Before my family moved to the northern beaches area in 1968, I had attended primary school in Rose Bay. At that time, and likely still today, the population of the school was overwhelmingly Jewish. All my friends were Jews and naturally I developed a healthy respect for their heritage. That possibly explains my pro-Israel bias (though I am critical of of that government's policies) and my abiding interest in all things Jewish. I was even engaged to one sometime ago and sported a yarmulka at family occasions, that especially being the case during festivals.

When I was in Grade 3 we had scripture classes and the few children of Christian faith (in those days everyone was something, even if only nominally) gathered today for a lesson. I recall our teacher being a very large woman who appeared to have legs like tree trunks (though this may have been a youthful mistake). But she was a very good teacher and many of the stories from the Bible remain with me as a result of her lucid and interesting retelling. I seem to recall that she was a dab hand with chalk diagrams because they were often in the background on the board.

We had a test at the end of Year 3 and surprise, I came top. My prize was a small book of the Gospel of Mark called 'The Right Time', it being the then new Good News edition. You know, I still have it, my name in neat underlined print on the inside cover. 

I owe that good lady something, for she planted the seeds of what later became real faith. And I am grateful for that little volume. If you're wondering, the 'right time' is now.