When I was in high school I had a discussion with my History teacher about all of the reasons I didn't want to make an effort in her class. Mrs. Gilbert knew I had the potential to excel in her class and described her feelings. My response was disappointing to her then, and it disappoints me now. I told her I lived by the adage, "Let bygones be bygones", which meant history didn't matter and I shouldn't have to worry about her class.
As I reflect on the week that has been I am grateful for growth, and repentance. If bygones were all forgotten I would have no claim on the amazing memories of the past week.
Wednesday was ANZAC Day. As I get older I have an increasingly deepening appreciation for the incredible men and women who have given so much to provide the freedoms and abundance that we take for granted in Australia too much. Kylie and I left home around 6.30am that morning and went to the grave of her grandfather. He fought in WWII. No one in his family knows anything about what he experienced. He took those memories with him to his grave, but he was one of many who fought, suffered and was willing to die for us. Chanel is the only one of our children old enough to remember Grandad Jones, and she shed tears as she held our hands and talked about him. We sang a hymn, I Know That My Redeemer Lives. It was touching, to sing and testify of His life and resurrection. We said a prayer. We were touched by the Spirit, and felt united.
As we drove from the cemetery we felt peaceful. By 8am we were walking into a community ANZAC service, and again we remembered. It was terrific to see so many other people who also felt a debt of gratitude to those who served, sufficient to motivate them to attend a service on their public holiday.
Other tremendous memories for the week:
I sat a fourth year statistics exam and passed (I think). It felt good to get through it, especially given the limited study I put into it.
I attended a board meeting for the Australian Family Association - QLD branch. I was invited to speak at their upcoming conference in October! I'll be speaking for approximately an hour, on parenting! I'm thrilled. This offers credibility that is huge, it allows me to build my business, and I can associate with other like-minded community members who are involved in strengthening families in Australia.
Each morning and evening we say our family prayers. Abbie has begun to consistently pray for Kylie and the baby she's carrying. Her words are so cute. "Please bless mummy's baby, that it will have a good day."
Yesterday afternoon we took the kids to Newfarm Park. It's a terrific park, which they love. Chanel wanted to ride her scooter so I walked behind her while she scooted off. It's amazing to see her grow. At one point she wanted to race so I ran ahead as she chased me. For about 100 metres I watched over my shoulder as the cutest little 7 year-old grinned and laughed while she tried to catch up to her dad. As I ran I considered the importance of remembering that moment. She was entirely consumed in the moment, feeling joy, and giving me a memory that will hopefully never be a bygone moment that I let go of. My baby is growing up too fast.
Two exciting things happened with work this week. I showed up to spend some time with one of my Frontline Management trainees. He's really struggling to fit his study in with his busy schedule. We spent an hour discussing solutions to his many challenges. I left without giving him any new assignments or receiving any work from him. It means that I basically gave him my time for free. I only get paid when they complete work. Despite that, I felt fantastic. It didn't matter that I did it for free. He was feeling better, he had solutions, and we are on track to helping him get his work done. I really enjoy helping people. Service seems to bless me more than others. I actually feel like it could be selfish to serve because I get so much out of it!
Finally, on Friday I was flown to south-west NSW to run some workshops for a company whose employees are stressed. I prepared a 90 minute session and ran it twice for two different groups. While I questioned my ability to help, and even present a decent session, they were so happy with it that I've been invited to return and do more work with them. The sessions went really well. We discussed how muscle depletion is actually similar to depletion of self-control reserves. As we're confronted with stressful situations, our ability to deal effectively with them diminishes over time unless we take time out to replenish our store. This led to a discussion of stress and the inverse relationship it shares with control. Finally we discussed strategies to deal with stress, and how to communicate effectively through stressful situations.
Yesterday we went and had some family portraits taken. The kids looked beautiful, as did Kylie. When the photos come back I'll post them on line.
As I get older I realise more and more the foolishness of my attitudes when I was young. And I appreciate Mrs. Gilbert for patiently allowing me to have my opinions. Now I wish I could tell her what I've learnt. Much of the greatest happiness in life comes from cherished memories, and gratitude for what has occurred in the past.
