This morning I popped down to our local beach to pick up a small quantity of sand, shells and little pebbles for a project I’m doing in a local hostel. The sun was shining, the air clear, the sky blue and the cliffs were covered in a blanket of amber gorse blooms with a wash of blue from lingering bluebells. As the beach came into sight instead of the normal swathe of golden sand there were chain fences, digger tracks, porter cabins and workmen. Not far out to sea is the enormous dredger lifting sand and re-distributing it over over the beach to enhance it ready for our summer visitors. Despite all this, it did not spoil the still beauty of the morning.
It reminded me of a conversation I had yesterday with a friend. She is going through a hard time, her faith is being tested. She is daily struggling with the churning up of opposition and criticism. There is a slight sadness to her that was not there before. She is disappointed. However despite this there is a new clarity to her, a new beauty, a softness, a fragility. Her “light and momentary troubles are achieving for her a glory which far outweighs them all”.
My thoughts are with her and others who today are struggling, but still shining.
Heather's ramblings 