Great Ocean Road cycling trip

300km of cycling over 3 days. Luckily, I was just accompanying my husband by car. I felt a bit tired driving all that way but I felt I really shouldn't say so, not in front of the cyclists! They did an amazing job raising funds for children's charities, see http://www.25000spins.com/adventures/great-ocean-road.html

It really is a beautiful stretch of coastline.

After the ride, we had a serene 2 days in Lorne.

We had a pit stop in Apollo Bay and I wished we could have stayed longer.

My daughter Evie interacting with a Cockatoo.

While I was driving on my own, I had to stop and get petrol. We had a hired 4WD and I wasn't sure how to even open the fuel thingy or whether the car was unleaded or diesel.

"Pretty sure it's diesel, it's a 4WD, trucks and 4WD's use diesel, don't they?" 

I was going to just go diesel but then I thought to double check with the guy working at the petrol station. Well, lucky I did. He basically told me that it's most likely unleaded and told me to call the hire company just in case. He told me there have been many a hired vehicle that had to have the wrong fuel sucked out of them. And, if they couldn't get all the fuel out, the car had to be towed...all the way back to Melbourne, usually! What a way to end the holiday for some poor soul!

(this is a sample image and may not reflect the actual 4WD I was driving on my trip ;)

It made me think- what if this had happened to me? Would it have been reasonable of me to say, "Oh I'm cursed, I'm just so unlucky!"  I don't think so. 

There are quite a few verses in the Bible where God talks about curses and punishment. Putting the discussion about justice/punishment aside, I believe a lot of the suffering in the world is not a 'curse'  in the sense that God has said, "Oh, you're not obeying me so I'm going to make you pay!" as much as it's a case of putting the 'wrong fuel in the car.' God made us and so He knows our 'manufacturing design'. His commandments are there to help us live according to our 'design'. If we put the wrong things in, then we don't function at our optimum level (or we don't function at all). How is your 'engine' going? What are you 'putting in', when it comes to your physical/spiritual/emotional/mental health? 

"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome." 1 John 5:3

God made us then saved us and is coming soon to take us home. He has invested so much into us and we have no reason to ever doubt His good intentions towards us.

"Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel?For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!” 

Ezekiel 18: 31, 32

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10

(check out the Great Ocean charity cycle video, by 25000spins (started by my awesome brother-in-law!) and also the advert for next years one http://www.25000spins.com/adventures/great-ocean-road.html )

Rainbow

I love rainbows! I saw a really amazing rainbow today @the beach and it looked just like the photo at this link (check it out, it's the best photo ever!):  http://www.flickr.com/photos/rwangsa/452128709/

(except in a beach setting. There wasn't a nice photo on google images of a rainbow AND a beach so i put two photos. Just imagine it as one haha!!!) The sky was kind of stormy but the sun was also out and so this rainbow happened! (I didn't have my camera and who am I kidding- even if I did, wouldn't have been able to take such an awesome photo!).


1st image from : http://photo-help.com/77-beautiful-cuba-pictures-photos-images-of-cuba/

Sermon on the Mountain

A lot of the words Jesus spoke were spoken in reply to questions or accusations. The Sermon on the Mountain is one of the rare times were Jesus had the liberty to talk on a topic of His own choosing. This is a message straight from God's heart and mind! 

One of my favourite portions from the Sermon on the Mountain is the following:

"...And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye...

..Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven...

 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you give to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.  Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful."

(From Luke 6)

Why do we focus on the faults of others (and often these faults are imagined or exaggerated) instead of focusing on what we actually have control over- changing our own faults?

Why do we find it easier to do good to those who do good towards us? Why is it so hard to be kind to someone who is not kind to us, even if it's just an impolite stranger?

God can help us to change from loving others with a reactive/responsive love (i.e. "I'll love you only when I think you are being good and loving towards me) to a creative love (i.e. "I can love you even when I don't feel like it"). 

The greatest realisation we can come to is that God loves us with a creative and original love- i.e. It's not in response to our performance but rather it originates with HIM. And because God never changes, neither does His love for us. 

"Nothing can separate us from the love of God." Romans 8: 38, 39. 

Only once we realise this can we have that same sort of love towards others in our life. 

The Rock of Gibraltar, famous for being an impenetrable natural fortress of protection. The phrase 'Rock of Gibraltar' is used as an expression to indicate something that is unshakeable and reliable. May God be your Rock, Fortress and safe Refuge this week.  Have a happy week!