Random Pictures and the Slow Reveal

I don't really have anything specific to share; it's just been over a week since I blogged, and I had some random pictures from the month of February that might otherwise languish in a desktop folder.

This was taken on a Sunday afternoon walk to the playground with people in our church.  One of the things I looked forward to about moving to England was a life lived more outdoors.  I haven't been disappointed.

This particular playground adjoins a soccer field.  This shot of James on the slide was taken before I was hit, not once, but twice, by a wayward kick of the ball.  Once in the calf (ouch) and then once in the head (hello stars).

Walking back.

These next few pictures were taken on a lunchtime walk at Fountains Abbey with a friend who used to work there.  When we'd gone with the kids in the past we had not explored anywhere other than around the Abbey (which is pretty immense).  Tamsin gave me a flying tour on her lunchbreak, and I was astounded about how much more there was to see and enjoy here.  We've been back with the kids since this day, and we still haven't seen it all.  I plan to take our first guests here one day next week.

And this is the "slow reveal" I mentioned in a previous blog post.

I didn't have my best lenses with me, so those aren't the best quality pictures, but it was a nice view all the same.



It was a still day with perfect reflections in the water.  One of the interesting things my friend and I talked about as we walked is how some of the people who planned out all of these landscapes, water gardens, planting of trees, etc. never saw the finished product.  So much thought, care, work, and imagination went into these designs that took years to reach full fruition.

It's not unlike the life of faith we're told about in Hebrews 11, is it?  By faith, these men and women believed God and followed where He led, but they didn't all see the end result of their faith in this life.  "These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth...If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.  But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.  Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city." 

We won't see here the full glory of all God's work in our lives, but this encourages me to keep working, and planning, and dreaming because there's a beautiful new landscape being built, and maybe (if this doesn't sound too corny) it will be made all the better for the slow reveal.