A New Walk

When my children were young we used to play a game called, I went for a walk and while I was walking, the idea being that the first person would say something you would see outside, ie car, the next would add theirs ie daffodil and so on, and each time you had to remember every one, the winner being the last one who remembered them all. It was really good fun.

I went for a walk for a couple of hours the other day and I was thinking about this while I was walking in relation to my life: I went for a walk and while I was walking all around I saw play, bullying, abuse, work, sadness, hatred,  bitterness, envy, strife, debt, divorce, (need I go on)? 

And then I thought of my own life and what was in it, I went for a walk and while I was walking I saw, love, children, laughter, happiness, pain, sorrow, adultery, divorce, sin, shame, guilt……darkness.

I went for a walk and while I was walking I saw a cross, a crown of thorns, sweat, blood, taunting, anger, hatred, mocking, cruelty, curses, whipping, spitting, blasphemy, death, darkness, the Son of God, love, grace, mercy...

I went for a walk and while I was walking I saw Jesus.

I went for a walk and while I was walking I asked Him for forgiveness,

We went for a walk and while we were walking I experienced, love, joy, forgiveness, peace, light, new life, eternal life. We went for a walk and while we were walking I stumbled, faltered, doubted, I asked for help. We went for a walk and while we were walking He was gentle, kind, compassionate, long suffering, forgiving, He answered my prayer.

We went for a walk and while we were walking we saw lost souls in darkness.

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12

We went for a walk, and we’re still walking, care to join us?

 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

A Winter without snow, oh no

I was musing on the prospect of a winter without any snow at all, I know we have had snow in other parts of England but we haven't as yet. We have had gales, storms, hail, fog and ice and of course sunshine but no snow:) Now anyone that knows me well will know that I am a lover of snow and one of the first things I will do apart from take a photo is build a snowman.

I cannot imagine a winter without snow. My grandson I know is looking forward to building a snowman, he has watched the snowman with his mummy so he keeps looking for the snow and so do I. I once left a snowman on a friend’s drive as a calling card when she wasn't in :) Before anyone walks on it, or cars have driven along it I love how it looks so pure and beautiful and I am always reminded of the words of Isaiah,

Isaiah 1:18 "Come now,and let us reason together," Says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

Just as I can't imagine a winter without snow I cannot imagine my life now without that promise, when I think of the kind of person I was before the Lord Jesus came into my life I shudder, I wouldn't like to go back to being that person and I am sure that those who have known me a long time will feel the same too. My life without God's forgiveness, mercy, compassion, patience, long suffering etc. etc., (the list is long), I cannot bear to think about without Him, He is the centre of my life and it is He who sustains me daily. I can live without snow; I cannot live without Jesus.