Road Trip To Queensland

Maddie and I have recently returned from 

our road trip. First time for Maddie to give her 

cruiser a good long run and it did great! 

We enjoyed the travel across the country and 

clocked up 6336 kms. No flat tyres or mechanical problems.

Praise God! 

Some people think the Barkly is boring, but I love

the open plains and beautiful skies. I can't get enough of 

the Australian Outback. 

Anyone wanting to enjoy some of God's amazing creation,

then just take a little trip across the country to the Territory. 

Colossians 1:16

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”

Short Getaway - Part 2

 Well, as promised, I've finally edited the last 

of our photos from our short getaway to Dundee

Beach and beyond.

Since moving here, in 2013, we still have yet to visit

Litchfield National Park. I know. Shame, shame. 

It's on my big bucket list. 

But anyway, on our way home from Dundee Beach,

we thought we'd take a short detour through Litchfield

and at least get a quick peek. This is not classed as visiting

the park, in my opinion, as I'm anxious to go just after the wet,

in order to see all the falls flowing. 

Anyway, we were able to have a quick look at Wangi Falls.

It was very busy with swimmers (despite numerous crocs caught 

there over the years), but I was able to imagine what it would look like in the wet at least. 

After our brief iced coffee and short walk, we

headed off and onto the Reynolds River Track 

to check that out. Turns out it wasn't much of a 4WD 

track, at least not in the dry, but was a nice change 

from the usual Stuart Hwy trek. 

A lot of sandy roads and an interesting old mine to

walk around and read about. 

 Then, of course, fire!

We hoped that we wouldn't have to turn around

and go all the way back because of the fires, 

but thankfully, after passing them quite close,

the road veered in a different direction. 

A couple of small creek crossings. 

One of the highlights was a herd ? mob? of buffalo

taking a bath in a dam. They're so ugly. But interesting.

Anyway, the biggest mob I've seen before. 

All in all, it was a nice, brief, getaway for Dave and I,

and another road travelled that we hadn't driven before. 

Life is short. Make the most of those times to 

get away and spend time with those you love,

adventuring together and enjoying God's beautiful creation.

Do the Next Thing 

Dundee Beach Getaway

So, here are some of the promised photos from

a short getaway Dave and I had recently at Dundee Beach.

Dundee Beach is only 4 hours drive from Katherine and 

what a beautiful spot! This is where I attended a ladies 

retreat early this year and I decided that Dave needed to 

have a little holiday there with me. 

Below are the Magnetic Termite mounds on the way to 

Darwin. They're so strange and all face the same direction. 

There was even a very teeny little market at Dundee Beach

while we were there. 

Once I finish editing the rest of the trip home

(because of course, we didn't take the usual route,

opting instead for a dirt track),

I will post the rest. 

I hope you enjoy these photos, and if you're ever over 

our way, take a look and stay at Dundee Beach.

It's isolated and not much phone reception

(unless you're down on the beach),

with a great little restaurant and plenty of fishing 

opportunities if you're into that, or just walk on the beach 

and relax and enjoy God's beautiful creation. 

12 Disciplines of a Grateful Heart

Part 12

Well, I’m finally coming to the end of the studies on the disciplines of a grateful heart.

 Here are the last two.

Show gratitude towards others as well as God

Give generously to those in need  

In all these 12 disciplines we’ve been looking at, none of them are mind blowing or remarkable. They are just basic things we need to do. They are simple yet they are often not easy tasks to accomplish. Everyone struggles with gratefulness and thankfulness and gratitude.

In these last two disciplines we see an outward focus towards others. It’s not only important to praise and thank God and express gratitude to him, but it’s important to express gratitude to others. We need to make it a point to say thank you to others for their kindness. The more you appreciate the people in your life, the more you’ll appreciate the one who brought them into your life. Taking time to say thank you to others not only encourages the recipient, but it also brightens the heart of the giver.

And we don’t need to just stick to friends and family. Sometimes a kind word to the cashier at the store and a word of thanks can brighten their day and show them just a glimpse of God’s love.

Not only should we say thanks, but we should give generously to those in need.

We probably all know of the many verses in the Bible on giving. Here’s just a few.

Acts 20:35

 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Deuteronomy 15:11

 For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

Matthew 5:42

 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Luke 6:38

 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Giving to others is a concrete way of showing gratitude. We are given much and we should give much. Don’t be miserly with what you have. God has given us so much and none of it really belongs to us, so we can pass it on and be a blessing to someone else.

