Sunday Reflection

As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. 

Luke 2:19

It's Mothering Sunday here in the UK.  I've had a nice day, cards, gifts and messages from my children, (including this handmade love heart). A quiet day, church in the morning, pottering around in my kitchen and sitting outside in the sunshine. It's almost 35 years since I became a mother for the first time. Four children and three grandchildren later, my heart is full of many treasures. I am so thankful for all my family. We have our moments, like everyone, but I have been very blessed with my clan. I have been pondering many precious memories today.

I've always liked this verse about Mary, pondering all the amazing things that she witnessed. No cameras, facebooking, blogging and suchlike in those days- she stored up these treasures in her heart. She pondered and reflected upon them. When she said yes, to God's messenger, she had no idea where this journey would take her. It was a hard road too - shame, poverty, homelessness, becoming a refugee, exile and all the normal ups and downs of parenting along the way. She endured all this, so that God's great plan of salvation could be fulfilled. It was a road that led her to stand at the foot of that Cross and watch her Son die for our sins. Such unconditional love. God assured her He would be with her all the way, and she believed with all her heart. 

He is with us too - all we need to do is open our hearts to his unconditional love.  His arms are outstretched towards us right now  A good thought to ponder upon xx

Sunday Reflection

But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage. It is I. Don't be afraid"

Matthew 14:27

I've always liked the story of Jesus, walking on the water. As his friends struggled against the waves that suddenly blew up, he comes gliding over to them - the very image is calming. It's one of those passages which has something new for me, every time I read it. 

We've been in some stormy seas recently, as I wrote in my last post, and I have felt myself sinking at times. But then I seem to find the strength I need to get to get to the surface. The Lord puts out his hand and says "it is I - don't be afraid. His hand can come from a friendly word and a hug from a friend, the thoughtfulness of a neighbour, a kind and loving comment left on the blog from someone I've never met. It is in the prayers of the many over the world that I know are praying for us, and I am not afraid. 

Jesus told the disciples to get into the boat and cross to the other side ahead of him. That meant he would meet them there and they would cross safely. But then this unexpected storm blew up and caused them to struggle. They panicked, they doubted, they were scared and probably wondered just what on earth they were doing. Then, just before the dawn - that darkest of hours, He came to them and calmed their fears.

 And so, for me too, it has been those panicky, doubting, how did I get here ,  moments that I have truly felt God's loving presence most. 

Wishing you a blessed week. xx

Sunday Reflection

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”  Luke 22:19

This verse - particularly the last sentence, is so familiar to me. It has been inscribed on the front of every communion table I have ever seen. It serves as a reminder, whether it is a communion service or not, of the sacrifice made by the Lord, so that we may be redeemed. It is, of course, the central verse spoken during the Sacrament of Holy Communion, and the bread is broken before being passed round to the congregation. As I eat the bread, and drink to wine, I feel connected to to every Christian who has ever taken communion. It is a tangible legacy left to us by Jesus himself, and takes us right back to that table in the room in Jerusalem

We have just celebrated our Communion weekend. It happens here twice a year, in March and September, and is a big event in the life of our church. Usually, a  minister from another church is invited to preach the sermons. We have a service or prayer meeting every day, from the Thursday through to the Sunday morning, as we prepare ourselves to sit at the Lord's table, and then a thanksgiving service on the Sunday evening. It is a solemn and meditative journey, preparing to affirm our faith in Christ, or to profess it for the first time; there is always great excitement  if someones comes forward during these days. It is a time of  joy and celebration too - there are a couple of socials after the Friday and Sunday evening services - lots of food, chat and laughter. 

This weekend was very special - everyone I spoke to felt it too. The preaching was spirit-inspired, and the sacrament was beautiful. We sat in our seats long after the service was over, unwilling to come down from the mountain. People whispered words like - amazing, magical, wonderful... I hope and pray that this feeling will stay with us. 

Wishing all a very blessed and special week. xx

Sunday Reflection

Then The Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, The Lord.

Exodus 34:5

The first time I properly read the book of Exodus, and this story of Moses meeting God on the mountain, I felt my jaw drop. Even reading it now  I feel the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. The thought of meeting God face to face like that - well it is beyond amazing. 

