Easter Cedar Meal
The other night we traveled to a Cedar meal, celebrating and remembering the Jewish Passover. It was the first time in a while I had driven due to worsening back issue.Being unable to sit and in immense pain, I knew it would be a difficult night after the drive. I was right – and didn’t arrive home until midnight… Impossible to describe. But the pain, effort and immense discomfort were not the hardest part of the evening. Towards the end of the evening, I was called to the front. Guessing around 100 people who I have rarely seen, gathered around …
In 2021, Think about Number ONE!
What a crazy year! No one would have believed that in Western countries, the police would be forcing people in and out of lockdowns. That the government would be issuing rules to ban families to see each other. That a sickness would spread through the world, reportedly causing millions to die, yet the symptoms of which often need a government purchased test from the country of origin of that said disease to be detected. The list of worldwide events this year that are incredibly significant and impact is nearly endless. But I am guessing that for many reading this, there …
Love-Without it we are nothing.
Love: Without it we are nothing. If I asked “what is love?” what comes to mind? Liking something – a thing or activity? Feeling attracted to a particular person? Wanting to be near someone? Being happy around them? Experiencing comfort while with them? Engaging in good conversation with them? Enjoying the same activities? Avoiding conflict / keeping the peace with someone? Is love something we can touch or taste or feel? Is it summed up by a phrase that is used sometimes: ‘that person completes me’? There are many things that are common answers as to what love is, but …
A Bong, a lung and a bucket!
Why I was thinking about drugs at church today. I was thinking this morning about how participation in an activity can make all the difference in our experience of a situation. In the setting I was in (‘church’), it might seem very strange for my mind to be on drugs, but it was, at least briefly. My mind went to times where I have been in large groups of people, all standing around smoking drugs, playing pool, darts or whatever just having a ‘fun’ time together. One regular picture came to mind, where I had come to a group of …
The Fatherless Find Rest
Singing a song this morning at ‘church’ (front room with the family and some songs playing a recorded sermon), I was getting in ‘the zone’: You know, thinking about the One who has given us life and approaching His throne. My family present, including my sisters children, I am quite composed until very early in the first song the lyrics went: ‘the fatherless find their rest at the sound of your name’. No longer fully composed, my mind understands in part, yet again, what my soul has been experiencing now for nearly 19 years…REST! So, so thankful that my soul …
My Reality this Mothers Day
Today, as I reflect on Mothers Day it brings many mixed emotions and great memories. Lots of joy, happiness, surprises, but also disappointment, sadness and grief. I look back into my childhood and all I wanted was love and attention. I remember giving my gifts to my mum that I made at school…always wondering how would they be received? Would they be good enough? As the years went on, as a teenager who now “knew everything” and was earning money, I would look for something that was expensive enough to show her love the only way I knew how. I …
Last Minute Mothers Day Ideas for your wife…mostly FREE!
As a dad with 6 children, a big part of being a good husband and father is to model how to show love and help the children to love and honour people – especially their mother. This is an area where I have failed heaps, but over the years there has been a few ways that have stood out that have ‘worked’ in this regard for me. The first is receiving love from God. Don’t switch off – seriously – we have often received either only a little love while growing up or a tainted version of love. This leaves …
No nurse is perfect
Last night I was thinking of a movie where a doctor was meant operate on a crook who had just killed another doctor and then tried to kill her. As could be expected, she didn’t treat him the same as her normal patients – and who could blame her? It reminded of a time when I was lying on a hospital gurney, skin missing off most of the left side of my body, the blood dried so the blanket that was on me was stuck fast. The bone in my big toe was visible – the road had ground through …
Saving Money on Growing Vegetables 2 Soil Ingredients
Getting better results while growing your own vegetables… This article will take a quick look at soils – one of the vital keys of getting good results from your plants. If you haven’t read the first part of this article I would highly recommend it (here) as without following the principles there, the things mentioned here will not be as beneficial. To illustrate the points made in this article, we did a simple test: We filled a garden bed with two types of soil. ¾ was our own soil mix ¼ was a premium grade bagged organic potting mix …
Saving Money on Growing Vegetables 1 Soil Make Up Basics
Growing your veggies? How to save money AND get better results! A short article about soils and getting good growing results from your plants. One of the things that stuck in my mind when doing a horticultural apprenticeship at Botanic Golf was about soil. The owner (the late Theo Puik) came from a line of champion Tulip farmers in Holland and was incredibly knowledgable. Looking back, I regret not learning more from him (I was more interested in drugs, alcohol, cars and girls so he let me go). The simple rule he had for plant growth highlighted that what was …
Sometimes It is the Little things
