Toucan do more than one can.

I am coming up in a few days to being a pastor for 31 years .The picture is a Toucan or it could be Twocan.
In my time in the ministry I have come across one common factor that is feared by everyone, some will admit to it and some will not. It is not death, it might be cancer or some illness (and there are still plenty about.)
Poverty is another big fear, not having enough money to pay the bills and getting told by people who are earning salaries that are only a dream to most of us to work harder and "go out and look for work".
Yet the common fear is none of these things although they do come second or third.
The big fear right across age, income, sex , and any other definition you can think of is LONELINESS.
Being alone through death illness (altzhiemmers). When your loved one is not there and you are going about the house calling to them and praying that it has all been a bad dream .
Dying alone, with the appearance of a harassed nurse in the room to see if you had gone yet.
 I have seen people die in road accidents (it won't happen to me)suicide, getting hit by cars or cancer or illness or pneumonia. Then there are those who are left .No  picture, card ,memento, big house or anything else can make up from a hug or kiss from that person, that has gone.
Nothing replaces two arms around you or the sound of THAT voice. Oh the callous ones who have never (yet )been through it say "They will get over it,life goes on. When it happend to me I can remember screaming , shouting and crying (but pastors are not supposed to do that.)
 What is the shortest verse in the Bible? It has two words in it JOHN 11 V35 Jesus wept . His friend Lazarus had died. Yet the same One who wept over Lazarus death was able to raise him from the dead . Yet Lazarus would have to die a second time.
I married again  a wonderful, loving lady whose husband had also died. We know that one of us will die before the other unless we are both taken . Yet the same One who brought us together will bring us together again in His Kingdom .Yes death stinks and is hellish, it entered the world because of sin .But one who came into the World said something that broke  the final power of death for good. It is in John 11 v 25 I am the Resurrection and the life and he who believes in Me though he die yet shall he live and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die"
Stephanie and I are grateful for each minute of each hour of each day that we are together. We are to live and enjoy living -the rest is Gods department. Whether you are a man or woman you never tire of hearing your wife or husband say,"I love you " -when did you last say it? 

Memories of the 'Disco Volante'

News -You only get one life on this earth,this is not a rehearsal but the real thing. How much do we let the expectations of others form or shape the things that we should be interested in? How much of what we would like to do really what we would like to do?
If I could own a boat it would be a Viking Longship, this boat in the picture would be number two in the list. How many remember "The Disco Volante" the beautiful ship from Ian Flemings James Bond adventure,"Thunderball"
'I could never get used to such luxury' and to have the chance to go where you wanted anywhere in the world and be able to outrun pirates. "It's Kingston tomorrow......" it is terrible to want things (outside of sin and breaking the law) that people think you should not have.
It is well known that doctors read medical books all the time and love visiting hospital wards and getting presents to do with medicine. Ah 'The Scent of the Ward '
Teachers of course should be reading while off  on holiday books about teaching and heroic examples of teachers who could work a twenty hour day and get by on three hours sleep.
One of my colleagues who was addressed by one of his flock in thew following terms
"Well I thought you being a minister would have wanted to go to......to read to see the programme tonight on inner city schools. There is the program about funerals."
Soldiers always want to see war pictures and combat situations and get presents to do with war ....well you would think they would.
 Dusty in PLANES  was told you are a crop hopper you should enjoy flying up and down in straight lines ....that is what you were made for ,that is the way people see you .In his heart Dusty wanted to be a racer and be the best he was made to be and not what other people told him he should be -the rest is a good film and a big lesson .
Listen up folks you only get ONE LIFE on earth. Don't let people mold you into their way, God put inside you what He wants you to be not what other people think you should be "after all you are a .....and you should be doing this and liking that .
God does not judge your wishes by whether other people approve of them or not -He can make the impossible possible.If you are an Eagle Chick brought up in an open topped chicken coop that does not make you a hen -be the eagle God put inside you while you still can .The sky is the limit.  

