Picture bows and interviews

Sunday July 5, 2009

Today was just a normal day of church. During first service I led the children’s message. I heard someone behind where I was sitting say that they needed a translator to translate what I was asking the kids. Obviously they couldn’t understand me, but the kids did just fine. I asked them what they would take with themselves if they were to go on a holiday. I got responses such as clothes, food, drinks, your parents, and I love you. I then asked them how they would feel if I told them they could only take the clothes they had on and nothing else. They said that they would be stinky and angry.

The scripture for the day was when Jesus sent out his disciples and he told them to take nothing with them, only the clothes they had on and a walking stick. During the rest of the service, each part mentioned something I said with the children. That made me feel really good inside.

Between services I interviewed people from the church for the time capsule. I got some interesting responses. One man said that in 50 years he thinks I will be the pastor of the church (I would be 71 years old!). Another person said they didn’t think the church would last another 50 years, and another person said that the church will have changed.

I got two special gifts today. Some pretty hand made bows and a picture of Jessica Hubbard and her dog Sandy. It was nice of the Hubbard family to think of me as I am getting ready to go home.

For lunch we had left over chili and bread. The rest of the afternoon I laid down to read my book. It is a Christian Romance book and I don’t want to bring it back to the states with me—mostly because I don’t want to worry about having to pack it!

At 5:00PM we arrived back at church to help set up for the evening service. Actually, everything was already set up and David was watching Footy on the big screen in the sanctuary. I am not really into watching sports that much, so I sat out in the lobby reading my book.

Peter (the church attendee that dresses in woman’s clothing) was sitting in the lobby too, cutting out paper. He continuously asked me and those who walked by if they could get him a cup of tea. One time he asked me is I could get him a cup of tea, I told him I didn’t know where to get it (quite literally, I don’t). He told me that it was in the cupboard. I told him to go and get it himself. He never got his cup of tea.

All of a sudden, while in the middle of reading my book, I heard this loud male voice say “Mary, this is God (pause) would you like to come and sing with us?” Now writing this sounds really strange. Like God was calling me from heaven to come and sing with the angels or something, but the voice sounded familiar and I was right. It was David speaking into the microphone that is broadcasted into the lobby asking me if I wanted to come and sing with him and Suzanne for worship.

I agreed and went and practiced with them. Worship that evening was good. I like the way the services are run. After the service I socialized and took pictures of people at the church. I even snuck a picture of Peter. He is the picture of a man holding lots of stuff in his arms.

After church we came home and had egg and bacon sandwiches while watching Mrs. Marple. That is such an interestingly confusingly wonderfully good show! I am really looking forward to tomorrow since I am hanging out with David and Heather and their daughter Joanne at Philip Island. Its going to be exciting!