The Story Of The Flood
This is an article that will be published in the Australian Christian Churches magazine Accent – I thought I would give you a sneak preview!
The reality of the situation didn’t hit me until a week later when I was explaining what, we as a church, had done during the recent Queensland floods. My listener, a nurse in an aged care facility, with ever-increasing shock on her face, then said, “Have you any idea what you have accomplished? You ran a nursing home from nothing. Who does that?”
It all started with a phone call. “Would the church be an evacuation centre for people in Ipswich affected by the floods?” It all sounded so noble, so worthy of a ‘tweet’. One hour later in pouring rain buses starting arriving full of elderly high care patients from three Aged Care Facilities who had been evacuated. They were disorientated, wet, scared and confused. One hundred and sixty five people and for the next five days and four nights they lived in our church facility.
To describe the next few days is beyond words. The old adage ‘you had to be there!’ applies. However imagine feeding, providing bedding, medical treatment, washing and cleaning these people for this period and starting from a position of no resources at all.
No food, no bedding, no supplies, no medication and most of all no experience. I knew we were in a little bit of hot water when the Red Cross representative who was supposed to be running the evacuation centre looked at the hordes of people arriving, then looked at me and said, “You’re in charge, congratulations!”
For the next few days we as a church had to source everything that related to the care of these beautiful people – many suffering from various ailments including dementia. Twenty four hour shifts of volunteers were set up, food sourced to feed not only the residents but also the volunteers, a medical centre and pharmacy established, bedding found, bathing and shower facilities erected, cold room brought in and volunteer rosters and meal planning created.
When I think of the volunteers from the church and the many that just turned up from the community and offered help I become emotional as I saw the church in action, as it should be – caring for the least of our society. Some of the volunteers including myself didn’t sleep for the first 32 hours as the enormity of the task ahead was realized and planning was urgently required. What had been achieved was the complete operation of a temporary aged care facility starting from scratch and reaching the point when many of the residents didn’t want to go home.
The Prime Minister Julia Gillard who visited the church in the midst of the floods said this in Parliament, ‘Pastor Mark Edwards, of Ipswich Region Community Church, opened his church as an evacuation centre and delayed the marriage of his daughter Gabrielle for a week, and tended the frail of three nursing homes in Ipswich.’
Yes – the postponement of my daughter’s wedding – well that is another story.
After the elderly residents moved out teams were sent from the church to clean homes and businesses in Ipswich. The church then commenced a food distribution centre, which is still operating today. Hundreds of food packages have been sent to needy families together with packages of electrical goods, kitchen and bathroom products.
The waters have receded but the work continues. Remember the city of Ipswich – 2500 houses fully inundated, over 7000 houses affected in some way and 600 business houses flooded. Our church was not the only church that helped and continues to do so. During this time the church through it’s people shone brightly.
And it all started with one phone call – an opportunity responded to and a need meet. All of us who were there will never be same again!
Letting Go
Last Monday was a day of contrasts for me – all day I knew the night ahead would be difficult. Eloise my youngest daughter was flying out of Australia to London by herself to start two months of adventure.
I know she is on a number of tours and will meet nice people but seeing her throughout the day getting ready, packing and arranging her travel documents made me realize that the day had come when I would have to let her go.
This is her dream. She took a gap year, worked and saved hard to make this trip possible. In fact for the past three months she worked for me as my Executive Assistant. Our relationship has always been close but working together just made me know that I would miss her that little bit more.
I had to smile at people’s advice to me – well meaning but usually from people who have never had to put their youngest daughter on a plane by herself. It didn’t really concern me when their rather cliché advice seemed to trivialize my emotion.
Yet deep down I knew this was Eloise’s dream. Others had said they would go with her overseas but in the end it was just her. She went alone. That night at the airport the father’s heart wanted to ask her all the necessary questions but I knew this would only cause her to know that I was indeed worried about her. I hugged her and for a moment didn’t want to let her go – told her I love her, knowing those words didn’t begin to convey the depth of my feelings for her.
As she walked towards the departure gate and out of sight I was missing her already. Yet at that moment I knew letting go, although hard, is what life is all about. The bird leaves the nest and flies. That’s what you raised her and trained her to do. Pursue her dream.
Eloise is brave beyond measure – this is her dream and she is pursuing it with all her might. Knowing that makes letting go a little easier I think.
Recently I read a poem ‘In Blackwater Woods’ by Mary Oliver which for me captures the difficulty and yet significance of letting go those we love
“To live in this world you must be able to do three things:
To love what is mortal;
To hold it against your bones knowing your own life depends on it;
And, when the times comes to let it go,
To let it go.”
My friend Nancy Beach who farewelled her daughter who was also going overseas said this about the occasion and I think I will adopt her words as my own – “God help me to risk loving deeply knowing that inevitably, times come when I have to let go of those I love the most…”
The Real Test Of Leadership
Recently I read a thought provoking passage from an Essay written by former British PM Tony Blair in which he said – “The real test of leadership – amongst all the tests of policy, judgement, politics and ability – is whether, in the final analysis, you put the country first; that ultimately you are prepared to put what you perceive to be the common good of the nation before your own political self. It is the supreme test. Very few leaders pass it.”
