Doing shopping and stuff

This morning David and I had a "shopping date". We headed off to a shopping centre and attached a list of stuff that needed attending to. It was great to do this without the hinderance of children. We ended up shopping in parallel to each other, keeping in touch with which shops we were each at, but each doing our own thing. Stopping in the middle to have morning tea coffee/milkshake (our second for the week). I also came away with a skirt from Katies that was originally $59.95 for only $17, that was great too. A lovely productive morning!

This week has really been about settling back into preparing for the remaining five months. Our minds are turning back to Japan. It's brought into focus things that need preparing for/doing/buying before we go back to Japan. It's also meant a number of emails setting up appointments/making enquiries etc.

I spent a good number of hours putting together our prayer letter over the last two days too, which also produced a flurry of emails from folk who want to meet up with us in the coming months.

Some examples of things we've worked on this week:-

• made an optometrist appointment for one child
• enquired about some immunisation that our 15 y.o. missed and the medical centre didn't ring us about (though they said they would)
• enquired about making a psychologists appointment for debriefing
• sought the contact details of theOMF medical advisor for this area to talk about a referral the school in Japan requires
• found out David's timetable for this semester and trying to get our minds around how that will work with our one-car family
• arranged to get together with various people here in Brisbane over the next couple of months as well as in Canberra when we're there at the start of next month
• trying to get more details about our obligations in Canberra
• trying to line up a car for us to use in Canberra
• investigating courses in design and writing, thinking ahead to taking up my magazine editing role again
• David's been continuing preparation for the courses he's teaching later this month
• trying to line up a couple more church meetings
• shopping for remaining school supplies, new clothes/shoes for David and me, new sheets for some beds in Japan

Quite an array! It's good to be productive, I hate being bored.

Japanese citizens beheaded

I get lots of Japanese news, in my blog feed and on Facebook, so I'm wondering how many of you have heard about the two Japanese hostages that have been executed by

Islamic State militants in the last couple of weeks. It's huge news in Japan.

Here was the early demand. It seems to have in part been provoked by a visit to the Middle East and announcement by the Prime Minister:

Abe said his announcement of $200 million in nonmilitary aid for the fight against the Islamic State group, made during a visit to the Middle East just days before the militants demanded a $200 million ransom for the two hostages, was meant to convey Japan’s strong commitment to battling terrorism and fostering peace and stability in the region.

The two who died were an aid worker and a journalist. Apparently the journalist was trying to rescue the aid worker. Additionally the journalist was a apparently a Christian.

Here is a short report from Christian Headlines.com and a longer one from Christianity Today.

I've just sent out a prayer letter today and asked people to pray for wisdom for the leaders of Japan. There is grief, anti war protests, and blame-laying. Abe wants to enable the military (aka Self Defense Force, because they have limited powers post WW2) to be able to rescue citizens.

Start of the third section of our year

So today we begin the second half of our home assignment. The whole twelve months can be roughly broken up into three sections

1. July-early December: Deputation/school
2. Mid December-January: Holidays for all
3. Feb-June: Deputation/school

   

   A tent is actually an apt way to describe our lives. We
   live in different places and enjoy almost all of them.
   We're getting very good at enjoying the place where
   we currently have our tent-pegs anchored, but are
   well aware that it isn't permanent.

I dropped the three boys at school today for their first day of the new school year. Two were excited, one not so. They'll be home in half an hour, it will be interesting to hear how it's gone. For the first time we have two high schoolers. Also for the first time all the boys have their "own devices". Two have school-provided/rented iPads and the third has a renovated computer (my work computer until six months ago). New territory! For the first time our eldest is doing four science-maths subjects. I hope that he enjoys delving into these subjects in greater depths.

After the school run I came home and we gathered ourselves. It was beautifully quiet. We could even hear and appreciate the birds outside! I planned the menu for the next fortnight, wrote a grocery list and we took off for a coffee-shop date, then split for a grocery/library and petrol run. David even mowed the lawn when we got home. It felt wonderfully productive, especially without any emotional wrangling (once we got the reluctant one to school).

One of the problems I've had over the number two period has been getting head-space to write, even write here. My work-space happens to be in the lounge room (aka living room, den, family room). The same room as the TV and where all the boys generally hung around most of the summer. It is hard to even think within that context.

So now I have a lot more free time, even more so after the 23rd of Feb. From that date David will be working three days a week as a lecturer of Education students at the Christian Heritage College here in Brisbane.

So now, with a bit of free time on my hands, but largely home-bound free time, I'm pondering what to do over the coming months. Weekends are busy, but weekdays not so much (aside from planning time for deputation opportunities, which mostly happen on weekends). I'm thinking about a couple of online courses, researching possibilities. I'm excited!

What I can't believe is that it is less than five months till we leave this "home" and return to our Japan "home"! I definitely have mixed feelings about that.

Camping trip #1 for 2015

We came back from camping yesterday. We were on the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast, in country that we've never explored before. it was gorgeous.

