Pirates Vs Sea Eagles

I seemed to have scheduled by fancy dress pirate themed birthday party on the same night that The Manly Sea Eagles managed to play a game and not have point robbed from them. This did however result in half my guests sitting on the lounge watching football with me rather than socialising. It was an eventful night with a few family members dropping the ball and some disputes arising however much fun was had by all. To my surprise even in a mildly intoxicated state people often ask the hard questions of me. To those who say grog is evil have not seen the awesome stuff that happens when someone who has downed a few has the drunken courage to confront you on your Faith. Don’t question me about it, worry about yourself and trust the Spirit to do the rest.

Satan, What a Bastard

Where to start with this post…. Who knows? I spent a good chunk of the weekend and early week feeling fairly ordinary. I battled hard on Sunday against the irrational thoughts of dread that came my way just before getting to The Cube. I then had a hard time early week questioning these travels and my efforts to get involved in them. I felt I had not done my campaign any form of justice and was just wasting everyone’s time. Was I just after an extended holiday? or was I genuine about traveling and helping people where ever I was? How serious was I about following God? And had he actually called me to do this or was I deluded and enjoying not working too much to see the truth?

I feel that I am back on track today and have learnt a few things from feeling crappy early this week. As I said yesterday I sorted out trip three even though this will be another personal trip to catch up with old friends.
This was followed by several hours working on the Cube website. To some that sounds like boring tedious work, which it can be however the website could well become a valuable tool in changing the lives of the young people who use it. Check it out Here
I walked away from the best part of four hours of work feeling like I had done something for the good of those who use it and that’s what my travels are all about. In addition the Cube is a group of people I love and I am desperately passionate about that mission.


I received a phone call this morning informing me I was one of one thousand people chosen to participate in the Make Poverty History campaign. I now have three weeks of training before the road trip and then a seven day road trip which lands me in Canberra where there will be a Summit in which I am to be involved. To be perfectly honest some of this is new to me and a little intimidating but well worth the risk.
The first thing that came to my mind when I got that phone call was “Shit how am I going to pay for this?” Typical of me and my stupid stresses I was selected as one of a hand full and I’m worried about $350. It is now apparent I need to work on this area of my life.


On top of that I am really struggling to trust that God will provide the income I need. Granted I am still working a few odd jobs here and there to cover rent but stress is something that has followed me my whole life and I wish I could rid myself of it. I have no reason not to believe God will not provide for me but its so hard for me not to stress it.

All in all I think I am defiantly on the right track God still has ultimate control and it does not matter if I dropped the ball because I was never holding it in the first place. No mater where I seem to drift off to God puts me back on path straight away.

Trip 3,4,5 & 6 starting to take shape

Suddenly there seems to not be enough weeks in the Months to fit every thing in. A long phone call with Mark this morning saw trip three all but locked in for the go ahead for a three day stint in Muswellbrook. Mark is my friend with whom we caught up with when staying in Perthvile. The plan at this stage is to visit him the weekend after Easter. Late April will see another trip off to Shoalhaven with the church camp.
(have you filled in your forms yet?).
Trip five and six are still coming together with a week long run to Taree planned and hopefully an eight day trip with the Make Poverty History campaign. I am still waiting to see if I was accepted on this, as there were many more applicants then positions available. Image is from a promotional website for Shoalhaven.

World Water day

Did you know that today is World Water Day.
It is still a reality that an estimated 1.1 billion people rely on unsafe drinking-water sources. Therefore the theme of World Water Day 2010 is focusing on raising awareness of water quality under the theme "Clean Water for a Healthy World". More info can be found here http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/flashindex.html

Back home with the CUBE

On my travels I often find myself absent for the Sunday Night meeting of the CUBE. Tonight i did not miss it and i am grateful for that. I went to the Sunday night meet up in a poor mood due to stresses and a few small disputes through the week that happened to spring up on Sunday afternoon and required attention then and there. My spirits lifted instantly when I turned up and we had a fantastic night player Poker with the group. A slightly smaller group but it was a top night none the less. Its good to back in my Church after a few weeks of missing it. On top of this Sophie spent most of the night with the other girls in the group making friends and when she gets into the car she informs me that she enjoys the cube nights.

