It was so good to get back to Australia ... even if it was for a week. I hadn't really realised how much I missed hearing the Aussie accent, and seeing friends and family. It was like putting on your favourite pair of socks! (mine are actually so old they have holes and May Yen keeps pestering me to throw them). I loved it.
It was a super hectic schedule. After a 24+ hour flight, I arrived at about 10am on Saturday and decided to push through the day. Had a great catch up lunch with my Senior Pastor, then went straight to an All-Leaders meeting at our church. I spoke for about 45 mins (probably my most disjointed message of all this week ... thanks everyone who put up with my jetlagged ramble), then went out for dinner with some friends. Sunday, I spoke at two services, caught up with what seemed like the whole church and had a great night of DOTA with friends. Basically, what followed for the next week was 15 hour days starting at 7am and finishing at midnight most nights of work, meetings and messages. Altogether I preached 11 times! Also, back to back meetings planning next year and talking about the year was the standard fare for the day. Sounds pretty intense (I'm beginning to feel tired even recalling it), but honestly .. I SO MISSED WORK! Ah ... maybe I'm an inner workaholic, or maybe I've just been couped up with books for too long. But each day was bliss! I loved catching up and talking about the future, meeting with the pastoral staff and various friends.
By the time Friday came, and the YA Camp rolled up, I was all set for some R&R at the Nepean Country Club. We had over 40+ people come for the retreat, and the place (my first time there) was top notch (not that I used many facilities). My voice was kinda going by this stage (speaking all week, and at almost all the sessions at the camp took its toll), but it was great chatting openly with young adults.
It was a whirlwind trip, but wow, it was fun! I flew back on the new Airbus plane and managed to get an empty seat next to me. Really like how the seat moves forward when you recline the back. It also seemed a bit more spacious. Not sure how long the touch screen monitor is going to last though, the kids in front of me were really abusing it! I got to see Star Trek twice ... (once on the way to Australia, and once on the way back) .. I'm definitely getting the DVD when that comes out.
OK, that's enough for this post. I'll have some Halloween stuff up pretty soon. Right now, its back to the mountain-load of work I've accumulated here. Rest will have to wait until ... well ... until I retire.
Wow! Chris, sounds like you had a really jam packed week. Sorry we didn't get to catch up with you and pass you all the goodies for the kids and MY.
next time..
love you all..
alicia
Posted by: alicia | 31 October 2009 at 07:13 PM
Hi Alicia. Really sorry I couldn't catch up. Really wanted to, but I didn't even have a spare moment, my appointments kept on flowing into one another, and then at one point I was so late from previous appointments .. argh. Anyways, we really should catch up when we're back. God Bless. Chris
Posted by: Chris Ong | 05 November 2009 at 04:08 PM