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short stories
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poetry
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 These are men and women celebrating a particular battle in Vietnman. The are human barriers, men and women trained in battle to repel the enemy and safe guard their country. These men and women are decorated signifying their courage, ability and strength in a time of war. Barriers.
During the first two-three years of being in charge of the Aboriginal Children’s Home in Oodnadatta, South Australia, Ruth Bulpitt had a tough time. Because Ruth worked amongst the Aboriginal people, the white folk of the town wouldn’t have anything to do with her. ‘What’s the use of looking after the niggers?’ they’d say. Here is an extract from her biography, A Very fortunate Life. “I’d go down to the Australian Inland Mission and introductions to different white people who visited would happen. There were no barriers; we were all friendly. Everyone talked to me while I was at the hostel but once out on the street; it was another matter. I would walk along the street doing the shopping and say; ‘Hello,’ to this one or that one who I met at the Mission and they would have nothing to do with me. They would cross the street to avoid me, wouldn’t even answer me. Being shunned was the way of life as House Mother to a group of Aboriginal children without parents or Home or anyone to care for them. Until the Education Department agreed that the children could attend the Primary School. Later, when the children from the camps were allowed to participate at the public school. Some of them, I remember, used to come to me to see if they were adequately dressed and acceptable to go to school. They would bathe and change clothes at the Home before going to school; then, after school, they would return to the Home, change clothes and return to camp leaving their school clothes at the Home until tomorrow. This arrangement worked very well. Sometimes a child would be missing because he or she had to go bush with the parents. But it did mean that camp children were able to get quite a decent education. There was no antagonism between the black and white children once they went to the school together. This anecdote is a picture of God and the way of the world. God is shunned; people walk on the other side of the road to avoid him. The people he created, whom he loved extravagantly and desired that no barrier would exist despise him and do their best to ignore him. The ultimate purpose of Jesus was to break down the walls and reconcile us to God in a close, personal, intimate relationship. Thought for the Day: Sin was the barrier that stood between mankind and God. Jesus tore that barrier down by taking our sin on himself.
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 A cameo of a past life. Cockington Green Gardens, Canberra ACT Australia Fiona Costello, guest writer Amazing life I have always felt that there is nothing on this earth that can beat the soul restoring properties which come when we let go of the constraints of modern society and join with nature. As the last few years have been full of full-time study, working, renovating, being a mum, having students, nearly losing my son and so on, I have often neglected taking time out for myself. As I sat thinking about this I remembered a time (a while ago) when I was out with my kayak enjoying the freedom of the Gulf. The craft was cutting smoothly through the crisp clean water and I took a moment to raise my face up to the sky, enjoying the contrast of the warm sunlight and cooling breeze on my face. The rhythmic strokes of the paddle kept the craft skimming along at a fair pace when to my delight I caught a glimpse of a dolphin out of the corner of my eye heading swiftly towards me. I smiled as he came up and matched his pace to mine and for about five minutes we slid as one through the water in quiet companionship. Till with a flip of his nose, as if to say goodbye, he turned and sped off. It was like he said 'I've had my break and now I have to go catch my dinner'! I smiled as I watched him slowly disappear into the horizon. Why is it that animals have this perfect balance of work and play that we humans often forget? Why is it that when we get 'off the grind stone’, even if only for a brief moment and spend time with God's creation, we feel refreshed and invigorated? More often than not though we find ourselves working at a furious pace, running around like ants that have been disturbed; taking the kids to sport, activities, coffee with friends, working, cleaning, cooking, making money to pay for our wants, getting frazzled, endlessly grinding away...We seem to be trying to get to the end of the journey when God said that it is the journey itself that is important - 'I came to give you life and life more abundantly'. We need to learn to enjoy the journey we are on. As I work in a high stress industry I know full well how easy it is to get caught up running frantically from crisis to crisis, constantly feeling stressed and using food – or for some people alcohol, cigarettes and or drugs, as a way of coping with our stress, but in reality these things actually add more stress to our mind, body and spirit, instead of helping us enjoy life. The question is: are we living an abundant life, savouring the journey, or trying to get to the end as fast as we can? The thing is, too much prolonged stress can kill or seriously disrupt your health. But on the other hand taking time out to relax and unwind can increase your health, happiness, and prospect of a long fulfilling life, my question to myself is why don't I take time out more often, to stop and enjoy life? That is the question I have been asking myself and one I intend to change, to take time out each week for myself and my family, I know I'm worth it, so are you and the benefits are truly amazing!  Luxury Apartments in Canberra, ACT Australia Luxury Apartments where people stay for a taste of the good life. Or maybe they live there on a permanent basis.
 When I saw the rings of tulips my soul urge was to take as many photographs as possible. Names. What’s in a name? Biblically speaking, there is plenty in the meaning of a name. Out of curiosity, I decided to look up the meaning of the name Gweneth. I discovered that Gweneth was a Welsh name. It means blessed. People with the name are supposed to have a deep inner desire to use their abilities in leadership. It’s called ‘soul urge’.  My daughter obeying her soul urge to create beautiful music. The floriade, Canberra. I don’t believe the meaning of my name has anything to do with my character. But I have longed to feel blessed, and be fair and good-looking. I have a deep desire or soul urge to use my abilities in the service of God. So perhaps I have lived up to my name.  masses of tulips. A color spectacle. What’s in a name you ask? What’s in the name of Jesus? The name of Jesus means ‘deliverer’, ‘rescuer’. It is a Hebrew name. From the moment Jesus was conceived, his name was to be Jesus, he would save his people. From his birth, his mission was to save we humans from our bondage to sin. He was to rescue us from our separation from the Father. Jesus bore many names referring to his royalty, such as ‘Wonderful’, ‘Counsellor,’ ‘The Mighty God,’ ‘Prince of Peace.’ He fulfilled all these names. His soul urge was to save the world. Not all the worls wants to be saved. The world wants to do its own thing, its own way. The worls uses its soul urge on its self and rejects Jesus and his saving work. There is no other name we can call upon to rescue us, to deliver us, to restore us and make us new people. Remember the name of Jesus. Jesus saves any and everyone who calls on his name. Thought for the Day: Experience is the name we give our mistakes.’ Oscar Wilde. |
Author: "You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page" - Jodi Picoult
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