While we travel I still make time to pray and read the Bible. This is what I spent time on this morning.
Here is a question from the Jews who thought what Jesus was saying was marvellous. This is the conversation as I understand it.
Jews: ‘ How does this man understand God’s writings as He hasn’t studied with us?’
Jesus: ‘ My doctrine is not my own, but the One who sent me, God. If anyone wants to do His will, he will know of the doctrine, whether it is of God or whether I speak of myself, Jesus. Those who speak of themselves seek their own glory but the person, Me, Jesus who seeks the glory of God, the One who sent Him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness in Him. Didn’t Moses give you the law? Why are you planning to kill me?’
John 7: 15 – 19
And here is a comment from E.G White who lived in the 1800s.
‘The question of these people was answered by Jesus with something necessary for salvation. The appreciation of truth, depends less on the mind than on the heart. Truth claims the homage of the will. If truth could be submitted to reason alone, pride would not be a hindrance in the way of its reception. Truth is received through the work of grace in the heart; and truth’s welcome/reception depends on the rejection/renunciation of every sin God reveals...honesty in wanting to know and do God’s will leads to truth being revealed and an ability to distinguish between who speaks for God and those who speak from themselves.” The quote not shortened and partially in my words is found in chapter 50, page 455 of the book Desire of Ages. Another of the books my Dad sold so many of long ago when I was a child.
Now for the roads we are travelling: from Cadiz we travelled 35,2km/ 30 miles to Jerez.
This post is going to first look at the gardens of Alcazar de Jerez and secondly a walk in the Jerez Thursday market.
Both I found fascinating and appreciated their richness of simplicity. Before entering the castle/mosque and garden area there are vans indicating that they are filming. I speak to one of the crew. They aren’t making a film but an advertisement. A wonderful location. I then have two ladies my age insist on taking my photograph. Why? Because I offered to take theirs. Here I am the person who writes these posts.
Sandy standing tall at nearly 70 years old but let us go into these gardens with real history!
The 11th century probably saw the first small fortress of the small kingdom of the Taifa of Arcos de la Frontera on this site. The 12th century a residence and fortress all new for Almohad Caliphate. Then after the Reconquista it was the seat of the first Christian Mayors. We will go through the archway.
An ancient olive tree dropping fat olives in a bed of red rose shrubs is a special detail that sets a tone for this Moorish style garden with geometric flowerbeds, water features such as fountains and ditches, and vegetation like palms and olive trees.
There is repetition and rhythm from bricks and stone to water, patterens simple and complex. Let us look at this in this garden.
Arches one inside the other, repetition…
Windows and climbing plants in shaped, blue urns repeated along a salmon wall. Pebbles placed in patterns of size shape and positioning. So much to draw the eye towards and away from where you are. ‘ A come and see and now please go on’ that is how it feels but in a calm tranquil way with the sound of splashing water.
The mosque area. Number one in this map.
What more could give you a taste for this place? Palm trees.
Outside the complex as tall as the wall. Then inside surrounded by yellow ground.
Here that one is closer up.
A palm in the centre foreground looking down from a tower. A garden with trees ancient ruins and a palace. So much to admire and appreciate.
Then outside the trees in an avenue, jacarandas, the sort that grew outside and along the road of my childhood home. Orange trees planted in a pattern to appreciate. Here they are:
Jacaranda trees my capture is only of one side.
Orange trees. Some trees carry bright orange fruit others green with tinges of orange. The sunlight and their position seems to determine this.
Now for the market. It is only open in the morning we need to hurry. What are some of the people chopping and working on?
If you didn’t keep snails as pets pressing on this picture and seeing what is in the green tray won’t bother you.
But my question was: ‘ What are they working on?’
Answer: Tagarninas/ Spanish oyster thistle / Common golden thistle in English. They are a wild edible plant particularly popular in Southern Spanish cuisine. It is used in stews, with scrambled eggs and tapas.
These are most often foraged rather than commercially grown and is a traditional winter and spring vegetable. I chewed some raw and it was milder than celery but its texture seemed similar.
The freely picked Tagarninas a weed or herb in season I enjoyed learning about.
Cadiz fish market was enormous inside, with meat particularly pork nearby and all in the centre, with vegetables and fruit on the outside of this center of coolness. This market was the same but not quite so large.
People need to have free choice but I feel sad for the animals. Here are two pictures that bother me. Art sometimes unsettles,too. Would I paint these? No, probably because it would be …
Do I sometimes eat fish with scales? Yes. Do I sometimes eat meat. Yes, but not pork and animals with cloven hoofs. I once ate Irish stew and was teased for eating Bambi but it was really well made. That said we really need to care for our animals more.
Let us end with something from the garden a this way and that way picture. They are quite different, aren’t they? Like thinking.
Take care and have a good weekend.
Sandy 🙂
Ps
Here is a quote I have used before C.S. Lewis:
” If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will neither get comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end despair.”
And here is one I think differently from by Marcus Aurelius:
” Very little is needed to make a happy life. I agree. It is all within yourself. I disagree as it is in the choices you make. Yes, you do it with your mind and as a Christian the help of the Holy Spirit or Satanic powers both outside of ourselves. It is in your way of thinking. Yes!
Sandy this was a difficult quote for you to unpick. Did you?
Here is an easy one or is it? It depends upon what you are thinking.
” If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking. ”
George S. Patton