It's not about the shoes...

 

Today I had to say goodbye to these dear shoes. They’ve served me well, in Australia, Japan, and the USA. They’ve been my constant winter companion (when the socks and sandals just won’t cut it) for several years now. They’ve taken me places, hikes up mountains, exploring wildernesses, and sitting by fires as cozy slippers. Some call them my old man carpet shoes, some call them the best Japanese op shop buy ever (okay, so maybe I’m the only one who calls them those things), but many a person would recognize me by these shoes.

But, all good things must come to an end, including a great pair of shoes. When they’re worn completely through, and the rain and snow comes through, they just don’t help my feet quite as much as they used to. But really, today wasn’t sad because of my shoes. In fact, in the light of everything my shoes were hardly thought of. The sadness and bittersweetness comes when it’s time to part from dear family. When the reality of living far away becomes more and more real. When the realization that with the way travel is these days, and the unpredictedness of our lives means we don’t know when we’ll see them next.

Some words of a song come to mind as we think about traveling: How can I help to make you understand why I do what I do, why I must travel to a distant land, far from the home I love. Once I was happily content to be, where I was, as I was, close to the people who were close to me, here in the home I love…. And the sadness of saying goodbye is dampened some by the excitement that is sure to come. Excitement of being together with my husband and our baby in Frankston, the place that feels so much like home. Serving the church together there, setting up our new home, and using it for hospitality. Seeking to use the gifts and abilities that God has given us both to serve him in this place we both feel called to be. So, as we say goodbye to family, to friends, to this place that has been our first home as a married couple, and yes, even leave shoes behind, we look forward to how God will use us on this adventure together.

Third time lucky...

 or so the saying goes. But I know it's not luck, but God who helps us get through things. Tuesday was definitely a day full of learning to trust God more. It was the third time I've taken my drivers license test, but let me back up a bit....

Because I moved to Australia when I was nearly 15 years old, all of my driving experience (except for tractors, go-carts, lawn-mowers, scooters, and the occasion time in the car around the car park) was in Australia. I got my permit when I turned 16, and when I was 18 I got my auto drivers license, passing the test on the first go! Then a few years later our family had 2 manual cars, and rather than wait until I was 23 (when I would have my full license) to be able to drive them on my own, I decided to take my drivers test a second time, this time to get my manual license. And again, I passed on the first go. I think my mum put up with the most bunny hops and stalled cars during this time around of my learning to drive, thanks Mum! Then 11 years later, I moved to America, and I've never held an American drivers license, so once again I found myself needing to take my drivers test. If that's not bad enough, add in COVID-19 and DMV's backed up for months (not to mention that only half of them are doing the road test). So, soon after realising I'd have to get my license I booked a test for my learners permit and my drivers license as early as possible (3 months out). I was told to check back on the DMV website from time to time to see if someone cancelled and I could get an earlier test. So every day I'd check back, looking for available options. 

I was able to get an earlier permit test in Danville (1hr 20minutes from home) so I drove down there on February 11th. I was standing at the desk, showing all of my documents when the computers went down and they looked at me and said I would have to reschedule. I told them I'd driven all the way from Lynchburg, and could I hang around for an hour and see if the computers would come back up? Well, they took pity on me, and continued to process things (the things they could do without the system) and by the time they were ready to process the payment (the main problem of the computers being down) things were back up and I was able to take my test. Now, I'm a studier, especially when it comes to drivers tests. Back when I did it the first time from January 2007 (3 months before I turned 16) I was taking the online practice test multiple times a week, and it paid off and I passed with flying colours. Well the same was true this time. I passed 100% and was on my way to being a licensed US driver. 

A few weeks ago when I was checking the DMV website there was a test slot available 1.5 hours away. So got everything ready to go, then read the website just to double check that I had everything that I needed. One thing that they said would be an issue is if you have any lights on, on the dashboard then your car is not eligible for the test. Well, we've had a check engine light coming on and off for the last couple of months. Our mechanic knows the issue, but they said it's not something that we need to spend money on right now to fix, so we haven't. I decided I didn't want to risk the 3 hour return trip only to be turned away, so I cancelled the test deciding to wait on my original date of March 30. This gave us some incentive to get it fixed. Again our mechanic said, we can turn the light off for you, it won't last, but should last long enough to do the test. So we decided on this solution. We did it once, but the light came back on. We did it again the day before the test, but later that night as we were driving home it came on again. So that started a late night search of 'what are our options?' I checked out the website and found out that we could use a rental car so long as it was in my name. No problem! I have an international drivers license, I can get it with that, we should be all good. Only problem, no cars in Lynchburg. But there were in Danville! So I planned to go down 2 hours early, hire the car, and practice driving it around. Then we saw the second problem, we needed my passport to prove my citizenship, only problem was it was 9pm and the passport was in the safe deposit box and the bank didn't open till 9am, and you have to make an appointment and there were no available appointments. (Did I mention that my test was at 10:30 and it was 1hour 20 minutes away?)Well, this heightened our blood pressure and we weren't sure what we were going to do. Why hadn't I checked more carefully what I needed? So, my sweet husband and I devised a plan. 

• Leave at 6am drive to the rental place, leaving Maria there to get the car 
• Nathaniel drive back to Lynchburg (did I mention its an hour 20 minute drive?!) to the bank, beg them to show mercy and let him in without an appointment, and drive back to the DMV with the passport
• Maria fill out all the paperwork for the car, but wait until we hear about the passport before she books and pays for the car
• Maria drive the car around for a while to get used to it, then drive to the DMV, fill out the paperwork, wait for Nathaniel to arrive with the passport. Show the paperwork, take the test, and hope and pray we never have to do this again

There were so many things that could go wrong, and so many things that needed to fall exactly into place for this to work out. So we prayed, asking God to work things out, and asking Him to help us to trust him. And we slept VERY fitfully. 5am rolled around and the wheels started rolling. 

