Tag: alone

Laughing Kookaburras

Posted on by Ruth

 

 

This afternoon I watched as three “Laughing Kookaburras” sat quietly on a fence near our house. I took the time to get some photos of these beautiful birds. The photo above is one of the photos that I took.

As I was watching them and captured their beauty on camera, I noticed that the Kookaburras took turns in keeping an eye on the surroundings (including me) while one flew down to the ground and caught a meal.

Later, I was looking at the photos and the question that came to me was this – Why three? So I did a little bit of research and this is what I found out –

Kookaburras mate for life and live in close family groups, comprising two adults and the older siblings from previous breeding seasons, which remain for up to three years to help their parents incubate the eggs, and feed and protect the chicks and fledglings before moving on to nests of their own.

 

http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2009/10/14/2712935.htm

 

Wow, what an environment of cooperation and care. The baby bird has the care of many that help parent, protect and care for their needs.

I have been watching lately as people I know go at life alone. These are single mum’s, young people, married mums, pastors, elderly and just everyday people. They are doing life alone, very alone. I have a few friends that are single mum’s – they are having tough times. It is hard on them as they try to be mum and dad to little ones. They do not have the help and support from close family, and are exhausted and bewildered. They feel excluded by the church, too tired to make friends, and have no time to think.

I also have a number of friends that are ministers and pastors. Often exhausted by the amount of care they pour out to their church or fellowship, and unable to afford the basics as their income is getting smaller and smaller. Battered by gossipers, criticized by many and unappreciated by a few, it is hard to find a safe place to go for help.

People thrive in an environment of care, and environment of safety and help. One that is filled with love and acceptance – even if it is also tough love included in that love.

We are not meant to be alone, doing life by ourselves. The bible is full of community, full of groups of likeminded people doing life together. Even the early Christians were encouraged “not to give up meeting together…” and to “love each other deeply”.

Animals get this concept. If they go at life alone, they are open to attacked from predators and they will not survive alone. Yet we seem to think that people will be fine alone.

What are the predators of single mum’s, or pastors, or the elderly? What are the predators of Christians?

Right now, as I write, the Laughing Kookaburras are outside in the bushland behind my house. One is laughing strong and loud, two others are answering. They are letting other birds know that this is their home, their territory… Or they are finding out where each other is. Whatever their reason for laughing right now, they are doing what is natural to them. Caring and protecting so that a new generation survives and that they survive too.

Everyone in this world has a desire to survive the life they live and the world they live in. When I talk to others, one of the reasons they give for going at life alone is that they do not trust others in their community, family, friends or church. That is sad. Each one of us an ability to make a difference in the lives of others around us. It takes courage reach out to others and it takes courage to allow others in. It also takes a compassionate heart to care about someone else.

“People don’t care anymore” is a familiar cry. But do you care. Do you care about others that you come across? It should not be left to the few to do the job of many. Can I encourage you to look beyond your busyness and loneliness to reach out to someone? Indifference is not a good quality. Make someone’s world different, make someone’s load lighter. It is not up to you to change the whole world, just the world around you.

Jesus, while on this earth touched the lives of many. He still touches the lives on many today. The early disciples where known not only for their preaching of the gospel and the miracles as the Holy Spirit worked through them, but the love that they showed to others. The love that God gave them was poured out in faith and works.

Not only do we need a faith, but a working of that faith. Jesus your Savior? Good, show it!! Do you have the Holy Spirit in you? Wonderful, show it? I am not asking for works to make us proud, I am talking about reaching others with more than the gospel.

In Proverbs 31 is the story of a woman. This woman could represent any of us today – male or female. The attributes listed in this proverb is talking about a noble person of character. In one verse it says –

“She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.” (Prov 31:20 NIV)

The concept of this verse is this – the way she gives is like the very extension of herself. It is like the movement of your elbow to bring your hand out straight in front of you. The very person she is, allowed her to stretch out her arm and give. This is not just a verse for women. It is a verse for everyone.

