It doesn't matter HOW, just FINISH

As it appears to be Fun Run season for Melbourne schools, I was reminded of one very significant Fun Run in which I 'participated'. I was 11, had broken my wrist and was firmly told that a plaster cast was no excuse to not participate! (Can't say I didn't try! LOL!) Running has never been fun for me, but I was generally an obedient child. So...I began that "fun" run with all the other kids in my small, country school. I chose to walk.

I reached the halfway point, on that dusty, country road. After greeting the parent supervising, I decided to stay with her until the end of the race, and walk back with her. We chatted as we watched the other kids pass.

I don't recall how the other

kids proceeded. The biggest fact I remember, was I was the last person in the whole school (about 60-80 kids) to finish the course...and I was awarded FIRST PLACE for girls in my year level. I discovered that none of the other girls actually finished the course! I experienced a mix of feelings...shock, disappointment, disbelief, joy... The thought of not completing the course never crossed my mind! 

What's the point of this story? It doesn't matter how quickly you finish a course - just finish. When you have a goal, don't worry about how quicky others reach the same goal. You have your own race to run in life. Stay in your lane, don't compare with others, and don't give up. Take one step at a time, take breaks when you need them, and enjoy the journey. In the end, all that matters is that you FINISHED the course. You may have different skills and methods to complete a task, just complete it. Like 11 year old me, you may receive a big surprise when you reach that finish line! 🦋

 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.               ~ 2 Timothy 4:7

Christmas 2017

Merry Christmas from sunny Melbourne! Where the only sign of snow is on tv shows...
While most homes were filled with joy & laughter, of excited children rushing out of bed to see what's under the tree... my home is quiet. The sounds of birds chirping outside, and tv occasionally break the silence.

I haven't blogged about this before... but this is how we've rolled for 9 years... just the 2 of us. The first part of those 9 years was ok. We weren't really bothered by the quietness... but this is our 4th Christmas, wondering if it will be last one with just the 2 of us... because the quietness of our home is not our choice. While we are surrounded by friends & family with children...we are left wondering when our turn will come... the journey we've been travelling these last 4 years is not one for the weak... and there are so many others, silently travelling on this same journey... So. Many.

So, again I ask if this is the last one... and place my trust in my creator... who has given us a promise... but not a time.

If you're a fellow traveller on the unexplained infertility journey, know you're not alone. We'll keep pushing on. Maybe this time next year will be different... only God knows...

Australia Day & ONE man's DREAM

On this Australia Day, almost one year after my nonno's passing, I am reminded how ONE MAN'S DREAM can impact generations. 

A young man in Treviso, Italy dreamed of migrating to Australia...and he DID. He worked hard for a year to bring his love here, married her a day later and raised a family here. So because of his dream, I am not only here, I am Australian. I miss my nonno, and I am blessed by HIS dream 💙

But the story goes deeper still... Nonno was mum's father. On dad's side, his great, great grandfather was also a young man in South-East Ireland- who had the same dream! So both these men had a God-given dream...generations apart... but clearly all part of God's plan for future generations.

It makes me wonder, if either of these men didn't follow their dreams...would I even be here? 

Wow. Just Wow... 

Huge Change

This has been an interesting season of growth and change. We have trusted God that we were where we were meant to be, and now, He has given us permission to move on... During this season, I have had less visions, and more prophetic dreams. In the past I hardly ever had prophetic dreams...always visions. We have been through a refining, preparation time. I have had one particular dream repeatedly...and now that dream has come to pass... So now, we have moved on from our church...it was a huge decision, but no doubt the right one. The sun is beginning to rise from a new direction... I will miss my friends, but we are not that far away. We leave hoping to see good things in the future of that church. Our part in the play is over, but the play is nowhere near over! :)

Life Dreams

Recently I was asked a question: "What is your dream?", and  "If you had no limits, what would you do?" 

Simple questions, right? Well, 10 years ago I had good answers! But now, I'm amazed to realise that my dreams from 10 years ago have all come to pass! Admittedly, my life didn't go the way I planned, but these delays in fulfilling dreams were all part of God's plan for my life! Now, as I said, I'm amazed...I had big dreams!

So, what were these dreams? I hear you ask...
1. I wanted to find the love of my life
2. I wanted to go to Europe....London, Italy & Ireland - to discover my roots.
3. I wanted to work in ministry serving children with disabilities
4. I wanted a 'real' job.

The first of these to be fulfilled was No.3. Through God's leading and placing the right people in my path, I was able to set up a successful ministry serving children with disabilities in my local church. This ministry ran for about 6 years. It was just me to begin with- volunteering in a Tamil speaking church with gorgeous children - 1 had autism and 2 had cerebral palsy. It was an afternoon service. I was also thrown in the deep end and ended up running the Sunday school class at the same time - until a new leader was found. After a few years, I moved the ministry into the main church for morning services. The boy with autism and I were together for the whole life of this ministry - other children came and went, but he was the only one who stayed. We have a special bond....I don't think I will ever be able to forget about him :) I had some wonderful leaders join my team, which was great, but there did come a time when God said he would remove his grace from the ministry, that it was time to move on.

The second dream to be fulfilled was my overseas trip. For 10 years I dreamed and yearned to go....in the end I just took the plunge and booked my tickets! I went alone and it was one of the best things I've ever done! I arrived in London and met some wonderful people who helped me settle in. I spent a week there before boarding a plane to Rome, where I joined a 2 week tour of Italy, then I returned to London before boarding a ferry to Ireland....after 9 nights in South-East Ireland I returned home....

This is where dream No. 1 was realised! The man of my dreams was staring me in the face! He had been in the picture for 3 years, but I just wasn't ready to see it....until I was on the other side of the world!

So, of course the last dream was finding a 'real' job. I had been working casual and agency for about 10 years, and I finally found myself in a good, permanent position.

So....now....I have everything I dreamed for.... so what's next???

I have so much more than what I dreamed for...but I guess the dreams I have now are simply to have a family and pay off our house. Isn't it funny how life changes.... I never thought I'd say goodbye to my ministry, but God opened the door and requested I walk through. There was no easy way to walk out, but I knew I needed to do it - I would have been working in my own strength to keep it going.

This also gave me the opportunity to listen to God's leading us out of that church. The One thing holding me back from moving on was that ministry. Once the ministry was gone, the strings were cut....it was time to walk through the new door. What a wonderful door that was! We found ourselves 'home' in a new church. Nobody told us to go there, we just felt led there. We have been there about a year now, and have not once looked back on our decision. We are where God wants us "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14).

So, that's a bit on my dreams. I can't believe, even though it took much longer than I'd anticipated, that I've fulfilled all my major dreams! Of course there are some new ones, but the biggest ones seem to have been ticked off. I know I will have more as I get older. I look forward to seeing what the future holds:)