And when we give to others, we are really giving to God, as we see in the passage below.

Matthew 25:34-40

 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

In all these ways to give thanks, we are reminded of God’s goodness to us. Our lives are a gift from God and all our possessions are a gift from God. The people God brings into our lives, the trials he sends, the rain and the sun, the blessings and the burdens are all gratitude generators. At times they don’t seem to be thankworthy, but God is the giver of good gifts and he knows what we need. Our response is crucial.

So, here are the 12 disciplines once again to think on and strive towards putting into practice in our lives. If only we can become thankful, each and every day. Looking always for the rainbow behind the cloud and the sun in the morning. Giving thanks always for everything.

1 Give thanks as a holy discipline independent of feelings.

2 Give thanks for the small and ordinary things

3 Look for the hidden blessings

4 Thank God especially in the midst of adversity

5 Turn your attention from your problems to God’s priorities

6 Give your attention and care to those whose lives

 make your particular blessings stand out by comparison.

7 Set aside time daily to express thanks to God

8 Thank God publicly and corporately

9 Try a voluntary fast from something you take for granted

10 Keep a record of God’s faithfulness to you

11 Show gratitude towards others as well as God

12 Give generously to those in need  

“If we cultivate the discipline of gratitude, we can overcome the temptation to turn our backs on the Lord in self-absorption as the nine lepers did. Instead, like that healed Samaritan, we'll be sure to run toward the Lord, fall at His feet, and whisper often the words He delights to hear: "Thank you." P. Thigpen

God Bless and Give Thanks!

Update on Life at the Holmestead

 Well, it's been a while since I sat down and 

wrote an update on life here at the Holmestead,

in the beautiful Northern Territory. 

Blessings abound. Open your eyes, they're all around you! 

We were blessed to have Dave's parents come for a visit recently.

Dave and his Dad got to do some fossicking and metal detecting

and Nanna was able to get in some precious moments with the grandbabies.

 The beautiful grandkids are growing so quickly

and life flows by so swiftly, that even Grandma's camera 

can't keep up with the speed at which they grow.

We were able to have a lovely meal out at Emilee and Laine's place

out of town and enjoy a nice campfire, despite the temperature 

being in the 20s! We enjoyed the time around the fire and the sticky 

marshmallows. Miriam enjoyed being in the cage on Em's ute

(a great playpen by the way).

And of course, Maddie turned 18, so it's not only the grandkids

who are growing quickly. Maddie and Chloe are maturing into lovely

young ladies and are always in demand from their bosses because of 

their hard working and personable personalities. So, they both put in

a lot of hours at work while I try and keep up with the business paperwork,

housework, delivering freight (that's my job on Mondays and Fridays)

 and just keeping things running at home as smoothly as possible. 

Dave continues to be flat out with the transport business. 

We plan to put our part time employee on as a full time employee very soon. 

Business is doing well, but it keeps us very busy 6 days a week. 

We have our house in town on the market and we are saving madly to

be able to purchase something out of town that can house not only us,

but the business as well. Thank the Lord that He is in control of that one! 

With Maddie's birthday, we had a friend from Queensland stay for 

a couple of weeks, so we enjoyed showing her the sights.

One of which, of course, was Mataranka Hot Springs. 

So beautiful. We were able to take Dave's mum too and the girls

enjoyed their warm swim! 

 In other news, I was excited to be able to take a few

photography workshops here in Katherine as the Canon Collective

came to town (first time ever). It was great to learn from the pros. 

And then a week later, I did a quick truck course in order to get my HR 

license! So, I am now legally licensed to drive a Heavy Rigid Vehicle. 

That's 3 or more axles, with a gross vehicle mass of more than 8 tonnes and 

able to tow a trailer of 9 tonnes. 

So, watch out on the roads in the Territory, I could be at large! 

I had a heap of fun, tense fun, driving around and around Katherine

in a cattle truck until I got the hang of it then driving around and around 

some more for my assessment which Praise God I passed! 

Abbi and James have just bought a house in Katherine and will be 

moving into that this weekend, so a lot of boxes and a lot of packing

happening in their household. 

Emilee is getting fatter by the day! She is due in December, so we're 

looking forward to another beautiful Grandbaby! The aunties are determined

it will be a nephew for them, but we will see when bub arrives! 

In a future post, I hope to show you some pictures from a little 

getaway Dave and I had this past weekend. I have some editing to do

somewhere in my 'spare' time. 

I am starting a monthly Ladies Bible Study this Friday evening

and I'm praying for God to bless this new ministry and see women

grow closer to the Lord and be encouraged in the Word of God. 

