We're moving to England

Hi everyone

I have some very exciting news!!

I have been offered the position of College Librarian at Regents Park College, University of Oxford, and have accepted it.

It is still a bit surreal for us at the moment although selling your furniture certainly helps make it more concrete.

We will be moving hopefully mid January, but are still waiting on Visa applications to be approved, before anything is booked and we have final dates.

I will write more soon


Blessings


Emma

Daylight savings

Today is the day we change our clocks for daylight savings.
This is the one that makes us lose an hour, so my body is telling me it's 9 am but my clock is telling me it's 10 am.

It is the one Sunday I dreaded as a minister and always made sure I wasn't doing anything for fear that I would forget daylight savings and turn up just as church was finishing.

Up until recently I could never remember which way the clocks went until someone told me that you Spring forward and Fall back, and now I have at least a semi decent chance of knowing which way the clocks go. It doesn't help me to remember to change the clocks but it's a first step.

The other thing about daylight savings is all the explanations people have as to why we should or shouldn't have daylight savings. I'll start the list and you can add others that you have heard.

1. It fades the curtains
2. It confuses the cows
3. ...what have you heard

Blessings

Revem

Jesus studies at Veech Library

Over the last few weeks LB has come to work with me on a Thursday, he loves it, being the extrovert that he is.

He loves exploring the library for the little while before we open, he finds things and is often very excited when he sees something new.

A couple of weeks ago on one of these vists, my work was interupted by an extremely excited LB. Any forms of appropriate behaviour were completely forgotten as he came running up to me and exclaimed in a rather loud voice, with very big blue eyes,

"I JUST SAW JESUS!!!"

When I asked him where he said over there pointing to one of the study carrels in the library.
I went over to see Jesus, hey, if he was here I had some questions I had been waiting 33 years to ask.

When I looked over I found one of our students, a Franciscan brother, in his brown tunic and sandals, along with his brown hair and beard.

A striking resemblance to Jesus especially for a 5 year old.

I couldn't bear to dash LB's experience.

So as far as he's concerned Jesus studies at the Veech Library, mummies work.




Blessings


Revem

Prayers

Over the last few days there has been a tragic news story about a little boy who was murdered in our area.

It appears that friends of ours know the grandparents of the little boy.

Please pray for all involved in this tragic story that they may be able to find support and peace.


Blessings


Emma

Point taken

Over the last week or so I have had a number of people ask me about my blog, and put a bomb under me to get off my butt and start up again.

So this is what, the third attempt since leaving church to start blogging again.

Alot of what is going on is difficult to blog about, but my life is never dull, so I'm sure there's some blog fodder about.

Last week end we had blackstump again. This was great and difficult at the same time. It was great because I get to catch up with heaps of people from many different parts of my life and hear how things are going. It was difficult because it reminded me of what I am still not doing, and I also had to explain often what I am up to.

But all in all a great week end.

Although I have been absent know that you have all been in my thoughts and prayers.

Love you lots

Em

Ponderings from a commute?

Just a quick one

1. Why don't people wave thank you any more when driving?! When you let someone in it is polite for them to say thank you by waving. IS IT ANY WONDER THERE IS SO MUCH ROAD RAGE!!!!

Soothing tea OK back now, breathing in and out....in and out

2. And the other one is this. By comparison to others in society I am a law abiding citizen, I don't have a criminal record, don't break many laws.
So why do I feel guilty every time I drive past a police car?

That's all

Blessings

Revem

What type of intelligence are you??

Hi all

I found this quiz courtesy of Mrs M. I'm sure those who know me will be completely dumbfounded with the result, it was so unexpected......NOT!!! lol

Blessings

Revem

Your Dominant Intelligence is Interpersonal Intelligence

You shine in your ability to realate to and understand others. Good at seeing others' points of view, you get how people think and feel. You have an uncanny ability to sense true feelings, intentions, and motivations. A natural born leader, you are great at teaching and mediating conflict. You would make a good counselor, salesperson, politician, or business person.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

Catholics and Proddy's

Hey

I am currently thinking of writing a book titled "What Catholics assume and Proddy's don't get." based on the steep learning curve this proddy has had over the past 4 months working in a Catholic library.

The Chapter headings would go along the lines of:

• Fathers, Priests, Brothers, Bishops - How do you know, how do they know?
• What's with Mary?
• What's the List?
• The Pope - there's a whole chapter
• Coloured Table Cloths? Huh
• Bells and smells - is it just to cover the fart as he walks up the isle or is there more to it?
• What's a nunny nun?
• Why is a nun a sister but a Priest is a Father?
• Dominicans, Franciscan's, Jesuits, - whats the difference, how do they choose?
• Guilt - yet another complete chapter unto itself

I figure I could also do a follow up what "Proddys assume and Catholics don't get". With the first chapter being:

• Baptism - if it's so important to get the head under the water, why not just sprinkle.

