secret sin

I think the following is good Grace To You Jesus' exposition of the law is a devastating blow against the lie that image isSecret Sins everything. Our Lord taught repeatedly that sin bottled up on the inside, concealed from everyone else's view, carries the very same guilt as sin that manifests itself in the worst forms of ungodly behavior. Those who hate others are as guilty as those who act out their hatred; and those who indulge in private lusts are as culpable as wanton adulterers (Matt. 5:21-30). So Christians are not to think of secret sins as somehow less serious and more respectable than the sins everyone sees. Here are three reasons secret sin is especially abhorrent: 1. Because God sees the heart. Scripture tells us "God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7). No sin--not even a whispered curse or a fleeting evil thought--is hidden from the view of God. In fact, if we realized that God himself is the only audience for such secret sins, we might be less inclined to write them off so lightly. The Bible declares that God will one day judge the secrets of every heart (Rom. 2:16). He "will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil" (Eccl. 12:14). Not only that, secret sins will not remain secret. "The Lord [will] bring to light the things hidden in the darkness" (1 Cor. 4:5). Jesus said, "There is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops" (Luke 12:2-3). Those who think they can evade shame by sinning in secret will discover one day that open disclosure of their secrets before the very throne of God is the worst shame of all. It is folly to think we can mitigate our sin by keeping it secret. It is double folly to tell ourselves that we are better than others because we sin in private rather than in public. And it is the very height of folly to convince ourselves that we can get away with sin by covering it up. "He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper" (Prov. 28:13). All sin is an assault against our holy God, whether it is done in public or in secret. And God, who beholds even the innermost secrets of the heart, sees our sin clearly, no matter how well we think we have covered it. 2. Because sin in the mind is a fruit of the same moral defect that produces deeds of sin. When Jesus said hatred carries the same kind of guilt as murder, and lust is the very essence of adultery, He was not suggesting that there is no difference in degree between sin that takes place in the mind and sin that is acted out. Scripture does not teach that all sins are of equal enormity. That some sins are worse than others is both patently obvious and thoroughly biblical. Scripture plainly teaches this, for example, when it tells us the sin of Judas was greater than the sin of Pilate (John 19:11). But in His Sermon on the Mount Jesus was pointing out that anger arises from the same moral defect as murder; and the one who lusts suffers from the same character flaw as the adulterer. Furthermore, those who engage in thought-sins are guilty of violating the same moral precepts as those who commit acts of murder and adultery. In other words, secret sins of the heart are morally tantamount to the worst kind of evil deeds--even if they are sins of a lesser degree. The lustful person has no right to feel morally superior to a wanton fornicator. The fact that she indulges in lust is proof she is capable of immoral acts as well. The fact that he hates his brother shows that he has murder lurking in his heart. Christ was teaching us to view our own secret sins with the same moral revulsion we feel for wanton acts of public sin. 3. Because hidden sin involves the compounding sin of hypocrisy. Those who sin secretly actually intensify their guilt, because they add the sin of hypocrisy to their offense. Hypocrisy is a grave sin in its own right. It also produces an especially debilitating kind of guilt, because by definition hypocrisy entails the concealing of sin. And the only remedy for any kind of sin involves uncovering our guilt through sincere confession. Hypocrisy therefore permeates the soul with a predisposition against genuine repentance. That is why Jesus referred to hypocrisy as "the leaven of the Pharisees" (Luke 12:1). Hypocrisy also works directly against the conscience. There's no way to be hypocritical without searing the conscience. So hypocrisy inevitably makes way for the most vile, soul-coloring, character-damaging secret sins. Thus hypocrisy compounds itself, just like leaven. Beware that sort of leaven. No matter who suggests to you that appearances are everything, don't buy that lie. As a matter of fact, your secret life is the real litmus test of your character: "As he thinks within himself, so he is" (Prov. 23:7). Do you want to know who you really are? Take a hard look at your private life--especially your innermost thoughts. Gaze into the mirror of God's Word, and allow it to disclose and correct the real thoughts and motives of your heart. Related Resources (free): Keeping a Pure Conscience What is Sin? Mourning over Your Sin How should we deal with a professing Christian who is involved in sin? Related Products (for purchase): Confessing Our Sins Free from Sin, Part 1 Free from Sin, Part 2 Freedom from Sin The Sinfulness of Sin The Vanishing Conscience (Softcover) Where Did Sin Begin? Return to Top Search GTY Resources or browse by Topic or Scripture More Latest Sermons Listen The Pathology of False Disciples, Part 3 (John 6:60-71) Listen Continuing Christ’s Work (Acts 1:1-3) Listen The Pathology of False Disciples, Part 2 (John 6) Listen The Pathology of False Disciples, Part 1 (John 6) Archive By Scripture Radio By Date Television By Series Doctrine What We Teach Our Distinctives Positions Articles Sermons Unleashing God’s Truth, One Verse at a Time Grace To You © 2014 Grace to You. All rights reserved. 5 Caxton House Ashford, Kent TN24 8ET (44-1233) 662-262 | Fax: (44-1233) 638-810 Email: info@gty.org.uk The Master's College The Master's Seminary Grace Community Church

