Month: December 2023

Wild animals

December 9, 2023
There is a mob of kangaroos not far from where I live.

Do you ever see wild animals?

Today’s WordPress question is do I ever see wild animals? Living in the country region of Western Australia I would have to say yes. But in saying this I mean animals that live in the wild, not wild animals like lions and tigers.

I do not have to go far from my house to see a big mob of kangaroos like in the picture above. When I go for a motorbike ride I see up to 50 kangaroos in a paddock. Sometimes they are resting under a big tree and other times they are all bouncing along at speed. It is amazing to watch. I often slow down to travel next to them.

Often in the mornings when I am driving to work I see kangaroos or foxes just next to the road in the paddocks too. This happens more in winter when I leave before the sun is up properly. They are usually close to the road drinking from the puddles of water from the rain.

In summer when I go for a walk up our local rock it is normal to see some sort of big snake sunning itself on the rocks. As I live in an area where most snakes can kill you with one bite, I take a wide berth around them. So on my prayer walks I have to keep my eyes open!

The Mulga or King Brown Snake can grow up to 2.5 metres long and is one of my most deadly where I live.

We do also have lizards like the Blue Tongue Lizards, Bobtails and birds of prey like Eagles and Hawks too. I might also see the occasional Emu, but that is very rare. That is pretty much it for where I live.

So yes I do see wild animals where I live. Not lions, tigers or bears, but snakes, kangaroos, eagles and lizards.

Let God recycle your pain

December 7, 2023

Pain and suffering are some of the hardest things we face in life. They can be depressing, debilitating and unbearable at times. But I believe God can recycle our pain for the good of others.

In my own life I have lived with crippling Rheumatoid Arthritis, suffered periods of chronic depression, lost loved ones to suicide and cancer, struggled with self worth and self esteem issues, and my parents were divorced when I was very young.

Some of these were quite terrible and very difficult to move past, especially when I was young. Some are just normal things people go through in this life, but adding them together made life really tough for me mentally and physically.

In my teens when I was depressed and crippled with RA, I did not ever think I would be able to work, get married and have kids, buy a house and build a life. I thought I would be on a pension all of my life.

After coming to Jesus in my early twenties I started to see my life differently. I saw a purpose in my pain and suffering and how they had actually drawn me to Jesus. Without them I do not know where I would be now?

Looking back I can see how my experiences had taught me compassion. I learned what it was like to live with constant pain, suffering, grief, loss and depression. It gave me an understanding of people and the things we all go through.

Now I work as a School Chaplain I can use these experiences and understanding to be a blessing to others. I can walk along side our students and enter in to their pain. I can sit with them, talk with them, cry with them and offer support.

I can also offer hope, encouragement and positivity knowing that not only can they get through their painful times, that things can actually get better and life can turn around.

Today I want to say to you that no matter what you have been through, or are still going through, God can turn it around. He can help you find purpose in your pain and recycle it for the good of others.

I believe He can use you to be a great blessing to those around you. Just hang in there and look to Jesus. He can recycle your pain.

Morning or night person

December 5, 2023
A photo I took on my way to work as a school Chaplain.

Are you more of a night or morning person?

This one is a very easy one for me to answer. But first I will give you a hint. Every morning my alarm goes off at 500am and an alarm goes off at 800pm at night.

Yes I am a morning person. I love to get up with the sun and exercise. In winter it is an hour or two before the sun. I have done this for as along as I can remember…at least 35 years.

I like the morning as it means I can get up before everyone else in my house and start my day in the gym or on the bike. I love this time alone to get fit and also to order my thoughts before my day starts.

Getting up early was especially good when my kids were small. It meant I could get my exercise done, go to work, come home and just be with my family. I did not have to leave them to exercise. I could be fully present.

The only time it is hard for me being a morning person is if we go out at night. People are used to me running out of energy when 800pm comes around. I got home at 900pm recently and I was asleep by 912pm lol.

So yes I am a morning person. I love seeing the sun rise and getting my exercise endorphins first thing before my day really starts.