Now I know that he is referring to political leadership but the principle he is espousing applies to all leadership situations. And to be honest I agree with him, that it is my experience, that ‘very few leaders pass it’.
Leaders in any situation are called to make decisions that are for the common good of the organization that they represent. Those decisions are often swayed by a number of factors. One of which is always self. How will this decision affect me? It takes an exceptional leader to ruthlessly go beyond self and purely concentrate on one factor – what is good for the organization as a whole.
This type of leadership takes raw courage. Usually even with the best communication possible to attempt to explain the decision one cannot get the true reason for the decision to everyone affected.
Hence leader’s popularity sways. The leader becomes unpopular – loses friends and makes ones enemies even more bold and vocal. The ability for people to make their opposition visible by ‘leaving’ the organization only makes the leader’s decision far more difficult.
It is interesting that former USA President George W Bush is not doing what all former Presidents have done and writing his memoirs but is writing a book explaining the key and somewhat controversial decisions of his term office.
I have discovered that leadership is often making decisions that, if right, will eventually be proven to be correct but at the time the pain of that decision can be almost too much to bear. Ultimately not everyone is happy with the decision – again, because people are so subjective about how the decision affects them personally.
Leadership is weighing up what is the common good for the organization and then in the loneliness of leadership itself, making the decision knowing encouragement and brickbats will come your way.
Yet one thing provides comfort – it is when you as a leader rests your head on the pillow that night, it is with a clear conscious. The common good has been meet and you as a leader have had the courage to evoke it.
Who?
It caught my attention a little by surprise to be honest – I overheard someone ask ‘Who are your heroes?’ I was surprised by my reaction because as a history buff I can recite the heroes. Those leaders that changed the course of history and made a difference always come to my mind.
Yet instead of those people some other names came to mind. Perhaps I am influenced by my recent visit to China but here are my heroes – I won’t use their last names – Kyla, Alison, Karen, Anna, Justin, Lisa and Samantha. ‘Who?’ I hear you say if you don’t recognize those names?
Perhaps that’s the point – they are not known to the millions, not the latest conference speakers, not the material for books or magazine articles although they should be, not materially wealthy, not corporate flyers, they don’t speak and influence huge crowds – well you know what I mean?
They are a group of people who have given their lives to leave their country of birth, their homes, their families, their comforts, their opportunities for wealth and privilege in order to make the lives of disabled orphans enhanced. Day after day – year after year – that is what they do. No self seeking publicity, no self promotion, no power tantrums and each of them would be embarrassed at the slightest mention of the tag hero.
Are heroes those among us who dedicate their lives to the enrichment of another’s life without the expectation of reward or recognition? Usually unrecognizable faces in the crowd who you would pass without even noticing? There is a vast army of them out there – far more than the self indulgent celebrity army.
So to Kyla, Alison, Karen, Anna, Justin, Lisa and Samantha and the many other heroes that live quietly in the shadows enjoying their hidden status let me say thank you. You inspire me, you humble me and you motivate me greatly. Your unassuming modestly and humility is a virtue worth aspiring to.
Your selflessness draws me from the limelight into the shadows.
Your capacity to serve others propels me to my knees with a towel and bowl of water in hand.
Your reluctance for self promotion drives me to hiddenness.
You are indeed my heroes! Thank you!
Climb To The Top (Part 3)
At home later that day – I was hurting really badly. Not just from the cuts but muscles that had not been used in that manner before were starting to complain. Not to mention parts of me that I fell on were now nicely bruising and as a result hurting a tad.
Yet as I looked from my home I could see the peak of Mount Flinders and I knew that I had been at the top that day.
Stories of others who turned back had been told to me but I had made it.
However I knew there was only one reason and one reason alone I had made it. Two mates had been there for me. We were a team. The team had made it. They believed in me, supported me, encouraged me and cared enough to slow down their assent and descent so we could all make the climb up and back.
Had I been alone I would have turned back.
Had I been with strangers they may have left me.
But not Daniel and Kim – the two strong supported the weak.
Life must be done this way. When due to the falls in life sometimes it is good to have great friends to encourage you but also a good team that carried you when you can’t make it alone for a season.
A team that is prepared to go back for you, slow down for you, understand your situation, feel your pain, know your heart and be committed to you anyway even if it means a sacrifice for them.
A team of friends
A team of family
I reached the top of Mount Flinders that day but I learnt a lot about myself, two great friends and a little about life’s journey as well.
Yep – when I look at the peak I remember a good day!
Climb To The Top (Part 2)
The climb to Flinders Peak was not going well – thanks to me. Both the guys were now beside me but I was obviously dazed and a bit frightened by what had happened to be honest.
Then I heard it – Daniel said something to me that for some reason gave me such strength. ‘Mate, if we have to go back down – that’s fine – everything is OK – now let’s have a look at you.’ Daniel is very experienced in the area of fire and rescue so I felt safe. Yet it was the fact that both of these great guys were willing to go back down after only 15 minutes of climbing. That made the difference – I felt somehow safe and very secure with them. I knew they cared for me – would help me no matter what! I knew that before the accident but somehow at that moment a bond formed between us that I can’t explain but I knew that if I was OK I was going to continue to the top.