We got to the rental agency which didn't open until 8. So I walked around, talking with my friend Grace and Audrey, nice to have the company. I got to the rental agency and got everything set up except the payment. They were very gracious to let me do that and sit around, waiting for the 'GO' from Nathaniel. So I sat and waited, doing my devotions, and asking God to listen to my prayers, to show mercy, and help everything to go smoothly. At 9:13am NJ texted to say he had the passport. So I finished the booking, we did the final inspection and went to pay, only problem, our credit card is only in Nathaniels name, so they couldn't accept the payment. And they only do credit cards for international licensing.... What was I going to do. I asked if there was any way, but they said there was no way. So I decided to walk to the DMV (it was only a 20 minute walk, and I couldn't get through on the phones) trying not to cry and I'd ask about the check engine light, and if it mattered enough, ask if I could be a few minutes late while my husband got a hire car, worrying all the time that it wouldn't be good to take the test in a car I'd never DRIVEN! I rang Nathaniel on my walk and explained the situation, telling him to come to the DMV to give me the passport and get the credit card if we needed the car. I was met at  the door of the DMV by the friendliest staff and told that she didn't think the check engine light would matter so long as everything was in working order. That was a major relief. So I started the paperwork, my dear husband arrived with the passport, and I gave him some paperwork that he had to sign off on to say he had observed my driving skills in certain areas. Good thing he was there! (The original plan was that I would drive my self to and from my test and he would be at work) When I was checking the website the night before I noticed that there was this paper, but it said only for drivers who had never been licensed before. So if he hadn't been there I would have pushed that, but he was there, so he signed off on my driving and I went inside to finish the paperwork....they didn't ask me for my passport...I decided I wouldn't mention that fact to my husband until the whole thing was done. I'm sure we could laugh about it later. 

So I took the drivers test, which really shouldn't be called a road test. Because of COVID they have a course set up in the car park that you drive through while an instructor stands outside of your car, giving instructions, and you do the course. After finishing the 4 things I had to do, I was told, 'you missed a couple turn signals, but you passed!' my immediate response, "Praise the Lord!" I could have hugged the man, but that probably wouldn't have been a good idea with social distancing. So I went back inside and they started processing and said, 'you only got your learners in February?' (you have to hold your learners permit for 60 days before you can take the drivers test, UNLESS you have been licensed in another state or country) I explained that I also had a foreign license and they tried to work on issuing my license. While I was standing there I saw the drivers instructor notes that he had written and saw I got a score of 2! Which didn't sound so great, but I passed and P's get licenses, or something like that. Then I saw it was like golf, and low scores were good, you had to get a 15 or below to pass. I'm pretty happy with my 2. They told me to go wait in the car while they tried to sort everything out. So we waited and waited, NJ worked and I tried to take a nap. They called me back in and asked if they could see all of my documents again please. I told them I was really glad they needed to see my passport because my husband had driven all the way back to Lynchburg to get it. We really did need it in order for me to get my license. They said they'd had to go through back channels, but they were able to do it, and handed me a piece of paper, and said my card would come in the mail soon. 

I went out of there so thankful that we have a God who is the best Father, who orchestrates things in hard ways sometimes to help us to trust Him more. Thankful that I wasn't able to pay for the rental car because I didn't need it after all. Thankful that my passport was needed, and that I have a kind husband who drove 3 hours to help me get my license. And thankful that I passed, and hopefully never again will I have to take a drivers test, because three times is enough. 

Traveling Alone

Airports are a funny place. It’s kind of amazing that you can spend hours upon hours in a place, and you never actually go anywhere. Back in the old days, when we used to come back to visit the States, so often we would get into LAX and have 6,7, even 12 hours to kill before our flight to Indianapolis. It was so strange to be so close…and yet still so far away from the people that we held dear.

For some reasons, airports inspire my desire to write. I don’t know if it’s the fact that I have hours upon hours to spare and a limited amount of things that I can do with my time. Or if it’s because there are so many memories attached to airports. Whatever the reason, over the past 24 hours that I’ve been in and out of airports, I’ve been compiling a list of reasons I don’t like to travel alone. So here it goes:

Reasons I don’t like traveling Alone

•          It’s very likely that your international connection won’t wait for a party of one. It’s much more likely that they’ll wait when you’re a family of 5
•           There’s no one to watch the bags so you can go exploring the airport, so you just have to drag your bags around with you everywhere that you go
•           There’s no one to watch your bags while you sleep, so you just have to sleep on top of your bags
  
•           There’s no one to play duets with you on the random piano that you find in the LA airport.
•           There’s no one to talk to when you get bored of hearing yourself think
•           There’s no one to help you double check that you have anything so that you don’t accidentally leave your drink bottle behind
•           There’s no one to give you a hug or hand you a tissue or do the talking for you when you’re so upset about missing a flight that you can’t talk clearly to the people who are trying to help you.
•           You have no one to back you up when the airline is trying to charge you for extra luggage, even though it’s included in your booking.

The list could go on and on, but even as I was thinking through the list, I was also thinking about the reasons why I DO like traveling alone:

•  You’re more likely to meet and talk to the person playing the piano in the LA airport when you don’t have someone you’re travelling with to talk to
• You get to be the one to decide when to get of the plane when it lands, if you have a long time before your connecting flight, it’s okay to sit and wait and gather your items and even be the very last person on the plane.
• You get to decide where to eat lunch, and when to walk the terminals and when to sit at the gate.
• You meet really kind and helpful people who want to do all that they can to get you own your way, especially because they don’t like to see you cry.
• You learn how to make your backpack into a comfortable pillow.
• It's very easy to get booked for a new flight when they only have to find a seat for one, and just happen to have one seat left on the flight to Melbourne
• You don't have to worry about the people you're traveling with being embarrassed about your choice of travel clothing.
  
• You can be productive and work through your ‘to do’ list while you’re at the airport because you don’t have people to talk to and explore with.