prayer as entertainment, Britains God talent and the X factor

I am a the start of a prayer meeting, and it is one of those rare occasions where i feel uncomfortable in my spirit. there were papers layed out on the floor to write on and verses of the bible printed out. a corner with Juice and bread and juice to have communion alone ( something I cannot find in the bible) there is a bowl to wash hand in to symbolise washing away of inner sin. people are lying on the floor, or sitting. I could easily wash my hands and it would mean nothing unless I actually forsake sin. We were told to hang out with God. I liken it to entertainment and I cannot take it seriously. I am so glad that in my sending church I learned from the minister that prayer is hard work and you have to persevere with it. I cannot think of any occasion when the disciples acted in the manner we are acting now. They prayed and prayed hard into desperate situations. they did not relax. On the contrary they were alert and on guard. The western church seems to be far too relaxed about prayer, about serious concentration on scripture, prefering entertainment and in my view not very good entertainment that would not fayre well on Britains Got Talent or The X Factor.

What is the real issue?

Numbers chapter 12 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because he married a Cushite woman. I note that nowhere does scripture say that this was wrong. V2 Miriam and Aaron say, “Has God ONLY spoken through Moses, has he not spoken through us as well?” They were claiming authority that they did not have. As God did not say that the marriage was wrong, I think that the Cushite woman Moses married probably adopted Judaism as her own faith, and was thus grafted in to the people of Israel. Cush was South of Ethiopia so she may have been black. V3 I do not hold with favourite bible verses but I do find some more influential than others and for me Verse three stands out as something to aspire to. Moses, was a humble man, more humble then anyone else on the face of the earth. Note, this is what God said of Moses. I also think that as Moses was the leader, and it was Aaron who publicly spoke to the people, this was not a private family dispute. It is likely that this was a well known national dispute. We are told that Aaron and Miriam spoke against Moses. It does not say that they spoke To Moses ( but they probably did) when they spoke against his marriage, I think it likely that they were gossiping to other people about it, undermining him. They were technically right that God did not just speak through moses but them also. However even if God does speak through anyone, they have no right to take on authority that does not belong to them Finally God speaks to all three of them and tells them to come out to the tent of meeting. If Miriam and Aaron thought that Moses was going to be confronted by God and told that he was wrong and his he should listen to his Brother and sister, they were very wrong indeed. From verses 6 to 8, God takes them up on their own words. If there is a prophet among you, I the lord shall make myself known to him in a vision or a dream. God was saying that he would take the initiative to speak. Aeron and Miriam had not seen the lord in vision or dream telling them to confront Moses about the Cushite woman Then God says Not so with my servant Moses. I do not speak to him through dreams and visions, but face to face, openly and he beholds the form of the lord. This was an awesome thing. To see the lord was considered to bring death for we are sinners. Moses did not die, God preserved him Therefore Aeron and Miriam should have considered well, and not said anything against him. NOTE THAT GOD DID NOT MENTION THE CUSHITE WIFE If the real issue was the Cushite wife, God would have taken that up with them. Instead he chastises them about authority. Moses was the leader, yet he was the youngest of the family. Aaron was the High Priest and Miriam was a prophetess, so there were as they rightly implied times when God spoke to the nation through them, but it seems they were not satisfied with that and rather than criticise God for not putting them up higher, they criticised Moses and argument about the cushite wife was a smoke screen for the real issue. Sometimes in life, we have grievances’, But we do not bring them up, or deal with them directly. We bring up another issue instead. Also note that it seems Moses did not argue with them to defend himself. He did not inflame the situation even more. It was God who confronted the real issue. We are told the anger of the lord burned against them. The lord departed. It did not end there. Moses and his family were public figures and speaking against him was a public sin, so God Judged them in an equally public manner for all the nation to see. When the cloud which was the presence of God left, Miriam was leprous. Aeron is repentant and asks that she should not be like one dead Moses asks Oh Lord please heal her. I think they expected an instant miracle, but God says, “if her father spat in her face, she would bear her shame 7 days.” God granted what they asked, but there were rules about lepers being put out of the camp. All the nation would know about her being put out and this was SHAME. God made it clear that her condition would last for seven days, then she would be permitted to come back in. It was the High Priest who checked and declared Leprosy. AERON WAS THE HIGH PRIEST. Therefore it is likely that it fell to him to put his own sister outside the camp. He shared in her guilt. You can almost hear it, “Oh Lord I do not want the shame of putting my own sister outside the camp. I feel so guilty”. God gave Aeron and Moses what they asked, but God did it in a way that would make it clear that he was holy and that What Aeron and Miriam had said, was wrong. I think that apart from punishing Miriam, it was a public and stern warning to the people or Israel not to gossip as they did against Moses. The Cushite woman was welcome. The tongue is an instrument of communication. It can speak Gods word of encouragement, but it can also tear down reputations. It is also difficult to tame. We know that a day of judgement is coming, and every word carelessly uttered will have to be accounted for, particularly if it was damaging to leaders and to brothers and sisters. Someone once gave me some guidance on what to think before I say anything. 1) Is it kind? 2) Is it true 3) Is it necessary? Evidently what Aeron and Miriam said was damaging to Gods reputation. They were really speaking against God even if it seemed they spoke against Moses. Let us take heed.