Daniel patched me up – the boys got me to my feet and at that moment I knew I wanted to go on.
With one of them in front of me and the other behind me we started out again. My confidence gone but each time I wavered they were there.
Encouraging me – helping me – supporting me – we made our way upward. There were parts that were scary – a couple of cliff faces where the drop was sheer to the bottom of the mountain it seemed but again the boys guided me.
Then I saw it – the top of the Mount Flinders!
We were there – parts of my body were just not working and some other parts just plain hurt far too much but we were there – the view magnificent.
Yet more importantly we did it together – the three of us – at the pace of the slowest namely me.
Refreshments taken, we started down – finally the car park at the bottom of the climb came into view we had made it. I didn’t tell the boys how much my leg was hurting but as Daniel started to clean it up and I yelled in pain I think they got the picture.
Tomorrow lessons learnt from Mount Flinders!
Climb To The Top (Part 1)
My good mate Daniel had an idea – ‘Mate, I’m climbing Mt Flinders tomorrow – want to come?’ Flinders Peak is 800 meters high and perhaps I should have read what one climbing website said of it – ‘Class 5 track (Australian Standards)?No signs or markers are provided, except where necessary to minimize environmental damage. ?Trails may range from clearly visible footpads to indistinct, overgrown routes depending on usage levels. ?Muddy section, steep grades and numerous hazards such as fallen trees and rock falls highly likely to be encountered. ?Caution required — no safety fences, bridges or other structures provided. ?Highly developed navigational skills and relevant topographic maps essential. ?High fitness level and extensive off-track walking experience and ankle-supporting footwear essential.’
Oops – now you tell me!
However I said ‘Yes – sure I’m in!’
Now at this point I realize that my brain that answered, thought it was 20 years of age – it should have been my 51 year old body that answered. It would have had more common sense.
So the next day I set off with Daniel and Kim – two friends and brilliant blokes.
It is about a two-hour climb up and then the same distance back down.
At about the 15 minute mark my body showed that it’s cat like reflexes were long gone and were now a figment of my imagination. My foot slipped – I reached out for some support but alas too late! I lost my footing on the rocky slope and I fell and cart wheeled once back down the hill onto sharp rocks.
As the boys raced to pick me the right way up and to check if I was OK my first thoughts turned to a helicopter rescue scenario and a front page newspaper story with my picture on it.
I was winded, couldn’t feel my leg, sick in the stomach due to the shock of the fall and blood over my legs due to the cuts from the rocks.
‘Houston, we have a problem!’
Expect part 2 of the story tomorrow!
The Lesson of the Torn Tendon
For those of you that laughed and cried tears of sympathy when you read about the great witches hat debacle during my race debut I thought I would give you an update on the most watched injury in history.
After x-rays, MRI scans and various Specialist and Physiotherapy appointments the diagnosis is in. I have torn the main tendon in my ankle and bruised a couple of the bones down there just for good measure. It seems that running for 9.5 kilometres after the initial impact perhaps didn’t help things. Hindsight is a wonderful gift for doctors to have on your behalf.
Since the injury I haven’t run at all – both Specialist and Physiotherapist said to me that the injury is indeed very rare and unique AND they still can’t understand how I managed to injure myself so badly. They are calling my injury the ‘Witches Hat Syndrome’ – albeit when they stopped laughing out loud.
My sense of frustration has been high to say the least – not helped by, again, both Specialist and Physiotherapist indicating to me that this injury takes time to heal ‘for a person of my age’. Oh please – let’s just rub it in! You know that it is a long time when every staff member of the Physiotherapist practice knows you by name and asks how the injury is.
At my last visit to my physio – something happened which changed my attitude completely. There had been a suggestion that surgery may be needed and to be honest that may still happen but my physio said something to me that really changed things. I have known my physio for longer than 20 years and really trust him and I think he saw a tad of frustration rising in me.
He said that his aim is to get me 100% well not 90% well because if I run again at 90% – the injury will return and that’s what often happens because most people are just too impatient.
I suspect that most of us think 90% is OK in anything!
At that moment I thought – how many times do I attempt things in life when I am only 90% well? Then when things go wrong I blame everyone else or circumstances when really it was my fault for attempting something at 90% capacity?
Perhaps in the future I should be patient and let the final 10 % heal so I can operate at a full 100%. So no running for me yet – the final 10% is taking some time BUT it will be worth it when I can run at 100%.
The U-Turn Experience
It was a suggestion, that upon thinking about it, I remain convinced was physically impossible and slightly dangerous to my health. Well, that’s the tail end of the story – what happened that caused someone to make such a suggestion to a nice bloke like me?
My family believe that I am extremely navigationally challenged whilst driving – something I strenuously deny and I don’t think this flaw on my part caused the incident. I was executing a U-Turn and apparently the lady in the car behind me didn’t think I should have been doing so. So down came her car window and a torrent of abuse was hurled my way. Her delay, even if I was doing the wrong thing, was no more than 20 seconds. Yet her reaction was unbelievable.
This morning on the radio two politicians on opposite sides of the political fence hurled personal abuse at each other until I changed stations sickened by what I was hearing.