We camped for three nights. A first for us: camping this long without visiting a shop. We had no electricity or running water or fridge at our campsite. We weren't free-camping, though, a short hike up a steep bank gave us access to toilets, showers, and water. And even a microwave and free gas BBQs, if we'd wished to use them.

The best aspect of the camp was the creek nearby. We could paddle whenever we felt too hot. And went swimming several times.

The creek was among the trees just beyond the tent.

Another great thing about the camp was the timing, because most schools went back last week we basically had to place to ourselves the first two nights. That gave the boys plenty of room to play cricket whenever they had a free moment.

Open fires were allowed and we took advantage of that. It's not truly a camp unless you can have a fire!

It was exciting to see the boys get into the camp, even our most reluctant camper to admit that he was happy to be there. He was a willing helper as we packed up and unpacked at the other end at home, that's satisfying.

The creek beyond the trees. This was between ankle and
mid-calf deep.

This was our fireplace. A old repurposed wheel
barrel provided nice containment for the fire.
If you cut the trees down you'd see the creek.

Standing in the creek looking back towards our tent.

This inquisitive visitor came by during dinner one night.

The light was poor, but this was my perfect camping
dessert on our second night. A banana cooked in foil
in the fire with chocolate buds and marshmallows.
Delicious! We all made our own, according to our own tastes.

A little bit further down the creek it widened out and deepened.
We could have played here for hours. In the centre of the
photo is a rope swing that the boys used to leap into the water.
There was another one further along that was easier to get onto
that even I tried (and resulted in me swallowing lots of creek water
and I now sport a bruise on my hip when I slipped and landed too
close to shore).

During one quiet moment on the bank of the creek I spotted
this dragonfly sitting on a rock.

I had coffee with a friend a week or so ago. A good friend, but one whom I haven't become friends with because we share similar interests. Our parents were friends before we were born. Our relationship has been a cousin-like relationship. It's only in the last 10 years that we've developed a very strong friendship. Anyway, a week ago she expressed her distaste for camping. She said she particularly hated the insects, walking to the toilet at night, and sleeping on the ground.

I have to say I don't like walking to the toilet at night. Nor do I like camp showers (I always shower with rubber thongs (aka US/Brit flip-flops) on because I'm can't stand the feeling of communal wet tiles under my feet. Sleeping in a tent and on (good) air beds I can cope with. 

I can cope with the insects, as long as they are in their environment, and not inside the tent. The dirt doesn't bother me, as long as people take their shoes off at the tent door. 

I love the challenge of providing food in the simplicity of a camping environment.

I like the feeling of surviving without the usual trappings. 

I like not having people trapped by electronic screens (me included). 

I like seeing boys doing things that they normally can't. 

I like the meal clean-up routine we've got going (one boy with one parent, the conversations you can have at such a time are precious).

I love the serenity and how just two or three days of camping, though physically demanding, can feel longer and return you to daily life feeling refreshed and somehow cleansed.

So, we're headed back into "real" daily life now. School starts tomorrow. Our first formal deputation meeting in several weeks is next Sunday, in fact we've got four of them in eight days. And probably I'll be getting back to regular blogging too.

Camping getaway

Today we're preparing for going camping tomorrow and doing final starting school preparations. Tomorrow we'll pick up textbooks and two iPads from school then shoot up to the Sunshine Coast hinterland for three nights of camping (here). We'll get back on Saturday in time to vote in the state election and then school starts for us again on Monday.

I'm looking forward to cool nights (it just doesn't cool down enough in our house at night, we've been sleeping in 28-30 degrees C most nights) and no TV or other screens. The campsite has a stream running through it and we can have campfires too! Because most schools started the school year today it will also be quiet. Oh yes, looking forward to this little get away.

But I'd better get back to packing...see you when we get back.

Building Relationships This Year

Back in November we met with the pastor and an elder of our home church. It was a long discussion, but one of the results was:

Their challenge to us ... to get to know as many people as we can in the church so they feel connected to what we do before we go back next year.

It's gradually happening. We had lunch at the house of a key family from our church last week and stayed into the evening. Yesterday we hosted a BBQ, inviting two families over after church.

Our six-week long break from deputation is just about finished, along with the relaxed pace of the school holidays. So it's about to become more difficult to fit social engagements in. However, we've got a bit of work to do if we're going to invite more people around for meals. It does seem that that's a great way to fast-forward relationships. Just seeing people around after church or at other events isn't enough, more time needs to be invested.

What was really cool about yesterday was that we also could spontaneously invite the guest preacher and his wife and five boys over to join us. Their church supports us too and we'd first met them at not too long before Christmas at their church, so it was good to be able to see them again. Building relationships, it's our catch-cry for the year in Oz.

The other great thing about having people over who haven't had much contact with missionaries before is that we can have much less difficult, less forced conversations about mission. While chilling in the air con after eating yesterday we fielded casual questions about our lives. Just like any other person would have when being asked about their lives as you got to know them.

