A quieter week?

This week has been a quieter week on the deputation front. We have a break this weekend from formal church ministry and instead get to hang out with friends who also happen to be supporters.

Injured thumb
I've spent portions of three days driving to and from doctors and X-ray appointments. Our youngest son wrenched his thumb during wrestling training on Monday night and so just to be careful, we've had it checked out. Thankfully nothing was torn or broken or dislocated, so time will heal. But it has taken a chunk out of my week.

Camping
We've been gathering camping equipment for our camping trip at the end of the month. Thankfully friends have lent us most of what we need (of the biggest specialist equipment). 

And we've been helping our middle son pack for his class trip to Canberra, starting on Sunday morning, including trying to hunt down a pair of ski gloves for their trip to the snowfields while they're down there!

Preparing for our visit to WA
Another notable activity of the week has been trying to drum up deputation opportunities. We're going to Western Australia next month for nine days and had locked in a couple of Sunday morning "appearances" but this week have sent off a number of email to various contacts over there trying to fill in some holes. 

It seems a shame to go all that way (with the cost of five tickets) for just two Sunday mornings and two evening meetings. By the way, for those of you who don't know, it takes about five hours to fly to Perth from Brisbane, which is about the same as flying from New York to Los Angeles. From London, you could get to Africa in the same time!

Last time we sent David over on his own, but want to go back one last time as a whole family (next HA at one of our boys will have graduated from high school). We have many faithful prayers and givers in WA, we really want to go and thank them together. Plus it's a beautiful corner of Australia to visit! We first visited there for deputation when our eldest was one, and once more at the start of our first home assignment when we only had two children, so we want to allow our youngest to experience a tiny taste of the west coast of this amazing nation.

Drumming up meetings in Queensland
We've also been seeking meetings with churches in south east Queensland, sending out emails to supporting churches here to see what we can be doing in the last couple of months of 2014.

New book

The book that my story has been
published in.

Today I received my author's copy of a book, Project Story, that is the compilation of 25 stories from Australian OMF missionaries. One of my stories, "Crying in the Snow", is included. This is worthy of note, because it is the first time I've had something I've authored included in a book (not just a magazine or ezine). The book is also for sale, let me know if you'd like a copy (A$10 plus postage if I can't hand it to you).

PS about tonight
Just heard from the friend we'd planned weeks ago to meet tonight that she's ill with a stomach bug. Boo! 

As crazy as it sounds, I could only give her two possible dates in October when we could meet her family for a meal. But she's busy those two dates, so it will be November before we can get our families together. 

We're limited in when we can meet people by children in school, so weeknights are pretty much out. And weekends are so full of various events for us, plus two weeks away on holidays and two weekends in Perth. It feels so frustrating, because we have plenty of time during the week, but few people have time then!

Generally tired
So that was our week (at least the major point). But I have to say I'm feeling more energetic today than I've felt for a couple of weeks. The huge weekend in Sydney two weeks ago really knocked me around (plus the cold I was fighting off at the time). That plus last weekend's overnight with deputation Sat-Sun took some recovering from. I can't say I'm disappointed we had a "quieter" week and have a similarly low-key weekend coming up. 

I'm also desperately looking forward to getting away for our camping trip. This transition to Australia, though well planned and as easy as we could possibly make it, has taken its toll and we're all easily worn out.