So, as my travels continue, with 21 hours added to my travel time because of a plane delay and missed flight, as I travel alone across the world, I have a lot of time to ponder, reflect, and also remember. And I think back to the number of times I’ve sat in this exact airport, the night my family and I moved across the world, remembering the dinner we had with Brandon and Megan’s parents as they were also moving across the world on the same flight. I remember the times we would get in to LAX, and have 12 hours to sleep, explore, find food, and we just couldn’t wait to get to Indianapolis where we were sure to have a crowd of friends and family waiting to see us, and take us to steak n shake just because it was tradition. I remember the time that Benjamin and I spent 24 hours in the Dallas airport because we missed a connection, I remember sleeping on stretchers, and exploring every square inch of the airport so that now when I am there it almost feels like home. I remember the magical doors in the Melbourne airport (that no longer exist) that somehow magically transport you to America when you walk through them. I remember the very first time we stepped through the doors at the international arrivals and there was a whole church family there to meet us, people who loved us before they even knew us. I remember the hugs, the tears, the sad goodbyes, but also the smiles and tears of joy, and sweet hello’s that have taken place at airports. And I’m thankful. Thankful for travel that is so very easy. Thankful for a God who is sovereign even over missed connections. Thankful for friends and family, and as a friend reminded me recently, ‘what a blessing, to know so many wonderful people who love you in so many different places!’ – that really is a blessing to be thankful for.

I feel like snoopy right now...

..."Why can't we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together? I guess that wouldn't work. Someone would leave. Someone always leaves. Then we would have to say good-bye. I hate good-byes. I know what I need. I need more hellos.” - Snoopy

It's so true. Someone would always leave...and a lot of the time it feels like I'm the one who is leaving! I am the one always saying goodbye. I hate times that are full of goodbyes. I hate that my heart is torn across the world. In the past week and a half, I've had to say goodbye to 2 brothers, 2 brother-in-law, 2 sister, 2 sisters-in-law, 7 neices, 2 nephews, and 3 Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and countless friends. Goodbyes are so hard. They're always so hard. It's hard even in the lead up to a goodbye. It's hard to be at your siblings house that one last time before you have to say goodbye and leave. It's hard that you missing giving your brother that one last hug to say goodbye. It's hard to have to get back on the road quickly for the last 6 hour drive of the day and to have a rushed goodbye with your Grandparents and siblings. It's hard realising that all your neices and nephews are going to grow up more before the next time you see them. It's hard when you're hanging out with your cousins and Aunts and Uncles having so much fun playing games, only to come to the end of the night and realise it's the last night you'll spend with them, and that tomorrow you'll have to say goodbye. It's hard to say goodbye to people not knowing when the next time will be that you see them again.

And there are times that I think, I wish the world was smaller, I wish we lived back in the 1800's where people grew up and lived in the same place all their life. But then I remember that back then people also left and never saw their family again. And there are times that I wish goodbyes were not such a present reality in my life.

And those things, the longing to all be together, the longing to never have to say goodbye, the longing for no more tears, are all things that also keep present in my mind and heart a longing for Heaven, where for all of eternity all Christians will be together.

And, really, the more I think about it, the more I really ponder it, the more I realise that Jono Blakstons words are so true, 'the goodbye was worth the hello' And I think about the Blackwood Bash, where we were all together for a couple of days, and I remember things like late night D&M's with my siblings when we'd chat into the night. And the times when my neices and nephews would see me walk into the room and come running up to give me a hug. And I think about things like 4wheeling and boating and eating and playing games together with my Aunts, Uncles, Grandma, and Cousins, and I do know that the goodbye, as sad as it is, as hard as it is to say, as much as I don't like to say that word, as much as I want to get everybody in the world that I love together, the goodbye really was worth the many, many hello's that I've had with my siblings, my niblings, my Couns, Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, and friends.

The wood between the worlds...

For those of you who have read C.S. Lewis's book titled the Magicians Nephew, you will understand the title. For those of you who haven't, I'll give a little explanation: In his book, the woods between the worlds is a place between our worlds and other worlds (Narnia being one of them) It's almost like a non-place. As I sit here in the Dallas Fort Worth airport, I feel like I'm in the wood between the worlds.

I suppose a lot of airports would feel like this, but this one in particular does. Because I got off a flight filled with Australians, to a place filled with American's, but Dallas isn't my final destination, so it just feels like this sort of in-between place. Because I associate America with certain people (my family, and friends from the States) it doesn't really feel like I'm in America. Yes, if I listen closely to the chatter I can hear that most of the people are speaking in American accents. Yes, if I look around I can see places like chic-fil-a, TGI Fridays, Auntie Annies. Yes, I see that people pull out paper bills to pay for things, and anywhere the date is written it is written in the month, day, year format. But despite all of those things, it still doesn't quite feel like America. It feels more like this in-between place. This place, that maybe doesn't really exist, in my world of Australia, or my world of America. It's just a sort of in-between.

Even though I know that this is only an in-between place I still find myself scanning the crowds as I walk through the airport, hoping that I might see a face that I know, I keep trying to listen for Australian accents, because maybe there will be someone I recognise.  And as I wait here in the airport, I'll eat some Chic-fil-a I try to convince myself that I really am in America. But it's not the country that I look forward to being in, it's the people that I look forward to seeing, so for now, here in Dallas, I'll sit and wait, walk far in wide in this place that feels quite familiar (living here for 24 hours once helps that). And I'll wait for that next flight that will take me to Indianapolis, a place where family will be waiting. and a place that will finally feel like America.

One of my greatest blessings...

...It was Mothers Day this past Sunday. And as I was thinking about my Mother I started reflecting on some of the things that I wouldn't have learnt were it not for her.
So I started a list and I thought I'd Share it:

