The Truth About Transubstantiation

Oak Trees

I discovered a beautiful old oak tree on my daily walk. It must be very old as it's about 50 feet high - maybe 2 to 3 hundred years old. I couldn't help thinking about what this tree had seen in it's long life. All that history and maybe personal stories of people who had sheltered under it, or had picnics there, maybe even had a first kiss.... And then all the weather it has withstood and yet it is still there, strong and healthy.
I guess there will come a time when it dies, it can't live forever and we can't rely on it to be there always. It got me thinking about God and how He's always there and always will be. In the storms of life he will shelter us under his branches, in the good times He will rejoice with us. He never leaves us or forsakes us. His love and strength are forever.

Earlier this year we visited Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire. What a beautiful peaceful place. If you're in Yorkshire it's well worth a visit just to sit and soak up the years of prayer that permeate this place. What a tragedy they were all destroyed by HenryVIII.

Skylarks

While walking the dog today I heard a skylark - the first in a long time. It reminded me of my Dad and the walks we used to have after mass on Sundays. We'd walk for miles, down lanes, in woods, looking for treasure. I learned a lot about nature on those walks - the names of plants and birds and other animals, and I'll never forget the feel of blackbirds eggs in a nest, all warm and smooth.
Today I was thinking about people who don't have any belief in God or the afterlife. How can you not believe in an afterlife when all of nature is self renewing? The bluebells are coming out here, yet a month ago there was no sign of them. They were in the earth just waiting for the right time to burst forth - and they do it every year without fail. When they've flowered they produce seed that falls in the earth. The seed is nothing like a bluebell, yet out of something plain and ordinary looking a beautiful flower emerges! Just think then how beautiful we will be when we are in heaven. It reminds me also of a very old hymn we sing in the Catholic church, a couple of lines are - "love is come again like wheat that springeth green"
It was lovely to remember my Dad and think of him renewed in heaven.

Daffodils

I was looking around a garden centre yesterday and spotted some of my favourite daffodils. These particular ones are minature and their petals all face backwards - I call them skater daffodils because they remind me of skaters on the ice with their hands behind their backs, skating as the wind blows their petals backwards.They almost look like they should have little scarves around their slender necks!!! But more seriously, they remind me that whatever life throws at us we should skate on with our faces set as flint, in the certain knowledge that God is with us, He will never leave us, or forsake us and He will bring us through.

New start

Who would have thought my life would change so much? As the new year unfolded we were offered a new bungalow by the local council. We are not retired and were not expecting this, but the bungalow is too good to miss and we're on the move.
Sometimes, when we are at the end of resources, God moves and takes over. This is how I see this provision of a new home
About 30 years ago when we were out driving we passed the house we are now in and I said," Wouldn't it be lovely to have that house". We were living in a tied cottage at the time and had had to do a lot of work to it to make it "home". This house was also tied but in very good condition. That year we had to move for work - no work in Thatcher's world at the time, so we got on our bikes and moved away from family and friend. For two years I prayed to return home and had faith that God would bring us back.
Then, my husband applied for a job and he got it - it was back home and in the very house that I had admired.
A few years ago when we were playing with the children at a local village park, I admired another home. And now, true to his promise, God has given us a forever home. And, guess what, it's the one I had admired and is so perfect for us. We are not retired yet, but when God moves you have to follow. Thank you Lord for your faithfulness to us and for your provision of our forever home.

Snow

Well, the snow is here once again and a New Year is upon us. I often get reflective at this time of year - what have I done or not done, my hopes and wishes for this year, and thinking of those who are no longer with us.
Looking in my garden and watching the snow fall softly to the ground, I'm reminded of the carol "Oh little town of Bethlehem,one of my favourites. I know it didn't snow in Bethlehem on that first Christmas - that doesn't matter. But the silence that is all around because of the blanket of snow makes me think of the line..."how silently, how silently the wondrous gift is given.." And, indeed the wondrous gift of Jesus was given in that way. There was no newspaper headlines, no special News At
Ten announcement, nothing that alerted the world that God was indeed with us.
And yet over 2000 years later we still remember that day and celebrate. I pray that this new year we all remember that God is with us day by day. That He is available to anyone at any time - especially in those silent moments.