After 2 weeks with Kiddo and I in Canberra, Tress returned to Melbourne on Friday night. We drove back with LBJ, having left work a touch early that Friday arvo. After an initial panic about where the Melbourne home keys were, we pushed off, stopped at Gundagai for a bit and then reached home late – around 11pm. It had been hot and gusty in Melbourne when Tress had been away so the home was a bit messy and “dirty”.
On Saturday morning we took LBJ to the vet and got a list of treatments done for him. His right eye does not produce any tear and is prone to inflammation. We got that treated, gave him his jab, got some heart. worm and flea all-in-one tablet and after paying a hefty bill, took him home and gave him his eye ointment. Tress and I then went to see Simon our hair guy. Haircut done, we went for lunch and then headed home to work on cleaning up the house.
Thankfully the weather held up and the threatened storm did not arrive till late – after all the work had been done and LBJ even had a walk. Lawns mowed and tidied up, driveway swept, house vacuumed, car washed, LBJ walked, we did some grocery shopping, picked up our new glasses (my multifocals needed tweaking and Tress needed new sunnies) and then later we headed to church for the dinner and talk on climate change and environment etc.
There were 3 speakers. Ian Hore Lacy and Peter Fagg are still at St Alf’s whereas Chris something had left St Alf’s in the 90’s and now tutors at Melbourne Uni on climate change. His reliance on the IPCC was a bit shaky and his citing stats on refugees in general and using that to link with climate change was a bit curious but other than that the talks went well. I particularly liked Ian Hore Lacy’s point about speaking in terms of God’s creation, its use and care, and loving our neighbours (globally – 7 billion of them).
We helped out a bit after with the cleaning and left church just after 10pm. We were a bit pooped by then and headed for bed pretty quickly.
We decided LBJ would come back to Canberra again with me so Tress could have some time with her colleagues at Myer on her last week there. Next week she starts a new job – after more than 10 years at Myer. She could use some distraction free time that week too, so LBJ came up for the drive yesterday arvo. He and I got into Canberra and pulled into our apartment just after 7.30pm.
Kiddo had cleaned the apartment pretty thoroughly. With her being so busy at this time with all those essays, chapters and revisions to do – her taking time with chores like that was amazing. She really is becoming a mature, independent and responsible person with overall balanced development.
That clean and tidy apartment, the warmer weather and lighter day meant the return to Canberra didn’t feel as bad as past trips. Improvements notwithstanding I still think of Melbourne so very fondly and still wished there is work there for me. I said to Tress after church yesterday, that I’d love to do any work – not just legal work – in order to be able to remain in Melbourne. While I’m grateful for the work I now do, being in Melbourne with Tress remains a far more attractive idea.
On the way out from church yesterday Peter the minister spoke with us briefly and asked if I wanted to participate in a forum – short 1-2 minute per person thing – in one of his sermons in the next series on work etc. It’s things like this which made Melbourne so much more of a home. Much as ICC/Lifegate had been our community for years, St Alf’s has over the past 2-3 years, become a fantastic replacement and notwithstanding the efforts needed to start new relationships and all the pains that involved, it has evolved well. Being at St Alf’s feels like coming home every time I’m back in Melbourne. I guess that went a long way towards making me feel the way I do.
I said to Peter yesterday, that the over-arching lesson over the past 6 months or so had been on the theme of waiting on the Lord. The wait continues and as I continue to read His word, listen to podcasts on NT Wright and Co, listened to and read talks and sermons and articles, chatting with church people etc, I am none the wiser. The antennae feels keener and more receptive but as yet, there has been no signals.
I read (in Numbers 11-16) this morning that with Moses, God spoke directly whereas to others it was in riddles and visions etc. (Numbers 12:6-8).
Moses was special. God was doing special things through him. He was meek and obedient and feared the Lord. He was Class A material whereas I remained a non-material. Moses was Norm Smith premiership flag winner. I’m not even learning to play local village footy.
So maybe waiting on the Lord is going to take a whole lot more work and I might never hear or receive that signal and simply tumble along. Recent readings also reminded me of how the Israelites moved only when the pillar of cloud (day) or fire (night) moved. When those pillars remained stationary the Israelites stayed where they were. I know I’d probably never hear from God directly but at least the prospect of seeing a pillar of cloud or fire settle or move could be a possibility. Till then, wait on I guess…
Ante 