New Wives

The latest happenings at Cluckingham Palace....

We welcomed Victoria Peckham and Hyacinth in June.

And sadly farewelled Dixie, who died of natural causes in September.

If Brewster the Rooster isn't careful, he'll be farewelled soon. Poor old Sheba seems to be going through 'henopause' and he has rejected her as his wife, attacking her and ripping her feathers off whenever he gets the opportunity. She spends much of her time hiding in the nesting area.

5 More Movie Scenes Which Made Me Cry

Here are my first five (way back in 2010):

1. Philomena
Philomena's son Anthony is taken away from her.

Image from here

2. Pollyanna (1960 version)
The whole town comes to see Pollyanna after her accident.

Image from here

3. Marley and Me
Marley dies.




4. The Neverending Story
Artax sinks into the swamp of sadness.




5. Bambi
Bambi's mother is shot.

A Face in the Crowd

I thought I saw you
In the crowd.
They walked like you,
Their stance was proud.

Their hair the same,
Their profile too.
I really thought
It could be you.

Then I remembered,
You were gone.
My heart fell flat
As I walked on.

I see your face
Wherever I go.
Guess I just thought
That you should know.

Still hear your laugh,
And see your smile,
Though you've been gone
For quite a while.

I miss you more
Than words can say.
Wish it had been you
That I saw today.

Author Unknown

Seven years today

Nan's surprise 80th. January 1993

The King is Dead

I had planned to do an end of 2017/start of 2018 musing type post today.

That will have to wait.

Today, we got back from a lovely day by the river (about 45 minutes from our house), only to find Solomon dead.  He'd been the King of Cluckingham Palace since a month before Rory was born.  Understandably, I'm sad.

If only the eggs had hatched, he could have produced an heir.  And we're finally in the process of building a new chook house.  What cruel timing.

He had a good life. I like giving roosters the chance of a good life.

Enjoying a dustbath with his wives. January 2015

Books and Chooks

Rory's school celebrated Book Week this week, and on Monday, all of the children (plus teachers) dressed up as a character from a book.

Of course Rory wanted to go as Thomas.

Since I knew I wouldn't be able to drive for a fair while after surgery, I needed to get a head start on it.  I told Rory, "No changing your mind."

He didn't win a prize, but had a fantastic day.  Thomas is looking a bit worse for wear though.

Later that afternoon, I made a sad discovery.  Marilyn, my White Leghorn hen, was dead behind the perch.  It seems that she must have died during the previous night and fallen off her perch.

Of course, Rory had to get on the bus the next morning and announce loudly, "Marilyn fell off her perch and broke her neck."

I'm not sure what the bus driver thought....

Me Before You

I finished this book during my 'sabbatical after surgery' in Perth.  With euthanasia still a much-debated subject, this book is very relevant.  I'd also heard a review of it and thought it sounded very interesting.

The plot centres around Will, who is 35 and has been a quadriplegic for two years after being hit by a motorbike.  Feeling very depressed about all he has lost, he tries to take his own life before asking his parents to take him to a clinic in Switzerland where he can end it.  Devastated, his parents hire Lou, a 26-year-old woman, to be his personal carer and companion, with the hope she can cheer him up and show him life is still worth living (I will not reveal the ending).

While I am a Christian and strongly against euthanasia, this book helped me see just how difficult life is for people like Will, or those who are in chronic pain and terminally ill.  The last few years have been so dreadfully difficult with my mental health that I have longed to end it all on numerous occasions.  On of the upsides of my suffering is that I have become more compassionate and able to see other's viewpoints in these matters.  I agree that the argument to let someone 'die with dignity' makes sense in a worldly point of view.  To be honest, if I was in Will's situation, I would struggle to want to live, too, and I'm a Christian with the tremendous hope that Jesus brings.  Will doesn't have that hope, so I can see that his life looks bleak to him.

This book led to some...ummm....'interesting' discussions with my mum after I told her what the book was about (she is reading it now).  She is not Christian and said that if she was dying and in pain, she would ask me to take her to an overseas clinic, too.  I told her that although it would devastate me to see her suffering, her life is not mine to take, or to assist in taking.  She said, "Fine, I'll ask Tim, then."

I'm hoping to read Joni Eareckson Tada's biography to hear about how a Christian person has dealt with becoming a quadriplegic and how the hope they have in Christ has made a difference.

Ultimately I'm still very opposed to euthanasia...but I think Christians can be so and still understand why people like Will would consider it.

The Shack

When I first finished it, I honestly don't know what to make of this book.

Like no other Christian fiction book I've ever read (although I haven't read many), it's interesting, but not the amazing work so many Christians rave about.  I've had friends say it's the first book they'd recommend to non-Christian friends wanting to find out more about Jesus, particularly if their objections to Christianity centre on the issue of why God allows suffering.  Personally, there are many other books on Christianity and suffering I'd recommend before this one.

