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We Don't
Rent Pigs
Friday, July 29, 2005
  Pictures in Time
Time has a funny way of affecting the way you view places and people. When you want time to pass quickly it seems to come to a grinding halt. For example, waiting at the Department of Motor Vehicles, the I-95 grind, or waiting to clear international customs. However, when you wish time would move in slow motion, to absorb memories and moments, it seems that quick moving sand is racing through the hourglass. The more days we spend building relationships with the people in Portland and with the fellowship at Portland Baptist Church the more time reveals we have one less day to spend with them.

I guess that is why we treasure cameras. They allow us to capture the essence of the moment through pictures. It is our way of holding on to time. (Especially when our photographic memory is a few rolls short on development.) In my heart I am feeling like a kid again with my old 110 camera. Think back before the time of disposable and digital cameras and 1 gig memory cards. Remember the days of 110 film and the cubed flash bulbs good for only four pictures? Remember the “click” of the shutter followed by the “winding clatter” of the film advancement wheel? In those days I carefully picked my photo opportunities. Wasting shots was not an option because I only had one 12-exposure film roll and a couple of flash bulbs. I am that kid again – right now. I have hundreds of photo opportunities, but my schedule confirms I have only 3 days of shooting left on my Portland camera.

Anyway…here are some ministry and event snapshots of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in Portland. (Warning: Pictures may be out of chronological order!)


Christy attending the preschool playgroup held at Portland Baptist with mums (yes, they say mums) from the church and community. CLICK! Michael attending the twice-weekly prayer group with an incredible group of Portland prayer warriors. CLICK! Lunch with the senior adults of Portland Baptist at the home of Lorna Moyle. CLICK!
Attending the evening small groups at the homes of Jim and Judy Blake (Tuesday), Ian and Margot Bail (Wednesday) and Warwick and Kris Harland (Thursday). CLICK! Venturing down the Nelson River in a small, inflatable duck boat with Neville Hann. CLICK! Christy attending a young mums morning group (home-based) where outside speakers help mums in different areas. This month the topic was finances. The speakers consisted of a financial counselor from the Portland Shire (we call them counties) and a consumer affairs representative. CLICK! We visited Kay and Shirley Aldridge. These two sisters help care for injured koalas, kangaroos, and wallabies. Yes we got to hold and cuddle with them – the animals that is! CLICK! Early morning trip to downtown Portland to experience a beautiful sunrise. CLICK! Lunch with Steph and Jon Lambert. We had the pleasure of meeting them when they were at Grace Baptist last year during the July 4th weekend. CLICK! Riding to Bridgewater Bay to experience some of the most beautiful beachside I have ever seen. CLICK!

The next few days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) will be filled with dinner with the Portland Baptist deacons, speaking at a community men’s group breakfast, teaching Banquet Table to small group leaders, Sunday Celebration service and more. Please continue to lift us up in prayers. It is cold and flu season here in Portland. Sniffles and coughs abound. Keep reading for Christy’s first Blog!


Until next time…..Blessings,


Aussie Word of the Day: Chuck a sickie – to take a day off sick from work when you are perfectly healthy.




Dear Diary…….oops!

Wrong entry! What I meant to say was, “G’Day friends and family”.

I wanted to assure you that I am alive and well in Aussie Land and savoring every minute of our visit. The locals assure us that we are here at the worst possible time of the year. They say that Spring and Summer are magical here…..glorious flower gardens and warm breezes in the bright sunshine. Well, winter has been magical for us. There is something very special about sitting around a table with friends, sharing a “cuppa” while the woodstove keeps us warm and toasty. The hospitality here has been wonderful.

As Michael mentioned earlier, it is winter here and the weather is a bit unpredictable. The sun is shining one minute and the clouds roll in the next. The skies open up for a few seconds and then the sun pops back out. Sometimes the sun doesn’t even have time to hide. That’s how it was yesterday while visiting friends in Heywood. Because of this, we were able to experience the most beautiful rainbow! It was so big I couldn’t get it all in the photograph. I was so thankful we were carrying our camera with us. We were prepared! As we drove back to Portland, I considered these same implications in our daily walk with Christ. The weather changes quickly! Am I always prepared to take advantage of the opportunities God gives me? Because, just like the rainbow was a precious gift from God, so are the people I come into contact with every day. Am I prepared to see and treasure the beauty of God’s creation? Do I seize every moment I have with them? Because that’s all it is….a moment. Who knows what is coming next. Just as the rainbow quickly vanished, so does our opportunity to share the love of Christ. Sometimes we only have one shot. Don’t forget your camera!

In His Love and Joy,
Christy




Christy and Michael at Bridgewater Bay

Sunrise at Portland

Portland Baptist Church


GlenElg River Gang
(Michael, John, Len (not really that tall)
Christy, Judith, Nev)


Penny and Michael

Next Post In Series: Kuranda Rainforest
 
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
  No Matter How Far You Travel...
You Are Never Too Far Fom Home.

