BLUE SKIES, BRAHMS AND MUSINGS FROM GLASGOW

The Glaswegians were out in droves on the third straight day of total sunshine.  We joined them for exercise  and are glad we did.

Thanks to our Ipod, we each enjoyed simply fantastic music on Classic FM romantic from England.  I think my favorite was a Brahms  cello concerto, at least I know it was a cello, and I think they said Brahms.  No matter, it was the perfect setting for a simply fantastic piece of music.

We started out downthe walkway by the River Clyde  (or its tributary?) and walked along the river, catching light from the sun .  No pollution that we could see.  Lots of people out and the landscape is super, with plants and flowers starting to bud and the light bouncing colors off the water and the adjacent flora.

In addition to people watching,  it was just what the doctor ordered for contemplation and musing, occasionally on one of many benches in Kelvin Park downtown.  Lots of parks around here and when the long summer days come and the warmer weather, we expect it to be even more beautiful than it was today. 

At one point, we stopped at a falls, which created a kind of riptide as it leveled out below.    There was a small yellow bottle, and two sticks, which seemed, along with the riptide,  intent on keeping the bottle from heading on its presumed path downstream.  The bottle would move around is if to overcome the riptide, only to be kept at bay by the sticks.  It was only a couple of yards out of turbulance to clear sailing ahead.  The bottle reminded me a couple of  times of a salmon, intent on spawning, as it tried several times to reverse its course and finds its way vertically up the slope of the surging water from whence it came, rather than fight through the riptide and sticks. 

I am teaching institute (2nd Corinthians)  this Wednesday night, and looking for a parallel, I thought of Paul's concern for the Corinthian Saints,  so much so that he wrote long letters encouraging them and consoling them as they tried to leave old company and break bad habits.  The bottle represented a  person on a new path,  trying to repent and improve their life,  the riptide, their continual struggle with bad habits they are trying to break,  the sticks  their former "friends" who are not about to be abandoned in their pursuit of the old way.   I thought to myself that when we see a fellow traveler in this predicament, this  is our opportunity to extend a hand of support, so that they can get beyond the "riptide"' of bad habits and the influence of sometimes well meaning but misguided  former associates.  I could see that if the bottle had been a person, all that I had to do was to extend my hand, like the boy and the starfish, to assist it out of harm''s way.   

Sister Whitney did get some  photos , a few of which  are included herein.   In one she may have accidentally caught the yellow bottle, but you must look hard for it.  I have also included a few of our home evening the night before (dinner, spiritual thought and charades)  and our district conference this morning.  Need to get a better camera, since the one we have now  does not show the vivid contrast of the colors and blurs the clarity.