Promoted to Glory 2

I thought I would update you on the funerals I attended today. It is an interesting situation to be conducting a funeral whilst your wife is organising her mother's funeral in another state. Nevertheless God's grace is sufficient and I fulfilled the wishes of the dear soul who at 97 had gone to be with Jesus. It was good to receive the sympathy of former soldiers and the family of the deceased.

It was good to be with friends at the second funeral and also to be ministered to by them. It was even better to know that the deceased in that case had come to faith before he died. We had many conversations whilst we worked together but he was never ready to be saved at that time. General Eva Burrows had spent much time with Tony and I was overjoyed to hear her affirm his faith.

So as a day of over 41 Celsius comes to an end on a hectic day I can look back satisfied that it was good to be involved in 2 funerals today. Now tomorrow which should be a holiday means doing lots of work so that we can travel on Wednesday to be reunited with Jennifer and say farewell to our mother, mother-in-law and grandmother on Friday.

Promotion to Glory

I write to inform those who read this blog who know us that Jennifer's mother Mrs Ellen Nicks has been promoted to glory from her place in the Playford Corps of The Salvation Army. At this stage funeral details are unknown.

Jennifer is traveling with her sister Cathy Jackson, Wayne and their daughters Amanda and Sarah as I write. We will join her when details are known.

Ellen has had links with The Salvation Army in Elizabeth from its earliest days. Up until ill health intervened in the last few months she has served as the Home League Secretary for many years.

Your prayer support for the family is valued.

Peter

Catch up!! -personal

For all of you wonderful people who look every day, week or at least every now and again to see if I have recorded any wise thoughts or more probably what is happening at Doncaster, this is for you.
All I seem to be doing is trying to catch up. Catch up the paper work, catch up with correspondence, catch up with the tradesmen who promise quotes but never deliver, catch up with other officers who seem to have a holiday without actually having holidays, or even catch up on sleep. December has once again been a time to run. Everything except the promised quotes for airconditioning repairs has gone well, ie caroling, kettling, christmas welfare, Catherine's exams etc
Next year sees us starting the year with each of our children looking forward to new initiatives. Ben started teaching secondary English half way through last year. He goes to the Make Change conference in New Zealand during January and returns home to start the school year.
Pete moves to the Training College to live in February when he begins his year as a member of the 614 order. This is a huge challenge for him but one he is looking forward to. We'll miss him around the house but hopefully we'll be able to catch up with him fairly often.
Catherine commences a Child Care course at TAFE and while this is what she wants to do she won't be able to go to NZ with Ben and her friends.
I get to go to Sydney in a few weeks time for a training course led by IHQ personal about preparing for Disaster Relief training.
Jennifer is busy trying to keep up with the rest of us as well as the corps.
On Monday the Bureau of Meterology is predicting a day of 41 degrees celsius. I'm conducting a private Committal service at Fawkner Crematorium and then a Memorial service for one of our former soldiers at Moonee Ponds Corps. We left there 12 years ago but I'd promised Dulcie I'd do it when the time came.
On top of that Jennifer and I will be attending the funeral service of a friend and former Public Relations colleague later that same day.

Yes I know I haven't said much about the corps or God or the cricket or...
Maybe that will come later!
Peter