10 Great Things I Learnt from My Mum 

1. How to read - that's a pretty special thing to have my mother teach me that, but she did, and did so much more than that in the 6 years that she homeschooled me. 
2. How to feed a crowd - mum was almost always okay with us kids inviting 3 extra people over for dinner...20 minutes before dinner was served. She'd cook up some rice, or make garlic bread out of hotdog buns, or do something to stretch the meal so that we could invite others over. This has given me a heart to show hospitality, and a skill to do it without breaking the budget.
3. How to set aside time every day for personal devotions - I remember time and time again walking past mum and dad's bedroom when the door was open and mum was sitting on the bed or kneeling beside it reading her bible praying, even working on memory verses. That is something that has stuck with me when I'm planning my day, I make sure to make time for time with the Lord. 
4. How to sing - I think some of this just happend from osmosis. Seriously. Sometimes when I sing the alto part to a psalm I hear mum singing it in my head (especially the psalms that we sang at meal times and bed times, something that I unconsciously picked up. She also just sang all the time, songs about anything and everything. Probably 50% of the songs that I know I learnt from hearing mum sing them. 
5. That writing thank you notes is important - there certainly were times that I dreaded the days after my birthday because I knew that mum would make me write thank you notes to the people who had given me birthday gifts. But after years of doing that, it became a habit. A habit that I'm so thankful to have. Because thank you notes are important to write, and it's something that I continue to be reminded of every time I receive a thank you note from my mother. 
6. How to drive a manual car  - Dad did a lot of the driving instructions when us kids were first learning to drive a car. When I was 19 and going back for my manual license though, it was mum who took me on my first drive, and most of the drives after that. And though pulling into the driveway was not the most successful drive of my driving career (mum may have lasting damage from that whiplash) mum was always patient with me and took me out again and again to drive our manual van. 
7. How to be a good listener - this is something mum often would do with us kids. She'd just listen when we wanted to talk. But I also saw her do it so very often with neighbours and church friends, and people who just needed a listening ear. She didn't try to fix their problems or offer solutions, she was so often just a listening ear which showed her care for people. She so often had an 'open door' policy in our home.
8. That family is important - This is something I learnt early on, from seeing her interaction with her parents and siblings and neices and nephews. And so often from her words 'don't you love your siblings?'. I grew to understand how important family is, and making the effort to get together with your family and love each other, love your siblings, and your parents even when you're grown up and don't live together anymore. Make family time special. 
9. That games are fun - Our family definitely went through stages of loving to play games together and other times mum would say 'who wants to play a game tonight?' and no one would answer. Sometimes I feel like I'm turning into mum when it seems like I'm the only one in the house who likes to play games, and I better know what it feels likes like when no one wants to play games with you after dinner. But she definitely taught me that playing games together is a fun way to spend an evening. 
10. How to make monkey bread - for as long as I can remember Monkey Bread has been a Blackwood Family Birthday Breakfast tradition. I remember many a late nights the night before someones biirthday mum would ask if anyone wanted to help her make monkey bread, and we'd make it together.

Sometimes I think I was the most privileged of my parents children. Privileged because I got to live with mum and dad longer than any of the rest of my siblings. Privileged because now when I go visit my parents I get them all to myself (which none of the rest of my siblings get anymore) For Mothers day this year I designed a picture for mum that read "Some of my greatest blessings call me Mum" - and it had each of her children's names below it. While that might be true for her, I know that it certainly is true for me, that one of my greatest blessings calls me 'Daughter' - and even further than that, she calls me her favourite middle daughter. I certainly am blessed to have a Mum who loves me as she does. Thank you Mum for teaching me great things, these 10, and SO many more, I love you my favourite mummy in the whole world!

The Smell of memories...

I'm not very regular at writing blogposts. And I find myself writing posts in my head all the time. When I'm cleaning and cooking, going for walks, riding my bike, I think I just speak in story. But I'm not very good at getting them from my head down into writing.
One thing that I often have done in years past is write a post on the anniversary of our family arriving in Australia. Because I'm sentimental, because I don't like those days to just go past without being recognised, and because I like to capture memories in my writing. So today's post, 

The smell of memories....

...Smells can sneak up on you, and suddenly, without trying to, you're reminded of something. They say smell is linked to memory more than all our other senses. And I can testify to that. Anytime I smell honeysuckles I'm a little girl again, in our backyard, making up some kind of concoction that me and my siblings will try eating. Sometimes it was delicious, like our pickle flower soup, or our grain and salt cereal. Followed by a dessert of honeysuckles. The dandelion and brick soups weren't quite as delicious. And you can ask Tamara about the many mud pies that she actually ate. I don't think she'll ever live that down in the Blackwood family. I love the smell of honeysuckles, the remind me of my childhood. Sometimes I think about planting some along our fence, but I'm afraid that if I smelt it every day it would no longer be linked to my childhood, and I would miss it.

When I smell snickerdoodles baking in the oven I'm reminded of Grandma and Grandpa Cole. And the days when they would come visit, and Grandpa would pick us up from school, and we'd come home to Grandma's freshly baked snickerdoodles. I love remembering those days.

Then there's smells that remind me of those first days in Australia 12 years ago. There's that orange air-freshener, anytime I smell it I'm taking back to our foot street house and those first few days. There's the smell of quiche being heated in the oven, our first breakfast in Australia. (we were told later not only do Australians not usually eat egg and bacon quiche for breakfast, but they usually eat it cold, so it's not a smell I smell often :) ). There's the smell of sweet water creek. I'm not even sure exactly what it is, but even now when I go for walks there it smells like 2006. My sisters and I call them 'WOAH!' moments. Those moments when without realising it, a smell, or a sound, or a sight take you back to first moving to Australia, when things were so different and even smells were foreign.

It's nice to look back, and reflect. Yesterday was our last worship service in the guide hall that we've used for the past many years. (We couldn't remember exactly how long we'd been there, which sent me searching through old bulletins. May 14th, 2006 was our first service there, so it has nearly been 12 years in that building) And one of our elders, Tony, reflected on those years in this building. The ways God has used this place for our worship services, the baptisms that have taken place, the people who have professed their faith,the worship and fellowship that has taken place as God has met with us. It was a good reminder to remember. Remember the great things that God has done for us, remember the ways God has blessed us, remember the people whose lives we've been able to reach and be a part of over the years, and even to remember the hard times, because we also remember that God has brought us through them. Both as individuals, and as a church family.

So as I smell things and am reminded of things, I'm thankful. Thankful that God gave us memories. Thankful that random sights and sounds and smells can take me back to places and times to think about and relive to things that God has done in my life.

Until we meet again...

I don’t think I’ve ever had a more stressfully sad trip to the airport, though the time when Mum and Dad forgot their passports would come close. It was May the 10^th, and I remember it like it was yesterday.

