‘ Depends which one you mean’, they said and walked away to get the bus.
My spirits lifted and we walked all around Castlemilk and Kings Park chatting to lots of people. On the drive home I knew that if Gregor and you lot wanted me, I wanted you.
So like this foggy morning today, a year ago I could not see beyond a certain view point, I had no clue what lay ahead and I was frightened, but there was also knowledge that things would clear and I would see a bit further. So we stepped out in faith.
One year on and we are settled, there is the excitement of planning for the winter festivals with your help, and the hope of St Oswald’ s continuing to be a happy thriving family church.
An Autumn reflection
Autumn is the time when days become shorter and the darkness of the night comes earlier. This is a good season to review the light and dark within ourselves. All too often we can fear the dark and love only the light; but we can practice seeing how the dark can become less of an enemy to hide from and more a place to be nurtured in, there can be a slow and steady growth of our relationship with God during the stillness of the long nights; if we take time to let Him gently hold and guide our souls.
The light always comes through, even if it is a tiny spark, and it is a welcomed part of our existence just as the spring is welcomed after a long winter. However without the autumn and winter our beautiful Britain would not sustain its green beauty, the trees would wither, the crops would not germinate and the animals would have no rest.
There would be no seasons and like so many countries without measured seasonal changes, we could suffer drought and flood and disease on massive scales.
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It is the same thing within ourselves, if we don’ t learn to appreciate and give thanks for the darker seasons in our lives instead of living depressed or in fear,( hard to do sometimes I know), we can miss the beginning of lighter times coming back.
Sometimes there is no remedy for a situation in life but to begin in absolute darkness, but with faith we understand that there is hope, God shows us in the west that after autumn there is winter, but after winter there is spring and then summer; each season has its own beauty and purpose, and each season of our lives also brings beauty and purpose when we take time to understand and appreciate it.