In sorrow you shall bring forth children.

 As I have aged, matured I hope, I have come to value and appreciate my mother so much more than I did as a rather self absorbed youth.
I think of Mary, our Lord's mother and those verses which say that a sword shall pierce her heart ,  The scriptures tell us that Mary pondered and kept in her heart and memory all that was told to her of her son.  How she must have sorrowed to see him suffer though she trusted in him as the God of her salvation!

Thankfully, when we hold that precious bundle in our arms we do not know what lies ahead for them or for us.  We delight in the new babe and put all our hopes, dreams and prayers into them as we seek to raise them in the fear and nurture of the Lord.

How difficult it is to see our loved ones in pain.

Again, I am loathe to pray, whatever it takes Lord, for fear of the consequence.

One thing I know, I can confidently leave my child, this one I grieve for now and all of them,

 in the Lord's hands,

But like my own mother, and Mary before me, we never stop hoping, trusting, loving.

I ponder all these things in my heart.

Mother hood

my greatest joy and my deepest sorrow.

Pslam 143

7 Lord, let my pray'r prevail,

To answer it make speed;

For, lo, my sp'rit doth fail:

Hide not thy face in need;

Lest I be like to those

That do in darkness sit,

Or him that downward goes

Into the dreadful pit.

8 Because I trust in thee,

O Lord, cause me to hear

Thy loving-kindness free,

When morning doth appear:

Cause me to know the way

Wherein my path should be;

For why, my soul on high

I do lift up to thee.

9 From my fierce enemy

In safety do me guide,

Because I flee to thee,

Lord, that thou may'st me hide.

10 My God alone art thou,

Teach me thy righteousness:

Thy Sp'rit's good, lead me to

The land of uprightness.

11 O Lord, for thy name's sake,

Be pleas'd to quicken me;

And, for thy truth, forth take

My soul from misery.

12 And of thy grace destroy

My foes, and put to shame

All who my soul annoy;

For I thy servant am.

(Scottish Metrical Version)

Make a Joyful Noise!

For those who love the Psalms of David here is a youtube link to the metrical psalms sung a capella.  If you are not familiar with Psalm singing in worship I hope you will check it out and hear some of these beautiful renditions.

Farewell, Holidays!

Is it really 8 weeks since we packed up our school things and headed to Melbourne for our "Trip of a Life Time" ? Wonderful as it was, those precious days in Victoria have faded a little with all the events of the recent weeks.  Like many Australians the floods of 2010/ 11 have consumed us for many weeks.
We are still clearing and cleaning at my daughter's house and since she and the family will not be returning there we have the ongoing pleasure of their company here!  How special it has been to have day to day contact with the little boys.  We feel much closer.  Of course accommodation is scarce so finding another, affordable place will be the next challenge for my daughter.  She has had some very stressful weeks and is looking forward to getting settled and back into routine.

The Hand of God
God's ways are not our ways....ain't that the truth!
Several weeks into the rain, and one week into the evacuation, I marvelled at God's answer to one of my long standing prayers.  I found myself saying, "Lord, thank you, but did you have to unhouse all these good people and have all this devastation to take place to see this answer to my prayer?"  I had been seeking the healing of the relationship between two people very close to me and it seemed that through this trial God had brought it to pass and further, strengthened my family and took stress from me which I experienced due to this break down between others.
Two weeks into the evacuation, I had to re-examine my thoughts.  Something was not as it seemed?
Three weeks in and a very shattering revelation rocked my world and new found security. 
"It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good."
Because of the delicate and personal nature of this event I am not going to blog about any details, but our trust has been abused and more so, our loved ones have been hurt and betrayed. 
Sometimes, when I have prayed and said whatever it takes for such and such to happen, I have learned the hard way that God's ways are not ours and that my wisdom is very paltry indeed. I have not imagined the way the matter would turn out, nor have I always liked or enjoyed the consequences.
Thank God that he never leaves us or forsakes us.  That his Word is always truth.  That his promises are yea and amen in Christ, that his love never fails.

Further Observations
As widely reported, I have seen some wonderful examples of "loving our neighbour" during the natural disaster we have experienced.  It is heartening to see the willingness of people to help others in their time of need.  It builds pride in our country and our state.  But what I have also observed is a great lack of acknowledgement of God.  He is not attributed with sending the rain and the flooding and consequent loss of life and property.  He is not called upon (for the most part) to help in time of need and be merciful to us, a sinful nation.


We were reminded last Lord's Day that when David went to battle Goliath, he took only his sling and his five smooth stones AND HIS TRUST IN GOD.  Having that, only one stone was necessary! This thought has occupied my mind somewhat this week. 
Next week begins a new academic year for us.  Though I feel totally disorganised for school work, and my home is unimaginably dishevelled due to the constant stream of people ( and some of them small people :-)here for that last month, yet I feel ready for the "battle", trusting the Lord who has never failed me to carry me through another year.

