My First Cyclone

The next few posts will be what I wrote during and after I experienced/survived my first cyclone. The cyclone was category 4 and unless you have been through one, you have no idea how it feels, despite what the photos and Wikipedia say. The aftermath, is one of devastation and although there are glimmers of hope to follow, there is the constant reminder of pain and loss all around. I did take photos and videos but at the moment, I am not comfortable about sharing them here. There's plenty to see on the internet.

Wed. 29^th March, 2017

11:00am

A few days before it happened, we got wind of the news that a cyclone was expected. Being a tropical cyclone area, we knew this was always a possibility but what it really meant, we had yet to learn. We spoke to people who had been through cyclones before and we stocked up on water -  both for waste and water for drinking, canned and packet food, torches and batteries. We bought a couple extra torches and I dug out the camping stove I bought five years ago but had never used. I bought some gas cartridges for that, too. We filled up the car with petrol and got cash out in case of emergency.

At times, the atmosphere was excitement, in the form of ‘adventure’ but there was a lot of apprehension and trepidation. This cyclone was expected to be a category 4 but we were assured houses were built to survive category 5 cyclones. At the supermarket a day or two before, the air was electric as it was on everyone’s mind and evidenced in everyone’s trolley. People made plans to stay with friends but we chose to stay home. One of my reasons for this was I would be too worried about what was happening at home to enjoy being at someone else’s place.

At church on Sunday, everyone was talking about it. I had been putting cyclone preparation advice on Facebook when I received it and a couple people acknowledged that had helped them. One young lady though, admitted she had not read it until after she had gone shopping and bought a freezer full of meat. Those who had meat, cooked it up and put it in the freezer which would defrost in time for meals. At the last minute, Andy and our friend Matt came and took down the blades of the outdoor roof fan as we had heard that they can fly off and gouge windows/walls in a cyclone.

Monday came and the fact it was a day off work/school was not uppermost in my mind. “Have we prepared enough?” we wondered, as the rains and winds began. I ‘smashed a bunny’ (chocolate) and continued to put cyclone news and clips of what was happening around home on Facebook. By about 10 that night, we lost power so we went to bed. Andy slept fitfully but I slept well, waking up only a few times. The banging was constant and loud, winds blew and rain fell but when we woke up the next morning, the roof was still on, windows were still in place and we still had some phone reception and access to Facebook to let people know we were OK.

According to the radio, the cyclone wasn’t expected to hit land until 1pm so we went and dozed fitfully and at 12 noon, all was calm. We deduced from that, we were in the ‘eye’ of the storm despite it apparently not having hit land by then. Andy took Milly out to do her business and we found out we no longer had phone/internet access. We turned on our battery operated radio for regular cyclone updates as the wind and rain picked up and came from the other direction.

I taught Andy how to play the board game ‘Sorry’, practiced my guitar again, listened to the radio and tried to sleep. Andy said the only things he would add to preparation in future was: he would get ice for the cooler and would take rubbish to the dump as rubbish was supposed to be collected Tuesday. It’s in our shed at the moment and will probably be quiet smelly by the time it gets out of there. Ewww.

It’s not really a sound sleep when you are in the middle of a cyclone. There is relentless banging, constant uncertainty as to whether it will get worse or whether damage to the house could still occur and then Andy discovered the windows on the right side of the house that were more ‘exposed’, were letting water in at the base of it. He put towels at the base of the 3 windows and regularly changed them to dry towels as we prepared for another night’s sleep.

The next day (Wednesday) there was less rain and the wind had died down a little. We looked out our loungeroom window and saw houses we had never seen before although we knew they had been there. Visibility had increased with the trees that had blown over. We had no running water now either. No power. No phone/internet. No water. There was a knock at the door and our friend Matt had turned up in his car to check up on us. He messaged my son Nathan for me and I asked Nathan in the message to put it on Facebook that we were OK. While Matt was here, our friends Dan and Mel, their daughter and our mutual friend Mel H, also turned up to check up on us. It was nice to have contact with others. Both of them spoke of drastic damage done around the area, trees across the roads, roofs off and radio announcements told people to stay put and not go ‘sightseeing’. Matt said there were people taking photos all over the place.

