The past week has been taken up with family time—and it has been great! Emily, Steve and Colette arrived last Tuesday, and since then we have visited and revisited sites around both Dublin and Northern Ireland. Traveling with a one year old is an experience I have not had for many years, and while it does have its difficult moments, I love it. They brought a stroller with them, and it is used some times, but most of the time Colette is with grandpa—either walking along holding a finger or being carried. Tough life!

Our visit to the North was highlighted by a time with the Bruces, the family that served at Calvin while I was in Lisburn four years ago. They are all well, and said to be sure to say hello to all the Calvin folk. David has taken a new position, moving from Scripture Union to the headquarters of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland. He is in charge of Home Missions, which means he has some pretty significant responsibilities related to the whole of the work of the church. Let’s remember him in prayer…
During our visit in Lisburn Nancy and I were hosted by Brian and Andrea. Brian is my co-cyclist with whom I will begin pedaling in just a few days. We will fly to Barcelona then cycle north to the north coast of France, working our way up and over and through the Pyrenees—following some of the routes the Tour de France regularly uses. We are hoping for good weather and trusting that we will be able to make it up the hills that the pros climb, although our speed will probably be just a little less than theirs.
At Lisburn we also attended the Sunday evening service, got to see friends there, and then headed north to the cottage of another Lisburn friend, the Clerk of Session while Nancy and I were there, John Millar. Nancy and I had been there before, and I knew that it would be a perfect place for the visitors from the US to have a bit of rest and enjoy the best of Irish scenery. That is what happened. We walked the beach, crossed the famous Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, clambered on the basalt columns of the Giants Causeway, and introduced Colette to cows and blackberries. The cottage is situated on a rise above White Park Bay, with a view of the beach and a panorama to the north, east and west. What a treat it was to be there!



Now the rest of the family is in London for a couple days while I have returned to Dublin for the final “duties” of teaching and preaching. Our time in Dublin has been wonderful, and as it draws to a close we look back with thanksgiving to God for the opportunity to be here, serve, learn and get to know more people with whom we will have contacts for years to come.