Such Beauty

I took a wee wander round about here the other day, and can't resist showing you some photos from my wee walk.

I love love love the sight of bales. It's probably my favourite scene in all the world.

Well, except for the sun setting on the Atlantic. And except for my kids' faces. And maybe even except for dogs.

But apart from that, fields of round bales are my favourite scene.

It was around three o'clock, so the sun was beginning to lower in the sky. That always makes for gorgeously soft hues (though this photo is dressed up too :) ).

It was so peaceful. So totally and utterly mind-renewingly peaceful.

Everywhere I looked made my heart sing. At times like these, I forget I'm Scottish. A Highlander. Reformed. Presbyterian. A Niseach, for crying out loud ... and the Charismatic part of my soul gains the upper hand.

Except silently, so I guess I remain truly Scottish, and truly Presbyterian. No shouting, no dancing, no hands in the air. But in my soul.... they're all happening.

Such total and utter beauty, and I sing:

When through the woods and forest glades I wander

And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;

When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur

And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:

And then the jaw-dropping beauty of the creation is overtaken with thoughts of the Creator.

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,

Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;

That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,

He bled and died to take away my sin:

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation

And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!

Then I shall bow in humble adoration,

And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!

And how can I not sing aloud:

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee:

How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee:

How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

...because He truly is great. Great above measure.

What I Enjoyed in Spain, Part I

This is supposed to be the first of my Spain posts, but before we head off to the continent, a wee word about our new baby.

Blog readers didn't guess her name; the Homeschool on the Croft Facebook page readers tried valiantly but failed; but just in the past hour, an Instagram follower got it!

Her name is Niseach!

(For the poor, uneducated, sad non-Gaelic speakers among y'all - and you have my sympathy - 'Niseach' is a person from Ness. And for those even more deprived and who don't even know what Ness is ... you dear folks. I sympathise. Not to have been born in the best place in the world is one thing; but never even to have visited this little spot of almost-perfection on earth ...well, I shall try and deal kindly with you ;) )


And so there you have it. She is Niseach. And she is a bundle of adorableness. 

And now on to Spain. My next blog post will look at the two eating places we'd definitely recommend. This post will look at three great memories from our holiday.


1. The balcony

I loved sleeping to the sound of the sea. I loved wakening to it, and stepping out onto the balcony to be met by a view like this. 

(If you look closely, you may be able to see Gibraltar in the distance. This was the only time we caught a glimpse of the Rock during our week on the Costa del Sol.)

Everything seemed to move slowly in these parts, and these fishing boats dawdled around here, right in my line of vision, for the best part of this gorgeously warm and calm day. I think those on the boats were simply enjoying the beauty around them, and who of us would want to rush in these kinds of conditions?

I loved sitting to read on that balcony with my cuppa and the sea air and sea sounds filling my senses.

2. Mijas

I took a half-day trip to Mijas, about fifteen miles from where we were staying. What a gorgeous little town! It was quintessentially Spanish from top to bottom. 

I hopped on a Tuk Tuk along with three other visitors, and it was most certainly a well-spent five Euros. Our driver was lovely and considering the width and steepness of some of the streets, this is probably the only way I'd have seen some parts of the town.

The church on the hillside (you see it?) is closed all year, except for a couple of days around Easter, when villagers walk up the hillside to a Mass. The building is set in a most stunning place, but my heart kinda aches when rituals are all people know rather than the glorious, free Gospel of Christ.

There is nothing more beautiful than Christ in all His liberating beauty.

This is what many of the streets looked like. 

.

Isn't this beautiful! The flower pots on the wall are supplied by the local council, all blue because this is the colour of the municipal district. It was all so pretty, with all the streets immaculately clean. We saw a couple of residents sweeping and scrubbing their own steps, and so that explains how beautifully clean the area looked.

3. Fuengirola Street Market

We all visited this street market, the largest of its type on the Costa del Sol. I wouldn't spend more than a morning here, but I would definitely go again if we go back to the Costa del Sol. It's busy, but because it's outside, it doesn't feel like a crowded shopping centre. The selection of stuff is huge, ranging from, erm, rubbish (am I allowed to say that?) to some lovely leather goods and crockery. Our bus guide told us that most of the vendors don't accept haggling and that the given price is what you ought to expect to pay, but DR bought a leather bag, and the sellers at that stall most certainly expected and welcomed haggling.