And that's about it. Or at least the shortened version. 

Life is busy, but we are happy serving the Lord in our 

little part of the world. 

Happy 18th Birthday Maddie! 

Yes, Maddie turned 18 yesterday!

Wow, how the years have flown. 

12 Disciplines of a Grateful Heart

Part 11

Keep a record of God’s faithfulness to you

There’s nothing quite like reading over the blessings you have received from the Lord and being grateful all over again.

We have so much to be thankful for and we experience so much of God’s mercy and love every day. God’s goodness to us is immeasurable, incalculable, unfathomable, boundless, unlimited, innumerable and so vast that we can’t even grasp the depth of God’s love and we definitely can’t count his abundant blessings.

But we can do something to help be a reminder. And that is to keep a record of God’s faithfulness. This means writing it down. Finding a way that works for you to keep a record of his goodness. Whether that be a daily journal or a list on the side of the fridge or notes on your phone. Whatever you choose to do is not the issue, it’s choosing to do it that’s important.

We read of God’s love in the Bible and we enjoy reading the stories of his blessings on the lives of people in days gone by. But we can write our own stories too. Stories of goodness, mercy and love.

By making it a point to sit down and stop and think about what God has given you and all he has done for you, you will develop a heart of gratitude as you read over the evidences of his love toward you.

When you keep a record, be specific. Don’t hold back on the detail, so that in days to come, you can go back over those blessings and remember exactly what it was God did for you and how it was that he answered your prayer. These should be an encouragement to us to keep on. To keep serving, to keep loving, to keep showing mercy to others.

As we write down our records of God’s faithfulness, our hearts begin to overflow with gratitude and love. We recall blessings and answers to prayer, however large or small. We give thanks for the little things, like the birdsong outside our window or the crystal clear water of a stream or a cloudless sky or a peaceful night of rest.

Lamentations 3:22-23

 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed,

 because his compassions fail not.

 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Psalm 36:5

 Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens;

 and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab a pen and some paper and start your list! There is not enough time in this life to list everything God has done for us, but at least we can make a start and begin to develop a heart of gratitude and let our praise of him flow from our lips and let our lives be a testimony to others of his goodness to us. 

Psalm 145:9

 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies

are over all his works.

Count Your Blessings

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Refrain:

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God has done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your many blessings, see what God has done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,

And you will keep singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;

Count your many blessings—money cannot buy

Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged, God is over all;

Count your many blessings, angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

12 Disciplines of a Grateful Heart

Part 10

Try a voluntary fast from something you take for granted

In developing a grateful heart, we’ve learnt quite a few things that we can do to help grow that spirit of thankfulness, but when we come to this one, it may not be so easy.  No one really enjoys fasting. We don’t like to abstain from eating or drinking for a period of time. It’s not very enjoyable.

In the Bible, we see many instances of fasting. Esther, Nehemiah, Moses, David and even the Lord Jesus himself and countless others fasted and prayed for different reasons. I’m not going to go into detail on fasting, but I just want to explain a little about what the author of these 12 disciplines is trying to get at.

I’m not sure that he used the correct word, fast, as fasting has to do with denying yourself food or drink for religious purposes. When we are trying to develop a grateful heart, through fasting, the term is loosely used here as we are talking more about denying yourself of something you take for granted, in order for you to become more grateful. Not just food and drink.

If you fast, from food,  you will find that when you give thanks for your long awaited meal, it will take on a whole new meaning. Your heart will be grateful for that first mouthful. But, also, if you walk to work and around town instead of taking the car, it will make you thankful for your vehicle. If you turn off the air conditioning in your home, you will soon be thankful for that blessing too.

We have so much to thank God for and often we don’t acknowledge it or take any notice of it until it’s taken away. We all know someone who has lost a loved one and regretted that they didn’t spend more time with them or tell them they loved them more often.

We take so many things in life for granted. But God is the giver of gifts and all good things. He is the one that blesses us with the ‘things’ we often take for granted.

James 1:17

 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,

and cometh down from the Father of lights,

with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Denying ourselves can lead us to become more grateful. Now, I’m not saying to go on a holiday away from your family, just so you can remember how much you miss them and love them, but just take note of the people and things in your life that you have to give thanks to God for.  And offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving to the only one who truly deserves our praise and worship.

Psalm 116:17

 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving,

and will call upon the name of the LORD.

Psalm 107:22

And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,

 and declare his works with rejoicing.