Scotland

Castles and Foundations

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You can’t really visit Scotland and not visit at least some castles. Some are beautiful restored, some are now in ruins, some are still occupied and some are now museums. Visiting these is one of my favourite activities. A lot of footsteps have gone before me, walking along the hall ways, and I can always dream about what it has been like. I can dream about being in charge of the castle, or marvel at what those truly in charge have done with it. Castles are build on very strong foundations.

Castles remind me of past times, of era’s gone by.

Fraser Castle

There is another type of castle. Sand castles are those built on the beach, with a bucket and spade… An alternate meaning is dreaming of something but without a firm foundation, or living a life without a firm foundation. Walking along the beach I love looking at those castles built by kids… and I remember I certainly also have dreams built on nothing but sand.

Sand Castle Remnants

There is a children’s song we used to sing.. A wise man built his house on the rock, but a foolish man built his house on the sand. Then the storm came and the house on the sand fell flat. The song is based on Matthew 7:24-27. In this passage we are encouraged to build our house on a solid foundation. On a rock. Not on sand, where it can crash.

“24 Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain feel, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it”

Both castles are beautiful. But the big difference between a sand castle and a real castle is the material it’s built with and the foundation it’s built on. Castles are built to last, they are often in strategic locations, built on rock massive. Unlike sand castles/dream castles which can just blow away by the wind.

We are asked to build our lives on Jesus the Rock, so it can withstand the test of time. Just like the castles I have seen. It can weather a storm, where Jesus is the centre of our lives. We will learn to trust Him, and unlike the sand castle of dreams this relationship will stay strong.

“And I will build my life upon Your love, it is a firm foundation
And I will put my trust in You alone and I will not be shaken
And I will build my life upon Your love, it is a firm foundation
And I will put my trust in You alone and I will not be shaken…

Holy, there is no one like You, there is none beside You
Open up my eyes in wonder and
Show me who You are and fill me with Your heart
And lead me in Your love to those around me” (Pat Barrett)

Castles, dreams… what is your life built on? I hope it is on the Rock!

Slain Castle
Tolquhon Castle
Dunnottar Castle

Christmas in Scotland

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There is something so magical about Scotland that it draws me year on year. Whenever there is opportunity, I want to go there. My favourite part is the Highlands, the remoteness, wild landscape. The chances of seeing wildlife, very few others.

This year we wanted to try a different part of Scotland, the Isle of Skye the destination. However, Christmas would be spend in the Highlands.

After the beautiful Candle service at Stanboroughpark Church, we set off to the north. After 4 hours we decided to stop at a service station and camp for the night. Our motorhome is self sufficient, and after spending the night we woke up Christmas morning, ready to go on to the Highlands. The goal was to find a spot in Glencoe to cook our Christmas meal, waking up to the beautiful mountains.

Spending Christmas in the beautiful scenery, surrounded by the mystical mountains, that’s the reminder for me of our God who created everything so perfect but then came to this earth to be able to restore the relationship between God and man which was destroyed due to our sinful nature. The mountains will burst into singing, according to Isaiah 55:12

Christmas has now come and gone. All I have as reminders are the little Christmas tree still on the table in the Motorhome and the many pictures I took and the assurance that I too can sing with joy about His Goodness.

Everything Doesn’t Always Go to Plan

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Everyone plans…for their future, for their day out, for their holidays. You can plan everything down to the second, but life has taught me over the last month that no matter how much you plan, things can fall apart.

A couple days before Christmas my relationship of 4 years fell apart and all the planning I had done just disappeared. Do I regret anything? No. Would I change things if I could? No. Life throws these curveballs, there is no way around that. But how we grow from them is up to us. I could have chosen to be a wreck and cry the entire time we were on holiday in Scotland. Instead, I dusted the dirt off my shoulders and picked myself up and had a great holiday!

So no matter how much you plan, you also have to give space for the what ifs in life. This year definitely didn’t start the way I thought it would…But this is the year that I take things under control. My health for one…and take time to be me and grow even more as a person. Whether that is going out more and taking pictures and growing as a photographer, to trying those Pinterest recipes that I have wanted to try for a while now.

When you are going through a tough time in life, what do you do to pick yourself back up? For me, it’s surrounding myself with friends and family, laughing and remembering all the awesome things that have happened! And of course, comfort food such as chocolate and pizza was consumed! And a whole lot of shortbread and mulled wine instant tea (Whittard) in Scotland too!

So instead of Italy, this year I’m going to explore other countries, work on my photography and finally dye my hair! What’s something that you planned that fell through? How did you deal with it? Let me know in the comments or email me!

~ My entire life can be described in one sentence: It didn’t go as planned, and that’s ok – Anonymous ~

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New Year

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It’s the day before the last day of the year, and time to reflect on that which is now the past…. What did 2017 bring you?

For our family, 2017 has brought a lot of change. Melody passed her Masters in Zoo Conservation Biology (a great accomplishment and I am very proud!), Geert bought another car to replace the car he had…. and I have lived in the US now for 7 months.

At the moment our family is reunited in the British Isles. In Scotland to be precise. We had read a lot about the area above Inverness and therefore decided to explore it. Currently we are driving the Route 500 in a Motorhome. We are hoping to ring in the new year in Durness, on the beach. Who knows… we might be lucky and spot the Northern Lights! So far we are loving every minute of it. Below you can see a few snapshots.

In a few days, life will return back to our normal. 2018 will have begun and with it, the promise of another blessed year. No one knows what the future holds.. am sure glad I know Who holds the future. Even if our family will spend some more time apart, we are together in love, faith and knowledge that we will spend eternity together.

A blessed 2018 to all!