The Scent of the Past -The Call of the Future

These pictures were taken at the same time on a foggy beach. One photo on the left is like the past,it is where we have come from .There are things we remember and things we want to forget. There are those who want you to remember any things you have done wrong.They want to make their own 'penny arcade' light seem brighter by dimming yours. God promises that if we are sorry for the things we have done wrong and repent turn away from them He will not remember them . You see God looks at the heart, no human can see that and we can kid people by our words but only God sees the real heart -the real you -the you that you are when no one else is looking .The past has gone,you cannot change it but you can stop it from being a chain round your neck and letting others try to load you down.
The other picture was taken at the same time it was looking up the beach .There is still a mist because we do not know what the future holds .In my time traveling books 'The Scent of Time' and 'The Scent of Home' (Published by Black Rose Writing)the characters went to a lot of places in different times but the one place I did not send them was the future because what that is like is known only to God . The one difference between the two pictures is that there is a Lighthouse in the one on the right ,even in the midst of darkness as we head towards the future or the road is not obvious as long as we keep our eye on the light house we will get safely there whether on sea or land.
Jesus said "I am the Light of the World ,they who follow me will not walk in darkness but have the Light of
 life." We have to keep our eyes on the light and not look back,even though the future is unknown Jesus promises to open the way . God has one direction -Forwards.Let's follow Him.

Your dreams lie on the other side of summer

This is the "Balder" she came all the way from Norway. She is wooden clinker built and is a dream ship,the kind that meets you at the start of your dreams to take you somewhere good before you wake up.
Work starts again tomorrow and serving the Lord is why I am here.Maybe you are a teacher and going back to school taking a deep breath and wondering how you are going to mange for another year.
 Your dreams and your future  lie beyond summer as much as we would like to freeze it and relive it.
The future is not in the safe harbor of summer, but what lies beyond that .There is still autumn and then it is winter but it is not long into the New Year here before the days begin to stretch out and we are reminded that summer will come again and we will be one step or maybe several steps closer to our dreams.
When sailors in the sailing ships went out to sea, they did not know what the weather would do. They did know what to do, when the weather changed .They were aiming for a harbor where the crew could get back to their wives and sweethearts and invest their pay-off money.
Sea separates but it is also a highway .In my book "The Scent of Time" the hero's tea clipper goes from China to London in the tea race and all the adventures that take place.
It has been a wonderful summer as I look back all the photographs. The way to your dreams lies out there, my dream involves a very long journey with Stephanie but not quite yet.
I love to get lost in the Patrick O 'Brien sea stories of Jack Aubrey and Steven Matchurin  and round the corner is that dream still beckoning .....I am here I have not left you and your heart is on course trust Me .
The One on the bridge is Jesus...He does not promise a smooth journey but He does promise a safe landing.
Don't let anyone steal your dream or your vision .

Looking up.....looking out

Every year there is a military /historical show at Fort George near Inverness.Part of the show is an air display of a WW2 Spitfire and maybe a Messerschmit 109 or a North American Mustang. They race about the sky for about 25 minutes.It is fascinating .
People stop and look up when the Spitfire comes, golf ,running whatever, they stop and  stand and look up. Perhaps what tugs at the heart and longing is that the Spitfire and the Mustang come from a time when in the face of danger people were pulling and working together .We were facing the future together. "Blood ,sweat and tears." Churchill said.
In my books The Scent of Time and The Scent of Home and the being edited  The Scent of Eternity the time travelers face constant danger and have to decide who to trust ,but they have to work together and support one another.
Then the division started after peace,the carping, distrust and complaining. The desire to split society whether here or in USA We forget that the price of freedom is constant vigilance and as we divide ourselves apart,terrorism must be rubbing its hands with joy.
But when the Spitfire flew over head everyone united for short time in looking up. 
There is coming another day when everyone will look up .That day is when Jesus Christ returns.To those who love Him it will be a fantasic day to those who rejected Him it will be a day of final reckoning.
Look up He is coming back "The Son of man returns said Jesus at an hour when you least expect Him