Now believe me I am no gilded lily – yet is it me or is there an increase in people treating each other badly? What used to be a shrug of the shoulders for somebody attempting a U-Turn even in the wrong place is now reason for a torrent of abuse. Can a debate between politicians be held without resorting to personal attacks?
Jim Wallis from Sojourners is so concerned at the level of abuse between political leaders that he proposed a charter for civility. Have we really got to this?
Without leadership from the majority of those in political office on this issue – let a revolution of niceness rise up from the grass roots – that’s you and me.
Instead of abuse be civil, replace insults with politeness, substitute reaction with courtesy, exchange rudeness with encouragement or just turn the other cheek.
I have always discovered that more is accomplished through kindness than abuse and rudeness. So let’s all give niceness a go – who knows it may catch on!
2010
New Beginnings
New Hope
New Prayers
New Songs
New Birth
New Dreams
New Creativity
New Ideas
New Growth
New Faith
New Me
Yes – God is ever faithful!
GUest Blogger Romey Ritter – Tiny Cabbages
I’m standing in my kitchen over a big bag of tiny little cabbage like vegetables. Bright green, really firm, they can’t be all that bad. I’ll blanch them for a minute them roast them in the oven with some olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic. I’ll even crumble some gorgonzola cheese over them. But they were that bad. They were worse than I remembered.
When I was growing up, at least once a week and for years, my mum would make us eat overcooked, watery-mushy, brussel sprouts. I remember like it was yesterday, gagging on these little pale greenish white things. The bright green color all but cooked out. I would try and drown them in spoonfuls of tomato sauce just to choke them down.
Now as an adult, and a parent, I am an avid vegetable eater, continually looking for ways to get them into our meals. My kids do really well with many of them too. But not the day I tried to resurrect the brussel sprout. It had literally been twenty years since I had had one.
I ate about five of them trying to have the most convincing look of encouragement on my face as one by one my three kids and even my husband took a bite, then wasted no time in removing the little green things promptly from their mouths. I kept eating a couple more as if to say they’re really good, even trying to convince myself of their obvious health benefits.
I probably ate about ten, as I do have a daily vegetable quota to maintain. Needless to say, I tossed the left over’s. And to be honest they were not as bad as the ones I had growing up. As the cooking method really is a big key to your liking or really disliking something. But let’s just say it will probably be another twenty years before I purchase another bag of brussel sprouts.
Vegetables are a vital key to your health. Sadly for many people, I’m not talking about chips or fries. We probably can’t really classify those as vegetables after that method of food preparation.
What I am talking about is every other vegetable. A healthy diet consists of variety and vegetables provide us with just that. They come in every shape, color, size and texture. You can eat many of them raw, and in fact you should, or cooked; and they are incredibly versatile. One of my favorites right now is braised celery. That’s right cooked celery; it’s packed with flavor and loaded with nutrients. My all time favorite is avocado.
Generally the brighter colored vegetables contain a more vitamins and nutrients and it’s always good to mix up the colors, varying your eating patterns. Try something new, experiment. Even if you end up tossing some of them, you will find that there are a great many more vegetables that you will fall in love with. You will actually enjoy eating them.
For someone who typically doesn’t eat a lot of vegetables first try adding a salad to your daily meals. Then gradually build up to eating more vegetables with both lunch and dinner, where ever and whenever possible. Ideally, a person should be eating about eight or nine servings of vegetables and fruit a day, but more vegetables than fruit. One half cup is considered one serve.
A real key to loving your vegetables is using some things like fresh garlic, lemon juice, cracked pepper, a little sea salt, or try experimenting with fresh herbs. These are very good for your health also.
In many of our family meals, I am quite deliberate about making vegetables the star of the meal. And my family is reaping the health benefits. I really encourage you to try something new, start to experiment, it’s OK to fail, just keep trying with new vegetables and preparation methods. It’s a good habit. You will thank me for it!
AND now it is Christmas!
As 2009 draws to a close and Christmas Day is only one sleep away please accept my sincere thoughts for you and your family this Christmas.
It is possible that Christmas Eve will be busy as last minute shopping is done – last chores around the house perhaps or as in my case clearing my desk at work to ensure all is up to date before I go away on leave!
Tonight, attending church – wrapping of presents – watching ‘Carols’ on TV – last minute preparations for the ‘big day’ – all these things make Christmas special.
Enjoy Christmas – it is special!
Take time to reflect on the people that you love – tell them how much you love and appreciate them – spend time with them – spoil them and let yourself be spoilt.
AND take the time to think and reflect on the ‘reason for the season’ – it is not just a holiday it is a time to thank God for His mercy and grace. The gift of his child to us – for us – with us!
As we eat plenty remember those have little or nothing
As we sing remember those who have no voice to raise against their circumstances
As we enjoy peaceful surroundings remember those who know not peace
As we enjoy family remember those who have no one
As we unwrap gifts remember the disadvantaged
Enjoy Christmas!
So have a wonderful Christmas – thank you for reading my musings throughout this year – more in 2010 but in the meantime I will take a break over January – then refreshed and rested there will be more insights thoughts and writings for this blog next year.
