I have been saying to my wife recently that ‘we dont seem to be getting out and about so much these days‘, then I look at my photographs and think we are doing not too bad 🙂
The weather here has been a mix of frosty days, cold, damp, fog and gales and trorrential rain and with some lovely days in between. But what’s new? This is winter and this is Scotland!
Here are some photos of a trip we did on one of the better days in early February. Try and guess where we have been! It get’s dark around 5pm at this time of year, but it’s amazing where you can get to in just a few hours from Glasgow. We love this quiet glen in Argyllshire, shown below, it is just so peaceful and so beautifully designed.
From there we travelled to the end of the Gareloch where we turned right and drove over the hills to Cove and Kilcreggan on the Firth of Clyde. Later we headed home via Dumbarton and the Erskine Bridge, arriving just before dark.
If you would prefer something more sedate and cultural with a nice tea-room you would love a visit to The ‘Burrell Collection’, a beautiful museum set within Pollok Park on the South-side of Glasgow. It is visited by people from around the world. It’s a while since we were last there, but yesterday we spent the afternoon in the park and in the museum, and asked ourselves as we left, ‘why don’t we come here more often’? Here are some photos that may whet your appetite for a visit! The photographs below are just a small fraction of all that is on view!
1400-1500 AD
The stunning creativity and ingenuity of humankind displayed within the museum, and the museum itself, is incredible and a joy to behold. All this within the beauties of our amazing planet and our incredible universe and solar system.
I then come home and listen to the nightly news bulletin – POW! I ask myself ‘what has gone wrong’? Internationally, nationally, locally, and within families and within me. How come? We can send a man to the moon, voyagers 1 and 2 to interstellar space, invent complex computers and mobile telephones, create the world wide web, discover ways and medicines to cure countless diseases, go to great lengths to save pets and endangered speices …BUT! …. I remember going to N.Ireland on business for the first time during the troubles . The chap who met me said, Welcome Matthew we are a friendly bunch of people here, the only problem is we still kill each other! Yea, just like people all around the world by bombs, guns, knives and words! Our prisons are bursting at the seams here in Scotland, so much so we are releasing prisoners early to make room for others. What is wrong with us?
If you are like me, we are having many charity letters through the door these days asking for help … for Congo, Sudan, Ukraine, West and Central Africa, The Middle East, …….. for those with leprosy, blindness, hunger, thirst, starvation …. all appealing for help. Meanwhile the UK Government today announced the Overseas Aid Budget will be reduced to increase our spend on defence. Mmm…
We should try to do better we say, but in spite of our best intentions it always seems to fall short. The Bible says in fact that all of us have sinned and fall short! Short of our own standard, and short of God’s standard.
At my church we work our way systematically around the books of the Bible. Last Sunday we were looking at The Gospel of John – Chapter three. The chapter that contains the words of Jesus, when he said “You must be born again”. How can you be born again when you are old the hearer asked…. but Jesus’ answer to him is essential to solving the problem of mankinds sin. If you would like to know how it is possible for you and I to be born again, log-on here and listen to pastor Colin Adams unpack these words of Jesus. Our eternal destiny depends on it. The sermon on the video below starts at 38.30 minutes in. I hope you find it helpful.
As always always – happy to have your feedback.
Greetings from Scotland, wherever you are – Matthew
Matthew McKinnon's Blog 