An unexpected departure

Followers of this blog may recall during non-FB November that one of my posts was about how horrible cancer is and how tough the battle ahead would be.

Sadly, the battle came to a sudden, unexpected end late last night for an amazing man: my uncle Pete.

Uncle Pete LOVED the finer things in life: good wine, good cheese and good beer. On the latter point he also was an avid home brewer so as the family gathered at my Aunty's to start on arrangements the topic turned to what to do without all that grog.

Needless to say, the boys promptly went outside to start on it.

People tried to get me to have a glass to toast his memory but I know my uncle would be mortified if he was the reason I failed my mission for the month.

Which is why I will not be touching a drop of alcohol until after his funeral on 3 Jan, and the first thing I'll be drinking will be the last bottle of cherry beer he brewed back in 2007 after we had discussed some tasting I had undertaken in Belgium.

And I'll make sure I enjoy every last drop.

posted from Bloggeroid

Time flies when you're too busy to drink

So Christmas 2011 has been and gone and it wasn't until I collapsed in a bruised heap around 9pm Christmas night that I even realised I hadn't had a drop of alcohol.

My Christmas festivities started at 2.45am Christmas Eve, when hubby and brother-in-law #2 started the 450km car ride home to our families. That night it was Christmas with my immediate family and started with my sister-in-law and I taking my nieve to Church where she was playing an angel in the Christmas play.

This time I went to an Anglican service - my 'own' religion if you will - with my 20 month old niece in tow. We arrived promptly at 6 (even though the service didn't start til 6.30) to get Miss 20-months in her angel finery but try as I might I couldn't get the orange plastic golf ball she had unwrapped 30 minutes earlier out of her tiny little fists, and from that point on our angel was not very angelic.

The biggest difference I noticed with this service is that the Minister and his helpers (I guess that's what they are) walked in in a procession of sorts, draped in their finery and carrying crosses while the congregation sang Oh come all ye faithful. I'm assuming this is purely because being Christmas Eve and all it's a pretty special occasion. This was also the first service I was at where they said the Lord's Prayer: I didn't think it was just an Anglican thing so was surprised I hadn't heard it at either the Bpatist or Uniting services.

During this time Miss 20-months had thrown a right tanty and was scooped up in her Grandmother's arms as she waited outside with the other angels to make her grand entrance: this never materialised. Instead, Grandma took her down to the front pew to watch the goings-on up close where she promptly dripped candel wax on herself, and another little girl ran into a tall candle holder behind the Minister, nearly knocking it over and setting the place alight.

I'll give the Anglicans credit - the Service was highly entertaining!

So I had fulfilled my relgious duties for the holiday and it was back to the folks for dinner and playing with gifts. Those commitments over, it was off to the in-laws to assist with last minute Santa duties before climbing into bed somewhere around 12.30am.

I think the reason I didn't miss drinking is becuase I simply didn't have time to. We were up at 5.30am getting ice and starting the room re-modelling to make room for everyone, then the 4 trouble-makers (and I use the term affectionately) opened some of their gifts while we waited for thier father to arrive, then there were more gifts to open, tables to set up, visitors to greet, more presents to open, lunch to serve, dessert to serve, kettles to boil, lunch to clean up then final presents to open - all before 1.30pm.

Admittedly, I don't always see eye-to-eye with some of hubby's family and could've done with a drink about 15 minutes after they arrived but I'm pretty sure that would've lead to bitch-slapping some sense into them so my approach of simply finding something else to clean up to keep me occupied was better for all involved.

We made a hasty retreat from the in-laws at 2.30pm to head to my family Christmas which is where the big drinking usually starts and my cousions hadn't let me down on this front. Soon after my brother, sister-in-law and Miss 20-months arrived and the party was in full swing, opening presents before kick-off in the "Turkey Bowl".

Yep, I played Gridiron sober.

We can't really remember how it started but for reasons unknown a couple Christmases back we traded in our cricket game for a gridiron match and now it seems a part of the day. Despite being unwanted by both my brother and husband in their team I thoroughly enjoyed our game which lasted almost two hours and have the bruises to prove it!

I think the biggest thing I noticed about not drinking is that I didn't really get tired until around 9pm, when previous years it has reached 7pm and I've flaked out on a sun lounge somehwere. I had unbridled energy and didn't have an inclining of a sore head the following morning.

All in all a successful example of proving my point that you don't need alcohol to have a fun Christmas - let's see if I can do the same on New Year's Eve!!

Not the best of starts...

Church service #3 of my visit and it's not off to the greatest of starts in my opinion given they've spelt noel as 'nowell' in the program.

