I woke early this morning and read much of the book of Acts. I will be re-reading it later today to study the change of emphasis in the later chapters.
This morning I preached at Keyworth Methodist Church. It is always good to be there as they are a friendly and supportive church. The interior is well designed and preaching is a pleasure with good audio-visuals available. There was a small but effective music group which included a number of brass instruments including a tuba. Margaret came with me and I preached on the theme of Passion and Pressure, contrasting the high spots of ministry as seen in Acts 4 with Peter and John with the experience of Elijah in the cave in 1 Kings 19 which was the set reading.
Margaret hard
at work
In the afternoon we spent time tidying up the garden. I mowed the lawn and cut the hedge while Margaret did more weeding. Our green bin is so full we had to use Gloria's too.
I spent today at Willersley Castle with the folks from Belper Central, including Jane and Roy Dodman, Monica's sister and brother-in-law. My theme was prayer and healing and I started off with Rob Frost's Upper Room DVD. It was not universally welcomed, partly down to the rather rough approach by Andy Hawthorne and partly down to the wacky ideas espoused by the young people. However, it stimulated good conversations on prayer. I asked Jane and Roy to coordinate one of the three groups. Susan Chambers handled another group and I handled Ethernet third.
For the healing session I showed the Miracle Maker scene of Jairus' daughter and the woman who touched the hem of Jesus' garment. This really engaged wi them and a number of healing testimonies came out of the discussion groups.
All in all it was a good day and they presented me with an Amazon gift voucher.
In the evening I cooked a meal for us both. We also skyped Andrew and Becky to catch up on the latest news. They want Margaret to go over around her birthday (their anniversary) but I will be tied up with synod and other commitments.
After a flurry of emails and tidying up, I went to the staff retreat day at Harby Centre. We had a quiet morning and then went to the Dove Cottage tea room. I drove but the others walked. It was a pleasant place, linked to a hospice which is church run. All proceeds go to the hospice. They are very nice people and the atmosphere is very peaceful. We met Julie Fowler and her parents plus Charlotte.
I returned home and prepared Alpha and started on my Sunday service.
In the evening we played badminton. We had a two hour slot and we were quite stiff afterwards. However it was good to get some exercise after a long weekend of ministry.
I delivered my first talk on the theme 'Does the future have a church?' It seemed to go down well but it was really hot in the main hall. Today has been a warm sunny day. The accommodation here at the Hayes is good and the setting is also good as a retreat centre. There is a lake and pleasant gardens.
I heard today that there are 14 people who would like me to repeat the Alpha Holy Spirit day, some because they missed the first and some because they want a repeat. It will have to be in July providing I can book Bradmore again.
The Hayes, Swanwick
Today we heard the news that Jeremy Forrest has been jailed for 5½ years for abducting Megan Stammers and have under-age sex with her.
At Swanwick I delivered the keynote address on Friday night. I explained the challenges facing the Methodist church by referencing similar situations in the rest of society. I used the parable of the Ox Bow Lake which was well received. I also referred to the drill manufacturer which recognised their mission was not to make drills but to make holes. I also explained the Focus initiative which we are following in Nottingham (East).
Lakeside
On the Saturday they broke into 5 adult groups - red, yellow, blue, green and orange plus a young people's group led by Martin and Chris, the two youth leaders. Unfortunately the timetable had allocated too much free time on Saturday afternoon with the entertainment in the evening and people could have used some of it more profitably. The objective is to produce a presentation to a fictitious panel of community people in a bid to obtain a high street site for a new church. The concept was good and they engaged with it well. On Sunday morning they had another half hour to finish their presentations and then they presented them one by one. They started hesitantly and reached a climax when the young people did their presentation - if was quite fanciful and would need significant outside backing. However, some of the ideas were really novel.
The Communion Service
After that I led the communion service. It was based on Olive Drane's idea of places at the tale of the last supper but with enhancements. It took a lot of organising and setting up and I was on edge leading it but it went reasonably well in the end.
There are so many excellent musicians at Chilwell Road and they have a good bank of young people, although many will be off to university in a couple of years. The people got on really well with each other and the entertainment was good with Pixie, an elderly lady of great character, stealing the show with her jokes. Sarah and Neil sang Tom Lehrer's song about the periodic table.
Anyway, when I got home I was tired. Esther came for evening meal after completing the 50 mile Nottingham bike ride in the pouring rain. Se has done really well eve though it took her 7 hours.
