In another 10 or so days we say goodbye to 2004. Memories of the year are haunted with tears; both tears of joy, and sadness.
I’d like to say that I know myself a little better now than on January 1. I know that 2004 will end differently to how it began. My usual journey to Beach Mission on December 27 will not occur. I will not be having a day off on New Year’s Day. In fact for the first time in seven years, I will actually see my parents on New Year’s Eve.
This is bittersweet.
I’m not sure that I’ve fully realised that mission will not be on this year. Last year mission was totally blessed. We had a great small team of dedicated Christian’s, God united us; God blessed us with children, and teenagers and adults who heard the gospel, perhaps for the first time. This is an awesome thing.
I will miss the fellowship with my brothers and sisters. Hmm maybe God closed this door for a reason. Maybe God will bring a new team there next year with a passion and enthusiasm to see to Gospel proclaimed. Still I can’t help but wonder if we treasured the opportunity we were given enough. People moved on, people move on every year, but we never really seemed to see more people join. I don’t know..
This would possibly have been my last mission at Fairy Meadow, having been there for 7 years, I thought one more than a break would be wise. So, maybe in the mix of this disappointment there is the kernel of belief that God maybe was telling me in the midst of all else to take a year to restore my relationship with Him. Draw deep encouragement and strength from Him over the week’s break that I have. And given the pace of the last half of the year a break over Christmas is welcome.
It has been a stressful year in relation to work too. We’ve seen a lot of staffing changes of the last three years. Come to think of it, we’ve had two Office Managers; two Business Managers, a number of senior staff come in, and go out of the doors. The New Year brings us to a new chapter; we’ll have a new Deputy (read Acting) Director, a large conference and a move to look forward to. I think it’ll be about August when I can come up for air.
And in this period of change at work, I’ll also be changing churches. Stability will be here in the form of home. I’ll be living with the G-Men for the year ahead. There’s a lot to be thankful there. In so many ways they do give me a homely feel. I argue with them, like I argue with my brother, we push each other to think. And I like that.
In relation to church; I’ve not really thought through where I’ll be going. I’m going to try out a couple, and see what they are like. I have been thinking of leaving for a while, and decided basically because though I have a lot to learn from those younger, I also have a desire to be with peers. Be with people who share my faith, and who have been going through the work related issues that I have this year. Next year, I’m heading toward 28, and those who will start going to church will be heading to 19. That’s 9-10 years difference, and that seems like a big gap.
And I guess I am also looking for a less transient church as well. And on the other hand, if I end up going to either SMBC, or Moore College in 2006, I’ll be moving and changing churches then as well. So this will either be for one or two years…
As for what I’ve been up to; trying to spend time with friends from Sydney, and friends from Wollongong. Last Sunday, I spent an awesome Sunday afternoon with one of my friends from NZ, who was visiting Australia with her husband. It was very precious time. I had coffee with them both as they left the country as well. God blesses us with friends who nurse our soul, challenge us to look to Him. These two S + U are like this for me. I treasure the time I have spent with them. S’s family and mine are good friends, well no, actually they are as family.
Over this weekend, I came down to watch the Extended LOTR films, all of them. We started Friday, and finished mid afternoon Saturday. Sunday was our Carol Service [Reflections to come..] Now there's three more days before a break that I am day by day looking forward too more and more. Though, need to say here, perhaps the standard line, that it doesn't feel like Christmas.
Next week I hope to blog reflections upon the year; some general, some on the topic of music, and film. Here are some nominations for album of the year [it’s been an excellent year for Music don’t you think, (yeah I really do think …)]
Air Talkie Walkie,
Evermore Dreams,
The Finn Brothers Everyone is Here,
The Frames Burn the Maps,
Brooke Fraser What to Do with Daylight,
Interpol Antics,
Norah Jones Feels Like Home,
Alanis Morrisette So-called Chaos,
R.E.M. Around the Sun,
Mindy Smith One Moment More,
Third Day Wire,
U2 How to Dismantle… and
Wilco A Ghost is Born.
CD’s bought that are ineligible (i.e. Live, or Best of’s):
Pearl Jam Rearviewmirror [Best of]
Aimee Mann Live at the St. Ann's Warehouse [Live, CD+DVD]
Sarah McLachlan Afterglow Live [Live, CD+DVD] and
Powderfinger These Days [Live]
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