"Funny how time slips away"- Willie Nelson

I asked a friend if I could borrow his projector to photograph old slides and put them on the wall. I was excited at seeing events and places in my life from 20-40 years ago but what I had forgotten, slides deteriorate. The colours fade and what was sharp vibrant colour at the time, seems so bland and empty now. The sparkle the colour had gone, things had moved on "funny how time slips away."
I took the photo of Charles Lindbergh's 'Spirit of St Louis' in 1992 .I can still see it in the Smithsonian in Washington .It was a great achievement and in the film James Stewart gave a good performance of trying to stay awake. That was a long time ago and my photo of the plane had gone the way of the others.
In my time travel books The Scent of Time and The Scent of Home, the characters travel in time.
They go back to Gettysburg in 1863 when it was all too vibrant and Virginia in 1759 where it looks as though they might be stuck there . I some times think it would be nice to go with them.
As much as I enjoy time travel and writing about it and I hope people enjoy reading about it .You cannot live in the past .It is a shadow because God is not there.  He has left and when He leaves there is only the shadow of what was. He also lives in the present because He helps us to get to the future.. Maybe it would have been nice to live in 1759 -till the first time you needed a dentist .Or live in 1863 till you found you had diabetes. Lo said Jesus I am with you always even unto the end of the age. "Funny how time slips away."   

The Eye of the Beholder

 

 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Yet how often do we miss what is beautiful around us? We look at the pictures of film stars, perfectly exposed and air brushed -yet in real life they look a lot rougher than they appear in their perfect photographs. Maybe the exception to that rule was the late Audrey Hepburn, witness her popularity on fashion accessories even today.
How often do we miss what is before us because we have become used to it?
I spent 11 years in a beautiful glen in Perthshire called Glenshee .It was stunning scenery but by 11 years we had got used to it.
Then we moved to my next parish and when we got to the manse there, there were boards over the window to protect the glass. We looked through cracks and at the time on the TV there were scenes from Kosovo with houses boarded up just like ours. Day after day we thought of the lovely walk in the hills we had left and the scenery, to move to this? In the end we were able to see the beauty in our new place, a lot of which was in the people and the joy of it having a cricket team.
The picture above is like something out of the Beatles Sgt Pepper Album in fact it is oil on a pavement but if it is dealt with the right way and caught in the right light it can turn into something beautiful - bit like the way God looks at us.

The Tryst of Trust

I very nearly lost my books on Kindle,and that only the paperback would be available. The thought of no more Kindles and having half  my market gone was depressing. Black Rose Writing my publisher gave us the opportunity to buy the e-rights to our book and get them published independent with KDP.
It was a worrying couple of days,but when I prayed about it the Lord laid on my heart to trust ,the publisher to sort things out,give it time .Today an e-mail came and it did get sorted and Black Rose Writing came out well on it .I was so glad I did not give up but waited on what the Lord said .
When you cannot see an answer it does NOT mean to say that God is not at work! He does not owe you or me a progress report nor does He have to give daily updates- He is God and He is working on our behalf. We have to make the decision to trust Him just as I had to trust my publisher to get the problem sorted out. In fact the Lord helped my publisher and got everything fixed and my Kindles are back on Amazon.
Faith is part of trust,we make a commitment to trust God before we see results or get updates.Then we can look back when the Lord answers and praise Him .Without faith it is impossible to please God and faith is the substance of things hoped for the promise of things not seen. A couple of days ago I had no Kindle books now they are back on sale.God had me trust Black Rose Writing my publisher. I can do no less when it comes to God Himself and He has never let me down .

The heart song of the Robin

I had been feeling down and tired over the last few days.Today was my birthday so Steph and I went over to Inverewe Gardens, which are lovely and they even have palm trees in them (Yes all you Texas family Palm Trees in Scotland)
Well we were going through the gardens photographing flowers and trees here and there,then we heard beautiful singing form one of the trees and there the Robin was singing his little heart out to the Creator.
As I listenend the Lord spoke to me heart .
"Does the Robin sound afraid?" To which I replied "No Lord " Does he look worried and fearful" to which I replied "No Lord."
"He has to get food as you do. I provide for both of you.He has difficulties to face  but I protect both of you.
He needs a place to stay I give to both of you."  Then the Lord went through all the things I was worried about and you know I could not think of anything that He could not handle.
There was I churning over all this and there was the Robin on the tree singing his heart out to God,trusting that God would provide.The Robin was my messenger from God ,I hope he brings a message to you .  

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.