17. Jul 2025

Shillelagh - Enniscorthy

Photo 1: "The cross and the bicycle"

It was the cross of Jesus that gave me life, purpose and a foundation to build my life. It was a bicycle that God used to give me orientation. I did a ten week bicycle tour across Europe in 1977 with nine other students from Southeastern College of the Assemblies of God. God used this trip to help me hear his hearbeat for Europe. I can still hear it. It lead me to the rest of my life.

Photo 2: "A look back at the Wicklow Mountains"

It was quite warm and sunny today. After a good climb uphill in the early afternoon, I came to a short shady stretch. I looked for a place where I could sit in the shade away from the road to have my lunch. Just at the end of the shady stretch I saw a gate open to a house with trees in zhe garden. The front door was open. In my spirit I heard: "Go there." I went to the open door and called out, "Hello!" A woman came out who was taking care of four young girls kind of like a home day care. She glady offered for me to sit in a chair in the shade on their patio. As I was eating my lunch, she came out with the children to say goodbye. They were going to drive to the beach. Her husband, Grahm, had just arrived and also came to the patio. I shared a bit of my story and then prayed for everyone. Grahm stayed at the house and our conversation continued. He had been brought up in a Christian tradition that taught him to fear God in the sense of being afraid of God. Unfortunately the concept of a creator God who is a loving Father is often so distorted by traditions, rituals, rules, regulations, fear of judgment and dammnation. We had a good talk and I was able to pray that he and his family would find their way to the heart of God.

Photo 3: "Willy and the Peacock Feather"

I heard a peacock call out from behind a fence and shortly later saw a peacock feather on the side of the road. The peacock feather reminded Willy of God's eye watching over him. The color in the eye of the feather matched Willy's own color, drawing them together in harmony. When there is break in the clouds on a cloudy day and a speck of blue shows through, I like to think that God has blue eyes and is looking down on me. This amazing blue is reflected on the waters of lakes, rivers and oceans on a clear day. When one looks out to the horizon where the heaven and sea meet together, there is a harmony and melting together of blue. This is how God created us in his image. We were to reflect his light and glory, living in a spiritual harmony between God in heaven and ourselves here on earth. It is unfortunate that the dark clouds of sin and human history have cast their shadows in the human soul, which has brought disharmony to the spiritual union. Still, God's love and grace will break through with his "blue eyes" from heaven to let us know he is there... if we look to him. I told Willy we would try to take the peacock feather back home with us in one piece.

Photo 4: This historical graveyard was once part of the medieval monastery founded at Ferns by St. Aidan in the seventh century.

Photo 5: The castle in Enniscorthy where I stayed the night in the church building of Alive Church, an Assembly of God congregation in the city.