Autumnal Snow

Last year the first time I saw snow was just a few days before Christmas. The snow hung around for a couple of months before finally disappearing. That was pretty unusual for Edinburgh, where some winters there is no snow, and even in a bad winter it would only lie around for a week or two.

So I was quite interested on Tuesday morning this week to see through my study window a dusting of snow on Ben Hope. Ben Hope is the most northerly Munro in Scotland, a 'Munro' being a mountain peak higher than 3000 feet, or 914m, above sea level. My OS map indicates Ben Hope is 927m.

The dusting of snow increased slightly on Tuesday afternoon, and then on Wednesday the heavy showers continued with even greater intensity. Even Ben Hutig at 408m near Melness had some snow on the summit by the end of the day.

In the noontime sunshine I was astonished to see that the strong breeze was swirling around the summit and whipping up the snow into graceful whorls and streamers. The sunlight was gleaming off the white snow and it was awesomely beautiful. You can see a photo below. The snow must have been very dry to be lifted into the air by the wind.



Sometimes we take the everyday beauty of our world for granted. The delicate balance of nature on the surface of our planet seems imperturbable. Yet the narrow zone of habitable environment is narrower than we think. A rise in global carbon dioxide, or a fall in the solar power output, is all it takes to throw our human civilisations into chaos.

God calls each of us to live in harmony with his plan and purpose for the world. We are to love our neighbours, even if they are our enemies. We are to care for the poor, bring healing to the sick, deliver justice to the oppressed, and to enjoy the bounteous provision of our creator God. God is love - dwell in his love.

Is love more important than happiness?

God loves us so much that he spent his life on the Cross so that we might come into a loving relationship with Him. But does He want us to love Him more than He wants us to be happy?

Sometimes people try to make friends with someone by being nice to them. We are so desperate for them to be our friend that we give them gifts, take them places, and generally be as kind and helpful as we can.

Such generosity might convince the other person of our sincerity, but if the other person is not attracted to us as a person, then it is not likely that our generosity will change their mind. They may be happy to be with us, since the good gifts are enjoyable. But when there is a pause between the gifts, then they become uninterested again. They are not deep friends, only fair-weather friends. When life gets hard, they will move on, and leave you behind.

Sometimes people think that if there is a God who loves us, then He should make us happy. If we were happy, then we would be willing to love God. If God can't make us happy, then He is not worthy of our time.

I wonder if that kind of attitude underlies the fragility of so many human relationships. People are pleased to stick with their partner so long as he or she makes them happy. If life moves into a difficult phase, and we are not happy, then we split up and look for someone else who can do the trick.

How much should our love be based on our feelings, how much should be based on our thoughts, and is there anything else that would strengthen our love?

When we feel happy, when we enjoy someone's company, when we desire to be with someone, we sum up our feelings by declaring our love. But feelings can be very fickle, having bad days as well as good days.

If our love is based on a considered appreciation of someone, then that should be much more stable. We remember our partner telling us of their love for us. We recall their attractiveness and we remember the good times we have had together. We are thankful for those qualities and characteristics that we value and appreciate. We may not be feeling positive towards the person, but we remember how important they are to us.

My musings are no-doubt only capturing a glimpse of what love is all about. Many others have written deeply on the subject. But it seems to me that many folk today still struggle to feel loved, and to love others.

Love is more than feelings, and more than a product of our thinking.

God tells us that He is love. It is his nature. He has made us humans in his image, and so we have capability to love. God wants us to love, and to be loved. He longs to be the primary object of our love, and to enfold you in his love. When you know his love in and through you, then you have love in abundance for other folk too.

We cannot make other people love us. But we don't need to make God do that - He loves us already. He is just waiting for our response - for us to open the door of our hearts and lives, to let Him in, and fill us with his love.

God loves you unconditionally. You cannot make him love you more, and you cannot make him love you less. He gives us that kind of love for other folk too.

If you are feeling short of love, then open yourself to God, and let Him fill you to overflowing.

Northern Lights

It's been a beautiful day, almost cloud-free, except for a period in the mid-morning. We've been working in the garden, and then visited someone for afternoon tea.

This evening the air is very still and the sky is still clear. I went outside to check that the intermittent low rumbles I could hear were actually from the military bombing range at Cape Wrath. Indeed, they were, although I couldn't see any flashes. The bangs must be rather loud, as it's some 30-odd miles to Cape Wrath from Tongue.

When I looked northwards, I was delighted to see my first sight of the Northern Lights. The photos I had seen previously, and a distant view through an aircraft window, did not do them justice! It was really amazing to see the patterns moving about and the glow was much brighter than I expected. Perhaps we will see even better examples during the dark winter nights ahead.

I took a few photos, but even at 8 seconds exposure time on f2.8, I could only catch the brightest portions. The photo above has the brightness level boosted, and you can make out some of the aurora just above and to the right of the street light. My photo won't give you any idea of the broad view of the Lights. They ranged across the whole northern sky, although they didn't not stretch high up into the night sky.

You might also make out the constellation of the Plough farther up in the sky, pointing towards the North Pole star. I was only holding the camera against a downpipe at the side of the house, so I'm quite impressed I held it so still for 8 seconds! Perhaps next time I'll get out my tripod.

When everything else was quiet, we could also hear some distant roaring from the red deer stags, now that they have started the annual rutting season. Hearing this was another first time experience for my wife and I.