At this point I'd like to point out that I may have spent the past twenty-five years married to the Builder, but there are clearly some things about him I had yet to learn. One is that he is amazing at haggling!

Who ever knew?! While I cringed in the corner and smiled apologetically at the stall holder, he held his ground, threatened to go to another stall he'd seen where he was 'bound to get a better deal', and eventually took the price to about half the original asking price.

Who'd have thunked it, eh?

I was also chuffed to bits to discover that our Spanish classes have not been wasted....

After careful consideration, I figured that this van belonged to the local Police.

I amaze myself. I'm almost trilingual. 

An Addition ...

We have a new addition to our family...

Have you just squealed? I mean reeeeaaaallly squealed?!

She's nine weeks, and she's a Cockapoo. 

But really, she's just gorgeous.

We're taking things slowly to begin with ....

Today, we introduced her to the very dangerous tennis ball.

She took quite some time sussing the thing out, before she realized she was not going to be attacked by this spherical, yellow, inanimate ....thing.

Once she realized this, all was well with the world.

And she did what she does best: she grabbed it and ran like the wind.

('ran' being used loosely here. She is still at the adorable 'lollopping' stage!)

One more thing: She has been named, so dear readers, you are not getting to name her, but would y'all like to guess her name? Leave your guess in the comments ... :)

A Graduation and the Costa del Sol.... All in a Day's Work

Last Saturday - or was it the Saturday before? My days are all rather topsy-turvy right now - we began our day in London...

DR arrived off the train from Cambridge, where he'd spent a week at the Wilberforce Academy. A quick change later, and he appeared resplendent in his Morrison tartan kilt. 

It was the date for his graduation, and we were all - minus Catherine and John - there to join him in his celebration. It's not often we have everyone all spruced up, so I may as well show y'all some photos of us at our best :)

The graduation was held in the Barbican centre, so all the outside photos have a whole lot of concrete as the backdrop.

Anyway, we weren't there to view the architecture, but to celebrate ...

Calum enjoyed the day so much, and delighted in being able to share in DR's joy.

I love this photo of DR with the Builder,

and then the obligatory one with both parents.

Five years of studying, DR, all seemed very worthwhile all of a sudden! Indeed, according to yourself, the studies still ahead of you are now something to look forward to. It's amazing how success spurs us on to wish to learn more. 

Well, we may have begun our day in London, but we ended the day on the gorgeously warm Costa del Sol, and spent the next week resting, relaxing, and eating in warmth. 

Gorgeous, delightful, delicious warmth. 

Instead of my blethering on about DR's story, I think I'll give him a blog post soon where he can tell his own story. He, somewhat like me, loves to talk ;) 

More of the Costa photos will follow too. I wish to re-live the holiday, so you guys will just have to come along with me. Deal?

Catherine: Loved, Loved, and Loved Again

On our recent trip to Northern Ireland, I was struck by something ... that something kind of has to do with Catherine but really, it has to do with something much greater.

You see, when we arrived at the airport, and these two fellows saw Catherine, they almost devoured her with their love. (Calum is sandwiched in between the Builder and Catherine in this photo!)

The photo captures something of the love by which Catherine was surrounded the whole time we were there.

She loves the Builder, and it shows.

He loves Catherine, and it shows.

Wouldn't y'all say?

There's her father, and her brother ...

...and her husband.

Everywhere, she was enveloped with the love of these three men folk in her life, and I couldn't but think of the beauty of the relationships God has given us in this world. A Father to protect her and care for her and love her unconditionally and lavish all good gifts on her. A brother to come alongside her and adore her. A husband who will love with an incomparable love.

All three of these precious relationships are pictures of the infinitely more precious relationships we can have in Christ.

When we are in Christ, we can say the words, 'Our Father in heaven', and know that our God truly is our Father. How unspeakably precious to have the Lord of Heaven and earth, the One who rules and over rules, who loves us and is able to supply all our needs in Christ Jesus ... as our Father! What a privilege and a joy to be a child of this Father! Much as Catherine delights in being the daughter of the Builder, that pales into insignificance compared with her being a daughter of our Heavenly Father.

