A Sunday story for the first of the month . . .

Source: flickr.com via Melinda on Pinterest

A devout believer in God and an athiest went camping together one weekend. After they had gotten the campsite all set up and organized they enjoyed a great day together. They went for a long hike up the mountain and down again. They fished and caught some lovely trout for their supper, and then built an open fire where they cooked the fish. As they were getting ready to eat their modest supper, believer bowed his head in prayer and gave thanks for God's providence in what they were about to eat.

When the believer had finished, the athiest said to him . . . "Have you ever seen God? Have you ever heard Him, or put out your hand and touched Him??"

The answer came . . . "No."

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The athiest continued. "Well, then . . . you're a fool of a person to believe in a God that you have never seen, heard or touched."

That was the end of the conversation, and they ate their meal, put out the fire and retired for the night.

The next morning they arose just before sun-up. The believer said to the athiest, "There was a wolf around our tent last night."

Source: photoxyz.com via Latonia on Pinterest

Immediately the athiest piped up with the same questions. "Did you see the wolf? Did you hear him or put out your hand and touch him??"

Again, the answer was . . . "No."

The athiest was convinced that this believer was truly a strange man. But then the believer pointed out to some footprints in the dirty around the tent, clearly the wolf's and proof of the wolf's recent presence. The athiest could not deny that the wolf had been there.

Source: piccsy.com via Melinda on Pinterest

Just then the sun began to rise over the horizon, bathing their campsite in the beautiful glow of early morning light. The believer turned to the athiest and reverently said . . . "Behold the footprints of God."
~author unknown

Just because you cannot put out your hand to touch something, or see it or hear it . . . that doe not mean it doesn't exist. On this, the first Sunday of September 2012, I want to bear my testimony to you that God exists. He is real. He has manifested Himself in my life in countless, and meaningful ways. I have seen Him on the face of my newborn sons and daughters when I held them for the very first time . . . I have seen Him in every bloom that ever blossomed, every blade of grass, every sunrise and every sunset . . . and every drop of rain that ever fell. I have felt Him in every swell of my heart and ever teardrop that has ever fallen and rolled down my cheeks. I have felt Him beside me when I have been in anguish or sorrow or fear . . . or lonely . . . I feel His presence every day . . . and every night. And I am grateful for that.



We took advantage of the sunny day yesterday, and the workman not being here to go out and about on a little road trip to a beautiful National Trust place not far from where we live called Erdigg. It is very near to Wrexham in Wales. It's wonderfully amazing old home, dating back several hundred years, with beautiful gardens. I don't have time to show you all about it this morning, but I will go through my photographs and show you more tomorrow! In the meantime I must get ready for church. The computer has been acting up this morning and so I have wasted a lot of time getting it just to work properly. I hate it when that happens, but unfortunately it sometimes does. Probably time for a servicing!

I will just have to love you and leave you now, but perhaps with a nice thought to carry you through the day.

"As you ramble on through your life, brother,
Whatever be your goal . . .
Keep your eye upon the donut,
and not upon the hole."
~unknown

Have a beautiful sabbath day.



Baking in The English Kitchen today . . . a delicious, healthy and low fat Oaty Peach and Blueberry Crumble!