When you are young you feel invincible: an Ubermensch – Superman. But a time comes when the arrows and bullets no longer bounce off. They pierce deeply.
St Just Cornwall
The deepest disappointments come when people let you down, or as I sometimes say, “When 50 year olds behave like 15 year olds.”
A Dark Time
I remember, during a dark time in my life, sitting by myself in the lounge room when everyone else was out of the house, playing a John Michael Talbot CD. His words, often the straight from the Bible, ministered to me as very few people could at the time. Even now, 17 years later, I can play that CD and memories and feelings come flooding back. On reflection, this is healthy, as it reminds me of how a faithful God has been with me through that time. Little did I know at the time that this period would also signal the end of my pastoral ministry.
I also have a similar experience with the Psalms. I read them extensively during my teaching time in the UK. They became God’s personal pep talks to me every morning as I prepared for school. Unlike my earlier readings of the Psalms, when I was often reading them for others, I was now reading them with a desperation to hear from God. He didn’t let me down.
On a much lighter note (pun intended) Maddy Prior & SteeleyeSpan singing Somewhere Along the Road reduce me to tears as I remember the really good times we had during our 16 months in the UK. I’ve put the song to a piece of “road” video that Hetty took as we drove through the south of England about a month before we left. I can’t watch it without getting a tear or two in my eyes. Ahh, I’m getting soft!
Dear Pieter,
You’re not the only one who got tears in their eyes, listening to that song, while watching the ‘on the road video’.
Henriet Vanderstoep
We’re softies aren’t we! Thank you for the feed back.
The song and film were powerful. Thanks. I like what you’ve written, too.
Music and images can be very powerful. Thank you for visiting.