Also, I've only been sitting for 5 minutes and my butt is sore: maybe more people would go to church if the seats were more comfy??

posted from Bloggeroid

Good thing I haven't given up chocolate too...

Having been given two bottles of very nice, very expensive bubbly as gifts from two of my bosses, I'm slightly disappointed I can't pop one of the corks to enjoy it as I sit down to watch Love Actually, my FAVOURITE Christmas movie.

Looks like I'll have to do with a chocolate Paddle Pop instead.

All together now "and if you really love Christmas, come on and let it snow..."

Yeah, I don't handle being preached to...

This Sunday just gone was the second opportunity to embrace my new-found interest in religion and I attended a Baptist church service.

The first thing I noticed upon my arrival was the distinct lack of cars in the car park in comparison to last week's Uniting visit. Admittedly though that could because I was actually on time this week and didn't have to sneak in up the back. This particular Baptist church also had a pretty awesome veggie patch however morning tea didn't look all that crash hot (in case you haven't noticed, I'm all about the food!)

What I failed to take into account by arriving early, is that people noticed I wasn't a regular and made it their personal mission to see who could find out my life story first. Well not really, I think they were just curious as to whether they had found another sheep to add to their flock.

I'll be the first to admit the people I spoke to were lovely which is why I did feel slightly guilty when I told them I was there "on behalf of my Grandmother who was unable to make it as she wasn't quite feeling herself."

Two things wrong with this: One, my Grandmother hates Baptist church services with a passion and tends to avoid them as much as possible, even if it's to attend a funeral or wedding, and two - my Grandmother wasn't visiting. I didn't feel bad about saying she wasn't herself as my Mum had told me two days earlier Grandma had a sore throat of some description (which we put down to her crazy drinking social life) so that's a legitimate reason to feel like crap.

Anyway I'd invented this random spur-of-the-moment story to cover the reason for my visit hoping that would be sufficient but no, that made me such a wonderful human being that Pastor Peter simply had to have a chat as well, looking at me with big pleading eyes as if to say "this lot suck, please bring your wonderful nature to my church instead."

Uncomfortable introductions over it was time for the service to start, and the first thing I noticed is that Pastor Peter didn't stand up front like the Minister did at the Uniting Service. No, we had a three piece band, the lead guitarist of which looked like he was out of Deliverance. The trio lead us in three - yes, three - opening songs that I'd never heard of and am pretty sure were written by them (thankfully the Baptists too know the value of a data projector and screen) before we sat to begin.

Turns out Deliverance-boy was the Worship Leader for this week. Congregation members volunteer to be Worship Leaders and each week one of them leads the service in lieu of Pastor Pete.

I have to be honest, my visit didn't get off to a great start when it began with a call to pray for the people who spread false truths about Christmas and mock this time of year by drinking and going over-board on the present buying. The congregation I was visiting considered it their duty to "intervene on society's behalf" and pray extra hard for the world.

I did learn a few extra tidbits about the Jesus' birth though, including that Joseph wanted to kick Mary to the kerb for falling preggers to another fella, however once he changed his mind after the visit from the angel he made the choice not to engage in sexual relations until after JC was born - wasn't that nice of him?

Another difference I noticed between the two different services, is where the Uniting service had a set of generic prayers to follow before one made up by the Minister, Baptist services have 'open prayer' where the Workship leader starts the prayer session but then stands quietly while others pray either to themselves or in the case of this congregation - out loud. We had prayers for a person who was starting a new job two days a week "even though it won't cover all her costs," prayers for the healthy delivery of the baby being born to the girl in front of me, and most commonly prayers for the people of the world who are persecuted for their faith.

Communion was next and one thing I hadn't realised is the Church discriminates against Coeliacs - I can't eat the bread!

After politely declining the bread but accepting the wine - I didn't want to appear too rude - I settled back down for yet more preaching about how society neglects the meaning of Christmas and we need to pray for the salvation of mankind. It was at this point I realised 45 minutes had passed and there was no sign of stopping anytime soon.

Thankfully the time had come for another group singalong so when everyone was standing and their backs were turned I snuck out the back door and made a hasty retreat.

I honestly went into the service with an open mind as I found the Uniting service relatively enjoyable, but wasn't prepared for the preaching I endured. Writing this three days after the event (damn you work!) some of the details have faded so it probably isn't totally clear, but I really did feel like it was an Us v Them mentality in the room and I quite clearly fell in the 'Them' category.

Still, one more off my list :-)

Not drinking does make you question your sober behaviour...