I remember, many years ago, being in a house full of people tripping (on drugs, acid specifically). Things were getting *very* weird – furniture and fittings were getting damaged, people were falling in the pool as they thought they could walk on water and lots of screaming. Not really my type of ‘buzz’ so I headed out the front of the house. There was a pretty decent thunderstorm. I don’t know if it was a conversation inside about someone thinking they were Jesus but I remember thinking I wonder if there is a God. I had what is a common …
Is your King a Lamb Palm Sunday 2020
We are living in world that is rapidly changing, sometimes hour by hour. Rules and regulations from government, health and safety advice, food, work and travel is constant change. At this point in time, we have to go through a police checkpoint that is manned by state emergency service and army personnel. If we do not have written documentation from government to say we can pass, we get turned around – we are not allowed to our nearest food shops or the metro area. Public opinion has swiftly changed from that of freedom to that of quarantine (and anger at …
COVID Fear
Isolation. Fear. Helplessness. Depression. Uncertainty. Grief. Panic. Paranoia. Despair. These things are rampant at the moment and the best advice people give is generally ‘remember this will pass’, ‘be prepared’ or ‘avoid the bad news’… But really the remedy for fear is not avoidance of bad situations. Neither is it ‘faith’ in the sense of believing everything will be ok. Rather it is a heart (not just a mind) connected with the One and only true God. Not the god of our own understanding, not the god of religions that say you must earn this or that by good works, …
Chilli Sauce Vinegar Testing
Testing vinegar types for chilli sauce… As a follow up to our basic chilli sauce how-to (here), we thought it would be great to do a taste test to see the different vinegars can make to a recipe. We used the same recipe and the same type of chilies with 8 different types of vinegar… White White Malt Brown Malt White Wine Balsamic Apple Cider Rice Wine Top Secret, best for sauces homegrown 🙂 It was ridiculously hard to resist adding cardoon and other yummies, but we managed to keep the recipe basic: 15g superhot chillies (a poor reaper in …
Solar Cooking a Carrot and Walnut cake in a Timber Cake Box…
Timber Cake Box Test It’s been over a year since I have been wanting to test the amazing Timber Cake Boxes. Giving truly unique results, these boxes are the perfect fir for the Sun Oven® (we sell the Sun Oven as well as Timber Cake Boxes here). Today, we decided to put a quick carrot and walnut slice together and put in the Sun Oven. How to line the Timber Cake Box: First, measure the length of baking paper needed. I cut just over twice the length as the box we were using is square. (If using a rectangle box, …
What happens when you accidently leave curry in the oven ALL DAY?
Today, we had some diced meat that needed using, so I thought I would document how quick and easy it is to cook for free in the Aussie Edition Sun Oven® (a product we sell and distribute here) Unfortunately, things didn’t go to plan…as per normal 😝 First off, the ‘recipe’ which for this one was mainly just pre- purchased sauces to make it as quick and easy as possible. The below is not an endorsement for specific brands, (though we do use and recommend a lot of Melrose products) Ingredients: Approx 2kg of beef. 2 different old curry powders …
Home Made Chilli Sauce
Home Made Chilli Sauce A few quick notes on making chilli sauce and rough recipe that may give you a start… We have now made a number of batches of different sauces. Some of them are incredible, though we haven’t yet got to the point of following the same recipes – just experimenting and enjoying the results! My first advice with chilli sauce is as the same for most things: just give it a go! You will find that as you experiment you will soon figure out what works and what doesn’t and what you like and don’t. 1) Base …
Sermon 200119 3 Aspects of Saving Faith / True Belief
Below are the notes form the first time I preached at Two Rocks Baptist Fellowship. Far from a standard sermon I felt to share an overview on Repentance and Faith. It was the second in a series to set the foundational theme for discipleship A.B.I.D.E. (in Christ)
God’s Love Letter to you.
This letter reflects the truth of God’s love for you. If He could fulfil one thing, it would be that you know and experience His great love for you. He has already done a lot for this to happen: including sending His Son to die for you… Hello My child, this is Me, God: your real dad. I formed you in your mothers womb, creating you just the way I wanted. With care and deliberate thought, I fashioned you. I loved what I saw and I still do. I made you to be a little like Me. You’re made in …
Mango Picking and Deviant Devil Ants
The Deviant Devil-Ant! On a recent trip to pick mangos in Kununarra, I encountered what I started to call ‘devil ants’, though their correct name is actually the “Weaver Ant” (genus Oecophylla). These little green ants, according to Wiki: “ inflict painful bites and often spray formic acid directly at the bite wound resulting in intense discomfort.” I don’t think this is quite accurate – the bites do sting but I would say they are only around a pain level of 2-3. As a frame of reference, the the bite from the big bull ants on our property would be …
Happy Birthday Jesus – 2019
Happy Birthday Jesus – 2019 Although we were determined to be prepared for our celebration early this year, a number of unforeseen situations yet again led to us have very limited time to prepare. A serious fire threat set us back a full week and an unexpected visitor added to the time constraints. Business had to take a back seat, though we managed to get our gate decorations up in time – sort of…
Are you hungry?
