My third fly out was not sooo cheery! Paul dropped me off, and without the kids to keep it together for, I was very sad and teary indeed! Presence has been making the heart grow fonder, actually!
Apart from a minor hiccup, the evacuation of Newcastle airport for a fire drill, the flight north was uneventful. I was picked up by the practice manager at Bullinah AMS and shown around Ballina and my work place. I had a lovely lunch with my new colleagues and was walked back to my beautiful, riverside hotel by one of them. Needless to say I have been enjoying my showers very much!! I have also appreciated the space, views, gym, sky, river, food, walks etc etc!
On the other hand, I have not really appreciated the enforced isolation and silence (during some miserable weather yesterday afternoon and in the evenings) after so much time living in my family's pocket! I have been watching a lot more telly and Youtube than normal! I was very grateful to Skype the boys for 3/4 of an hour last night and see their pixelated faces and hear their happy stories and squabbles.
My first work day had the usual ups and downs with working the computer and how to get things done in a new area etc. I am sure it will all be relatively smooth sailing when I am almost ready to go! I am feeling out of form and glad to have a lot of enforced learning goals!! There is a lot that's great about my work. I really do like the challenges and rewards of helping people and sharing their life journey. Sounds so cliched but it really is true.
Yesterday morning, I drove into Lismore to go to church. It was the first time I have been to church on this trip. It was nice to be amongst the saints/sinners, sing some songs and hear a great message about Jonah and God's outrageous grace. It finished with a poem which I really loved.
You! Jonah! By Thomas Carlisle
And Jonah stalked
to his shaded seat
and waited for God
to come around
to his way of thinking.
And God is still waiting for a host of Jonahs
in their comfortable houses
to come around
to His way of loving.
Yesterday morning, I drove into Lismore to go to church. It was the first time I have been to church on this trip. It was nice to be amongst the saints/sinners, sing some songs and hear a great message about Jonah and God's outrageous grace. It finished with a poem which I really loved.
You! Jonah! By Thomas Carlisle
And Jonah stalked
to his shaded seat
and waited for God
to come around
to his way of thinking.
And God is still waiting for a host of Jonahs
in their comfortable houses
to come around
to His way of loving.