Unmistakable beauty - Jesus Army Life, Day 357

This morning, driving to work, the skies were clear, the sun shone brightly in the clean blue heavens and a hot air balloon climbed into the dreamy expanse. I didn't see the balloon for long, sometimes it was eclipsed by things closer to earth, sometimes the view was filtered by the flecks on the unclean part of the car's windscreen. An analogy for life maybe?

On Saturday the household visited Dunraven Bay.


I have rarely been to anywhere more beautiful in my life. There were cliffs and rock pools, and hills and secret gardens, and castles and woods and the wide sparkling, beautiful sea. I've never really been a seaside person. Given a choice of the elements I'm definitely more of the earthy sort. But the Bristol estuary leading out to the Atlantic was unmistakable in it's glory and quietly profound in the stillness of its power. So I've come to appreciate the coast, especially along the Vale of Glamorgan, as nature's invitation to freedom: freedom to see things from a new perspective, freedom to remember there is something more lasting than my own arrogant life, freedom to know that even this is a gift of love to be shared. The serenity was eloquence itself.

Days like this are wonderful for the household, they help us to remember that we are bonded together by something purer than the dust and flecks of everyday life.