This verse makes me think of the sheer magnificence  of the Glory of God. No wonder Moses' face was radiant after meeting The Lord  -the  real, actual God, as my grandson says. I can imagine the scene - really feel the awesomeness, and it is good to be reminded of that. 

Wishing you all an awesome week. 

Sunday reflection

This week I want to share one of the first Bible verses that really meant something to me.  Matthew 28,20 - specifically the second part:

Lo, I am with you all the days, even unto the end of the world. 

I grew up in a Christian home. Not overtly so, but it was there - Sunday School and Church were a constant part of our lives. It had never occurred to me not to believe. Then, as a teenager, I went out with a boy who was recently converted. I remember how enthusiastic he was about his new found faith, and this made me look at my own relationship with The Lord in a different way. In fact, it became more of a relationship, rather than Him just being in the background of my life. This verse was one which my boyfriend was particularly keen on, and I remember talking about the reassurance and comfort in these words. 

As the years went on, this verse became a touchstone for me. My faith journey has taken many twists and turns, and I have slipped away on more than a few occasions, but these few words have kept me going through some difficult times. 

You can imagine how much I have thought of them during the last year. 

There are so many similar promises made by God all through the bible: 

"Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for The Lord your God will be with you" Joshua 1,9

"Be strong and courageous. do not be afraid or terrified, for The Lord your God goes with you. He will never leave you or forsake you." Deuteronomy 31,6

and I find comfort in these verses too, but somehow these - the last words spoken on Earth by The Lord Jesus Christ hold a special promise.

Lo! Listen! Attend! I AM with You All the Days even until the end of the world. How awesome is that? xxx

Sunday Reflection

So - what do the following have in common?

Robert Frost,  the colour green, Princess Leia,  a popsicle, a swan, a dragon, Vermont,  a hot buttered roll.

They are all me - apparently. Don't you just love those silly quizzes that pop up on social media - "What kind of bird/mythical creature/food/US state/whatever -  are you?"  Secretly, I can never resist answering them. I guess we are all on some sort of journey to self-discovery - to find out who we really are. And it's important work - we have many choices to make as we go through this life, and the more we understand ourselves, the easier it is to make appropriate decisions - those that feel" right" inside.

But, fun though these quizzes are, they cannot tell us about our true nature, and they are another note in the endless online muzak - like, share, retweet. There are so many petitons, causes and challenges of one kind or another vying for our attention. As I type this, I have my facebook page open on another tab - during the last few  minutes of my timeline I am being asked to share a picture of Snoopy, if I am an organ donor, like a bizzarre video of a couple playing tug of war with nylon stockings over their heads, which has been viewed over 2 million times, and sign a Greenpeace petiton to save narwhals.

I don't routinely take part in these knee jerk reaction kind of things - remember the ice bucket challenge? I tend to use facebook to see what my friends and family are up to. In fact, I have just had a hilarious exchange with one of my daughters about panko breadcrumbs (don't ask), so I do appreciate the chance to connect. There is, however, one meme going about right now that has piqued my interest. The Bible Challenge. For seven days, participants are asked to share verses from scripture that are important to them. People take up this challenge in different ways - some simply quote the verse, others write mindfully about the reasons they have chosen this verse, other still write mini-sermons. It is interesting to see, and I like the idea of sharing God's Word in an accessible way. Who knows where the seed will fall?

So, I am going to take up this challenge - here on the blog (shared on facebook, of course). Over the next few Sundays, I will share a verse from the bible, and talk about why I have chosen it. Maybe by the end of this I might even find out who I am!

My first verse is from  the Old Testament  - Jeremiah 1:5

"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations"

That is just an extraordinary, powerful verse, and gives me chills just reading it. God knew me before I was even born. Just wow. It makes me feel so loved - so unconditionally loved. Even though I have failed God in so many ways during my life, this verse reaffirms his love and brings me back to Him. I loved my own children before they were born. I was excited -  planning, hoping and dreaming what they might become. Once they arrived, well,  things didn't work out according to my plan, there have been challenges, adaptations and compromises, but I have always loved them. And so it is with God - He loves us, no matter what. He has wonderful plans for us, and though we might stray from His path, there is always a way back to Him. He doesn't need to see quiz results to know us  - He formed us before the world was made, and brought us here to the right place, at exactly the right time - He set us apart. This is Who I AM. What an awesome thought!

