New Beginnings and other Thoughts

"How do you get started?" Was the question hanging in the air as I looked at my friend across the table. "You just start" he replied, "You can read, think and plan, but until you start writing, nothing is done. In order to learn the art of writing you must write," So, dear ones, here I sit at the computer, about to share my heart with you as the Lord directs. Exciting and terrifying to see the blank page and the blinking cursor waiting, patiently waiting to be filled.

"Write what you know" has been the answer to prayers about subjects for this adventure. So what do I know? I am a woman, goodness knows that accounts for something, ha. I am a wife and mother of three incredible men (the mother part not the wife part!) and their sweeties, a grandmother of 6 adorable kiddlets, a nurse, a niece, a cousin, a friend and perhaps the best of all - I belong to Wendy, our precious poodle. Seriously, to be a daughter of the Living God and awaiting His return as His Bride stands above all the rest. His gentle guidance on the journey we are walking together is persistent and loving. May the words that are forming be a blessing and encouragement to you and may the Lord shine through and touch your heart as He does mine so often each day!

Dear Ones, I have arrived in Newark and am on my way home. What a shock to walk off the plane to 97 degree temps, American accent, hispanic accent, dour security and customs guys and heat haze!!!! Well, thought this pic of the Scottish country side would give you all some "eye candy". It was really hard to leave the precious ones this morning . . . shed a few tears as I flew over Scotland on the way to the US. I will add a few more pics to the blog and some narrative once I get home. Have some great footage of a neat castle near Hamilton and some other pics of around Hamilton. Love you all, cant wait to give you hugs!

Beautiful Loch Lomond and the tiny town of Luss - my favorite

My all time favorite so far! I love the wee town of Luss on the banks of Loch Lomond. Makes me think of the musical"Brigadoon". I would love to live here. The cottages just welcome you in . . . and the flowers this time of year are incredible. I will add some pics to the blog . . .I can't say enough about the scenery. The colors are so vivid! Each day the sky displays breath-taking patterns, and the flowers . . .well, all colors, all sizes and all beautiful. From Luss we traveled just a short way to Helensburgh, again on the shore, but this time the sea! To smell the seaweed, hear the gulls call to one another is marvelous . . .I wish I could bottle all the experiences and bring them home to you! We have had such special times as a family, some of whom we may not see again this side of Heaven . . .this makes it all the more precious. Enjoyed church on Sunday and today spent some time on the computer downloading pics from Uncle Jim. (will make a wonderful book!) This evening I was invited to go with Aunt Sadie to the Monday girls night out! what fun! Yummo food, ha. We won't be traveling much more except to Overtown and Law for the family history and down the Clyde side. Miss you all and send you big hugs, cool air and rain from this side of the pond!

Thought you would enjoy a wee fish supper tonight for your dinner! Delicious food and great

company. The week has flown in! We visited Peebles, a beautiful town on the borders. See down below and I will add some pics from there. The landscape and colors are so vibrant, never seen so many shades of green! The camera can't capture all the hues! Wednesday I moved down to Uncle Jim and Aunt Sadie's and then in the afternoon went with Uncle Jim to Overtown and Larkhall for history lesson and pics and along the way visited the most fantastic horses!!!!! Yesterday we drove to Coatbridge and visited an industrial museum of life in the mines and steel works. Can you imagine chipping at coal with a pic in an 18 inch space for 8 to 12 hours and being dragged out by your feet at the end of your shift!!!!! Use your imagination as to eating, drinking, etc. God bless those men, with their shirt off no less! Today we are off to Glasgow to tour on the "topless" bus. Tomorrow we are off to Helensburgh and having lunch in one of my alltime favorite place, Luss. Reminds me of Brigadoon, ha Love and miss you all!

The bagpipes are coming!!!! What an experience, the ground shook with the drums and the air vibrated with the sound of the pipes! And they kept coming till the stadium was filled with pipers

from all around the world. You just wanted to stand up and cheer will you had no voice left!

The program kept us on the edge of our seats, from 5 - 7 year olds on motorized mini bikes to the older teenegers flying around the stadium doing single, double and quad crosses in front of us, gymnastic displays by the soldiers, graceful , highland dancing to funny skits. A moving reenactment of soldiers protecting and Afghan family in the desert. The sky cleared during the performance not a drop or rain fell as it had several times that day. We also took a Celtic walk thru parts of Edinburgh to learn the Christian history, the bravery of the Conenantors in their stand for Christ during 1661-1668. Did you know if you were caught reading the Bible you could be shot right then and there????? If you were caught in a gathering you were taken to the castle and thumb screws were applied till you either recanted or your thumbs split!!!! 1400 were taken to Greyfrair's church graveyard and treated as animals till all but 48 survived. The leaders had their hands chopped off along with their head and placed on pikes for all to see . . . one head was on display as a warning for 27 years. How would we act in those circumstances??? Would we stand for Christ through the fire and the water. Our brothers and sisters were tortured and drowned for their faith, the time is coming and is here in other countries where Christians die for their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ . . .May we stand tall together and fear no man in our declaration of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

love to my kiddlets!

I can not believe it is Tuesday already! What a weekend . . .Sunday morning was precious, the children who delivered their part of the programof their weeks time together were so excited about the kings and queens of the Bible: Jezebel - WICKED! ( in a bad way, ha), Solomon - WISE,Esther - WILLING, David - WORSHIPPING KingJesus - WONDERFUL. In the afternoon Ruth, a dear friend, and I went north to Stirling and through the foothills of the Ochil Hills to Tillicoultry . . .so incredibly beautiful. Tears, thinking of all the times Papa walked along these roads and the occasions I was bundled up in the pram and went for a "wee" ride up the hills with Mom and Dad. So many memories that we will have to gather in Eternity with them . . .Returning to Stirling we found the university of Stirling and there was Wallace's monument . . . majestic against the sunny sky, towering over the campus. CALEDON, the three Scottish tenors . . .wow what a night, what laughes, what music. Our toes tapped and our hands clapped and we laughed till there was no voice left! On the way home we were thrilled at the sight of Stirling Castle lite up against the black backdrop of the night sky. Today we are off to Glasgow to visit the Cowan's, Daddys cousin, sweet times that may not be experienced again till we are together in Heaven. Thursday we are off to Edinburgh! the Tattoo!