Marysville Again

Marysville the daunting pretty place was a colourful beauty as I remember it in 1996, it used to be a place for retreats, Christian retreats. On this occasion it was a women’s camp. Walking down the hill round the pretty little shops was a treat and then round to the falls. It was treed, green and cool. Vicki D’Orazio, now Simpson had given me a word from God about there being a bird in my tree. I took it to mean a child. I had had two miscarriages and at 40 plus I had now given up.

Marysville, the driving range where we met teens Doug helped years later.
What brought us there that time. Not sure. What a place. Marysville was just like its name, sweet as Mary but part of the name meant bitter waters. All the Mary’s I knew including my grandmother and mother and sister were sweet.

Well there was the word from God through Vicki about the bird in the tree. Spring would come. I drove off happy round the black spur back home. The word came to pass in 2003 when I had a little boy, I was 46 years old. Hey God doesn't lie.

So Marysville will be rebuilt. It will return with a new heart after the bushfire took the old heart away.

POUR YOUR HEART OUT

Good News Bible: Ps 61:8 ‘Trust in the Lord at all times… TELL HIM ALL YOUR TROUBLES, for he is our refuge.
Men are all like a puff of breath: great and small alike are worthless.… Don’t put your trust in violence; don’t hope to gain anything by robbery; even if your riches increase, don’t depend on them.
More than once I have heard God say that power belongs to him and that his love is constant. You yourself, O Lord, reward everyone according to his deeds.’

A bit about the author. The majority of Psalms were written by David. He was a simple shepherd, a young son of Jesse. When Samuel went to anoint one of Jessie’s sons they were all lined up. He bypassed them all and said ‘Have you got any more sons?’ Only young David out in the fields with the sheep. Samuel went on to anoint David. This anointing carried David through from harp playing to the troubled King (Saul) to defeating Goliath and the Philistines with a stone from a sling, to fleeing from Saul’s jealousy and eventually becoming King by God’s sovereign will and his own popularity. David’s weaknesses are well recorded through his own songs, the psalms and through the books of Kings in the Bible. He was not allowed to build God’s Temple because God said he was a man of war. His son Solomon built it. David teaches me lots of things but mainly to pour out my heart. Let God know what you think, need and so on. David was known as a man after God’s own heart. His relationship with God as a shepherd and his TLC for his sheep led him to kill a bear and a lion with his nifty sling. What can you do with His help? Let God know whatever.

Look out for Each Other

Christmas Eve. This morning I heard Paul Kelly singing his heart out about missing Christmas with his family. What was so gut wrenching was it was like a letter to his family with names and details, like sorry etc, don’t talk about me. Christmas is a raw time of mixed emotions. I worry about estranged partners and single parents who are ripped about by the event. Reminds me of Paul (crowded House) found in St Kilda. Christians have to be mindful to pray for the lonely and lost when the world celebrates it can be like rubbing salt into the wound. We mourn with those who mourn, laugh with those who laugh.

Quality Person?

I’ve been thinking on a theme again. This time the theme is about quality people. Many years ago I heard this statement, ‘They’re quality people’ from a pulpit. Hearing this really angered me. And I couldn’t help thinking it also annoyed our guest speaker Bill Wilson from New York. He works with the children/refugees etc in the high rise round Queens etc. Bill Wilson was abandoned by his mother as a child. I was also abandoned by my mother however she did come back (she was found two months later as a waitress on the other side of town)

Who is a quality person? The man from Gadarene? This was a demon possessed man who was held in spiritual/physical captivity not by his own will and Jesus freed him. Yes he was delivered from thousands of demons that called themselves ‘legion’ who went into a batch of pigs.