On Saturday I led the Alpha Away Day for Wollaton Road Methodist at Bradmore. Only 12 turned up and they were long-standing Methodists. Colin and Muriel left after lunch leaving 10. Over lunch I had a long chat with Mick about prostate issues. His PSA only reached 6 so I told him about my experience. He was operated upon by Mr. Harriss.
Attenborough
Nature Reserve
On Sunday I led worship at Bradmore. I took the theme given by David Lavell at the Fresh Ways seminar on Thursday plus the Ox Bow Lake plus the Simon Coombs carp and passion. It was very hard hitting and John Randall said hey needed more of that kind of challenge.
On Sunday afternoon we went to Attenborough Nature Reserve for a cuppa and short walk. Then we went to her place for a meal which she cooked.
Andy Murray won the final at Queens agains Marian Cilic in 3 sets. He then played a charity match against Tim Henman assisted by Boris Johnson, Richard Branson, Michael McIntyre, Jimmy Carr and a couple of others. It was to raise money for can we relief for his friend, Ross Hutchings, who is suffering from cancer.
Started the day with the core team meeting which met at my house. It was a fruitful meeting with aa lot off important issues raised. It was Peter's last meeting and Andrew will not be at the next meeting which meets at West Hallam.
Lots to do do get back into the swing of work - sorting out my to do list and priorities. It is a cool and cloudy day. We needed the heating on again. I looked again at my 17-85mm lens and the fault could be to do with the mechanism itself. The zoom mechanism tends to move in and out rather erratically. I will have to experiment further with it before sending it away to Canon or elsewhere. I phoned HP and my cash back is being processed but it could take up to 45 days.
It was a routine take off from Geneva airport. We departed in a westerly direction with the lake behind us and the Juras to our right. There are still pockets of snow on the Juras but the clouds prevented me from seeing the full extent of the lingering snow. It has been a really cold spring and the summer warmth is struggling to take a hold.
It was that limbo situation with fond memories of what we have left behind and the tension of settling back into work ahead of us with absolutely nothing we can do to prepare for it. Once above the clouds, the sun was streaming through the window but there was misty cloudy below preventing me from having a good view.
Good old Easyjet
The plane was by no means full with plenty of spare seats, and even rows of seats, at the front. I had submitted my hand luggage to the hold so that I only had my man bag and rain jacket in the cabin - so convenient. I ordered a chicken soup and a J2O from the stewards and relaxed with a good read for the rest of the flight - getting used to what you can do on an iPad without wifi.
Back on terra-firma and been to ASDA for the weekly shop. It feels strange not to use €Euros or Swiss Francs.
I played badminton and eased my way back in this evening. Then I played Greg Cunningham at squash and gave away a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 but the games were really close so no disgrace there. I felt really fresh throughout. Also, I'm pleased to say that my AirPrint facility on the iPad is working again having changed over routers.
It was finally the day for us to leave. It had seemed like a really long stay and we had had such a lovely time and really got to know Matthew in a wonderful way. He is such a contented baby and is full of smiles and joy most of the time. And yet he is also content to sit and take in the surroundings, listening to music which seems to be one of his loves. He is such a cute baby and my postings on Facebook show that by the comments I have received.
So tempting
It is a dull, rainy day and we were driven at around 7:45 to the airport by Andrew. He dropped us at the 'kiss and fly' drop-off and we went swiftly through bag-drop and then through security after which we sat down for a coffee and pain au chocolat.
Leaving on a jet plane
Geneva airport is very clean and tidy. All aspects of check-in and security are well run and the are loads of shops selling duty-free goods, albeit at prices we would not want to pay. The one down-side of our stay is the fact that my main lens (17-85 USM) has stopped working. This means that when I'm not borrowing Andrew's lens, I am left with my 60mm macro or my old Sigma 70-300 zoom. I need to decide what to do now. The options are:-
Get the lens fixed by Canon
Buy a new mid-range lens
Sell all my SLR equipment and rely on my iPad and camcorder
Get a new wifi camcorder with hi-res stills which can upload to the iPad
At the airport I purchased an Anker keyboard for the iPad. It seems to be one of the best and has a micro-USB port.
The melancholy of departure day hung over us as we trecked towards gate D81 to board the flight to Luton. All seemed to be going to schedule and we waited patiently in the departure lounge. The airport tannoy kept sounding off with the 'how much is that doggy in the window' tune.
