Done and Dusted

July 2016 done and dusted. Wow. Into August, onward, onward at what feels like an ever-increasing pace.

But in the hallway at the bottom of the stairs, an antique grandfather clock marks the moments with a resonance and a reassuring metronomic measure. Because it isn’t working quite right, it never clangs out the hour, just beats out the rhythm of the moments. I like that. I don’t hear the progression from 10 gongs to 11 gongs and so on but instead just have the steady tick-tock like a heartbeat in the home.

We had a gathering of the family – all who could come – over the weekend and it was wonderful. Raucous and loud as we challenged each other at ‘Wizard’. (Want to know who won one of the matches? ;-) ) Serious discussions. Everyone helping in the kitchen. The joy of an almost-two-year-old with her all-encompassing pronouncements: ‘Uh-Oh’. The incredible blessing of three more babies on the way, growing steadily and well, out of sight until the amazing scans reveal shadowy faces and definite limbs, brains, kidneys, hearts – just awesome. 

First time we had all been together since Christmas, but at Christmas we had Mhairi and Mom with us too, and despite all the noise and hilarity there were the empty spaces where they were not. Missed, always missed. For all the blessings of skype, geographical separation still sucks.

Life goes on. The clock is still marking out a sedate cadence in the hallway. The rooms are empty again, sheets on the lines, left-over cake in the tins. 

Blessings of love. Blessings for which we are overwhelmingly grateful, knowing not everyone has a place they can gather with loved ones, or even loved ones with whom to draw close. 

Praise God that as time marches on we all draw nearer to that eternal source of love and everlasting reunion.

Golden Lining

Only two hours to go until middle son arrives home. He hasn’t been home for a year, though I did see him in California in November. 

Excitement is palpable. The room has been washed down. The bed has been made up fresh. Carpets hovered. Drawers emptied in preparation for his arrival. Food bought in.

Jesus said he was going ahead of us to prepare a room for us.

That’s something to hang on to at the end of life. While it is so sad to leave behind those we have loved, the excitement of knowing that in heaven, Jesus is busy washing down your room, making a bed up fresh and getting in food for a feast is just amazing.

A golden lining to that very black cloud.

Shasta looms

Snow-covered Mt Shasta looms over the city of Redding. The sky is perfect blue; the fierce winds of the past several days have dropped, and we are awaiting Robbie to take us to see the sights.

As we drove north, the hills grew gradually greener, and finally there was a little population on either side of the 5. Most of the trip through the state is through empty farmland, no towns or cities for miles. When people think of California they think of the jam of people in LA but most of the rest of the state is pretty sparsely populated.

We had such a good reunion yesterday. Life is what you make it. Grab the chances and make the most of every opportunity.

It has felt like a pilgrimage coming to Bethel Church, to the healing rooms tomorrow morning. Praying that we meet with God in a new and deep way, and that his healing is available to us both.

Excited to see Robbie in his present surroundings, and participate at some level in his activities. God is so good.