The Filling

God calls us out of mediocrity to live more purposed, more devoted, more destined. He whispers to us to rise above the hum drum of ordinary living to go deeper with him.

Deeper into love

       Deeper into to mercy

              Deeper into forgiveness

                      Deeper into selflessness

As we step off that ledge of the known, as we let go, as we trust and relinquish, we push past the weight of this world and all her hardened, vain glorious opinions. And in that place of letting go and unwinding, in that place of holy surrender, in going deeper, the grip of this world falls away, her clutch lessens, her ties unfurl, no longer are we slave, but free.

Deeper into love

       Deeper into to mercy

              Deeper into forgiveness

                      Deeper into selflessness

But going deeper costs, living unbound has a price. It is a journey into the wilderness. This crossing into the wide open expanse of letting go, of less self, will test every inch of you. The letting go of everything you know, the letting go of rising dreams, the letting go of everything that made sense, the letting go of purpose, is scary - because trusting God in the letting go, in the laying down to traipse the depth of a valley, feels emptying. It feels less, not more.

Deeper into love

       Deeper into to mercy

              Deeper into forgiveness

                      Deeper into selflessness

Walking through the rough terrain of the valley is lonely for when the testing comes, the trial can come hot - fiery, piercing and gut wrenching. The fire in this crepuscular landscape will try to consume you. But it is in this place of heartache and despair, that being empty is needful. In the emptying, in the purging of the fire, when a life is spent and everything the world offers has finally fluttered away, one human - blood bought life still remains, but for the grace of God. For without HIM, I have nothing, I am nothing.

Deeper into love

       Deeper into to mercy

              Deeper into forgiveness

                      Deeper into selflessness

It is in this act of laying self down, of setting dreams adrift, of releasing deeply encumbered burdens to heave them at the foot of the cross, that the passage to purpose is paid in full. A soothing wind seeps in, a holy exchange takes place and the filling comes. A filling of grace beyond this world finds its way through the loss, on through the heartache and past the pain. A filling that is only possible, because the fiery emptying prepared the way.

For my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness, Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest in me. 2 Corinthians 12:9.

The Galilean from Nazareth

A year ago today, we were in Israel, Nazareth to be exact. Having just left the Sea of Galilee, we meandered up the winding pathway of Mount Precipice bubbling with excitement. We were here, really here, in the place where the Nazarene walked 2000 years ago! Each step felt monumental, sacred and wholly surreal. Our gaze soaked up a view so expansive that it was hard to comprehend the vastness of the landscape. A gentle breeze swirled around us, stirring up scripture deposited long ago. It was easy to imagine the multitudes here. As far as the eye could see, in every direction, breathtaking serenity extended everywhere. We looked out over mountains and plains and Nazareth. Nazareth, a curious mix of modern and ancient buildings all meshed tightly together, no obvious boundaries separating the old from the new. This is where Jesus dwelled, where he worked and fulfilled prophecy, where he lived fully human, amongst family and man.

As we descended the mountain, a volley of gunfire rang out, startling us. We made a beeline for the bus not caring to find out what was actually going on, hearts in our mouths, legs like jelly, unfamiliar to the thudding sounds ricocheting across the valley. We scrambled for the open door of the bus with a sense of urgency, falling into our seats, the serenity pierced through. In that moment, I was 'fall on your knees' grateful to be whisked away. The door slammed shut and we skirted rough terrain, chugging past biblical landscapes and sheep grazing the hillside, on past the little church of Cana. W-A-I-T a minute, the Church of Cana, where the wedding took place according to the apostle John? I craned my neck, glimpsing the church exterior just visible above the tree line. Our guide, Yosef, diligently pointed out the sites from his position perched at the very front of the bus. He implored us in his Jewish-English accent, as was often the case, to 'Look, my Beloved' as he jabbed the air, directing our eyes to the sites steeped in history, all the while unfurling scripture before our very eyes. Through the tree line, I squinted at the little turrets peeking out from the foliage, spotted a green roof or two and wondered if this church was built upon the ruins of the old or was it a namesake monument? The initial foundations of many of the sites we visited, were still visible today, thousands of years later. I squirrelled this image of this little church amongst the trees away in my mind, filing it carefully, absorbing the details so that I could easily pull this very scene when I read the passage next.

A sense of other worldliness exists in this place. Time has indeed stood still. It is not difficult to be swept up in the stories or the context of scripture from so long ago. When all is said and done, there is a palatable sense that this land holds holy stories, beckoning us to marvel and unravel its mysteries.

This is a land still waiting for her history to unfold.

Congratulations Son!

This son of mine has just graduated his university studies and now has a degree in Bio Medical Science. Proud is an understatement! After three years of slogging it out, he has now decided to further his studies by going in to the teaching profession. Following in his Mama's footsteps, cheers to a lifetime of making a difference in the lives of our young people. Could not be more proud of the young man he is becoming!

Misadventure in Greece

So this year saw us take a Mother - Daughter trip to Europe. The trip I had been planning for so long that it felt like deja vu.

First stop was a quick 2 night stopover in Greece on our way to SANTORINI, the one Greek Island I have been dreaming about since forever. As we flew in to Athens at night, we stayed at the only hotel near the airport and we were not disappointed with the swanky Sofitel 200 metres away. Definitely a good recommendation.

The following morning we caught the train into Plaka and experienced our first pick pocketing fiasco. Having read up on the plethora of online travel forums about the alarming number of Pickpockets that frequented trains and specifically targeted tourists, I felt that I was sufficiently prepared. I had bought a travel bag with the necessary locks on all zips to deter any would be Pickpockets. However, you can't really imagine what traveling loaded with suitcases and bags is actually like until you are running for the train amidst the hustle and bustle of boarding passengers, navigating foreign signs, jam packed escalators, unbelievably long stairways and errant wheels on a malfunctioning suitcase. Leaving you all a little overwhelmed, decidedly hot and ridiculously bothered! The perfect scenario for the crafty Pickpockets out there just waiting for this EXACT scenario!! 

Therefore, being caught off guard myself, my daughter (being a little more savvy), noticed a clean cut gentleman getting a little too close as the train pulled up to the station. The doors whizzed opened, and we exited luggage laden. She looked back as I yanked my suitcase over the gap between the platform and the train directly eyeballing the man with my passport holder IN HIS HANDS! Being the fearless warrior that she is, she yelled out and everyone standing inside the train turned to see what the commotion was about. He dropped it straight away but the doors were closing. I could see it laying there all forlorn on the floor of the train. Panic stricken, I put my hand out towards it and miraculously a kind stranger whisked it up and into my hand just as the doors bumped together. Disaster averted!

We did end up having a rather nice day exploring the Acropolis and doing general touristy things in and around the delightful Plaka neighbourhood (despite being a little paranoid about anyone who came too close!) 

Parthenon

Acropolis

Temple of Hephaestus

The Erechtheum

Hans and Gretel, Monastiraki