Just listening to the news at 11am it said we are still susceptible to experiencing damaging winds and flash floods in the area. Having the radio on gives some link to the outside world and provides a small amount of relief when feeling so isolated. When the radio is off, the sounds of the wind crashing, trees creaking and chainsaws being used are all that I can hear. (Or Milly licking herself) I have thoughts of wondering when it will all be over and ‘behind us’ and we’ll have power, water and communication with the outside world again. I told Andy last night that someone ought to turn the cyclone button off. I am quite thankful that I am not a pioneer. 

My Goal for 2017

This has been the quietest, most settled Christmas/summer holiday I have had in years!! I have done nothing profound and have not been facing any major life changes. Instead, I have read books, done fun shopping, celebrated Christmas with a tree (albeit fake but still something to look pretty and decorate) and I have caught up with friends. 

Andy and I have done day trips and done a lot of talking. In 9 days time we will celebrate our wedding anniversary and also recognise we have been here for a year on that same day. I tentatively look forward to a future and if you've read other posts on this blog, you will know why I say 'tentatively'. Personally, I feel that life holds a lot of uncertainty and because of that, we need to hold our plans with an open hand and be ready to adapt them when a curve ball gets thrown our way. 

Over this break, I have also been studying a subject for uni and my last assignment is due January 20th. I got my first assignment for that subject back today and I didn't do as well as I had thought I had. Perhaps the key is to have low expectations?? Anyway, after I got cross with myself and wondered why on earth I was even doing this course, wondered why I couldn't be satisfied with passing and wished I'd never even started the course, I picked myself up and did some positive self talk. "I'm doing this because I want to learn. There is no reason I have to get an A for every subject. I am doing this even though I could have chosen to take a holiday. I need to learn from this and make sure the 2nd assignment is more analytical and includes more detail despite having a word limit."

As I have been studying but also reading for pleasure, I've been thinking and reflecting. One of the books I'm reading is called, "Present over perfect" and it reminds me to make sure that I am being the person I am called to be and to make the most of each day. It's about living a life with meaning and being connected to our loved ones without being caught up in the busyness and sometimes complicated life. In it, the author says, "Burnout is not reserved for the rich or famous or the profoundly successful." I like her conclusion at the end of one part of the book: "Here's the thing: I might be doing it wrong, in someone else's view. But as I sit, my heart grows more compassionate. My gratitude increases. I become more humble, more thankful, less fearful." <-- That's what I want for my life in 2017: To be more compassionate, more thankful and less fearful. To be more compassionate means I try to be more encouraging and demonstrate grace. By less fearful, I mean I take up opportunities that might take me out of my comfort zone. I would say more humble but I'm not sure that if that's an oxymoron. 

Another book I am reading is called, "One thousand gifts" and it reminds me to live a life of gratitude. It talks about giving thanks even when there doesn't seem to be much to be thankful for and that when we give thanks, we often experience a deeper peace. I have been through  some tough times over the years but even during those terrible, dark times I know that there were things I could be thankful for. (and if you look back over the posts, you would read about them) I also know that when I focus on the painful bits, the hurts and the tough times, that I tend to feel overwhelmed and disappointed with 'life'. I feel like giving up and wonder why I even bother but that is why I need to choose to be thankful.

Take the case of my assignment: I didn't do as well as I had expected but I passed. I could give up but what would that achieve? I have learned so much doing this course and have been able to apply some of that learning in the classroom and even in my every day life. When I have my Masters, it might open up new doors of opportunity for me. I am thankful I have been able to do this course.

I am also thankful for Andy. He was outside weeding and working in the garden and when I told him I was disappointed in my results, he put the tools down and came and sat with me. He got me a glass of diet coke and encouraged me. He reminded me of how much I have already achieved. 

So if I was to have a goal for 2017, this would be it: That my heart would be more compassionate, that I would be more thankful and that I would be less fearful. 

Grace in 2017

Grace - favor or goodwill.

Synonyms: kindness, kindliness, love, benignity; condescension

The young girl sat on the floor playing with her Christmas toys while family and extended family talked and played table tennis. There was a knock at the door and in walked the 'shunned' family member. She'd heard much talk about him and peered at him curiously before returning to her gift. The man had hurt others, betrayed and cheated but everyone had prayed he would come home and they talked about forgiveness in his absence. After some time had passed, she noticed him about to leave. No one was paying attention and he seemed hesitant to leave. She looked around at her family and waited for someone to say or do something but they were all busy. She got up and went to the man and took hold of his hand. She stood on tiptoe and he bent down to hear her say, "I love you. Goodbye"  as she kissed him on the cheek. He wiped a tear from his eye and left their home and she never saw him again but that moment became the time her understanding of grace started growing in her.