Or do you just want food? Matthew 15:29-39 Not many educated people would deny the birth and life of Jesus Christ. History shows clearly He existed around 2000 years ago and was indeed killed. His actions made a huge impact on His society and to those around Him – especially the miracles He performed. His fame spread far and wide – people travelled for miles to come and get the healing they could not find anywhere else. And He healed them *all*. Here and now, today, it’s so easy to get discouraged when we don’t get the healing we want …
Mango Picking 2019
What two weeks covered in ‘Devil Ants’ taught me… For a few years now I have wanted to volunteer picking mangos. Unfortunately, our living situation and deaths in the family have prevented it being possible. This year, finally, I left my second eldest son in charge of the business, ready to deal with any issues with the unfinished house and took my eldest son up to Kununarra. We were ready for the long, hard, hot days and early starts…
Dont contact me again son
‘Dad I’m getting married – do you want to come?’ “Adam I never wanted children – I still don’t – please don’t contact me again” The above was a real conversation I had with my dad over the phone a week or so before I was married in 2003. It is the last time I have spoken to him – I don’t know if he is still alive, in jail or whatever. I have respected his wish and, unfortunately, I understand his desire…
Gods-provision-printer-rip-off
Another example how ridiculous God is at a garage sale after church… I saw an office printer that I thought might be a good deal, but decided I would wait before asking him the price to get a good deal. Before I had a chance he tried to sell it to me, offering it at a song – but I was more interested in talking to him about Jesus. He shared how he used to be a drug addict and was quite sure he had found freedom. After talking for a while it was evident he had just exchanged addictions …
Concrete Benches? An intro
Thinking of doing concrete benches? Read this first! I often joke with people that when doing the rammed earth, we would be mixing large amounts just adding ingredients by hand and eye – no real measurements – then when we came to the concrete benches we were literally using drug scales and measuring 20 different products at 0.1g accuracy!! Talk about chalk and cheese. Side note: Just in case you were wondering – yes the scales used to be used for drugs. Something else Jesus has redeemed 😂. I was amazed that there was an actual legitimate use for them …
Monogenes – Single Jeans and the Begotten Son
For Jesus Time today I wanted to start the children off on a direction I introduced yesterday: digging a little deeper into one particular doctrine in order to bring truth to people in other religions / cults. We watched some witnessing clips with some particular cults and I explained that I would let the children choose one topic or doctrine to research and learn – like a debating exercise. While I have read lots of different material on various cults, false doctrines and methods to bring truth, I find it great advice to use this one point, ‘dam crack’ method…
One of the saddest photos in the world?
This photo does two things to my heart… It is a photo taken just after my 9yo son & I left emergency after a very difficult night. He had suffered a serious concussion and had amnesia and a possible brain bleed. I was sick, over tired and very sore but somehow – miraculously – we had just been released. All seemed to be going well…
Have we already been to bed dad?
“Have we already been to bed dad?” This sentence was the first sign that something was wrong – very wrong. At first, I thought this child was joking, despite him knowing that health / injury is nothing to ever be joked about in this family… As I questioned him, it still seemed just like he was joking, until, after about 3 minutes he ‘jerked’ a little and his eyes went funny and the same sequence of questions came out. No one could act this… I called the two children who were near him when he came off his bike. I …
Sometimes God’s provision sucks!
God promises to provide all that we need: And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 Is this a promise of financial prosperity or ‘blessing’? I would argue it can mean the opposite at times. Sometimes what we need is a life hardship to get our attention, to see things differently, to change our ways. Sometimes our comfort leads us to apathy or worse, neglect. A loving Father will see that and do what doesn’t feel nice for the …
Science Experiment Homeschool Template / Example
Just in case it is helpful to anyone here I thought I would put a sample of an experiment template that can be used. This combines elements of a younger students science experiment with those of a research paper to introduce higher aspects to those ready. We don’t use all of the headings for all ages of children but the experiments are normally pretty good. Yesterday we trialled 3 different woks (Commercial Induction, Breville Electric and Gas) to see which was the most cost effective. Very interesting (and some would say fun)! If anyone wants one in Pages / Word …
How to stop speeding? (Or any addictive behaviour)
There are a number of factors to addictive behaviour – but the root of them all is the same: sin and pain. Sin: is breaking God’s law – Lying, stealing, hating, lust, envy, idolatry etc. Anything we rely on outside of God is sin. Alcohol, drugs, sex, relationships, other people, food – the list of idols is long! Pain: pain increases a persons drive to look for comfort or release. Being in pain though (physical, emotional or mental) does not make sin ok – there are no free passes. But it does make it more difficult to break a …
Shoulders Forward – the sign of a death wish…
So driving through the wind & rain after a long day on the road, my back is hurting, I have a headache and the effects of a cold are becoming more noticeable. I contemplate overtaking someone slowing down due to the conditions, but it’s only a short hop to the overtaking lane… As the lane opens I have been accelerating for about 500m to give the bus & trailer enough momentum to pass up the hill. My shoulders are forward as I pass and it becomes obvious that roos are a real threat tonight. I narrowly miss one that is …
Our Amazing Neighbour Audrey
After a day on the road yesterday, this morning we could finally go and help the elderly lady next door… I am continually amazed at her. She’s 92, had 12 children, is now caring for her invalid husband, always happy and fiercely independent. Often we will see a bag hanging on our fence and she will have bought some presents or treats for the children. It is common to see her in the rain, chain-sawing wood for her fire. When we first moved here, she would forcefully refuse our offer to take the bins up to the gate for her, …
Storm Hits!