This week was full of tests for my alcohol-free test and I'm pleased to say I passed with flying colours.

There were three Christmas functions this week that I would normally partake in a glass of wine at: one, I didn't get to because of a flurry of last-minute work requirements, so I guess it doesn't really count. The second was a staff Christmas lunch with our board, and the third was the staff Christmas party itself.

I did't really feel weird not drinking like I thought I would. I think it's because I was the, or one of the, main organiser for both and was so busy running about taking pictures, making sure everyone had crackers (and subsequent festive paper hats) then finally sitting down to eat myself that the drinking got overlooked.

This was a good thing for the lunch event as it was the break of an all day meeting and I did have to go back into said meeting and take minutes which would've been a LOT harder if I had a couple glasses of bubbly under my belt. I know from experience as I have been known to go back to my desk after work drinks and try to answer those last few pesky emails before going home. All I can say is that god for spell-check!

It was bit harder at the Christmas party itself, mostly because I chose the wine for the tables and it was good wine, but once you're surrounded by 9 other colleagues chatting incessantly about all manner of things you're lucky to get your lunch eaten in a decent amount of time, let alone drink a glass of wine/beer/bubbly.

I still mixed and mingled with everyone and carried on afterwards at the Irish Pub up the road, but did it without the acquisition of beer-specks. Mind you, it wasn't until I was leaving that people realised I hadn't been drinking which either means they were drunker that I gave them credit for, or my behaviour really doesn't change much when I have been drinking: I'm not sure whether that's a good thing or not.

Still, I had a merrily good time celebrating the year that was with my colleagues, had a laugh, shared stories and thoroughly enjoyed myself without killing off a few brain cells.

A good result all 'round I think, though my Grandmother has indicated Baptist church services are the worst in her memory (she's 80) so I may need one by time I venture back from my experience of that tomorrow!

So yesterday, I went to Church....

During my foray into reading the Bible, I stumbled across a fabulous (and I mean 'fabulous' in an knowledgeable/interesting way, not 'fabulous' in a pretty sparkly way) website called Religion Facts which covers everything about every religion you can imagine and among the facts and figures I found something that intrigued me - a comparison chart between the different Christian religions.

Through previous study at High School I learnt how the different religions of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, etc all came about, and the differences between them, but I've never really understood how Catholicism differs from Anglican (apart from the fact that Henry IV founded the latter so he could start on his marriage spree), how that differs from Lutheran, how that differs from Presbyterian and how that differs from Methodist and so on and so forth.

I found the discussion on their ethical views most interesting, especially their views on sexuality. For sexuality in general, all Christian denominations believe that sexuality is god's gift to all people to express their love, find fulfillment and according to the Catholics "Everyone, man and woman should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity"

Funny how their views change though when they discuss homosexuality where majority agree that it should be considered a 'sinful failure' except for Anglicans who are sitting at 'undecided' (perhaps good ol' Hen-ery IV didn't just like women?? I'm just saying!). Anyway I decided that the best way to experience these differences is by living it

So I went to church.

As mentioned previously I'm christened Anglican and did go to church occasionally when I was young so I decided to start with something different: Uniting.

Donning my Sunday best I crept into the back of the church just after the service had started, feeling incredibly rude and guilty - not to the big G but to the others there - and promptly dismissing those feelings when people wandered in and out as they pleased through the entire thing.

The first thing I noticed is that technology helps as they had erected a screen out the front which projected the prayers, order of service and the words to the hymns so I didn't stand there feeling like a total idiot. I needn't have worried though as the first hymn was 'Joyful Joyful' which I knew a) from Sister Act 2, and b) donning a fake habit myself and dancing to it for a concert in year 7; and Joy to the World which is just a good ol' fashioned Christmas carol.

Sunday's service was all about peace, love and hope and was going well until some bit where people said 'praise be to God" and started walking around shaking everyone's hand and saying it to them: I hope the look on my face wasn't too horrified when the first woman approached me.

Then the minister stood up and announced he was resigning.

Apparently this had been decided three days earlier but none of the people gathered seemed to express outward shock and listened as the Church council explained the recruitment process for a new minister - which is why I found it so surprising that the prayers they then said included lines of "God gives us the strength to rise from the ashes of this heartbreak with Kevin's departure."

Heartbreak? The guy got a better paying job 20 minutes away and will still do his groceries in the supermarket next door so it isn't exactly a clean break. Still I was glad there was a touch of exaggeration in the service.

In all, I didn't find the service unbearable or overly boring and not too much different from what I remember from my Sunday school days.

Next Sunday: Baptist church