Missionary Gas

The day before the Royal Wedding was spent in Edinburgh.  In the morning Olwen met up with Daphnie and Ruth,  and in the evening we went to Fiona Christie's farewell. So I spent part of the time visiting an unknown Edinburgh.    Beside the Palestinian Fair Trade shop I found a plaque to Alexander Whyte, the Bible expositor, and a bust of R S Candlish,  the Disruption churchman.    Under a railway viaduct I saw one of those historical plaques.   On a dirty viaduct wall I'm not sure what to make of the Royal Wedding:     Connolly would have attacked its opulence,   Whyte and Candlish its hypocrisy.  Meanwhile,  I shivered my way through our street party grateful that the prayer has been answered, "long may she reign over us".

Leaving St George's Tron after hearing about "The Great Comfort of the Cross" "Whet's happnin heir?" said the girl to Olwen as the crowds streamed out into Buchanan Street.      400 attended the no-frills-Bible-exposition Good Friday service in St George's Tron.  Auntie Margaret kept us two seats. In the opening hymn we sang,  Inscribed upon the cross we see in shining letters,  "God is love"; But,  can you reduce "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" to "God is love"?   Shouldn't it be "God is just". But the verse finishes off: He bears our sins upon the tree, he brings us mercy from above. Okay,   the hymn writer got it right.  Now I wonder at the cross if someone asked,  "Whet's happnin heir?"

St Paul's:  the long-standing rival  to Westminster Abbey The Kirkintilloch gym has TV monitors fixed to their machines.  Today I ran,  rowed and cycled while watching the Queen at her Maundy Thursday service in Westminster Abbey. What was remarkable was the amount of Scripture that was read.   It seemed so non-PC to hear elderly Prince Philip read Jesus' words at the end of the Parable of the sheep and goats,  "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."   And at the close for the congregation to sing, "God save the Queen". In fact,  it was better entertainment than the golf or the cricket.

Today I met a bicycle wheel maker in Clachan of Campsie.    I didn't mean to as I'd just gone to collect the bikes after a service. Clachan is a collection of a few houses at the Campsie foothills with a small bicycle repair shop.       The wheel maker works in a back room piled high with parts,  papers,  and even the remains of a rhubarb pie.       Hanging from the ceiling were frames,  some  made of titanium and weighing grams. All skills are important The shop doesn't sell bikes,  it makes them.    There must be few places like it in all the UK. Whatever skills God has given us,  even the smallest of ones,   they're worthwhile having .

Went to Kirkie Baptist to hear son David preaching tonight. The two-part sermon was on Psalms 126 and 129: songs of joy and of lament. These and other Psalms were sung by the Jewish pilgrims who went up to Jerusalem for the Passover. And Jesus was amongst them. Thankfully the lament of Easter Friday was turned into the joy of Easter Sunday. And its wonderful that sorrow turning to joy is so typical of the Christian life. Photo: Powerful stuff - Kirkie Baptist prayer corner, complete with fire extinguishers

After working in a 3rd World nation it's difficult for missionaries to readjust to 1st World Health & Safety and PC-ness. Calling someone a Blackie is a term of endearment in Colombia. In Scotland I even got warned about carrying a penknife. Yesterday we had to get rid of 3 wheelie bin loads of bushes and branches: the obvious thing was to burn them. The fire took hold easily, the flames lept high and I felt like an Indian sending smoke signals to Ireland. Olwen shouted for the hose pipe and then we heard the sound of a helicopter circling us. Was it legal? It's not easy to loose the 3rd World mentality that common sense is weightier than legali ty. Photo: Cuzco, Peru, without UK Health & Safety standards

Our furlough continues until the beginning of June, and then the Missions Board will decide what to do with us. Meanwhile Olwen's got a scheme to make sun-dresses out of pillow cases and send them to Burkina Faso. Sadly my suggestion of raising funds for the Lenzie Dengue Sufferers Group was ignored. She's also attacking the garden and I've been put in charge of the lawn. One of the first things I did was to order a book on lawns which I'll definitely read before Christmas. Photo: Giant pineapple, Medellín, Colombia

Am just working on a review of the latest Spanish Logos Bible Software. It's called the Edición Platino - the Platinum edition. I wonder what they'll call the one after that - the Uranium edition doesn't sound quite right.

When we arrived in Lenzie news reached us of the death of Bill Wilkinson from New Stevenson. He was an elder in the Brethren Assembly although few will have heard of him. But he was well known in heaven because he took every opportunity to speak of the gospel and was a holy man. I recall him giving a word about Jesus at my wedding. Also there was a book waiting for Olwen: sort of do-it-yourself cafetiere covers. It was a thoughtful Mother's Day gift from John and Jo. I wonder what you and I are remembered for? Mmmm ... scary. Photo: High Street, Aviemore

A few years ago Daphne Douglas said that talking to her Alaistair was like talking to a fairy tale. He would answer as the big bad wolf or a gruffalo and you never knew who would come next. I understand Alastair. At the moment my world is connected to that of the medieval Bible interpreters and I meet up with Thomas Aquinas and Alfonso de Madrigal. To keep in touch with reality we went for a walk around the Carnlough Bay. This part of Antrim is predominantly Catholic and voters choose between Sinn Fein or SDLP. Every SDLP poster has been damaged. We all have our own dreams and it's a case of how healthy they are. As Paul says, "think about such things" concerning what is true and admirable. Photo: Sorry, you won't be getting my vote

It's been a an active few days: visiting the Avoca shop/coffee lounge - Belfast's answer to London's Liberty. And then up to Morelli's: Portstewart's answer to Largs' Nardini's. A nd everyday we see Slemish: Ballymena and St Partrick's answer to Iona and St Columba. "There is nothing new under the sun" says the Bible. Which can be sad or an encouragement to trust that God reigns. Photo: Military graffitti, Ballee's answer to Colombia's FARC?

Mother 's Day is usually a bit dodgey . Olwen wouldn 't want anyone to make a fuss over her . However an orchid , cookbook , lovely - mummy heart and 4 out of a possible 5 cards gave her the feel - wanted sensation . (Don't worry J _ _ n the others compensated for you ). After church this morning I wish I could say the same about deaconess' preaching . No doubt they contribute considerably to the church 's ministry , but deacons aren't teaching elders . Photo : Grannie with her waving - Queen present

I set TomTom for Belfast's City Airport to collect Matthew. A sinking feeling came over me as I entered through a restricted zone of Belfast's docks. This was justified as TomTom announced "You have reached your destination" and I drew alongside a Calor Gas depot. No doubt a sermon application there. At least he got it right in the evening. We joined the thousands of Porche's, BMWs and 4-wheel drive owners watching Ulster v. Scarlets. This included seeing 8 physios on the pitch at the same time treating injured players. Photo: Paddy's milestone on way to Larne