Sunday 25th May, 2009

Late again on this post...

I’ve struggled to find the motivation to write in recent weeks. I have managed to jot down a few thoughts, and can certainly describe blessings and gifts for which I’m grateful. I simply haven’t had the heightened motivation levels that I’m used to enjoying. I think the lack of progress on my PhD work is a likely cause. Hopefully this will change over the coming week as I get through the mountains of marking and consulting I’m doing in order to focus on my number one study priority.

The last week began in a pretty rough way. I had not come home from a choir practice for the youth until 11pm Sunday night. Annie determined that sleep was not on her late night agenda. And my alarm awoke me at 4am in order to drive to Sydney International Airport. Some friends were returning from the USA and I had agreed to pick them up. I arrived too early and tried to sleep, uncomfortably, in the driver’s seat. No luck. I drove laps around the International terminal for 40 minutes. Finally we spotted each other and, relieved, we drove back to Wollongong.

Monday also saw the marking begin. We’re into the final weeks of the semester now and reports are due. Marking is a painful way to live life. I experienced some joy Monday evening when, over dinner, we explored Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken.” Over the course of one week Chanel and Abbie have entirely memorised the poem and can explain what it is about. Ella is also doing remarkably well and can recite most of it with occasional prompts.

Tuesday saw us make progress at uni with my honours student. She is an extremely emotional girl who has had a roller coaster ride. Her other supervisor makes her uncomfortable and she cries at a comment or glance. But she is comfortable with me and we work well together. Her work is looking good, and progressing on schedule.

Tuesday night we had Family Home Evening. We talked about Justice and Mercy. I used the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears as we examined the character of Goldilocks. The children agreed that she was lawfully guilty of break and enter, trespass, and theft! They also agreed that justice demanded a price be paid. Of course, they recognised that if Goldilocks sought forgiveness and made restitution that mercy might be applied. It was a successful and fun night.

Wednesday saw me marking more. Aaaargh! I arrived home and Chanel explained that two boys had fought over her in the playground. I was not overly concerned but wondered what I had in store in the coming decade or more with FOUR girls! I raced out the door to get the youth back to Campbelltown for yet another choir practice.

Thursday we took the car in for a repairman to look at the stereo. It would not turn off and had already cost us a new battery early in the week. He discovered that Annie had inserted a 10c coin into the CD player and short-circuited the unit. This meant that it could not be repaired and a new one would need to be purchased. Ouch. While in the store Kylie inquired about the price of an in-car DVD player. She liked what she heard and bought it! Hmmm. So a 10c coin cost us $1200. We purchased the DVD player for those long drives up to Gosford and Queensland. And of course we also needed to get a CD player. I chose the cheapest one I could that had a certain few luxuries I felt I could not live without in the year 2009. I like my new stereo.

Friday was a difficult day for Chanel. We discovered more about the playground fight. Apparently the boys wanted to be her boyfriend. Chanel had been involved in a small way in the instigation of the violence. We have had ongoing concerns about things for Chanel at school. This incident seems to be one in a long line of challenges. We hope to speak to her teacher in the coming week.

Saturday I raced – poorly. The race was fast and hard and it hurt. Chanel attended a birthday party and went ice-skating. I was proud of her. One of the parents reported that Chanel fell down again and again but continually demonstrated determination. She told someone that all she had to do was keep on practicing and she would develop the skill to be able to skate competently. Maybe some of the things we say do rub off after all.

Sunday was a special day. We drove to Campbelltown again! This time it was to sit at the feet of an apostle and listen to his words.

We arrived 45 minutes early. There was barely a seat left! The chapel was full and so was the spill-over. The basketball court behind the chapel was opened up to half way and that was full. The other half of the court was opened and we sat halfway to the back of that! By the time the meeting began at 10am the place was packed! The meeting was quite nice. Our children were remarkably reverent. But we were so far back, and the sound was so poor, that we struggled to hear.

Halfway through the meeting the alarm bells began to ring. We knew it couldn’t be a fire drill. But the siren was screaming! No one left their seats. I gathered my family together and we left the building. Of more than 1000 people in the building only around 20 of us moved! Some called it faithful. I am pragmatic in my faith. I think it was stubborn and irresponsible that people did not heed a warning signal. Nonetheless we discovered that someone’s little child had hit the fire alarm and it was indeed a false alarm.

Jeffrey R. Holland spoke for a little over 30 minutes. His comments were powerful and it was worth the drive, the sitting, the occasional frustration with the children, and the headache from the screaming alarm. He spoke with conviction and assurance. He told us that “there is nothing anyone on this earth can show me or say to me that will strengthen me in my testimony. My knowledge that God lives and this is His church is perfect.” He then spoke to the youth and begged them to give the Lord a tithe on their life. He suggested ten years would be about right and implored them to give the ten years from age 12-22. He promised them if they lived right then, the rest of their life would be looked after. It was a good experience to be there for it.

We drove home Sunday afternoon and cooked roast chicken. The missionaries helped us eat it. There might have been left-overs but the missionaries helped to eat them too! In fact the missionaries ate about three or four plates of food. It was a heavenly roast.