Fingered

Its been a week of highs and lows. I don't feel ready to blog about the lows yet - I need to process things a bit more. But one of the highs in the week was the election of Rev Bill Hewitt as moderator designate of the General assembly of the Church of Scotland. A well deserved honour. I've never been this excited about the moderator's election before. It makes all the difference when you actually know someone personally. Now isn't there a parallel to that in faith? Relationship makes a world of a difference.

Enjoying the fit

Its been a curious day. As usual, trying to juggle lots of things at once, it seemed as though nothing had been achieved. But tonight, after taking time to catch up on a good friendship, I was in reflective mood as I drove home. And I realised how much has shifted recently. How my skin seems to fit better than it has for a long, long time. I'm almost frightened to say it but I think I'm becoming comfortable with me. Its a long time since I felt that, if ever. Its not been a day without conflict. Its not been a day free from criticism. Its not been a day where great things were achieved. But its been a day when I felt - its OK to be me. Whatever next? One never knows I might even be able to give myself some time off for good behaviour. Or is that just a step too far? Steady....

What a difference a day makes ... or two

48 hours ago, enjoying the sun setting in Corfu:










5 minutes ago: Watching incredulously as hailstones cover the lawn.

















Did I mention its good to be back?

Brrrr...

Its a shock to the system to be back to our Scottish winter after a week of wall to wall sunshine. However, I spent a pleasant morning with a colleague at Scotts in Troon Marina. It was a cosy coffee (and cream scones) stop with a beautiful outlook. It also evoked pleasant memories of lots of time spent there a few years back when Idris and I were "courting". He was running a yacht charter business and the only way I could spend time with him at weekends, busy with turnarounds, was to help out cleaning the boats, getting them ready for the next party. Happy days. Who would have envisaged that nearly 30 years later we'd both be living nearby? Life is a wonderful mix of providence and Godincidence.

In spite of the wind and rain, its good to be back to continue with the adventure that is ministry in Castlehill.

Go Bill!!!

Even over here in sunny Corfu, news has reached us that nominees for moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland have just been announced. And I know one of them. I've worked with him in different ways through the years and, uncannily, he was a former assistant in my current charge. So, I'd just like to say: GO BILL!!!

Sleepy Sunday

The hotel we stopped in overnight enroute to Greece was having a sleepy Sunday - breakfast served until 12 noon and no need to check out until 2pm. With our flight not leaving till around 5pm, this was ideal. A great way to start what is shaping up to be a very relaxing holiday. I wonder if sleepy Sundays would catch on in Ayr? When would be a good time to "do church"?

Safety net

The crows seemed really noisy this morning. We soon found out why. This young bird of prey, which I think, based on its colouring and long legs might be a juvenile sparrow hawk, had landed on the trampoline in our garden and couldn't seem to work out how to escape. Can't figure out why it didn't just fly up and out of the top. We eventually managed to dismantle enough of the safety net so that it could get out. The crows were disappointed, anticipating a feast but, we spotted what looked like an adult hawk on a nearby rooftop, so hopefully our little casualty made it back to safety. The pleasure of seeing this creature close up was taken away by observing how panicked it was as it flew around the enclosure and hung upside down on the net. I hope its none the worse for its adventure.