Our bus was full of the shirelings (as we’ve taken to calling ourselves) George, Aiden, Benjamin, Tamara, Megumi, Ruth, Covenant, Janet, and myself. We were late in leaving home (what else is new) and though we had a lovely ride for most of the way, talking, playing the ‘I’m going to a party’ game, singing psalms, praying, and reading New Morning Mercies together. It was lovely. But in the last 10km or so, we hit traffic, the sign said 36minutes to Tullamarine, and we prayed that we would make it on time. We started coming up with what skills everyone in the car would be able to use to help Tamara make her flight. Aiden would plea with his lawyer skills, Ruth would save someone’s life with her paramedic skills, George would call out ‘Everybody move!’ so the way would be clear and Tamara would make her flight. So we made the game plan, who would grab what bags, and everyone would usher Tamara to the counter while I went to park the van. The time was getting close, and it was 7:45 when we pulled up to the doors (exactly 90 minutes from when her flight was scheduled to leave) – I dropped them at the door and went to find a place to park. The only problem is…the height of the bus. It’s too tall to fit in the undercover parking area except for one place – which has 2 regular spots and about 20 disabled spots. The other place it can fit is the outdoor carpark place. So I drive around and around the outdoor place, hoping for someone to come move their car so I can take their spot. I drive in and out of the carpark, wondering if I should just park in the disabled parking and plead my case later. I try ringing the Melbourne Airport Parking Assistance phone line, only to be told the first time that their opening hours are 8am – 5pm. It’s 7:58. I ring again and again and again and again, each time making it so far as to get hold music for 10 seconds before they tell me that all their operators are busy and use the email page on the webpage. I just want to talk to someone, to ask if I can please park in the disabled parking just this one time. Meanwhile, time is ticking, and I know Tamara will have to go through the magical doors any minute now. All I can think is ‘I need someone else in the car to keep trying the phone line, or to use the webpage so I can keep driving around to find a park’. I pray that God would help me find parking, and I’m wondering If I’m going to miss seeing Tamara, I hadn’t even given her a hug. My last words when she got out of the car were “don’t you dare go through the doors before I say goodbye”.

I get out of my car 3 times to ask someone if I can have their parking spot, once a man said yes, but another car got to it before I did. A second time just as someone was pulling it I pleaded with a man to let me have the spot he just pulled into, pleaded with tears in my eyes “I don’t fit in the regular parking, and I need to say goodbye to my sister.” His reply ‘sorry but I need to park here’. The next time it’s a car full of Chinese people, I speak to them and they drive into the spot, not even acknowledging my presence, and all I can think is, “I need Aiden to translate for me” and his lawyer skills would probably have been helpful with the other man too. At this point I lose all hope, and I can’t stop the tears.

Aiden rings and asks if I’m coming soon because she has to go through soon. It’s almost funny because I can’t say anything more than “I can’t…” a few times because of my tears, when I finally get out “I can’t park, I’m too tall…” Ruth offers to come trade with me. She gives Tamara one last hug and runs to find me in the car. Firstly accidentally running the wrong way, then she rings me and runs while on the phone, with me trying to tell her where to go. I know that I need to get something besides my phone to bring to Tamara, but I can’t think what it is. I see Ruth running towards me, and I tell her, I’m leaving the keys in the car, and leaving it here (in the middle of the carpark, unparked) I hang up to Ruth and run, slippers and all to the gate to find them. I try to ring Tamara and Benjamin as I run through the airport, but they don’t answer. Thankfully it’s a place I know well, and I know how to get to the magical doors, the ones that lead to America. I’m running hard when I see George in his minion onesie and there’s Tamara, she hasn’t gone through, and I cry a tear of relief, I’ll get to hug her one last time. And I remember that I left the note that I had written for her in the car. That’s what I forgot, but it’s okay because I get to say goodbye.

So we do, we hug, we say kind words to each other, I tell her that I love her and will miss her. And I am happy for her, but sad for us. And we say goodbye. And then she walks away, through the magical doors that lead to America. And I don’t really know what to think or feel.

I told Tamara in her letter that Stephen is a really great guy, and marriage is a really great thing. Which is why it feels a bit like Page CXVI’s version of the song Joy  I told her that I am so happy for her, but sad for the whole country of Australia. And I know that her version of the song probably sounds more that the Cole family singing it than Page CXVI, and that’s okay because she’s going to the great guy and that good thing, so I’ll keep trying to remember that when I’m sad and missing her. But feeling this way also makes me think about something else.

It’s goodbyes, it’s the sadness of living in a world where separation is a real thing, that make me long so much for Heaven. Alastair preached just last Lord’s Day from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and though it is talking about Christians not grieving like others without hope in the face of death it also made me think about it in the context of saying goodbye. We do have a hope that is sure and steadfast, an anchor for the soul. We do have the joy of knowing that Heaven will be an eternity with the Lord, we will be with Him FOREVER. And we will be in a place with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ where we won’t have to say goodbye. A place where all sorrow and sighing will pass away. I think that any time we say goodbye, any time countries separate us, anytime that we have sorrow and sadness in this life, we get that reminder that we are longing for a better country, a heavenly country, a place that God is preparing for us. It puts eternity in my heart, and that makes the goodbye less hard. It makes the grieving not without hope. 

Four thousand and eighteen days

A few days ago, January 28th came and went. For many, it was just an ordinary day, not unlike other January 28th's in years past. It was a day that went by without mention to any (even in our family) but it was a day of great significance in the lives of the Ed Blackwood Family. January 28th 2017 marked a day when one member of our Family had officially lived more of his life in Australia than in America.

On January 26th, 2006, just one day shy of his 11th birthday, Benjamin moved half-way around the world from Indianapolis Indiana to Frankston Australia. (actually skipping his 11th birthday on the flight to Australia) And the total number of days lived in America were 4017 (10 years, 364 days).