There has been a lot of pain and sorrow in the world over 2016 and some are declaring it a bad year. Crowds have cried out against injustice - real and perceived, people have accused others of betrayal and cheating, some have lashed out, others have sneakily gossiped and lied sowing seeds of disunity while others have pointed the finger or manipulated circumstances for their own ends. It has happened on a worldwide scale and perhaps it's happened in your backyard. There was a song I used to know as a teenager and went, "Stop the world, I want to get off, This is too weird for me... I get the definite impression this isn't how it's meant to be. No. No."

Now that 2017 has come around, there are all sorts of reflections about 2016 going around including the comment that 130 celebrities have died. In a smaller post on Facebook, three names of people who have made a difference to medicine and science also died in 2016 but despite their contribution to 'life', they were little known. News is graphically blasted into our living rooms as we watch on our TVs and we become so aware of the hatred and evil that sometimes seems to control our world. We shudder at what is happening and pray fervently for peace.

For me, peace will only come when we start showing grace to others and this begins at home with my friends and family. I don't have control over the actions of others but I do need to take responsibility for demonstrating unconditional love and grace to those around me; my family, workplace and those in my community. Closer to home, I see how friends and family are treated and I see how others point their fingers to blame, whisper about someone's failings and "throw the next stone". I don't want to be one of those people but sometimes it is all too easy to join in and become part of the crowd. 

There are people in my life who I admire but if I told them that, they would blush or try to brush it off because one of the main traits they have in common, is their humility. They have faced some real life tragedies of their own and yet are 'ordinary people' doing extraordinary things. In the midst of their own pain, they are making a difference around them. They sit beside a dying loved one, play music to children with disabilities and go out for coffee to encourage their hurting friends when they would rather be at home. They step outside of their comfort zone and use their gifts and abilities in order to give someone else hope in their difficult time. 

In 2017, who are you going to be? When I was growing up, there was a saying that when you point the finger at someone else, three fingers are pointing back at you. Let's stop blaming, stop manipulating things to get our own way and stop hurting others. Let's find out how we can encourage others, get to know them and love them. Some are dealing with circumstances you may not know about. Let's be the little girl mentioned at the start of this post and take someone by the hand, reach up and whisper encouraging words of grace even when no one else is looking.

Grace for 2017

From the Bible: 
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14

Through It All and Other Cliches

There once was a girl who grew up in Australia
Her childhood was uneventful but as her adult years increased, she went through
Rough patches and smooth, up to mountain tops and sometimes down to the pits.
Oh, she learned to be thankful for all of life's experiences and she
Understood that the only thing we can 'control' is our response, actions and attitude.
Grinning and sometimes gritting her teeth, she held on to the
Hope that "things can only get better".

I read the above and I know that it seems full of cliches. 
The truth is that cliches are facts that have been proven over and over.

And here I am, almost 11 weeks since leaving our last place
Living in a beautiful area and
Learning a new way of life.

Learning is a mixed bag. Sometimes it feels so hard and I feel too old to be doing something new again. I wish I could be at the destination rather than having to go through all this stuff again. I am envious of people who seem to soar through life, having everything they want, having security: financial, work and in their family/friends/relationships. I am making new friends here and having a lot of fun with them but I also wish I had 'old' friends here who know where I've come from and who accept me as I am.  Since there is a lot to learn in my new job, I've also deferred my Uni studies for a semester. It's funny, in a not so humorous way, that even though I've taught in a variety of schools and have for many years, no school runs the same way and I can not take for granted that things are the same - because they are not. More to learn! 

I read this on a colleague/friend's Facebook page recently: "One day it just clicks. You realise what's important and what isn't. You learn to care less about what other people think of you and more about what you think of yourself. You realise how far you've come and you remember when you thought things were such a mess that they'd never recover. And then you smile. You smile because you are truly proud of yourself and the person you've fought to become." I do know what's important and I have come a long way but as one of my new friends said to me recently, I need to learn to let go about what others think of me. I am still not sure how to do that but I will persevere and keep learning and keep growing.