As I foresaw, I have not had a great deal of time for blogging and the computer in general.  I trust that others in flood affected areas are doing okay.
I hope for everyone who is started back to school a very good year and for those who have been at it for a while, keep up the good work!
Usually when Christians speak of "After the Flood" we are discussing something post Noah and family.  I think for many of us the expression will be used often when recalling these days in which we are now living!

The Great Flood of 2011

When I was a child, my Grandfather would tell us about a dim memory he had from his early childhood.  He was a four year boy in 1893 when Brisbane experienced devastating flooding.  He lived in the suburb of Rosalie which we are seeing a lot of in the news this week.  Thankfully Great Grandfather and Grandmother lived in a very high house but I believe the Brisbane River rose to about 8 meters which is A LOT higher than this flood.  I actually remember visiting my maiden (great) aunts who still lived there in the 70s and being overawed with how very high that house was!

As this historic week  has unfolded I have been working on one of my Golden Childhood posts that has had the working title of "One Momentous Week in '74".  It is about the week of the Australia Day floods which ravaged Queensland that year, but more about my personal dramas and memories of that week.

So now I am thinking that this too will go down as one of those historic episodes, which generally mark a generation.  As Grandad spoke of the '93 flood and 1918, my parents used to compare to the '54 flood which was huge in the Don River area where they lived and here in Rocky also. My hubby and I speak of '91 when with a toddler and a small baby we were marooned, surrounded by flood waters in our little rural home.

We are country folk.  Our lives revolve around the seasons. I don't feel I need to, nor am I able to write to much about the floods here and the catastrophic events on the Downs and South East Queensland.  I know even readers in the US and other overseas places are hearing about all the drama.  It is on our TV and radio channels 24/7.  We feel a little numb.

We have the refugees back after a week at the Evacuation Centre.  I am glad.  Even though it is crowded and hectic, it is good to have them all here close.  Sickness had broken out over there anyway and some "disturbances" which are bound to happen when large groups of random people are thrown in together. This is a special opportunity to support family and build bridges in our community.  I battle for my turn at the computer anyway, but doubly so with so many in house!  If you don't hear from me.....don't panic!

I have been touched and comforted and greatly uplifted by the people of God at this time.  So many blogs that I read which have posted about the floods have had beautiful, faith filled comments.  How blessed we are to know that the Lord reigns, that he does all things well and that he works all things together for the good of his people.

My thoughts and prayers are with all those in flood affected areas both here in Queensland and further afield.  Thinking of you Jeanne, you have been through it all so recently and now a double whammy. 

The photograph above is taken in Wood St, Rockhampton.  On the left where the trees are is the park where we play often with the grandchildren.  My daughter home is one street to the right but the flood water was 2 metres high at the peak :-(  They hope to get in next week to begin the clean up.

It's been a while...

It really has been a while since I posted and the last time a clip.  So much has happened and yet so little, if you know what I mean!  I feel as though I have been terribly busy but not achieving very much at all!  Like treading water, I suppose?

Our river reached a peak of 9.2m last Wednesday and has stayed at 9.1m ever since.  This is major flood level and the submerged houses remain that way :-(  It will be weeks before the water recedes and weeks more in the clean up. The death, muck and stench left by flood water is sickening.  So much to be faced.  Yet people are pulling together and putting their shoulder to wheel in the places where it has dropped enough to begin the work.  Our challenge will be to keep up the momentum and to encourage those who, in several weeks time, will be losing heart.

The most devastating part this week is watching the flooding heading to the south.  Torrents of water sweeping through towns and cities, destroying and causing havoc everywhere it goes.  Flash flooding has so taken folk unawares that cars have been swept from the road and sadly, lives have been lost.

I am reminded that God is completely sovereign.  God is in control.  Even the wind and the waves obey him.   How great is our God!  If nothing else, we can pray that the recent devastation will cause people to turn to the Lord, to be in awe of his marvellous power.  He is in charge of climate, change or no.

I wish I could say I am organized to start back to school and well rested.  Alas, organized is the last way I would describe myself or my household at present!  I am so thankful we were able to take the trip to Victoria at the beginning of December, before any thought of the events of the last couple of weeks.  Our planned week in Brisbane at the end of the holidays is cancelled since our fair city is cut off by all routes to the south.  The positive side of this being I will have that week to really GET ORGANIZED!! (Sarcastic grin)

Oh...Rocky We Love You

Take a look at our beautiful city in flood.