The bait still not so tempting

Nick has come to the end of his Acts series now - he preached it on St Helena, and now, nearly two years since leaving the island, has finished it again.  I think the second time through was way better!  Today he preached from Psalm 29, a stirring sermon on God's glory and giving Him His due.  I'd never heard that Psalm preached in that way - painting a sermon with a lightning storm widely splashed on the canvas!  Our God is great and powerful and glorious.   Met up with Andreas and Danielle at Caroline Bay for a picnic lunch, after donning winter coats and beanies.  It was so cold outside, really not the day for outdoor activities but enjoyable nonetheless especially with cups of hot Chai and marshmallows provided by Danielle. 

The afternoon service was our traditional pre-Christmas carols service interspersed with readings, followed by Nick's message on 'an antidote to worldliness' - very apt for this time of year.  To round off the social weekend and to celebrate with Graham, we headed over to the Gregorys for fish and chips and a kiwi delicacy of whitebait patties.  Let me tell you about whitebait - they are little teeny tiny fishies (actually a collective term for immature fish fry) which are sold at a hideously high price to all who consider them a treat.  You don't fillet or dehead them, being far too small for such nonsense - they just get slooshed into a batter if you're making patties and stirred in so their slimy little bodies get a good coating.  Into the pan goes a spoonful and out comes a pancake with now-white fishes dotted about, their pale translucent bodies having been transformed, and their lifeless black eyes still very evident.  I've been offered such things at school before by at least two staff members (indeed, half a fritter appeared outside our door one evening - it got as far as the kitchen bench and stayed there an entire day and a half while I carefully avoided it).  Graham, Liz and Bronwyn all thought it a good gag to eat a raw one (and gag they nearly did); I succumbed to a nibble of a patty but a crunchy bit totally threw me.  Oooph!  Fish stories aside, it was another fun evening with much silly laughter and loud singing in the kitchen over dish towels and wet plates.