Lowest Score

When Hudson, Leyton and Peter went ten pin bowling they were full of hope and expectation for something massive. They rocked up to the place in Bundoora and got a lane straight away which was awsome. Then they proceeded to play most awkwardly in a game that had Hudson keeping just ahead most of the time. Before the last round the score was poised at 63, 63, 62. The score card showed so many misses that it looked like a stitching pattern. Maybe they broke the record for the lowest 'combined' score. The final result had Hudson winning. What is remarkable is that Hudson is 7 years old, his brother 13, and Peter, well... 57. And Peter was trying. The tables surely have turned!

Grad Dip Pastoral Care

Well the day came and there were no slip-ups. Peter picked up the gown and hood from the hire place in the Union Building of Melbourne Uni (4.30 pm). He then got his name ticked off that he was dressed appropriately. Then we had to kill a few hours. Why that long we don't know. Finally 7 pm arrived and we were in Wilson Hall and Peter was taking a numbered seat with others receiving their MCD awards. It was the way of it. This night was the turn of the Melbourne College of Divinity, representing seven theological colleges in Melbourne, to go through its annual fanfare. Peter appreciated sitting beside someone he had shared a few classes with. With seven colleges involved that was never guaranteed. It was nice chat and joke with someone and share encouragement about doing well. Peter was the 90th to be called up out of 138 to do so. Peter's course name, Grad Dip Pastoral Care, was only approved in 2008 so he was the first to be awarded it ever. That was pretty neat. A first! He was called up separately after all the other Grad Dips.

The president of the MCD this year is The Very Revd Dr Terrence Curtin, Master of the Catholic Theological College a member college of the MCD. Peter thought him to be a very gentle and kindly mannered man as he handed him the award. We decided that we would pay for the two offical snaps of Peter with the Very Reverend Doctor because they show it how it was, but we do like the one of us at the top taken with Barb's camera.

Looking for Healing

The following poem we found embedded in Eugene Peterson's The Contemplative Pastor (1989), and we felt that it spoke to us as we reflected on very troubling illnesses crushing the lives of two precious teenagers that we know personally.

Curing Souls: The Forgotten Art

Blessed are the poor in spirit

A beech tree in winter, white

Intricaces unconcealed

Against sky blue in his emptiness

Ripeness: sap ready to rise

On signal, buds alert to burst

To leaf. And then after a season

Of summer a lean ring to remember

The lush fulfilled promises.

Empty again in wise poverty

That lets the reaching branches stretch

A millimetre more towards heaven,

The bole expand ever so slightly

And push roots into the firm

Foundation, lucky to he leafless:

Deciduous reminder to let it go.

We found this poem helpful as we sought God for help and healing for what seems a slow response. Without anchoring verse, our lives will run on an emotional pendulum. Should we shout, "Master, Master! Save!"? There is a thought that if we scream long enough and hard enough, God will hear. From a human perspective, if we scream long enough and hard enough someone will eventually hear us and cut out our tongues. Yet, what is there left to do if Jesus remains asleep on a cushion? The storm is affecting us! Or do we only think it is a mighty storm and we are simply being conditioned for an even mighter one? We need a break from this - to cry tears of joy and awe. The verse helps to regather our perspective and to have a little faith. May this cup pass.

Balcony Project

This is yet another little update on the balcony project at the Gembrook Retreat. It sure is nice to see it working. It is starting to feel like it always was there instead of the nakedness of what came before. Peter's simple drawing of what it might look like constructed (Nov 09) makes an interesting comparison with the final "look". The main difference is the window. It is acturally an old glass framed door on its side. We hope that after it is painted up it will look more like a window and fit in better. A lot of money was saved doing it this way.

The opening-out angle of the new wall has removed any possibility of the porch feeling poky. The front door is now adequately protected and so is the old wooden metre box. Later the brick floor will be raised a bit. Soon coat hooks will be added, and architrave set around the window. Time will take care of that. Peter is relieved that it is all but done and doing what it was designed to do.

Easter Family Snaps

Easter is passed and there are loads of snaps taken. This is a humble attempt to share some of those moments. We hope they reflect a wonderful family time which it certainly was, most of them bound around Easter Sunday.

It was special for the kids to have both sets of grandparents about on the day. Now that is rare to say the least, considering that Ann and John hail from the middle of Canada. It has been great to share time with them as friends.

Easter Sunday breakfast went like a treat. It was warm and fine and mostly outside. How good is that!

Jethro literally had two breakfast sittings about an hour apart when he got interested in it again.

The chololate part was well managed. No kid got sick which was wonderful and far better than last year's when Peter remembers one brown "projectile" cascade.

Bec and Gord must have been pretty chuffed at the day, what with "double grandparents on deck" (literally) to respond to the action and plans of the kids. It was relaxed and felt pretty normal. In our turn we were chuffed to share Easter with such a special family.

Maldon Crafts

We saw a sign (acturally upside down so that the arrow pointed the correct way) that led us to the Maldon Quilt Exhibition. It was worth the walk - down a back street, over a bridge and up a slope. There were loads of large quilts, creating room partitions to walk in and out of, something like the way some shops display large rugs.

Barb found a really nice gift for someone special. It was encouraging to purchase something so especially nice and made locally.

Now while the women folk feasted on the quilts inside the hall, the men folk could relax in the annex outside and enjoy wood turning demonstrations. The exhibition organisers perceived that this would work to keep all the husbands happy while their wives broused. Peter was given a turned seed measuring poker just for watching with John and chatting with the woodturner. A reward for being patient and happy.

Maldon Coffee

We had our obligatory coffee. There were plenty of places in Maldon to do this on a Saturday. Even though the photos don't show it, there were a lot of people in the town that day and we felt we were were in a cosmopolitan hub. Probably we were.

Ann and John were taking about as many pictures as Peter so if any of you visit them later you will find that they will have a load of photos to show you. Be prepared.