Marsha's Blog

 Good morning friends,    Hope you’re all well and happy. Tony and I have had a great week, taking our government’s suggestion that we discover the sights close to home until travel restrictions are lifted. In an effort to comply, we took a little 3-day wander up into northern Queensland.  Even though it’s winter, the tropical nature leaves it chilly but beautiful and we’ve returned happy and refreshed. Up there in the middle of the north, you can find the stomping grounds of the late Steve Irwin, otherwise known as “the Crocodile Hunter”.  He had a T.V. show back in the 90’s that attracted quite a following.     Steve was known for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his daring encounters with them.  While filming “Worlds Most Dangerous Animals” in 2006, he closed in on a giant stingray for one of his classic shots; nose to nose so to speak.  I’m sure he was explaining with his trademark enthusiasm about how they are misunderstood…or endangered, or some such, but the stingray must have go

 Another week down with Covid.  I admit I’m a little bit discouraged today because it seems that we, as a people, just can’t come to peace with the thing. I hear from others in the world that there is a rising trend to just “move on” and let it run its course. But here in Australia, the government is determined to stop it with increasing restrictions and lockdowns. I don’t know what the best course should be, but it’s not hard to see the effect it’s having. Even our churches are finding it harder to be cheerful in the face of such restrictions. We want to do the right thing, obey those in authority and all that, but it’s frustrating.  I think it’s by God’s grace this week that we came across an excellent film while we are waiting out yet another “stay at home” order. If you have a Christian network or maybe PBS, check out “I AM PATRICK”. It’s a recent “doco” (as they say here), or documentary-movie about the life of the boy who became known as the Irish “St Patrick”, in spite of the fa

 Good morning followers,    As another week has spun by, I’m happy - I think - to report that, at least as far as we’re concerned, absolutely nothing of any interest has happened to us this week.  Here in Queensland, CoVid restrictions are some of the lightest in the country, with the major hassle having to wear a mask everywhere and use the “Contact Tracing” app on our phones so that Big Brother always knows where we are. I laughed when I heard the other day that the police in some city in America were not apologizing for accessing that information to round up criminals. The police here responded with, “That’s terrible! And furthermore we’d like to do that as well.”    Even though I have no outstanding warrants, I still can’t help but feel a little uneasy as I go from shop to shop, leaving digital footprints all over the place. But really, folks, this is nothing compared to what a lot of the world is experiencing today, and even, I believe, what a lot of you are having to endure. And

 Dear friends,  We’ve had quite a week, starting with the chance to hold our new grandson, Jeremiah Nathan. The moment quickly passed, when our state of Queensland, because of a few new cases of COVID, announced a snap lockdown, telling us all to “go home, and don’t come outside til we say so.” During that drama, “Jay” (as we’re going to try to call him) and his mom were required to stay in the hospital for a few more days until he could pass his “jaundice test”. It was heartbreaking to see the kid, having just discovered the joys of being held by Mom and Dad, now laid under a light with his eyes covered in gauze. He passed with flying colors on Friday, however, and is now discovering the huge estate he’s inherited, complete with the family dog. That sounds like a sermon … but I think that’s Tony’s department. Now it’s Sunday, the lockdown has been lifted (provided we keep wearing our masks), and I think we may just mosey 60 miles up to Brisbane this afternoon to give him another cuddl