Silver Falls at Ferntree

Morning Glory

The view from my window this morning

Today's photo

Camera practice

My dog

My garden

My lunch

My socks

My son

It's really a new camera and I am trying to get the hang of it before we leave for Thailand next week.

The Boy from Quambatook

Tonight John Williamson hit the stage in Hobart. It was hard to resist a night out to hear some great Aussie music and few do it better than JW. He sang for around three hours with a great mix of old and new songs. He was very vocal about conservation and saving our forests in particular. (Very emotive issue in Tassie)

John sang and talked quite a bit about growing up in Quamby.




John was joined for part of the night by a young guy called Warren Williams, an aboriginal singer. It was the highlight of the night as the sang and played together.



Whatever you think f the message that came through, it was invigorating hearing someone so passionate about our country. I loved it!

Mount Field National Park

We have had several days of continual showers, so we decided to head up to Russell Falls at Mount Field National Park. There was certainly more water coming down the falls than last time we were there.


We negotiated the muddy steps to the top of the falls


There was also reports of some good snow further up the mountain, so we set of to explore.



I might add that by this stage we were on foot!


Anyone for a picnic!! We settled for a cooked dinner at the Falls Cafe back at the info centre.

New Look Lounge Room

Well, we have finally taken out our old wood fire and replaced it with a heat pump. We were rather amazed at the difference it made to the whole room. It feels twice as big as it did before.

As it is in Heaven

Normally my kind of movie needs lots of action and a fast moving plot to keep me engaged. Last night Jo and I went to see 'As it is in Heaven' upon the recommendation of Dad and Mum. It was a powerful film and I found myself in tears a number of times throughout the movie. The synopsis of the story reads as follows:

Daniel Dareus is a successful international conductor at the top of his game, but he is lonely, miserable and exhausted by the demands of his high profile life style. After suffering a physical and emotional breakdown, Daniel abruptly interrupts his career and returns, alone, to Norrland, the village of his childhood located in a remote part of northern Sweden. Immediately upon his arrival his fame makes him the object of curiosity, fascination and suspicion. Soon he is asked to come and "offer a bit of good advice" to the small church choir, which practices every Thursday in the parish hall. Daniel resists being dragged back into the spotlight, yet he finds that there is no way he can gracefully refuse the choir's request, and reluctantly he agrees to help. As he begins to work with the choir, Daniel, quite to his own surprise, begins to rediscover his long-lost joy for music. But his work with the choir is a serious threat to the town's status quo, and Daniel finds himself surrounded by enemies, including the jealous parish priest and a dangerous and violent enemy from his past. At the same time he makes new friends, among them the lovely and sensitive Lena, a woman who helps him overcome his fear and loneliness. Daniel's life, and the lives of the people of Norrland, will never be the same.


What I loved about the movie was the power of community. Each of the people in the story was 'broken'. The longer I am in ministry the more I have come to realize that we are all broken people. The characters in the movie are deeply flawed, but find a sense of community and purpose in the choir. The choir for these people was an ecstatic joy - apart from the times they were wanting to punch each other. The church was an austere place of duty and religion. The choir became more like the home coming party for the prodigal son. Jesus cam not to condemn the world but to save it. The characters in this movie didn't need further condemnation, but salvation. Don't we all.