I just love this quest of discovery, so different and yet the same.

Blessings

Em

Wake for a house

On the week end my extended family on my mum's side held a wake for our Nana's house. It sounds like a strange thing to do but it was fantastic.

My Nan has moved into a retirement village and the family home is up for sale.

Nana, Pa and their 4 children moved into the house over 40 years ago.

It is the home that many of the family milestones such as weddings, 21st birthdays and Christmas's happened for my mum's generation and it's the only home the grandkids (my generation) and the great grandkids (LB and The Inquisitor's generation) know.

One of my Aunties remembered that they moved in on the 5th of May and the other Auntie remembered they ate hot dogs.

So on Saturday 5th May 2007 we all went to the house, ate hot dogs for lunch on the front lawn of the house, reminisced, played french cricket and said good bye to the house that has been such a massive part of my family's history.

We refrained from stripping down to our undies and running under the sprinkler as was also a favourite past time at the home, much to many peoples relief.

A wake for a house sounds like a strange thing to do but it was a wonderful way to honor my Nan and to say good bye to the home.


Blessings

Emma

Still around

Hi

Just a quick note to let you know we are still around. At the moment we don't have internet access at home, I am currently doing this at work (shhh don't tell the boss)

Life is going well, i am settling into work well and am enjoying sleeping in on Sunday mornings. Went to church for the first time last night and enjoyed it, sitting in the pews and being part of it made me realise how much I miss being in ministry, especially preaching.

But life is doing well.

The Inquisitor is doing his first speech today, titled Every day is Harmony day, I'm a very proud mum.

Catch up later

Blessings

Emma

Offline due to move

We picked up the keys for our new house yesterday and have started the process of moving.

Due to the move I will be offline for a while as we wait for our ISP to reconnect to our house, if last move is anything to go by we will be out of action for about a week. Wireless is looking more and more appealing by the move.

Anyway just letting you know that's why there will be no action not any other reason.

Blessings

Em

Question

We are in the middle of packing at the moment, last night we, (myself, LB and The Inquisitor) were packing the Linen Press when LB came out with this question.

Does a linen press have a button?

He wanted to know where to press.

Ponder away

Blessings


Em

Discoveries and descisions

While I was absent a number of things happened or were discovered which I though should blog that but didn't so here it goes.

1. Men in Trees, the TV show.
Oh my goodness I am completely hooked. Half of the first season was aired, here over the summer and I can't wait for it, hopefully, to be returned so I can see the rest of the show. I wasn't a Anne Hesch fan but thought I would watch and see and I loved it.

2. Dianne Keaton and Emma Thompson
I am going to try and see as many Dianne Keaton and Emma Thompson movies this year. One of my favourite movies over Christmas was The Family Stone, this among other movies have made me think I would like to see more Keaton films.
Also I saw Stranger than fiction which made me decide the same thing about Emma Thompson.

3. PMM (Proud Mum Moment)
The Inquisitor had his first ever spending money shopping trip. He bought Lego, oh my gasp, but he also bought a Matchbox car for one of the boys in his class, who was upset because he had lost a car, and The Inquisitor wanted to make him happy again.

4. We are moving house again. WM has spent the last month looking at houses and we have been successful in applying for one and pick the keys up on Wednesday, with the big move happening next week end.

I'm sure there was other stuff but can't remember it now. Thanks for the lovely welcome back.


Blessings

Emma

The latest weather report

Hi

The weather appears to be clearing, fog is lifting and sunshine is trying very hard to shine through.

Thank you to all who have prayed and supported me over the last 6 months it has meant more than many of you will ever know.

As you may have read previously I resigned from church last November. Since then it has truly been a roller coaster ride.
After resigning my name was given to a church for consideration.
I didn't hear anything from this and while waiting was interviewed for a library position.
After the interview I was contacted by the church for a written response to their profile.
I was then offered the position at the library, which I accepted.
I was then contacted by the church before starting the library position and asked for an interview.
So I started a new Job on Wednesday and was then interviewed on the Friday.

Have I lost anyone yet, in amongst this was also my final weeks at church, Christmas, New Year, and recieving notice that our landlord was raising the rent by $30 a week.

After the interview they umm'd and ahh'd for ages and I finally got a phone call on the last Sunday of January asking me to call.
This was also my last Sunday at church. So I went to church in the morning had the emotional task of a farewell and saying good bye to people who mean a great deal to me.
I then came home and made a phone call, where I was told that the church had decided not to take me on as their pastor. It would have to go down as one of the worst days to date, an absolute double whammy.

I then had to get up the next morning and go to a job which I had been hoping was only ever going to be short term, I cried almost the entire trip, not because my job or work place was bad. It just represented what I wasn't doing.
On the up side the people that I am working with are fantastic and have been a huge support to me.

So as you can see I have had my head spinning in a thousand different directions, and on top of that all the new church stuff was confidential so I could talk about it whilst in the process.

