Words

I have been reflecting on words
My work means that I use words constantly
I write, I create, I reflect and in each case, the way I use words can make or break the occasion
Words, like a tree's roots go deep and can capture and hold onto a heart or mind - and can damage or heal
disturb or calm


I conduct a funeral - and the family is comforted. But if I were to use the words carelessly then the comfort could be lacking - or worse non-existent
I lead a meeting - and how I speak, how I encourage, or temper the participants can change the atmosphere for good or bad
and of course, more than anything else - I preach
I preach

It was this that started my reflectings; yesterday being Sunday
The encounters I have through the week will always inform the words I use on Sunday morning - or earlier when I am writing what I will say
Sometimes there has been pain and tragedy; other times the news has been joyous. But each week, as I read the scriptures, and choose the music to fit... underlying it all is the words that will come together to communicate something of God, of the Spirit - of Faith and Grace and Hope and Joy.
And it is a painful process!
Some weeks I am sure I will never manage to create something I am satisfied with
Some weeks it feels as though come Sunday all I will have is a blank sheet
But by prayer and God's amazing, and sufficient grace words do appear
and often, it is the most painful; the ones which have been hardest; the ones I am not satisfied with that somehow touch others

Yesterday was such a day - even as I prayed before the service I was unsure and yet, an hour later so many people thanked me!
God is gracious
God will provide
I am nothing without Him


I am a wordsmith - blessed am I

time - where did you go?

In the past several weeks I have composed many short blog posts in my head - just never took the time to sit down and commit them to keyboard.
The topics have covered family; phones; keys; frustrations; and family again.
The thoughts have been philosophical; maudlin; excited; joyous and ever so slightly ditsy...
and the ideas have flowed quite freely!

in quick order: 
family: a family gathering where all my closest relatives were there. My parents, my siblings, my nieces and nephews and my aunt & uncle - truly joyous time!
the loss of my phone. Irksome; frustating and then slightly appalled by how badly I missed it
the forgetting of keys: frustrating (because if I hadn't lost the phone the arrangements would have been SO much simpler!)
the sluggishness of returning to work
the productiveness of my garden
the fun of conducting a summer wedding
and another family gathering - this time with my beloved's family

what a summer it has been!

now school is back

meetings pick up

routine is re-established

and life goes on

How blessed we are!

treasures in the sand....

Golden Sands hold golden treasures

walking on the beach today

head down into the wind

my eye was caught by the beauty of a tiny shell

green and white striped 

shiny in the foamy brine

and as I went

more and more I saw:

gold and red

white and black

striped and plain

they shone like beacons

God's eye for detail

creating perfection in a handful of empty shells

When I was a child, and

when my children were young

we would waste hours in glorious shell hunting 

today

in the golden sands, for a moment of bliss

I was that child again

gathering my treasures

and praising God for the day 

Happy Holidays....

or Why I Love my Wee House Beside the Sea

I am on my holidays.... not anywhere exotic, just up on the North East coast of Scotland in a wee fishing village called Findochty (Finechty...) 

I bought this little house as a fixer-upper a couple years ago, and after extensive work it is almost done. It has been almost done for around 18months because I ran out of cash and relocated to over 200 miles away. But it is warm and dry and it's a wee haven of tranquillity. 

The weather is grey and overcast; 

rain falling occasionally - but it's still beautiful. 

It's still great walking on the beach - 

watching the waves crash on the rocks

smelling the salty air

and generally letting my cares away on the tide

It's good to get some sunshine

but it isn't essential

The change in routine, and the chance to unwind and relax 

these are the things that make the holiday

I am on holiday

and I am feeling GOOD!!

Jubilee to Olympic Relay - a Jubilympic few days....

June came in with a blast!
 We began in the village with a weekend of activity; roads closed, community worship, activities and fireworks... all to celebrate the 60 year reign of our Queen.











Fast forward 10 days and Olympic fever reaches the Borders; our little village one of those visited by the torch relay. What a day! Barriers along the High Street; no parking allowed; police patrolling the street... and as the time approached more vehicles than I ever contemplated. I have heard the vehicle cavalcade was going to be over 100 vehicles - and had assumed it was all exaggeration!
Hah!!!

We began with some Police outriders; then 3 or 4 small buggy type vehicles playing loud music and giving away big blue rattly things; then a few more Police Motorbikes; then 4 big police vans with riot shields. 

Then a wee Coca Cola bus; some more vans; more motorbikes....
then bigger buses... Coke; RBS & Samsung.... an Olympic mini bus, a big bus.... more motorbikes
some runners...
more bikes
another big bus and finally
the torch bearer!!

He passed through in a matter of moments (29 seconds to pass by where I was, I recorded it!) the cavalacade had taken more than an hour to make its way along our little roads and lanes!
was it all worth it?
You bet!!
The High Street was lined with pupils from our Primary and Secondary Schols, plus some from neighbouring schools not on the route
Folks lined the street, cheered and laughed and turned a cold, dreich day into a happy, warm community event.
What's not to like?!

prayer for Sunday morning

God of rolling hills and deep valleys

God of brilliant sunshine and clinging mists

God of light fluffy clouds and brooding dark skies

Light and dark, high and low, you made it all

You made it for your creation to grow, to thrive, to enjoy and to reflect your glory and majesty

We are awestruck by the immensity of your creation

And we come, quietly, timidly, with joy and humility to worship and praise and adore you

Accept our worship we pray

Even as we approach you

Even as we bring you our worship

We pause

We hesitate

Aware of our weakness, our failings, our forgetfulness and our carelessness

For we know there is darkness in our hearts

There is sadness in the deep

And we cling on to old hurts and old ways

So we bring you these too:

The things we’d rather overlook

The times we forgot you, and turned away from your light

We are fearful to ask for forgiveness

And yet, through your Son comes the confidence

He pays the price

We receive the grace

And so we can be reassured that our sinfulness is forgiven

And our weakness is replaced by strength

Through Jesus Christ

Our Lord and Saviour

Who called us friends

And showed us your ways,

All our prayers, spoken and unspoken we make in his name

and finally.....

I have been meaning to do this for weeks (well a couple or so) but life kind of caught up with me.

Taking time out for the Assembly was good, and returning to parish for a relatively quiet week was good too... spent a week "just being a minister" visiting, planning worship, catching up on admin etc....
Then a week of mayhem- the Jubilee was lovely, but taking time off compromises the rest of the week...

A couple of days ago I attended Colloquium - a half day conference on the theme of Language, Women and the Church of Scotland (not its full title - but near enough) during it I had a few thoughts of my own which I need to work through.
I found myself with a question about nature and nurture - how much of our behaviour, response and way of life is decided by our being, and how much by the way we are influenced during development?

I am now, at 52, totally happy in my own skin
I like who I am, how I've developed
I like how I dress, and how I live
I will never be the tall willowy person I imagined was trying to get out of my tall and well rounded frame.
I am, who I am
But I also know that I am this person because of the influence of my parents and my teachers in my earliest years.
I grew up believing that I was capable of anything; that my gender made no difference. And that has stood me in good stead over the years. For a long time I thought this was a generational approach, until I discovered people of similar gaes to me with totally different outlooks on life!

I was raised to be independent, free to challenge, and free to express my own opinion - and always ready to justify and explain that opinion - thus, when I write, when I converse, when I reflect I know those early years are still influencing me... still guiding me on.
And that is something to be very grateful for