I met an important little person I’ll call Joseph this year. He doesn’t fit into the classroom well, he talks to himself and has ostracized himself a bit though has one friend and when they get together they become a bit of a nuisance. He doesn’t listen and rolls on the floor. Teachers would be exasperated by Joseph. But God has his address. I was driving down a street one day and there he was. This happened a few times. As his religion teacher I have a soft spot for him. We can all relate to some dysfunction. I don’t know what goes on at Joseph’s but he has a brother and sister possibly step some eight years older. As I drive past his place on my way home I see an old grandma. I pray for Joseph. God is concerned. I am concerned. He is a quality person by God’s standards. ‘God has chosen the weak things of this world to confound the wise.’ He goes to the park by himself. He’s only eight. God knows these things. He sends people.

Rave On

In my last blog I gave you a chunk of prophecy from 1974. Quite frankly I became a Christian after reading The Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsay.

These topics become a bit of a yawn after 30 years but did certainly interest me as a teenager. the prophecy below is by David Wilkerson.

For those who don't know who he is, he was the one who made a decision to stop watching television. It was this decision that changed his and a lot of other lives. Nicky Cruz was saved through his ministry after Wilkerson saw the three street gang faces on front page newspaper and David Wilkerson wrote the Cross and the Switchblade about this experience. He also opened Teen Challenge world wide.

OUr very own Gary Ablett and AFL star from Melbourne was able to attend one of these centres in Australia and get help for drug probs.
pS. for those who want to get their hands on 'The Vision' by D Wilkerson it's out of print but you could try Amazon or older Christians.

1973 Prophecy

Extract “The Vision” by David Wilkerson
(Author of “The Cross and The Switchblade”)
Economic Confusion
A Crash Is Coming—1

There is worldwide economic confusion just ahead. In my vision this is the clearest thing I have seen. Many praying people now share this very same vision.

Not only is the American dollar headed for deep trouble, but so are all other world currencies. I see total economic confusion striking Europe first and then affecting Japan, the United-States, Canada, and all other nations shortly thereafter.

It is not really a depression I see coming – but a recession of such magnitude that it will affect the lifestyle of nearly every wage earner in America and around the/world. Countries that now control huge amounts of Western currency are going to be in very deep trouble also. Arab countries will especially be hurt.

Without a doubt, there are lean years ahead full monetary confusion and despair. How soon is not clear, but it is not far away. The world’s greatest economists will be at a loss to explain the confusion and an international crisis of fear will develop. A false economic boom will precede the recession – but it will be short-lived.

A Few Good Years to Prepare — 2...

How To Save $

Pay bills when they’re due. Have direct deposits put in your mortgage, change some habits. Don’t eat out. Get rid of your extra TV channels. Sell unwanted items round the house. Garage sale. Get some financial intelligence from experts.

In these times of economic downturn which has affected most nations, we need to review all the ways we are spending or consuming, when we are spending too much.

Look at insurances get cheapest deal, ask Bank for lower interest rate, pay off credit cards, review phone deals, especially mobiles. Change. Change. Change. I have an opportunity to renew a business name. I think I choose not to. It’s only a state thing. When I should have changed my super fund I procrastinated which meant yes I lost thousands but one man I spoke to lost 400,000. As a Christian it’s no big deal to him because we don’t put our trust in riches. If we did we’d ‘pierce ourselves with many sorrows.’ As a believer in giving i don't mind giving to local community needs. It surely doesn't hurt to give to country fire brigades and hospitals etc.

One thing leads to Another...

Ever found yourself in a funny spot when you find there's another purpose to it.
I was surprised to find out that an overdose of vitamin B6 can cause a tingling and burning sensation. This happened to me lately and not knowing with chest pain also I went to hospital. They transferred me to a bed late in the day which was next to someone of the same surname. Funnily enough she and I are both remotely interested in our family tree. Yes she was related. As we have a fairly rare surname it was easy to find a link in auntie Joyce. She was just on holidays and so we as a family got to meet this other family who were staying less than 5 minutes away. It was great to meet my husband's relie. Basically his grandfather and auntie Joyce's grandfather were brothers. He, Ted, now 77 was sweet and kind. You could even see the resemblance. We were supposed to be called Beale but one immigrant from England decided for some reason to keep his mother's surname. So all the drama of the tingling and burning was worth it. (She had a migraine). We exchanged details. As an older Mum it's nice to know my son will be able to have some biological family he can contact if need be. You see we will be 80 when he is only 32.