Feel free to join in with this if, and when you would like to. Leave a link in the comments below. Wishing you an awesome week. xxx

Sunday Reflection

Just a quick post tonight - its been an incredibly busy and actually quite stressful week, settling back home, preparing for visitors, and trying to find our places in this new dance... Thank you all for the sustaining prayers and love. xxx

Keeping On

We've had a busy time over the last couple of weeks since we got home. John is doing well, but understandably a bit apprehensive about what lies ahead of him. Thankfully, we have had some wonderful and useful support from  our family and community. The animals are being looked after - various commitments are being taken care of - everything is quietly under control, allowing us to concentrate on fighting this cancer.

We had visits from son Kenneth and Louise, his partner, as well as step-son, Charlie. They were a great help around the house and garden during their stay, but we still had a chance to visit our neighbours' new Gourmet Street food stall in Stornoway. Well worth a visit if you are here.

We had the Sunday School picnic and barbecue at a nearby beach. It was great fun - good food, laughs and lots of races. Oh - and the ladies won the tug of war too!

There was more work in the garden - trying to catch up and make sure we don't miss anything. The roses have just begun to bloom and it looks like there will be a stunning display this year. I couldn't resist bring these two beauties indoors - the perfume is just amazing. (Gertrude Jekyll) 

But we are off on our travels again - heading back to Inverness, where John will undergo a week of high dose radiotherapy to his spine. Its a bit sooner than we expected, but we are glad to be getting on with it. I feel a bit like we are on a roller coaster ride - so many ups and downs, long slow periods then the brakes are off and we are flying. People keep asking me "and how are you...?" In truth, I have no idea -I suppose it's like I am breathing in all the time. Things have to be done and dealt with, and that's what I am doing. I'll exhale later...

Sometimes I click on older posts and read about our past adventures - full of hopes dreams and plans - and a fair bit of action too! They are a poignant read now.  It's as if life has been put on pause, and yet - it still goes on, in a kind of disconnected way. I've no idea what lies ahead for us, but I know we will deal with it. This is just another part of the journey, I suppose.

So - moving forward, as they say, and I am sitting relaxing with a glass of Pinot Noir, and a pile of lovely Summery magazines, taking a break from all that's going on. I am also desperately trying to finish knitting this cardigan - because I really want to start on something new.....

Tadaaa! 

The latest addition to the croft is this lovely caravan. We are both quite excited about this project ( and you know we really need another project, don't you...) . She is a 30 year old van, and in fairly good condition. Nice and dry inside - just a tiny bit of black around one of the cupboard doors, and in need of a Really Good Clean.

A wee bit tatty and dated, but nothing that can't be fixed up. Look at all those panelled cupboard doors - just crying out for some groovy wallpaper inserts.

I'm thinking orange as my base colour - curtains, quilts, throws, bedding. And guess what - when I looked at my stash, there seemed to be gallons of orangey-ness  - just waiting on the right project!

So - the pimping has begun. I have been staking out the charity shops, and my ebay account has seen a bit of action - as well as frittering away a lot of time extensively researching on Pinterest. We are planning to use the van as a Summer extension to the house, and also as a creative space/garden retreat, so I have a bit more scope than if we were going to use it as a touring van.

I love it very much - it makes me feel so happy when I look out the window and see it nestled in its space beside the polytunnel. it looks as if it has always been there

James loves it too. He's been popping out there quite often just to stretch out on the soft comfy couches, and possibly play some minecraft in peace. I asked him if we should give the van a name. he thought for a moment, and then said "I think we should call it The Caravan of Delight"  I think so too. xx

Stopping for a breath

I've been quite distracted lately - so much going on and no time to stop for breath. It was one of those weeks when we seemed to be overtaken by events. I managed to rustle up a few snapshots from my phone to give a tiny flavour of the week just gone.

We had a couple of sunny days - almost a breath of Spring.  Badly needed now - it feels as if it has been raining for ever.

The Community voted to go ahead and apply to buy the Estate - this was a big deal, and such a lot of work went into the process. It means that we can now take ownership of the land we are living on, and can begin to build for the future. 

John was interviewed for a short film made by one of the government agencies on land buyouts - the livestock were very keen to have their voices gear too!

