A church experience and a sabbath walk in Inverness

Here we are. Eight of us, including an Alsatian dog. Our group is meeting on the Sabbath in a Church of Scotland church in Inverness. The church has a vast wooden ceiling with many brown pews close together. Meet the eight of us. Here is a little about us and a few sentences we said:

Pastor : A neatly dressed person probably in his late forties early fifties. He used Luke 23: 50 -56 to establish a new thought for me. ” The women , after Jesus died on the cross, at their darkest , saddest moment, prepared spices… Do you consider preparing during your saddest darkest moments?….The women wanted to work with Jesus’ body, but they waited for the Sabbath to be over… Do you wait a little before you put your hands on a problem… often, when we take our hands off, God puts His hands on the problem and solves it His way.”

The second person of our eight was a slim woman with masses of greying hair in good shape. She was a real traveller with no home. She had her Alsatian dog, her bike, and a rucksack with all her belongings. Her words were, ” I don’t like staying in one place. I have itchy feet.”

Another traveller from the South of England was seeing Scotland by car. He said :” Lone travellers get charged a lot, but I often sleep in my car. I drove from England to India when I was young, and yes, I wrote about it, but I would never think of publishing.

Another man in his early seventies said when talking about his relationship with God : “I lost my wife six years ago but my joy is to puff up the pillows behind my head, lie in bed and talk to God knowing He is standing right there at the end of the bed. I tell Him what troubles and pleases. He gives me answers not immediately but in the days, weeks and months ahead.” He had spent time attending many churches but chose this simply for the Sabbath.

My son led the singing. I read the scripture reading, and my quiet husband listened.

The pastor’s wife made delicious Dahl and rice with fried cabbage. We eight enjoyed plates full of it. The Alsatian had fish and biscuits. The eight of us all sitting at a big table in an adjoining room. She said : “I am an accountant during the week, and my joy is feeding people.” She was gifted in hospitality.

We felt we were at a private banquet spiritually and physically .

Just eight of us and an Alsation.

Enough.

Then, for a walk between the Caledonian Canal and the River Nes.

The clouds or the sun, whichever played on the water, giving different experiences of all that was around.

A straight there and back walk between a river and a canal. The sea could have been our destination, but we didn’t want to walk till dark.

Another Sabbath in Scotland when we met some truely interesting people.

Thank you for reading.

Sandy 🙂

Here are some thoughts about dogs:

No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as the dog does.

Christopher Morley

The love of a dog is a pure thing. He gives you a trust which is total. You must not betray it.

No matter how little money and how few possessions you own , having a dog makes you rich.

Louis Gabin