Your Pastor tired? Is he living on very little money? What are you going to do about that? Do you have single mums in your church? Ask them what they need most and do what they want rather then what you think they need. Do you have elderly in your community? What do they need, how can you help?

Get excited about the lives of others and not just your own. Ask God to help you know what to do. inspire other and pray for wisdom in who you reach out to.  Don’t forget to get the person you help, to reach out and change someone’s life too.

I am praying for the change in a few to influence the lives of many. I am praying that as God speaks to you, that you will answer in obedience and with wholehearted commitment and with excitement.

Oh… and use the voice that you have, to speak and warn others. That is important too.

 

Be blessed

 

 

 

 

The roads we travel.

Posted on by Ruth

 

 

 

“Set up signposts to mark your trip home. Get a good map. Study the road conditions. The road out is the road back. Come back, … come back to your hometowns. How long will you flit here and there, indecisive? How long before you make up your fickle mind? God will create a new thing in this land: A transformed woman will embrace the transforming God!” Jeremiah 31:21 MSG

 

Every year between March and September I am on official duty as a footy mum.

This year my sons played their first year in NRL (Rugby League). Just to make things a little more interesting they not only played club football for their home town, but Representative football for the district as well.

While the boys are battling out against other children of their different age groups, I sit on the sideline and watch nervously… or excitedly. There are times when I hold my breath and wait for them to stand back up after hitting the ground or, another child too hard.

A few weeks ago, we were returning home from one such footy trip, with both boys in the car with me. The 4+ hours to drive home was long and the final stages of the drive I was tired and the boys were over sitting in the car. While there was no fighting, it certainly wasn’t too far from the surface and I was glad to turn into our street and driveway.

As a family living in country Queensland Australia, we do a lot of travelling. Most years, we travel around 30 – 40,000 kilometres per year. The roads in all the different directions are varied and require different types of driving.

It was during the last stages of the drive that I found myself pondering… my life was very like the different road trips I do.

 

There are the smooth straight roads

 

This is the main road heading towards the larger towns and cities where we go to some of the footy games, to doctor’s appointments and shopping for items not found in our small country town. Most of it is driven at 100km/hr except for passing through the tiny townships that you would miss if you blinked. The road is, for the most part, very straight.

This road is easy driving, smooth and uncomplicated. It requires very little activity of the brain and while this is easy it is also dangerous. While I am fresh and driving, it will cause very little trouble other than keeping a close eye on other drivers and the speed of my vehicle. But when I am tired, requires me to stay alert and take regular stops to ensure the safety of everyone on board.

Sometimes the road I travel is smooth going, it can cause me to become complacent and not be as alert as I need to be. It only takes a small lack of concentration to drift off course. It only takes another driver lack of sense to endanger my life. And it only takes the sun to be in your eyes for you to fall asleep quickly…

I find that I need to keep an eye on myself to see how alert I am staying with my life. As a Christian it is easy to drift. The world around me can endanger me, while my own attitudes and emotions can run me off the road (or off track).  I can fall asleep if I don’t realise how I am going, and actively do something about it.

 

There are the rough country roads

 

These are the roads that are bumpy and need you to drive the vehicle at the speeds suited for the vehicle you drive and your driving ability. The wildlife is the biggest threat as well as too much confidence and lack of experience.

Kangaroos often sit in the grass and as you approach their position, they jump out in front of your moving vehicle and attempt to get to the other side of the road. This requires you slow as you see them and sometimes be prepared to use the brakes if they continue in their chosen pathway in front of you.

Country roads have surprises like potholes, corrugation and rain-washed channels. All of this requires you keep your full concentration and your eyes looking forward and each side of the road.

Night-time is the worst time to drive. Danger sits in the shadows on the side of the road as the wildlife are no longer easily seen, while in front of you – somewhere in the murky dimness are the potholes – that were somewhat easier to see in daylight.

My experience as a Christian that our walk here on earth is very like this type of road. Experience is not necessarily going to be an advantage to you with what jumps into your way. The night-time of our lives is often harder as we are unable to see what is ahead. There is no coincident that God the Word of God say that He is “a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path”. There is also no coincident that He says that he is “a very present help in times of trouble”.