But hopefully now I am back, due to not being in church based ministry my blogs will probably change shape a bit. Being 5 generations Baptist and now working in a Catholic Theological Library I am on a very steep learning curve and have thousand's of questions, which I will probably post so the collective wisdom can educate me.

I would like to publicly say how amazing WM has been through this and thank him for holding on during the ride next to me.

Thank you to everyone who has had us in their thoughts and prayers, it has been greatly appreciated.

Bring on 2007, who knows what it has in store!!

Blessings

Em

Emerging from the fog

Just a quick note to let you know I am emerging form the fog of the last couple of months.

Up until now the emotional energy needed to blog has been fairly low. As it is 1 am at the moment I will blog further tomorrow, or at least later today.

Blessings

Emma

The blue balloon

A couple of days ago, we came home from the shops and found a blue balloon stuck in the top of our frangipani tree. We have no idea where it came from and no idea where it was going, but it decided to stop in at our house for a while.

After a discussion about letting it fly away or bringing it inside we decided that we would bring it inside play for a while and then release it. Sounds like its a bird or something. lol

Anyway, when we got it out of the tree we found out that it wasn't a helium balloon, or at least it wasn't anymore. So we brought it inside and the boys played with it.

They went to bed got up the next morning to find it had go down a bit and was a bit more wrinkly. LB brought it in and announced that the balloon was old. It has now completely go down and was given a appropriate burial.

So where do you think the blue balloon came from??


Em

I' m emergent/postmodern

Oh my what a shock!

I agree with most of the evaluation but not all of it.
The main part I disagree with is the statement about the old church. If they are talking about church 50 or a 100 years ago then ok I agree, but that's mainly due to a culture shift that has happened. If they are talking about organised religion and the typical church family and faith community then I disagree.

I firmly believe that 'church' has alot to offer. It provides a really firm foundation from which to provide the connections in the community that the emergent church are trying to make. One of my concerns is that the emergent church and the current model of church often seem to think that it is an either/ or scenario instead of both working together to connect with the local community

I got this of Barefoot and laughing Thanks Kirsten

I would love to hear what you are

Em

You scored as Emergent/Postmodern. You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue. Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this. Emergent/Postmodern 86% Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 61% Charismatic/Pentecostal 46% Roman Catholic 43% Neo orthodox 43% Classical Liberal 39% Modern Liberal 32% Reformed Evangelical 21% Fundamentalist 11% What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

It finally feels like summer

I was really hoping for a hot Christmas and New year so I could brag about spending Christmas Day swimming in the pool, or having wonderful picnics in the park with nibbles waiting for the fireworks. Alas this didn't happen, it rained for both Christmas and New Year and was a long way from swimming weather.

But today it has hit 35 C (hot ) and as a result I have the following picture .....

....which I took with my phone. It's my 2 boys playing in the fountain at the local shopping centre.

It is part of a new extension, which has a wonderful outdoor area with this fountain in the middle. They designed the fountain so the kids could play and as you can see they have a ball. It's fantastic. When it's warm you will have any number of kids playing in it.
The boys were then stripped off back at the car, with the doors providing a modest change room, undies put back on along with t shirts and home we go.

It's almost as much fun watching all the grown ups walking past wishing they could join them.

It's summer yeah.

Blessings

Emma

Update

Apart from the last couple of days, it has been a while since I have blogged. I could say that it was because I was busy, which I was, but not too busy to blog or I could say it was because we had internet troubles, which we did, but they didn't last a month.
I guess the main reason I haven't blogged is because, I have been feeling a bit fragile since resigning, a bit over exposed due to applying for positions both inside and outside the church and also because in uncertainty it's difficult to know just what to say.

So anyway, things have become a bit more certain and I am feeling abit stronger, although still prone to the occasional tear, and want to let you know where things are up to.

Just before Christmas I was offered and accepted a job as a Senior Library Technician at the Catholic Institute of Sydney. Applying, interviewing and accepting this role has been difficult for me as I still feel called to pastoral ministry and am mourning the loss of that particular ministry.
I am excited at the prospect of combining the 2 professions I have had as an adult. I am a qualified Library Technician as well as a minister. I have 2 weeks for the head knowledge of this being another step in the journey, an exciting experience I can and need to learn from, and the strong belief that God is ultimately in control, to move from my head to my heart.

I still feel very strongly called to church based ministry, but in the current environment there are not a lot of roles for me to apply for and not many women who are receiving calls from churches.

Please pray for me as I make this transition and for my family as the dynamics change.

Blessings

Em

New Years Eve Quote

Happy New Year everyone!!

Last night as we were watching the New Years Eve fireworks in the local park, LB lent into me and said

" If I was a firework I could fly!" as he watched in awe of the spectacular display that was put on before us.

I love fireworks, and I love the thoughts of 4 year olds.
When they come together it is another spectacular display to watch with awe.

Blessings

Em