Happy Christmas!

Yes, I know I'm a bit late, and I'm sorry not to have posted on Christmas Day itself. I hope you'll understand and forgive me!

We had five services during the past few days: the Tongue Primary School Christmas Service was on Thursday afternoon, then our Christmas Eve Watchnight Service was at 11:30pm in Tongue Church, followed not long afterwards by the Christmas Day service at 11:30am in Melness Church. Not surprisingly, not many folk came to our two Boxing Day services!

The church was well filled on Christmas Eve and there were people who had come from as far as Bettyhill! This was the first time I had preached at a Watchnight service, and I really enjoyed speaking with folk about the connections between our present-day culture, the Old Testament prophecies of Isaiah, and the Christmas Story.

With my science background, we were thinking about how scientists know what they know, and don't know what they don't know (quoting Donald Rumsfeld along the way!). Isaac Newton got a mention, with his apple and gravity, and his three famous 'laws' of motion. Albert Einstein also got a mention, due to his update on one of Newton's Laws, and his famous formula of e=mc².

Of course, we also were talking about love, because the birth of Jesus demonstrated to the fullest possible extent, how much God loves each of us. It isn't only a children's story. It really happened. People experienced it. People recorded it. And people have passed it on, down through the ages, all the way to us.

It was the beginning of a journey, for Mary & Joseph, for the shephereds, for the Magi, and even for God himself. He invites each of us to journey with Him.

On Christmas Day, the service was all about celebration, and we ended up with a Birthday Cake, complete with candle. We all enjoyed gathering together around the cake, for a chat and a piece of cake, before heading home to enjoy the rest of Christmas Day.

We long to see God's Kingdom becoming more established in this place. God calls us to be like watchmen, watching on the walls, praying to God that He will build his kingdom and restore his 'city'. We all have a part we can play in the drama.

On Boxing Day, there were some boxes! We were talking about packing up for journeys, when moving home, or just for a short visit from one end of the country to the other.

Mary and Joseph journeyed from Nazareth to Bethlehem. The Magi journeyed hundreds of miles, probably from Babylon to Bethlehem. Then Mary and Joseph fled from Herod to Egypt, followed some years later by their eventual return to Nazareth.

We wondered what kind of boxes, or packages, they used to carry and protect the precious gifts that the Magi had given them. Jesus was their most precious 'possession'!

We thought about the kind of emergency supplies we need to take when we are travelling on icy and snowy roads. We thought about how some people treat Jesus as an emergency item; kept safely and securely hidden away out of sight, until the emergency occurs. Then He is unwrapped and pressed into service to save us from whatever disaster has occurred.

How much better to journey with Jesus, walking in his footsteps, holding his hand, following his guidance and directions. The likelihood of emergency or disaster will be much reduced, and the likelihood of rescue so much stronger.

At the end of the service, a few folk received a mysterious box with a little present inside. God is a God of surprises - nice surprises!

I am looking forward to the New Year ahead. We don't know what it will bring or where it will take us. But we know that God will be with us, or rather, we will be with Him!

God has a unique path for each of us, tailored to our circumstances, and to who we are. He loves you for who you are, and wants you to be the most you can be. With God all things are possible.

Four months and five days to go

Tomorrow will mark four months since I was ordained into the ministry after which there are only five more days to go until Christmas - yay!

We are now in our second period of wintry weather. This one began on Thursday and the forecasters predicted a couple of days of snow and then dry into next week. However, it snowed quite a bit through Saturday and on through the night. As a result it was rather difficult for many people to get to our Cool School Nativity Service this morning.

But it takes more than a bit of snow to keep Melness and Tongue folk away from church. All the children and leaders were there, and there was a good crowd of parents and siblings too. I reckon we had close on 50 folk in church today.

Given that we have at least three folk away on holiday, and another dozen or so kept away by the weather, I was pleased by the strong turnout.

It seems that God is really drawing people towards our church fellowship. We are having fun together as we strive to follow Jesus and worship our God. People are deciding to start coming along for the first time, or after an absence of many years.

The children did really well today. The Christmas Story was well told, with clarity and humour. The congregation did really well too, laughing at the funny bits, and managing not to laugh when one of the Kings proudly announced she had brought Frankenstein for baby Jesus!

During this past month we have had five funerals in the parish. It is not many compared with a lot of parishes, but for a resident population of around 600, it is a significant percentage. One of the people who came to church today said that it seemed that for too long they had only been to church for funerals. They were pleased today to celebrate the joyful message of Christmas with us all.

Although I have been here for four months now, the beautiful scenery still catches my eye and makes me gasp in awe and wonder at the majesty of God's creative genius. The above view across Talmine Bay and the Kyle of Tongue, with the watery wintry sunshine slanting across the misty air, just took my breath away.

When God's messengers came to tell Mary and Joseph, and then the Shepherds, what was going on, almost the first thing they said was 'Fear Not!'

God loves each person and He doesn't want anyone to be afraid of Him. Don't be afraid to put your trust in Jesus today. He has lived through everything we have, and more. He won through to the other side of death, and He beckons you to follow after Him.

Don't get left out in the cold and dark of Winter. Shout out, "Wait for me, I'm coming!"

Before the Beginning

Recently I watched a BBC Horizon programme entitled "What Happened Before the Big Bang?" The interaction between science and faith is interesting for me. I have been an electronics designer for much of my life, and now I am a minister in the Church of Scotland. I care about science, and I want to know more about God.

The Bible begins by declaring that the Universe came into being through the action of God. The book of Genesis records the earliest understandings of our place in that Universe. In Genesis we see that God was involved in the development of life on the Earth, culminating in the arrival of mankind. God breathed his Spirit into humanity, and He gave us the ability to communicate with Him, to have a relationship with God himself.

Scientists have often struggled to give any credence to the Genesis story. Scientific experiments have been unable to prove anything about God. Nor have they been able to disprove the existence of God. Millions of people have claimed to experience God, but that experience is not scientific.

The nature of the Universe, and mankind's place within it, have been the subject of our curious minds since the dawn of history. Every culture has its traditions about how they came to be here.

During the first half of the 1900s, there was a great scientific debate about whether the Universe had always existed. If it hadn't always existed, then how did it get here? Of course, that question is equally relevant even if the Universe always existed!

By 1950, the argument had been settled. The Universe began with a Big Bang, and expanded into its current condition. The Universe continues to expand. Indeed, scientists think that the expansion of the Universe continues to accelerate.

Cosmologists continue to analyse and study the Big Bang. Sensitive microwave telescopes can detect Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation. It comes from everywhere, but it has variation and structure. The current understanding is that this background energy is left over from the Big Bang. Studying the CMB radiation can give clues about the Big Bang.

Recent discoveries suggest that before the Big Bang, there was Something. There are a range of opinions about the nature of that Something. The Horizon programme presented the ideas of about ten different researchers. It was interesting to see how these scientific folk grapple with something that happened so long ago and so far away, when no-one lived to record what happened.

I did wonder if one of those people might turn out to be a theologian, someone who studies and thinks about God. But 'No'. After all Horizon is a science programme, not a religious broadcast!

But I wonder just where that blurry line runs, between science and religion, when talking and discussing such an intangible subjects as the Big Bang and the Creation of the Universe.

Perhaps if people considered the claims of religious folk throughout the world, both those living today, and those from former generations, they might enlarge their understanding of how we all came to be here and what we are here for.

Religious folk must also take seriously the work of our scientists. We have much to learn from them about this world that God has given us to look after. It's the only world we have just now. Scientists too are seeking to understand Life, the Universe, and Everything.