We don’t know what we are about to face or what is up ahead. Even if we have travelled the road many times before, there is no guarantee that it will still be the same this time. God is not only with us in the car, but He has driven it before us, and goes behind us as well. Our past, our now, our future is known and we have nothing to fear.

 

I ride alone

 

I ride a motorbike.  The children at school that I teach religious instruction to, tease me that my bike is a “peewee 50”. I presume that they think that it is not big enough and powerful enough. My bike is a Cruiser… whatever that means! And for those that wish to tell me – I am really, really not interested. Oh BTW.. it is blood red in colour.

I find riding a motorbike to be an “interesting” thing to do. I don’t particularly enjoy it. I ride because I want to keep my ability to do so, and because I have not decided yet that I will sell it. I don’t like feeling the wind, I am not adventurous, and I miss my music. But… I don’t mind the challenge.

Sometimes I do things because it stops me from settling into a rut of “the usual” and it is a little bit different to what I normally do. Being that I am not an adventurous person, I sometimes need to step out of my comfort zone, even if I don’t like it.

It is also very lonely thing to do.

I don’t like times of being alone… accept with God, times when I choose to be alone with Him. But I don’t like it when I feel like I am going through something alone. I would rather have people around me, but that it not always possible. But when I am alone, I am always aware that God is not far away.

I am grateful, that my choice of vehicle that I ride is exactly that. It is my my choice. I can choose whether I ride a motorbike or a car, bus, train or airplane. Not so in my daily journey on this earth. Often those choices are made for me, often by circumstances beyond my control. It is how I cope with that journey that make the difference. Do I see it as a joy and a privilege or a complete drag? Do I see it as a growing experience or not?

 

Loud or not allowed?

 

When I travel with my children, the music in the car is very VERY loud. The car vibrates and I am sure that you can hear our car coming before you see it. Because we drive in the country, there is only the wildlife and the odd occasional town to bother with the sound. I make the children turn down the music before we get to the town and while we drive through the town… then it goes up again.

Driving with my husband is the opposite. We listen to very little music. He likes podcasts, sermons and music on as background. I feel my children’s eyes roll as they look at me. He will not allow loud music, and they are annoyed.

When I drive in the car by myself I can do as I wish. Sometimes I listen to loud music or I might listen to podcasts and sermons, and if I feel like it I have quiet reflections and time with God.

Living with others require that you “put up” with the things that they like and dislike. Often people clash by the differences that they have. Not one of us are the same. My children are not the same as each other, they are not like their step-dad. Teaching my children to negotiate with each other is necessary. Teaching them to respect others is also important.

I have people who are attached to my life that cause my road to be very rough indeed. They travel with me. For you it could be a family member, a church member, a community member. Sometimes people are a bit like hitchhikers, only travel with a for a short time. Others are with us for the duration of our life. Some people bring with us very loud music, or no music at all… or music we don’t like. Do you get my point?

God expects His children to get along, whether something is loud or not allowed. He expects us to respect those in authority over us. We do not travel our road by ourselves, and even if we do seem to be alone, we still must be thoughtful of those whose lives we touch.

 

Return home

 

There is no feeling like the feeling of returning to your own home. Really there is no feeling like when we turn to God. I don’t think I have to expand on this. Just turn to God. Turn the wheel of your heart towards Him.

 

Ride with the One and Only

Whatever road you are on, whatever your choice of ride (or lack of choice), or whoever you ride with… the most important factor is the One who ride with us?

I often look at my chaotic, “non-trouble-free” life and wonder what it would be like.I wonder what it would be like to have smooth roads to be on.

Other times I say to myself “strap yourself in, it is going to be a wild ride” and all the while the One I strap myself to, is God.

 

“Thank you Father for the rides, I am hanging on to you. May I always have the courage to continue, accepting each and every ride…and every road, and look to You for the help for each and every one”

 

Be blessed

Ruth