The Shack tells the story of a man called Mack whose youngest daughter, Missy, is abducted and brutally murdered.  Mack has had some experience with church etc., but was largely doing his own thing, while being consumed with his grief, when he receives a note, supposedly from God.  The note told him to go to the shack in the middle of the wilderness where some of Missy's belongings had been found stained with blood and God would meet him there.

One of the things that I felt most uncomfortable about was how God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit were portrayed.  God is represented as a jovial African-American woman called Papa, Jesus is a carpenter (which is the truest to Scripture out of the three), and the Holy Spirit is an Asian woman called Sarayu.  The issue I have with these representations of the Trinity is that not once in the Bible are they described in this way.  Why is God depicted as a woman?  Is it to make a particular point?  To be controversial?  It's easy to say that it's just fiction and it doesn't matter, and that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe portrays God as Aslan the lion, so what's the difference?  But the difference is that Scripture does describe God as like a lion (and many other things).

I think the book does a reasonable job of portraying the close relationship between the three beings of the Trinity.  The three in one concept is not easy for any human mind to grasp, but it does display the distinctiveness, yet the unity of Father, Son and Spirit quite well.

While the book is sad, given the deep pain Mack is dealing with, I didn't find myself feeling overly emotional while reading it.  Some people have told me they were moved to tears.  Maybe I am just an unfeeling sort of person, or maybe it was because I was focused on analysing it for its biblical faithfulness and theology.

I think the main flaw of the book is that it focuses on Jesus coming to end our pain, rather than Him coming to save us from our sin.  We are not innocent victims of sin, we ALL are sinners in need of a Saviour.  Our suffering may not be the direct result of our own sin or someone else's, but the state of the world is a result of all of us having turned away from God to rule our own lives.  The book does address Mack's own need for a Saviour towards the end and his need to forgive the man who murdered his daughter, but it should have been a more central theme as that is the gospel - a God, who came to earth Himself to die and rise again to reconcile us to Himself.

It's not enough to just say that The Shack is fiction and it is not intended to replace or sit alongside Scripture.  That may be true, but the writers of Christian fiction have a responsibility to ensure their theology is grounded in Scripture.  The Shack is enormously popular and now there is a movie version.  As I intend to write Christian fiction, I would hope that people would be wise and discerning in reading my stuff, not just swallow it blindly because it's what their itching ears want to hear.  I think The Shack shows the intimacy of the relationship with God we all crave and it is by no means evil.  It's not my book of choice.

When I Survey The Wondrous Cross by Isaac Watts

My reminder to myself to refocus...
 

When I survey the wondrous cross,
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine, 
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Lyrics from here.

The 13th March Strikes Again

Two years ago, I blogged about how I was beginning to think the 13th March was a cursed date for me, and last year I was pleased to report that the 13th March 2016 was a normal day.

Unfortunately this year the date was tinged with sadness.

On Friday 10th March, I received a text message from my dad letting me know he'd read in the death notices in the paper that a childhood friend of mine had passed away.  Jane and I went to school together from kindergarten (what is now pre-primary) to Year 12, but we'd lost touch after school finished.  I was numb with shock after receiving the news.  As more of our old school friends became aware of her death, I found out she had had cancer.  But, after talking to a few old friends via Facebook, it appeared that all of us had lost touch with her.  We were all shocked and upset, sharing photos of the 'old days' with Jane and remembering times we'd spent with her.

The 13th March was her funeral.  I wish I could have got to Perth for it.

Six Years Yesterday

Where have those six years gone?

I wish I could give her a hug.

First Princess Layer, Now Princess Leia

A few weeks ago, my hen, Princess Layer, died.

Now the real Princess Leia has passed away.

Image from here

My dad texted me this morning reckoning my chook dying was an omen.

The Death of the Buntine Princess

Princess Layer died yesterday.  At six and a half, she was my oldest hen, the only surviving hen from the Buntine days, and the only hen to survive the big move nearly six years ago.

She had a good and full life - two palaces, two roosters and numerous other hens to share life with over the years.

A friend of ours reckoned she lived so long because the force was with her hahaha.

She always used to come to up to me and have a 'chat'.

 I will miss her.

Princess Layer and Russell Crowe - the only survivors from
the move from Buntine.

Death Day

Last Friday was a bit depressing...

We did a day trip to Perth for Duncan's uncle's funeral.  I didn't know him well, but I could see he was a kind, caring man who loved Jesus.  At his 80th over two years ago, he asked me how I was going and spoke of his own battle with depression.  I don't know too many older blokes who are open like that.

On the way to Perth I received a message from my good friend Sarah, telling me that she was going to the vet later to have her beloved ragdoll cat Mocha put down. He was almost 16 and his health was deteriorating.  Long-time readers of this blog may remember that they looked after Ebony for me for a few months before my wedding.  Ebony and Mocha's relationship was interesting, to say the least.  I mourned with her.  Mr Mochs was an absolutely beautiful cat.

