2010:365:98 Making Choices....

Sometimes it is hard to choose.

For the 365Project theme you want the picture to be a little bit obscure so that the viewer won't know straight away what is the subject.

I tried various locations for this stack of eight objects - eight to meet today's number challenge.

The only trouble being that I ended up with these four shots and found it hard to choose between them.  The first one was put on the 365Project page because of the way that the light caught the top ring.

But now the question is - what are the eight rings?

Some will have guessed already - and some will guess as soon as I tell you that the white dimpled surface is kitchen roll.  That gives you scale.  It will, of course, be slightly easier if you live in the United Kingdom (and that's another clue).

It was just a stack of eight pennies.  That wouldn't get you far these days.  It wouldn't buy much in any shop - not even a sweet shop!  You need one hundred and thirty of them for a bus ride into the centre of Belfast....

If you ever needed to measure sixteen centimetres then they'd be useful...but otherwise, as the smallest coin that we have, they're pretty useless.  When goods are priced at something pounds and 99p then you receive one as your change.... But as a coin it is almost without value.

Some years ago when teaching I ran a charity competition between different classes that were in my room for Religious Education (RE).  The young folk brought in 1p or 2p coins and we stuck them (with blu-tack) to the walls - each class in its own area.  It was quite staggering how the value mounted up.  1p on its own isn't a lot of use - but a hundred of them make £1!  Carrying the bag of coins to the bank afterwards was also quite staggering - literally!

So maybe 1p coins are of more value than we give them credit for.  Put them together and you can do amazing things with them.  Never underestimate the value of the "little things".
And what was the solution to the photograph?  Eight Pence sitting on a broken slate with a hedge behind.

In peace and unity

may your people offer the unfailing sacrifices of praise,

and make your glory known;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

Book of Common Prayer

Thursday Prayers.