Thank you for your love, encouragement, support and blessings this year.
Guest Blogger – Romey Ritter (The Dilemma of a New Year’s Resolution)
Romey Ritter is a great friend of mine who lives with her husband Clayton and three children in Virginia Beach USA. She attends Wave Church under the leadership of my good friend Steve Kelly and has a passionate interest in living a healthy lifestyle. Romey will be a regular contributor to my blog. Watch out for her posts on healthy living and some other subjects close to her heart!
December is a great month of family and friends, endless parties and get-together’s and an endless supply of food. It’s the Christmas Holidays and there is a ‘don’t go there’ zone when it comes to eating healthy. People accept and even expect that there will be an overabundance of feel good, calorie laden, bad for you food.
It feels good because it conjures so many great memories from our childhood and our memories are powerfully associated with the desire for certain foods and familiar smells. Memories that we should have, and we all need, but they lead us to readily accept that we will be eating a lot of unhealthy food, filling our bellies till we are sickly full.
Then as January 1st rolls around we feel the need to make big life changing resolutions. We are not alone; tens of millions of people around the world do the same thing. More often at the top of the resolution list is health. Eat better, start to exercise, lose weight, join a gym, join Weight Watchers, do something about the noticeably growing girth. But in February we find that most of our good intentions fall by the way side. Why? It’s our bad habits.
We live much of our life through habitual routine as if on autopilot. It is our habits that get us through the day. Habits are just something we started doing on a regular basis and never stopped. We no longer give much thought to them; we just go on living our life doing them. We acquired some deliberately, some by accident, others we inherited from our families, being raised with a certain culture, a certain way of doing things, a certain way of thinking, even a certain way of eating at holiday time.
A bad habit is hard to break. New Year’s resolutions usually involve breaking long standing bad habits. That is why last year’s resolution that failed, ends up on this year’s list…and quite possibly next year’s as well.
However there is good news. A new habit is easy to form, so long as you pay close attention to it. Thankfully, it is much easier than trying to break an old one.
Whatever you pay close attention to you can achieve or change. A bad habit can be broken when replaced by a good habit when you are paying close attention. Just don’t revert back to the old routine. Keep your brain focused on the new habit for at least ten days.
This New Year, why don’t you try one new habit? Drink more water. It sounds so simple yet there are enormous health benefits to be had. Many of us are dehydrated, without ever knowing it. When thirsty we reach for overly sugared and highly caffeinated beverages that further dehydrate us.
A good rule of thumb is to drink one litre of water for every 25 kilograms of body weight. For example a person weighing 75 kilograms should drink 3 litres of water, everyday. It seems like a lot, but your body will thank you for it.
Add this new habit in January, and you will quickly be looking for another new habit to start in February, as one good new habit will quickly lead to many more.
Have a great 2010…..and pay close attention!
Romey
Conversations
It is amazing some of the childhood memories that you recall – often in strange places and at surprising times.
My daughter Hannah and I were eating at a busy café recently for lunch – packed out with people from all walks of life. Tables close together and not a spare table in sight really! As we sat and started to eat a wave of conversations and scenes hit me.
Beside us were two ladies – friends – lunching together and one was going through the pain of a separation and divorce, her voice and her emotions getting louder and louder but she didn’t seem to mind who heard what she was saying about her husband of 15 years and the father of her 4 children. A group of four businessmen – plotting a business deal for a meeting after lunch. Two young people in love – holding hands and exchanging whispers to each other not caring who saw their affections. A mother and daughter talking about ‘the kids’. Two tourists pouring over a map excitedly talking about the next ‘thing’ they wanted to see after lunch. A couple of girlfriends laughing together and saying they must catch up more often. A family with kids – then the mandatory spilt drink – how I remember those days – I laughed at the number of drinks spilt by the Edwards children over the years.
I loved the scene before me – watching and listening to all these sights. Then I remembered – where did this memory come from – I don’t think I have ever thought about this ever before.
At my home where I lived as a child – 1 Kallara Avenue – a stone throw from the hospital where my Dad worked in those days – just above the kitchen table was a picture of sorts. It read ‘Christ is the unseen listener at all our conversations’. My Mum would have placed it there perhaps as a reminder about the tone of our mealtime conversations. That was in an era where meals were eaten around a table not a TV.
At that moment in that café I became the silent listener to many conversations and I realized that God does hear the conversations we have – the conversations about our pain, the business deals, the whispers of love and affection, the kid stories, the adventures of our days and everything else we speak about. The good things, the things we shouldn’t say about others, the bad things and indeed the downright ugly things.
In that moment I gained a glimpse into the caring compassionate heart of God, who cares and loves me enough to listen. Yes listen and suddenly in that café I thought – I’m glad He listens! Perhaps that’s what why my Mum put the picture there – it reminded her that of that very thought – God does listen!
China Experience
China is always noisy – people everywhere – cars, bikes, trucks – everywhere noise. Yet there is something about it that I really love. I am attracted to it and for those who know me I shouldn’t be.
The opening of the new International China Concern Community Outreach Project building was no exception when it came to noise. A crowded room full of people – mobile phones going off and being answered during the opening itself – children playing and talking and as children do their volume ever increasing to counter everyone else’s noise.