Autumnal Snow

Last year the first time I saw snow was just a few days before Christmas. The snow hung around for a couple of months before finally disappearing. That was pretty unusual for Edinburgh, where some winters there is no snow, and even in a bad winter it would only lie around for a week or two.

So I was quite interested on Tuesday morning this week to see through my study window a dusting of snow on Ben Hope. Ben Hope is the most northerly Munro in Scotland, a 'Munro' being a mountain peak higher than 3000 feet, or 914m, above sea level. My OS map indicates Ben Hope is 927m.

The dusting of snow increased slightly on Tuesday afternoon, and then on Wednesday the heavy showers continued with even greater intensity. Even Ben Hutig at 408m near Melness had some snow on the summit by the end of the day.

In the noontime sunshine I was astonished to see that the strong breeze was swirling around the summit and whipping up the snow into graceful whorls and streamers. The sunlight was gleaming off the white snow and it was awesomely beautiful. You can see a photo below. The snow must have been very dry to be lifted into the air by the wind.



Sometimes we take the everyday beauty of our world for granted. The delicate balance of nature on the surface of our planet seems imperturbable. Yet the narrow zone of habitable environment is narrower than we think. A rise in global carbon dioxide, or a fall in the solar power output, is all it takes to throw our human civilisations into chaos.

God calls each of us to live in harmony with his plan and purpose for the world. We are to love our neighbours, even if they are our enemies. We are to care for the poor, bring healing to the sick, deliver justice to the oppressed, and to enjoy the bounteous provision of our creator God. God is love - dwell in his love.

Is love more important than happiness?

God loves us so much that he spent his life on the Cross so that we might come into a loving relationship with Him. But does He want us to love Him more than He wants us to be happy?

Sometimes people try to make friends with someone by being nice to them. We are so desperate for them to be our friend that we give them gifts, take them places, and generally be as kind and helpful as we can.

Such generosity might convince the other person of our sincerity, but if the other person is not attracted to us as a person, then it is not likely that our generosity will change their mind. They may be happy to be with us, since the good gifts are enjoyable. But when there is a pause between the gifts, then they become uninterested again. They are not deep friends, only fair-weather friends. When life gets hard, they will move on, and leave you behind.

Sometimes people think that if there is a God who loves us, then He should make us happy. If we were happy, then we would be willing to love God. If God can't make us happy, then He is not worthy of our time.

I wonder if that kind of attitude underlies the fragility of so many human relationships. People are pleased to stick with their partner so long as he or she makes them happy. If life moves into a difficult phase, and we are not happy, then we split up and look for someone else who can do the trick.

How much should our love be based on our feelings, how much should be based on our thoughts, and is there anything else that would strengthen our love?

When we feel happy, when we enjoy someone's company, when we desire to be with someone, we sum up our feelings by declaring our love. But feelings can be very fickle, having bad days as well as good days.

If our love is based on a considered appreciation of someone, then that should be much more stable. We remember our partner telling us of their love for us. We recall their attractiveness and we remember the good times we have had together. We are thankful for those qualities and characteristics that we value and appreciate. We may not be feeling positive towards the person, but we remember how important they are to us.

My musings are no-doubt only capturing a glimpse of what love is all about. Many others have written deeply on the subject. But it seems to me that many folk today still struggle to feel loved, and to love others.

Love is more than feelings, and more than a product of our thinking.

God tells us that He is love. It is his nature. He has made us humans in his image, and so we have capability to love. God wants us to love, and to be loved. He longs to be the primary object of our love, and to enfold you in his love. When you know his love in and through you, then you have love in abundance for other folk too.

We cannot make other people love us. But we don't need to make God do that - He loves us already. He is just waiting for our response - for us to open the door of our hearts and lives, to let Him in, and fill us with his love.

God loves you unconditionally. You cannot make him love you more, and you cannot make him love you less. He gives us that kind of love for other folk too.

If you are feeling short of love, then open yourself to God, and let Him fill you to overflowing.

Northern Lights

It's been a beautiful day, almost cloud-free, except for a period in the mid-morning. We've been working in the garden, and then visited someone for afternoon tea.

This evening the air is very still and the sky is still clear. I went outside to check that the intermittent low rumbles I could hear were actually from the military bombing range at Cape Wrath. Indeed, they were, although I couldn't see any flashes. The bangs must be rather loud, as it's some 30-odd miles to Cape Wrath from Tongue.

When I looked northwards, I was delighted to see my first sight of the Northern Lights. The photos I had seen previously, and a distant view through an aircraft window, did not do them justice! It was really amazing to see the patterns moving about and the glow was much brighter than I expected. Perhaps we will see even better examples during the dark winter nights ahead.

I took a few photos, but even at 8 seconds exposure time on f2.8, I could only catch the brightest portions. The photo above has the brightness level boosted, and you can make out some of the aurora just above and to the right of the street light. My photo won't give you any idea of the broad view of the Lights. They ranged across the whole northern sky, although they didn't not stretch high up into the night sky.

You might also make out the constellation of the Plough farther up in the sky, pointing towards the North Pole star. I was only holding the camera against a downpipe at the side of the house, so I'm quite impressed I held it so still for 8 seconds! Perhaps next time I'll get out my tripod.

When everything else was quiet, we could also hear some distant roaring from the red deer stags, now that they have started the annual rutting season. Hearing this was another first time experience for my wife and I.

Milky Way

One of the sights I have been looking forward to here in Tongue is the night sky.

Living in Edinburgh we only see the brighter planets and stars. The Milky Way and the clouds of stars that make up the unpolluted night sky are just invisible in the city.

Tonight, as I arrived back home around 10:30pm, the Milky Way was stretched across the clear night sky above my head. A very bright planet was rising in the East (as they do!), and there were hordes of stars visible almost everywhere I looked (up the way, that is!).

When you see the night sky in all its glory it adds resonance to several passages from the Bible. The Christmas Star is probably the most obvious. The stars are created in Genesis, the bright Morning Star(s) shines in Job, Isaiah, 2nd Peter, and Revelation. At the End, the stars will fall from the sky. But tonight I am glad the stars are still shining brightly! And the planets too.

Us Human beings often think that we are in control of our own destiny. "If you try hard enough you can do whatever you want." Heard that one before.

Look up. What can we do compared with all that. We've reached the moon. We sent robots to Mars. We've sent a spacecraft to Pluto although it's not got there yet! Two spacecraft, the Voyager probes, have almost reached interstellar space - the edge of influence of our own Sun. Big deal!

The Universe is so awesome that we can hardly believe the numbers. So I'm not even going to try and make you now!

The Queen of Hearts encourages Alice to practice believing impossible things. In her own youth she could believe "six impossible things before breakfast."

Recently a well known scientist, physicist and mathematician, has declared that God wasn't there when the Universe began. Apparently it all started with an act of "spontaneous creation".

Quoting the BBC Website,
Stephen Hawking says: "Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing.

"Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist.

"It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going."

It seems to me that Mr. Hawking has been trying too hard to believe impossible things. At least he believes in Creation. At least he believes there is a reason that the universe and humans exist. To me, 'spontaneous creation' seems like an unlikely reason. Indeed, I would say it is an unbelievable reason.

Laws do not occur spontaneously.
If gravity is a law, then there is a lawmaker, and a Judge.

The entire basis of Physics is that things do not occur spontaneously.
There is no uncaused event.