Sunday, 29 April 2007
Sunday, 22 April 2007
So Glad It's Over
Kylie and I visited the Ultrasound clinic this week. It was terrific to see pictures of our baby, growing healthy and developing according to schedule. Reality is starting to set in as we prepare for baby number four in this house.
We've also had some big news on Kylie's side of the family. Kylie's sister, Estelle, is getting married. The wedding is planned for early July and preparations are in full swing. I'm dreading the endless conversations about invitations, guest lists, the dress, the reception and so on. But Kylie has already signalled her commitment to full involvement, so it's inevitable. And it's also exciting for them, so that's nice.
My little brother, Tim, is in Japan. After a 12 week crash course in speaking Japanese he's arrived in Japan to start telling people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He's also learning some valuable life lessons. He tells us, "Let me just say one thing. I thought I had a small understanding of the language. Oh my goodness. I have no idea what is going on. It cracks me up." He also said, "I pretty much had the craziest week of my life this week. Its funny that no one really tells you what missionary work is really like. In the missionary training centre you get so pumped up and think its all just glory and baptising. Oh my gosh no. Most of my days are spent going up to random people and trying to convinve them that because of truths I have, they should change their whole way of life to something they have never ever heard of.
Seriously, no one out here even thinks about life. You say what do you think the purpose of life is and most of them say 'shigoto' which means work. Kids go to school 6 and 7 days a week. and people just think I'm crazy most of the time. but.........for the 1 person out of 50 that will let you speak it is great.
"It is the most humbling experience I've ever had. I now realise the judgement that alot of us put on Asians or people that cant speak English well. I assume that they aren't very intelligent when they struggle with English and their sentences dont make sense. Well now I'm that person and I dont know if they are judging me but I wont judge them ever again."
So it's nice to hear Tim grow and learn great things, and he's meeting with small successes with the language and in teaching others, which is encouraging.
The end of my TAFE career was finalised on Friday. I've been part of the Sport & Recreation team for nearly 3 years. However, uni work is getting too intense and I had to resign due to my need to be spending more time on my studies and less time working. I've been blessed to have the job, but with new opportunities developing, and time being increasingly scarce, it's nice to have it over.
I really like the people I worked with, but I got little job satisfaction from the work, and since a recent merger between institutes it has been a very unenjoyable place to be working. So I walked out the doors feeling fantastic. I was really pleased to let go of that phase of my life. Plus, now I can continue progressing in areas that hold much more interest for me. I'm excited to work for myself, contracting. I love training and teaching.
That's really about all for this week. There's been high intensity with all of my commitments, leaving very little else to write about. The family are doing well. Most of the time things are harmonious and happy. We enjoy great blessings in our lives for which we're grateful.
We've also had some big news on Kylie's side of the family. Kylie's sister, Estelle, is getting married. The wedding is planned for early July and preparations are in full swing. I'm dreading the endless conversations about invitations, guest lists, the dress, the reception and so on. But Kylie has already signalled her commitment to full involvement, so it's inevitable. And it's also exciting for them, so that's nice.
My little brother, Tim, is in Japan. After a 12 week crash course in speaking Japanese he's arrived in Japan to start telling people about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He's also learning some valuable life lessons. He tells us, "Let me just say one thing. I thought I had a small understanding of the language. Oh my goodness. I have no idea what is going on. It cracks me up." He also said, "I pretty much had the craziest week of my life this week. Its funny that no one really tells you what missionary work is really like. In the missionary training centre you get so pumped up and think its all just glory and baptising. Oh my gosh no. Most of my days are spent going up to random people and trying to convinve them that because of truths I have, they should change their whole way of life to something they have never ever heard of.
Seriously, no one out here even thinks about life. You say what do you think the purpose of life is and most of them say 'shigoto' which means work. Kids go to school 6 and 7 days a week. and people just think I'm crazy most of the time. but.........for the 1 person out of 50 that will let you speak it is great.
