RD decided that having a peaceful life was highly overrated, so he bit the bullet and proposed to me at this exact spot 11 years ago.
When I purchased these stocking hangers last year - they were only available in sets of three and I needed four. I begrudgingly ordered twin packs and wondered what I’d do with the remainders. Little did I know, we would become a family of six by next Christmas!
Rainbows are beautiful and fun to look at because they seem to just appear out of nowhere. As such, they hold some kind of magical and mysterious quality about them. Scientifically, a rainbow is just an optical illusion.
The rainbow's ability to deliver joy is surely why it’s painted on children's cheeks at school fetes and fun fairs. Why it’s found on birthday cakes and toys. Why it’s featured in stories, poetry, songs and other literature. Why it’s an element of folklore across different nations and cultures, generally signifying a connection to God or the heavens.
This multicoloured arch is believed to be God’s everlasting promise to us and is a symbol of what theologians call God’s common grace - the grace he shows to all mankind.
Trying to explain Christian doctrine to those who don't believe in God is almost like dancing in the street. People would think that you were crazy. Or worse, they'd assume you were ignorant, that if you had sat through a philosophy class or maybe even thought logically, then you'd realise that God didn't exist.
Fair enough. Jesus was radical, and some thought that he was insane because he declared that he was God. Jesus didn’t fight off the Roman soldiers when they arrested him, but by his Father’s will, he sacrificed himself and died on the cross. Jesus was buried, and he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
Now, I know that some people don't take the Bible as fact. There are claims that the disciples wrote a bunch of biased fiction just to trick people into following this Jesus dude. I guess it's likely. But who do you know that would die for a lie since almost all of the disciples were brutally executed even though they had the chance to backpedal on their beliefs to live?
It’s a privilege to be able to read prophecies that were recorded thousands of years before Jesus came into the world and then see how they were fulfilled on the cross where Jesus died. It's incredible how God's plan followed through from start to finish – and then begins its work in me. He is graciously pruning and molding me in his character.
I'm still far from perfect; just ask my family, who’s stuck in quarantine with me. I can be selfish, grumpy, impatient, quick to anger (this list could go on for a while). Instead of punishing me for being such a flawed person, God sent his only Son to die for me. That is love that I cannot fathom or deserve. It's a pity that Jesus is judged by his fan club because most of us do really stupid things and give him a bad name.
I’m a poor representation of Christ because I frequently divert from the straight and narrow path. Rather than walking faithfully in the light with God, I often hide in the dark and play in the mud. I’m grateful for his immeasurable grace and endless love, despite my unfaithful heart and appalling behaviour.