Quantum Physics throws some doubt on that assertion.
It deals with the microscopic, sub-molecular scale.

But it is not tenable to suggest that since sub-atomic events appear to be uncaused, i.e. occur spontaneously, then macroscopic events, such as the creation of the Universe, can also be spontaneous, uncaused events.

For years scientists have been saying that miracles, as described by present-day people, and recorded in the Bible, can not and do not occur.

Now we have a scientist saying that the Creation of the Universe occurred spontaneously.

Well that seems miraculous to me!

Gorgeous Sunset - Beautiful Morning

Last night there was a stunning sunset. The sky near the horizon was clear, except for one cloud just above the sun, which was setting below the skyline. That cloud shone a brilliant gold, reflecting off the higher wispy clouds above.

The clear sky, with its shades of pink, yellow, and red, heralded a chilly night, and so it proved. I wouldn't have liked to have been sleeping outdoors. It must have been well down into single figures (Celsius).

This morning the sky was still clear. In fact, I couldn't see any clouds, anywhere in the sky. The sun was blazing down out of the Eastern sky, glistening off the heavy dew, and shining off the wet leaves on the bushes and trees.

The combination of gorgeous sunset, cold dark night, and beautiful morning, reminded me of the Easter story. Although that story stretches over two nights, there are similarities.

Although the Crucifixion was a horrible, horrific, event, we call it Good Friday. In that moment, Evil was defeated, and God triumphed over all of the Devil's machinations. It was an agonising torture for Jesus, but for Christians we rejoice that He accomplished that victory on our behalf, indeed for everyone who chooses to trust in Jesus. It is equivalent to the Gorgeous Sunset.

After the Crucifixion, there was the dark day of Easter Saturday. The disciples were in hopeless despair. The One in whom they had put all their trust, was now gone. What would they do now? Where would they go? What could they believe in now? Two dark nights, and a dark day inbetween.

Then, on Easter Sunday morning, the women went to the tomb and found the stone rolled away. The body of Jesus was gone, and in its place they found grave cloths, and angels who told them that Jesus was Risen. Other disciples went to check it out. Gradually, more and more of them met the Risen Jesus. He really was alive! He spoke with them, ate with them, and was touched by them. It was wonderful, marvellous, glorious, Good News. Equivalent, but better, than today's Beautiful Morning sunshine.

Two images that can remind us of the greatest story of all.

Overflowing Gutter

You can tell that I am now living at the Manse rather than being a visitor.

On a few occasions since we arrived 12 days ago, we noticed that when it was raining, the gutter at the front of the house was overflowing. My conclusion was that it was either full of dirt or else the downpipe was blocked.

Today, during the rain, I noticed again that it was overflowing. So when I was outside anyway, wearing my boots and cagoule, I decided to investigate. The drain at the foot of the downpipe seemed clear, but there was practically no water coming out of the downpipe, despite the rain falling on the roof.

On closer inspection, I noticed that drain is completely covered by a grid, to prevent leaves and other debris from falling into the drain. The downpipe terminates about 5mm above the grid. That gap is large enough to allow leaves and other small items to be flushed out of the bottom of the pipe. But it is not large enough to allow lumps of moss, etc., to get out.

As a result, the bottom of the pipe had become clogged up by moss and mud.

I realised that the 10' high downpipe was fall of water. The plastic downpipe had enough flexibility to move sideways slightly, and as I moved the pipe, layers of mud were left behind on the grid. After flexing the pipe back and forwards a few times, the muddy plug suddenly disintegrated under the pressure of the pent up water, and the water gushed out and up from the bottom of the downpipe.

I wasn't quite quick enough to get out of the way, and my jeans got sprayed with muddy, dirty water! But the good news is that the downpipe is now clear, and the gutter above has stopped overflowing. A successful job completed. And I'll keep an eye on that downpipe during the coming months as the leaves fall during the Autumn.

It's a job a visitor would be unlikely to undertake, unless they were being very generous to the actual homeowner. It's not their problem. They don't own the house. They are not staying for long. It's someone else's problem.

The mud and dirt had built up without anyone noticing. The people who were using the manse were not living there for long - no more than a few weeks or months, and maybe only for a few days at a time. It is not surprising that no-one noticed, and that the problem had been developed. It wasn't anyone's fault. It just happened.

Sometimes such accumulations of rubbish occur in other parts of our lives too. The flow of air, water, or energy, can become blocked. Life is restricted, but often people don't notice. The deterioration can be so slow and gradual that everything seems normal. People become used to the way things are, without realising they could be much better.

Eliminating that blockage requires action. When the problem is noticed, it must be investigated. What has gone wrong? How can it be fixed? What are the risks? What are the benefits that will result?

Sometimes it is only an outsider who can see the problem. If that outsider passes on the observation sensitively then the person or people with the problem may act and sort it themselves. But they may need ongoing help, perhaps from a specialist in such issues.

Sometimes it is God who shows up the blockage. This is one of the values of prayer. We sense that voice of God urging us to take action, even although we hadn't seen there was a problem. With the help of the Holy Spirit we can clear up the mess and rebuild our lives.

Sometimes the process of clearing up the mess results in other folk getting covered in dirt too. But with goodwill and hard work, and the Lord's help, we can reach a successful conclusion.

Running water, fresh air, renewed energy, life to the full.

That's what Jesus came to do - to give you life to the full.
That's what he said. You can read it yourself, in John, chapter 10, verse 10.

"I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full."

To Work - Sort Of

Daughter, sister, mum, and aunt, at Talmine Harbour in Melness

The last of our family visitors departed for Edinburgh today. My Mum, and my older two children, have been staying with us in the Manse since Thursday. It has been a busy time, since there have been the two Ordination events to attend, as well as tours of introduction to the Parish. It was my Mum's first visit to the Parish, and only the second visit for my older children.

The Four Girls at Skerray Harbour

Four Girls and Two Boys, waving to the Manse

Now that they have gone, the Manse has settled down to peace and quiet. Not that we were in conflict while we were all together! It is just that there was always someone coming or going, or moving around. Today we are quiet again.

I have been thinking about tasks for later in the week. Mondays and Tuesdays will be my 'Weekend' days, with Sunday as the busy focus and highlight of the Week. Therefore, today is not a Work Day, but I am still thinking about Work. And maybe even Blogging should be classified as Work, so long as I don't spend all day at the keyboard!

There are many new things to begin now that I have finally started as a Parish Minister. There are new relationships to make, with the leaders of the congregation, with those who are in need of care and pastoral support, and with those in the community who will expect me to interact with them. Not least, I must begin preparation for leading worship and preaching sermons!

Preparation is needed, but that doesn't necessarily mean that I need to spend long hours of administrative organisation. I want to begin this ministry in the same manner I intend to continue - by listening to the Holy Spirit and by following Jesus.

The things that seem most reasonable and rational to me, are not necessarily the first things that I should be doing. My initial activities may not be the things you think I should be doing.

Were I to Follow Jesus literally, I would now be heading out into the Wilderness, to spend 40 Days on my own, listening to the Holy Spirit, and learning how God wants me to move forward in my Ministry.

But the parish of Melness and Tongue is nowhere near the land of Israel. I have duties to perform and functions to undertake. This Time is different from the New Testament times.

Therefore, I must find new ways of beginning, that are customised for this place, this time, this people, and this Minister. I can only see dimly what lies ahead, but I know that Jesus goes before me, and his Holy Spirit will make the way clear as we press onwards, following Jesus.

"One Day at a Time, Sweet Jesus" will do for me just now.