I'm really tempted to go on a rabbit trail giving advice here. If you invite a missionary or pastor to come to serve at your church on a Sunday and they've driven over an hour to get there, or you finish church at a time that means it's meal time. And especially if they have kids! Make sure that they are provided for, the best thing would be to have a church member invite them over for a meal. It's just courtesy. And you never know, in blessing them you might actually be blessed yourself!

But back to now, I need to go and bake a cake to take to an Australia Day BBQ we've been invited to at the house of friends from church this afternoon.

Lots of discussion about fashion and missionaries

I had a lot of comments on my Facebook page as a result of yesterday's post about missionaries and fashion. I thought that I'd post some of the comments (names removed for privacy) here for those of you who don't know me personally.

Here is me before Christmas in one of my very
comfortable t-shirts!

C: I think that anything that makes you feel good about yourself and confident will only enhance your inner as well as your outer beauty. Why on earth should you look dowdy or old fashioned just because you're a missionary? Modest, yes, but that's not limited to missionaries ;)  Love the earrings, have fun with them!

Me:  I think that there is an unspoken thing is that missionaries aren't supposed to be worldly, aren't supposed to spend money on themselves. Misguided really. 

MJ: Isn't it part of a bigger tension that we face in a whole lot more areas than this? On the one hand, we need to be enough like the people we're working with (homeside or fieldside) that they can relate to us, but different enough that it shows our identity and value doesn't reside in our clothes (or house, gizmos, food etc.) and challenges others so see life the same way. Hence there's no easy answer. 

Me: Yes indeed MJ.

C: I'm (as a non-missionary and a really quite slack Easter and Christmas churchgoer) interested to know where the ?judgement? comes from? Other missionaries? People in the congregation? I realise that judgment probably isn't the right word, but I can't think of another. Also, not meaning to be inflammatory or insulting - it's a genuine question. And I honestly believe that it's a compliment to God to want to look your best, most well-presented self as you spread the word.

JL: Sometimes it can be self judgement/ self assessment too.

C:  I hadn't thought of that. I'm finding this a fascinating discussion.

Me: People give money for us to do this, if we report back to them (which is essentially what we're doing in Australia) and we're wearing expensive clothes, say with an expensive car, people will question how we're using our money, presumably.

Me: MJ, I wonder whether the essence is conducting our lives in all aspects so that we aren't a stumbling block to others understanding our message?

MJ: That's the theory. It's the putting into practice part that lacks easy answers!

MJ: C, 'Judgement' is as you say, not a great word for it - I think it implies a more conscious process than I think is really at work. It's a recognition that, if you come across as too weird, people tend to discount what you say as weird without getting as far as listening to the content. But we also need to lead a life in accordance with what we believe - that material things such as clothes are not ultimately hugely important in themselves. Sometimes they are important in being respectful to those we appear in front of (as Wendy says, especially in Japan!)

MB: Just a thought because this makes my blood boil!....the people who support missionaries/pastors/ect financially should give without any expectations on what you can or cannot do with your money, its nobody else's business what you awesome people who give up so much for the sake of the call do with your money.....in fact you should be given more and blessed far and above because you sacrifice so much!

C: MB, I've been trying to word the exact same sentiments! Personal finances are private, regardless of where they come from. I would never expect my boss (hypothetically, as I'm a stay at home mum) to voice an opinion on how I spend my pay - why should missionaries have to justify their spending?

C: And I don't understand why feeling good about your external appearance and serving God would have to be mutually exclusive? By the way, I'm no fashionista! I shop mainly at Target, I'm a champion bargain hunter and I'm stuck in a fashion rut - however, I know how much more confident I am when I feel good about how I look.

Me: Maybe I'm being too sensitive, but I think it is an issue that missionaries do think about. I have heard criticism from supporters about one missionary couple and how often they visit Australia. I don't know how often supporters think this way, though.

MB: I like the way you think C! they shouldn't have to justify their spending and anyone who thinks they should....well like I said it makes my blood boil!

KK: Love reading all of these comments. I use to be involved in a church not mentioning any names and one of the missionary we use to support only wore name brand clothes. But yes. Who really cares what you wear. God knows your heart and you will be rewarded with beauty up in heaven. By the way you can get well known brand names at the op shop. 

Former missionary: One thing I found was that I didn't want to stand out as different when I came home. I'd had 4 years of that. I feel we need to be comfortable but not extravagant.

J: I think it's about comfort, but that includes being comfortable with the people you're with, as well as comfortable clothes. Coco Chanel used to say to buy the best because it would never date, and fashion is notorious for being SO fleeting. Stick to what you like, don't worry about what people think. If you like it, you'll look better than if you try to push yourself into the mould of what you think people expect. (Not that I can see you doing too much of that anyway!)

 I had lunch today with one of the above friends and she confirmed for me that this is a problem for ministers too. Not just that people are judging them, but that some feel bound to make decisions about material things that will minimise the judgement.

We reflected on how sad it is that Christians can be so judgemental.

What was encouraging was her reassurance, as one of our supporters, is that she doesn't care what we do with the money that she gives us.