Saturday, March 6, 2010

Moods of the mountain

For the first time in my life I am living 'in the shadow' of a mountain.

Every morning heading off to work the mountain looms large in the windscreen.

Every afternoon returning from the office the mountain sits as the backdrop to the traffic.
The mountain can be a barometer of the day. When the apex is bathed in sunshine it is most likely that the sky is blue and the day is clear. When the cloud hangs low down the slopes a cooler day is in the offing.
Each day is a little different. The combination of light and shade, clouds and clear skies offer an infinite variety.
No matter what the weather, and no matter how I am feeling, the mountain stands firm.
It's persistent presence and stability reminds me of the God who is always there.
No matter what is happening in my life the mountain is there. The world might keep changing around it, but the mountain remains.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Very much alive!

"Tasmania is a quiet little island south of the mainland. Nothing much happens there, and it is a good place to go for a holiday." That may (or may not) express the thoughts of many people, but my last week has challenged that sort of thinking.

For two days it was a privilege to travel north and visit Salvation Army centres in the north and north west. There's a lot happening there, and more to come.

At Burnie, Ulverstone and Devonport things are happening. With good leadership in Corps and social centres needs are being met and lives are being changed. New possibilities are being explored at the same time as ways are being found to overcome current difficulties.

In Launceston the Doorways program is being commenced, and under one roof most services will be accessed and people will be able to access physical, social, emotional and spiritual help. Communities are being reshaped. The Launceston Corps is in the process of a radical rebuilding program that will set the tone for the next generation. It is an exciting concept that is renovating the old and making room for the new. Nearby at Kings Meadows response to community needs is bringing change, challenges and life to an older congregation.

And back at DHQ there is always some new development as responses are made to opportunities that resource the Army in meeting human need.

One common factor in north and south is community. As the faith community meets the wider community at their point of need God works. It is great to see, and great to be involved.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Settling In

Two weeks and counting. New house, new job, and now a new golf club. One decision still to be made - new fellowship.

Over the last two weeks much change has taken place. We continue to adjust. During the process we have welcomed family and shared with them in exploring parts of southern Tasmania.

So what have I learned in these past two weeks and 4 days?

  • Tasmania is hilly... a great contrast to the landscape we travelled in the last six months.
  • Roads are winding... but the views are impressive.
  • Locals are friendly... and very helpful.
  • Historic buildings are everywhere... and most towns and villages have more than their share. The weather is great... when the sun is shining, but chilly when clouds come over.
  • Amazing work is being done... and I am impressed by the people working in many of our programs.
  • Administration is demanding and complex... and never ending if programs are to function, people be helped and lives changed.
Exciting times, and more challenges to come.

Friday, January 15, 2010

New year, new home

The early days of 2010 were spent finishing our small amount of packing and preparing to move to Hobart. On January 12 we headed to the Spirit of Tasmania and sailed across Bass Straight.
We returned to the state we have left twenty two years earlier.

There was a sense of familiarity as we landed at Devonport and made our way to Hobart via Launceston. A few days on and we are settled in Moonah. Our gear arrived as expected, and the unpacking process has been largely accomplished. Not everything is in its correct home yet, but we are getting there.

Our last home in Preston offered views of other houses and wonders of Northland Shopping Centre. Here we have a view of the Derwent River and Queens Domain, a hill the obscures any further view down the estuary. In the foreground if this vista is my workplace, a stately old mansion that has served many different purposes over the years. As we head off to work we also gain a perspective of Mount Wellington from the front of our house.

These things come at a cost. The vertical dimension of life in the physical realm is one of the facts of life in Tasmania. Having previously lived in the north of the island I had failed to appreciate that most of the inner suburbs of Hobart are akin to the steeper areas around Launceston.

This week it is back to work. After twelve months of choosing our own pace and place we are now gearing up to get back into a work-life routine. It starts in earnest on Wednesday.