Random Jaunt

To relieve a boring yesterday afternoon, Sam and I decided to find somewhere open to go so that we had something to do - a difficult task on Good Friday but we hit an immediate winner when we (well, Sam) called Sky High and they were open. So up Mt Dandenong we went. After a wander and some coffee and some photo taking (no not the one on the left) it started raining, we made the decision to continue our random jaunt, just because and picked the road up to Olinda. To our shock it was pretty much all open so we spent a good hour poking around in antique and touristy shops. We get back to the car and it is pouring, I turn the key, it is completely dead. I was extremely confident I hadn't left any lights on and so am sitting there doing the bah-humbug thing when I remember that the car (dad's) sometimes does this and you have hit the dashboard underneath. Immediate start. I congratulated myself and we got out of the not so nice parking spot sucessfully. We detoured on the way home and drove into Silvan dam. It was too wet to get out and walk to the top of the wall, but we had a brief run outside in the rain, then sat in the car and took stupid photos (one of which you can see). I invited Sam to stay over. Jess W gets onto us and asks us if we'd like to come to the Carefactor (Careforce) for their evening Good Friday service which, I quote, is, "somber" (ie: Jess' way of saying it's not as hypey as you normally think it is Bec). We had to see this rarity and wanted to catch a few of the yitsers, so Laura, Sam and I headed down at eight. Nearly hit a pedestrian ladeda, it was dark, wet and the guy was in my blind spot when I was backing out of a parking place which at the last minute turned disabled (so I was being good and actually moving), Laura was having kittens. Inside, we spotted Darryn (YITS), found a seat eventually. Iain (YITS) came in with Jess. I'm not sure exactly why I found the service so exceptional. I think I really needed something like it. It was quite beautifully God pieced (for me) a lot seemed to relate to some of what I was trying to explain yesterday. Alan Meyer was preaching on Nicodemus and at one point refered to a bit of the old song, When I Survey the Wonderous Cross, which we did sing earlier. Shock horror, hymns at Careforce :P. Anyway so I first discover where that, "Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all." thing comes from, as I've used it as an avatar before, which was satisfying. I guess what I was getting at yesterday was gathered into, "How can one respond appropriately with only moderate degree of love." - this in regards to what Jesus has done. The everything, your all, you entireity is a big thing to give up and yes, I do think Jesus is the absolute most important but working out how to give that - life - up is sometimes difficult and I don't want to do the half hearted thing. Sometimes perhaps if I can't give it my best it offers less motivation to actually do so in the first place. So it was interesting in that regard. "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot A story was read out about this woman who ended up with the name, Esther Easter. Inspiring story and if I could find you a copy, I would share it, but I haven't had such luck yet. For communion, they took small groups aside and someone prayed and we took it collectively. A really great way (and different from what they normally do there) to do communion. God and I had a bit of talk afterwards as it took a fair while, wrote something down of what I thought he was saying, encouraging stuff no sharing though :) I was pushed to Isaiah where 43, and particularly 55 stood out. We went and found Clacy (Michael) after church and got a massively cheerful welcome. There are certain YITS people I miss having around and was a little surprised to find that Clacy is one of them. Nothing like a bit of exhuberance. A very good evening.