Its now 2020. We ushered in this “new decade” at home, with Kiddo and Mic with us. New decade in quoted terms was to take into account some arguments that the decade really only ends on the 10th year. That is to say, that 2020 is really the last year of the decade and so the new decade starts 1 Jan 2021. But most were quick to consider this a new decade, so that is that.
Kiddo and Mic came to Melbourne a day before Christmas Eve. They went back last Saturday, amidst a most disrupting time in our country. We have been seeing images of horrific fires across the country, particularly in NSW and Victoria, in recent weeks. For NSW and parts of Queensland, it had actually started well before summer. Even as I write this now, a smoke filled air shrouds the city.
In spite of the horrendous environment from the fires, we had a good Christmas and New Year’s break. It was good to just be at home with Tress, Kiddo, Mic and the pooches (LBJ and Milo). I spent Christmas Eve morning working, then went shopping for the Christmas Day lunch we had invited a couple of families for. I then made a salad for Christmas Day lunch. We went to a Christmas Eve service that night, at St Alf’s which ended past midnight and came home to a late bed time. On Christmas Day, I went about preparing to roast the 4.6kg bird on the weber. Jason and Mel and family and Gerry and Jess and family came over for lunch and we had a good time of catching up to celebrate Christmas.
We spent Boxing Day and the days following that, in and around Melbourne. We went to the botanical garden in Cranbourne, trekked into city, drove around the suburbs and generally just did whatever we liked, particularly eating in nice places and lounged around. It was relaxing and the only thing that sat on our minds in not a good way, was the fires. The air in Canberra has been particularly bad so Kiddo and Mic were constantly checking the news.
Yesterday at St Alf’s Peter led a very beneficial time of praying for the country at this time. Often over this period, I get carried over the festivities and being away from work, that the reflecting takes a very low priority. I had been asking the Lord what I should think about in this new season but that is well in the background. That came to the fore yesterday and I hope it becomes clearer for me very soon. I hope 2020 lets me serve Him better.
Ante 