Happy Ordination Weekend

It has been a wonderful weekend, with my Ordination and Induction to the parish of Melness and Tongue on Friday, followed by my minister from Edinburgh 'preaching me in' on Sunday.

Many friends and family have made a stupendous effort to join me and the congregation as we set out together on the journey that Jesus is calling us to follow. The congregation also have made stupendous efforts to welcome my family and my friends into the parish over the weekend. I am hugely grateful for everyone's enthusiasm and support.

I don't have time now to share everything with you, and parish work will no doubt soon press in too. But perhaps the photos below will give a brief glimpse into our special weekend here in Melness and Tongue, and our surrounding communities.

Me outside the Manse before the Ordination

Post-Ordination smiles at the Church Noticeboard

Rays of Sunshine outside the church after the Ordination

Only 4 days

It has only been four days since my last post, but it seems much longer ago than that!

We enjoyed meeting up with friends on Saturday evening at one of the local hotels. They joined us for Communion at church on Sunday, the last Sunday before I begin my duties as minister.


In the afternoon, we joined our friends for a walk up Ben Hope, some 3040 feet (927m) high. It was a great break from unpacking and storing at the manse. The weather was good, dry but not too hot. The summit was clear most of the afternoon, but it was capped by cloud by the time we arrived. We were getting late, and there were hordes of midges, so we had a brief snack, took some photos, and headed down again. However, there were many fine views both climbing up and during our descent. I'm sure it won't be long before we're back to try again for a clear view from the summit.

On Monday we headed out to Thurso for our first major shopping expedition. It's a 90-mile round trip, but it didn't take too long. Soon we were back home with all that we need for the celebrations this weekend.

The unpacking is nearly finished now, and I have begun to give some thought to my first few weeks of preaching. A plan is now in place, and the first couple of weeks are beginning to get some detail.

I've already made my first pastoral visit, organised my first meeting, and today I even received my first enquiry about a wedding! The Big day isn't until next year so no big panic - yet!

It's been sunny quite a bit this week, and I am still revelling in the beautiful views around the manse. Below is the back garden in the evening sunshine, and then the view this morning from the front door over Castle Varrich and the Kyle of Tongue.

Second Day

After a first night in the manse, camping on the floor, we were glad to see the removal van arrive. The unloading took all afternoon, but by teatime, the guys had headed off for a well-deserved weekend.

During the evening the sun came out giving us a beautiful view over the Kyle of Tongue. The tide was out and the sandbanks and mudflats were shining and glistening in the sunlight. The second evening.



The Second Day began this morning with a glimpse of sunlight on the slopes of Ben Hope. Today the clouds are higher than yesterday, but the summit at 3041 feet (927m) is still shrouded in cloud. Perhaps it will clear later in the day.

Our second full day in our new home beckons. A day full of unpacking, but also with a visit by friends from Edinburgh. They will be staying in Tongue over the weekend.

First Day

Well it was 8:30 in the evening when we finally arrived in Tongue yesterday - the first evening.

The journey was uneventful. We were driving gently, since neither of us had driven Edinburgh to Tongue in one go. On previous trips we had always swapped drivers part way along the road.

But for this trip we had both cars with us, so there was no co-driver! We did swap cars at Inverness. It was good to be able change driving positions. My car led the whole way, with Liz driving it from Edinburgh, and me driving it from Inverness.

Andrew chose to sit in my car the whole way. I don't whether that was because he liked my new stereo, or my car-seat is more comfortable, or that he couldn't be bothered changing over!

Up above you see the removal van being loaded up in Edinburgh. Below you see our two cars parked at our new home in the manse at Tongue. The advance party has arrived and eagerly awaits the arrival of the removal van, which spent the night in Inverness. The van should be halfway here by now, and they hope to finish unloading by the end of the day.

There was evening, and there was morning - the first day! Genesis chapter 1 verse 5.

Leaving Home

Today is the day that the Removal company arrive to pack up all our stuff and load it into the van. Some of the family are staying on in the house, so we need to make sure that all the things they need get left behind. And we need to make sure that all the things we need up North in Tongue don't get left behind!

It's going to be a full-on day, leading up to final loading and departure tomorrow morning. Too busy to be sad. Too busy to be excited.

But we know that Jesus has called us to follow Him. He has called us to live and serve Him in Tongue. He will be with us every step of the way. He is trustworthy and faithful.

You can trust Him too.

Coming Home

Many stories in the Bible tell of travellers returning home. Some of them had a warm reception - like the Prodigal Son. Others had a harsh reception - like Jesus coming to Nazareth.

Today was the last time my family and I worshipped at Davidson's mains parish church before some of us head North to the parish of Melness and Tongue in Sutherland.

The guest preacher today, Pirie Mitchell, from Canada, was 'Coming Home' to the church at Davidson's Mains, where his grandfather had been minister, and where his father had left home to seek his fortune in Canada at the age of 17.

As we make our final preparations for departure, it was nice to be reminded that we can come home. We might be moving, but the congregation at Davidson's Mains will be staying - to continue the ministry of Jesus in this place.

I was also reminded that God has a place for each person in his home. Everyone is invited. Each person can make a choice to go there, or to stay away.

Jesus came to bring that Good News to the whole world. The work of the Church is to tell everyone the Good News. That's what we will be doing in Melness and Tongue.

Endings and Beginnings

Beginnings and Endings go together.

A journey begins and ends. The universe began, and one day will end. Life begins with a seed, and hopefully produces fruit, before it ends.

When I began to train for Ministry, in August 2005, a journey began, that one day come to an end. With the grace of God, that journey ended fruitfully, in November 2009, with successful completion of my training.

But that end heralded the beginning, and continuation, of a search for the people and place that God was calling me to serve. The end of that search, by the congregation's election of me to become their next minister, triggered the ending of my 49 years of living in Edinburgh.

That ending will be accompanied by a new beginning, of my living in the Sutherland village of Tongue. I will be serving the people who live in and visit the parish of Melness and Tongue, comprising those two villages, and the surrounding communities that make up the whole parish.

The transition between ending and beginning takes place in only a few days now. The removal people will arrive, pack up our belongings, and take them North, ready for us to start again.

The Bible is full of journeys, with all their beginnings and endings. God walks with us every step of the way, leading us onwards, drawing us towards Him and his home.

There is always an Exception to the Rule. God was, and is, always will be. Those who put their trust in Him, walk with Him through his son Jesus Christ, live with Him forever.

God's party is not a private party! Everyone is welcome, but no-one is forced. Everyone can choose, to be there, or to stay away. The journey goes on ...

Counting Down

Today I made the last of my visits to the congregations in which I have trained during the past 6 years. It was great to see everybody and they made me feel very welcome.

However, it was also a poignant experience, knowing that for some of the folk I saw today, or maybe even many of them, it will be the last time we meet each other.

That has been a feature of the past few months really. Folk we have known, perhaps just at a surface level, or perhaps more deeply, we will no longer see or meet.

Of course, one of the benefits of the internet, of blogs, of Facebook (if I am allowed to mention that site here!), is that it makes it easier to keep in touch with folk. We can read of their activities, or see photos of them, or where they have been.

But it is not the same is meeting with someone in person; talking to them when they can hear our voice, seeing them, listening to them, being close with them.

The whole experience makes me think of Easter, particularly that first Easter. Jesus had been crucified and was dead and buried. The disciples were in shock, grieving together, drawing strength from their mutual friendship of Jesus. They thought they wouldn't see Him again. That's how I am feeling about many, or maybe even most, of my Edinburgh friends.