It is true about the winters in Portland, Australia. They are cold, windy, the rain comes often, but it is still incredibly beautiful. Friday was spent trying to adjust to jetlag. They suggest you keep active and wear yourself out to induce a hearty night sleep. To throw our bodies into a state of exhaustion we decided to walk Percy Street (the main street of Portland) and become acquainted with the town. Like any new adventure, we were stopping in shops to examine the variety of items found in the local retail stores. And to our surprise, we found a mug that we only thought we could find back home (see picture below). And where did we find it? Simpson’s Bargain Basement Gifts. Yes it was called Simpson’s. It just goes to show that you are never too far from home.

Saturday we had lunch with Roy and Margaret Hope, Jack Phillips (Margaret’s 92 year old father that made cricket bats for over 40 years), and Sister Mary from St Mark’s Benedictine Abbey in Camperdown, Victoria. Afterwards we went with Roy to learn about his ministry in Portland, The Flying Angel Club (see picture below). This evangelical outreach club ministers to the international seafarers that arrive at the shipping harbors. Located in a building overlooking the docks, The Flying Angel Club (see Revelation 14:6 for name reference) provides crews with a place to relax, exchange currency, make international phone calls, and hear the Gospel. What a wonderful outreach opportunity for these men that are often at sea for a year at a time. Please pray for Roy and the others at The Missions to Seafarers because they are about to embark on a fairly ambitious project. Currently their building is outside of the harbor security area. Starting next year the harbor will be under tighter control and the crews will not be allowed to leave the harbor. Thus they are attempting to move the mission directly inside the harbor! What a blessing this would be. Have a local ministry that reaches out to internationals…never too far from home.

Roy was also kind enough to introduce us to the Australian Rules Football through local “Footie” clubs Heywood and South Gambier. What an incredible game. It is fast paced, crowd involved and a lot of fun. Then Roy explained the rules to us. We loved it even more! Pictured below you will see a picture with me and the umpire – what a thrill. This part of the country is fixated upon sports…never too far from home.

Later that evening we had a meet and greet tea at Portland Baptist. This warm and welcoming fellowship was very kind and hospitable to this funny-talking, right-side driving, bloke and shelia from across the Big Pond.

We had a great time worshipping with Portland Baptist on Sunday morning. Singing songs like “Heart of Worship” and praying for Grace Baptist made us feel connected to our family back home. In the evening Christy and I were the featured guests at their youth service. Specifically we were “on the couch.” During their service they have guests come and sit “on the couch” and are asked questions dealing with one particular topic. The topic for this night focused on the will of God in the lives of people. Great topic and we loved the conversation with the church. Yes, students in Portland wonder how God will show them His will for their life. You guessed it – never too far from home.

Kangaroos – they do exist. By the amazing travel-guiding skills of Mr. Len Caddick through Halls Gap, Victoria, we were able to get up close and personal with these beloved animals on Monday afternoon. The Australian bush country is truly amazing. It is kind of like the Shenandoah Valley (only replace your bears with kangaroos, your pines trees with eucalyptus, and your cardinals with kookaburras (pictured with Christy) and magpies. Beautiful flowers, rivers, and animals are peppered throughout this enchanting landscape.
…Never too far from home.

Until next time…Blessings,


Aussie Word of the Day: No Worries – Your Welcome or Its O.K.


Next Post In Series: Pictures In Time
 
Saturday, July 23, 2005
  Great Ocean Road Pictures
Here are some pictures from the truly Great Ocean Road.








Next Post In Series: No Matter How Far You Travel
 
  Getting to Portland is Half the Fun
We have made it to the Land of Oz! The 15 hour flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne was wonderful! The flight was at night so we could not see the vast expanse of water we flew over (PRAISE). (Factoid: The flight is the second longest direct flight in the world. The first being New York to Singapore.)

A highlight on the plane was meeting a bloke named Malcolm and the rest of his family. Malcolm is heading home to Australia to spend some time with his family before they prepare to be SBC missionaries in Europe. Please pray for Malcolm as he professes Christ to his family (who do not believe – yet).

Our first day was spent in Melbourne (John Simpson’s old stomping grounds). We stayed overnight with John’s son Andy’s wife’s mum, Barbara. We gathered together for tea (dinner for those from the north/supper for those from the south) to celebrate the birthdays of John’s son, Luke, and his grandson, Charlie. It was truly a Norman Rockwell moment (family picture above).

On Thursday, we traveled to Portland via the Great Ocean Road. I had read accounts of this strip of pavement and the views supported by the landscapes on both sides of the road. The travel books brag and brag about this road. My expectations were high. There is no way this road could measure up to the hype. In my heart I was bracing to be disappointed. I thought I might be a victim of a tourist blind date gone extremely wrong. The type of date where the books say that the Great Ocean Road is “real pretty.” But in reality they should have written, “This road has a great personality.”

I was wrong. I fell deeply in love with her beauty. The views were breathtaking. In fact, for a long stretch of road, the only word leaving the lips of Christy was, “Wow!” I have never been to the Grand Canyon, but people say the experience is equal. You will find some pictures above of what we saw. I want to say that the pictures do not do justice to the real thing.

It is amazing how 186 miles of road viewed through windows of a KIA Carnival minivan can awaken your senses to the beauty and creation of God. It is not that I don’t recognize the beauty of God in Woodbridge. I do. But sometimes God’s creation can loose its awe when the views are tucked away behind man made malls and monuments.