"It is the most humbling experience I've ever had. I now realise the judgement that alot of us put on Asians or people that cant speak English well. I assume that they aren't very intelligent when they struggle with English and their sentences dont make sense. Well now I'm that person and I dont know if they are judging me but I wont judge them ever again."
So it's nice to hear Tim grow and learn great things, and he's meeting with small successes with the language and in teaching others, which is encouraging.
The end of my TAFE career was finalised on Friday. I've been part of the Sport & Recreation team for nearly 3 years. However, uni work is getting too intense and I had to resign due to my need to be spending more time on my studies and less time working. I've been blessed to have the job, but with new opportunities developing, and time being increasingly scarce, it's nice to have it over.
I really like the people I worked with, but I got little job satisfaction from the work, and since a recent merger between institutes it has been a very unenjoyable place to be working. So I walked out the doors feeling fantastic. I was really pleased to let go of that phase of my life. Plus, now I can continue progressing in areas that hold much more interest for me. I'm excited to work for myself, contracting. I love training and teaching.
That's really about all for this week. There's been high intensity with all of my commitments, leaving very little else to write about. The family are doing well. Most of the time things are harmonious and happy. We enjoy great blessings in our lives for which we're grateful.
Sunday, 15 April 2007
Change is Good
It seems that irrespective of efforts to slow down, life keeps speeding faster and faster. All we can do is savour every minute, and keep a track of the important instances so we can reflect on them when they would otherwise be forgotten.
A couple of weeks ago I walked out of my 4th year statistics class feeling like I'd just sat through a Japanese lesson. I didn't understand very much at all. As the workload intensifies, and the complexity of the work increases I have been increasingly concerned that I need more time to focus on school. I called Kylie as soon as I left the lecture theatre, and after a brief discussion we agreed that I would quit my job at TAFE.
I resigned immediately, and this upcoming week will be my final week there. This places us in an interesting situation financially, but my new part-time job looks like it is picking up steam and we're hopeful that by the end of the month it will be close to replacing the TAFE income, but with less than half the number of hours required. We simply have to fast and pray that it all works out. And I have to say, the decision to leave TAFE feels terrific. I am so glad to be leaving the government. The conditions and so on are excellent, but I have had enough of the job and it's really time for change.
Last weekend was a really special one for us. In addition to it being Easter, Kylie and I packed the children into the car and drove the 1000 kilometres (620 miles for my American friends) to Gosford to be with mum and dad for the weekend. While we were there two really special things occurred that it was a pleasure to be there for. Firstly, my sister's former husband, Mat, was rebaptised after many years out of the church. He has worked extremely hard to be back at church, and it was great to see. His children were particularly excited to see their dad baptised. Being there was a privilege.
On Easter Sunday my sister's newest arrival, Teanu, was blessed and I was also able to participate in that. It was a real treat to have both of those ordinances on the same weekend. Plus we got to see my grandparents, nan and pop Bunt, in Sydney.
It was a quick trip for me. I flew home on Monday morning, early. Kylie and the kids stayed a few more days so that they could play with all of their cousins. I utilised the peace and quiet to get working on uni assignments. I'm pleased to say I'm now as good as finished every assignment (except one) for the entire semester, and we're just going into week 7 (of 14) tomorrow. I'm thrilled about that, because it allows me to focus on study/revision for exams from a very early point, plus I can devote hours more per week to my thesis, which I am yet to start.
This week I hand in all of those assignments and begin my thesis work in earnest. I also finish at TAFE, and write a workshop on dealing with conflict at work for a group in NSW that have requested my services. Plus I have some new sessions to write for radio school - they're having me back this year to run the usual sessions plus a few more. We are being greatly blessed.
The Family Update
Kylie is going much better now that the pregnancy is well established. We're already beyond the half-way point: 21 weeks on Wednesday. The time is disappearing. Kylie is hooked on the "The Work and The Glory" series by Gerald Lund. In the past couple of months she's read 6 books, and is now on number 7. I cannot wait until book 9 is closed and I can have my wife back! Kylie is amazing, such a support, and a dream to me. I'm grateful for her.