We have had heavy rain overnight and it is cloudy on and off today. I have received a reply from Simon Coombs showing appreciation for the videos and photos. We looked after Matthew this morning and I sat him in his chair where he was content to look around and listen to Classic FM.
Andrew's Spanish guitar
which we bought in
Granada a few years ago.
I emailed David and Leila to apologise for not being able to meet up again and to ell him about Simon Coombs. We had a quiet day and Andrew got out his Spanish guitar. It plays very well and I gave a concert of classical and modern music. Matthew sat and watched me playing, clearly captivated by the guitar and the sound that it makes.
The Kempinski Hotel
In the afternoon we went for a drive. Becky drove us for over an hour around Geneva and went past the Kempinski Hotel.
We tried out Matthew's new swing which suspends from a door frame. Esther bought it for him and he really enjoyed it.
Bath time for Matthew was quite an event. We all went down to help and I videod the occasion.
Andrew & Becky arrived back from the cinema late last night having seen The Great Gatsby. Matthew slept for the entire evening and I was worried because he was so quiet. I didn't sleep until they got back. It is another hot and sunny day and we are now waiting for A&B to emerge so that we can plan the day.
The decision is taken and we are off to Divonne les Bains so that Matthew can go to the thermal baths. M and I walked around Divonne stopping off at Les Quatre Vents for a slowly served coffee. Wen we met up again with Andrew and co. we went to Lake Divonne and walked around.
When we got to the other side of the lake we saw a man fishing and standing up to his waste in the water. A crowd had gathered around to watch and so we joined them, iPads ready. It was clear that he had a large fish on the other end of his line and he waded further into the water until he was up to his neck. After several minutes of wrestling he finally landed a 49lb carp. He told us this was his life-time's ambition and is the biggest he has ever caught. A few years ago it would have been a British record. We discovered that this man was Simon Coombs, the president and CEO of Shaza Hotels. He has connections also with the Kempinski Hotel in Geneva and he invited us to come for a free meal for all our efforts to film his big catch.
After several minutes of struggle, he landed the big fish. He was clearly delighted and grateful for all the photos and videos we had taken and gave us his card. We had no idea he was such a high profile executive. With only one more day over here it could be difficult to take up his offer of a free meal but we will keep in touch.
When we got back to Challex, the rain and thunder started. It was not too bad though. We processed our photos and videos of Simon Coombs and I uploaded some to YouTube. We amused Matthew while Andrew and Becky went shopping.
2 Samuel 11:26-12:19 &13-15 When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned over her husband. 27 When the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his household, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing which David had done was evil in the eyes of Yahweh. So Yahweh sent Nathan to David, and he came to him and said, “Two men were in a certain city; one was rich and the other was poor. 2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds, 3 but the poor man had nothing except for one small ewe lamb which he had bought. He had nurtured her, and she grew up with him and with his children together. She used to eat from his morsel and drink from his cup, and she used to lie in his lap and became like a daughter for him. And a visitor came to the rich man, but he ⌊was reluctant⌋a to take from his flocks or from his herds to prepare a meal for the traveler when he came to him. So he took the ewe lamb of the poor man and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” 5 Then ⌊the anger of David was kindled⌋b against the man, and he said to Nathan, “⌊As Yahweh lives⌋,c the man who has done this ⌊deserves to die⌋!d 6 He shall restore the ewe lamb fourfold because he has done this thing, and because he had no pity.” 7 Then Nathan said to him, “You are the man! Thus says Yahweh the God of Israel: ‘I anointed you as king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave you the household of your master and the women of your master into your lap. I also gave you the house of Israel and Judah; if that had been too little, I would have added to you much more. Why have you despised the word of Yahweh by doing evil in his eyes?f Uriah the Hittite you have struck down with the sword, and his wife you have taken to yourself as wife! You have killed him with the sword of the ⌊Ammonites⌋!g 10 So then, a sword will not turn away from your house forever, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife!’
Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against Yahweh!”j Nathan said to David, “Yahweh has also forgiven your sin; you shall not die. But because you have ⌊utterly scorned⌋k Yahweh in this matter, the son born for you ⌊will certainly die⌋.”l 15 Then Nathan went to his house, and Yahweh struck the child that the wife of Uriah bore for David, and he became ill.
A familiar story of a man whose power goes to his head. He feels he can get away with murder because of who he is but justice (God) catches up with him through Nathan, the prophet, who tells him a parable. Nathan pronounces God's forgiveness but takes the life of the child.