I am still harvesting wonderful carrots from the garden - beets and greens too.

J had a fall at school and he a nasty cut on his forehead. He was very brave, and a visit to the health centre and a few steri- strips soon put him back together. It's healing nicely and he is quite enjoying the attention.

It was the Communion weekend at our church, so lots of fellowship going on over the four days, and lovely friends over for Sunday Lunch.  

Wonderful trifle for dessert too. I hope to write more about that in another post.

I've also been very caught up in the important and exciting debate over Scottish Independence. There are some really good links on my sidebar if you are interested. 

So - on we go - full pelt into another week. Glad I've taken up running!

Sunday Gratitudes

Days are flying by so fast just now - such a lot going on and it is hard to find the time to come here. Yet it is important to look back and count my blessings and give thanks for them. We are surrounded by God's blessings - they are everywhere, although sometimes we don't appreciate them as they merge into the everyday. The Bible tells us that God's mercies are "new every morning" (Lamentations 3:22,23) - such a wonderful confirmation of God's abundant love for us. Tonight, as I look back over recent days, I am grateful for:

The beauty of Creation
The love of family
Good food on the table
Clothes to wear, and new skills learned
Working on the land
The fellowship of community
Times of fun and relaxation

I wish you all of God's blessings as we begin another week.

Sunday Reflection

We had some good news at church today - the Presbytery is allowing us to call a part-time Minister. With the many cut-backs happening in the wider Church, it had been doubtful if we would be able to do this, but we have. Our many prayers have been answered. The sermon today was all about prayer too. Paul's prayer for the church at Ephesus, (Eph 3:14-12) and Our Lord's teaching on prayer ( Matt 6: 9-13). We heard how prayer is often unanswered because we do not humble ourselves and pray in Faith. Yet Jesus himself tells us that when you pray, believe that you have received. Jesus also said in Matt 18:19 - 

 "Again I tell you that if two of you on earth agree on anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in Heaven."  

Later, as a few of us were sitting over a cup of tea, in the church hall, chatting about the news of the decision on calling a minister, we felt moved to have a moment of prayer. It was a such powerful moment, and I really felt some of the difficulties we have faced were removed,  and some real healing occurred.  

There is much in this world in need of prayer right now - this week I have been particularly thinking of those suffering from the effects of extreme weather - wherever and whatever it may be - drought, flooding, gales or snow. I ask that you might take a moment to pray with me for those affected.

Our father in Heaven, You have created a beautiful world for us to care for. And yet, amid the wonder of this creation, we find ourselves struggling, battered by the elements. Our lives are changed, homes swept away, crops ruined. The Earth is crying out. Lord, we have not listened to this cry, and we have been poor stewards of your gift to us. Forgive us, Father, hear our prayer for all affected by these extremes today. Bring them relief and hope. Be also with those who are working to help them. We ask these prayers in the name of your beloved Son, Jesus. Amen.  

Sunday Reflection

What a week it's been! Gales and rain and floods still batter us, and much time is spent, head down, making sure the livestock is fed and safe - its been such a hard Winter for them. We were blessed with a visit from granddaughter Breagha and my daughter and son-in-law, there was a big community meeting about the future of our Estate, and a million other things to be fitted in.

 And there was a fairly major controversy in the Church of Scotland, which took several twists and turns, and resulted in our Presbytery distancing itself from the action. It left us feeling bewildered and rather shell-shocked, as we struggled to understand what was happening. For me, though, it was the duplicity of the actions by the Church council - that our Church could work with an organisation which wants to remove Christianity from our schools, to actually - well - remove Christianity from our schools! Then they tried to wriggle out of it, by saying they didn't agree to that at all. So here we are, in a Church which is either totally naive, or lying, and worse than that, has completely forgotten their sole purpose, which is to proclaim the redemptive Gospel of Jesus!

In a way, I am not too concerned about some aspects of the proposed change of name to "Time for Reflection" in schools. At the moment, parents can choose to opt their children out of religious observance, and so they often spend this time sitting in another classroom with a book. I always imagine Jesus sitting outside with the opted out ones, as He always tended to do, so- getting everyone together is a good thing. What this proposal might do though, is to stop Christian chaplains from witnessing for Christ in school, or any religious leaders from talking about their faith. 