Over ten years ago, I started a tradition called, "Smash an Easter bunny". At the time I was going through a stressful time and I thought it would be fun to smash an Easter bunny and eat the chocolate afterwards. I like doing it and have done it almost every year since. I did it again today. Don't worry, I didn't eat it all - plenty of chocolate still in the fridge and if you come visit, you can have some too. 

Well, it's school holidays here now so I have 2 weeks to explore the neighbourhood and catch up on things that are waiting to be done. Andy has joined the local AFL (Aussie Rules Football) club and they had a carnival on this weekend which went well. I have visits lined up to go to the dentist as I need a root filling. Three years ago, a dentist told me that I might need it and then she decided against it so now, I am paying for that decision. One of my new friends and I are also planning to go swimming over the holidays which I am looking forward to and I have a bit of school work to do so - no time to get bored. 

The song/hymn "Through It All" has been on my mind a lot lately and as I hum it, I am reminded that we all have a story to tell, we all have been through times we'd prefer to forget, avoid or not ever go through again and we've all experienced times when we've been happy and content. I've cried lots over the years - especially the last eight or so years and I've yearned to soar above it all and make a positive difference. I've moved many miles and many times and every move has taught me new things and given me new friends and a ton of reasons to be thankful and smile. 

Through it all, I've learned what, or more importantly, who is important. I will keep on learning and keep on growing and maybe one day, it will be easier. 


Through It All

Verse 1
I've had many tears and sorrows,
I've had questions for tomorrow,

there's been times I didn't know right from wrong.
But in every situation,
God gave me blessed consolation,
that my trials come to only make me strong.

Chorus
Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to trust in Jesus,
I've learned to trust in God.

Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to depend upon His Word.

Verse 2
I've been to lots of places,
I've seen a lot of faces,
there's been times I felt so all alone.
But in my lonely hours,
yes, those precious lonely hours,
Jesus lets me know that I was His own

Chorus

Verse 3
I thank God for the mountains,
and I thank Him for the valleys,
I thank Him for the storms He brought me through.
For if I'd never had a problem,
I wouldn't know God could solve them,
I'd never know what faith in God could do

There Is A Time For Everything

The Here and Now

We live in a beautiful spot and I look forward to the weekends when we will be able to explore and enjoy - just as soon as I feel like I am getting on top of school work - which  is not yet. Although I have taught for so many years, this school is new to me. It has different routines, different expectations and different students and parents. Having said that, although we are unique, there is nothing new under the sun. There is nothing anyone can say or do that hasn't been said or done before (Ecclesiastes 1:9,10) and that goes for students and their parents. This is not a bad thing. For me, it is quite reassuring as it means that lessons we have learned in the past, can be applied now. If that doesn't make sense, I'm not going to elaborate or else it will become too 'deep'. And I want to enter another area of depth....

As noted in my last blog post, Dave's father passed away last week. This morning, very early our time, before even the sun was up, his life was celebrated by family and friends in the US. Someone posted it to YouTube so I got to watch it. Dave's dad was a godly man, a man of integrity and people shared how he had touched their life. Dave's eldest son got up and spoke since his dad couldn't be there. That made me cry. It also made me smile as James recounted a memory of his dad and also shared that Dave had respected his dad, my father-in-law. 

I looked through photos, trying to find one of Dave's dad that I could share on this page. As I looked through them, it brought back a lot of memories. I first met Dad at his 90th birthday celebration, just over 6 years ago. I also met the rest of Dave's family. Only 6 years ago?! So much  has happened since then. Back then, I had taken a short video clip of a salmon farm and it showed salmon trying to swim upstream and trying to jump over obstacles in their way. I was reminded that sometimes we need to be like the salmon and swim against the tide - just like Dave's dad had to do at times. 

I thought of how we celebrate the life of someone who has passed away. We did the same for Dave back in 2011 and my family did the same for my mum back in 1999. When it comes to grieving and 'how to' grieve, I don't think there is a standard way to do it but it is important to acknowledge our loss and recognise how that person impacted our life. When my mum passed away, my son was not quite seven years old and yet he seemed to know how to grieve. He wanted to be able to say goodbye to mum before she passed away and he did. A few days later, after the funeral service, my sister found him crying in a corner and hugged and cried with him. When he was ten years old, a friend of the family was helping him clean his room and came across some Autumn leaves and suggested throwing them out. Nathan replied that he wanted to keep them as he'd picked them up with Nanna on their walk around the lake. 

