Doors - first published 2010 - Open and Shut

When One Door Closes Another One Opens  

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When one door closes another one opens is a popular saying in England. And, some time ago, I heard a true story from Hungary. It was all about Jenö and Marika. Jenö was a very good carpenter and Marika his wife was a brilliant cook.

But, both Jenö and Marika had one thing in common. Doors. And, this is Jenö's and Marika's story.

Once upon a time, Jenö's and Marika's house used to be a very nice little house. It had a back door, a front door, a garden in the front and a garden at the back. All very normal and all very pretty. Then, this nice little house became something unusual.

It became a confusion of doors. A house with many ways in and many ways out.

The first new front door was not long in coming. Jenö and Marika put it in the side of the house – which then became the new front of the house - because it was nearer to where they parked their car. Quite sensible when you think about it. So, now Jenö and Marika had one back of their house, and old front of their house, a new front of their house and one side instead of two! And the dog, which used to be tied up at the back of the house, was then, without being moved, tied up at the front!

Meanwhile, Jenö's business became very successful and Jenö and Marika, because of deliveries of timber, were having to park their car at the last remaining side of the house which didn't have a door. And, this was not very convenient. And so, so as to make life easier still, a new front door was built into this side of the house which was until then neither the front nor the back, but, after the new door had arrived, this side of the house then became another front of the house. Now, three fronts and one back. But, that wasn't all!

In order to make life more comfortable, Jenö and Marika then put a door in the first floor – directly above the original front door - which - by then - had become the latest back door - so, in the mornings, when everyone was rushing to get ready, they didn't have so far to go to get to the kitchen and were able to save one or two seconds by using the new flight of steps which took them down the outside of the house to where the new back door had appeared. That, of course, worked perfectly well provided the back door wasn't looked, which it usually was, so nobody used it!

But, the biggest challenge of all was the bell! Jenö, being creative, had connected all of the doors to the very same bell, so, that when people came calling, Marika had no idea at all as to where her guests actually were, so, she had to run around from one door to the next until she finally found them. And, because people were, on the whole, generally impatient, they started going around and ringing on all of the other doors, too, and, so the confusion continued. When one door closes another one opens, or, at Jenö's and Marika's, there's always a new door to open and shut!  

Short Essay - Heart Caring Words

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Some Heart Caring Thoughts - by Nigel A JAMES

There are very many people who travel through life without a care in the world. Every thing's fine. So, how does this work?

Firstly, these people have no problems at all. They have none because they don't look at problems as problems! Situations is all that they have. And, situations require action, attention, or nothing. If action is needed - it is taken; and, likewise, if nothing is needed, the whatever it is, is left to cool off and disappear on its own. People with problems always exaggerate. Many so-called problems have no importance at all.

Secondly, people without problems have no principals either. They have rules. Principles are nothing other than excuses – usually weak - to hide behind when trying to avoid things that are not very nice. Bernard Shaw, the great Irish writer, said that only people with no arguments had principles! He was right.

Thirdly, and most importantly, people who never have problems know how to talk to and listen to others. There is no situation that doesn't involve other people. Mostly, a simple expression of understanding is all that's required.

So, what can be done, and what can be learned from those who always come up with smiles on their faces? What sort of people are they?

In the main, they are people who very much like themselves. They are happy with that what they do. They're content.

So, the answer is happiness. Be fun and be happy. This is the meaning of life! If you don't like you're job – get a new one. If you're arrogant – change. We only live once. And, so does everyone else. Bad vibes are contagious. They are always upsetting and can also make people ill.

And, this, too, is important. Happy people are not only not often ill, they live much longer as well! Happiness is a very good thing! So, what can be done for those who are permanently miserable?

Leave them alone. To ignore them is clearly the right thing to do. Avoidance! And, if this doesn't work, then invite them out to go dancing. They will have a wonderful time. And, they, too, will be happy like you.

There are very many people who travel through life without a care in the world. Every thing's fine. So, how does this work? And, what sort of person are you?

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Flight to Destination Unknown - Captains Otto Herald and Manfred Pollack

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Flight to Destination Unknown - Captains Otto Herald and Manfred Pollak

Otto Herald, a young pilot with Austrian Airlines, was looking forward to Christmas. And, Captain Manfred Pollak also needed a few days off from the routine of flying. They'd had a busy year. And, with snow on the ground, there was a wonderful feeling in town. Vienna was happy and in a good Christmas mood.

But, then, Vienna was thrown into a nightmare. Things had dramatically changed. It was the 22^nd of December, 1975. And, because of this nightmare, Otto Herald and Captain Manfred Pollak were preparing for take-off. Their flight was unscheduled with no return leg and going to destination unknown.

And, then the passengers boarded. A small group of terrorists and their hostages. And, the terrorist leading the terror was Carlos. The most notorious, most feared, most dangerous, and most wanted man in the world. And, the hostages were the oil ministers of OPEC. And, among them, the most powerful of all, Sheikh Yamane of Saudi Arabia.

