A House Party

The party last night was enjoyable and I think Lesley really enjoyed being able to host.  Social occasions like this are certainly not my cup of tea when I don’t really know anyone.  Her three friends from the parade on ANZAC day were there, so I had met them, and Dorothy was here for a bit so that helped put me a bit more at ease.  I ended up chatting with a lovely couple named Des & Anne for most of the night and they were really great.  Their son and daughter-in-law live in Texas and they have visited the states several times so that gave us something in common to start with.  They didn’t know anyone else that was there either, so it worked out quite well.  All the kids tore the house to pieces.  We had a piñata for them and by the end of the night there were candy wrappers scattered all over the living room floor and in the yard outside.  Tons to clean up after the fact, but it turned out well all in all.

“Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord: unnumbered blessings, give my spirit voice.”  That was the opening verse of one of the hymns we sang in church today and it really struck me.  Not knowing the songs we sing each week (or knowing the words, but not the tune we’re singing them to) has made me pay attention a bit more to the words.  Pastor Camden spoke on generosity in his message this morning and it was quite convicting (based on 2 Cor. 8:1-15).  I’m not sure I’ve ever given recklessly – not of my time, talents, or money.  Sure, I’ve given of all of those, but not recklessly.  And I’m quite certain I’ve never begged to give, like the Macedonians begged Paul to allow them to give.  I’ve met quite a few people who have been generous to me, a stranger in a semi-strange land, and it reminds me of how I don’t make much of an effort to be generous in my day-to-day life (especially back home when it’s so easy to be busy being busy).  Anyway, I met a few new people at church today – one was a lovely woman who had married an American and they had just retired and moved back to Australia.  Her and her mother had been sitting behind me in church and the mother (Barbara) had noticed me taking notes during the sermon and she offered to get me a copy of his sermon – I guess he has it all printed out in the back, my guess is for those who don’t speak English as their first language.  After the morning tea, as I was getting ready to go walk back to the bus stop Rosalie came over to ask if I was ready to go, they’d give me a ride home.  They’re so great – talk about generosity!  They of course couldn’t just take me back to Lesley they treated me to a quick lunch before we headed back. 

Lesley had a Tupperware party to attend at 2pm so I had the boys for what turned out to be the whole afternoon.  All the activity and the late night had made them a bit tired, so they were a bit tamer, but also quicker to get cranky: a double-edged sword.  Somehow we managed to make it through the afternoon without incident and I even got them to clean up their room (score!) and we were just coming back from the park when Lesley texted us to say she was home and would walk to meet us.  We’re heading off to the Flinder’s Ranges early Tuesday morning so we’ve got all day Monday to pack and get the house ready for the open house on Wednesday while we’re away.  Should be an interesting couple of days – she heard that it has rained there so a bunch of flowers should be in bloom.  Even if the boys are terrible at least I’ll have been able to see more of Australia, right?  Right.