Sometimes we need to be open about our grief and pain and not try to keep a stiff upper lip, especially with our closest, loved ones. This week, I've been engaged in teaching and trying to keep up with what needs to be done and in the back of my mind, has been the loss of Dad. At the same time, we've been here for not quite 3 weeks and are adjusting to a new climate, new lifestyle and needing to make new friends. Being here, means also we had to say goodbye to friends at our last place and that is a 'loss' too. We also still haven't been paid our bond back and I don't get paid until the end of next week so we've had to count every cent and that's been stressful. 

During PD week, we were asked to think of a time when we were very happy and what the circumstances were around that. For every happy moment I thought of, it was also tinged with hurt. For example, if I thought of a happy time with Dave, I also remembered that he passed away and I came back to Australia. If I think of this beautiful place that we are now living in, I am also reminded of the place and friends we left behind. So, to be honest, this weekend as I dwelt on the mixed blessings, I grieved. This took Andy by surprise as I had tried to be positive, keep it to myself and had not really shared with him what my state of mind and heart was. 

Well, time to be positive again and look forward to the week ahead with my lovely class. Even though I've had to work hours outside of school time, I have enjoyed it. It is a lovely school to be at and my colleagues are helpful and friendly. Andy and I are in a good place to be. 

Ecclesiastes 3

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2     a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
4     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6     a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8     a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

Another time, Another Place
Montana, USA

A New School Year

On the eve of a new school year with a new class, I find myself sitting quietly beside my husband who is reading and our dog, Milly, who is sleeping on the slippery, white floor without a care. No longer do we have to cajole her to come and venture on to the slippery tiles, she comes in order to be close to us. Today is Australia Day and it is also Andy's birthday. We have had a quiet day but we did have chocolate cake with freshly whipped cream to celebrate. We also had yummy lamb kebabs. 

Last Thursday, there was a school orientation and I had my classroom set up ready to meet my new students and their families. The majority of the parents told me their child was talkative so I seem to have a chatty class this year. That's OK - I can cope with that. Tomorrow will be a day of getting to know my new students and also setting boundaries with them. I am looking forward to the year ahead with this new class at this new school as a new teacher. The last week or so has been full on preparation for the new school year, including PDs, information sessions, classroom preparation, curriculum planning and reading the school policies and procedures. A lot of it all comes down to common sense, making sensible choices and ensuring the safety and care of students and staff as well.

We have almost finished unpacking but still have book boxes unopened. We need a couple of bookshelves. I still need to unpack and set up the double hammock that I received as a gift from the staff/school last year. We have not yet received our bond back from our last rental place which should have been here two weeks ago! We really would like to have that money back asap and I'm not sure what else we can do to hurry her up in getting it to us.  

I have talked with a few of my friends from last year and I do miss them. We had built up some strong friendships and had some fun times. At the same time, we are making new friends here and looking forward to settling down. The other night I was thinking, "I'm getting too old to start again/make new moves etc" and told one of the teachers that they are stuck with  me now.

We still haven't celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary as that was the day we were driving here but we hope to soon  - after I've gotten into the groove of teaching and working here. There's a lot of wonderful places to explore! Andy has taken Milly for walks but one of the things she loves the best, is splashing in her pool. A neighbour recently told Andy that when we are not here, she barks and one of my friends at school has loaned us a citronella collar that squirts citronella out each time a dog barks. We haven't used it yet as I still haven't got around to buying the battery. Andy told the neighbour that this has been a big move for Milly and she's gone from having half an acre to running around in to a smaller space. The neighbour wasn't upset and it was good to find out so that we can do something about it.

As for having fun.... Unfortunately, I've been focused on getting all my work done and this has included working on the weekends, days off and evenings. As our weekly lesson plans have to be submitted by the last Friday of each week, this should mean that we can do fun things on the weekend. The school has 'touch football' teams that play in the local community comp so Andy and I have signed up for that. Andy has also started training with the senior (over 45's) AFL team. Last Friday night at the staff and families dinner, a group of them played barefoot soccer so of course Andy joined in. A couple staff members were impressed with his fitness level.

