3, 2, 1...Aaaaaaaaaaaargh

A perfectly good waterfall I thought. Why would anyone possibly want to jump off the edge of it into the unknown? Then the jump master began the countdown - 3, 2, 1 - followed by a little nudge - Aaaaaaaaaaaargh.

Within a matter of a few minutes of PAYING to jump (did I mention that this was a perfectly good  waterfall?), I was airborne and falling rapidly to my certain death!!! All I can remember was how fast you fall and how quickly the ground comes towards you.

With certain death imminent, the rope finally took over and swung me over the tree tops lining either side of the river. I vividly recall seeing the white outline of a figure painted on the rock below, just before the rope took over. I thought, what a weird sense of humour.
The ride was exhilarating, terrifying, adrenaline pumping, fear-instilling, yet oddly liberating. Sometime we only live when we are doing something WAY outside our comfort zone.

This reminded me of the faith that we should exercise on a daily basis. We should be willing to step off the "waterfall" into the unknown for Jesus. He will be there, like the rope, to keep us safe.

The only reason I actually jumped was because I had spoken to one of the jump masters and he told me that every evening they remove the swing rope and re-connect it in the morning. The first task of the jump master for that day is to shimmy along the support rope, connect the swing rope, and THEN do the first jump of the day to test it's safety.
This is what God does for us. He goes before us and makes sure the way is "safe" (Not easy...)

Chat later.
Chow 4 Now

Background to our 2012 "adventures"

Hi again...

As promised in my first post, I am going to tell you about some of the adventures I was blessed enough to be part of last year. But.......before I continue I need to put you in the picture on how we got to do these things in 2012.

In January 2011 my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. We had been down this road before when my daughter had been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in 1998. It was most certainly our faith that got us through this difficult periods of chemo & radiation. I'm happy to report that both my girls are well, and clear of any signs of cancer - Soli Deo Gloria!!!

In 2011 we realised just how short life can be and so we decided to live in the moment, and to take a few "risks" (Difficult for a Type-A, Mr. Organised, must-all-work-to-plan person like me). We decided to do some of the things we had always "chucked" in our to-do-one-day-bucket. Thanks to an insurance payout we were fortunate to have some disposable cash for a great holiday. (More on that later)

At about the time my wife was diagnosed, we stumbled upon an "old, grey haired guy" named Pete. He became a huge part of our family and to this day we see him as one of the rocks we were able to cling onto during the rough patches in 2011. He "appeared" like an angel and kept our family laughing, and quite possibly, sane! He also happened to mention that he was a runner (bit of an understatement, he was more like a hardened mountain goat who liked two legged transport just for some fun). So in and around September & October three crazy decisions were made: (1) let's go and jump off a perfectly good waterfall into a gorge whilst dangling on a piece of rope, then (2) if we survive that, let's go on a boat cruise (My wife does NOT DO BOATS...) and tour of Europe, and (3) just for some fun let's run for 300 days out of 365 for charity!!!

Tada!!! - 2012 was all sorted. No dull moments there.

I will pick up these stories in the next couple of posts, but for now...Chow.

A new year. A new beginning.

My goal for 2013

Hello World

As we enter 2013 I want to wish you all a blessed year. We know that there will be good times, and we are guaranteed that there will be some tough times. In all of these times I am more and more convinced that God will be right there beside us.

In the next few posts I want to reflect on my 2012 "adventures", so check back in a few days to see what I got up to last year.

The main purpose for this blog is to reflect on stuff that has impacted my life in the hopes that someone reading it, will also benefit from the love and grace that God has shown me.

C U Soon

Mark