Hmm.. I seem to have had a bit of a break. At least I'm over my cold now though.
I'm off to Christchurch next week to a conference, and to visit Steve & Lynne's new church. I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of place gained in our loss!! (yeah, I know, in the Kingdom of Heaven it's not really theft, but hey...) I better be careful not to sound ungrateful about the provision God has made to Graceway in their place. I'm really appreciating Mark (find his story here, courtesy of MootBlog).

I'm just about to embark on a job that I never ever wanted. 9 months ago I applied for a new job, with more responsibility, to be assistant head of department, and was enjoying it immensely until my head of department told me he was leaving. Now I've counted the months, I'm quite amused. It has taken that time to prepare, grow, train, strengthen me, for the new new job I'm about to take on. My head of department is going to finish, in 3 more days, and we haven't been able to replace him. I find myself thrust into the position, short term (till the end of the year), until it is a better time to advertise. I surely hope there is someone just waiting for the vacancy to come up again, and also that my boss isn't right. That in the meantime I won't actually find I enjoy it, and want it after all. All I can see at the moment is the stress combined with a larger burden of responsibility than I've ever desired, ever. I guess time will tell. I'm certainly going to (need to) be ever more aware of the enabling and comfort and refreshing of the Spirit of God.

I've got my fourth cold of the season. So so so sick of feeling under the weather. Tonight I have a truckload of work to do, and I've just given up. I can't think clearly enough for the tasks I need to do.

However, I am back on my repaired laptop. And it was utterly painless setting this one up - the wonderful techo just imported my profile off the loan one I've had for the last 6 weeks, this time. It seems as good as new! I'm so impressed!!!!

Yesterday, my Head of Department gave me the best postive reinforcement that anyone's given me all year. I'll spare the details, but the result was a real boost in confidence. Why do we find it so so hard to build each other up, usually? Why does it seem so much easier to tear down? If we all cherished the way we feel when someone else encourages us, surely we'd be all out to do the same for others? Then again, it seems to come really naturally to some. One step at a time, that's all I can manage!

I think it's been over a week since I blogged. There is some uncertainty in my employment at the moment, and I'd been confiding in a close friend, as one does. I was gutted to be told that some of it had been passed on to others. It feels wrong somehow, in a friendship, to have to define stuff as "personal", when to me it seems obvious. I've pulled in a bit, and stopped sharing. So I've been a bit sad.

My lappie is back from the lappie-fixers all fixed. This means that for the 4th time in a month i'll have to housetrain a new computer. I didn't set up all my little bits and pieces this time.. couldn't be bothered, knowing I'd only have to repeat it all again anyway. It's a bit sad when your desktop feels like "home"!!!!