abbotsford.org.uk

A Reflection...

 

 

 

 

 

He has set the right time for everything. 
He has given us a desire to know the future, but never gives us the satisfaction of fully understanding what He does.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

O Scotia! my dear, my native soil!

KINGSBARNS, WOODLAND WALK

Just back from a few days up at Kildrummy in Aberdeenshire (via a night in Anstruther).
Each day had its own weather (actually every weather imaginable over the four days of our travels!) as we went from sea level to over 2000 feet on our undulating route. From eating a delicious fish supper in full sun on the front at Anstruther (they could even tell you what boat caught the haddock!), to checking in the boot to see what we had to eat (just in case!!!) as the weather chucked snow at us in a ferocious wind on the Lecht Road. 

It was also good to see the great diversity of wild life.
From Goldeneye & Eider Ducks in the sea at Kingsbarns, Fife, to young deer running in a field along the road from our hotel at Kildrummy. From the sight of a huge Hare, 'boxing' in the field across from our hotel bedroom window on a frosty morning to the sound of an Owl 'hooting' in the total darkness of the night. Add to this Pheasants & Buzzards and many others sightings too numerous to mention and you have what for me was heaven on earth.

What more could a man ask for - other than to be home safely?

God must have been well chuffed when he created our wee land.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABOVE BANCHORY

O Scotia! my dear, my native soil!
For whom my warmest wish to heaven is sent;
Long may thy hardy sons of rustic toil
Be blest with health, and peace, and sweet content.

Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)

Valentines Lunch

There was a good turn out at Abbotsford this morning (someone who is better at counting than I put it at circa 90) and it was good that the Big Hall was full for the Valentines Lunch put on by the Social Committee. A lovely roll and bacon, plus cups of tea, then up the road to catch up on things before watching the rugby.

Ah yes... the rugby!

Ach well, never mind, tomorrow's Monday.
:-)

Amazing!

During her 'All Age' talk this morning, our minister Ruth asked everyone what the most amazing thing was that we had ever seen.

I started to think of all the amazing things that I have been lucky enough to witness.

Yosemite National Park... 
The colours there are simply well... amazing.
However, this was mentioned by someone else in the congregation so that one was covered. Nice to see someone else agreed with my thoughts.

 

The Grand Canyon...
I stayed out alone in a thunderstorm that was passing through the canyon with the thought that I might just, against all the odds, catch a picture of a lightning flash.

And I did...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However - The Milky Way
When I took everything into consideration, I went for the Milky Way as seen from Iona on a crisp clear night in October 2004. 
We were late in eating at our hotel and it was a last minute decision to throw on a jacket and walk to the Abbey for the Sunday Evening service. As we walked along in pitch darkness looking up to the heavens, we saw things that you normally only see in pictures taken on telescopes. At the age of 54, I had never before seen so many stars in all my life. Actually I still haven't, despite having been on a 'star gazing evening' in the outback near Alice Springs in 2012.
The stars seen from Iona were not just amazing ... they were bsolutely AWESOME!  

All that could NOT have happened simply by chance!

What, on this fantastic planet, is the most amazing thing that you have seen?

Let there be light...

Today, 11th February, marks the birth date, in 1847, of one of the greatest inventors of modern times, Thomas Alva Edison.

Edison helped bring light to the world. 

He did not invent the first electric light bulb as is commonly mis-quoted, but he did create the first commercially practical incandescent light before going on to capitalise on this by patenting a system of electric-power generation and distribution, something that I owe 45 years of my working life to.

He also helped in the development of the phonograph and motion picture camera thus contributing to mass communication and greatly influencing the world in which we live today. 

Edison was at one time accused of being an atheist following remarks he made that "... nature made us, nature did it all, not the gods of the religions". However, he said that he had been misunderstood and clarified his position by stating, "I do not believe in the God of the theologians; but that there is a Supreme Intelligence I do not doubt."

Edison was proud of the fact that despite having worked as a naval consultant during the 1st World War and over 1000 patents having been taken out in his name, he never invented weapons to kill. 

He is quoted as saying "Nonviolence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages".

Let there be light indeed!

 

This Sunday is Presbytery Exchange Sunday.

Our minister Ruth has been matched up with Old Kilpatrick Bowling, currently in vacancy, and it is therefore our pleasure to welcome their Locum Minister... Rev. John Harris.

As it happens, John was locum during our recent vacancy and was much appreciated for always being willing to go that extra mile to ensure that we were well looked after during difficult times. I am sure that Old Kilpatrick are appreciating his hard work but I am also sure that they will be in good hands this Sunday.

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BEST WISHES TO ALL!