God and the Little Things

It always amazes me how God loves to show kindness to His children. It shouldn't surprise me as the whole Bible is full of examples of God's love for His wayward people. Sometimes, I think I start getting a lopsided picture of God as being a disciplinarian and only caring about 'big picture' stuff. But He's also a God of the little things.

Duncan and I have lost two people who were very close to us - my Nan passed away in January 2011, and Duncan's brother was killed in a car accident two days before Christmas 1999, at only 21.

Rory was born on the 19th January 2013, on what would have been my Nan's 100th birthday. Flynn has red hair, just like his late Uncle Raymond.

In some ways it feels like God has given our loved ones back to us. Not in a reincarnation kind of way, but in little things that keep their memories alive.

I love to marvel at God's kindness in the little things.

Bible Verse of the Day

Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him and afflicted.  But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.  We all, like sheep, have gone astray; each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:4-6
 

I Never Want to Forget

The touch of her soft, wrinkled hand.

Her twinkling smile.

Her wiry curly hair, which was mostly grey with white tufts at the side.  I used to tell her she looked like a koala.

Her fresh, powdered smell. 
"Some of those old biddies don't wash, but me, I always smell nice," she'd say.

Five years have passed in a flash, but I'm determined to remember her, to not let the memories fade, and to tell my boys how special she was to me.

Nan at the Alpaca Farm in Denmark (WA), 1994.

Jim Elliot

My plan for this year was to read more Christian biographies - stories of both well-known and 'ordinary' Christians.

I started with the story of Jim Elliot back in January.  Jim was a missionary to Ecuador in the 1950s.  He and four other men were speared to death on the banks of Curaray River in 1956, trying to reach the hostile Auca Indians.

To be honest, Jim Elliot's personality quite annoyed me. While I admired his seriousness about serving the Lord, he reminded me of some guys I met when I first became a Christian that scared me silly.  There is a bit about where he and some mates gatecrashed their friend's honeymoon suite and then decided to hold a Bible study there.  Instead of spending their first night alone, the newlyweds had to deal with a group of Christian friends in their room doing Bible study.  Later, Jim realised he was in the wrong and apologised.   Ummm, yeah, you reckon?

The whole issue of how God guides is prevalent in the book.  Personally, I think Jim was overspiritualising things, wanting God to give him signs all the time about where and when he should serve overseas.  I'm not saying we shouldn't pray about these things, but come on, make a decision!  Also, I was quite disgusted about how strings his future wife Elisabeth along for years, saying that he wants to remain single to serve the Lord, yet he keeps stirring up love in her heart.

His story is both inspiring and confronting.  I had to ask myself: Am I willing to do that?  Willing to go and reach a hostile group of people, risking my own life, so that they may hear about Christ?  Would I be willing to live without my modern creature comforts?  While the mission to reach the Aucas seemed to be a failure, years later many Aucas became Christians.  This book was a timely reminder that the gospel of Jesus Christ is unstoppable.

Quote of the Day

Four years ago today, I woke to the awful news that my Nan had passed away.

Grief gets easier to deal with, but I will always miss her.

When someone you love dies, you never quite get over it.  You just slowly learn how to go on without them.  But always keeping them tucked safely in your heart.
- Unknown

The Year of Farewelling Pets

A few weeks ago, I received some very sad news.  A friend of mine from Albany saw Ebony listed on a Facebook buy, swap and sell page.  The bloke who I gave her to was trying to rehome her due to being too busy and her not getting along with his farm dogs.

I was devastated to say the least.  I just wanted her back.  I worried about what the impact of going to yet another home would be on her.

A few days later I received a call from a lady who had adopted Ebony.  She wanted to know if Ebony's microchip was still registered in my name or the guy I'd given her to.  She sounded lovely and said Ebony has settled in well with her family in a town an hour south of us.  Her three boys are doting on her and she is lapping it up.  This put my mind at ease somewhat.

But I still miss her terribly.  This will be my first Christmas without her in many years.

This has been a horrible year, as far as my pets are concerned.  Another hen, Shelley, passed away last night.

The Shocking Death of Phillip Hughes

Like most people, the death of Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes last Thursday shocked and saddened me.

If you're not familiar with what happened, here's the story.

I've been trying to figure out why I found it distressing.  I'm not a cricket fan.  I don't know him personally.

Was it because he was young?
But young people die every day.

Was it because he was famous and talented?
But so many celebrities have passed on.

Was it because it was sudden?
Sort of, but people die suddenly every day.

I think it was because it was so random.  It hasn't really happened before in cricket, at least not that we've heard of here.

I think it's a stark reminder that you can be here today, gone tomorrow.  You don't have to be doing something stupid or dangerous to lose your life.  You can be cautious, be in the best health, be doing what you love....and you still can't cheat death.

Praying for Hughes' family, friends and teammates, for Sean Abbott who bowled the ball, and for everyone who has been touched by this tragedy.

Praying that they will look to the Author of Life......Jesus.

Image from here.