tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-331620782024-03-07T04:57:19.987+00:00IAIN C's RANDOM REFLECTIONSIAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.comBlogger312125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-41311380241841294822009-12-11T09:58:00.003+00:002009-12-11T10:12:40.227+00:00Swan Lake<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXJVviKR1CiHj0f_YqTmhbnD1to0MUy9IcFp4kg_AdndcUwYJCEI6fElMGgDh2CmrIBohoU8h3mVpEkUYBSQ1noVKwmdKbRzKGYAZ4MyORTjKBLQM6twRCRWNFPyvqfaovPol/s1600-h/swan+at+Braidwood.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413916236902343010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXJVviKR1CiHj0f_YqTmhbnD1to0MUy9IcFp4kg_AdndcUwYJCEI6fElMGgDh2CmrIBohoU8h3mVpEkUYBSQ1noVKwmdKbRzKGYAZ4MyORTjKBLQM6twRCRWNFPyvqfaovPol/s400/swan+at+Braidwood.jpg" /></a><br />You don't have to go all the way to Florida to see interesting wildlife. I can see some from my study window looking out over 'Braidwood Loch.' (Don't tell anyone in Braidwood but the 'loch' is really just a large duck-pond - <a href="http://iain-cs-random-reflections.blogspot.com/2008/12/natures-royal-variety-performance.html">beautiful, none the less</a>.)<br />There used to be a family of swans resident on the loch but a few years ago one of the parents was killed and there have been no swans for some time. However, a few weeks ago this lone swan settled back in the loch and added a bit of extra glamour to the scene.<br />I couldn't resist taking the camera out and 'capturing' it.<br />If this is a mute swan -and maybe someone can tell me whether it is or not- then it is apparently the property of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-21273,00.html">Her Majesty the Queen.</a><br />In case anyone asks, I am not planning to have this swan or any other for our Christmas dinner!IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-66194243880245075802009-10-22T10:51:00.004+01:002009-10-22T11:39:15.809+01:00Moments<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNsYOWC-VtjrfDWRsNNVOb8A30Dbz9UmNSBlU3E66TB0AeDHCrxCx1Ea_dYzKFBMM3unB6SpBbwIm1F66gfro8JtyP6TrhccuO7ADRyoXOnm2I3F4EreFI2pCrLSn9QvV_kXr/s1600-h/heron.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMNsYOWC-VtjrfDWRsNNVOb8A30Dbz9UmNSBlU3E66TB0AeDHCrxCx1Ea_dYzKFBMM3unB6SpBbwIm1F66gfro8JtyP6TrhccuO7ADRyoXOnm2I3F4EreFI2pCrLSn9QvV_kXr/s400/heron.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395360296095442066" border="0" /></a><br />The wildlife in Florida is great - especially in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Reserve. In particular the birdlife is prolific. And so was my photographing of it! I took 902 photographs in a week. (I love digital photography. I would have needed 25 rolls of film for that lot!)<br />Out of the hundreds of pics I took, the above was one of my favourites.<br />I think it is a Great Blue Heron.<br />I managed to 'capture' it in flight. What I like about the picture is that you can really feel the combination of strength and control required by this bird to get airborne.<br />But there is also something strange to me about this picture although it is probably true of most photographs. A fleeting moment is frozen in time and something that was so full of life and movement becomes like a statue.<br />In life itself some moments <span style="font-style: italic;">are</span> worth holding on to.<br />It reminded me of a song I heard many years ago from an Irish band called <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAV1ws1Tlao">Picture House</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Moments Like These</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Browne/Maitland/Glenister)</span></span><br /><br />Recall, return<br />Relive and learn<br />All of our memories<br />In summer nights<br />We've put it right<br />Tumbled down into it<br />I know they're only moments<br /><br />But moments like these<br />Are so hard to come by<br /><br />Some bridges burn<br />Some things we learn<br />By tumbling into it<br />Recall, re-learn<br />Relive, return<br />And all of our memories<br />Are nothing only momentsIAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-76240351966201358062009-10-22T09:27:00.003+01:002009-10-22T10:46:49.878+01:00Light and Shade<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UuaBfEjDPoD7NIgI1zhBhu2KCddhju1YhImTxx6we0sz3vo6ZRo14qaaHpXrx3iEaa6b12XTD_K_T4SSh8_1p0CIYTcNmOAydwiqR70B20vu1awRBk_Zrn3zGZrtbMJsRofd/s1600-h/light+on+the+water.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UuaBfEjDPoD7NIgI1zhBhu2KCddhju1YhImTxx6we0sz3vo6ZRo14qaaHpXrx3iEaa6b12XTD_K_T4SSh8_1p0CIYTcNmOAydwiqR70B20vu1awRBk_Zrn3zGZrtbMJsRofd/s400/light+on+the+water.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395348414663369810" border="0" /></a><br />I suppose one of the most important elements in photography is the use of contrast.<br />Taking a photograph <span style="font-style: italic;">(or rather 'making' a photograph, since there is usually some element of creativity involved)</span> has often been described as 'capturing the light.' But, of course, that is only half the story. If it is all light and nothing else, there isn't much of a photograph. It's the contrast between the light and its reflections and shadows which make any picture worth looking at.<br />Talking of contrasts- last week my wife and I had the good fortune to be in Central Florida for a week. There was a heatwave! Not like the ones we occasionally have in Scotland in the summer-time when we have two or maybe even three consecutive days of sunshine with temperatures getting up to 80 degrees! <br />In Florida last week (mid-October, remember) temperatures throughout the whole week were in the 90's. Quite a contrast when we arrived in Manchester on Saturday to a temperature of just 42 degrees.<br />But in spite of the photograph above (taken at 6:39am when the air temperature was already in the mid 80's) we hadn't gone there just to find sunshine: the real reason for our visit was to spend time with two people (Ernest and Mary-Louise) who have been our friends and mentors for the last 35 years.<br />Which brings me to another contrast- to celebrate his <span style="font-weight: bold;">85th</span> birthday, Ernest decided to go skydiving. There is absolutely <a href="http://iain-cs-random-reflections.blogspot.com/2006/11/eye-in-sky.html">no chance</a> of me doing likewise - though I may consider it for my 125th birthday!IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-70014067346086688862009-10-02T20:15:00.004+01:002009-10-02T20:46:01.124+01:00안녕하세요<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkRFY02EYuKJSsSdV9MAOfHhFPMEZzHJDIFUY7p3VovfMadDRM-FduS-ozIEiGAVpfYtlw-oaAo944x7XMk7KK1sBB2u7PjQL6H6gOXEwIBkCJAvc0ChAiNOXHznaHdwISgLg/s1600-h/DongkwangPartners.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388084348324535298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRkRFY02EYuKJSsSdV9MAOfHhFPMEZzHJDIFUY7p3VovfMadDRM-FduS-ozIEiGAVpfYtlw-oaAo944x7XMk7KK1sBB2u7PjQL6H6gOXEwIBkCJAvc0ChAiNOXHznaHdwISgLg/s400/DongkwangPartners.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Look closely at the picture and you'll see the main reason that I haven't done any blogging lately. We welcomed 10 visitors from Dongkwang Church, Seoul, including their Senior Pastor, Rev. Chang Bin, to spend just over a week with us in Kirkton and formally create a congregational partnership through signing a Partnership Agreement. </div><div>One of my tasks for the week (apart from organising most of the visits and events) was to drive the minibus. <em>[And it has taken me another week to recover!]