From start to finish this week of holidaying in Bordeaux has been a really special time.

Lots of fantastic ingredients: the blazing sunshine; the adventure of a very last minute plan coming together; the watching of a sunrise from a beach camp spot; connecting chatter over amazing food; the joy of listening to the French language; the ridiculous expansive beaches; playing in the crashing waves; pedalling many kms on city bikes with huge panniers; hours cycling through peaceful forests; exploring the twisting ancient streets of Bordeaux. Stealth camp spots, idllyic campspots and a few nights in accommodation. So much good stuff!

Each day was started with coffee and a croissant of course! Coffee was drunk reading a bible passage together or listening to a wonderful book , the way of the heart by Henri Nouwen. What a joy to be reminded to find and face in solitude all the parts of our selves - many that we might want to flee from. Yet then to turn and find a loving Father ready to embrace us and enable us to live out a whole new identity. We have been inspired afresh toward wholesome thinking, pursuing practices that lead to life.

The rougher/funny parts of the week (chilly tent nights before buying a blanket, cycling all day with no food as coastal places for shut at the end of the season, running onto a stunning beach to dive into the water for a swim, discovering it was a naturist beach!) were minimal next to the jewels of the trip, evolving as we day by day planned our time. What a gift of a week.

We have been back a week in stormy Scotland. The leaves are golden brown, the nights are darker way earlier and we are both focused on our work much of the week. We are resolved this winter to keep going with rhythms which are life giving and look forward already to Spring days, hoping to arrive there healthy & fit, spiritually nourished and going with the flow of the spirit that brings peace, hope and joy. O that many others would know that flow too.