Ho-hum - it is so easy to get caught up in the drama of who said what when, what it means, what they didn't say, web pages being deleted  - blah, blah blah. This whole episode has reminded me at least to focus on Christ. He should be centre of  everything I do, and as I said in last week's post, I need to look up more.  Today, in church, our sermon was taken from Numbers 11: 1-15, where the Israelites are grumbling and complaining. They have just been delivered from generations of  bondage, witnessed God's Power countless times working to free them, and yet...they took their eyes away from Him to complain about the catering. I do this - countless times a day, I find myself whining on about some trivial thing or other, completely forgetting about how blessed I am. I even do it here, and it is not lost on me that the Minister who delivered today's thoughtful and considered sermon was one I moaned about a few weeks ago. How we learn! But, I believe it is all part of the journey - we only see as far as the next corner, but God can see the whole map, and I am thankful that I keep being reminded of that. I am sad that my Church appears to have lost its focus on Jesus, I hope and pray that it will find its way back, but I trust that God has a purpose for this incident, and that can only be good. Wishing you all God's blessing on the week ahead. xx

Sunday Reflection

A friend and I have taken up running - well - ok, brisk walking with some bouts of gentle jogging. This is our route. No-one but the sheep and God to see us. Its good to have company - someone to encourage me - to say "we can do this". It is hard, some days to be motivated, especially when the weather is wild. As we start off, we wonder how we are going to get through our program - the end seems such a long way away. But we step out, and soon we are well into our stride, and surprised at how quickly the time has gone. I am really enjoying it, and I come home feeling lighter and full of energy.

I feel the same about these Sunday Reflection posts - your supportive wisdom and prayers, fill me with encouragement, thank you all. 

Today at church, we were blessed with the preaching of a young man of 21. (I can hear your sighs of relief.) He has visited us before, and we have always been struck at the maturity and wisdom of his words. The Holy Spirit is truly with him. Today, he led us through the parting of the Red Sea, and all the fear and trauma involved in that story. The Lord will fight for you; You only need to be still.(Ex 14:14). The Israelites were terrified, trapped - hemmed in on all sides, no idea where to go next. Suddenly their past lives as Egyptian slaves seemed preferable to them - they forgot all the miracles that had happened previously, in their fear of the moment.  But they only had to look up - to the pillar of cloud and fire, and God would lead them to the land that was promised - and He did. So, often in the storms of life - we focus on our own human problems and we forget to look up. Yet, if we remember to do this - to look up, and watch and wait - God will take control and deliver us. Its not at all easy - we remember how simple life was in Egypt - and even walking through the path that God has opened for us requires a huge act of faith. But He has given us the hand of Jesus to cling on to, and He is only a prayer away.

Writing this tonight  was a bit like my running sessions. I sat in front of a blank screen, wondering how I was going to even start. What could I write that would be in the least meaningful - how can I keep this series going, week after week? So I decided to look at my Bible app for inspiration. Today's verse is from James 1: 5 If any of you lack wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all, without finding fault, and it will be given to you. At first reading, it appears to be exactly what I needed  - of course - I needed to ask God for inspiration! After all, this is meant to be about Him and His glory. If I don't ask God what he wants to write about, and truly listen, then what is the point?  Indeed - I only needed to look up, and he led me through to the end. 

Wishing you all God's blessings on the week ahead xx

Sunday Reflection

Its been a good week - calm and pleasant for the most part. A busy one too, as I wrote a few days ago. So many opportunities to see the beauty of creation around us - to find God in our day to day lives. None more so than here, on this blog. I am so thankful for the kind and wise comments from last week's post. They truly helped me to calm my thoughts, and find some perspective on the words that I was struggling with. I mentioned the fact that our congregation is without a pastor at the moment, and how that impacts on my own understanding of some of the sermons we hear, week on week, and posting here, and reading the responses has made a difference.

 I am very prone to agonising over issues - like a dog with a bone, I keep going back to situations in my mind and worrying over them - in a sense, reliving them. Time and time again, I replay conversations, things read or listened to, over and over in my head. Now - reflection is good, but obsession is not, and each time I do this - I am still stuck in the situation. It's like that comedy film - Groundhog Day - remember that? 