This week we have had some pretty strong weather, though today it went up a level! The wind was so strong I actually made sure people were away from the windows facing the storm: what I envisgaed actually happened…
I can only Imagine
The effect of Mercy on Me Tonight, as part of her Mothers Day celebration, Sharmini had wanted to watch the movie “I can only Imagine” – the story behind the #1 all time best selling Christian single. The writer of the song (Bart Millard) had an abusive father and very difficult life that continued into early adulthood. Later, Bart saw Jesus transform his father from a ‘monster he hated into the man that he wanted to become’ (his words). The song talks about what it will be like in Heaven – far from the cliche great food and good times …
Australians have reason to rejoice.
Today, we were Invited to a BBQ, bonfire & concert of someone I had never heard of at short notice. We didn’t know what to expect, but it was our weekly ‘family fun’ day so the resulting vote was to go along. My wife and I with 6 children and my niece arrived to a flashing arrow directing cars and large ETERNITY sign on the gate. This humble entrance was hiding something…
Jesus is not my King!
He’s not my King! Today, we travelled down to Perth to see my nieces in an Easter re-creation of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Our goal was to support, so gave up our favourite Good Friday service (Padbury Chapel) where they always have very meaningful service ending with everyone giving 30 pieces of silver. All I knew was this was to be a dance and theatre type of display and likely part of a church service but it was so much more… The whole service was basically the acting and dance by (mostly) children. As the story unfolded we …
Redeeming Kombucha vinegar and more!
Having lots of gut issues over the years, I had often thought about doing Kombucha. Finally, I gathered the needed equipment and got the needed Scoby & teas…but adding something else to an already full life wasnt off to a great start! Doing the first brew was easy, though my wifes birthday was approaching and we were working over time to try to get the house to a point where it was ready for the 100+ people who were meant to be coming. By the time of the her birthday, the Kombucha had been sitting for 6-8 weeks and had …
Another day of trials
Today was the first day in a long time that we have rammed any walls. I have been looking forward to getting stuck in for months, however health and other issues have held us up. I was excited to be well enough so started forming up early on the foundations we laid a couple of days ago…
Hellish Jalapeños (Hellapenos?!)
For those of you who don’t know – some of us like our food hot – real HOT !! We grow various varieties of chillies including some of the worlds hottest… No surprise then that we grow and pickle our own jalapeños – so this time we decided to heat them up ‘a bit’.
Racing to beat winter
We had thought it would be easy – but due to sickness, finances and a number of other issues, it is now going to be very difficult to get a bathroom sorted for hot showers before winter… We have running water (mostly) for doing dishes, though the main plumbing for waste water needs to go right where the north verandah will be. To make things easier and cheaper in the long run, the verandah had to be next!
Jerky : Billtong – the Easy Way
We recently snagged a bargain on some IRD5 Near Infra Red Dehydrators that were ‘smart’. This means they detect how much moisture is in the food and adjust themselves automatically. Think it sounds like a gimmick? We did too…
Dried Fruit – the Easy Way
We recently snagged a bargain on some Near Infra Red Dehydrators that were ‘smart’. This means they detect how much moisture is in the food and adjust themselves automatically. Think it sounds like a gimmick? We did too…
The many faces of THANKS
Spreading Joy at Christmas to some who need love, from those who have received it.
The Silent Shout – Christmas Comet 2018
The skies declare that Jesus is God…just like this comet near Christmas…
Hope Less
If it were possible to have less hope… After a long, hard week with many failures, this morning I lay with pain in my body, a mild headache and a huge day ahead filled with activities I *really* didn’t want to face. I reflected on how different things are… With deadlines approaching and the never ending list of jobs to do – completion of this project seems impossible – even futile. How different things used to be! I had numerous desires, goals and aspirations – and I worked *real* hard at attaining them. I had every expectation that I would …
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