"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called the children of God" 1 John 3:1


 Our Saviour also calls His people His brothers, and after He rose from the dead, He told the women at the graveside: "Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me." (Matthew 28:10)

The disciples had forsaken Him in His time of greatest need, yet He calls them His brothers. What an infinitely kind and loving older brother we have in Christ. Catherine delights in the love of her brothers, but how much more can we delight in the love of our older Brother.


And then, there's Christ as our Husband. 

There is no relationship on earth to compare with marriage, and no relationship at all - on earth or in heaven - to compare with our being the bride of Christ. We adore Him, we see glimpses of His beauty and we are overcome with love. We can absolutely say: "His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend" (Song of Solomon 5:16).

But most amazing of all is that Christ looks at us - at His bride, presented to Him in eternity, before the world was ever created - and He delights in us! What love He has to look on us sinners and, instead of ugliness, He sees us through the eyes of His eternal and infinite love and He delights in us. He adores us! 

Our Father. Our Brother. Our Husband.

Catherine is hugely blessed to have these three relationships here on earth. But her greatest blessing by far is that she has these three relationships with the Lord our God. 

The first three relationships, good as they are, are imperfect. But our relationships with our Lord are perfect, because they are covenantal, and are of Him. 

The first three relationships will all come to an end. But our spiritual relationships will never end. Indeed, they will come to their greatest fruition when all the others are ended, and when we behold the face of our Beloved, when we sees Him face to face, and we shall "know even as also I am known" (1 Corinthians 13:12)

What a thought!

A New Morning Walk

Those of you with good memories and who used to read the blog when we lived in treeless-looking-onto-the-Atlantic Ness may remember a post from way back showing photos of my early morning walk. The post can be seen here, but I'll post a photo from that post - just one - to give you some idea of the contrast between the beauty that surrounded me then and the beauty that surrounds me now.

What do you see? Well, there's a whole lot of sky; a whole lot of flat land; and not a tree in sight. 

But that was then, and this is now:

See how different my surrounding countryside is! Amazingly fertile farmland in the distance, some very green grass on which cows were grazing last week, and trees.

If you join me on my walk, you'll see there are lots and lots of trees.

Here I am heading down the hillside, and facing East. To a great extent, the direction matters not, because the sky is hidden by trees. The surrounding countryside is hidden by trees.

Have I mentioned trees? Yes, I've now walked East, North, and am now heading West. As I said ... the direction matters little: we have trees.

But just as I begin to think there is nothing left in the world but trees. Just as I begin to feel I need to breathe, I get a glimpse of the stunningly open farmland beyond the forest.

And I feel like I can breathe. And I am aware of  a spontaneous smile on my face.

And sky! Blue, open, spacious, wide sky. 

I could almost dance! 

I look behind me at the trees, 

and look again to the north-west. I savour every open mile to which my eyes can stretch. I drink it in because I know that very soon,

instead of open spaces, instead of farmed fields, and hints of distant mountains ...

instead of the glorious patchwork of growth, of planting, and of harvest ...

I will soon be walking under an umbrella of trees.

The sun is hidden, the views have gone,

and all I have is greenery and shadows.

If anything shows how much of a Niseach I am at heart, it's my reaction to all the trees that surround us here. Now, don't get me wrong - I love trees ... when they're at a distance. But I can't get my head around why people choose to live in houses surrounded by beautiful countryside which is hidden from view by trees!

I'm quite sure when the good ol' folks planted all these trees long, long ago, they did not mean for us all to spend our lives hidden away, out of sight of the beauty. I'm sure they'd tell us, if they could, to cut them down. Loads of them ... just chop them down, folks!

You see, I'm from Lewis - specifically from Ness, and we don't really do trees there. We like to look out our windows and see. Far. 

Remember when I used to look out our windows and see the crofts, the machair, and then the Atlantic all the way to the horizon. I was used to space.

And much as I love - and I really do love - the scenery around here, I have decided that if and when we end up building a home out here, my first criteria will be that our plot is not surrounded by trees. 