let us tame our tongues

Numbers chapter 12 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because he married a Cushite woman. I note that nowhere does scripture say that this was wrong. V2 Miriam and Aaron say, “Has God ONLY spoken through Moses, has he not spoken through us as well?” They were claiming authority that they did not have. As God did not say that the marriage was wrong, I think that the Cushite woman Moses married probably adopted Judaism as her own faith, and was thus grafted in to the people of Israel. Cush was South of Ethiopia so she may have been black. V3 I do not hold with favourite bible verses but I do find some more influential than others and for me Verse three stands out as something to aspire to. Moses, was a humble man, more humble then anyone else on the face of the earth. Note, this is what God said of Moses. I also think that as Moses was the leader, and it was Aaron who publicly spoke to the people, this was not a private family dispute. It is likely that this was a well known national dispute. We are told that Aaron and Miriam spoke against Moses. It does not say that they spoke To Moses ( but they probably did) when they spoke against his marriage, I think it likely that they were gossiping to other people about it, undermining him. They were technically right that God did not just speak through moses but them also. However even if God does speak through anyone, they have no right to take on authority that does not belong to them Finally God speaks to all three of them and tells them to come out to the tent of meeting. If Miriam and Aaron thought that Moses was going to be confronted by God and told that he was wrong and his he should listen to his Brother and sister, they were very wrong indeed. From verses 6 to 8, God takes them up on their own words. If there is a prophet among you, I the lord shall make myself known to him in a vision or a dream. God was saying that he would take the initiative to speak. Aeron and Miriam had not seen the lord in vision or dream telling them to confront Moses about the Cushite woman Then God says Not so with my servant Moses. I do not speak to him through dreams and visions, but face to face, openly and he beholds the form of the lord. This was an awesome thing. To see the lord was considered to bring death for we are sinners. Moses did not die, God preserved him Therefore Aeron and Miriam should have considered well, and not said anything against him. We are told the anger of the lord burned against them. The lord departed. It did not end there. Moses and his family were public figures and speaking against him was a public sin, so God Judged them in an equally public manner for all the nation to see. When the cloud which was the presence of God left, Miriam was leprous. Aeron is repentant and asks that she should not be like one dead Moses asks Oh Lord please heal her. I think they expected an instant miracle, but God says, “if her father spat in her face, she would bear her shame 7 days.” God granted what they asked, but there were rules about lepers being put out of the camp. All the nation would know about her being put out and this was SHAME. God made it clear that her condition would last for seven days, then she would be permitted to come back in. It was the High Priest who checked and declared Leprosy. AERON WAS THE HIGH PRIEST. Therefore it is likely that it fell to him to put his own sister outside the camp. He shared in her guilt. You can almost hear it, “Oh Lord I do not want the shame of putting my own sister outside the camp. I feel so guilty”. God gave Aeron and Moses what they asked, but God did it in a way that would make it clear that he was holy and that What Aeron and Miriam had said, was wrong. I think that apart from punishing Miriam, it was a public and stern warning to the people or Israel not to gossip as they did against Moses. The Cushite woman was welcome. The tongue is an instrument of communication. It can speak Gods word of encouragement, but it can also tear down reputations. It is also difficult to tame. We know that a day of judgement is coming, and every word carelessly uttered will have to be accounted for, particularly if it was damaging to leaders and to brothers and sisters. Someone once gave me some guidance on what to think before I say anything. 1) Is it kind? 2) Is it true 3) Is it necessary? Evidently what Aeron and Miriam said was damaging to Gods reputation. They were really speaking against God even if it seemed they spoke against Moses.

