We may prefer to skip the following list on our national day. It’s hard to read. It would be a lot easier to slap on a temporary Australian flag tattoo, throw a snag on the BBQ and shuffle the Best of Oz playlist. Personally, for a middle-aged white Australian, I find the following list sobering and … Continue reading A song we can all sing!
Bloody grief!
I was in the car on Friday and I told the kids we would give “grandma and grandad” a call when we got home. The words came out so quickly and easily. Then I paused. The beautiful, innocent Ada Rose quickly replied: “We can only call grandad now, Dad.” Fact check, seven-year old style! Yes Ada, we … Continue reading Bloody grief!
Rest Mum, Rest!
As a child I often woke in the middle of the night. It might have been fear of the dark, a bad dream, a strange noise or a loud storm. For a short season, when I was 12, it was an irrational fear of death. Whenever I woke, I would run, crying, to my parent’s … Continue reading Rest Mum, Rest!
The ageing clock
Like so many of us in this strange and stretching season I won’t get to see my Dad for Father’s Day tomorrow, but my heart will surely be with him. Tomorrow he will wake for his first Father’s Day without my Mum at home by his side. As the ancient wisdom writer penned “there is a … Continue reading The ageing clock
Lockdown opportunities:
We begin a season of heightened restrictions in Melbourne again tonight. How might we respond? With authenticity: Embracing the emotional rollercoaster of these unusual days, reaching out to others and valuing the support of others speaking into our lives. With lament: Seeing afresh the pain and tragedy of this pandemic across the globe and praying: “God help … Continue reading Lockdown opportunities:
Yearning for hope!
Can I ask you to count to two ... yes - 1, 2! Why? Because one person is forcibly displaced from their home, somewhere around the globe, every two seconds as a result of conflict or persecution. Hard to fathom, but that's the real world in 2020, exacerbated by the COVID pandemic. Now the danger … Continue reading Yearning for hope!
Thank God for places green!
Thank God for places green! The older I get the more I appreciate them, the more I need them, the more I yearn to be immersed in them again. Bush tracks in suburbia, familiar winding dirt trails in my own neighbourhood that nurture refreshment, renewal and much-needed rhythms. Inner-city grassed squares, small spaces to pause … Continue reading Thank God for places green!
It starts with me!
I’m white, male, middle-aged and privileged, in the midst of a broken, hurting, unjust world. This reality can all too easily lead me towards comfortable choices, unhelpful attitudes and patronising positions. And that's why I know I need to keep praying: "Lord, change me!" I'm sure like me you've been dismayed by another horrible example … Continue reading It starts with me!
Open our eyes!
Open our eyes! On this Mother's Day, open our eyes to see a young Syrian mother, clinging to her toddler in an over-crowded refugee camp, which has been her home for far too long. See her there, bereft of hope. Let us see the Congolese mother, in forced slavery, with her two boys alongside her. … Continue reading Open our eyes!
A one way ticket to war!
It’s such a small item. So easily disposable. A tiny orange, fading paper rail ticket. Yet what a treasured possession! Why is it so special? Well, it’s stood the test of time. It’s 103 years old and it belonged to my great grandfather Harold Stanley Butler. The ticket made it all the way back from … Continue reading A one way ticket to war!
apilgrimpens 