Yet I was about to witness a wonderful moment. This project was being run by Sam Hills – an incredible young woman who is the ultimate quiet achiever. This new centre was to provide support and training for parents with children with disabilities. By doing this it is hoped that parents will not abandon their disabled child. For China it is an absolute first.
There was a strict protocol of speakers at the opening – Government officials and ICC representatives and of course Sam. She was brilliant as she spoke and told of the heart of the project and you could see from the parent’s reaction that she had gained their trust and their heart.
Then the moment arrived. A mother spoke – no notes but right from the heart. She explained that she had two disabled daughters – I now know she is also a single mum. The woman started to say that when she first heard of what Sam was doing she was sceptical – she trusted no one. You could see the love that this mum had for her daughters – you could also see the pain. Yet because of her great need she started to come to Sam for help. Then she something I will never forget. These are my words but in essence she said that at first there was no trust but after seeing the heart of Sam Hills and what she doing for the parents and the children – she started to trust and now there is more than trust “Sam Hills is my friend”.
I had witnessed a powerful moment – love in action. Practical love towards two disabled girls had melted the heart of a sceptical protective and loving mother.
Even as I type this blog I am emotional – love breaking down barriers. Is it no wonder that St Francis of Assisi was once alleged to have said, ‘When you preach try to say nothing!’ Sam Hills is doing an outstanding job in challenging circumstances – I admire her, honour her and thank her for again reminding me of the power of love.
The Race (Pt. 2)
What was it about the race that made it so enjoyable despite all the hard work?
I have thought about it so much since then and now realize that the reason is a little embarrassing if I am honest. For the majority of my life I have been involved in areas where any perceived success is dependent upon other people or it is difficult to see the fruit of one’s labours. I am not complaining about this as in fact this is a wonderful way to live and work because it means you become team orientated and others centred in your approach.
Yet sometimes it is challenging for that very reason because you are dependent upon other people. The things that you want to see achieved just don’t happen as they should or perhaps they happen not as quickly as you think they should and that is not the easiest thing to deal with if you are my type of personality.
However this race was different. I know that what I am about to say will sound selfish rather than selfless and therefore I am hesitating to even say it. The fact was that every bit of effort and training that I put into the race had a direct effect upon my success in that race. The more I trained the better result I was going to get. If I didn’t train then the lack of results would be caused by me and me alone.
Effort equalled results.
This was for me tremendously satisfying.
In thinking this through a little more I have decided that if you are in a situation like me where your life is really centred on others being empowered to achieve what is essentially in your heart then you need a means whereby you do something that is totally dependent upon the effort you put into it.
I suspect some people call this a ‘hobby’ – whatever you call it methinks it is absolutely necessary. That’s why I intend to run again – so where’s the next race?
The Winnie the Pooh Towel
It’s the place you look at from afar – wanting to go there but not ever really being game. It is a blokes place. It is a place that individuals like me entertain thoughts that one day we might venture into its sacred domain. It is that place in the gym usually in the corner where blokes lift huge weights, talk about ‘what they are on!’, look at themselves in the vast array of mirrors to see if their muscles have grown in the past five seconds, grunt as they lift weights that weight more than me – this is the place where the boys have biceps bigger than my thighs.
I have often wanted to go there but alas I am just not there yet! Until one day my fitness trainer took me into this forbidden area to lift some ‘free weights’ – my, how I am learning the lingo of the gym. ‘I’ve never been here’, I said – ‘Don’t worry no one is here, you are safe!’ she said – her smiling face gave away the fact that she was having a go at me.
I did my routine then left but I wanted to return. The next day I did. Full of confidence I approached the ‘area’ – there were about five guys there strutting their stuff and lifting weights the size of small cars. I was not intimidated. I walked past them – they watched me go to the smallest weights on the rack and struggle to even lift them off. Still not fearful of their sideways glances I put the weights down – found a bench and laid out my towel.
Did I hear a snigger – who cares what they think? I might have a small weight but I’m in the ‘area’! More laughter – I could have sworn that they were looking at me. Was my technique wrong? Anyway who cares – I completed my first set of ‘reps’ turned to face the bench with my towel on it. Then I saw it – I was in shock – I knew what they were laughing at! It wasn’t my small weights. It wasn’t my technique.
It was my ‘Winnie the Pooh’ towel on the bench. Never in the history of that ‘place’ had anyone dared to bring into its depths a towel like this. It just wasn’t the thing to do!
Well I thought – ‘Get used to it!’ – because now that I have made the transition to the big boys area I am coming back. Well maybe without the ‘Winnie the Pooh’ towel.
Its amazing how the opinion of others affects us much more than we dare to think. If only our confidence was not based on what people think but by what One thinks I suspect we would go to places we have always just dreamed about!
I’m on holidays for a while so not sure if I will blog over that period – we’ll see what happens and what takes my fancy!
Who’s The Coach!
My exercise regime continues – up till now I have been training by myself and not really having a clue how to achieve those goals that I had secretly hidden in my heart but hoping desperately to achieve.