</em></div><div>Among many other things, we had a great time visiting Glasgow, Edinburgh, Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle, New Lanark, The David Livingstone Memorial in Blantyre. We were guided round the Scottish Parliament by our MSP, Karen Gillon, and welcomed by the Moderator of the General Assembly.</div><div><em>[I will gloss over the parking ticket I got in Edinburgh because our minibus was a bit too long for the parking space I had put it into... we'll wait and see how the appeal goes.]</em></div><div><em></em></div><div>But the highlights for me were the services of worship on the Sunday morning and evening and our "Scottish Evening" on the Tuesday night, which involved Scottish, food, music, dancing and lots of fun. In each of these instances many people in the congregation joined in which made the idea of a <em>congregational</em> partnership a reality.</div><div></div><div>I know from my own experience that Korean Presbyterian worship is quite a bit more formal than the style of worship we are accustomed to in Kirkton, so I knew that there would be a bit of culture-shock for our visitors- but the thing that really delighted me was walking into the church while people were still gathering and noticing two of the younger members of our church family (both about 6 years old) chatting away to some of our Korean visitors who I knew did not speak any English. It didn't seem to matter. The children got the message across... "Welcome to our family!"</div><div>The message was underlined during the service when we sang the song "Welcome Everbody it's good to see you here." </div><div>OK - it is hardly a liturgical (or even musical) classic but there was something very sincere and heart-warming in the way that the congregation sang it, and the visitors seemed to sense that too.</div><div>A few minutes before the service began I decided to make up another verse of the song (again - I know it is more doggerel than literature - but it worked.)</div><div></div><div><em>"Scotland and Korea are very far apart</em></div><div><em>but through the love of Jesus our partnership can start,</em></div><div><em>and as our friendship deepens we will be one in heart</em></div><div><em>gathering in this place."</em></div><div></div><div>Now if I could only learn a bit of Korean myself...</div>IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-66353260371376800312009-09-01T10:12:00.003+01:002009-09-01T10:26:09.904+01:00Keeping it real<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokS-4kIgPJfOcVsqLq47ge9wv9r_Q-ZoZbkW3TPFsoqT4D_9wKaZj4M7NqDn6O-c6IiuyNcsMlf-_7UhOjf4sgTPmSl-TDPqfz4hF3fydzjk5wBkaCfFqo9iamt-llxyBr2PK/s1600-h/274.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376425008105915442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokS-4kIgPJfOcVsqLq47ge9wv9r_Q-ZoZbkW3TPFsoqT4D_9wKaZj4M7NqDn6O-c6IiuyNcsMlf-_7UhOjf4sgTPmSl-TDPqfz4hF3fydzjk5wBkaCfFqo9iamt-llxyBr2PK/s400/274.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Following up on Elizabeth Gilbert's wonderful <a href="http://iain-cs-random-reflections.blogspot.com/2009/08/oh-for-wings-iii.html">quote</a>, I share with you a picture which I hope shows that you that not all plants and flowers need to have bold, bright colours to be beautiful in their own way. Sometimes such understated beauty goes unnoticed when other 'show-off ' flowers are nearby, but that's a pity because to me there is something intrinsically fascinating about this particular plant (although I can't remember what it is called.) Can anybody help?</div><div>It reminds me a little bit about one of the house martin chicks in the previous <a href="http://iain-cs-random-reflections.blogspot.com/2009/08/open-wide.html">post</a>. The bold, brash, pushy chick with its beak wide open makes very sure that mother notices it, but look more carefully into the picture and see the other chick very much taking a back seat.</div><div>All too often <em>people</em> who are like this go unnoticed and ignored which is a real pity for they often have so much to offer.</div><div>It's one of the things I like about the gospel pictures of Jesus; he preferred to spend most of his time and energy on those who were on the margins rather than those who in all sorts of ways cried out 'look at me.'</div><div><em><span style="font-size:85%;">[By the way, you can still keep sending in caption suggestions for the two pictures below.]</span></em></div>IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-12225255156256066352009-08-25T09:04:00.003+01:002009-08-25T09:14:21.753+01:00Open wide<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLO-EGAEGOYwAgDy0aMF1bhTtAHqYRhXGwIfTWJp5A_N_tzxw7uUa-YwyxFivXiB3KsapEn1UjRMqXMB1z-RS8Fi7Hm8PR05QSR0Ygn1JSf24SMAar-4m-gulRdK4NlNHh0nZ/s1600-h/16a_House+Martins.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 313px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcLO-EGAEGOYwAgDy0aMF1bhTtAHqYRhXGwIfTWJp5A_N_tzxw7uUa-YwyxFivXiB3KsapEn1UjRMqXMB1z-RS8Fi7Hm8PR05QSR0Ygn1JSf24SMAar-4m-gulRdK4NlNHh0nZ/s400/16a_House+Martins.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373809568061228610" /></a><i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">[house martins nesting in the eaves of my sister's house</span>]</div></i><div><br /><div>So far we have only had one response to the caption 'competition.' Thank you, Lynn.</div><div>Of course, it may be that we only have one reader!</div><div>Or maybe the rest of you are waiting to see what the prize might be?</div><div>C'mon... let's have some suggestions as to what, if anything, is in the mind of our photogenic sheep! </div><div>Or if that doesn't appeal... what about a caption for today's photograph?</div><div>You'll have to look carefully but there are <i>three</i> House Martins in the picture. What might each of them be saying? What does the picture make you think of?</div><div>Answers, please... but not on a postcard- a comment will do.</div><div>The competition is wide open.</div><div><br /></div></div>IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-54991236036247232662009-08-24T08:26:00.003+01:002009-08-24T08:53:45.055+01:00Very Random Thoughts<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Bv4vtgRWL9UJXE1uNlVOwjK6tRQFsqTLvAC2K8LhzdKJEKzGqixUJIXQVXgrlOF4ZEm2H69R8azyMlQebE4UbKSVTYZeT1ip60AmrqhYil-87ode3ZtRTPjbq2qJ3DFQs8zx/s1600-h/0967.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Bv4vtgRWL9UJXE1uNlVOwjK6tRQFsqTLvAC2K8LhzdKJEKzGqixUJIXQVXgrlOF4ZEm2H69R8azyMlQebE4UbKSVTYZeT1ip60AmrqhYil-87ode3ZtRTPjbq2qJ3DFQs8zx/s400/0967.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373429086663286450" /></a><br /><div>No doubt, if I take the trouble to write anything at all for this blog, I <i>ought</i> to be reflecting on major issues of the day, such as the controversial release of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/aug/23/gordon-brown-letter-gaddafi-lockerbie">al Megrahi</a>, and the difficult (if not at times impossible) tension between compassion (mercy) and justice. However, I will leave such matters to those more qualified and better informed than I.</div><div>In passing, though, I would simply observe that as a general rule most of us prefer mercy for ourselves when we mess up but justice for those who do us wrong. All the same (for what it is worth) I reckon the release of al Megrahi, and the manner and timing of it, was probably a mistake.</div><div><br /></div><div>But...to return to the far more mundane matters that usually fill this space I ask you to take a closer look at the subject of the portrait above.<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> [click on the picture to see it full size]</span></i></div><div>The photograph was taken at the <a href="http://www.blackisleshow.info/index.asp?PageID=13">Black Isle Show</a> a couple of weeks ago.