Dropbox - go into Dropbox, select a folder and click on Upload.
Google Drive - go into Google Drive and click on Uploads. Then choose the files from the iPad you wish to upload. Then move them to folders within Google Drive.
We took Matthew to La Tour hospital this morning to see the head specialist. The hospital is very modern and clean. The doctors all wear the same outfit and look like a team. Matthew didn't like his head being manipulated and cried most of the time. It is necessary to correct the deformity which no doubt occurred in the womb.
Honey or Common
Buzzards
I have now installed BLOGSY in the hope that this will make blog posting simpler but it remains to be seen. Certainly you can import photos from the iPad's own libraries but it seems to stick them in a table which you need to align manually. You will notice I added the buzzards later and they are in a separate table. The instructions tell you to edit the HTML if you want the, side by side - derrrrr! - no better than using Blogger in a browser except it's easier to grab the image in the first place using BLOGSY. Anyway - a steep learning curve ahead.
I am content that blogger provides the best blog environment. Better than Wordpress. Also, I am using it on the road without having a wifi connection. You can save it as a local image - click the floppy disk symbol. Whilst off-line you can insert images from the iPad itself.
Matthew Johnson
When I posted this picture of Matthew offline it did not accept the caption nor did it put a table around it. Need to investigate this further. However, the caption and alt text are there in the properties box when you click the image again.
What matters is that you set drafts on when offline, and then switch it on again before you post - then the image is uploaded and converted to an online link.
A sign post near the park
Sitting among the poppies
on a cloudy day
I went for a walk before lunch and took a couple of shots in Challex. More ants were found in A&B's bedroom.
Romans 3:27-31 : Therefore, where is boasting? It has been excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a lawm of faith. 28 For we consider a person to be justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, also of the Gentiles, 30 since God is one, who will justify ⌊those who are circumcised⌋ by faith and ⌊those who are uncircumcised⌋ through faith. Therefore, do we nullify the law through faith? May it never be! But we uphold the law.
Here Paul concludes his argument about law and faith. It is no wonder ordinary people misunderstood his teaching, he is right to urge people not to boast because we have no righteousness of our own to be proud of. However, it needs to be said that some people, even those without a faith, seem to have a head start in terms of good manners and a positive disposition towards others.
Paul is keen to pint out also that God is not a possession of the Jews but is God of all people. He seems to be saying that if you are brought up as a Jew, observing the law, you have no advantage over the person who puts their faith in Christ. However, he affirms the law as being the just requirement of God for all people, but it is not the means by which we are saved.
Another hot and sunny day in prospect. I slept well and we looked after Matthew while Becky slept on.
We drove to Peron for the Intermarche supermarket. It is quite small with a limited selection of goods. I took a photo of the birds of prey circling overhead and posted to Facebook to see if anyone could identify them.
We went to Divonne les Bains in the afternoon to the outdoor swimming pool. It was hot and sunny and the pool was 50 metres long. Two grops of school children entered just after us but were sectioned off so we were not disturbed.
I looked on the internet when I got back to Challex and I reckon the birds are honey-buzzards.
Romans 3:9-26 : What then? Do we have an advantage? Not at all. For we have already charged both Jews and Greeks are all under sin, just as it is written,
“There is no one righteous, not even one;
there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
All have turned aside together; they have become worthless;
There is no one who practices kindness;
there is not even one.
Their throat is an opened grave;
they deceive with their tongues;
the venom of asps is under their lips,
whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
Their feet are swift to shed blood;
destruction and distress are in their paths,
and they have not known the way of peace.
The fear of God is not before their eyes.”
Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those under the law, in order that every mouth may be closed and the whole world may become accountable to God. For by the works of the law ⌊no person will be declared righteous⌋ before him, for through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified about by the law and the prophets—that is, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christj to all who believe. 23 For there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by his grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God made publicly available as the mercy seatk through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness, because of the passing over of previously committed sins, in the forbearance of God, for the demonstration of his righteousness in the present time, so that he should be just and the one who justifies the person by faithl in Jesus.
Paul rabbits on again in his legal style, building up his case. Having previously argued that the Jews have an advantage of being the initial recipients of God's law, he now argues that they are in the same oat as the rest of us. His argument is based on various readings from the psalms. His final point is that he law has the purpose of exposing sin for what it is. What surprises me is the way Paul refers to Greeks and not Romans when addressing non-Jews.