All week, I have prayed, read, talked about and fretted about the ideas and challenges that I found in last weeks sermon delivery. "It's not right. We have no spiritual backup to help us understand. Is this really the message God wants us to hear? What is the message anyway? Speak to me!" But, by the end of the week,though I had worked off most of my angst, and so, this morning, we set off for church. 

The preacher was one we had had several times before, and I am ashamed to say that, as far as I was concerned, he had form. The reading was announced - Genesis 19 - the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah - Groundhog Day. The sermon began and for the rest of the service, I felt harangued and blasted, as we were urged to "Run! Run from the wrath of God!". Don't get me wrong - it was a clever sermon - very well delivered, and this man puts himself out there, preaching the Word, which is more than I have ever done. It is also a wonderful piece of scripture to get your teeth into - google it and there are any number of interesting pieces that are written about the tragedy of Lot's wife. But, today's message was full of our sin, God's anger, and how we are all doomed. Not much mention of love or grace, or forgiveness, and so again - I am left feeling hopeless - almost feeling I am a fake Christian. Maybe I am and this is the message God is sending me. Am I Lot's wife because I am looking forward to a family holiday, and planning what seeds I will sow in Spring? How can I be truly saved if I entertain such worldly thoughts? 

My poor husband listened patiently while I "reflected" out loud all afternoon. He suggested that I take some things too literally, and this was a case in point. And he is right. We have to live in the world, and are part of the world, and that God created the world - it is not all bad, and a lot of it is good. We must live our lives as the best Christians we can be - loving God and our neighbour. Yes, plant seeds - plant trees even - go and visit family, just don't leave God out of your plans!

I wondered if I was someone hovering on the brink of Christianity today - how would hearing this have affected me? I might have been scared witless and slunk off, thinking it was all to much to deal with - to difficult to be acceptable.  I really don't believe it is helpful to preach in such a hectoring way. Our congregations is much reduced during our time of vacancy, and most of us still attending are believers, and I think we need  to be encouraged and uplifted. I came to faith through a Loving God and the Compassion of Jesus. Yes, I have been challenged many times, by the Word of God but not brow beaten and humiliated. Jesus endured all that through His Love for us, so we would not have to. Yet - if I felt uncomfortable today, well, it wasn't exactly comfortable up there on that cross, where he felt the wrath of God on my behalf.

I still have many questions to resolve with this "fire and brimstone" issue that I seem to be stuck on at the moment, but I'll keep looking and listening for the answers, and I will stop obsessing over it. Already, writing this out has clarified a few points for me, and I feel a sense of peace - thank You God. And thank you for reading - I wish you God's blessing on your week ahead. 

Sunday reflection: Continuing

I am still feeling the excitement and wonder of my Advent Journey, and was reminded by today's Church sermon not to tuck the Baby back into the Manger for a few months, then nail Him up on the Cross at Easter. So, with that in mind, I hope to continue my spiritual walk here. Each Sunday, all being well, I will reflect on some aspect of my faith. It most likely will be prompted by the message I hear from the pulpit, but God speaks to us in many ways, so it will be interesting to see where I go with it. I feel the need to do this as a way of understanding what these sermons mean for me and my personal journey. The Church I attend has been without a Minister for well over a year now, and we have had many visiting speakers over the months - some have been ordained clergy, and others are lay preachers. The variety of subject and delivery style of the sermons has been interesting and refreshing, and I have learned many things, but, after the service, the preacher usually has to rush off - often not staying for the after church fellowship. I am missing a way of consolidating what I have received.

Today, we heard from Luke 2. 22-40, where Mary and Joseph take the infant Jesus to the temple to be consecrated to The Lord. There they meet Simeon, who had been promised by God that he would not die until he had seen the Saviour,  and also, Anna, the Prophetess. The sermon focussed mostly on the obedience of Mary and Joseph in obeying the Law, and the faith of Simeon, who was ready to die after he had seen the promised Redeemer. "Let me ask you", thundered the preacher, as he reached the end of his message, "Are you ready to die?  I am... and some of you sitting here will die this year. Are you ready?"

