ANZAC Day Dawn Service

So.. it was 2.30 am when my alarm went off this morning. It was 3.30 by the time we got there, and about 3.50 by the time that it started to pour down with rain.

There is something amazing about it, something profound. I was standing in the rain, getting wet, having umbrella wars, while thinking about people that all that time ago fought a war. How have we come to be so distanced from the past or even wars that are happening today. It all seems to0 foreign.

But these men fought. They sacrificed. And they lost. For what? For us? For what they thought was right? For what they were told to fight for? And who am I to judge?

I appreciate all that they did. Those wars fought yesterday have influenced our today far more that we acknowledge on a daily basis. How can you ever express gratitude to people who have died for their country? By keeping their memory alive? By choosing not to forget? By enjoying what we have, and stopping every now and then to think about what had to happen so that we could live like we do? Maybe, maybe all of the above, maybe it needs more, I don't know.


I don't know how I feel about war. Sometimes we are forced to engage in ways that we would not hold as an ideal. Often action does need to be taken. But who decides in what form that comes? They said this morning that 3,000 Australians are currently engaged in warfare. I live in a democracy, does that mean I sent them to war?

Of late I have been reading a bit about Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and Jesus, all people who faced opposition, but chose not to engage or retaliate with violence. Is this what Jesus was saying about turn the other cheek? How do you balance that with standing up for what you believe in? Where is the middle ground? How many wars have started, and continue, because we all have different ideas about where that line should be drawn.

Do we live in a society with freedom of though? Or just freedom to think within the box that have been set and enforced by our society, politicians, teachers, parents and friends. I don't like to think that there are Australians at war. But I don't imagine that I can even begin to understand enough to comment on how we should engage otherwise. So I don't like it, but I can't fix it, so I say nothing. How many others are left in that position?

So there it is, there are my thoughts on war. I have written that much to say that I don't know what I think. What I do know is that I am glad that I know God. I am glad that I live where I do. I am glad that I have the freedom to live the way I choose. I am glad that I can learn, and that I have the option to choose what I believe. Today is a day to remember, and maybe just engage in a bit of thought about it all. Maybe one day I will be able to articulate what I believe about it all, maybe I won't. Maybe this is the kind of issue that doesn't have any clean lines.

No one is going to steal April!

So after a few months of some slack blogging I have decided to make a concerted effort to blog more.. There have been times when the randoms stories and events have seemed to flow, and it's not that they're not happening at the moment, it's just that they don't seem to be all that blog-worthy.. (and we're also being paid a lot NOT to blog about certain things.. hey Sue? :-)

But anyway.. after the last blog about the glorious sleepy Easter I had, I travelled off to another week of action and adventure in Melbourne. Geez I love that city.. Anyway, was able to catch up with some of the lovelies of this world and had a fantastic time. Thought I would shoot some photos below..

Don't know how I was able to do it, but I went to a wedding this weekend and spent a whole week in another city and managed to come home with 33 photos, and not one of them was of anyone I know. But I did get my favourite graffiti wall and Starbucks, and of course, about 50% of the photos were of sunrise/sunset.. best not challenge tradition too much :-0

I think I might have been tired...

It all started at Church on Friday morning.. I got there around 9 and was hanging out chatting with some of the guys. It was a great service. Got home at about 12, thought about what I might do for the day.. was feeling a little tired, so thought I would have a nap.

Woke up at 5pm.. was still a little tired, so went back for another little nap..

Woke up at about 11pm.. it was a bit too late to get up, so went back to sleep..

Woke up at 10am.. thought I should really get out of bed.. so got up, watched a movie.. then went back for another nap..

Thinking I might have an early night tonight.. am still feeling a little tired.. who would have thought that all that sleep could go one and you could still be tired?

Either way, I feel a lot better now, and am very very thankful for the holiday!

THE Plan

So.. after 10 years of planning and over 1000 versions of my Itinerary.. I would like to announce the final (for the moment anyway) plan for my GRAND ADVENTURE!

8 June - Finish work!! can I just say that again?? on 8th June I am going to finish work!
12 June - Uganda
30 June - South Africa
20 July - London
13 August - Brazil
3 September - Canada
11 September - Leave Canada

And there you have it! A big fat trip around the world.

Can't wait to see you all! At the moment I am still working on plans for internal flights and trips etc. Most common theme at the moment is coffee, lots of cups of coffee and LOTS of catching up with everyone. Miss you all more than I have ever dared to express on this wee littl' blog of mine.