But only a few days later, the disciples were over-joyed to meet Jesus again. Their grief was turned to celebration. Their desire to stay shut away from society was replaced by an enthusiasm to tell everyone they knew, even everyone they met, that Jesus was not dead, but instead He was alive!

I expect that in the years ahead, people will come to visit my wife and me in our new home in Tongue in Sutherland. In fact, some of my friends will be with us for my service of ordination less than three weeks away now! Whether soon, or not, it will be great to see folk we have known from our years in Edinburgh. It will remind us of those Good Old Days!

The Bible records the lives of some of the key figures as they have known God. It gives us an insight into their relationships with the God they worshipped. We learn about God at a distance, both geographical distance, and a chronological distance.

The great thing about God, is that we can get to know Him for ourselves, here and now - right this second. He is only a prayer away -

Dear God, help me to know you. Let me hear your voice whispering to me, leading me, guiding me, teaching me, loving me. I am sorry for letting you down so much. Thank you giving me a fresh start, to love you, serve you, and worship you. Amen.

Christmas is Coming

Yesterday I visited a local garden centre with a friend. We were astonished to discover that the first product section inside the door was of Christmas items. They even had a stack of Santa hats awaiting enthusiastic buyers. Needless to say, we didn't buy anything in that section!

I looked at my watch to confirm the date, and yes, it was still July, the 26th to be precise. The previous day was five months exactly before Christmas Day itself.

Now I don't know about you, but I haven't started worrying about Christmas yet. I have been doing some advance planning, but none of that has reached beyond the 28th of November, the first day of Advent.

Advent is the time of year that has traditionally been allocated as the preparatory season prior to the celebrations of Christmas itself. Four Sundays, plus however many days there will be after that until Christmas Day, which this year falls upon Saturday. That makes Advent 27 days long, one day short of the maximum possible.

Back in April I was pleased that I would have almost four months to prepare to move my home and my job 250 miles North, from Edinburgh to Tongue in Sutherland. Surely that is a larger task than the preparations for our annual celebration of the birth of Jesus. Some folk would say four months was far longer than necessary, and I would have to agree.

So why do our shops think that they need five months to sell us what we need for Christmas? Do they want us to celebrate Christmas early? If we only need the three to four weeks of the traditional Advent period to prepare for Christmas, does that mean we can now celebrate Christmas on 25th August?

After last year's wintry weather over the Christmas season, some folk might welcome the relocation of Christmas from December to August. Here in Scotland, school children might get an extra two weeks of holiday. On the other hand, most English schools are already on holiday until the end of August. They could just absorb the Christmas holiday into the summer holidays. December would then be free for the new-styled Winter Festival, without any complications caused by Jesus showing up on the scene.

Christmas Celebrations - are they only for December 25th, or should we be celebrating Christmas every week, either on Sunday mornings, or whatever other day suits our modern 24x7 society.

Jesus is not so much the reason for the season, as the season is for the reason. Jesus is with us 52 weeks of the year, so let's celebrate Christmas all year round - 60x60, 24x7, 30x12, 52x7, 365x24, forever!

Timekeeping

Isn't it strange how time seems to drag by on some occasions, and then on other occasions it whizzes along!

Five years ago I was excited at the prospect of my first ministry training conference closely followed by the start of my Divinity degree at New College. The prospect of five years of studying and training stretched out an unimaginable distance ahead of me. So much of the journey was unknown and yet to be discovered that there was a considerable amount of apprehension along with the excitement.

When I looked back on that period, after I finished my training at the end of November 2009, it seemed to have gone by quickly. Not as quick as a flash, but much faster than I had realised at the time.

Similarly, on April 25th this year, when the congregation of Melness and Tongue parish elected me to be their next minister, it seemed like it would be a long time until my ordination, which would be almost 4 months away. Those past 3 months have gone by quickly, and now the days are just ticking off, almost as if they were hours!

Now there are only 25 days until that momentous event. I wonder how fast they will go by?! I have already been involved in helping to decide some of the aspects of that day. Those who are making the preparations are also aware that there are not many days remaining.

Make the most of each day. We never know how many days there are remaining. We might think there are many, and then discover that there are few. We might think there is lots of time for those important people, those important decisions, those important actions. Too late, we can discover that we have run out of time, that the clockwork mechanism has come to the end of its wind.

The God who loves you enough to die for you, will never force you to do anything against your will. If you decide that you don't want to know Him, then He won't force himself upon you. Don't leave it too late. Don't wait until your energies have wound down, and the spring that drives you onwards has run out of puff.

Jesus calls you, o'er the tumult of life's wild and restless sea. Day by day his voice is sounding, saying come and follow me. (Words adapted from C.F.Alexander's hymn).

Wind

One of the hymns we sang this morning has intrigued me for a long time.

It was written by George Matheson, a Church of Scotland minister, who was also interested in science and engineering.

Part of the reason this hymn is often on my mind is that usually I struggle to find it. This is because the phrase I remember is not the first line so the index of first lines is no use!

However, after singing it on Sunday, I now have the author's name in my head, and even remember the hymn number in CH4, which is 534.

The first line is not very auspicious - "Make me a captive, Lord". It sounds a rather depressing prospect. But the idea is that being a captive of the Lord actually makes one free.

The line that sticks firmly in my memory is,
"it varies with the wind."

He is speaking of the heart, weak and poor, with no spring of action sure.

The symbolism is related to clockwork timepieces. In that year 1890, cheap clocks and watches would slow down as the driving spring relaxed and wound down. So the accuracy of the clock varied depending on how tightly wound was the clock or watch.

But to modern folk, the concept of something varying with the clockwork wind is not obvious. Most singers usually sing 'wind' as in which direction the wind is coming from, instead of 'wind' as in winding a clock. And of course, the wind does blow from varying directions.

But blowing 'wind' doesn't rhyme with 'find', which is the rhyming line. So it should be obvious that it's a winding 'wind', and not a blowing 'wind'. But that would assume people are paying attention to the rhymes of the lines (ha, that rhymes!)!

But a heart should beat with dependable regularity, a steady tick-tock, like a high-quality watch, not one which varies with the wind - the winding 'wind'. One's emotional heart should also be steady, focussed, calm, and controlled, peaceful - not varying with the wind - be it winding 'wind' or blowing 'wind'. Submission to the Lord, becoming His 'captive', provides a stabilising framework that helps one's heart to be regulated - like a good-quality clock or watch.

George Matheson's hymn is full of engineering imagery: manufacturing chain, power being low, glowing fire (necessary to power steam engines), driving machinery, unfurling flags, a monarch's crown, and clashing strife. Amusingly, a glowing fire needs a strong draught such as might be provided by a strong wind - that's a blowing 'wind' this time, not a winding 'wind'.

Anyway, enough of such polysemous ramblings. You may take from this lot whatever meaning you can find, or wind!

Wildlife Garden - 2

Last time I was telling you about all the different animals that had visited my garden over the past 24 years, and I thought I would let you know about the wild birds that I have seen in my garden too.

There are the usual culprits, robins, blackbirds, great tits, and blue tits. We don't see many sparrows, or starlings, but they have dropped in occasionally. There are nearly always a pair of dunnocks, which look a bit like sparrows, and they often raise a nestful of babies. Quite often we see coal tits at the feeders, when they can get in past the great tits.

We usually have a pair of wood pigeons, which sometimes nest in the tall thorn hedge at the foot of the garden. I've seen a collared dove, and occasionally a common pigeon too.

