I took advantage of a cheap flight from Belfast to Milan in October to see my son and his family.

I was able to dodge Covid restrictions. Italy was not on any list when I travelled. And I got home in time before one needed to isolate for 14 days.

He lives on a hill with trees of every kind growing nearby; cherry, fig, apple, hazel nut, Rose of Sharon, chestnut and pine. Some bee keepers bring their bee hives every spring to my son’s garden. The bees thrive on the local flowers.

One of the beekeepers left in some honey for the family before I left. There were four different colours of honey. Each kind of honey was produced when different fruit was in season.

God promised the people of Israel that he would bring them into a land flowing with milk and honey. They would possess houses they didn’t build and eat the fruit of trees they didn’t plant. God led our son and his family to a promised land indeed. It was a delight to stay with them.

As I travelled on my way back to the airport I noticed that the rivers were clear and blue; no pollution. The rivers’ source is nearby. The Alps covered in snow supply the valley below with abundance of water.

Secure in my seat on the airplane flying home I looked out below. The snow topped mountains and the dark valleys were outlined by the rising sun. How blessed one is to have a bird’s eye view of the mountains that our God created. I returned home amazed and full of joy.