performed on the night , turned up  to run at the race.

John Bishop , music star , raised over £4.4 million.

 Mel C and others

 Ann Widdecombe , Member of Parliament

Runners on the Mall

At Buckingham Palace