This morning I read the story of Ishbi Benob…
The story of David and Goliath is well-known… David, the teenage shepherd, defeats and kills the Philistine giant Goliath.
David goes on to be a successful soldier and king. His personal and family life is often a mess, but as a soldier and general his record and reputation is exemplary…
Now David’s an old man, fighting against the Philistines – again. He faces a giant – again. This one’s called Ishbi-Benob. This time the giant’s about to kill David; he has to be rescued by his friend Abishai!
Sometimes I feel like David. I’m old… not as strong as I used to be… I can’t win battles that used to be easy…
I turn on the radio. I’m reminded that Tony Blackburn has recently celebrated his 80th birthday…
I grew up with Tony Blackburn in the 1960s… one of the first ‘disc jockeys’… on Radio Caroline, Radio London, launching BBC Radio 1, hosting Top of the Pops…
Some DJs from Tony’s generation have died, some have been disgraced. Tony keeps going – still DJ-ing… hosting ‘Sounds of the 60s’. He looks older but he remains cheerful, active and positive…
Daniel Jillings was in the Lowestoft Journal again yesterday:
The tireless campaigning of Daniel Jillings, 17, from Lowestoft has seen the UK Government begin work on developing a BSL GCSE.
Having been born profoundly deaf without a cochlea, Daniel cannot use hearing aids or cochlear implants. As he does not use speech, BSL is his first language.
On Tuesday February 28, the teenager was invited by the National Deaf Children’s Society to speak at a parliamentary reception. He addressed more than 20 MPs through a BSL translator…
Musing… David – I can’t do what I used to do… Tony – My age is no excuse… Daniel – My dis-abilities are no excuse…
…David concludes his ‘adventure’ with a song that he wrote about his God: ‘The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer…’
I shall too.
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