</div><div>There were some pretty impressive animals on show, Clydesdale Horses and the like. But this particular sheep caught my eye (almost literally.) Most of the other sheep, of all breeds, were either shy or contemptuously indifferent to the camera lens but this particular one was virtually posing. I don't know what you think of sheep as a rule but what do you imagine this sheep was thinking about the photographer?</div><div>Let's have a caption competition for a little 'thought bubble' we can add to this picture. Send me your suggestions.</div>IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-41516396776020863312009-08-20T14:32:00.006+01:002009-08-20T14:52:09.817+01:00Oh for the wings (iii)<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(204, 238, 221); line-height: 18px; font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><div><br /></div></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRBc5wg6vS1qPCfm-mAa9IXc4NQL-8orxrpMobQYYmbshYyAWEDskwvnxHZq5nqGEoDdaYoKEqvuoMhVPD6wGgJQf-as6omF5SOMD8FiS365y0K5c8lOyX1nNazL26rr1krBq/s1600-h/686.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRBc5wg6vS1qPCfm-mAa9IXc4NQL-8orxrpMobQYYmbshYyAWEDskwvnxHZq5nqGEoDdaYoKEqvuoMhVPD6wGgJQf-as6omF5SOMD8FiS365y0K5c8lOyX1nNazL26rr1krBq/s400/686.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372038628541410114" /></a>To complete the trio it's back to the natural world and back down in scale with the blue here reserved for the damselfly itself.<div>I originally tried to post the three photographs together but for some reason that I don't have time to explore something happened which meant that you could not click the photographs to see them in their full size.</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't like some of the changes that seem to have been introduced to Blogger and the way it works (or more often doesn't.)</div><div>For one thing I no longer seem to be able to access some of the blogs I used to visit from time to time. It is also difficult to post using Firefox. <i>[Anyone know why?]</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>However, there is one blog that I can still visit entitled <a href="http://cherieswebwanderings.blogspot.com/">"Cause I believe in you"</a> and on it I came across this wonderful quote:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(204, 238, 221); line-height: 18px; font-family:'Trebuchet MS';font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153); ">"</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 153); ">"To devote yourself to the creation and enjoyment of beauty can be a serious business - not always necessarily a means of escaping reality, but sometimes a means of holding on to the real when everything else is flaking away into . . . rhetoric and plot" ~~ Elizabeth Gilbert</span></span></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>It gives me all the justification I need to continue taking photographs when I can and posting them here. Apparently in doing so I am not escaping reality but actually holding on to what is real. </div><div>That is good to know.</div><div><br /></div>IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-55711382149876421832009-08-20T14:29:00.002+01:002009-08-20T14:45:15.433+01:00Oh for the wings (ii)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgESAE8Zup-mQ5j4cu_39YvlEUOWtWlkJwIWj266vbDekSJv4oPqTroTx63OlEdOHSHbEt3jBXSRuzpBk1dAs178A7FUis7DhPMKMPKCDcBPMaGMR7eSyeROPpmFGG0M-HxyS/s1600-h/0323.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 288px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwgESAE8Zup-mQ5j4cu_39YvlEUOWtWlkJwIWj266vbDekSJv4oPqTroTx63OlEdOHSHbEt3jBXSRuzpBk1dAs178A7FUis7DhPMKMPKCDcBPMaGMR7eSyeROPpmFGG0M-HxyS/s400/0323.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372038058781723202" /></a><br /><div>With a not-quite-so-blue sky for background this very colourful kite was also being flown from Dunstable Downs.</div><div><br /></div>IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-10494055768662487562009-08-20T10:46:00.006+01:002009-08-20T14:46:05.569+01:00Oh for the wings...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXBO5l6jt7hyphenhyphen4BlTC6MfNCaBR18lluvgF2FOF-7gU47enCh6_3zc2vkvaj1AvwORZFDpgvLlHdQijGrDZ8Xmw13ZjacYLA_YUsq4hJ2fZ2uC46qBrYkLRduy-PwJpHZQ3QChnc/s1600-h/0296.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXBO5l6jt7hyphenhyphen4BlTC6MfNCaBR18lluvgF2FOF-7gU47enCh6_3zc2vkvaj1AvwORZFDpgvLlHdQijGrDZ8Xmw13ZjacYLA_YUsq4hJ2fZ2uC46qBrYkLRduy-PwJpHZQ3QChnc/s400/0296.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372035431070659138" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>On the subject of flying things, here's a man-made flying machine soaring silently over the Dunstable Downs. <i>[Incidentally, does anyone know why it is that in England hills that are clearly 'up' are nevertheless called 'downs'? Just wondering.]</i><div><i><br /></i></div><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div>IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-50059586622538613572009-08-20T08:19:00.002+01:002009-08-20T08:41:25.194+01:00Autumn in the air?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9YWAvo5h-ZgOZKKIuHcJtPK6cpi-cQx1y1Ola4e9nsjSMcPVNVBMQ9CtlEI9b7lCwk00FqjIfi3CWoxYlPbLkr6r81pvcKUnvUFeX6bqh0GDzxDND2rMHQbCtG0zM5qrWr57U/s1600-h/signs+of+autumn.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9YWAvo5h-ZgOZKKIuHcJtPK6cpi-cQx1y1Ola4e9nsjSMcPVNVBMQ9CtlEI9b7lCwk00FqjIfi3CWoxYlPbLkr6r81pvcKUnvUFeX6bqh0GDzxDND2rMHQbCtG0zM5qrWr57U/s400/signs+of+autumn.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371943163110032674" /></a><br /><div>Apparently the 'experts' are telling us now that Autumn has come early this year - just as Spring did. For most of us in Scotland the biggest problem is that there doesn't seem to have been very much summer in between!</div><div>The photograph above was actually taken on 22nd July in the south of England and already it looks pretty autumnal to me, although, to be honest I have no idea when maple leaves normally begin to change colour.</div><div>I know there is a big difference between climate change and changeable weather but it does look as if some of the predictions are coming true (although not the one from the BBC weather folk who told us we would be having a 'barbecue summer' this year!) As I look out of the window this morning to see heavy rain falling and the trees being buffeted by strong winds it almost looks like January!</div><div>I received an email the other day from a friend in South Korea and he tells me that <i>they </i>have <i>"been suffering the wettest summer ever."</i></div><div>Ah well... to cheer us up (and especially for one of my regular readers, Emma Louise) here's another photograph of that cheeky young robin, its youthful feathers decidely ruffled but its alert stare suggesting nothing but confidence.</div><div>Today- whatever winds may ruffle your feathers or buffet you about -may you look out on the world with hope and confidence.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiaWpzkLs5b9TfUJpGwbtWBFCNZ2IfhvY_qE2f75V974nXwv9Se81-OTncMnpkTejK-e-un-0Fj_Y2_PNF8IhgXyJWCXmKvl99UX8jLni_KFfrin_bdnslHbg-9XRF8FDIzf64/s1600-h/robin10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 302px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiaWpzkLs5b9TfUJpGwbtWBFCNZ2IfhvY_qE2f75V974nXwv9Se81-OTncMnpkTejK-e-un-0Fj_Y2_PNF8IhgXyJWCXmKvl99UX8jLni_KFfrin_bdnslHbg-9XRF8FDIzf64/s400/robin10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371943154870484578" /></a><br /></div>IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-11979399536147037602009-08-19T18:46:00.004+01:002009-08-19T19:11:14.607+01:00The birds of the air<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbidtXcERtCPBPtxOiBb89pNSEBR_RgUmySWS_t0y2jxM6Ay69y4mmu-fZy2Od-BIuktjYI8eXBEi6_xmQYNvUr9xZCdVFDnsVXAQov9pM6NrjZFCnfa1tRoemiTJq5O8Yr1t5/s1600-h/robin9.