And, it was just after lunch on the previous day when the story began.

The annual meeting of OPEC oil ministers was nearing its end. Soon, everyone would be on their way home. There was a very good feeling. The meeting had been a success. And, then, without warning, it happened. The nightmare began. The meeting was stormed by Carlos and his small group of terrorists. The oil ministers were now down on the floor with their hands on their heads. Guns speak a very clear language.

And, then the talking began. And, there was nothing that Austria could do. In those days, there were no special forces, and, with one policeman already dead, the terrorist's demands were agreed to in full. Life was more important than principle. And, the terrorist's demands included a message in French to be read out at 2 hourly intervals on the radio, meals and drinks from the Intercontinental Hotel, and a plane to take them and their hostages out of the country. But, of course, a plane needs a crew.

At Austrian Airlines, the call for volunteers went out. A crew was needed. And, two of the many who volunteered were Otto Herald and Captain Manfred Pollak. And, they were selected. And,it was hard to pretend whilst sitting in the cockpit and waiting. This flight was to be different. There were no guarantees. Otto Herald and Captain Manfred Pollak knew they may never return. Now, they were no longer thinking of Christmas.

And, then they were off. They had been cleared for take off to destination unknown. And, as they took off and climbed into the cold winter sky, the world held its breath!

But, they needn't have worried. Everything went off OK. And, their flight turned into a tour of Middle East capitals with a hostage release at each stop. And, when reaching Algiers, Carlos and his gang simply disappeared into thin air. Otto Herald and Manfred Pollak were alone in their plane. The journey had ended. And, before very long, they were on their way home. Now, destination Vienna and Christmas.

But, there was one small story that Otto Herald never forgot.

Because there had been no hostesses on board, it was far too dangerous, Otto Herald had volunteered to serve coffee - Coffee was all that they had. And, everyone was happy. That is to say, all except one. One of the hostages, an oil minister, rudely rejected the offer of coffee and demanded a tea! Otto Herald was unable to help. The oil minister then became even angrier. And then, later, when Otto Herald went to clear-up the dirties, one of the terrorists stopped him. The still non too happy and miserable minister was ordered to clear-up instead. There were to be no more passenger complaints for the rest of the flight. And, that was the worst thing that happened on the flight to destination unknown.

And, 6 months later, Captain Manfred Pollak and Otto Herald were decorated for bravery by the President of Austria. And, of course, both carried on flying and Otto Herald was promoted to captain. And, as everyone knows, captains can never stop flying, and after retirement, both captains spent lots of their time flying their fleets of scale model planes.

But, no models, however impressive, can ever replace the Viscounts, DC9s, and Airbuses which the two men once flew. Life, for these men was up in the sky. And, they never forgot their flight to destination unknown.

Two very courages men, Captain Otto Herald and Captain Manfred Pollak. They volunteered for a Christmas time flight with a difference. A flight where the first officer served coffee - and a hostage cleared up the dirties!

Destination unknown. Captain Otto Herald and Captain Manfred Pollak.

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Diarikom 005 - 2021 - 15 Mins. The Art of Good Sermons - Bruce Duncan

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15 Minutes - The Art of Good Sermons

Sermons are simply important for very many people. So, what is a good sermon? What do people want? How can this be answered? Canon Bruce Duncan of Salisbury Cathedral in England has some of the answers.

A good sermon is thoroughly prepared. A quick off-the-cuff 5 minute exchange is no good at all. Sermons are serious things, and hard preparation pays off. But, delivering a sermon isn't only presenting well chosen words; it's how they are spoken that counts. And, in this sense, priests have no help at all. They are on their own in the pulpit. No flip chart, no overhead, no pictures. Nothing at all. That's why well trained voices are essential. Our voices illustrate our words. They are the colour, and the tone, and the depth of our voices. And, just as importantly, one must be heard at the back. Everywhere counts. Our voices must not only carry, but, be understood, too.

Church congregations are made up of different levels of thinking and understanding. Sermons must be in-depth simplicity. But,simplicity is a very high art. Being simple requires very much thought, and, of course, the ability of hearing oneself as others hear us. And, this is good so. That's why preperation and practice are very important. And, not even the cleverest of listeners will ever have problems with words that are simple. We all passed through simple on our ways to where we are now. Sermons are powerful messages for all to take home.

And, sermons are messages that are totally unique. Each priest enjoys the freedom of writing whatever they want in their sermons. The better the sermon, the stronger the message, and, the stronger the message, the higher the lift.

The highs in our lives are the memories we treasure. And, a nice Sunday sermon provides wonderful thoughts for the start of each week. Powerful simplicity. Words that help get us through.

Sermons are important for very many people.

15 Minutes. The Art of Good Sermons.

Click here to listen to interview with Bruce Duncan