walking

A while back I was given, and read, a 300+-page book on .. walking.

It's called Wanderlust: a history of walking by a woman called Rebecca Solnit.

I wondered, to start with, whether there really was enough to the whole simple business of walking to warrant a book that long. But I soon discovered there is.

One of the points which the author was careful to make is that our brains function best when we're moving along at walking pace. Sitting at a desk may be fine for all sorts of things, but that static condition is not as good as the steady, rhythmic movement of a walk.

We often talk of getting up from our desk and taking a stroll to 'clear our heads'. Why? Because the movement and pace of the walk is strangely conducive to helping us think at our best. We seem to be made, in other words, to be those who think on our feet.

I've been walking a lot today. The snow on the ground has confined the car this week to the role of some snow-clad, ornamental statue in the driveway. I've been hoofing it here there and everywhere.

Over the hill to Murrayfield this afternoon, to a nursing home there and a visit with a lady there whose husband had just died the day before.

Throughout their 57 years of married life they've been a devout and godly couple, devoted to one another, and together devoted to the service of the Lord.

Theirs was a marriage the way it's meant to be. Openly God-honouring in the worship which they offered him together every day. Manifestly Christ-glorifying in the way they sought to show both Jesus' Lordship and his servanthood in how they lived their life. And constantly grace-imparting to a multitude of different folk with whom their paths would cross.

They've been together a huge support to me across the years, and a ceaseless source of faithful prayer, encouragement and strength. To countless others as well.

It's a bit of a hike across the hill to the nursing home, but more than worth the effort. It was good to see her and to talk with her for a while.

The Lord was very present. He's good and kind and gentle, easing himself, in a way that's not intrusive, into sorrows such as these and becoming himself the balm that grieving people need.

"You will be taking the service, won't you?" she kept on asking. Her short-term memory now is far from good. It mattered to her that I would be leading that worship. She needed the re-assurance.

Down the years it's meant so much to me to know that they were always there and always so committed to supporting me in prayer. It was humbling to hear her concern that I would be there for her and for her family in this sore time of sorrow. Of course I would be there.

* * *

At night I was hiking my way out west this time, to the outskirts of the city and a home on a hill in Cammo. A meeting arranged some time back with a group of folk, which ended up just myself and the man whose home and hospitality I was able to enjoy on my own!

A profitable time, nonetheless, as iron sharpened iron in our thinking about next year. 2011 marks the 400th anniversary of the King James (or 'Authorised') Version of the Bible. Loads of churches are marking the year with a thing called Biblefresh. We were giving some thought as to how we might be marking it ourselves. I find it exciting and full of enormous potential. But more on that another time.

And then, of course, the same hike back. It was that which made me realise how helpful all my walking through the day had been. My brain ticking over at optimum speed. A lot of good time for clear thinking and none of the barrage of telephone calls to interrupt my line of thought.

And the chance, on occasion, to stop and to chat with some folk.

There's a lot to be said for our walking. Enough to write a whole book!