Feliz Navidad, Joyeux Noel, Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a most joyous and peaceful Christmas. I was blessed to be able to attend midnight mass as well as mass this evening. Midnight mass is one of my favourite masses of the Church's liturgical calendar. I was blessed to visit relatives today and have lunch with my family. I was blessed to be able to eat great food, share many gifts - both in giving and receiving.
I hope that your Christmas day is filled with joy and peace. I also prayed and remembered my many friends and relatives who are experiencing personal hardships at this time. Let us never forget that Christmas is a time that can symbolise hope and my hope is that 2012 is a better year for many of my friends and relatives. I also pray that it's a better year for the people of Japan, Christchurch, Libya, Egypt, Syria, Zimbabwe and for all those who are oppressed and in need.

Endings and beginnings...

This isn't going to be a post that reflects on the year in its entirety. Largely because it has been such a busy year and I haven't really had the time to sit and reflect. I have had a roller coaster ride of a year. While many wonderful things have happened to family, friends and I, there have been many trials that friends and family have had to endure. I think 2011 has brought much sadness, namely in the wake of the devastating earthquakes in Japan. I was in Japan, only weeks before of the earthquakes. I have friends in Japan and while they were safe, away from the earthquakes, the devastation to the whole country is enormous and ongoing. I mention Japan because I was fortunate enough to take part in an AEF tour to Japan. It was an experience of a lifetime. 

I have also come to the end of my time at the school where I work. I have absolutely loved working with my department, with the students, the general staff and the community. I can't begin to express how much joy, working there has given me. I leave with a sense of sadness because I feel as though that relationships with members of staff have begun to deepen. I leave with a sense of sadness because I won't actually get to see the fruit of the last four years, implementing innovation and change. 

I do leave with a sense of joy, because I have worked so hard and never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that I was going to be a member of a College executive after 12 years of teaching. I feel this new beginning will sufficiently challenge me. I am eternally grateful for the opportunities and am relishing the many challenges. I am also a little nervous... I have such high expectations of myself and I know that my new employer has high hopes. 

Finally, I want to say that the new missal is now fully implemented and that marks an end and a beginning for liturgy in the Catholic church. As a practicing Catholic, it is a time of great change and reflection. 

I wish all of you the very best for Christmas and the new year. I hope it is filled with hope. 

Summer is here!

I always think that the first signs of Summer really being here are the cherries sold at the greengrocer and the lovely Australian Christmas Bush that is now flowering on my verandah! This morning I was pleasantly surprised with the first tomatoes of the season! My bruschetta garden is really taking shape. Will take some photos soon.

Have a great weekend!