He Knows How to Make You Happy

God knows every hair on your head. He knows how to make you happy. He knows how to blow you away. My four year old has just learnt to whistle backwards. He has wanted to whistle for a long time and now I hear little happy whistles all day long and he says 'I'm so happy I can whistle' The same thing happened to me when I was about 5 I was in a strange place with cousins on a farm in northern victoria. I learnt to whistle that was enough to fix me. Can you think of examples in your life where you were blown away. 'He can do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think.' Recently my family had a 1900 bill yes $ waived. Admittedly the charges were almost totally unfounded and the trade exchange was experiencing a lot of grief from customers but wow I was thankful.

White as Snow

When my father was about to leave this world I was there talking to him and I got this word that his sins though they were scarlet were as white as snow. This is a Scripture I delivered to him as his hours waned away. I witnessed him looking as directly north as anyone could possibly, just before his eyes closed forever.

The first time and last time I ever saw falling snow was in Haarlem, Holland. I was 21 and met my grandmother for the first time. I looked out of her cosy window. It was a sight to behold ...falling snow. The small fir in her yard was decorated the car tops and across the road the deep forest was crisp green and glittered. I took a photo with an camera I'd purchased for an aunt. It was beautiful. Many years later I was to write a poem about snow: the hidden treasures of the snow. God asked Job about this: Have you considered the hidden treasures of the snow?

Science tells us that each snow flake is unique in design, independent, a work of art from the heavens.

Perfect

Vanessa Amorosi has a hit out 'Perfect' Is there such a thing? Eden was perfect. Adam and Eve were perfectly happy in the garden. They had relationship with God and everything they needed and wanted at their fingertips. They were given the task of looking after creation the garden and the animals. What went wrong? They wanted to taste the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil and what God said would happen if they did, did happen. And they would surely die. Banished from the glorious garden, to labour over the land with thorns and weeds. Life was now going to be hard and bodies were going to wear out. But God made a way of reconciliation so we could live forever and have relationship with him again. He sent Jesus to take away our sin and whoever believed in Him would live in Him. He is the exact representation of the Father, it says in the Scriptures. 'If you've seen me you've seen the Father.' Life is perfect when we are in His hand no matter what comes our way.

So what can you do

This is my 78th post. So I like posting. So ... what is your purpose in life? If it's not about me/you, we are eternal beings and life is temporal, what do we do to glorify God? We use our gifts and uniqueness, funny how this blesses us too. I marvel at my sister's ability to clean a house like a whirlwind. I marvel at another sister's gift of mercy and genuine care. I marvel at many characteristics in others and this makes me glorify God. So what can you do? Not sure, give blood, donate organs once gone, but I think using your gifts is one of the keys. That's your purpose while you're finding your purpose if you know what I mean.

Did you pass the test?

The other day I failed the test.

'When will I ever learn to live in God, when will I ever learn" (Van Morrison)

One thing particularly makes me angry. It was a group of three push bike riders in front of my car doing about 10 Km per hour. Yes I gave them a serve. I didn't want to knock one off. Straight after the event I was so convicted. What a hypocrite, what a disgrace. I had trouble forgiving myself after that, and it really took a quick prayer with a witness to get it out of my system. I had to justify myself and say, Do you think I could've saved a life? I certainly gave them a surprise. Anyway life is full of these unexpected situations. If you look upon it as a test, you might just pass. Good luck next time your buttons are pushed.

Amazing Girl

I look at the girl at church with six children. She looks young,well, about 30, thin - great and then studies part time. I wonder how on earth does she 'refill.'
In Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Life we learn it's not about me/you. Our purpose in God is usually something other than ourselves.

The amazing girl has her source is in giving you know.. Give and it shall be given to you … not just in one currency.

This applies to picking a flower from a bush. The bush reproduces more and more flowers. Life keeps these amazing people going and returns to them in full.