CHIC MURRAY. Telling the Long Nose Story.

Capercaillie - "Rann Na Mona"

Moses, twice asked for water and his different responses

Exodus 17:1-7 The people quarrelled with Moses saying, “Give us water that we may drink”. Note that this was quarrel, not a request of the lord. They blamed Moses. Where did they think that he would get water from? In the heat of emotion, people are often irrational and will not listen to reason or allow themselves to be ministered to by the lord or any one of his servants. It is Moses, not the people, who cries out to the lord on this matter, and God tells him what to do. God himself would stand before Moses on the rock at Horeb, and Moses was to strike the rock with his staff and water would come out. I think that apart from meeting the current need, this was symbolic. There was a need for water and Jesus is a rock that meets our needs. All that we need for life, pours out from him. 1st Corinthians 10:1-4 that rock which followed them. Numbers chapter 20 verses 1- 13 We see that once again they were at Kadesh. The very place where the spies gave their report, and the people were disheartened and did not believe the lord, thus failing to enter the land. Sometimes we do return to places where we have failed. Moses and Aaron as they prayed would have their minds filled with the memory of this. We see here a similar situation to Judges. The people needed water and this was the second generation. Because of unbelief the first generation were not permitted to enter the land, and here was the second generation being just as rebellious. Moses on the first occasion was told to strike the rock with his staff and it would pour fourth water. On this occasion he was told to speak to the rock and it would pour fourth water. However Moses spoke in anger to the people and stuck the rock twice and water poured forth. The water was a necessity and blessing. However although God poured forth his blessing, he was not pleased with Moses. In his attitude Moses had failed to hold up God before the people as being holy. It was a public sin, and God Judged Moses. Although Moses was the leader, he carried no more favour with God than anyone else when it came to sin. Just as the people of that first generation were doomed to die in the wilderness, so his own family died in the wilderness as we see with Miriam. Now Moses himself is told that he will also not enter the land because of his sin. The people had put God to the test. They had rebelled. They did not believe, and for his own names sake God preserved them. Let us not think that if we enjoy the blessing of God, it follows that we have Gods favour. God deals with sin, and we need to be aware of sin in us. God may indeed show us favour by being merciful and giving us what we need, but I as an adopted son of God am not a favourite, for God had no favourites, and Moses was also not a favourite. When we feel angry and we feel that things are happening against us. We need to trust the lord all the more and not give in to unbelief and rebellion. The people were blessed with water, but THE END DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE MEANS Let us not doubt the lord, even in times of need. We are told that they tested the lord. Perhaps this is not a strong enough word. It means they doubted his care for them, and doubted that he would do what he said he would.

Paul McGann talks about returning to Doctor Who

Re Introducing myself

I have started writing a long letter to re introduce myself to my sending church. I have been gone for 19 years, and there are people in it that I do not know. Somehow, I need to connect with them, so I have written this letter specially for them, and I have flagged up the possibility with the current minister that I would like to address the Congregation next time I am in the Town. It seems odd, introducing myself to a church that I have been a member of for 40 years.

a new generation in the North Parish?????

