1958 - 62 Years Ago...

 Today is my parent's wedding anniversary. 

Neither is still alive, but that doesn't stop the date being significant and triggering memories. It's the same for my siblings, my brother sent a message to our family chat this morning, wishing them a Happy Anniversary.

I am minded of special celebrations we had for them over the years; for their Silver Wedding, they had a renewal of vows service and a big party. They loved big parties in those days. 

For the Pearl - 30 years, I was about to relocate to Scotland, and it seemed to be such a distance. We bought them flowers and gifts; the next big party was 10 years later, their Ruby wedding, they had another party, and another blessing, I wasn't able to get to that one (don't remember why now) and 10 years after that, their Golden Wedding we had a family get together, lovely big meal, and cake in the garden at my sister's home.

That was 12 years ago, and so much changed in those intervening years - not just their deaths, but marriage ended, marriages begun, babies born, new homes, new jobs - so much history, so many more chapters in our lives.

Now that they are not in the little house by the sea, I do not visit so often, do not see my brother and sister as often as I used to. This year of course, none of us has travelled like we normally would, the hopes of gatherings this summer for wedding were dashed by lockdowns, and restriction on numbers who could gather. Life goes on. life is different.

One thing remains constant. Love abounds. We may not see each other often, but love ties us together, unites us even when we are apart.

Happy Anniversary mum and dad - united again in eternity. 

The whole family, gathered for Dad's 80th Birthday 2012

NaBloPoMo #7 - the greatest of these

Ahh... it's a wedding today!
Sweet couple with two little ones
the younger is two and a half - and I fully expect him to run riot this afternoon - just as he did last night at the rehearsal.... 

This is my third wedding this year - church weddings are getting fewer and fewer as more folks go for a "Package Deal" with venue providing a celebrant who will do whatever the couple want.... choice is what it's all about now; the upside of this being that generally those who choose to have a minister and a church also really want their union to be blessed - God is welcome! 
The first years I was in ministry the packages were only just beginning to come into the equation, so I got all sorts of requests, and suggestions. More weddings, but not necessarily more blessings... 

It is sad that the numbers have gone down
but good that those who come, really do seek to invite God to bless their union.

New wedding banner at Earlston

NaBloPoMo #5

Over at RevGals today's prompt questions what have we done that's not in the job description?
Which gave me reason to smile, as I'm not sure I ever saw a job description for Church of Scotland minister...

However...
Today I've been thinking about time, years and their passing.
Yesterday I turned 56 (I KNOW! AMAZING! RIGHT!?)

Today would have been my grandma's birthday... She was born in 1904 so she's been gone awhile, but I still think of her, and our shared days.  We did stuff together. She lived close by us after my grandpa died, so from the age of around 7 until her death in 1986 when I was 27 she was a constant part of my life.

She was as Irish as she could be, and was wise and kind, but with an honest, sharp wit!
She was also a devout Roman Catholic her rosary was never far from reach and her simple faith was expressed in all sorts of "grandma-isms" PG, GW, TBTG, sweet Mary pray for us....

She lived life
She loved life and she did whatever she could for us, for as long as she was able

She showed what real ministry is. Faithful prayer, compassion and kindness, holding your hair back when you were sick, a cool cloth when you were hot, a full bodied laugh when you were taking yourself too seriously, and sympathetic tears when life did not go as you had hoped and prayed.

I often wonder what she'd have thought about how my life turned out.
Would she be proud? Happy? Shocked?
I know one thing for sure - she wouldn't have been worried about telling me!

Happy birthday Grandma, I hope you're having cake and tea!

This is me, my mum, my grandma and the first two of my three boys, summer 1986

NaBloPoMo #4 - picture spot

"NaBloPoMo Day 4: Photo post time!! Take a picture of something you see all the time- the simpler, the better. Write a little about what the thing means, symbolizes, reminds you of... Give us a little glimpse into your world."

 So, every morning as I come down the stairs I see this wall. This wall - or at least, everything on this wall, has moved into every home I have lived in, over the years it has grown, been added to; but in essence this wall is me, my life, my love. Here are my beloved boys growing up; my parents in various stages of their lives; my grandparents; my nieces and nephews, siblings - the people in the world who are the most important to me. 

Every morning, as I come down the stairs, I pause - I look at them, I pray for them - my loved ones.

Old age? Never!

The prompt for today's post asks how I feel about growing old...

Hmmm... I'm 55 

Some days, with my sore joints I feel every one of those years, and a few more.

But, most of the time I forget

I am simply not aware of how old I am, or how old I feel

I just love my life!

I guess there was a time when I could not have said that

A time when life felt difficult and stressful,

every day was heavy and long

and I was not able to say I was content.

Now?

Now things are difficult

I look at my sons and feel pride welling in all they have achieved 

and the lovely young men they've grown into

I look at the man I love, and feel the joy and reassurance of knowing I'm loved in return. 

I look at my job, and it makes me happy. I am fulfilled and content,

 I have days and weeks that are challenging, richly varied, or incredibly busy.

The list of tasks never seems to be finished,

and yet, in all of that I am convinced I am where I need to be, 

where God wants me, and that's more than enough!

I am so busy, being happy, content, busy, challenged, noisy, quiet, hopeful and loved 

I don't have time to think about how old I am!

On a more practical note... 

I love colour...

And, for as long as I can get away with it...

My hair colour comes out a bottle! 

This is fake Christmas, celebrated November 1st when #2 son and his darling girl were home from Canada