20190221 – Thursday – Tracks, and Tears of the Moon

20190221 – Thursday – Tracks and Tears of the Moon.

Well, using my newly purchased “Audible” I have read or listened to “Tracks.”

The story of the “camel lady” who crossed the Simpson desert in company with a black man and 3 camels.

I loved it!

I like that I have replaced Netflix with Audible.

I read the summary of the book years ago and WANTED to read the book, but never actually got around to it.

Now I have read it and enjoyed it.

My next book was Tears of the moon, by Di Morrissey, which once again I had read about but never actually read the book.

It is about the pearl industry in Broome, and I am finding this book too, is fascinating.

This reading is not taking away from my other work of transcribing and listening to Bible studies, but it has replaced my leisure occupation in a good way, so I am glad of this.

When Selena came home, we ate ‘left-overs’ for dinner and so we then decided to go for a drive along the west side of the Tamar River to Exeter.

We had some beautiful views over the Tamar around Gravelly Beach.

I loved Exeter.

There were a string of cafes along the Main Street,  a couple of beautiful churches, a hotel, bakery, IGA, petrol station, pre school, primary school and high school all in the same road.

It had the look of a little community isolated from other places and having everything one would need contained within it.

Every place I pass through I try to imagine what it would be like to live there, if one was a young person starting a life and having a family there.

What stops me from liking the thought of living in Tasmania is the same reason I would not like to live in Western Australia.

In Western Australia because of the great expanse of the Nullarbor, people in WA are isolated and can often become bigoted and judgmental, and the same could happen in Tasmania.

If you ever had problems in your home ecclesia there would be nowhere to go, whereas in South Australia, if you couldn’t peacefully live within the strictures of one ecclesia, there are always other ecclesias where you can find people who are more like yourself.

And so, all can live in peace, because there is plenty of room for two groups to live side by side without affecting the other. 

So many people who possess strongly believed Christadelphian “doctrine,” are find themselves unable to attend group events, like a Bible School, or youth camp, because they are unable to give evidence of their belonging to an “accepted” ecclesia, and so cannot apply to attend the various camps and youth events.

I find myself, that having been brought up in an ecclesia from my youth, with strong doctrinal concepts, that I love the in-depth studies and love the “weightier matters of the Law,” and yet I find I have more of the “live and let live” attitude of the more liberal cclesias.

So if I were prevented from attending the various bible schools and camps, I would be devastated.

I think that one should simply be able to state that one was a CHRISTADELPHIAN, and not have to be restricted by local issues and matters.

I see that there are those who are scattered upon the mountain, belonging nowhere, and isolated and lonely. 

We often “compass sea and land” to make one convert and yet in our own home patch, there are those that we, or someone else, deems unsuitable, and so they/we cannot partake of the benefits that are available to the “respected, and respectable.” 

I know that once you are a Christadelphian, you will NEVER quite belong out in the “world.” 

You never quite fit.

So one can find themselves neither fish nor fowl.

So my advice to any who finds him/herself in this position, is to find one other person, and to meet in the home, and have a breaking of bread with that person, and listen to the many exhorts you can find on cdvideo.org or christadelphian vault.

God says that “when one or two are gathered together in my name,” there am I in the midst of them.

Gather up the lost and the lonely and the disaffected and bring them home.

And my humble advice to those rejecting ecclesias, is to think again and bring the lost and the lonely back home, and carry them in your bosom.

Leave the judgment of doctrine in these last days when the wheat and tares grow together, to God.

Be kind, be loving and restore such an one in love.

20190222 – Friday – Home

Well, soon, Selena and I will be (God willing) on our way home to South Australia.

And I find that I love the place.

Home is home.

But it has been wonderful to meet so many friends in the ecclesias over here in Tassie.

Thank you all for your hospitality and kindness to us while we were here.

In South Australia I was born, heave away, haul away

In South Australia, ’round Cape Horn, we’re bound for South Australia

Haul away your rolling king, heave away, haul away

Haul away, you’ll hear me sing, we’re bound for South Australia

 

Tassie is the most beautiful place and Launceston ecclesia has an ambience all its own.

Soon to be home.

I have had a great time.

Thanks everyone.