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbidtXcERtCPBPtxOiBb89pNSEBR_RgUmySWS_t0y2jxM6Ay69y4mmu-fZy2Od-BIuktjYI8eXBEi6_xmQYNvUr9xZCdVFDnsVXAQov9pM6NrjZFCnfa1tRoemiTJq5O8Yr1t5/s400/robin9.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371734693298752594" /></a><i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">[young robin photographed near Ardross, in Easter Ross, Scotland]*</span></span></div></i><div><br /><div>Of course, it is not just butterflies and moths that fly. <div>I've always been fascinated by birds. In fact, I once was a member of the RSPB. </div><div>I let my membership lapse but, in any case, in more recent years (since we got our cat, Tess) I felt it was a little bit hypocritical to claim that I was helping to protect birds. <div>Like me, Tess liked to capture birds- unlike me she didn't use a camera, she used her claws!</div><div>While still quite a young kitten she managed to catch and kill a wood pigeon which was almost the same size as her. (Maybe I should never have shown her that film about lions in Africa?)</div><div>Anyway, she has settled down a bit now and, thankfully, got a bit lazier and slower. No more unwanted gifts left for us on the doorstep.</div><div>When I was visiting my sister in North-East Scotland a couple of weeks ago I managed to take a series of photographs of this young robin in her garden. Like most robins he/she (I can't tell you which it is from these photos) was pretty bold and it came up quite close, enabling me to capture some fairly clear images.</div><div>Butterflies are hard to photograph in flight - probably impossible without specialist equipment - but some birds have a more leisurely style of flying, including the red kite. This bird was almost extinct in the UK until fairly recently but a successful re-introduction programme has meant that there are several places in the country where you have a very good chance of spotting these unmistakable, majestic birds of prey.</div><div>While taking a very leisurely, and very indirect route from Buckinghamshire to Bristol, we came across a group of at least ten red kites, together with about half a dozen buzzards. It was quite a spectacular sight.<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SbLbKQzQyF_ITDUOOjlZlFe2NNTwqzpTW5DrOJ3MYMbrDLeoASJWp-8jbLFNajdB9f4cbbwoxZ3AHQHowm3hEukMBfEMFOSPFhxMBoKuQlcU0ZbY2H2o8B-B_rAcDbhWS28G/s1600-h/719.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 287px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SbLbKQzQyF_ITDUOOjlZlFe2NNTwqzpTW5DrOJ3MYMbrDLeoASJWp-8jbLFNajdB9f4cbbwoxZ3AHQHowm3hEukMBfEMFOSPFhxMBoKuQlcU0ZbY2H2o8B-B_rAcDbhWS28G/s400/719.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371733143575227954" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" font-style: italic; font-size:13px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">[red kite photographed near Didcot, Oxfordshire, England]*</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:13px;">*Remember to click on the photographs to see them full size.</span></span></div></span></div></div></div></div></div>IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-70170237600726670402009-08-19T14:37:00.002+01:002009-08-19T14:46:34.506+01:00Red Cannibal<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mmIc6bf5YkXRGPjDykajCTWlFPfOCrPeEAw6f8ePwcefban2G1HtICDBAlOzoJhJS7ecIz8aHxYdIw4E3rGH9F92ih3oTaZ-eJNPApoNCK4PeCcpSxsuLeBrZ59P4Q_Lq2M8/s1600-h/707a.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mmIc6bf5YkXRGPjDykajCTWlFPfOCrPeEAw6f8ePwcefban2G1HtICDBAlOzoJhJS7ecIz8aHxYdIw4E3rGH9F92ih3oTaZ-eJNPApoNCK4PeCcpSxsuLeBrZ59P4Q_Lq2M8/s400/707a.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371668893096919282" /></a><i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; ">[Cinnabar Moth - photographed near Buckland, Buckinghamshire]</span></div></i><div><br /><div>This is not a butterfly but a moth. For those who may be interested it is in fact a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnabar_moth">Cinnabar Moth</a> (<i>Tyria jacobaeae</i>) so called because of its bright cinnabar-red wings. Apparently the bright red colour is meant to deter predators and, in any case, they are allegedly very unpalatable. I wouldn't know: I've never tried to eat one.</div><div>It doesn't seem to stop them devouring each other, though, at least while they are in the larvae stage.</div><div>Strange world we live in!</div><div><br /></div></div>IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-20220621324701065112009-08-18T08:41:00.005+01:002009-08-18T09:14:38.262+01:00Painted Lady<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjyhSzcD00LWOaAQ4MTnQaXGZyIwKrFcH4FiVsHDVayCfMGmsojaQC8SzTRQikKgb21AaC6pv3jwcNeZ_SufU0b6KzawowP4I2ziZ-ngJUz3cFaNtF577Y19wvxn5zMRv_b_2/s1600-h/683a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIjyhSzcD00LWOaAQ4MTnQaXGZyIwKrFcH4FiVsHDVayCfMGmsojaQC8SzTRQikKgb21AaC6pv3jwcNeZ_SufU0b6KzawowP4I2ziZ-ngJUz3cFaNtF577Y19wvxn5zMRv_b_2/s400/683a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371213587021815682" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Well, here she is - the <a href="http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/sightings/1097/painted_lady_butterfly.html">Painted Lady</a>! (At least I hope my butterfly identification is correct. No doubt someone will put me right if I am mistaken.) Apparently 2009 is the <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8177655.stm">"best painted lady year we have had in the UK."</a><br />If you listen to the news clip above you'll realise it is not all good news as far as butterflies are concerned.<div>What I find so fascinating about butterflies is the incredible intricate beauty all wrapped up in such a fragile frame - a reminder that <em>all</em> of life on this planet really is pretty precarious. The brief lives of butterflies remind me also to 'seize the moment' - make the most of what is given to us. The faded and battered beauty of the Red Admiral below (photographed this time in Scotland) says it even more powerfully.</div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GG6LasJnftvz5V-ojLL0tKsUxFa7dpKjWxlDJAJal5z_i3Vv6kTBFzm8Oac0wfX-W4NtiAEwuLQkAijAaEquDHTwQT6lWPucOymiOl-d5RHpG8ZOroUHXwPSaNv9VS0gnAd_/s1600-h/0909.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GG6LasJnftvz5V-ojLL0tKsUxFa7dpKjWxlDJAJal5z_i3Vv6kTBFzm8Oac0wfX-W4NtiAEwuLQkAijAaEquDHTwQT6lWPucOymiOl-d5RHpG8ZOroUHXwPSaNv9VS0gnAd_/s400/0909.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371213034562209442" border="0" /></a><br /><p><strong>MAKE THE MOST OF TODAY!</strong></p>IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-83743680274723212782009-08-18T08:19:00.008+01:002009-08-18T08:35:21.276+01:00Give me sunshine<a style="font-style: italic;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXOG7ezSJCVXAag_yP4quCCTJ5KdBP2ajv2aGLhcO_PEDqLscGT2Nn696i2gIwwgGVRNjDD0aEdtufImMqfPEu8h4HUtxL4tBd9LmoSggB09RGC0skeRn3siY46bWx20JFG3v_/s1600-h/0238a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXOG7ezSJCVXAag_yP4quCCTJ5KdBP2ajv2aGLhcO_PEDqLscGT2Nn696i2gIwwgGVRNjDD0aEdtufImMqfPEu8h4HUtxL4tBd9LmoSggB09RGC0skeRn3siY46bWx20JFG3v_/s400/0238a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371200455153177954" border="0" /></a><br />I was driving back from Manchester on Friday afternoon, having helped one of my daughters to move house from Manchester to York. The weather in England was fine, dry and sunny. However, when I arrived at the Scottish border at Gretna, it was as if someone had drawn a line along the border and said "OK, let's put all the rain on <span style="font-style: italic;">that </span>side!" It was like driving into a monsoon.