We get finches too, although not all the time. Green finches are probably the most frequent, and they always monopolise the bird feeder! We've had chaffinches too, and a couple of times I've seen a pair of bull finches on one of our berry bushes.

I think the most spectacular wild bird that has visited my garden was a sparrow hawk. We first saw it after it had pinned down a male blackbird. Needless to say, despite its struggles, the blackbird didn't survive. The sparrowhawk flew down the garden to eat it away from the house. One morning I saw a young sparrow hawk perched on the bird table - waiting. I think it waited in vain that time. I took a photo of it perched there, but I haven't managed to find it yet! The sparrow hawks have taken a few other birds as well, perhaps one of the wood pigeons, although maybe it was a cat who got that one. It's difficult to tell afterwards!

Well, that's the end of my wildlife summary for now. I'm sure once we head up North we'll see a whole new range of wild creatures. I'll tell you all about it in due course!

Wildlife Garden

Over the years we have had many wild birds and animals visiting or living in our garden. However, since the severe winter weather finished the garden has perhaps been rather less wild than usual - on the bird and animal front anyway!



I think our most unexpected visitor was a hedgehog. It was certainly confused too! It trundled rapidly round the edge of the grass, time after time after time. I don't know how it got into the garden, unless it had walked along the front pavement and then along the path by the side of my house. Clearly the hedgehog didn't remember how it got in either, for it couldn't find its way back out again. When we went to bed, it was still trundling rapidly round the garden. By morning time, it had gone.

On another occasion I found some small holes in the grass, about 2" in diameter. They appeared sporadically over a few evenings, and then I spotted the culprit - a fox digging for worms. I don't think there are many under the grass, which was just as well, since it kept the foxes away. Some of my neighbours were being bothered by the foxes too, so I put down some Keep Off smelly jelly, and the foxes didn't come back.

For several years we have had a pair of field mice living in the garden, although clearly sometimes they die in the garden too! I recall my daughter, when just a few years old, appearing proudly at the back door, holding something gingerly by her finger-tips at arms-length. "See what I found", she said. It was a dead mouse! They stripped all the gooseberries off my gooseberry bushes one year, although strangely, not again - perhaps they decided they weren't so good after all! We have often seen them near the house, gathering the seeds the birds drop from their feeders. But they have never come into the house - which is a relief! But I've not seen our pair of mice since the winter weather - I fear they didn't make it through.

During that winter weather, we had a less savoury visitor to the bird table, a brown rat! I'm a bit colour blind, and I though it was a grey squirrel, with a rather thin tail. And then I got a closer look, and realised it wasn't a squirrel! I'm delighted to say that visitor has never been back.

Of course, we have had grey squirrels around the place, especially once I got enthusiastic with the bird feeding. But they too have been scarce since the winter. Maybe a fair number of them didn't make it through the winter either.

Cats, on the other hand, have not been scarce. Mostly they keep their distance, down near the bottom of the garden, but every now and again, one of them manages to catch one of the birds. A cat gets short shrift from me if I see it in the garden. Anyway, cats are not wild, although they might think they are!

We've had the occasional dog too, but always accompanied by their owner. I think our garden would be too boring for dogs, but maybe the cats would keep them amused! So our doggy visitors are not wild either.

But the wild animal I was most pleased to discover in the garden was a frog. For some years I've wanted a pond in the garden, to provide a place for frogs, toads, and newts, to live in. But we don't have a pond. So when I found the frog, I was astonished. They must be near water to live. So perhaps the old bird bath, or the occasional rain puddle, were enough to keep it going. I only saw it the two times. Once in the late evening, when it was dark and raining. The frog was on the slabs at the back of the house, and I nearly stood on it. The other time was in the daytime. A cat was playing with something on the grass - and when I chased it away, I discovered the frog, flattened against the grass, and playing hard to get. It sat still in the sunshine, while I got my camera, and then conveniently posed for a few shots before leaping away into the borders. You've already seen the 'posed' shot above, and I managed to catch it leaping off, as you can see below.



Well, I was going to talk about our wild bird visitors, but that's enough for today, so the birds will have to wait until another time.

Treasure

I spent today throwing out more old stuff. That process reminded me of many good times and many good friends. It made me realise that whether you consider an old item to be treasure or rubbish depends on your point of view.

On the one hand they are just old pieces of paper. On the other hand they contain information or images that trigger precious memories.

After my morning session of chucking out old paperwork, my daughter and I went round to see my Mum. Before we had been there long we had Mum's old photo album out!

It was great to see photos of my parents from the time they got married, and then photos of my brother and sister and I growing up. We also saw some older photos of my grandparents when they were newlyweds. We even saw my great-grandparents (whom I never met).

Jesus told folk not to store up treasure in barns or cupboards where rust could corrode and discolour or pests could eat and destroy. Instead, Jesus said we should store up treasure in heaven, where it would be safe forever.

Memories are sometimes too traumatic and painful and we try hard to forget them. But the apostle Paul encouraged his readers to remember the good things about their lives, things that are worth remembering.

In remembering - give thanks to God for his good gifts.

Clearing Out

It is quite amazing how much rubbish we have accumulated in our house over the years!

As the days, weeks, and months, go by items are purchased, retired, or set aside in standby. Packing boxes get kept in case we need to return the item, or transport it elsewhere. Things that we enjoyed using get laid aside in favour of something new; laid aside for when we want to use it again - games, books, clothes, even a kitchen cupboard!

Yesterday we headed up into our attic and started disposing of things we know now we won't need or use again. A lot of it had got rather dirty with the dust and dirt that blows in under the roof-slates. We carted it down the loft-ladder, and then down the stairs, and loaded it into the car. The car was full - of rubbish - which we then took to the local Recycling Centre - cardboard, wood, metal, and some stuff that could only go into Landfill.

Sometimes it is good to take some time and clear out our lives. Get rid of what we don't need anymore. Throw out the things that are holding us back or causing confusion.

Questions and difficult issues can get pushed away and hidden so that they never get answered or resolved. Too often we fill our holiday time with busy-ness, instead of taking time to be still and quiet. I heard recently that one of my friends spent 6 days away at a silent retreat - no idle chatter, no conversation with friends, time to think, to read, and to pray.

Jesus interleaved times of great busyness and stress with period of stillness, peace, and prayer. Follow Him!

Growing Pains

Sometimes I wish that the plants in my garden would grow a little less enthusiastically - especially the weeds!

We've had a few periods of rain in the last couple of weeks, which is in contrast to some parts of south-west Scotland and north-west England that are now under water restrictions such as hosepipe bans. Here the plants have responded enthusiastically.

I had been thinking for a few days that the hedge between our front garden and the street was going to need cut soon. Today the rain that had been forecast finally arrived. The droplets of rain on the hedge shoots made them all flop about and look even more overgrown.

We are hoping we might have visitors tomorrow afternoon. So if it is still raining then I don't want them to get soaked off the overgrown hedge. So the hedge had to be cut today - and it was still raining.

Ah well, I said to myself, I used to go sailing every weekend and get soaking wet - and that was sport and it was fun. Cutting the hedge is not in quite the same league - but I did get soaking wet!

It would be nice if the plants and animals in the world would grow and behave the way we want them too without us having to put in so much effort. If the fence surrounding a field with sheep in it has just the smallest hole, you can guarantee that one of the sheep will find it. And then all the rest, like sheep, will go astray, and follow the first one out of the hole and down the road.