So I took the plunge and engaged a personal trainer – Sarah is fantastic – very patient and encouraging – someone who will not tolerate my rot!
We sat down and she analysed what I had been doing by myself over the past few weeks. The look of shock was obvious – ‘You do all this! What about a rest day?’ I thought ‘Rest Day! Novel concept but unnecessary because I have certain goals I want to achieve.’ How unlike me to be like a bull at a gate?
Sarah reviewed my schedule then personally went through the exercise and training regime with me. Helping me, demonstrating to me, coaching me and encouraging me through the process – each exercise was for a specific purpose which fitted into my goals.
It was more specific, more concentrated and it would take less time due to the specific nature of the routine and it incorporated a rest day.
As I walked away from this session I thought about how good this was for me. I felt so empowered – so able – so capable and competent. I had a coach who cared about me. Everyone needs a coach – someone to guide them in doing life so we don’t go the wrong way, exert more effort than we should, waste precious time and energy or make too many mistakes.
I realize you perhaps know what I am going to say next but for me one of the best coaches in my life is my daily devotions and journaling. I find reading my bible in a systematic way and then journaling is indeed like having a personal trainer. It guides me, assists me, encourages me, corrects me and teaches me. Even yesterday devotions provided me with some wonderful counsel in an area of my life that I needed guidance upon.
Who coaches you? Don’t do life alone! What a recipe for disaster that could be?
For more information on Devotions http://www.ircc.org.au/joomla//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=155&Itemid=287
Theology of Discomfort
It was easy when I expounded a vision that involved a ministry to those who were abused and traumatised. It sounded compassionate, caring and perhaps even slightly daring. Then something happened! The vision has started to become a reality.
The church commenced a ‘drop in’ centre as a prologue to a residential facility.
People started to come to church as a result – people who had found love and compassion at the ‘drop in’ centre.
Yet they are different than me – different from anyone in the church. They are not like ‘us’. They are the marginalized, outsiders who made me uncomfortable. They smell differently, they do things in the services that ‘we’ don’t do, they walk around in the services, they talk and answer my rhetorical questions during my message and they interrupt me at inconvenient moments.
‘Love your neighbour’ is fine when the neighbour is like ‘us’.
Suddenly my theology is taking a battering. I love the church because the church is filled with people like me. Everything was comfortable, the services attracted people like me, the programs attracted people like me and people liked the church because it suited their needs but God is turning my world upside down.
I am uncomfortable – it is easy to love people just like me. Yet was this the type of love that Jesus expounded?
Embracing the Father’s love means venturing into places we don’t like going, doing things we don’t want to do, being with people we are uncomfortable with, loving them, serving them, embracing them with a ‘not of this world’ kind of love that actually costs us something of ourselves.
It means doing these things in the church not delegating them to the missions department – out of sight out of mind!
When the world sees a church that embraces a love of people who are not like us and treats them as neighbours they will sense that the love the church expounds is genuine. They will see the miraculous beauty of true love and I suspect that people know genuine love when they see it.
It is exceptionally beautiful when a group of people walk out true love to their neighbours through being with people who they find difficult to understand or uncomfortable to be with.
Especially beautiful to God!
Guest Blogger – Liz Dell continues
To Know Oneself (Part 2)
Well, I was pretty amazed that a poem came out of me on my first blog. I haven’t written a poem for 20 years, since my turbulent teens, except for one I wrote for a university assignment about 5 years ago. I find it exceedingly interesting that this emerged last night and I am wondering what will express itself tonight.
Continuing from last nights topic of who I am; I think we all feel, deep down a desire to be known. Not known in a famous sense but to be truly known by someone. To have our soul acknowledged by another. To be understood. To be accepted for all the complexities we are. And to be loved anyway. Of course this requires us to know ourselves, to be more self aware. And this takes time, reflection and a certain attitude.
About 2 months ago, we did an exercise at work where other members of our team had to write comments about us on a sheet of paper. Our team leader then laminated the sheet & it is stuck up on my office wall. The words written about me are qualities like: confident, determined, disciplined, natural, intelligent, genuine, passionate, challenging and leadership. They only wrote the good stuff.
I am passionate. Which at times I think is really, ‘emotional’ – reframed. Passion is an interesting quality… it drives me, frustrates me, consumes me, energizes me. I thank God for it, but at times I’d like to give it the flick… it is relentless. And as great as it is, it has a ‘flip’ side. The flip side is harder for me to manage… impatience…. frustration at indifference … and sometime exhaustion . I see that more mature leaders have learned to harness & pace their passion. I hope I can learn that too.
Guest Blogger Liz Dell
Liz heads up all the community developments programs for Ipswich Region Community Church – a Psychologist AND she writes
Keeping it real
Today was my first day as a Specialised Minister of Australian Christian Churches. Well not really my first day, I’ve been doing the job for almost 2 years, but I got my certificate today. It’s not really a certificate. It’s a card. You know like a video card, a student card, a driver’s licence type thing. But I don’t feel like I am a real Minister of Religion, just because I have a card.