<br />Having just seen this morning's weather forecast, it looks like something similar is about to happen today - England dry, Scotland wet. Hmmm... :-(<br />Having said that, during our holiday in England, it seems to have been the other way round.<br />Maybe it's personal?<br />Anyway, on the days when the sun <span style="font-style: italic;">was </span>shining I was delighted to see and photograph an amazing number of butterflies, including this lovely peacock. <span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">[remember to click on the photo to see it full size]</span></span><br />But the most prolific butterfly this summer, at least in Buckinghamshire, seems to have been the 'Painted Lady.' They were everywhere, and in great numbers.<br />I am trying to upload a picture of one to add to this post but for some reason it is not working. I will add one to a later post.IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-52636342253350958742009-08-11T17:56:00.003+01:002009-08-11T21:13:32.795+01:00R & R<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQk9DkQrjbOVvSN625dJvrNgvS_EKPmJ7ykt2ujOPlY3pTvuSfNZfEJ58R36QgNiIA5wR3UlfLhM2bhIx9GrzoBmc9NUK0dFkDB37bITL84dmnpM6d49Wp25XC5CcN9hIJNvZ/s1600-h/0101.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQk9DkQrjbOVvSN625dJvrNgvS_EKPmJ7ykt2ujOPlY3pTvuSfNZfEJ58R36QgNiIA5wR3UlfLhM2bhIx9GrzoBmc9NUK0dFkDB37bITL84dmnpM6d49Wp25XC5CcN9hIJNvZ/s400/0101.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368751597884531170" border="0" /></a><br />I have to confess that blogging has not been a very important priority for me of late. I have been much more preoccupied with the business of moving house (temporarily,) going on holiday, helping my daughter and her husband get ready to move their house and visiting friends and family.<br />There was the added problem of having no internet connection for about four weeks. [Does anyone know why it takes so long to move a broadband connection from one house to another one less than two miles away?]<br />However, in my travels around England and Scotland over the last couple of weeks I have had the opportunity to get the camera out and start taking a few 'snaps' again- "a few"being just over 1200 in fact!!<br />So now there is no excuse. I have lots of pictures to reflect on.<br />But where do I start?<br />As you can see, I have started with a with a photograph taken in my sister-in-law's garden; a simple empty white chair and a 'heart' bathed in gentle sunlight.<br />It's a picture which to me says "space" and "rest."<br />More than anything else it is what I needed and thankfully found.<br />Isn't that what holidays are for?IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-77765173496269234012009-06-20T11:09:00.003+01:002009-06-20T11:25:54.430+01:00Just a moment<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQJxNOcfNAS4Wr80t-AMaypmjs8EqHnk2aVOnr42vXRXLrROTWYlrDB5pqGtvGtbei9MDNIdK7MSNBLFfOiJhBijnkY9rAz1aK4OpQr3r5RgpWu7gLGsMbXXET6N2zU5qridK/s1600-h/Dunblane_clock.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQJxNOcfNAS4Wr80t-AMaypmjs8EqHnk2aVOnr42vXRXLrROTWYlrDB5pqGtvGtbei9MDNIdK7MSNBLFfOiJhBijnkY9rAz1aK4OpQr3r5RgpWu7gLGsMbXXET6N2zU5qridK/s400/Dunblane_clock.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349350295737221714" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">[The clock of Dunblane Cathedral]</span><br /></span></div><br />There's never enough of it: but there are occasions when you have some to spare.<br />You can have it on your hands: but occasionally you have to kill it.<br />Often it drags along: but <span style="font-style: italic;">more </span>often it flashes past - especially as you get older.<br />TIME.<br />It's a strange thing.<br />At least how we <span style="font-style: italic;">perceive</span> it is strange.<br />I particularly like these two quotations from the Bengali poet and seer, Rabindranath Tagore.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="highlightedSearchTerm"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"T</span></span><span style="font-style: italic;">he bu</span><span style="font-style: italic;" class="highlightedSearchTerm">tt</span><span style="font-style: italic;">erfly coun</span><span style="font-style: italic;" class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span><span style="font-style: italic;">s no</span><span style="font-style: italic;" class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> mon</span><span style="font-style: italic;" class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span><span style="font-style: italic;">hs bu</span><span style="font-style: italic;" class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> momen</span><span style="font-style: italic;" class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span><span style="font-style: italic;">s,</span> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; font-style: italic;" align="center">and has <span class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>ime enough."</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" align="center"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; font-style: italic;" align="center">"<span class="highlightedSearchTerm">T</span>ime is a weal<span class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>h of change,<br />bu<span class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span> <span class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>he clock in i<span class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>s parody makes i<span class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span> mere change and no weal<span class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>h."</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;" align="center"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">Some of our Kenyan friends would often say <span style="font-style: italic;">"you have the watches: we have the time."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">In the Biblical way of thinking, of course, there are two different kinds of time, chronological time (the kind you can measure with a clock) and 'kairos' time (the "right time" - the opportune moment.)</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;">"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven" </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%203&version=31">[Ecclesiastes 3]</a><br /></p><br />... but I still think there's not enough of it around!!!IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-67530673378264489882009-06-11T16:29:00.006+01:002009-06-11T20:38:37.154+01:00Surprise encounters of the interesting kind<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP86oEf4EeT0IE_W3zTnq_6xt4U0XmTuw_wrhXPObxLWtJSxzR-mklzQCWbml2-FK3R2fRgea4MXqyt0xvQ4x4MN_HSf716lAXeWvyxAraApCV1ZjV9xbQ9UeROvnBvTxArrVU/s1600-h/kaunda.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP86oEf4EeT0IE_W3zTnq_6xt4U0XmTuw_wrhXPObxLWtJSxzR-mklzQCWbml2-FK3R2fRgea4MXqyt0xvQ4x4MN_HSf716lAXeWvyxAraApCV1ZjV9xbQ9UeROvnBvTxArrVU/s400/kaunda.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346093143463742514" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">[His Excellency, Kenneth David Kaunda, first President of Zambia at Dunblane]</span></span><br /></div><br />It has been a very, very busy few weeks - hence the absence of any blogging recently. But there have also been some interesting moments, and some interesting encounters.