Casper

Every where i go (Granted i have only done two trips so far) i seem to come across dogs. I suppose that's hardly surprising given that they are the most common family pet. I just never thought i would come across so many different Dogs. This trip was no different. Meet Casper one of the bigger family pets i have ever seen yet safely sits in the complete wimp category. A beautiful animal belonging to Sophs aunty Donner and her Family.

Not Much to Say

I have very little to say in relation to the image. I took this photo of Soph at Avoca Beach and i cant explain why i like it but i just do. So I posted it for no other season than to share it with you.

Just down the road from Sophs Nans place is the beautiful Avoca Beach. I'm not a huge fan of the beach for a number of reasons but i am a fan of fishing and of the rock ledges and pools that develop around most headlands. We spent a good part of Sunday afternoon walking around the headland, watching the fishermen pull in some enormous fish, eating fish and chips and stirring up the seagulls with our lunch. (sometimes its the simple things in life that give you so much joy) I managed to snap a few good shots of the waves breaking on the rocks, whilst Soph went climbing big rock faces in a skirt.

Trip two Terrigal (Central Coast NSW)

Trip two was more designed as a weekend away with my girl rather than a trip of offering aid or assistance to anyone. It became an opportunity to spend some time with Sophie and her extended family. you can't beat a few days of quality time with the woman you love on some of the countries beautiful beaches and fishing locations. there are a few more posts of this trip to come but they will have to wait until i have the photos up.

Kim and Jake

My travels have hardly fallen in the extensive box, i have made one trip and am half prepared for the next which just quietly is upon me in just a few days. I have however came across some beautiful people in such a small period of time. (true to say i have also encountered a few ball breakers as well). two such amazing people are Jake and Kim. Jake and Kim are Adzeys parents and joined us in Perthvile late in the week and stayed for the weekend and my final few days. It was their property at which we stayed and if it were not for people like this my travels would not be possible.

Bonnie

Watching Will Smith deal with the death of his Dog, his only companion in the film I am Legend i felt myself struggle to watch the scene i turned to my right to make sure my mate did not see me struggling to be the ultimate man and not cry. My friend did not struggle with such issues, tears streaming down his face i felt sorry for him. Looking back now the fact that i never had a pet dog meant the scene did not hit as deep. Adzey on the other hand loved his dogs and spending a weekend with one of them made me realise why. Bonnie is an old, obedient cattle dog and seems to love the country more than i did, more energy in her then a cut snake and is always hungry. Bonnie is so loyal that a playful rumble with Adzey found me confronted with a rather upset Bonnie trying to defend her owner.

Fence Fixing

It would seem the Bathurst trip was a smaller version of the South Australia trip many of the youth from our church did recently. Most of the work done whilst i was in Bathurst was similar with the exception of consuming animal testicles. Day three was taken up with repairing fences and the rotting posts around the perthvile property.

The Old Vlae Circuit

Way back in the thirty's and before hand there was no Mount Panorama there was a lengthy dirt track which was public roads and remained open to the public whilst races were happening. it still exists and is able to be driven on in its original dirt form and is complete with a water crossing. It was known as the Old vale circuit.

The most challenging discussion to date

Towards the end of my trip to Bathurst I felt the trip had achieved little in the way of changing the world for God. I was not expecting to achieve wonders on trip one but was still hoping for events to occur that would give me confirmation that I was heading out into the world with the correct approach. I had a few small mentions of what I was doing in my travels and what’s motivating me with people I met but had not had a real heart to heart with anyone and no real seed planting opportunities. That was until Mark and Nicki came over for a BBQ late in the trip. Mark and Nicki are friends of mine from way back and Mark was one of the blokes who established the car club back in Sydney with me many years ago. Whilst mark talked cars with the other blokes some serious God stuff went down with Nicki who was not so much exploring my faith but was more curious about my “in depth knowledge of it” she seemed to enjoy having and educated discussion on something and it did not seem to matter what it was about. Motive does not matter to me, I still got the good stuff out, one hopefully planted the seed. I will however admit that having heavy discussions on such matters is easier when you have not sunk a few beers at the BBQ.

