To stand . . . or not

My family and I have been in Mitchell's Plain for nearly a year now. I don't think any of us regret the move here or the experiences that we have had. It's been a bit rough for my husband and boys travelling 30 kms to school every day (and then back again), but they have settled in well.
Church has been challenging for me. Especially in the first few months I found myself on the point of giving up time and time again. But I am glad that I have persevered and there have been many, many good times.
Coming to the end of the year I find that I am reflecting on my mistakes and the things that I could have done better. This is quite depressing at times! But I am wondering whether more than anything else I need to learn to stand up for myself more. It seems odd to me to say that maybe I need to buck authority more . . . but perhaps that is my problem - the way I phrase it and perceive it. Is disagreeing strongly with my boss 'bucking authority'? Is refusing to give in when I can't understand his reasoning 'bucking authority'? How hard should I fight for what I believe is right? Or do I wait until I am ordained and just treat everything now as a learning experience? So much to learn still.

Lectionary

I really must get more disciplined about blogging!
Doing well with running every day.
Generating about 2000 words a week on my thesis.
Keeping going with church . . .

Here's a useful link http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/. I have just downloaded the next cycle of the Revised Common Lectionary into Outlook from there. Sunday readings as well as other special events on the church calendar. I don't always (or at the moment even often) preach from the lectionary but it is useful to have at hand.

Rent a Duck

I asked my husband the other day if he knew of anywhere one could rent a duck. There was that moment's silence that there always is while one processes a thought in the hope of discovering some actual rational meaning. The only oblique reference possible was to my younger son who is sometimes called 'the duck' because he was scratched by a duck when he was a baby and we always wondered whether he would grow up to have duck-like powers. This didn't aid understanding and so my husband asked me why I would want to rent a duck. Because we don't seem to have hadedas in Mitchell's Plain. Oh.

This picture was taken on our lawn at night. It is wall to wall snails which make a disconcerting crunching noise as I walk from my garage to my front door. Ducks and hadedas eat snails.
I have heard hadedas two days in a row now . . . there is hope, seeing as we don't seem to be able to rent a duck!

Seniors Group

I am sitting in the vestry of my church at Strandfontein while a group of 'seniors' have their first seniors club meeting. I think that having an office rather than working from home is more conducive to being available to people, but generally it is just as isolated if I come and work here. Today is different. I like that they are taking the lead and just needed a push from me to get going and I like that I can be in the background - involved, but not in control. The seniors group is an important opportunity for older people stuck at home to get out and find some fellowship. God is so awesome when we don't get in his way too much.
This photo is not the best - I didn't want to disturb the group when I took it. There were about six ladies when I opened in prayer, a few more have come in since then.

Anglicans in Lentegeur

This afternoon I attended (well, took part in, insofar as I had a line to say) the institution of the new rector of the Anglican parish in Lentegeur. I have realised that I don't know much about Anglicans, actually. It was good to be part of the service and to meet the new priest in the area. I hope that we connect further - she is also of the female persuasion and this is her first parish as rector (if I understand all the terms correctly!)

 This is the bishop of the diocese of False Bay, Merwyn Castle.

The lady kneeling with the purple hood is the new priest Ruth Swartz.