<br />Towards the end of May we were invited to lunch at the <a href="http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/default.asp?action=article&ID=36">Palace of Holyroodhouse</a> by the Lord High Commissioner, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Reid_%28Scottish_politician%29">George Reid</a>. We expected it was going to be one of those Holyroodhouse events where about 150 or more people would attend and we would be lost in a sea of people we didn't know or could only vaguely recognise.<br />As things turned out, we discovered there were only a couple of dozen people at the lunch. That in itself was something of a surprise and for once it wasn't difficult to get free parking in Edinburgh because we were able to park our car inside the palace gates in the forecourt.<br />But that was nothing compared to the surprise we got when we went inside to discover that also invited to lunch that day was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmond_Tutu">Archbishop Desmond Tutu</a> and his wife, Leah.<span style="font-style: italic;"> [He had just come from addressing the </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://stream1.churchofscotland.org.uk/generalassembly/archive/2009/videow.php?vf=adt">General Assembly</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> of the Church of Scotland - an inspiring address well worth watching and listening to.]</span><br />Unfortunately, after the introductions, I didn't get much opportunity to speak to Desmond Tutu himself but, during the very excellent meal, I was sitting between his wife and the wife of the Lord High Commissioner, and we had a great chat together.<br />I generally don't have much time for the cult of celebrity that fills the media these days, especially when so much nonsense is written and spoken about people who are famous mainly for being famous, but it was a privilege to share a table with someone who is a genuinely significant individual in the history of the world. And like most really great people he is really pretty humble.<br />But there was more...<br />I have just returned from Dunblane where, since Tuesday, I have been attending the meeting/conference of The Church of Scotland's World Mission Council to which I was recently appointed. Last night we had another surprise visitor, in the form of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Kaunda">Kenneth Kaunda</a>, the first ever President of Zambia. He joined us for our evening meal and then came to speak to us at our evening session. We even got to hear him play the piano, sing for us and do a bit of a dance!! Even without his surprise appearance it would have been a long day. But the additional item - which immediately moved us into Zambian time (and anyone who's been to Africa will know what I mean by that) - meant we didn't finish till after 10pm.<br />And we had started just after 8am!!<br />I had taken my camera with me hoping we might have had even half an hour of free time at some point over the two and a half days but it didn't quite work out that way. However, it did mean I could snap "KK" as he is commonly known.IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-9976615841703790472009-05-25T23:12:00.003+01:002009-05-25T23:25:32.028+01:00This is my body...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEdXR4e5rJzUj2S4A2ba0QfzNOO-dsSdNIYfsZOlN0zATrQ_8vSLxUbVl41jNGrgxJ6QDZIKpp3U2gshTC0i5S3bqvpJHuQEiD_Vw6ZSNeAJZb1ncVnae1xMLz1c0hLIsBG6i/s1600-h/grass.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEdXR4e5rJzUj2S4A2ba0QfzNOO-dsSdNIYfsZOlN0zATrQ_8vSLxUbVl41jNGrgxJ6QDZIKpp3U2gshTC0i5S3bqvpJHuQEiD_Vw6ZSNeAJZb1ncVnae1xMLz1c0hLIsBG6i/s400/grass.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339888620029916466" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">[A worm's eye view of grass?]</span></span><br /></div></span><div><br /></div><div>The photograph above has absolutely nothing whatever to do with this piece but I share it with you anyway. I took it thinking it might come in useful some time as a powerpoint background.</div><div><br /></div><div>The other thing I want to share is prompted by recent debates in the Church of Scotland General Assembly. I don't want to say anything about the debates themselves but it reminded me of a short poem I wrote many, many years ago when I was a teenager.</div><div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">This is my body</span></div><div><br /><div>This is my body</div><div>That you break in two</div><div>By ignoring the one</div><div>In the neighbouring pew</div><div><br /></div><div>This is my blood</div><div>That you spill down the drain</div><div>When you fight with each other</div><div>For personal gain</div><div><br /></div><div>And each point of doctrine</div><div>You score here and now</div><div>Was a nail in my palm</div><div>Or a thorn in my brow</div><div><br /></div><div>Each argument won</div><div>Is a brother lost </div><div>So the principle’s saved</div><div>No matter the cost</div><div><br /></div><div>This is my body</div><div>My hands and my feet</div><div>If only you’d bend</div><div>Perhaps they would meet</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>© Iain D. Cunningham</span><br /></div></div>IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-70555618305714944902009-05-21T10:24:00.005+01:002009-05-21T11:00:15.792+01:00Light in the darkness<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6CW5-6TSPaHg2Xw5sSN16cBEWsmbrIBgQHV6UEpZCdgeJngvXedATD82CY0sKZaPaI9jJ8Ue0dgczDt_hsX_-mwzFlQqHR8i0-vLV1mJ_HlmhawJaC2ZFpr_Nr4qfbdS1L3o/s1600-h/African+Skies02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6CW5-6TSPaHg2Xw5sSN16cBEWsmbrIBgQHV6UEpZCdgeJngvXedATD82CY0sKZaPaI9jJ8Ue0dgczDt_hsX_-mwzFlQqHR8i0-vLV1mJ_HlmhawJaC2ZFpr_Nr4qfbdS1L3o/s400/African+Skies02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338208347125750210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">[Under African Skies - Masai Mara 2002]</span><br /></span></div><br />I think I am going to have to start carrying my old compact digital camera in my car at all times. Several times in the last couple of weeks I have seen some spectacular photographs- well, they might have become spectacular photographs If I'd had a camera with me to capture what I could see. Now these scenes remain only in my memory, which is about the least secure place in the Universe!<br />A few evenings ago, for example, I was returning from the Induction service for the new minister of the <a href="http://www.douglasvalleychurch.org.uk/">Douglas Valley Church</a>. Approaching <a href="http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/77309">Hyndford Bridge</a>,* which crosses the River Clyde just outside <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanark">Lanark</a>, I looked over to my left at the rolling landscape which at this time of year is painted in shades of brilliant green.<br />The sun was getting quite low in the sky and casting interesting shadows, then it disappeared behind a fairly large bank of clouds. Not such an interesting picture. Then suddenly, through a large gap in the clouds, the rays of the lowering sun broke through producing a pool of warm light on just part of the landscape, like some sort of cosmic spotlight. Hills and trees suddenly became translucent with a fragile kind of beauty, like a delicate watercolour.<br />And I had no camera...!!<br />We could do with a little bit of light in these dark days of economic recession, the scandal over<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/"> MPs expenses</a>, and the upcoming <a href="http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/generalassembly/index.htm">General Assembly</a> of the Church of Scotland, which opens today, faced with some very divisive issues.