I spent a bit of time today thinking about how we define ourselves. I find the answer to who I am, difficult unless considering which relationship I am measuring it by…. Or what role I am playing…. Mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend or over the years…student, airwoman, receptionist, personal assistant, counsellor, psychologist, and now…. pastor. None of these are really me. Parts of me are in all of them, but the real me is more like ….water or freedom or passion.
Like many, I seek to be who I really am designed to be & integrated in the many aspects of my personality. That’s why I wrote this blog. To see who I am here, in this space… to see which aspects of myself are reflected in this experience.
I want to keep it real…. the highs…. the lows…. the challenges … the triumphs
of being me:
Like water
I am
Sometimes calm & soothing
At times building strength, power and crashing
Like waves in the ocean
Part of something bigger, vast
Sometimes refreshing
Life giving
Nurturing
Sometimes cold
And hard, like ice
Sometimes melting
Or shed through tears
Collected by God
Like water
I am
Rain, rain and much more rain!
For a sunburnt country – the last couple of days of rain have been unbelievable. For the past forty eight hours it has not stopped raining in the SE corner of Queensland. Last night it all came to a head – flash flooding in areas that have not been flooded since the famous 1974 floods.
For me the experience was personal – late in the afternoon the one lane bridge and only access to my home went under AND I mean way under. The bridge disappeared under a torrent of flood water. So I and three members of my family could not get home.
So the hunt for a bed for the night started – wet and cold we were all taken in by friends – no fresh clothes – toothbrushes and some basic essentials purchased on the way were all we had.
This morning I finally made it home – surveying the damage on the way was something to behold. Cars that had attempted to cross flooded roads and causeways were left by their owners after fruitless attempts at crossing obviously turned into a disaster. How no lives were lost when you see where some of the cars ended up is a miracle.
Then I thought there is something in all of us that just wants to get home when disaster strikes. I had that same feeling – should I attempt to get home or is it safer to ‘bunk’ out the night with friends?
Family is a powerful magnet – created to be in a community of love and care our first tendency is to get home, call home or contact home. We feel safe, we feel loved, we belong, we are secure, we cope better, we gain reassurance for our fears and we have that listening ear that we unload to.
Yet at the same time my thoughts turned to those who do not have, for whatever reason, that community of love. Sadly for many the return home that I received is not the norm but far from it. I realized how much I took for granted my family – how special and privileged I am and how little I appreciated the lonely of our world.
Last night was more than a night away from home due to floods – for me it was a wakeup call. Hopefully you will read this and think as I did how special you are to have a community of love and care around you and perhaps tell them how much you love and appreciate them. Some just don’t have that privilege!
Anyway – good to be home!
Do-It-Yourself-Heroes
Nancy Gibbs writing in this week’s edition of Time Magazine says that ‘in tough times, the virtues that inspire us are old fashioned, unglamorous and hiding in plain sight.’
She mentions three recent heroes that were everyday people who stood up when circumstances dictated and achieved hero status. First there was Captain Chesley (Sully) Sullenberger who landed his plane on a river then walked the plane ensuring no passengers were left behind. Captain Richard Phillips the oil tanker Captain who offered himself as a trade to Somali pirates in the place of his crew. Finally Susan Boyle – the unemployed woman who cared for her mother until her mother’s death but sang on Britain’s Got Talent until all who heard her teared up.
Gibbs suggests that there normality made them special. Normal people who display old fashioned values such as competence, sacrifice, persistence and patience and now have their names written in the annals of folk law.
I then realized that my heroes are not celebrities or stars or front page people or even publicity seeking individuals – they are ordinary people who took the time, displayed the patience, gave the encouragement, persisted during my tough times, were loyal and faithful when I was not, stuck by me in good and bad times and rejoiced with me during the mountain highs. They are not known to the masses, unrecognizable in a crowd and avoid hero status like they would the flu.
Yet I know them – I honour them – I admire them – I am proud of them – I call my friends.
Thank you Nancy Gibbs for allowing me the time to reflect on who my heroes really are – I have enjoyed just thinking about them, seeing their faces in my mind and remembering their influence and impact upon me.
Who are your heroes?
The Practicalities of Devotions
HOW DO I DO DEVOTIONS?
My friend Wayne Cordeiro taught me this method. It is called the S.O.A.P. method.
It involves journaling so get yourself a journal AND a bible reading plan which systematically allows you to read through the bible. Download from http://www.ircc.org.au/joomla/Resources/Daily%20Devotions.pdf if you want to.
Then after reading the verses write up your journal as follows
S – Scripture
I write out the scripture that I will be journaling. When I refer to the scripture, I don’t mean just writing out the reference such as John 3:16; I actually write the scripture out in full. At the most it should be only one or two verses, but as I write it out it gets into my memory because I want to retain and think about it for the remainder of the day.
O – Observation
What do I observe about the passage of scripture on which I am journaling?
A – Application
Perhaps this is the most important part of the journal entry, as it is where I record how I will apply the scripture that I have read and written about.
P – Prayer
At the end of my entry I record my prayer, how this passage of scripture can be applied to my life, and I ask for God’s help to enable this to happen. I want to live the day differently because of what I read. To go even further, I want to live my life differently because of what I read each and every day.
So what do you think? Well worth starting devotions? I think so – please join with me as each day we listen to God speaking to us through devotions.
