Vintage

Vintage Fisher Price boy, baseball cap sideways, red freckles scattered over a grumpy face, found lurking under a living room chair. That – and the sheets and towels hanging up drying – remind us of a weekend of laughter and fun as most of the family gathered. Four wee cousins together for the first time: precious. Priceless moments to be savoured.

Blessing upon blessing. By coincidence (!), our reading this morning was Isaiah 61:1-3. Verse 3 was God’s promise last year, a promise graciously fulfilled: during this year we have watched and experienced God’s loving hand on our lives, comforting all who mourn, bestowing a crown of beauty instead of ashes, anointing with the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and bedecking us all in a garment of praise as wee Eliott joins cousins Callan, Felicity and Gregor. 

God is good. As peace settles back on this rather empty home, our memories pop with moments relived, of laughter and joy, love and conversation, fun and an unspoken communion between us all. 

Happy Monday.

Great Expectations

Drove across Scotland this weekend and yes, it is glorious in its autumn apparel. All the usual colours – oranges, yellows, bronzes, fading greens and all the shades in between. Sunglasses were required not because of the brilliant foliage but because of the sun beaming out of a mostly clear blue sky.

Arrived in Glasgow and checked into a hotel that was WAY past its best before date. I can put up with a lot of things, and it was clean, but a mattress where every spring has sprung is no joke. Replacement the second night was soggy but smooth. An improvement.

But the glory of the weekend was not in the colour scheme of autumn nor (absolutely not) in the accommodation but in the messages coming from the Healing Rooms conference team, through the worship music led so sensitively by Allan McKinlay, through the teaching of guest speaker from Bethel church in Redding, CA, Steve Backlund, through the teaching of Healing Rooms Scotland director Robbie Morrison, through the prophetic words and prayer and especially a word given to me by Phyllis who sat beside me through one or two sessions. Go God!

I am expecting transformation of my mind as I really lay hold of the promises of God and his declarations in the Bible of just who we are in Jesus. I am excited to see what this day holds and I am looking for opportunities to revive hope and instil truth into conversations and meetings with others.

I am rejoicing in the Lord this morning. He is a good God, who loves the world so much he sent his son Jesus to live amongst us as one of us. And he, Jesus, is perfect. 

Praise God. Happy Monday. Lots of opportunities this week to live out who I am in Christ. A challenging week ahead and I am full of expectation of what God is going to do in me, through me, for me. In you, through you, for you.

Amen.

PS Haven't forgotten about the Great Russian Adventure. Just a deep breath before plunging back in.