A few times this week in the mid afternoon the sun has cast a long and liquid golden light over the fields. It is about the only time my otherwise filthy dog can look sweet and fluffy. But this amazing light doesn’t just bathe the autumn leaves in a burnished beauty, it also stretches out our shadows far and long…

One of the revelations of this last year has been the outdoors. We have defined our relationships with God, with church and even work, far to closely with buildings, even to an extent which cannot really be supported by scripture. “Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.” Join the birds and try singing!!

As Mark Twain said: “Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.”