On January 28th, 2006, one day after his 11th birthday, Benjamin officially began his time of living in Australia. And on January 28th this year, the count of days lived in Australia was 4018 (11 years to the day)

Some of you might be thinking who cares about a thing like how many days you've lived in a country. Well, in answer, I do. If you'd asked me in January of 2006 how long I'd be living in Australia. My answer would have been "2 years, that's all, then I'll be back and live in America again" - it didn't take very long for my answer of "Where do you consider Home to be?" to change from "America" to "Australia". And there are times that I think Australia is so much home, that America seems like this foreign country that I happen to have a connection to. There have been days when I miss America so much my heart aches, and there have been other days when I wish I could just turn everything about myself Australian. But most of the time, I'm thankful that I'm an Australican and all the things that that entails. Thankful because having 2 places that at different times I have called home reminds me that this earth is not our home ultimately. In the bible, Hebrews 11 talks about the so called 'Heros of the Faith' - those men and women who had great faith in God, showing that they believed His promises, things hoped for and not seen. verses 13 and following say,

"These all died in faith without having received the promises, but they saw them from a great distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. But they now desire a better place - a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them." 

Having lived in 2 countries does give me an even greater longing for Heaven, the true homeland for all those who are trusting in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. So, even as we know that this is not our ultimate home, when January 28th came and went, it got me thinking, and wondering, where will I be living on the 19th November 2020? Will it mark the day that I've lived 5410 days in Australia, compared to the 5409 that I lived in America? Only time will tell.

I'm thankful for...

Traditionally in the U.S., the Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated on the 4^th Thursday of November. But for the past 11 years, living in a country without the Thanksgiving holiday, we, along with a bunch of other Americans, have celebrated on the Saturday following what would be Thanksgiving Day. We get together and of course eat all kinds of American foods that Australians would find hard to stomach (at least in serving some of them as main meal food and not dessert) such as 7 layer Jelly and sweet potato casserole. But more than the food is the opportunity for Fellowship. It’s always time for good conversations, and fun throwing a Frisbee around, or playing other games together. But my favourite part is when we all go around and say something that we’re thankful for.

It’s a real encouragement to think back over the year, and to recognise the many, many things that God has blessed us with to be thankful for. There are usually some tears, definitely by me, because when people take the time to share things, the things that are said truly help all of us to remember what it is that we should give thanks to God for. For me, it was easy to choose what I wanted to say. Not because there are so few things that I can be thankful for, but rather because many of the things that I have to be thankful for in this year past are all wrapped up into one thing. And that is the thing that I shared.

I’m thankful for all the things that my parents taught me in the first 24 years of my life while I lived with them, to equip me for living without them. The list of things that they taught me could go on and on, but this past Lord’s day as I was walking to church in the evening, I realised that there is especially one thing that I am VERY thankful that my parents taught me. Taught me both in words, and very much by their example. And that is the importance of corporate worship. I was walking to church, singing psalm 119E, and I was struck with an overpowering sense of thankfulness. Thankful that we have the privilege of worshipping together twice on the Lord’s Day. Thankful that God cares for us as His people SOOOO much that He gives us one day out of EVERY week to set aside as different. A day that refreshes me spiritually, physically, and emotionally. Psalm 119:38 & 40 say, “That I Your servant be revived to serve you reverently…Revive me in Your righteousness; I long for Your decrees.” – that’s the kind of longing I had on the Lord’s day. A longing to be with God and His people, hearing His word read, sung, and preached. And I was revived to be in worship. Which is why, I am so thankful for the things my parents have taught me, and one thing especially, to view the Lord’s day as a blessing. And that, is what I am thankful for. 

Singing like David

I have a unique privilege most Lord’s Days. I get to sit next to David James. David is a 36 years old man who comes to our church, and he has Down syndrome. Sitting next to him a couple weeks ago and listening to him sing the psalms I thought:

Why don’t we all sing like him. With such gusto, almost dancing in his seat as he sings. Especially when it comes to his favourite psalms, 3A, 23B, 67C, and others. As we sang psalm 146B as our call to worship this particular Lord’s day evening, and he was singing next to me, it challenged me to think, do I sing “Praise the Lord, let all within me offer to the LORD His praise…” and really mean it? Am I really singing with all that is in me offering praise to my God?

As I watched and listened to Him sing, I was really challenged. I love to sing, but do I really sing with all that is in me? Do I sing God’s praise because I’m genuinely happy to be singing praise to Him? And I also thought, everyone should get a chance to sit next to David for a Sunday service, and maybe we’d have a church full of people who sing like David.

Worth it for the Blossom trees

There are a lot of days when I think "I have the best job in the world" but this is especially true in Spring. Don't get me wrong, there are also some days when I think "I wish I had an indoor job" but for the most part I really love getting out on my bike, riding around delivering Charity Bags door to door.

Spring time comes and I think "I love Spring!" I get excited that the weather is getting warmer and I won't have to wear my beanie and extra thick socks when I'm out delivering. Then I remember, spring time is also often the rainiest time of the year so I will often be wearing my rain coat. And there are days when I'm out in the cold rain that I think "I hate Spring"

Then I get excited that Spring also means longer days. The sun rises earlier and sets later so I will have more times of light to deliver in, and I think "I LOVE Spring!" but I also remember that Sprintg means the coming of magpie swooping season. Magpies that swoop not just once as you ride past, casually getting close to you, but magpies that swoop again and again, hitting you in the back of the head, side on - attacking your ears, Making me frightened by the shadows of flying birds and the clicking sound that many birds make with their wings when they get close enough for you to hear, and I think "I HATE Spring!"

Then I think about the flowers, the beautiful, beautiful flowers that come out in Spring. Flowers that fill my heart with happiness just to look at them. Flowers that could brighten the day of anyone who saw them, flowers is so many shapes and colours, and I think about how much I love Spring. But I also remember that with flowers comes hayfever. Hayfever that at times is so bad that my eyes nearly swell shut, I forget what it is like to have a nose that isn't dripping, and my throat is constantly itching. And through constant sneezing and watery eyes I remember that I don't really like Spring all that much after all.

It's about this time that I come across the Blossom Trees. There's nothing quite like a Blossom Tree, with the pink or white flowers greeting you as you turn a corner into a street filled with them, or as you catch their scent riding past. And I remember that even with the rainy days, the swooping magpies, and even the heyfever that I really truly do love spring, every aspect of it, and all the things that make Spring less enjoyable especially in my delivering, all of them are worth it, worth it for the Blossom Trees.

The Importance of Having Little People in my Life

Over my summer holidays I've had great opportunities to spend time with lots of different kids, and I've come to realise how important it is to have little people in my life. 