From verse 23 onwards we get to he heart of Paul's message. He now makes it plain that all distinction between Jew and the rest of us have gone. Firstly because we all fall short of God's expectations and se only because we are all eligible for justification through the faithful servant, Jesus Christ. Justification means being declared righteous or acquitted of the charges against us. Nothing could be more liberating than not having to justify ourselves before God, knowing that however hard we try, we will never achieve righteousness in our own strength.
Another hot sunny day in prospect. Indeed it has turned out to be a scorcher. M and I took Matthew for a walk through Challex. We stopped off at the auberge for a drink - i had a small (very) beer and M had a cappuccino. they don't seem very friendly towards the English.
We looked at some of the houses down the hill, especially a deserted and run-down place which has an excellent view of the valley. I can't understand why it is in the state it is.
Matthew had a difficult day today. He was fine when we took him for a walk but during the afternoon, he cried a lot. It seemed as though it was a cry of pain but once we put him in his chair and rocked him, he soon went to sleep. Becky then gently carried him down to his cot.
I went for a walk at around 4:30 along the road towards Dardagny and sat quietly watching the planes coming in to land at Geneva airport. In the evening we went to the auberge for a meal with Andrew. Becky stayed behind to work and look after Matthew.
Romans 3:1-8 What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God. What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written:“So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.” But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? I am using a human argument. Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?” Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is just!
One of those difficult passages from Paul using his legal jargon. He seems to be saying that the Jews have the advantage of having been entrusted with God's law in he first place. However, they have not been good ambassadors and have given a poor example of what it means to be God's people. He has his first swipe at antinomianism by arguing that our sinfulness is no excuse. It simply highlights the need for God to be righteous in his condemnation. However, he seems to make a lot of the wrathfully nature of God in his arguments. Perhaps he is building up his case for the grace of God seen in Christ - another legal ply.
The day started off really warm and sunny but with some cloud over the Alps to the south. We entertained Matthew for a while and then I went for a walk to take some photos in Challex. The news tells us that many parts of Europe are victims of floods, especially Prague and Passau. They have and torrential rain for the past couple of days and the river levels are set to rise further.
I drove Becky to Geneva for her driving lesson at 1pm. We parked in Cornavin and walked to the lake with Matthew who was really well behaved. After the lesson we drove to St. Genis to have Matthew weighed. We waited ages because the nurse was so incredibly slow and repeated herself many times. Our slot took half an hour and could have been completed in 10 minutes. Matthew is still underweight at 5.85 kg and 4.5 months. However he looks like a really healthy and happy baby and we feel there's no need to worry.
M and I went to Migros to shop for the evening stir fry. Over dinner we spoke about Matthew's weight problem and I agree with Andrew that the nurse is overstating e problem.
Romans 2:17-29 : But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve the things that are superior, because you* are instructed by the law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide of the blind, a light of those in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth in the law. 21 Therefore, the one who teaches someone else, do you not teach yourself? The one who preaches not to steal, do you steal? 22 The one who says not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? The one who abhors idols, do you rob temples? 23 Who boast in the law, by the transgression of the law you dishonor God! For just as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” For circumcision is of value if you do the law, but if you should be a transgressor of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, if the uncircumcised person follows the requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be credited for circumcision? And the uncircumcised person by nature who carries out the law will judge you who, though provided with ⌊the precise written code⌋f and circumcision are a transgressor of the law. 28 For the Jew is not ⌊one outwardly⌋g, nor is circumcision ⌊outwardly⌋h, in the flesh. 29 But the Jew ⌊is one inwardly⌋i, and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter, whose praise is not from people but from God.
Once again Paul warns against hypocrisy and complacency. Being subject to the Jewish law does not make a person righteous. It is only strict observance of the law in every detail that can make a person righteous under the law. The law does not allow for slippage and is totally unforgiving. Forgiveness and righteousness, as Paul will say later, comes only through Jesus.
Another sunny day in prospect. We woke around 7am and the sun was streaming in through the window. I was suffering from hay fever and needed many tissues. Matthew came up and played on his mat for quite some time as Becky slept.
Becky had a French lesson this morning so we took Matthew for a walk around Challex. We stopped off at the auberge for a coffee on the way back and watched the planes coming into land at Geneva airport.
In the afternoon I went for a drive to La Plaine to take photos in e baking hot sun. It was a really hot afternoon but the wind kept it chilly when the sun went in.
