Life is living the day today. Yesterday has gone and tomorrow is well, tomorrow. Simplistic but true. In days gone by I used to pray "this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad" I had NO idea what that meant. I thought I did, but I was trapped in a patriarchial authoritarian mindset, that if I said my prayers all would be well.

Over the past months I have learnt to stop embracing my pain, and instead embrace life. I realise how rich the tapestry of my life has been, and how fortunate in so many ways the experiences I have had have given me so much.

It seems so trite to quote from musicals and movies: "and remember the truth that once was spoken / to love another person is to see the face of God" - Valjean (les mis) and again "the greatest thing you will ever learn / is just to love and to be loved in return." Christian (moulin rouge)

Yes love is being given the opportunity to spend several years on a farm and learn about the land and how to feed animals, mend fences and be a rouseabout. To work as a truckies offsider, to be a nurse, to live in an alternative community, to have children and experience marriage. To watch your children grow up. To celebrate life and death with so many people over so many years. I have so many wonderful experiences in my life. I am rich with memories.

For too long, self doubt, guilt and self criticism eroded my pleasure in life. Now a new day dawns, no plans but just living for the day. What was is gone, what is now is worth living. I have faced my demons and assimilated them a little better than in times gone by. If they rear their faces again I may slide down, but I know I can clamber back up again.

The journey continues. One day at a time.

Ahead of an appointment on Sunday morning I was ahead of time, so turned off to drive around the back streets.

i noticed a stuffed toy on the road, and stopped and picked it up...

it had a perspex label affixed on the front:

"LOVE IS EVERYTHING"

Neat! synchronicity or serendepity ...

you be the judge gentle reader

Time is zooming along.

Easter approaches.

In Rome His Eminence Cardinal Giacomo Biffi, Archbishop emeritus of Bologna has given the Pope and other Vatican officials a retreat.

The pope in his conclusion speech gave this interesting little tidbit:


Lastly, I would like to say "thank you" for your realism, your humour and your concreteness; even for the somewhat audacious theology of your maid: I should not dare to submit these words,

"The Lord may have his faults",

to the judgment of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

So a profound theological thought relayed by the pontiff just in time for IWD!

Is Pope Benedict is possibly playing a double entendre here, referring obliquely to Martin Luthers comments:

God himself is milking the cows through the vocation of the milkmaid


"any milkmaid who could read" would possibly found a new church...?

Finally, a Hi to Regina my wonderful maid in Edinburgh, and a thank you to Susie who has got me reading theological texts again!

Happy Birthday Sandyd, thanks for your support!~!

one of my favorite holiday snaps, between Dax and Salies de Bearn, France.

I have been debating with myself for two days as to the correctness of posting this:

rites of passage / deconstruction / war love / innocence / manipulation

nice banner in Edinburgh

no need for deconstruction

french students had to wait in the cold for 45 minutes before they could skate outside Montparnesse Station

at Antwerp on my way to Salies de Bearn, France

Chicago - the musical was the final evening in London...
more Castle and Edinburgh:

children playing in the snow at the beach at biarritz, my lovely gracious hostess, snow,snow everywhere! Edinburgh. A fairy on the underground in London

the great adventure ended almost as quickly as it began with the bus breaking down one hour out of Canberra, however another bus came and onto Sydney and then Heathrow, where dreadul weather conditions in the Nederlands saw us waiting on the tarmac for a while, then Amsterdam, with backpack lost, and lots of bicycles...
After four great days it was onto SW France, a winter wonderland.....

Well it's time to close down the laptop and be internet deprived for a few days.
The trip to Europe begins and I have too much stuff to deliver, so no room for the laptop.

Netherlands, Francais and SW England and London will my destinations.

Over the past years I have promoted and actively assisted various sundry activities close to home, in Asia and the Pacific. Africa is a distant continent....

Yes, we know that people of religious conviction staff schools and hospitals in Africa, and we may even sponsor children or donate money to salve our consciences.

But, I want to write about 120 mothers and children that began to be cared for at The Holy Family Care Centre is situated at the foot of the Drakensberg Moutains at Ofcolaco in the Limpopo province in mid 2002. See googleearth for the location.

These children ranging from new born babies to teenagers suffer from AID's/HIV and TB. Since the centre opened most of the mothers have died.

Yes, in 4 years, most of the mothers have died.

However, the death toll for the children remains much lower. Approximately 60 children are cared for.

In 2004, the local Bishops Conference recommended that the Centre be given access to anti-retroviral medication. This is being funded by PEPFAR in America, the President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief. The children will grow into adult life dependent on the medication until death, unless another medication breakthrough is achieved.

The Director is an Australian religious sister who had spent ten years in Rome supervising her orders mission work, she now is at the 'real' front lines. Both her love for the children and her appreciation for the support this 'work of love' receives is immense.

I commend this special place. as worthy of prayer and financial support. Hopefully some gentle readers will be moved to join me in assisting this work.

As an interesting aside, apart from Australian support, this work of love and human dignity also receives support from the wonderful people of Netherlands, whose land I visit in two weeks. Some are visiting Zuid Afrika at present - My first link to a non English web-site: http://www.margrietinzuidafrika.fkraak.com/. I was gobsmacked to see that a school in my early childhood abode in the county of Essex, UK is also assisting in this work.

It's great that the internet allows us to join the dots and appreciate the global humanity of the little people.

2007 has begun, and the countdown to my trip overseas suddenly becomes more insistent.
13 more work days, and a few days off, a birthday, some entertaining with the weber and then it will be onto a greyhound bus, a plane to Amsterdam via Singapore and London and then EUROPE!

The trip to the UK several years ago was a bit less exciting than I had expected, the images of the UK seen on TV and movies over my lifetime led me to think ho hum at times, I have seen all this. It was great to be there in the flesh so to speak but I had more in common with my homeland than I will be in Europe experiencing the culture shock of travelling in countries where the native tongues will be alien to me. I will have to rely on others to explain signs and show me where to go!

The Nederlands and France will soak up 8 days then onto the chunnel and over to the UK to visit my relatives in the West Country.

2006 ended with some special moments for me:- God's mysterious ways at work, I have no doubt, and I am sure that 2007 will continue to unfold in unexpected ways. Thanks once again to all who pray for my special intentions, and may we all know joy and peace in abundance in 2007.

Postcards from Europe:

Blogs on Air: www.blogspiel.de






Austrian Nativity: Joyeux Noel




THE KENNEDYS Berlin 1963

2007!
I wish all my gentle readers a wonderful year, may changes bring joy and peace to all our lives!

Well Christmas 2006 has begun, I was able to go to the childrens Christmas Mass with Ms 8, the church wa decorated with silver stars and cloth angels hanging from the ceiling.

Then enjoyed watching 'Miracle on 34th' with Ms 8, a family favourite over the past decade, it's funny how some things remain the same. A few presents opened with Ms 8 and then its Carols from the Myer music bowl in Melbourne on the tube.

I raise a glass of Cabernet Merlot and say a prayer for loved ones and all my friends.

Merry Christmas! In God We Trust! May 2007 be a happier year for all of us gentle readers!

love and prayers, Graham