On a Journey

Mountains and Valleys

2007-06-04T19:02:00.000-07:00

I love to walk, especially when you are with good company and the track consists of hills and valleys! Steve and I went on a leisurely walk from South Coogee to Clovelly on the weekend, there were just enough inclines and dips in our journey to give our hearts a little workout. Let me paint you a picture... the day was a fine winter's day, one in which families came out to the parks, the blokes cooking BBQs, the children riding their bikes or throwing a ball around whilst the family dog chases it in excitement. There were couples, hand in hand, strolling, some decide to take a detour to the cliff lookouts to observe the sailing boats in the distance on the shimmering water. If you looked closely, you might be able to locate a few brave swimmers and surfers in the waves, bopping with the water. It was an idealic day...

I then started to reflect on life as a journey, though not always idealic, the journey is sometimes made more challenging with the mountains and valleys, but it gives our spiritual lives a workout, our personal trainer is none other than the Greatest Trainer of all - He knows our strengths and weaknesses and spurs us on to building muscles and keeping spiritually fit. Sometimes it feels painful to tackle those inclines but when you get up to the top, you see the amazing scenery around you and then to come down those hills into the valleys where the shadows make it hard to see where you are going. Nevertheless, we can rest assured that the journey takes us somewhere - to becoming more like JESUS, His Son.

Let's thank Him our Father and Trainer for the circumstances He has in mind for us, whether they be mountains or valleys.

Dear Father, please help me to trust in you alwars, for you are Good. Amen

The Covenant

2007-05-21T20:28:00.000-07:00

What have I been learning about our great and awesome God lately? Well....where do I start? You see, I have been part of a group of people who is reading about the amazing relationship between Him with His people (in the book of Exodus). Amazing that I too, am now in a covenant relationship with Him (thousands of years later)!

He is

CREATOR and I am one of His creatures, made in His image, for a purpose - to give glory to Him (and to have dignity)

KING and I am His subject, one who is to obey and serve Him

SAVIOUR and I am the rescued, for which I owe my life to Him!

GRACIOUS and I am underserving... yet very thankful for the life I now have in Christ

FAITHFUL and I am often faithless, I can fully trust in the Faithful One

PATIENT when I often fail to obey, "please forgive me and give me a repentent heart"

COMPASSIONATE and ABOUNDING IN LOVE...

"May I live knowing that the people of this world are the objects of his compassion and love.... and to have the courage and passion to tell them about the Creator King, Gracious Saviour, Faithful covenant Keeper and Patient, Compassionate and Loving Lord and Missionary who longs for them to be in a relationship with HIM..."

The REAL thing!

2007-05-07T10:57:00.000-07:00

Wow! You mean to tell me that the stories in the Bible are actually REAL?!? The voice belonged to a little seven year old girl in my year 2 Scripture class. My immediate answer: "Yes". The amazement on her little face just said it all.... She was confronted by the reality of a REAl God who spoke to real people in history and is still speaking through His Word!

How awesome is our great God! He chose to reveal Himself through the spoken and now written words of the prophets in the Old Testament so long ago, but more so, He has revealed Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ! (Hebrews 1:1f)

Every year, millions of Australians celebrate Easter, yet only one girl in our year 2 class knew what the first Easter was really about: "Jesus died on the cross and he rose again from the dead.". Well.... you should have seen the looks on the other kids' faces! Bewildered!! How can anyone rise from the dead?!?

Jesus rose from the dead, and we can know this because he appeared to many people, and this is recorded for us to read in the Gospels.

We also know that after he had provided purification for sins, Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in Heaven (Hebrews 1:3). Imagine their faces now!

What an amazing world!

2007-03-27T13:51:00.000-07:00

Autumn is here! We have finally set the clock back to pre-daylight saving time, the sun is casting shadows differently in our garden. I can look out the window and see the trees sway and am reminded of Ecclesiastes 3

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

What does the worker gain from his toil?
I have seen the burden God has laid on men.
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

What a privilege!

2007-03-17T23:05:00.001-07:00

The more I read of my Maker and His only Son, the more I am in awe of His love for the people of this world. Scripture teaching at my local Infants school has taken me to the books written by some of Jesus' friends in the first Century (Luke and John mainly). In order to communicate the point of the story, I've had to do some hard work to think like a 7 year old and what the world might look like for them (it's been ages since I was there mind you...)

However, the books I'm reading about child development and the children themselves are teaching me lots about that! One child says "to have eternal life means to live till you're 100 years old." The Bible is full of words that we take for granted the meaning as adult Christian sometimes. So, it's doing me a lot of good just to think "yeah... what does it mean and how do I explain it in easy to understand language?" - "well, it's like this, when we trust in Jesus and believes what he says is true - God promises that we would become His friends forever and live as part of His family forever!" The response... "Oh..."

When you can see that a concept clicks in their minds...that's awesome! I makes me want to do my homework well for the next week.

Exciting news - we have a new addition to the extended family this month too! He's too cute, Ethan...

Camping - Awesome!

2007-02-13T21:45:00.000-08:00

Camping is awesome! Hubby and I set up tent at Norah Head holiday park last weekend. There's nothing like hearing the sound of waves crashing onto shore when you are sleeping in a tent! I grew up in a busy city where space was scarce, so, camping is a real novelty for me. More than that, we were spending a weekend at Steve's favourite destination.

We visited nearly all the beaches at Norah Head in our short stay - Soldier's beach (surf), The Rockpool (where I thought I would loose my life whilst snorkling dodging "submerged hazards" - but it was worth the thrill, the ocean has a chaotic but wonderful personality!) and another surf beach named after a Jenny .... (can't remember her surname now...), lots of waves and seaweed, but fun all the same.

We woke the next day to the sound of a brief shower and the chirp of some funny sounding birds (ahh, it was bliss!). I'm so thankful to Father for His amasing creation - I'm still on a high!

Work, rest and play

2007-01-11T00:29:00.000-08:00

I feel like life is balanced with work, rest and play. I'm very thankful for the many great things I have been blessed with in this journey...e.g. work with wonderful people - all by the name of Sue - funny that! People to see - from all walks of life; resting on the way, reading a good book or two and staring at my Siemese Flying Fox (not actually a fox, but an aquatic fish - his name is Monaro 'cos he's fast and furious - actually, he has a territorial instinct and an anger management problem, therefore, he is the sole occupant of my fishtank). I love it when hubby and I get to a spot where sand meets water (I got a pair of snorkling flippers for Christmas!) Who knows where that will take me?? Hopefully not too far out to sea...I'd like to continue on my journey till I reach my destination (I hope).

The start of a new year - Journey begins 2007!

2007-01-08T15:22:00.000-08:00

2007 - the beginning of a new journey! I've put on my walking shoes and is ready to embark on new adventures with my companion and super hubby (the man in the black mask). Where are we heading? Well, that is a suprise (perhaps even to us), but I know that I have great friends on this journey. If you are reading this, you are probably one of them! Let's say a "ready, set, go!" I'm looking forward to being challenged. This is better than going on Survivor!