Scenes from Scotland!

My friend's  (referred to here in an earlier post) daughter, Sarah, posted some photos of the exquisite scenery in and around where she lives. (Which I do believe she snapped herself! This girl's got talent!)  She has graciously given me permission to post them on my blog.  These photos are of Lock Etive near Oban.  Can you imagine living around such views.  Whew!  I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.  

Glasgow City Centre

Dreams and blessings!

Unknown (to me) Piper!

The above picture was taken by a friend of mine who knew how delighted I would be to receive it.  I have no idea who this man is but I thank him for allowing his picture to be made for it inspires my dreams of one day experiencing personally the land of the pipers and hear their beautiful music with my own ears.  

My dream is a dual one, actually.  For joining us there (my husband and I), will be my son, daughter-in-law, and our 2 year old (by then) grandson.  Oh, the memories we shall make!

Ever so often, God will do something extraordinary and unexpected to confirm that His blessing is upon what you are doing.  Today was such a day.

My heart is full of gratitude and wonder! 

Goodbye Dear Friend!

One of the events I have looked forward to the most as I have been planning my trip to Scotland was to pay a visit to a very special lady. Shortly before I retired as a school teacher, I had been searching for an epal from Scotland. My search was not a typical epal search. Instead, I looked up the Baptist denomination and sent a request for a pastor's wife close to my age.  That search led me to a lovely lady who was a pastor's wife and mother of 4 children.  Just like me.  We have been corresponding for quite some time and she has been a joy to get to know.  

But yesterday I read a Facebook post from her daughter about my friend's passing and I had to accept the fact that meeting her here on this earth was not going to be part of my dream.  I take comfort in knowing that while I won't get to see her when I go to Scotland, I will get to see her when I go to heaven.

A Better Clip!

Just bear with me, but in working a little more I was able to post a better clip of the bagpipes playing Scotland the Brave at the Kirken ceremony.  I've gotten a little more experience with this You Tube thing and found a better video in iPhoto so I posted it as well.  Thanks for bearing with me on this. Live and Learn, uh!

On this one you actually get to see the pipers! Yea!

The Journey Begins!

Today I attended a Kirken of the Tartan at a nearby Episcopal Church by the invitation of a friend.  Here's is a link that you can click on to find out what a 'kirken' is all about. 

http://www.scottishtartans.org/kirkin.htm

As my friend and I made our way into the church, it was awash in men in kilts, tartan flags, bagpipe music, and church members sporting their clan colors.  I was in heaven, as this was my first live exposure to such a historic and traditional Scottish event.  

My husband and I, along with my son and his family, are presently making plans to go to Scotland sometime in 2015.  Every day I pray for God to bless us as we add to our savings account for this trip and to guide us in the planning of it.  I've already made a surprising contact with a one of my facebook friends who travels back & forth to Scotland on a regular basis.  When we became FB friends, I had no idea she was even interested in Scotland, much less a regular traveler there.  It just never came up in our conversations.  So you can imagine how excited I was when I saw the pictures she posted after her previous trip there.  I contacted her immediately asking for advice on places to visit when my family makes our trip. She was a God-send.

Also, I have an epal friend in Scotland, who like me is a pastor's wife, and has 4 children.  We have been communicating for quite a while.  If I am able to do what I hope, then I definitely plan to visit her while we are there.

When I visited my son back in January, he began talking to me about planning a trip to Scotland and it became apparent he wasn't just making conversation!  Then it slowly began to dawn on me that my dream trip to Scotland might just become a reality.  Whew!

But today as I listened to the Communion Service recitations, bagpipe music, and watched the pipers enter and exit the service playing their powerfully beautiful music, this uncanny idea planted itself into my brain,

Hey girl, your journey has begun.  You are on your way to Scotland!

After that realization, a follow-up thought inspired me to create a blog & journal my trip beginning with the first leg of my journey, The Kirken of the Tartan!  And that's just what I did! So enjoy these few pictures and join me as I travel to Scotland!

Episcopal church where the Kirken of the Tartan Communion service took place.

Something stirred deep within me as the bagpipe music played.  Must be an explanation for that.  I mean couldn't there be Scots in my lineage somewhere?

These pipers played Scotland the Brave as they proceeding out of the church.  Oh my, it was glorious!

So next time something happens on my journey, I'll let you know about it, HERE!