Yet when it comes to obeying the rules - we humans are not too good at it. In fact, if we are honest with ourselves, we don't even keep our own rules, never mind the rules imposed upon us by government.

Some people like to think that they are good people. They obey the rules - well the important ones anyway. They are nice to people, instead of being nasty - well most of the time anyway.

Jesus said, "Why do you call me 'good'? No-one is good except God alone."

When we are tempted to grumble about plants, animals, or other people, being pesky and causing us trouble - let the one who is without sin cast the first stone.

Making rough places smooth

One of my friends suggested that the Old Testament verse Isaiah 42:16 would be an encouragement to me, and it is! It reads:

"I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them." (TNIV)

We are moving out into country that is new to us, but the Lord will lead us. There are many unfamiliar, narrow and twisting paths, but the Lord will guide us. During the long winter nights, the Lord will shine his light and turn the darkness into light before us. He will make the rough places smooth, and the photo above shows a good example of one of the rough places - the Ben Loyal range to the South of Tongue.

The Lord God will do these things. He will not abandon us.

Sometimes life seems too rough and we want God, someone, anyone, to make life easier, less rough, smoother. But God's ways are not our ways. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8, TNIV)

God will give us strength to travel whatever path He sets before us, if we continue to walk in his ways. "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31, TNIV)

Turn away from the ways of the world and follow the Lord's ways. He will neither fail you nor abandon you. He is a faithful God. You can trust in his love - forever!

Lost Sheep

The Old Testament prophets Elijah and Elisha challenged the lifestyle and beliefs of the people of Israel. From King Ahab down, the people had turned away from their allegiance to the God who had revealed himself to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. Instead, the people had decided to worship a more convenient god. The only problem with this new god was that it wasn't real - it was just a make-believe symbol fronting for the priests and the royalty.

At various times Elijah and Elisha came in for criticism, condemnation, and on occasion were even under threat of death. But they refused to tone down their message, or compromise on what God had told them to say. In the end the God they worshipped was proven to be the true God who acted amongst and around his followers.

Jesus also caused offence to the religious, royal, and military authorities of his time. He was obedient to God's inner voice whispering to his spirit. No-one could stand against him, until he laid his life down, in obedience to God.

When Jesus was raised from the grave, once more God proved the reality of his existence. The followers of Jesus had been hiding in despair. They began to disperse to their homes - giving up their hope that Jesus would somehow rescue them. When Jesus appeared amongst them after his death their despair was converted into exuberance and jubilation. Jesus was alive - and God was truly God.

Jesus told the story of the Lost Sheep. Ninety nine sheep had been counted into the pen at the end of the day. But one sheep was missing, out in the dark and the cold, at risk from bears and lions, lost and alone.

The shepherd might have decided that 99 were enough and that it was foolish to risk the safety of the 99 sheep, and his own health and safety, by venturing out into the dark with only a flickering lantern to guide his way. But Jesus' shepherd does precisely that, and returns rejoicing that he had found the sheep which was lost.

It was same message that Elijah and Elisha had given to the people of Israel long ago. God calls us to relate to Himself personally. He does not want us to follow some set of rules as if somehow that would engender a loving relationship. He does not want us to relate to Himself via an intermediary like a priest or minister, as if we could relate to God via a proxy. He does not want us to run around after convenient make-believe gods that would allow us to live the way we want to live but can't actually help us when we find that our way doesn't work.

Elijah, Elisha, and Jesus, all called the people to turn around and abandon their false gods and re-discover the one true God, who has proven Himself to be real, down through the generations, and even in this day today.

Go on, stretch out your hand and your heart to the One who calls you to be his child. He loves you. He will never abandon you nor fail you. You can trust Him - forever!

On High

It is a sign of affection, respect, and gratitude, for those who gave their lives in defence of our country, that communities often erect memorials to the fallen.

Such memorials are often in prominent places, perhaps in the centre of the village, or on top of a hill, or overlooking some beautiful scene.

The above photo is of the Banavie War Memorial near Fort William. In the background you can see the peak of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain. My sister took the photo earlier this year.

The Cross on the memorial symbolises the hope that those who fell will find a place in the Father's house. Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends."

In loving God and loving our neighbour we fulfil the two commands that Jesus said sum up God's direction for our living. We cannot do it in our own strength. Only with God's Spirit within us can we love one another like God loves us.

"God is love. Whoever lives in love, lives in God, and God in them." (1 John 4:16)

Whiter than White

My new church is very old but now that it has been painted it looks very new again!

It reminds me of the occasion when Jesus and two of his disciples went up a mountain. At the summit Jesus met with God. To the disciples' eyes Jesus became too bright to look at. Matthew, the efficient tax-collector, just says that Jesus' clothes became bright. Mark describes Jesus' clothes as whiter than a bleach can bleach. But Luke, the sophisticated doctor, says that Jesus' clothes flashed or dazzled, using a word that elsewhere is used to describe the dazzling flashes of lightning!

St Andrew's church certainly looks very bright, and I expect that when the sun shines brightly, anyone standing next to it will have their eyes dazzled!

On the other hand, we often use white paint to cover up the dinginess underneath. In the case of this church, the walls had become rather dull and shabby, stained with the passing of the years. You can see what they looked like in my photo below, taken back in March (2010).

But what lies underneath now is hidden from view. The church looks as if it has always been so beautifully white. It is clean and spotless - untarnished.

It looks the way we would like to be - clean, perfect, spotless, unblemished, shining bright. Yet we know what we are like inside, in our secret places, or even in the sight of our friends and family. We are not the person we would like to be.

No matter how much we try to cover up our inadequacies and failures, God knows what we are like, really, truly. But the wonderful Good News is that God still loves us.

What's more God gives us the perfect coat of Jesus to wear. He took our place on the Cross and gave us his dazzling white robes to wear. When God looks at you and me, He doesn't see the dirt underneath. Instead He sees the glorious, dazzling, white robes of Jesus.

Each one of us is offered the Son's (and Daughter's) place beside the Father, in his house, at his table, for ever.

Go on, put on the Son's robe today. You don't deserve it, but it is held out for you to put on all the same. Become a daughter or son of God today.

Twenty One!

I remember being 21 years old, although I've lived another time and a half since then! It was not only the time when I received the keys to the door, but just a few weeks later I became a married man - and I still am.

Twenty one is half of another significant number - 42. Douglas Adams posed the question, "What is the answer to life, the universe, and everything?", and 42 was the answer (sorry for spoiling the secret if you are currently reading the book!). I wonder why he chose the number 42, but maybe it was because it is twice 21.

My daughter became 21 yesterday. She has had door keys for some time now, but the day was nonetheless a significant one. Next year we'll all be in different places, and we don't know what life will bring.

She'll have finished at university by then, and she has a lot of work ahead to earn a good degree. I pray that she will know the blessings of God during the year, studying well, learning well, writing well, and living well. And not only for the year ahead, but for the rest of her life.

Twenty one years ago the year was 1989. Can you remember that far back? I remember I had a two-year old son, and a day-old baby! Did you have a plan for what you would be doing 21 years hence, i.e. doing today?

I certainly did not think I would have left electronics and changed over to work as a church minister. Perhaps it's just as well we don't know what lies round the corner - or we might turn around!

But now that I have got round the corner I am looking forward to what lies ahead. When we feel apprehensive we doubt that we can come through the challenges we face. But when we recall that Jesus goes before us, and with us, and clears up after us, then we can face the challenges with confidence.