George Verwer said that he would pray for those of us in OM UK who need more support, I fall into that category. With that in mind, I am doing something about it. Over Christmas, I was in my sending church, and looking around, it struck me that there are now people there whom I do not know. I asked how I could connect with these people and me sister in Law said that I need to write something to re-introduce myself to the Church. This I have done and I anticipate sending it late February or early March. It explains who I am what I do, what OM does with some of its history and how I got here. I had an interview today with Greg Hassall and I mentioned this and he said, “Could you be there and do a slot to introduce yourself?” I told him that it will be necessary for me to be in Dunfermline more often this year for family events, and I will ask the present minister if I can do a presentation while I am there. Somehow, it seems strange introducing myself to a church that I have been a member of for 40 years, but in some respects it is a new church. I told my sister in law that I do not know any of the young women who seem to run the Sunday School and I spotted a significant number of people who seem to be slightly younger than I am whom I have never met before. I have been of the opinion that if the church were to change and become more mission orientated then it would take a new generation to do it. Perhaps they now have that new generation and it is up to me to act immediately.

the last time

On the day of my friends funeral, Travis was there. He had used his wheelchair as a zimmer to get there. He did not want to go to the graveside as he thought that it would be too cold. Therefore, I wheeled him back to his house before going to the graveside and praying that having heard the gospel yet again at the funeral he would respond to it. I do not know if he did, but it proved to be the last time that I saw him before his own death.

Two funerals

I was at a funeral yesterday, of a man called Travis. I have no idea how many times he heard the gospel and the last time I saw him was at another funeral of a good friend who witnessed to him and prayed for him. Travis was in a bad way. Very infirm and used his wheelchair like a zimmer to get to the funeral. At his own funeral, the vicar said that he had known Travis for six years and travis would say to him, "Its me next vicar". on hearing this the crowd chuckled. It is interesting to see how people react at funerals as we all know that death is coming to all of us, and it is almost the unmentionable subject. We dread it, and if we had a choice, we would put it off. However, because we are sinners it overpowers us. We cannot put it off. The vicar said that Travis had a faith that shone out. This was news to me as i did not see it. Indeed if he had such a faith, why did we find it necessary to witness to him and pray for him if he were already saved. When I saw him at my friends funeral, I reflected on the times my friend had prayed for him and I also prayed saying Lord, this time save him. This may be his last opportunity" and as far as I know, it proved to be his last opportunity and I do not know if he responded. I hope he did. When I arrived at Travises funeral, I could see that there was such a large crowd that it was standing room only at the back. The building had been re modeled and had a new entrance. We were waiting for the vicar and funeral directors to come in with the coffin, when a man who was standing by the entrance passed out. he continued to lye on the floor. Two nurses attended to him who were also at the funeral. I hoped that someone had gone outside and told the vicar what had happened so that he and the funeral party would not attempt to enter. An ambulance was called and the man continued to lye on the floor blocking the entrance. At last it was decided to bring the coffin in by the old entrance and the service could proceed. I had never been to an Anglican funeral before. I found that everything is a set piece. All set in writing to read and full of hope claiming biblical promises. I could not help thinking that so much of it was false hope. the promises have conditions mainly to do with trusting in christ. What if the deceased had not trusted in christ. ( I hope travis did) We do no one any favors to sooth guilty consciences. We should let guilt do its work and point them to the saviour and encourage them to trust him while they still can. later, at the end of the service, I went out, there was a machine that may have been for shocking the heart ( I am not certain of that) and out on the road by the gate was the ambulance. In sum, I think the funeral was nice, but it gave false hope to many.