Farewell Leone

Farewell to Leone. A lioness, a sunflower in a dull world. She produced loads of children’s books and is in the Who’s Who of Children’s Books in Australia and many published overseas. She got me some practical placement in TAFE television. She wrote a VCE book where I helped with the manuscript. She encouraged me with writing and drawing. She took time out to meet me over the years for a coffee and catch up. She opened her own publishing company. She lost her only son when he was 26 (a blood clot in the lung). She and I shared deep things in common. I hope I see her in heaven. Till then farewell.

In the World Where you Live

Exact Places Where You Live

You think you choose where you live right? Wrong. In the book of Acts in the New Testament and we think the writer is Paul, Acts 17: 26 says ‘...God has chosen the exact places where we live’… and the reason is there also.

I was stunned by this fact. I call it a fact cos I know that the Bible is the Word of God, God breathed and written by writers inspired by God (Hebrews: 'Sharper than any two edged sword' etc. )and knowing this as a Christian I feel a certain responsibility to my neighbours. We are also called to love our neighbours as ourselves. Now this can be a trial at times. Friends recently had to take their neighbour to law as they’re lives were being threatened. mm food for thought. Christians carry their cross of sacrifice in many ways hopefully your cross to bear isn’t your neighbour.

Nothing Can Separate Us

My faith which I acquired on a single day in 1977 can never be taken away from me cos here’s just a few things God has done for me…
Healed me from a sty on my eye 1978
Helped me give up smoking age 31
Set me free from a bad relationship Promise 1983 Jer 15:15. Came to pass 1993.
Healed me from a growth in my throat which nearly choked me the day before (1983).
Gave me courage to drive age 36
Gave me first/last child age 46
Restored me in nearly all areas where I had been robbed

Trucks out of Tugun

Tugun Bypass was completed last Tuesday this means our little town of 5000 won't have to watch trails of trucks pass down the highway. This is great news for Tugun which used to be a sleepy little place according to my neighbour who's lived here most of her life. Woohoo. One of our future fights concerns powerlines overhead from Tugun to Mudgeeraba to service the desalination.

Desalination co$ts the Earth

I saw this sign on a car a while back and I agreed with it. Though I don’t know a lot about the Desal I know Dubai has 30 plus plants, Malta has been living on it for years. It’s a sad thing we have to resort to measures such as Desalination plants to supply us. Firstly it depletes the sea of marine and plant life by taking from it and leaving the salt there. The Dead Sea is an example of a salty sea so salty they warn not to put your eyes in it or else. Secondly the Desalination maintenance would take 40 million a year. This would be translated into costly rates for locals. I have also heard that the filtering systems are not perfect and any salt traces ruin washing machines etc.

The mansize pipes running down local street to feed Brisbane one hour away are to run down lots of residential streets. Imagine the red tape and time it would take to complete when the residents get wind of it. I want the next generation to have water. It’s not a selfish thing on my part. Just read ‘The Lorax’ by Dr Seuss to see the long-term results of something like Desalination. Bottled water being sold is a sad reminder of the earth’s condition of which we are stewards.

Spooky

Ever looked at Google earth? Typed in a city and feature and watched the earth spin round and home in your specified area. It really spooks me for some reason. I feel like I’m playing God and how could I have such access. It really makes me feel big. I can walk down memory lane and find all my old abodes.

The Rich Ruler

There was a rich ruler who approached Jesus about how he would inherit eternal life. (Luke 18: 18)He called Jesus good master and Jesus knew him and unfortunately he said No one is good only God. Jesus went onto ask him about if he'd kept the commandments and the man was proud to say he had. Then Jesus said, basically, ... sell what you have and give it to the poor. The man was probably shocked and went away sad. He now knew his problem was he loved money. He wasn't about to give it up. And while Jesus wasn't advocating selling everything we own as a flat statement he was advocating the commandment to love God with all your heart soul and mind (above all else). This true story in the Bible has challenged me recently. I think of Myanmar and know I must take up the small challenge to donate something to that devastated nation. I hope the rich young ruler had a good long think about his eternal destiny as more was required of him. He may have changed his heart.