I struggle with sermons like that. Now - I don't mind being challenged, and I think that we do need to wrestle with difficult concepts, but, as part of a dwindling and struggling congregation, with no consistent Pastoral care, I felt my heart sink. I also felt guilty, because - actually, I am not ready to die just yet. I know it will be up to God when it happens, but I am not looking for it right now. And - Simeon was an old man and had lived a good and devout and long life, so he had probably accomplished many things before he saw Jesus.  But, with no Minister to follow these thoughts up with, I was left floundering. Luckily I have a wise husband, and between us, over lunch, we made what we could out of this message.

There is another part to this story too, which was not really addressed, but that was the story of the elderly Anna.  She is described as a Prophetess, who had lived in the Temple, praying and fasting since her widowhood. She came up to the Holy Family as Simeon took the Child in his arms, and she too, recognised him as the Saviour. Anna wasn't ready to die, though. Nope - she had work to do and went straight out and began telling others that the Redeemer had come - the first person to publicly proclaim that the Kingdom was at hand.

We don't know how out lives will pan out  - only God does. His plans for Simeon and Anna, while they may have looked similar for decades, over their lives, differed in the end. In witnessing for Jesus, Anna was preparing those who heard, for Life, and I am ready for that.

Advent Journey: On Hope

            

Christmas preparations have had a different dimension for me this year. There has been the usual shopping, decorating, wrapping kind of thing going on, but with only three of us at home this time, it's been much more low key than normal. Now, here I am, on Christmas Eve, with everything ready for a fairly relaxed day tomorrow.

Yet, I feel different about it all tonight. Yes it is lovely sitting here in the candle light, warmed by the fire, but the glow I am feeling is not from this. As I have walked this path, I have become more aware of who God is, and what he means in my life. I have really understood the power of the Nativity story as if for the first time. "And The Word became flesh and lived among us" is, in my opinion, the most thrilling verse ever written. When I think that Jesus was born into this world, for me. He ministered to me, and he suffered and died because of me. He became like me, so that I could become like Him. Words cannot express the awe that I feel thinking of this. This is what Christmas really means. So now, as I stand in the centre of that spiral path, I turn to face the Light, and I know that Jesus will always be with me and He will guide me on and on as we spiral back out again. The journey here will never be finished, and I am guessing I might have many more stops and starts as I go. But at this moment, as Christ approaches, I am filled with Hope, as I reach out for His Hand once more.

Advent Journey: On Looking Back

I am almost at the end of this journey now. I started it on the First Sunday, saying that I  wanted  "to reflect upon the meaning of Advent, and find the beauty, hope, joy and expectation that this season brings".
I have found all these things and so much more. Every day, when I sat down here to write my posts, I had no idea where the path would take me.  I daily put my trust in God that he would light the way - and He did. Through prayer, reading and trawling through old photographs, He guided me along - challenging me, supporting me and reminding me of my purpose. He is just the best company on a journey like this, and I have loved spending time with Him,  feeling myself drawing closer as the days passed. I've been to some deep places - some dark ones too, but that small steady point of Light has always been visible. 
I am glad that I shared this journey - it was an important part of it, and became more so, as I linked up with fellow pilgrims. Thank you for all your supportive words, kindness, and forbearance. I almost feel as if we have been on a little road trip together! 
There is still another day left before Advent ends and Christmas begins. Finally, after all these days, of waiting, Jesus comes. And yet, He has been here all the time, walking alongside us  - new every morning. How amazing is that?  The very thought makes me feel as excited as a child on Christmas Eve!

Advent Journey: On the Last Sunday

Sending thoughts of Love to all on the final Sunday of this Advent Season.

Advent Journey: On Darkness and Light

Dawn: mid December 09.10 am

            November                                   October                                     September

                                Noon                        

            November                                     October                                September

Sunset: 15.30hrs

                 November                             October                                     September


I thought that the shortest day was a good time to continue to look at the monthly progress of the sun along the horizon. I've had to move a good way from my original standpoint to capture the position of the sun, so it may not be obvious just how far round it has moved. There have been very few days where I have seen the sun this month, due to the stormy weather and lack of clear skies.

But now the world stands still in the darkness for a few days, before the sun turns its face Northwards again. There are a few days of this Advent journey left. I began this walk in the dark, searching for  tiny sparks - I think some have caught and are now burning, faintly but steadily. Soon the Light of The World will return and I will see just how far I have come.