Gideon and the Ephod

Judges chapter 8 Most of us have a view of Gideon, the young humble man who thought that he was not worthy eking out a living until the Lord called him to lead Isreal. Even then he found that difficult to believe and he tested Gods word by using the fleece and asking God to do things that went against the normal law of nature. God was Kind to him and did this. If you were to get a tardis and go back in time to meet me, do you think the person you met would be me as you know me now, or someone very different? I think there are things that would be recognisable. However there would be things that are very different. Like Gideon, I would not have the confidence I have now. God takes us as we are, and then causes us to grow in confidence in him. We are not to take the example of laying of the fleece as typical. God expects us to believe him. Gideon needed confidence and God graciously allowed this. In this chapter, Gideon is the person God made him. A confident leader. A man of discipline. He learned to commit himself to the lord and trust him. In this chapter, we can see how he has become a diplomat. The men of Ephraim were angry with him for not calling on them when he went to fight against Midian It was not a polite discussion for verse one says, “AND THEY CONTENDED WITH HIM VIGOROUSLY”. He reminded them of what they already had. Is not the cleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vitage of Abe-ezer? God has given the leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb into your hands and what was I able to do in comparison with you? Then their anger subdued. Note in the reply, he pointed out what God had done and we still see in that reply the humility he had at the beginning. Evidently this character trait had remained with him. Also note that he went with 300 men, against 15,000 Even this was a reduced number of 120,000 were already dead I think that this harps back to the time when God cut down the number of men with him, and God told him to let men go home who were afraid and also to let men go home who lapped water. God wanted Gideon to know in his heart that it was he the lord who fought for them and not the sheer number of men who brought about the victory. Here we see that Gideon has remembered that lesson, and is in pursuit with only 300 men. His trust in God has come from experience. There is an expression “An Army Marches on its stomach.” The 300 men who followed Gideon needed bread and Gideon asked the men of Succoth and Penuel to give him bread and they refused. What a contrast to the people of Ephraim who were angry at Gideon for he did not ask them to go with him, here he only asked for support by being given bread to eat. They were not asked to fight. They were being asked to support what God was doing and refused. They would not have seen it that way, and it would not have occurred to them that in refusing God was angry with them. To Succoth he said that when he returned he would thrash them with the thorns of the wilderness and with briars. To Penuel he said that when he returned he would tear down the tower. Both of these things happened. Israel asked Gideon to rule over them and his descendants. Gideon was still as focused on God as he had been in the begging. He went on and on trusting in God, and he refused to rule over isreal, for God was the ruler. They thought that it was Gideon who delivered them. If only Gideon and his family rule over us, then we will always have victory. How wrong they were, for Abimelech Gideons son was not like his father and he did seek power to rule over them and it was a disastour We need to trust in the lord, not in people or things or techniques. V24. Gideon had known the blessing and favour of God, and yet even he made an enormous mistake. He asked for the Gold earings V24, note the word YET He asked them to give them their Gold ear rings. WE are told they had them for they were Ishmaelites. You will recall that Ishmeal came about because Abraham and sarah were trying to fulfill for themselves what God had promised that they would have a son and they were told that he was not the son of promise He was given the gold. Gideon made and ephod. Now there was nothing wrong with that in its self as an ephod had been used to seek Gods guidance. However it became an idol. We are told that Israel played the Harlot with it. A prostitute, Unfaithful. What I think Gideon had intended as a blessing became a curse and a snare to Gideon and his household. An ephod was a priestly garment. It appears that it was kept in his house. Presumably for Gideon to use. Yet I remind you that scripture says it became a snare to Gideon and his household. The land knew peace for forty years in the lifetime of Gideon. What sort of influence to our families and to others are we. Do we have things we have passed on to them with good intentions, but have not considered the true conseqeunses of our actions and like that ephod, will it become a snare to us? No matter how long we have walked with the lord, we are still fallible. We get things wrong, and we should not be so over confident that we forget it. God did not tell Gideon to make the ephod. We are not told why he made it, but perhaps he thought it was just a good idea that went wrong. Let it not be said of us that we created something that became a snare. Gideon gave the right answer, but his actions were like that of a ruler. Somehow the people thought that he should rule and they did get their request, his son did rule over them and it was wrong. God had to be the author and perfector of our faith. Let us not have an Ephod. We know how we should live for God has provided the bible for us. Let us live in accordance with it.

christmas and new year

Christmas and New year is over. It was great to be with the family and I do not expect to have a christmas like it again. Both Nieces pregnant. Late March / early April will be busy. I love them and their brother dearly. It was also good to see faces in church that I do not know. I have made a few minor changes. Skype being the main one. I downloaded an app for it. I knew that one day I would do this but I needed to have other people on it whom I could communicate with to make it worthwhile and now family are on it. When you have lived away from the place you grew up for a long time, some of the things that were once common sights take on a more nostalgic meaning. I had fish and chips in Alaris, a steak bridie from Stephens and coffee in Giacommos. All being well, I will be back late March or Early April for my brothers wedding anniversary and the births.