Holidays and Honour

Had the best holiday imaginable.

4 days at Nanas, a day at my Step mums, 4 days at Rye, 3 nights my sisters, 4 nights in Southbank, Melbourne and 3 more nights at my sisters. Caught up with family and friends and the weather was great - Autumn. Got to the zoo, the Aquarium and Scienceworks and Luna Park. Sam has a great time with his cousins. Hard coming home to routine and catching the same flu virus once again.

Learning the value of Honour. To honour brings reward. Respect for the kingdom from God down to fellow man. Christ died for the ungodly. He always showed honour to all.

I honour the Anzacs and the soldiers who died for us and still do.

Ownership

I wanted that pink hibiscus. It was attached to a healthy bush in someone’s front yard. Flowers are to be picked I said to myself. God wanted me to have that hibiscus. But out of respect for the ownership I didn’t pick it. They planted it. It was there to be admired by all. When I was 18 I lived with Brenda in Carlton. One day she came home with a bunch of gorgeous local flowers including jasmine. She had taken a pair of scissors around the block with her. (Well she was a character caught awol and thrown out of the army.) But back to ownership. God owns the ‘cattle on a thousand hills.’ Why is it we have to claim our plot, stick our flag on the moon etc. It’s funny the way we have to stake our claim. There’s nothing wrong with ownership. God was to show Abraham the promised land and I am a descendant by default or really by Plan A. I can enter the promised land which is the true kingdom, the land flowing with milk and honey. They were to kick out the enemies and stake their claim (Joshua and Caleb). Jesus is going to prepare a place for us. In his kingdom are many mansions. But back to the land of the living. We all hope to own our own home and leave some legacy for those we love. Jesus said ‘Occupy until I come’ That is bring the kingdom to wherever we are.

Magic Versus Prayer

There’s not a lot of difference between magic and prayer. Both may achieve supernatural results so here’s a run down as I see it.

Magic /Prayer
Want something Done /Want something Done
Self will /God’s will
Summon power of self or evil /Summon the power of God
Inferior power of Magicians in DanielMoses time /Daniel &Moses outdid the magicians
Simon the Sorcerer in the New Testament / Magician in Exposed with a heart problem by the Apostles



God detests magic. I think I know why. Not because He is left out of the equation but more that we are left to our own silly devices (like Merlin). Word was out that it displeased God for many generations and finally the truth has been abandoned. The resurgence now through New Age and Harry Potter has forgotten this truth. If Christians were to rise to the occasion and enter into faith smashing miracles, magic would soon take a back seat and hopefully it’s not far off. For Christians we walk in the light but those who haven’t crossed over stumble around in the dark searching.

Bombers

I'm not a bomber but married one and his grandfather actually played for them. So when my son was a babe he was given the Essendon jumpers, hats, scarves etc. Well he is four and made it on the Bombers website this week. Doug and Sam went to see them train at Broadbeach while I visited my Melbourne friend Olga. It poured with rain intensely up at Mermaid/Broadbeach but the faithful team turned up for a bit of training and signatures. Doug was shocked to see his son on the Bomber website and promptly sent the photo out to his family, friends and bomber mates.

Are you encountering ‘The S-t-r-e-t-c-h’

Heard something that ‘resonates in my spirit’ the other day. It was that if you are stretched the divide between the end of yourself and the stretch is the God space. The space where he will deliver. You can’t rely or trust yourself. We are dependent on Him. I am undertaking something which requires certain demands I am not used to. Yes it’s scary but I know I must not shrink back because this is something which suits me and I am capable of. It reminds me of when I learned to drive. I was completely dependent on God. Men probably couldn’t understand this. I was 26 when I got my licence but 36 when I began to drive out of necessity. How ridiculous. I never wore P plates. I inherited my fatherinlaw’s car after he passed away. What was stopping me, the unknown. I was thrown in the deep end once again. I had a night job at World vision which meant I had to drive there. To say I was worried is an understatement. I would ask God every step of the way. That’s one way I learnt to hear his voice. Should I change lanes now etc. etc. I thank God for the stretch and now interstate I drive a little. This new task requires lengthy driving around and is just one of aspect of the stretch but I welcome the stretch cos I know it’s right.