County 2 city 0

once again the beauty of things in the county blow city things out of the water. maybe this is just because i am used to the city and have grown numb to what i see. regardless standing on the race track itself on the top of Brocks great mountain looking back over Bathurst taking in the crisp air and amazing starlit sky it was an experience i strongly recomend.

Margret, Des & Franses the basset

After a full day of lawn cutting, hedge trimming and clearing the clippings of an acre property with a plastic rake i was invited to Margret and Des' place for a roast dinner. Margret and Des' are Adzeys grandparents and own a well maintained property in the heart of Bathursts Suburbs. Upon arriving we were greeted by what can only be described as a heavily obese Basset dog. the country dust on its belly not due to laying in the dirt but from walking through it, the dogs belly comfortably sits on the ground when it walks and has done so for many years. This did not stop the dog from wanting to play and displayed the same energy seen in most playful dogs.
Marget and Des were very hospitable feeding us and sharing hours of the family history with me, everything from living in third world countries to breeding horses for the races. it turns out the family has done very well with racing horses in years past and whilst i was up one of the family's horses got a win making them a little bit wealthier. We left very late that night with instructions to return the following day to complete a small list of tasks we had agreed to throughout the night, most of which were mechanical issues.

The Lawn

The main object of these trips is to volunteer in the communities i visit and in this case our hosts seemed to be in just as much need as anyone else as the property was in some serious need of some TLC. This helped greatly as i realised after arriving that this aspect to the trip was poorly planned. Not to worry the lord found work for me. day one found us mowing foot long grass that was still covered in dew. The ride on and the push mower struggled and regularly stalled due to the length and the moisture on the lawn, turning a few hours of work into an half day exercise. i also discovered that my childhood assumptions that a lawnmower is a bastard to start all the time were inaccurate. the mowers on this ex mechanics property started first time. whats the story Dad.

Country living

There is something about the country i just love. i can't say i would be ready to pack all my stuff up and bailout to Balpin or Oberon just yet but when you wake up at six in the morning because the rest of the world has woken up and they don't want you to miss it you can't help but think what are we really missing in Sydney. A good hearty breakfast knocked together on the BBQ, the temperature close to twenty degrees at seven thirty in the morning and a cattle dog sitting patiently waiting for the scraps you realise what an awesome world we live in, but in the city we miss so much of it. People are patient, no one is rushing anywhere and no one has a short temper even the three blokes at the pub, they are tattooed up, long beards and skin that shows a lifetime of working the land, they don't know you but they don't care, they wave as you drive by and chat when you stop in for a feed. What a community what a lifestyle!

The castle in Perthvile

Here we are, Adzey and myself arrived on Wednesday around lunchtime roughly eighteen hours behind schedule. The large two level house is located in Perthvile, about twelve kilometers from Bathurst and has a population of only a few hundred. We knew we had some work in front of us as we arrived, due to abnormal country rainfalls the lawn on the property was at least a foot high in some places and several fence posts on the property had had encounters with vehicles or simply fell due to the base rotting. The property close to an acre in size meant several hours of work were awaiting us. Fantastic this is why we went.

Adzey

A bloke who seems to have his own cult following on facebook. there is a legitimate group on face book titled "are you one of 5000 people who know Adzey" Adzey is really Adam and i honestly feel Family aside i know him better than any other. A true friend who in the past few years has stood by me through the highs and low i went through and a hope he says the same about me. If you could pick your siblings Adzey is one a few people i would pick. We interact like siblings with fights and disputes flaring on a daily basis over stupid things and then forgotten seconds latter. One of life's genuine people who has taken two years to build a car that should have only taken six months motivation is something he often lacks and is currently dealing with epilepsy in his life. This past trip to Bathurst was mostly his organising and if it weren't for him and his family it would not have happened.

Trip one begins

With so much awesome stuff landing in my lap it is to be expected that not all things will be absolutely perfect. i give to you the mode of transport for my journey from Sydney to Bathurst. A rust ridden VH Commodore with chopped springs and bald rear tyres, it was decided that it would be sufficient provided some semi legal tyres were sourced and it was so. To its credit with exception of savagely warped discs and a rather serious power steering leak the car did not let us down for the entire trip.