And just before we leave this post, and head back to our daily work, just one more glimpse at another scene I captured on that morning walk all that time ago:

How's that for eye-candy, eh?

Sharing Joys .... and Sorrows

I read a holiday post from a friend from Lewis on FB last week. He, his wife, and his parents have spent a week in Ontario, and this part in particular brought back memories of experiences I could relate to: 

From Ian MacRae's post:

"This trip was great for us, but it was primarily for my folks' sake - they probably wouldn't have done a trip like this on their own. But you know the feeling when you know a sight is sensational or food is delicious and you watch someone experience it for themselves? It's pure pleasure, and that's what it was like to see Da and Ma when they saw the Niagara Falls or reached the top of the steps of the Lincoln Memorial or bit into a Boston Kreme from Dunkin' Donuts!"

You see, in 2001 I'd been to Niagara with my mum and had experienced the awe and wonder that comes from seeing the Niagara Falls. But a number of years later, we were going to be in the same place as a family. The Builder, myself, DR, Catherine, Katie, and Calum were going to where only I had been ... 

I had made all the bookings, and done all the planning, and it was with some anticipation I waited for their reaction when they would see the Niagara Falls for the first time. 

We drove into Niagara via 'the back roads', and so saw nothing of the Falls. We walked into the hotel, into the elevator and onto the 29th floor. I stood back and allowed all of them to go into the suite which had promised 'floor to ceiling, wall to wall windows, ensuring a great view of the Falls'. 

Would that be the case? And even if it was true, would the rest of my family feel as I'd felt when I first saw them? I stood back and waited ..... until I heard the collective gasp of

"Oh.... w-o-w", 

followed by more gasps as more and more of the sight was more fully realised.

Ian's post reminded me of this and it got me thinking of how our joys are increased by sharing them with others. (Kids, this is why I (rather frequently) called you to see the beauty and wonder of yet another sunset when we were living in Ness. How could I not share the joy?)

What a gift God gave us when He gave us the ability to communicate with others. What a blessing He gave us when He gave us family and friends and loved ones with whom to speak. Sharing experiences brings greater joy than living through the experiences on our own. I would have loved the Niagara Falls on my own, but I know for certain that having my family to share the wonder and fun and joy added immeasurably to my own experience.

And don't we love to share with others, too, of our spiritual experiences? Malachi 3 tells us that those 'who loved the Lord spoke often one to another'. What a blessing it is to say to others, 'Come hear what the Lord has done for my soul'! 

This morning, I was reading in Luke 1, where Elizabeth, who is pregnant with her son, John the Baptist, and Mary, who is carrying our Lord, meet up and spend three months together. What joy there was in their first meeting! Indeed, even John who was in Elizabeth's womb 'leaped for joy'! What blessed conversations they must have had over these three months; how much they would have shared of their own pregnancies - both miraculous in their own ways; how many words would have poured out of them of God's gracious dealings with them. And what joy to share them with each other!

God also gave us each other to share our griefs. If our joys increase by sharing, surely our sorrows and our griefs are decreased by sharing them.What a blessed relief it can be to share our sorrows, especially with others who truly understand, or with those who have empathy even if they've never been through the same kind of grief. 

Our blessed Lord experienced both joy and sorrow. We are told that 'for the joy set before Him', He went to Cross, and endured the horror and suffering of Calvary. The joy of redeeming His bride, along with His love for His Father, carried Him to Calvary's death.

We also know that our Saviour was 'a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief'. How much grief He suffered for His thirty-three years in this world. 

And so, with our joys and with our sorrows, whilst having the blessing of family, friends, and yes, even Facebook acquaintances with whom to share them, we are most especially blessed that we can take them all to our Friend who 'sticks closer than any brother' (Prov 18:24). He will increase our joy as we pour out our hearts to him. He will decrease our sorrow as we do the same. And He has empathy like no other, because ...

"we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:15,16)

And so, let us be good sharers, and good listeners when others wish to share, and let us never be slow to share the best news ever told! Let's often say, 'Come, hear, I'll tell what God has done for my soul'. Let's Gossip the Gospel!