I have the blessing of having 5 nieces (2 of which I haven't yet met in person) but with them living so far away, it's nice to have other little people in my life, through the church, to invest in, spend time with, and share life with. 

Some of my favourite memories over the past few weeks of times with little people are: 

• Hearing Kids Pray 
• Getting to spend a few days with the Moynahans, going to the beach with the kids. Showing them how to boogie board. 
• Listening to Tamara talk with Joel and asked 
• "When do you turn 4?" 
• Joel's reply was "On my next birthday!" 
• Having Family worship with 3 differnt families in the past few weeks, and getting to better see what faith like a child is. 
• Going on a bush bash (with children, and led by children) 
• Our Children's Bible Class closing program, hearing the kids tell me things that they liked learning over the year 
• Working aside lots of differnt little people during our church's working bee camp 
• Having family worship with the Kents and Kate asked if anyone had anything to pray for. 
• Solomon said "Thank God that Mrs. Thierry is in heaven with Jesus, and pray that her family won't be too sad."
• Going for walks with Jonah 
• Skyping my nieces. 

"See that you don’t look down on one of these little ones, because I tell you that in heaven their angels continually view the face of My Father in heaven." - Matthew 18:10 

Dear Grandma, Grandpa, and Katy

Since I didn’t write you an airplane note before you left. (you probably realised that that is a bit of a tradition for us, with T and B both writing you letters. We like to give last letters to read on the plane, and to re-read over and over again to remember the good times, and just because it is nice to have something to hold onto when the visit has come to an end) so, I wanted to write you a letter. So here it goes:

Dear Grandma, Grandpa, and Katy,

Thank you so much for coming to Australia. Thank you for taking the time, and spending the money, and leaving behind many things for those 5 weeks to come and visit us. I’ve never had the chance to spend that amount of time with you all especially in such a close way, and I am grateful for that time more than words can say.

I am so thankful that you were able to experience our life here in Australia. I’m glad that you got to meet our friends, see where we live, come to our church, and experience our life here.

I am glad that I was able to get to know you better over these 5 weeks. I’m glad for the things that I learnt about you, about Grandma and Grandpa’s childhoods, about Dad moving in with you, about your foster and adopted children, and just to know you all better

Grandpa, thanks for helping me with the veggie garden, for doing all the hard work, sorry you don’t get to enjoy the fruit of your labours, but I think all of us will be thankful for the home grown veggies J

I’m thankful that in this five weeks, I got to experience great things with you, and I will miss Katy’s hugs, late night talks with Grandma, one on one talks and walks with Grandpa, your prayers, so many times I heard and was so grateful for all 3 of your prayers, teaching Katy in my children’s bible class, hearing her tell me the catechism questions, lunch with Grandpa and Katy, outings with Grandma. I will miss it, but mostly I will miss you all!

Lord Willing I will see you again next year!

Love Always,

Maria 

Looking forward to...

• My Grandparents Visit
• Thanksgiving
• School Holidays
• Pleasure Reading
• Long days
• Evenings outdoors
• Home Grown Veggies
• Cool Ocean Water
• Sleepovers with Friends 
• Lord's day morning prayer meetings
• More evenings free to have people over for dinner 
• Traveling and Exploring
• Working Bee Camp
• New Years Day Picnic 
  

Junior Camp 2014

In the car on the way home from camp, we were all sharing our top 5 things that we loved about camp (it started out as 1, but we had too many, great things, so we made it 5). When it got to my turn, I started by saying "Okay, my top favourite 25 things are..." I was sort of joking, but deep down I was actually serious because I really really loved camp so much that I couldn't even limit myself to 5 things that I loved about camp, I didn't actually share 25 things, but I think it was at least 10. So here are actually my top 25 favourite things about Junior Camp 2014 (in no particular order)

The Whole Gang

1. Cooking - it is always fun to cook at camp, and it's kinda the one job that really you can't have camp without, so it's nice to be able to serve in that way
2. Having LOTS of offers from the kids to come help in the kitchen. We decided that duty teams were a thing of the past for Junior Camp because we just always had some many lovely and eager volunteers it was great! One day we had to turn away 7 kids who asked if there was anything they could do to help because there just weren't any jobs to do
3. Telling the girls bedtime stories in the girls dorm. Some made up, some real stories from my life or the lives of people I know, some a combination of both (a bit o, shall we say, historical fiction..?)
4. Singing lullabies to the girls to get them to sleep
5. Having a bonfire and bush dance in the rain!
6. Rob's talks on Survival - making David's life seam so real and truly seeing the amazingness of it!
7. The total flexibility of the schedule, just changing times to fit around things whenever
8. The BEAUTIFUL weather that God blessed us with (only a little bit of rain)
9. Staying up late and talking with the other leaders after all the kids had gone to bed, and pretty much all other times of chatting with the leaders, especially Melissa and Allison!
10. Getting to know the kids better, some I'd never met before.
11. Sharing meals with the kids, talking about life.
12. Having 2 of the smallest 8 years olds I can imagine come along, they just made it so much fun!
13. Ten ping pong - it will soon make an appearance in the Olympics I'm sure
14. Of course a princess skit in the concert with Harry playing the princess :)
15. The leaders taking the kids team rope challenge and getting a finishing time of 10:34 (When the slowest kids time had been 6 minutes!)

The Leaders

16. Playing Yahtzee with Helen
17. The amazing rope things that Joel put up
18. Team hopping (since I wasn't on any particular team, I just chose different teams for different activities)
19. Reading stories in the hall on Thursday morning as people were waking up
20. Melissa's girls dorm devotions
21. Dorm inspections, and the girls talent shown in that!
22. Luke's stories in the evening with hot chocolate and supper
23. Bonding over washing and drying dishes
24. All the leaders willingness to just join in with the kids in all the different activities
25. Doing 10-13 girls hair in the mornings

Highlights from Gartmore, RP International Conference

Youth plus Group 

• Meeting so many amazing a lovely people 
• Catching up with my friends from Senior Camp
• Psalm singing with everyone and in the youth plus group especially (better acoustics)
• Being a 'yellow person' (aka, helping the parents with young children at meal times)
• Family Worship 
• Highland games
• All age group activities in the evening
• Getting excited about saying the alphabet backwards the quickest, but not being able to do it in 4 seconds
• Collecting people's life stories
• Playing the 'Intriguing questions' game with people
• Going to the prayer meeting in the mornings and speaking with the older people afterwards
• Late night chats with my roommate
• The CRAZY games in the youth rise program
• Kenneth Stewart's talks, especially Implications for Faith (Peter) 
• Meeting people's families
• Hanging out at the cabins and playing games there
• D&M's with people
• Learning how to play rounders
• Sitting with and meeting different  people at mealtimes
• Worshipping with RP's from all over the world

It was a blessed week filled with many grand things, good craic, deep and meaningful conversations, meeting people from all over the world, and being blessed. Already making plans to come back in 2018 Lord Willing!!