The girls are keeping us on our toes. I recently blogged about how we're focussing less on rules with them and more on principles. Kindness, Respect and Service are the core principles we're teaching and practicing. For the most part it's going really well. They're responding, with regular lapses, quite well. We're enjoying a harmonious home.
Ella is improving with her language, albeit slowly. But we're certainly seeing gains, and that is quietly reassuring. Abbie continues to provide the humour in our home, and Chanel is getting so big it's scaring me!
Things are moving forward, we're grateful for what we have, and we continue to find more to be grateful for. It's now mid-April. In 4 more months we have our 4th baby; in 6 more months I hand in my thesis, and 4 weeks after that I graduate. And then things will change again.
A couple of weeks ago I walked out of my 4th year statistics class feeling like I'd just sat through a Japanese lesson. I didn't understand very much at all. As the workload intensifies, and the complexity of the work increases I have been increasingly concerned that I need more time to focus on school. I called Kylie as soon as I left the lecture theatre, and after a brief discussion we agreed that I would quit my job at TAFE.
I resigned immediately, and this upcoming week will be my final week there. This places us in an interesting situation financially, but my new part-time job looks like it is picking up steam and we're hopeful that by the end of the month it will be close to replacing the TAFE income, but with less than half the number of hours required. We simply have to fast and pray that it all works out. And I have to say, the decision to leave TAFE feels terrific. I am so glad to be leaving the government. The conditions and so on are excellent, but I have had enough of the job and it's really time for change.
Last weekend was a really special one for us. In addition to it being Easter, Kylie and I packed the children into the car and drove the 1000 kilometres (620 miles for my American friends) to Gosford to be with mum and dad for the weekend. While we were there two really special things occurred that it was a pleasure to be there for. Firstly, my sister's former husband, Mat, was rebaptised after many years out of the church. He has worked extremely hard to be back at church, and it was great to see. His children were particularly excited to see their dad baptised. Being there was a privilege.
On Easter Sunday my sister's newest arrival, Teanu, was blessed and I was also able to participate in that. It was a real treat to have both of those ordinances on the same weekend. Plus we got to see my grandparents, nan and pop Bunt, in Sydney.
It was a quick trip for me. I flew home on Monday morning, early. Kylie and the kids stayed a few more days so that they could play with all of their cousins. I utilised the peace and quiet to get working on uni assignments. I'm pleased to say I'm now as good as finished every assignment (except one) for the entire semester, and we're just going into week 7 (of 14) tomorrow. I'm thrilled about that, because it allows me to focus on study/revision for exams from a very early point, plus I can devote hours more per week to my thesis, which I am yet to start.
This week I hand in all of those assignments and begin my thesis work in earnest. I also finish at TAFE, and write a workshop on dealing with conflict at work for a group in NSW that have requested my services. Plus I have some new sessions to write for radio school - they're having me back this year to run the usual sessions plus a few more. We are being greatly blessed.
The Family Update
Kylie is going much better now that the pregnancy is well established. We're already beyond the half-way point: 21 weeks on Wednesday. The time is disappearing. Kylie is hooked on the "The Work and The Glory" series by Gerald Lund. In the past couple of months she's read 6 books, and is now on number 7. I cannot wait until book 9 is closed and I can have my wife back! Kylie is amazing, such a support, and a dream to me. I'm grateful for her.
The girls are keeping us on our toes. I recently blogged about how we're focussing less on rules with them and more on principles. Kindness, Respect and Service are the core principles we're teaching and practicing. For the most part it's going really well. They're responding, with regular lapses, quite well. We're enjoying a harmonious home.
Ella is improving with her language, albeit slowly. But we're certainly seeing gains, and that is quietly reassuring. Abbie continues to provide the humour in our home, and Chanel is getting so big it's scaring me!
Things are moving forward, we're grateful for what we have, and we continue to find more to be grateful for. It's now mid-April. In 4 more months we have our 4th baby; in 6 more months I hand in my thesis, and 4 weeks after that I graduate. And then things will change again.
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