Want to be Whole?

Ever had a great sense of well being almost like you were whole. And it wasn’t B Complex. That’s what it will be like in heaven. I felt like this the other day. I could only say to myself Somebody’s prayed for me today and I don’t know who it is but glory to God, I always need it.

One of our church members was widowed many years ago and it was like God asked her what she wanted and she said to be whole. When single parents were asked to put up their hands she put hers up one day and the minister made the comment to Anne Marie later, I never saw you as a single parent. God answers your prayers people. Wouldn’t it be great if for some reason God asked you what you wanted. What would you ask for? Does your dream require something because the Bible says believers have all things that pertain to life and godliness. Not sure what I’d ask for but that feeling of wholeness which comes over me every now and again by prayer is amazing.

Saw the Clinton Grybas funeral on Fox

Rex Hunt said some powerful words to the effect that…. if we take anything for granted we’d be fools. One of his best colleagues is gone. He said he accidentally rang Clinton’s mother one day and was able to honour her son and say he was responsible for restoring Rex’s career. Cinton brought life back into the radio station. He was brilliant and gentle etc.

Rex said one day Clinton rang him at 11pm just to ask, ‘How are you traveling?’ Clinton’s girlfriend of 4 years gave a brave rave about their relationship. It was great that she had the strength to do that. His brother looked on with parents also holding emotion.
As I said in a previous blog I was so affected by his death because of the nature of it – a sleepwalking mishap. It brings home the reality of a short mortality. Here is one Scripture which comes to mind, ‘The righteous die and no one lays it to heart. The righteous die to be saved from a further evil.’ Isaiah 57:1.

What’s to Come?

Funny start to the new year with 3 weeks of rain – the last week was non stop. It was beautiful and I was getting used to it except washing became a problem.

Then I heard about Clinton Grybus and I was stunned. I think I was so affected by his death because it was so unexpected, a sleep walk and stepping off into eternity. He was a sports commentator on Fox and 3AW and only 32 years. But a high achiever and well liked. I used to think where did he come from? Such a meteoric rise in football fame. And then it jelled with his conscientiousness. So sad.

I am reading Ecclesiastes and loving it. Solomon wrote it. The wisdom of Solomon is reknown. He was the son of David and Bathsheba but that didn’t stop the grace of God in wanting him to be anointed King when David was on his death bed. He was asked by God what he wanted. And because Solomon asked for wisdom to rule his people God said you can have everything else too.

It's Your Call

Jan 1 2008 says it’s a new year. Now you have a second chance.

‘To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven’ Ecclesiastes. A time to review and set goals or let yourself off the hook and cruise into this year with a stress free attitude.

It’s usually an emotive time because you are facing a blank page. The old is gone. You can write on this what you will – it’s up to you. It’s your second chance.

About ten years ago Doug and I stood on the threshold of our new life together. It was the 1st of the 1st we happen to be at the Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road when we met another surfer who was spiritually hungry. Doug had befriended him in the water and he followed Doug up out of the surf smiling. I could see his keenness to have what we had then and as we stood there on that bright sunny day in Victoria he was brought to an encounter by his own will with one prayer to a new life in Christ. We met with God on the precipice.

His surname was Bridgewater and that was where he was headed funnily enough.

Each year is our opportunity to turn over a new leaf. So this year I see a list in the Courier Mail of resolutions people make – it’s always the same:
Be Debt free
Enjoy life more
Spend more time with family and friends
De Stress
Exercise
Lose weight
Have a Holiday
… we’re all the same aren’t we? We all seek the kingdom of heaven in effect without knowing it because the above aspirations lie in kingdom living.

So Cheers Happy New Year