Today's Referendum ...

Traditionally, people have kept their voting decisions to themselves. When I was growing up, and since I've grown up, asking a person how they voted in a General Election was somewhat akin to asking what their bank balance was.

It simply wasn't the done thing, dear.


This referendum campaign has been very different. I'm not sure why this is the case. It could be the new social-media world in which we now live, where hearts are worn on sleeves - or at least on screens. If we don't keep what we're having for dinner private, why should we keep our voting intention? We tell the world when our baby shows his first tooth, takes his first step, and throws his first tantrum, so why not tell the world what our political allegiances are.

And so, instead of sticking with a good, Scottish attitude of keeping one's own business private, social media has been filled with thoughts, feelings, and arguments.  Some of these have been fun; some have been well-mannered and polite; but some have been less-than-pleasant, sadly. Let's hope, post-referendum, those who were rather more vociferous than was necessary, and those who were on the receiving end of such comments will all be able to live and work together.


Here was our day, in photos ...

Here's Katie, heading out with her polling card to vote for the first time. This referendum gave the opportunity to 16 and 17 year olds to vote. In the UK, the normal voting age is 18.

This was an interesting development. Many people reckoned this concession to Alex Salmond and the Independence campaign was not wise, and may have ended up making the difference between an eventual Yes vote or No. It was thought the younger voters might lean more heavily towards a Yes.

We'll have to wait for the statistical break-down of the results to be clear on how this age group voted. The days ahead will, no doubt, be filled with the analysis of every jot and tittle of the statistics.

Catherine was the first in the family to vote. She was heading to Glasgow after work, so she voted before she left for Stornoway in the morning. 

The fog you see in the photo led to the cancellation of her plane, so she ended up not heading south after all.

As I write this (in the middle of the night!), some of the results have become to come in. The same fog that kept Catherine's feet firmly on the ground earlier in the evening is rumoured to be keeping the planes that were to be taking ballot papers to counting centres around the Western Isles grounded too. That will probably delay the declaration of our local results.

 DR and I headed down to our local sports hall, where the polling station was situated, in the afternoon. As we were driving down there, we were talking about how privileged we are that we are the future of our nation is being decided with a referendum and not by guns and bombs. Having spent our lives in peacetime, we tend to take this for granted.

As I said yesterday on my Facebook page:

Twenty-four hours from now our polls will close. Scotland will have decided.

In the past, I would have lost sleep over this referendum. Not now ... I am persuaded what to vote, and I pray my vote will be cast for the right reasons. I am applying what I believe to be sanctified common sense, and praying that our land would (to steal Glasgow's motto) 'flourish by the preaching of God's Word and the praising of His name'. These hopes would appear to be crazy hopes, given the political, religious, and moral climate of our land. But God ... God is able.

Whatever happens tomorrow, God is on the Throne. The outcome has been in His plan from all eternity. Nations come and nations go, but His kingdom *will* come. Our desires may, or may not, come to fruition, but His will *will* be done. The Gospel may leave the shores of our dear land, like many here would wish for, but one day, the earth *will* be filled with His glory.

And so, as I lay the matter before the Lord, I do so knowing that He rules and over-rules in all things.

Our nation needs God more than it needs independence. 

It needs the riches of Christ more than it needs the pound sterling. 

It needs the Spirit poured out more than it needs oil.

Please pray for Scotland, and for the UK, for our leaders and politicians. For the most part they 'do what is right in their own eyes', and God is in none of their thoughts.