Transitioning to Winter: Embracing Cold and Cheer

This blog, for one reason or another, has taken a while to complete, so please bear with me as I give a resume of thoughts and photos from early November!

November – I always associate with cold, frost, and fog, and sometimes even snow, but this November it was interesting to see some flowers still in the garden, and trees in the p`ark with many leaves. Here are some photos taken on the first day of the month.

Autumn – Early November

When British Summer Time ended however, we were quick to see many changes. The sun is now low in the sky by 4pm, the shadows have lengthend, beaches are deserted, and dark nights are truly upon us. As temperatures in Scotland dropped below zero, and snow appeared on Ben Lomond and in the Highlands, and Christmas lights and decorations appeared in the shopping centres, we knew it was time for scarves and woolly hats, and time to switch on our electric blanket!

But just when I think it’s cold outside, I always remember our visit to NY. Alesund in the Artic Circle, for there the sun disappears at the end of October and only reappears again in early March – Whew, now that is something! It’s then that I appreciate how well off we are!

December: Now we are officially into the winter season, Christmas is just a few days ahead in our calendars, so families are busy getting ready. Special shopping expeditions for gifts; Christmas decorations, party jumpers and dresses, Christmas crackers, special food to purchase and prepare, all these and more are being organised and enacted.

Children are getting ready for their parts in Nativity plays, in schools and churches. My own church has a series of special events throughout the month that we are looking forward to.

When it comes to change, surely AI (artificial intelligence) is the phenomena that is catching everyone’s attention these days. The reality is that in almost every field of human existence, AI is being used to create machines to do all kinds of work, which until recently was always done by people. Earlier this month it was reported here, that Dr Ricardo Hanel – a neurosurgeon in Florida used newly developed technology to carry out the first transatlantic surgery on a human body 4000 miles away in Dundee, Scotland. (G. Fraser – BBC Scotland) We have also recently been hearing that machines are being used for reading and examining x-ray and MRI scans, sometimes with a higher level of accuracy than humans. There are huge benefits envisaged in the development of AI, but also huge dangers, unemployment just being one of the many concerns John Lennox raises, especially in less developed countries.

I was interested to read in JL’s book, of some people’s ideas in the Western world that computer technology has replaced religion as the most credible hope of saving humanity in the future. They are said to predict that it is only a matter of time until science solves the problem of death, and eventually we will develop a race of super happy and intelligent transhumans. All this says John against the scientific ‘Doomsday Clock’ set in 1947 at 7 minutes to midnight, but moved in 2024 to 90 seconds to midnight!

So would you like to volunteer to be one of the first to be chosen to become one of the new super intelligent transhumans? To become God like? In this scenario, mankind is once again dreaming, just as Adam and Eve did when tempted in the Garden of Eden – Bible – Genesis chapter 3.

Whatever you think, take heart, for as John Lennox reminds us, the Bible tell us that these questions and much more, were resolved almost 2000 years ago. Yes, its Christmas again and as we stop and reflect on the reason for the season, we are reminded that Christmas is good news to all people. This is real trustworthy news. News so powerfully encapsulated in the words of the apostle John when he wrote “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16,17.

This message is still changing the lives of countless thousands all around the world today, as they come in repentance and faith to Jesus, and find forgiveness for sin, and accept the eternal life he freely offers, as they receive Jesus as Saviour and Lord. All over the world men and women are becoming one through faith in our Lord Jesus! I’ll finish with an incident that happened in my childhood.

Just after WWII when prisoners of war were allowed out of their prison camps here in Scotland, we had many German prisoners of war who attended our evening service at Greenview Church in Glasgow. At Christmas a large group of them stood together and sang in German ‘Still the night, Holy the night ……. Men we had thought of as enemies singing ‘Still the night, Holy the night, Son of God, love’s pure light, Love is smiling from thy face, Strikes for us now the hour of grace, Saviour since thou art born’. Wow!

Forgiveness can be hard at times, but you may remember that when Jesus taught his disciples to pray He included these words ‘and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us‘. Let’s consider puting these words into action this Christmas and on into 2026.

We sang this carol ‘Still the Night’ at our Senior’s Christmas Celebration last week. It’s sung in German as we recalled that memorable night in church all these years ago. The words are in English on the screen, so sit back and watch and listen, and let the wonder of the Christmas story touch your heart again, as it did mine. Watch on You Tube – (click the link and then the blue link)

https://youtu.be/PlV9Yuau8xM?si=sV798kF-otQTzeRJ

Before the end of the month I plan to show some of my favourite photos from 2025, but in the meantime I wish all my readers A Very Happy Christmas and God’s blessing in 2026.

Matthew