<br />There are <span style="font-style: italic;">always</span> plenty of reasons, and excuses, for feeling depressed, but I like to remember that Landscape Photography is really about photographing the <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">light</span> and capturing those moments when the light transforms a place. In a similar way, we can never deny or escape the darkness all around us, but rather than focusing exclusively on it, it is often worth waiting for and looking for the transforming light.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">*Hyndford Bridge was built in 1766.</span></span>IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-18451817883070928582009-05-10T20:46:00.003+01:002009-05-10T20:53:29.749+01:00The VineI haven't had much time to blog of late and certainly no time to take any new photographs, but one thing I did last week was to write a new hymn.<br />Necessity, as ever, was the motivation. I simply couldn't find a suitable hymn to fit in with the sermon for this morning's worship- based on <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2015:%201-17;&version=65;">John 15: 1-17</a>, so I ended up writing one of my own.<br />We sang it to the tune Garelochside but I suppose any suitable "Short Metre" tune would do.<br />Here are the words for anyone who might like to use them.<br />They are in the form of a prayer to Christ:<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">O Lord, you are the Vine.</span><br />In you we live and move.<br />Your Spirit nourishes our hearts<br />and fills us with your love.<br /><br />As we remain in you<br />the life of grace takes root;<br />in caring service in your Name<br />our lives will bear much fruit.<br /><br />In you our lives belong<br />as branches of the Vine;<br />through sharing faith and trust and hope,<br />Lord Jesus, make us one.<br /><br />So others then may see<br />in this and every place<br />the glory of your Father shown<br />in reconciling grace.</span><br /><br />© Iain D. Cunningham, 2009IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-51377201340583808212009-05-01T20:41:00.003+01:002009-05-01T20:53:35.188+01:00Open Doors?<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1a6tqQJ5lxJUcLYfXc0VjKikH38YHyEd_lsl7KRTUc6uHgsLwGt68qAjEByG9mZjuaUim6XDGehESFw_E0T0bbltkJujG8woWb6D7jKGtQ7FiWrH8ZRmpLXTM-tUrI5ZSYDV/s1600-h/NorthKorea.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1a6tqQJ5lxJUcLYfXc0VjKikH38YHyEd_lsl7KRTUc6uHgsLwGt68qAjEByG9mZjuaUim6XDGehESFw_E0T0bbltkJujG8woWb6D7jKGtQ7FiWrH8ZRmpLXTM-tUrI5ZSYDV/s400/NorthKorea.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330944503233478642" border="0" /> </a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">[North Korea - from a border post in South Korea]</span></span><br /></div><br />Christians in this part of the world may think it is not always easy for them to live out their faith in a society that for the most part doesn't care about what we believe, but we should spare a thought and - a lot of prayer - for our sisters and brothers in North Korea, and other parts of the world, where just to <span style="font-style: italic;">be</span> a Christian is considered as a <a href="http://www.opendoorsuk.org/htmlemail/epa.htm">crime</a> against the state.IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-78822009649331233782009-04-28T10:00:00.002+01:002009-04-28T10:04:29.519+01:00Finishing strongA friend just sent me this video.<br />A truly encouraging and inspiring message to anybody who might be finding life tough and a great example of someone focusing more on what he <span style="font-style: italic;">can </span>do than on what he can't.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gqantZJ6WwM&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gqantZJ6WwM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-70051322529970681842009-04-16T23:20:00.004+01:002009-04-16T23:36:28.779+01:00I am alive!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgxzJPX9XTVrGoUQ6sS4t1ABW35xrwR_q55ZL_HFDlGHsJTViTSKOP6XUST0tcVcMA_BWZ0ngc4czDPCNeV3lrc3zEXD5R7LMkP6t3dFn3kCA6Hzuuej39qrokD99B8h8XP5s/s1600-h/Alive_1.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgxzJPX9XTVrGoUQ6sS4t1ABW35xrwR_q55ZL_HFDlGHsJTViTSKOP6XUST0tcVcMA_BWZ0ngc4czDPCNeV3lrc3zEXD5R7LMkP6t3dFn3kCA6Hzuuej39qrokD99B8h8XP5s/s400/Alive_1.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325417725316050962" /></a><br /><div>One of the reasons for my lack of blogging recently has been the number of funerals I have had to prepare and conduct in the last couple of weeks. Since I try to make every funeral service as personal as possible, it often requires a fair amount of time to do all the preparation and (very importantly) to make sure that I don't mix up information about each of the deceased. So I had a lot of sympathy for an anonymous colleague of mine that one of my sister's told me about tonight.</div><div>A retired minister, he was filling in during a vacancy. Conducting the funeral service of an old lady he was laying great stress on the fact that she was the very last of her generation; that she had outlived the rest of her family. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">"In fact"</span> he intoned <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">"it was some time ago that she last spoke to her younger brother, who sadly is no longer with us."</span></div><div>To the minister's utter shock and embarrassment, a voice cried out from the congregation <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">"Ah'm no deid yet! Ah'm right here."</span></div><div>Oops!</div>IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33162078.post-42116850817099892832009-04-10T22:29:00.004+01:002009-04-10T22:54:05.384+01:00Two Basins<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvPSKk3_rsus0oFWUN1WlmlZZ8zhN0LSkCAGSfmjoOaSkfuKG0TeqJa4NzY_fgsvVmnZfzyYZufr1q5OnYhATvif8X5DI1FyK4W-M7qO5Zx2k-_yvWDRWO_wI9VfNuwL9xdJE/s1600-h/houston+house.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 254px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvPSKk3_rsus0oFWUN1WlmlZZ8zhN0LSkCAGSfmjoOaSkfuKG0TeqJa4NzY_fgsvVmnZfzyYZufr1q5OnYhATvif8X5DI1FyK4W-M7qO5Zx2k-_yvWDRWO_wI9VfNuwL9xdJE/s400/houston+house.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5323181712338353746" border="0" /></a><br />It's been a pretty busy week with three funerals and a wedding (reception at the above Houston House Hotel.) And on Sunday we have three baptisms too.<br />Which newspaper was it that used to say "All of life is here" ?<br />And of course this evening we had our annual joint Good Friday Service.<br />For those of you who couldn't or just wouldn't come, I shared this reflection which I called "Two Basins" as the main part of the service. It's not based on any genuine historical or theological research: just a bit of imagination- but I think it worked.<br />After reading <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2027:11-26&version=31">Matthew 27:11-26</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Two Basins:</span><br /><br />There are many symbols associated with the Passion story; from the palm branches at the start of Passion Week to the purple robe and crown of thorns and, of course, the cross itself.<br />But tonight, I want you to focus your thoughts on a simple metal basin filled with water.<br />This basin is being held by a 1st Century Roman soldier, one of the personal bodyguards of the Roman Prefect of Judaea, Pontius Pilate.