‘I love it when that happens!” said the young girl on the long board as we passed one another for a second time.
I had been walking near our house when we first met on the trail. That was over an hour before and somehow as she kept on skating and I kept on walking our paths crossed again as we ended up journeying….
Full circle.
The photo above is of Hilary at the same spot my mum was photographed at on her honeymoon, 74 years ago!
The Romantic story behind Kylemore Abbey’s construction involves a very wealthy Englishman taking his County Down bride to this spot on their honeymoon! Both my mother and Hilary are also Stars of the County Down.’😀
At the time it was a very remote yet beautiful location, and his new bride Margaret, said, ‘Wouldn’t this be a wonderful place to live.!’ Her loving husband was inspired to build her this ‘dream house’.
They had 9 children here, however the romance took a tragedic turn when Margaret died while in Egypt. Her husband could no longer bear to live in the mansion without her and so subsequently it had a turbulent history until after WW2 when it became ‘home’ for a group of homeless Benedictine nuns whose convent in Belgium had been destroyed during the war.
How beautifully these two stories blend together to portray The Big Story.
A bridegroom desiring to give his all to bless his bride walks through the ‘valley of the shadow of death.’ But in the end a bride, a corporate bride, of ‘those who love this bridegroom finds a home, ‘a resting place’ he has prepared for them where they can then live out their expression of love for him.
Again amazingly, without our prior knowledge, our daughter Laurie and family had planned as part of their current European tour to visit Kylemore just a few weeks ago for their first time!
She sent us this photo of herself and Freddie her firstborn at the identical spot!
One of the pieces of art for sale at the Abbey pictures our firstborn (Robin) also at the same spot!
Christ was ‘the firstborn among many brethren….. that he might bring many sons to glory’
His glory is revealed through these ‘sons’
…..his beautiful and beloved bride.
P.S.
In the blog series after our previous Irish visit, I explained how ‘The Belle of Belfast City’ was prophetic of the bride that is being prepared there, and in every city on earth.
‘Out she comes as white as snow
Rings on her fingers bells on her toes’
This time another fun song from the Live at Rivendell album came to the fore in Belfast, describing the same….
‘……a fine lady on a white horse.
Rings on her fingers, bells on her toes
She shall have music wherever she goes.’
Just this morning :Belfast Lydia, now in Wales, sent me this verse, 2 Cor.5:4. in the TPT……
And this is no empty hope, for God himself is the one who has prepared us for this wonderful destiny. And to confirm this promise, he has given us the Holy Spirit, like an engagement ring, as a guarantee.
What a lovely timely third witness! 🙂
Enjoy the song by clicking here…..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_U_0Pzyr5I
