Well today was one of those “change of plan” kind of days.  I had planned for the three of us to go to a priory ruin and explore a bit.  Then last night Rob and I found that the only bus stop close to the old priory was quite a long walk.  So I rebooted and made a plan to go to a local Duram Art Gallery instead.  I made a phone inquiry before we left and found sadly that they are closed until next Thursday night to install a new exhibit.  Plan C

The kids and I decided to go into town, have lunch with Rob and get a behind the scenes tour of St. John’s College and see the libraries and where he has been studying and writing.

He took us through an ally and to a medieval era tunnel to the outside of the cathedral wall. It is a more peaceful back way back to the city centre and shopping area.

This was a great look at a whole other side of the cathedral complex.  I never become tired of looking at and standing in the presence of such a large, beautiful structure.  We have nothing in America as old as this 1,000 year old stone edifice.   Anything that old is certainly under glass and not touchable.

Today I could not help but think of God.  In heaven we will never tire of being in the presence of such a huge and beautiful presence.  The “ancient of days”, He is larger and yet more approachable, more awe inspiring and more beautiful than anything that our frail human minds could ever hope to understand in this earthly shell.  This building draws me in close to it, an amazing peacefulness surrounds it, but it was built by human hands, hands that wanted to point the way to God.  They wanted us feel the vastness of this place, have our breath taken by its beauty and know that as wonderful as this cathedral is it pales in comparison to the one who created us, loves us, and wants to draw us in to his peaceful presence.  God longs for us to desire to be near unto Him just like I long to come back again and again to this beautiful place.

I am always saying that I just want to hug this beautiful old cathedral so today I did.

So all in all I believe that “plan c” worked out to be the best.

We got to see the quiet trails behind the cathedral along the River Wear (long e) and spend a lunch hour with Rob.  Tomorrow we will pop on the train and take a short field trip to York.  We will bring our camera and bring you a full report of our findings there.

Blessings,

Beth