<br />Pilate himself is standing behind the basin, about to plunge his hands into the cold, clear water.<br />Take a good look at him.<br />In his early 30’s; a career soldier; a cavalry officer; but now having to exercise a more political role as the procurator of a Roman province.<br />That office makes him a powerful man, because it carries with it all the might of the Roman Empire. But Pilate is not always comfortable or secure in this position.<br />He has made mistakes before, mistakes which have led him to be posted on this tough ten-year assignment, to one of the more obscure and troublesome corners of the Empire.<br />It is not hard to see why he is uneasy.<br />He only has at his disposal 6000 troops with which to control a population of two and a half million Jews. He dare not risk any disturbance or disorder.<br />He knows this, and knows it well. For although all his past training and experience have been in soldiering, necessity has forced him to become the archetypal politician.<br />Some may think, as they reflect upon his actions in this scene, that he is an indecisive man, some kind of weak ditherer who cannot make up his mind; or they may tempted to suppose that he is a man of conscience who is reluctant to cause the death of someone he knows to be innocent.<br />Such generous assessments ignore what Pilate has done in other times and places, and what he is yet to do, elsewhere. No—this is a man who would think nothing of sending in his troops to quell a riot and who would encourage them in the action to take no prisoners. This is a cold, calculating man who under certain circumstances would have no hesitation whatsoever in ordering the execution without trial at all of anyone who might be regarded a threat to the authority of Rome.<br />For Pilate life is cheap—especially the lives of these Judeans, whose culture he despises as primitive and uncivilised and whose governing he endures as a troublesome chore until he may be permitted to move on to better things.<br />Make no mistake—this Governor cares nothing for the man who stands on trial before him now.<br />He regards him as little more than a nuisance.<br />But, unfortunately, and very inconveniently, to Pilate, this Galilean who stands before him now might prove to be a particularly dangerous nuisance.<br />Hence the caution!<br />For, Pilate, above everything else is a pragmatist.<br />He has little concern for what ought to be done, but every concern for what can be done, and what will best preserve the stability of Roman rule.<br />To that end he knows what must be done.<br />And so, in a few moments’ time, he will sacrifice the Galilean in order to preserve Roman rule and at the same time preserve his own career.<br />But it will be a difficult balancing act.<br />For Pilate is shrewd enough to notice that the man who stands trial before him has sharply divided the opinions of the people it is his duty to govern.<br />There are supporters: and there are detractors.<br />Pilate has no interest in being drawn into their debate.<br />Only one thing interests him—that which is politically expedient.<br />So he will not take the blame from either side.<br />This is why he has ordered that a basin of water be brought to him.<br />He likes gestures.<br />Crucifixion itself is a gesture.<br />There are cleaner and quicker methods for disposing of those who get in the way but nothing has quite the impact of crucifixion for hammering the message home about who is ultimately in charge… in this God-forsaken backwater.<br />And so—with a flourish—and a declaration of self-absolution—Pilate, the ultimate political pragmatist, plunges his hands into the clear, cold water, declaring: “I am not responsible for the death of this man! This is your doing!”<br />And, drying his hands with a towel, he turns to leave the Galilean to his decreed fate.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How little it takes for a man to evade responsibility!</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A basin of cold, clear water…and a towel!</span><br /><br />Just a few hours earlier there was another basin…and another towel…<br />They looked much the same, yet in so many ways they could not have been more different.<br />Take a good look at the man with the basin in his hands.<br />In his early 30’s… a tradesman—though for the last three years he has abandoned his trade to take to the streets. This has been the toughest three-year assignment imaginable.<br />There is a weary, almost exhausted, look in his eyes and the strain of the last few days, and the next few hours, is etched into his face.<br />There is, however, a determined look about him. He is set upon a course from which he will not be deflected, even though it will require him to summon up more courage than the bravest soldier on the eve of battle. Shortly, as he wrestles with the responsibility which he has taken upon himself, he will even sweat blood—a condition known as haematohydrosis—which is the consequence of extreme stress.<br />Yet he is confident of the rightness of what he does, especially now, as with a towel wrapped around his waist he moves towards the men who have assembled together in the borrowed upper room.<br />These twelve men, and a number of faithful women, are just about the only fellow human beings in this hostile city on which he can depend, though he knows that most of them will also (and suddenly) become completely unreliable.<br />That leaves only his unshakeable faith and trust in God, the One whom he believes has driven him along this path.<br />He knows the value of human life, each single human life.<br />Even those whom others might consider expendable, worthless, or beyond redemption, he values as beloved of God.<br />He has sought to treasure, help, heal and save the least and the lost among them… but there were so many and time is running out fast.<br />Will any of those supporters whom he leaves behind truly understand what it had all been about?<br />Will they take up the mantle? Carry on the work?<br />He has little time for gestures.<br />He regards them as cheap and unworthy.<br />But he does know the power of symbols. And he has always had a unique talent for explaining the deeply spiritual using the plain and ordinary things of life.<br />He can make the unremarkable unforgettable.<br />Shortly, he will use the age-old traditions of his people in order to give to his friends some sort of explanation for the events that will soon unfold and through which his life will be brought to its brutal, unjust end. But right now he is about to use a simple domestic act to provide his friends with an explanation of the very life he has lived among them in these past few years.<br />He will be to them the humblest of servants and wash their feet.<br />And so he takes the basin, and without any flourish or fuss plunges his hands into the clear, cold water, declaring:<br />“I, your Lord and Teacher, have just washed your feet. You, then, should wash one another’s feet. I have set an example for you. So that you will do just what I have done for you.”<br />And when the feet of every last one, even those of his betrayer, have been washed, he dries his hands with the towel, turns back to the table set before them and prepares to drink the cup to its bitter dregs.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How much it costs for a man to <span style="font-style: italic;">take </span>responsibility! </span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A basin of cold, clear water…and a towel!</span><br /><br />(c) Iain D. Cunningham 2009IAIN CUNNINGHAMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00989519795555929646noreply@blogger.com6