Everything seemed richer, brighter, fuller, deeper, wider, and clearer yesterday. Yes, it is true, getting there was half the fun.

Good on you…..Blessings.


Aussie Word of the Day: Womp Womp : invented name for any small unimportant town – “He lives in Womp Womp”

Next Post In Series: Great Ocean Road Pictures
 
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
  At The Bottom of the Basket

Right now we are sitting in Gate 120 at LAX airport awaiting the boarding of our 11:40 pm flight to Melbourne (along with a group of 70+ students on a ski/snowboard tour). Today was a day filled with emotions. First, saying goodbye to Camden and Bailey (HI KIDS) for three weeks. We have never been away so long. Next, just getting over the anxiety of flying (thanks for the prayers). Over all the trip has been great. Only one hiccup; lost (and then found) baggage. Thankfully it was found or else I would have had to wear shorts for three weeks!

On the reflective side:

* It has been a true pleasure to sit in an International Airport and see people express their uniqueness. I have been captivated by the many different beautiful languages being spoken.

* We have meet: a mission group going to Kenya, a misson group going to Tijuana, Mexico, a 16 year old girl from Tenn. that just returned from a mission trip in Mexico. How incredible it is to see students get dirty for the Gospel of Jesus.

Sometimes the greatest surprises come in the most unexpected ways. While finishing the "hot breakfast" served by Alaska Airlines I found this little card (pictured above) at the bottom of the basket. What a way to finish a meal!

Off to the land of OZ...Blessings.

Aussie Word of the Day:

Shark Biscuit - Someone new to surfing.

PS. We will access to our email. Click HERE to send a note.

Next Post In Series: Getting to Portland is Half the Fun
 
Sunday, July 17, 2005
  Prayer Down Under
Many of you have asked, "How can we pray for you?" We are thankful that our family and friends would lift us up before the throne of God in prayer. Below you will find some specific prayer request and specific ministry times you can pray for us.


Specific Prayer Request:

· We want to reflect the love of Christ and be open vessels to be used by God.
· To form relationships quickly with those in Portland.
· We make quick adjustments to the culture and ministry opportunities in a new place.
· Health; specifically no migraine headaches for Christy
· Traveling Safety for Michael and Christy (with planes, trains, and automobiles)
· Camden and Bailey while spending 3 weeks with Grandparents.
· Energy for Grandparents.
· We have never been apart from our children for this length of time. Pray that the Holy Spirit provides peace and we don’t succumb to worry or fear.
· We are also taking a week of vacation from August 1– August 8th. Pray for us that we may have a great time of rest and refreshment.

Specific Ministry Times to Pray (Portland is 14 hours ahead of EST. For example: Noon EST is 2am in Sydney. So you could even pray a day ahead of the dates below.)


· Saturday, July 23 - Meet with people of Portland Baptist Church.
· Sunday, July 24 - Preach two morning services and speak to the youth of Portland during the evening.
· Monday, July 25 - Meet with Praise Team ministry.
· Tuesday, July 26 - Morning devotional with prayer meeting. Evening leadership meeting with Deacons of Portland Baptist. Christy meeting with Children’s leadership of Portland Baptist.
· Thursday, July 28- Speak at Minister’s Association meeting in Portland.
· Friday, July 29 - Devotional time at morning prayer.
· Saturday, July 30 – Speak at Combined Men’s Ministry event in Portland
· Sunday, July 31- Preach at morning outreach service at the Portland Cinema House. Christy leads Children’s Church in the morning service. Evening service with combined congregations from Portland.
· Teaching Banquet Table throughout the week.

Blessings!

Aussie Word of the Day:


Rip Snorter : great, fantastic - "It was a rip snorter of a BBQ."

Next Post In Series: At the Bottom of the Basket
 
Friday, July 15, 2005
  The Land Down Under
Good Day Mates,

We thought this might be one of the easiest ways to share with others about our trip to Portland, Australia. We want to encourage our fellow blokes, shelias and the kangaroos loose in the paddock to come back and visit.


FYI: You will not be able to post comments to this site (just for looking).

Until next time....Blessings.

Next Post In Series: Prayer Down Under
 
Musings from Down Under

  Image Hosted by ImageShack.us Portland Baptist Church
  Image Hosted by ImageShack.us WDRP Store
  Image Hosted by ImageShack.us Mission's Trip
Down Under
  Image Hosted by ImageShack.us THE YEAR THAT WAS - 2007
  Image Hosted by ImageShack.us Going To The Cener of the Land DownUnder
  Image Hosted by ImageShack.us Settling In A Sunburned Country
  Image Hosted by ImageShack.us The First Week
  Image Hosted by ImageShack.us We Are Here (Again)
  Image Hosted by ImageShack.us Walt Disney and Me
  Image Hosted by ImageShack.us Sydney Pictures
  Image Hosted by ImageShack.us Cairns/Great Barrier Reef Pictures
  Image Hosted by ImageShack.us Kuranda Rainforest
  Image Hosted by ImageShack.us Pictures in Time
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