happy Christmas!

We ate a lot.



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Perspective

What did I tell you? Well I guess it's only been a week so that's better than nothing...

I've been working pretty solidly for the last several days. Had a pretty low weekend mood-wise, where I catastrophised about everything and just felt completely crushed. It's almost like December is making up for NOvember but just slamming me. However I am grateful for my job and the many shifts being sent my way.

Through all this i find i am developing a newfound respect for retail people. No, make that retail people who are good at what they do. And I don't just mean people who can sell stuff, but people who can sell stuff, while having a genuine interaction with a person they've never met before, keeping tabs on a dozen other things happening at the same time, all after standing on hard concrete floors for hours. Anyone can be surly and take your money in exchange for goods.

But in addition to that, working retail is giving me a deeper gratitude for my great God. I am so grateful that he saved me and has shown me that my purpose on earth is not to please the customer or my manager or the regional manager or head office. My purpose is to please him. A byproduct of that will generally mean that I do a good job wherever I am, but it also means that i can see the bigger picture and it is much more than the bottom line on a spreadsheet.

But I have to say, I don't think my legs and feet have ever hurt this much.

more to come...

I meant to write more catch ups but I've just suddenly hit the wall and need to go to bed.  I fully intend to come back and finish tomorrow, but there is a high chance that you won't hear from me again for another couple of weeks...

catch up 2: a wedding

On Thursday I had the great privilege of playing at and enjoying Josh and Tori's wedding (Josh is Lachy's older brother).  They were married at St Matthias in Paddington, and then had the reception at the Centennial Park Restaurant.  This is the Street family, all looking rather dashing I might say:



You know how you go to some weddings and they feel a bit forced or a bit fake?  Or you sit at the reception making small talk with people who don't really want to talk to you and eating average food?  Well this was nothing like that.  Christian weddings are the best!  The couple made vows that they pledged to keep until parted by death or until Jesus returns, and that real Christ-centredness made those promises ring true.  (Well for me, anyway.  I'm sure to the non-Christians there they were just words.)

The whole day was just lovely, and had such a laid-back, joyous and celebratory feel about it.  The service was beautiful and simple, the food at the reception delicious, the people at my table were lots of fun, and the venue was superb.  Also I got to wear a fabulous dress that mum bought me for Christmas, and was delighted to meet some of Lachy's extended family too.

I'm sure there are some terribly unflattering photos of me that will surface, but here is a blurry one of me, Lachy and Maddy at the reception:

catch up 1: Scripture

Let me catch you up on what's been happening.

Last week I helped out at the Banksmeadow School Scripture Christmas Concert thing...it was so fun!  I realise how I miss working with kids sometimes, as you can be so creative and still get the message across.  It's just amazing watching someone like Kelly P working with the kids; she has a real gift for communicating the gospel to them.  Here she is (very pregnant) doing one of many skits with Lachlan:



One of the best moments was when she gave the only year 6 kid a present, as he was graduating.  She talked to the kids about how this boy, who was a school captain, was an example of what she meant when she talked about letting your light shine.  The boy got all teary...he just seemed to have such a lovely, gentle nature and I thought it was great that Kelly said such things about him.

a NO-vember postscript

It's midway through December already and I never finished my NO-vember thing.  Well that's my prerogative I guess.  The only other principle I'd add at this point is one I learned from Kate N at church the other day, who said when she was doing MTS she instituted a rule of never agreeing to anything immediately.  She always said she had to go home and check her diary, allowing her the time and space to weigh up whether or not she was able or wanted to do what she'd been asked to do.  She said if someone was pressuring her for an immediate response because they themselves were disorganised, then it wasn't her problem.  And making it a blanket rule meant she avoided any guilt at saying yes or no to things on the spot.  Everything was pending.  I think this is a good rule and might try and institute it myself.