Just Keep On Walking - Bruce Atchison

August's InScribe blog theme is one I can't relate to. This is because I have zero interest in competitive sports and those who play them. Neither do I care for games. Even so, I remember the first time I walked twenty-five miles and the exhilaration I felt while doing it.

In May of 1968, the federal government and OXFAM held an event called Miles for Millions in Vancouver, British Columbia. Having been exiled to Jericho Hill School for the Deaf and Blind, I accepted the challenge of walking that distance to support the cause of feeding the poor. Not that I was that concerned about poverty but it was a good chance to get out of that disability prison camp for a while.

We had ideal  weather on that Saturday morning. The school bus dropped us off at the armory, where the walk began and ended, at eight-thirty. We each received a map, though I had no magnifying glass to read it, and a bag of raisins to munch on. Then we started out at nine.

I felt jubilant as I followed the throng. For the first time in Vancouver, I wasn't being watched. That freedom seemed similar to being allowed to visit my family for the holidays. No supervisor was there, telling me I couldn't do this or I must do that, either. The day was my own.

Heat and weariness overwhelmed me in the afternoon when I was half way through the walk. As I sat on the curb to recharge my muscles, the bus drove up. "Want a ride to the dorm?" the supervisor offered. I shook my head and insisted I'd go on to the finish line. There was no way that I'd quit and go back into captivity while I still had a few hours of freedom left.

Pushing myself to the limit, I shuffled into the armory at nine that evening. I proudly presented my map with all the checkpoints validated to the walk organizers. I had made it!

Our Christian walk is much like the one I participated in. The victory isn't won by one person but by all who go the distance. But unlike the Miles for Millions walk, we will be home with the Lord and the family of Christ when it's done. Like Paul said in Acts 20:24, I eagerly await crossing heaven's finish line.

What Is Beautiful To You? Alan Anderson

This is a simple little post but I trust it is worthwhile to give us cause to reflect a bit.

A lot goes on in life that may perplex or cause concern.  Some things may trouble our hearts so much that is seems things will never change or get better.  In spite of the many things in our world and in life that remind us of the ugliness of sinful human nature there is still beauty to behold.

Whatever became of beauty? Well, nothing!  Beauty is all around us and is really never far away. Where I live in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia there is beauty in abundance.  For instance, I can look from my porch and see beautiful mountains covered by cedar trees and on a regular basis eagles fly overhead.  Now and again I can hear the eagles as it were calling to each other.  They provide some of the music of nature that God has set in motion for our pleasure.

Someone said, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!" What beauty do you behold? What is beautiful to you? What moves you so much that beautiful is all you can say about it?  What takes your breath away? What or who in your world, your life, is so breathtakingly beautiful that tears are brought to your eyes? What in your life causes you to be speechless due to the depth of its beauty? Perhaps you can take some time and ponder this. Perhaps you may pause just for a few minutes and glory in what is beautiful.  Breath, ponder and just "be" as you bask in beauty.

Writing is beautiful don’t you think?  When I read posts of our InScribe group I see beauty!  I see all sorts of writing coming from beautiful minds God has gifted.  Some of the writing is poignant and stirs the heart while some is funny and causes one to giggle or at least grin from ear to ear.  At times I’ve read something that has caused me to pause and reflect on my life.  Some writing is fiction and some non-fiction.  It is all beautiful and makes me grateful to be part of a group like this.  

It is also beautiful to know God loves us!  That may seem such a simple thing to say yet how profound it is also.  How beautiful it is to know and yes to feel the love of God.  I pray your life and the days you are given remind you of something beautiful!