On a sad note, Dave's dad passed away last weekend. I find it very hard sometimes, to deal with being so far away from my family over there, at times like this. I can not go and give them a hug, cry with them or even share some beautiful stories with them. I have such admiration for Dad and the godly man he is. He told me stories of his time in the war and he had a smile that warmed my heart. Last Friday, when I was trying to do some work, I found it hard to concentrate. I told the school principal and he was sympathetic. I am so thankful that our principal is warm and caring towards all his staff and students. He seems a humble man whose desire is to see his staff grow and be the people God created them to be.

Well,  I'd better go and get a good night's rest so that I can be my best for my class tomorrow. Thanks again for your prayers, friendship and support. We have so much to be thankful for. Please remember to hug your loved ones, call them, let them know you care because you don't know what tomorrow holds. We can make plans but they don't always happen the way we think they should. Trust me. I can give quite a few examples of plans not working out the way I had hoped. I can also counteract with blessings I was given when the road was tough. 

P.S. If you are new to this blog site and want to read more, click on "The Garden Trail" heading or see the archives to the right of this page.

New Adventures

We have moved into a new area and the first day of my new job begins tomorrow. 

We arrived last Tuesday night and have mostly unpacked. I have learned how much I rely on a fridge! I missed not being able to have cold water and cold diet coke in such a warm climate. On our first night here, we slept on an air mattress on the floor. Having seen a cane toad earlier in the evening, I imagined cane toads jumping on me during the night and was relieved when the bed was assembled the next day.

We are learning about a lot of new things. The first major thing we had to learn about was cane toads and dogs. Cane toads can kill dogs if a dog tries to eat it. We have not seen Milly attack, nor try to play with smaller animals such as mice and birds but on the other hand, we didn't want her to get close to a cane toad so we have given her a place to sleep in the laundry at the moment. That required another challenge for Milly as she hates white, slippery floors. Not only do we have those tiles throughout the house, we also have them on the front porch. Andy made up a path for her from the side door, using an old towel, her bed mat and a new mat we got her and finally coaxed her in at night, before the toads came out. 

The next morning, we were relaxing on the front porch enjoying the warm weather and a gentle breeze when Andy opened the gate to the back yard. Milly came out and wanted soooo much to be with Andy that she put her front paws up on the porch. He backed away a little and you could see her stretch towards him. Finally, she came up and laid down at his feet. It was very cute. That night, she came into the laundry without any cajoling and we didn't need to give her any treats. She is learning though, that the laundry is her night time place. Andy has also taken her for a couple of walks around the town in the late afternoon when it is cooler. 

Another thing I have learned, is how to deal effectively with midges. Midge bites are worse than mozzie bites and the itch lasts longer over days without going away. Although the brand of anti-itch gel I use works effectively with mozzie bites, I found it less effective with midge bites. Last night I took out an ice-pack and put it directly on the bite and it numbed it for quite some time. I've had to reapply it but it's definitely not as bad. 

Last Friday, I went and took a look at my new classroom, got my key and met a couple teachers. Although I haven't finished unpacking all my teacher stuff at home, at least I have an idea of what the classroom size is. I have a million-ish questions about classroom procedures, school expectations, day-to-day routines and am feeling a mixture of excitement, anticipation and nervousness. I have taught in different schools with different 'cultures' and one thing I already I know I appreciate about this school is that it seems like there are clear expectations as well as an 'order' to how things operate. This coming week is student-free and the new teachers will also have 'induction' meetings which will be helpful. 

This morning Andy and I went to our new church. A few of the teachers were there and we had already met the pastor and his wife when we were here before Christmas. I have been involved in small churches and small towns for most of my adult life but have also appreciated the anonymity of being in a larger place that I've had recently. Andy has not experienced a smaller church/town in his adult life so again, that will be something we will both need to learn to adjust to. 

The sermon was based on Philippians 1 and was talking about how we need to allow Christ to transform us. Verses 9-11 says: "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God."


Well, it is raining tonight as it has been for most of today but at the same time, it is still very warm. Rain is a good thing. Now that I am done here, I need to go and pick out what clothes I will wear tomorrow and figure out what I will take to school. I think that I will leave my classroom things at home until Tuesday - after I've had a chance to figure out what I might need the most. There is a staff uniform but this week we can wear smart casual.

Here I go - may the next chapter go well.