Saturday, July 23, 2005
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 ¶ 7/23/2005 07:55:00 AM
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 ¶ 7/23/2005 07:55:00 AM