"From all that dwell below the skies, O let Jehovah's praise arise! And let His glorious name be sung in every land by every tongue! Great are mercies of the LORD, and truth eternal is His word; ye nations, sound from shore to shore Jehovah's praise forevermore!"

Highlights from Senior Camp

I really enjoyed the Senior Camp that is organised by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland. I was really blessed by the people that I met, the things that I did, and the fun times had. Here are just some of the highlights

- Meeting new people
- Getting to know my room-mates

Best Room-mates EVER!

- Eating meals with different people and getting to talk to them
- Worshipping together with RP's from a different part of the world
- McCollum's Madness - messy and somewhat disgusting gamres
- Learning to play bucketball
- Teaching people how to play Ultimate Frisbee and ARF (Australian Rules Frisbee, otherwise known as the triangle frisbee game)
- Phillip Moffett's talks: Christ and His people - identified with Christ, Organised by Christ, Worshippers of Christ, Growing in the Sacraments of Christ, Witnesses to Christ, Living for Christ, and Looking to Christ. Each day I thought the one we did was the best, but the 3 that I found most challenging and helpful were: Growing in the Sacraments of Christ, Living for Christ, and Looking to Christ.
- Psalm Singing on the Lord's Day evening. Robert McCollum explaining the psalms (taking off the apple tagline: there's an app for that) as there's a psalm for that. For every situation in life there is a psalm.
- Making up a cheerleading routine in our teams as part of the Monday evening Game Show
- Having everyone sing along to the song that I wrote during the concert on Thursday evening
- The party - especially learning new dances
- Bus rides to and from camp and to and from activities/outings, getting to talk to people
- Staying up late chatting and laughing with several of the girls
- DMC (or as we in Australia say D&M's) with people, especially on the night walks and the long walk on the Lord's day
And there were so many more fun and exciting times, but overall I was just glad to meet a group of lovely young people, and spend a week getting to know some of them better. I am looking forward to seeing many of them again at RP International at Gartmore in a week and a half!

Why the airport was my favourite part of Paris

So before you read my reasons, you have to understand  something. Vietnam and Paris for me were just a means to an end. Kind of like Dallas and L.A. when we head back to the states, I'm sure they are great places, but I just REALLY WANT TO GET TO INDIANA! So, I really wanted to get to Belfast, that was my destination, the places in-between were just a means to an end, just places to stop to make the journey the cheapest way possible. So with that introduction, here are 8 reasons why the airport was my favourite part of Paris: (in no particular order)

1. I got free WiFi for 15 minutes when I first got there so I could update my family and friends on my travels
2. It doesn't cost anything to use the airport toilets.
3. There was a red piano to play
4. All the staff were VERY friendly and helpful
5. I got to eat a real fresh chocolate croissant and drink coffee
6. As I was boarding my flight to Belfast I heard the Irish accent which finally made me excited as I thought about my Northern Irish friends
7. The above cafe had free unlimited WiFi so I got to see everyone's comments on my 6 hours in Paris facebook post.
8. I found out that on my flight to Belfast I would have a window seat, my first window seat of the journey, and it means I can see Northern Ireland from the air!

Just so you all know, I did visit Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower - just the outside, I didn't go up it, I walked around A LOT! I wanted to hire a bike, but my bank cards didn't work, so I took a train into and out of the city and walked a lot. I wanted to go to a cafe for lunch, but in the end I wasn't hungry and I just ate back at the airport, a fresh chocolate croissant and coffee were the only things I ate in all of Paris. Unfortunately I didn't buy a souvenir :( because I kept thinking I would find a cheaper option, but in the end I ran out of time. It was a bit lonely with no one to share it with, and no one to help me find my way around (which was fine, I had a great map, but things were further away than I thought) So overall, I am glad to say that I've seen the Eiffel Tower, but it would have been better with a travelling friend.

Praying at all times...

I would rather have taken a long shower, and snuggled up with a good book and a hot cup of tea. I would rather have gone to bed early...but I didn't. Not because I wanted to feel "holier-than-thou" or because "I'm a Blackwood and that's what we do". I could even have made the excise that "I've already been to one prayer meeting this week". But... instead, I went. I went because God tells us to, and there is power when God's people come together to pray.

" Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints." Ephesians 6: 18

The last 2 prayer meetings we've listened to 2 of John McCarther's Sermons on Prayer. I would commend both of them to you if you want to hear powerful sermons about the power of prayer The Necessities for Effective Prayer  and Praying at All Times 

As I was at prayer meeting, standing during both the message, and the prayer time (so I wouldn't fall asleep) I was encouraged just by being with the saints, crying to our One True God and heavenly Father together, singing God's Word together, hearing His Word preached, and of course Praying with and for one another and for our church. I was especially challenged from Ephesians 6:10-20 to pray for Unity, for God's Will to be done, for the Spirit to move in us, for Fruitfulness, and for Holiness. Our prayer time was so encouraging, I was overcome with weeping for those hurting in our congregation, I was humbled by the simple prayers of people, I was filled with Joy to hear about God's wondrous work in us and the people we know, and I was encouraged with the prayers of so many, and challenged have a better prayer life, not just once a fortnight during a prayer meeting, but to pray at all times, with all kinds of prayers, with all perseverance, for all the saints. What a Great and Awesome God we have, and one who Delights to hear our prayers.

"The prayer of the upright is [the LORD's] delight" Proverbs 15:8