I am looking forward to the next years in ministry. I might not reach 21 years as a minister, but I know I'll be with God for all my years, and beyond!

School's Out

Since 1992 my wife and I have been taking our children to or from school, or overseeing their school activities, and encouraging them with their homework.

Today it all comes to an end as our youngest finishes at High School. Not only will he undergo the school tradition of leaving through the ceremonial doors, he will also receive his first school prize, for Engineering Technology. He certainly takes after his mum and I in his interest in engineering.

We can get used to things always being there - like the local school, the corner shop, the post office, or the church. We use them when we want to, and we ignore them when we don't need them.

But if the school, the shop, the post office, or the church, is threatened with closure, then everyone pays attention. We want these community institutions to be there so that we can use them whenever we want to.

After today, our youngest child will have to ask for permission if he wants to get into the school. Two of our nearby post offices closed down recently, causing an outcry in the community. Who knows what will be next? The well-used slogan 'use it or lose it' applies to many things, maybe even the local church too.

At times of crisis the church offers people comfort, peace, and answers to life's difficult questions. But through the church, God offers people much more for our everyday living too.

Your local church, you don't want to lose it, so use it!

Going West

Yesterday I went on an expedition through to Glasgow on the train. We planned an early start - to leave Waverly Station as soon as the Cheap Day Returns become valid - at 9:15am. Well - I know that the working folk would be leaving much earlier than that - but none of us are working at present!

In fact we didn't get away until the 11:30am train because one of our party set their alarm clock wrong. Fortunately the central appointment wasn't until 2 o'clock in the afternoon. However, the people we were going to see in the morning were disappointed.

We got to the afternoon appointment in good time, and afterwards we arranged to see the people we had missed in the morning. It turned out we were with them almost 4 hours, which was far longer than we would have managed if we had made the original schedule. So the disappointing start turned into a bonus.

As Robert Burns famously wrote, "the best laid plans o' mice and men gang aft aglay." That quote is in his Address to a Mouse, which he wrote after destroying a wee mousie's nest while he was ploughing a field. We make plans, but often things don't turn out the way we had planned.

At one stage in my training I thought I would end up being the minister of a suburban parish, located near the edge of some city like Edinburgh or Glasgow. I was looking to stay close to homne, or perhaps head West through to Glasgow.

Instead, my focus was drawn towards rural ministry, helping folk in the country to know our Creator God. So instead of heading West, soon I will be heading North.

I have been travelling on a journey with many twists and turns. It is hard to see the way ahead and to know what lies around the corners. But in following Jesus, I know that He is preparing the way ahead for me. It will not be too difficult or hard. Instead the ground has been prepared and in due course the harvest will be gathered in.

We may till the ground, plant seed, water gently, or clear away the weeds, but it is the Father who is the Gardener, who breathes his life into the crops, resulting in healthy plants bearing much fruit.

Allow God to direct your paths and to make you fruitful.

Whenever

Just a short post because the day has expired.

I enjoyed visiting the Primary School where I have been chaplain for the past few months. It is a great school and the children and staff work very well together.

Today was their annual prize-giving ceremony and I was helping to give out the prizes, along with a few other invited guests.

It was nice to see the children enjoying their successes.

Later on I enjoyed some conversations with some of my trainee-friends, and in the evening we began to create our own portable email address - exciting!

So now the day is ending and I am looking forward to a visit to Glasgow tomorrow.

Sleep well everyone!

Whatever!

Sometimes we get far too stressed out about achieving a desired result. Jesus modelled a far more laid-back style of living. Yet that didn't mean that he abandoned his mission or objectives.

In ten minutes time England will take on Germany in the football World Cup. I don't know what the result will be. And I'm not cheating by writing this after the event, and posting it with a pre-event date and time!

God calls us to follow Jesus - whatever. Indeed, not only whatever, but whenever, and wherever too.

We might be focussed on achieving a particular result at a particular event, but whatever the outcome, we are called to move on and keep following.

Some supporters will only support their team if they have a chance of winning. Some people will only take part in a competition if they think they can win.

You cannot choose to win. You can only win if you perform the best.

The apostle Paul ran to win. But he knew he would persevere to the end of the race, even although only one person could win. It is an honour and a privilege to race, especially when Jesus is leading.

Goodbyes

Goodbyes are sometimes so hard. But yesterday we had a great evening celebrating various family accomplishments that have taken place over the past five years.

Around 50 relatives and friends helped us to celebrate the various occasions and it was a great way to say farewell and goodbye. Food, dancing, and lots of conversation!

On the entertainment front, we will be saying 'goodbye' to Doctor Who in a few minutes. Will it be The End for ever? Or will he 'miraculously' get out of the trap and defeat all his enemies. Only time will tell!

Jesus promises that those who welcome Him into their lives will never have to say 'Goodbye' to Him. He will be with you always. That's forever!

And Jesus has already defeated all of his enemies - it just that they don't all acknowledge that yet!

Daily Bread

I think blogging is a bit like reading the Bible.

On the face of it, this seems a rather strange statement, perhaps even heretical.

When I am reading the Bible then I am thinking about what someone else has written. When I am blogging then I am writing what I am thinking about. See - they are similar!

The big difference is in who is doing the writing. The Bible was written between 2000 to 3000 years ago, and I believe that those who wrote it were inspired by God as they were writing.

Now here is a tricky point. As a Christian I believe that God's Holy Spirit inspires me too, along with all other Christians. When I am writing, I also can be inspired by the Holy Spirit. But that doesn't make my Blog the new Bible!

Even today people can still find God as they read those ancient writings in the Bible. But the huge volume of Christian teaching and study books written and printed every year shows that people want to share what new things they have learned about God, and that people want to know God better.

God hasn't changed. But what has changed is how much we know about God, and how well we know Him. Each person travels their own journey with God, and together we can add to each other's journeys.

Blogging works best when it is regular and frequent, and perhaps daily is the best frequency. Bible Reading too works best when done regularly and frequently, and perhaps daily is the best frequency. There's another way that Blogging and Bible Reading are similar!

Give us this day our Daily Bread!

Starting in Eight Weeks

It has been a long time since I last blogged - about 4 weeks. I am sorry that my faithful readers have had to find other forms of entertainment during that time.



During that period of silence, I finished my period as Locum Minister at Armadale Parish Church. The people of the congregation there have been very friendly and supportive towards me during my time with them. I am very appreciative of all the expressions of support and blessings that have been made to me, especially during these last few weeks.



The photo above shows the chancel area of Armadale Church. It is beautifully laid-out, and the splendid stained glass window makes a lovely backdrop. I have felt very much at home there during these past five months.

Now that I have completed my service at Armadale I have been able to turn my attention more fully towards starting as the Parish Minister at Melness and Tongue in Sutherland. I will begin there on August 20th at a service of Ordination and Induction by the Presbytery of Sutherland. The service will take place at St. Andrew's church in Tongue at 7pm.



At the beginning of June my family and I spent the weekend at the delightful Craggan Hotel in Melness. They looked after us very well, and the meals we had there were delicious! It was great to be back in the place where soon my wife and I will be living. The photo above is a view from Melness and the photo below is a view looking down on Tongue from Castle Varrich.



There are many tasks to be done before we move North at the beginning of August, but I am looking forward with great anticipation to starting this new phase of my life in the Far North.

God takes us on surprising journeys that are often far beyond our wildest dreams. There can be moments of terror and distress, but God is always with you, every step of the way, bringing comfort, peace, strength and joy.

May you know the joy of following the Lord Jesus in these days.