Romans 2:12-16 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be declared righteous.b 14 For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things of the law, these, although they* do not have the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written on their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts one after another accusing or even defending them 16 on the day when God judges the secret things of people, according to my gospel, throughc Christ Jesus.
Paul seems to be accepting justification by faith outside of Christ in that people who do what e law requires without knowing it are acceptable (c.f. Acts 10:35). He concurs with James that 'doers' and not 'hearers' of the law are the righteous ones. Verse 15 (written in their hearts) echoes Jeremiah 31. Paul clearly believes there will be a day of judgment which will come to all people.
It is a misty but warm morning with the sun swiftly dispelling the mist over the Jura mountains. I went for a short walk to take photos, including a stroll down to the church which was silent.
We walked to the boulangerie to get some bread and cakes to supplement the salad at lunchtime. The sun is warm and we are planning to go swimming this afternoon.
So we set off for Geneva on a sunny afternoon. We travelled in the Sharan and parked just outside the swimming pool which is just a stone's throw from the Place de Nations. Becky and I went in for a swim. Becky swam a kilometre while I did a couple of lengths and then went outside into the sun. There were sun beds and an outdoor pool but it was not warm enough to sunbathe. After swimming we all met up in the swimming pool cafe for a drink.
We drove back to the UN where I took a photo of the Gandhi statue with his motto, 'My life is my message'. We then drove back to Challex in warm evening sunshine. Matthew has been very well behaved throughout.
In the evening Andrew and Becky went for a driving lesson and M ironed Andrew's shirts. I skyped Esther and discovered she is off to France next weekend to visit Hannah Pickup near Blois. She is off to play snooker with Gary tonight.
I unplugged my iPad from the wall and noticed one of the pins of the plug had remained in the wall. Foolishly I tried to pull it out and it was live. I got a shock but fortunately I suffered no ill effects. The pin is still stuck in the wall.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Romans 2:1-11: Therefore you are without excuse, O man, every one of you who passes judgment. For in that which you pass judgment on someone else, you condemn yourself, for you who are passing judgment are doing the same things. 2 Now we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who do such things. 3 But do you think this, O man who passes judgment on those who do such things, and who does the same things, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the wealth of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who will reward each one according to his works: 7 to those who, by perseverance in good work, seek glory and honor and immortality, eternal life, 8 but to those who act from selfish ambition and who disobey the truth, but who obey unrighteousness, wrath and anger. 9 There will be affliction and distress for every ⌊human being⌋a who does evil, of the Jew first and of the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God.
Again, harsh words warning those who would be righteous in their own eyes but affirming those who seek God's righteousness. Stern warnings against judging others, echoing the words of Jesus when he said, 'Judge not that ye be not judged'.
Woke early this morning on an overcast morning. After breakfast Dave drove us over to the supermarket GEANT at Annemasse. We did food and provision shopping and then came back in something of a hurry. We had a bite to eat and then went to the local Carrefour. Having packed, we drove back to Challex with a lasagne cooked by Dave.
Also this morning Dave and I went to the car dealer who was supposed to b putting a clutch into a Hyundai which Dave wants to buy. Sadly it's not ready yet. There were all sorts of interesting cars from Jaguars through to Morgans and MGs.
Andrew texted to say he had set out from Lugano at around 12 noon. We drove from Dave's place but were disrupted by a detour in the road system. It is now raining and we are at the flat waiting for Andrew and Becky and Matthew to arrive.
They have now returned. Matthew was so happy and we both had a cuddle with lots of laughter to our stranger noises. He seems to be such a contented child and we are looking forward to our time with him. He had a bath as soon as they got home. He loves his bathtime.
Romans 1:18-25: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all impiety and unrighteousness of people, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what can be known about God is evident amongh them, for God made it clear to them. For from the creation of the world, his invisible attributes, both his eternal power and deity, are discerned clearly, being understood in the things created, so that they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their reasoning, and their senseless hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God with the likeness of an image of mortal human beings and birds and quadrupeds and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to immorality, that their bodies would be dishonored among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God with a lie, and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed for eternity. Amen.
This is a tricky passage. It is difficult to see why Paul launches into such a tirade of negatives about God except to accentuate the difference between the gospel of Jesus and the pre-Christian era when people lived basically lawless lives, ignoring God despite the clear revelation of his glory through creation. The depraved nature of their actions indays gone by clearly would invoke wrath. Although made in the image of God, they became pagans.
© Roger G Johnson 2013 
