What's Occurring?
Not long after our daughter and her husband were married, we went to stay with them in Wales. When we arrived, our son-in-law announced that he had planned a little day-out adventure for us. We got into their car, and the journey began.
Pete took us to some places which seemed very familiar even though we had never been there before. He had made up a map of the places that, he said, would become familiar as time went on. They drove us to a seaside resort and asked if we recognised anything yet? “No, not yet.” we replied. We had never visited that part of Wales before. But when we pulled up next to the café near the beach and we parked up behind a small coach with “Dave’s Coaches” on the rear of the coach and emblazoned down the side then the ‘penny dropped’.
They had brought us to the location at which the popular Television series ‘Gavin and Stacey’ had been recorded.
We saw the amusement arcade, the Café that Stacey worked at and the famous chip shop – ‘Boofy's’ where, of course, we had to try the chips (with curry sauce).
After enjoying our chips, we travelled on to an amazing park in St Fagans. We also picked up our son-in-law's parents who came along with us. For the afternoon.
We had a great time there, including having a group photo taken dressed up in Victorian costumes. Standing still and not smiling as they did in Victorian times was the trickiest part. We grew up with calls of “Smile” anytime we had our photograph taken but of course in Victorian days you were not supposed to smile for the photos because the shutter remained open for much longer than modern cameras and a smile might turn to a grimace or a frown whilst waiting, and that would spoil the picture.
So, we all kept straight and serious faces. When we saw the picture, it seems that one of us forgot the instructions (me) and I had a big smile pasted across my face.
We visited an old-fashioned tearoom and enjoyed fresh Welsh Cakes which were delicious, and afterwards walked past a row of terraced cottages that had been restored to various periods that those homes would have been in use. from the beginning of Victorian era right up to the 1950s.
We visited the mansion house just up from the Terraced houses and the Victorian school, post box and old grocer's shop. And the stone church which had been moved from a location a few miles away stone-by-stone. There is also a wonderful museum in the grounds of St Fagan’s and much more.
We journeyed home the next day. It was quite an adventure even though short lived. The old-fashioned sepia coloured photo of the six of us in Victorian costume is still in pride of place in our hallway.
Occasions like this one, certainly put a smile on one's face. And it’s good to look back and to remember the faces in the photographs. Often, they are stashed away in a suitcase or draw or in an old box in the attic. But memories are ageless – unlike our lives.
Perhaps we need to make the most of our time here because the Bible warns us that our lives are short “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” (James 4:14b) - here today and gone tomorrow.
So, we need to make the most of what time we have left on this earth. Not just in fun activities or simply pleasure, but in ensuring our eternal security.
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?
(Matthew 16:26)
Search the scriptures and see for yourself, dear friend.