Iron Sharpens Iron

It has taken me a bit to get settled back into the mundane after my last adventure.  It hasn’t been all that boring though, there have been several challenges where the Lord is teaching me about myself and what needs changing.

One of my challenges has been helping my friend, ‘M’, who was admitted into hospital with a back problem and eventually asked to leave four hospitals.  I had been visiting quite frequently while ‘M’ was at Charlies (where Mum used to be).  But when asked to help with the move to Fiona Stanley Hospital, which is around 45 mins drive south, I felt it was time to pull back.  Before doing so I joined ‘M’ in FS emergency waiting room to collect some of the things needed to be taken home.  I didn’t visit ‘M’ again till I was called to help less than a week later.  ‘M’ needed a lift to see the GP having been asked to leave Fiona Stanley.  ‘M’ arrived home in a taxi van with all the apparatus needed to help get around with a catheter, flaccid bowl and gammy leg. After the GP appointment it was back to the house then off to the third hospital where once again I left ‘M’ at the emergency ward.  Even though I hadn’t visited ‘M’ in hospital since Charlies regular visits, we had communicated via SMS and an occasional phone call while I went about my few busy weeks of working on the business website, among other things.  I was also helping out, every second day, with the watering of ‘M’s’ garden.

During this time we had our monthly Regis Residential Care Gospel songs. It was a lovely time with the regular attendees from residential care as well as some of their families.  Pat’s friend joined us for the first time and hopes to come again.  My friend Emma from church also joined us.  She had been once before when I was unable to come.  It’s lovely to have more supporters, especially as I’m about to abandon ship! I had asked Pat (our guitarist and evangelist) to pick me up on route to Regis and drop me off afterwards at the Joondalup Hospital, where I thought ‘M’ was.  I didn’t realise ‘M’ had since been discharged from there and was back at Charlies.  ‘M’ had send me a message, but being dyslexic, I had no idea that SCGH meant Charlies.  I wish people wouldn’t use abbreviations as they totally confuse people like me!  Needless to say, I was annoyed with myself, especially as I didn’t have my car.  So that visit was cancelled, as it took two forms of transport just to get home.  The train wait was 5 mins but the bus was over 45 mins and then I miss-read the bus number and caught the wrong one!  Praise the Lord it went in a similar direction and only meant a little longer walk home.  This time alone was good for me to reflect on what the Lord might be trying to teach me.

A week later I was about to visit ‘M’ when I was told the staff hoped to have ‘M’ discharged in the next few day after seeing the occupational therapist.  Unfortunately the OT wasn’t able to come till the Monday but before then ‘M’ had been kicked out again and was heading home.  I was very busy but called into the house to leave milk for a cup-a-tea.  It was then I met ‘M’ and friend who had just arrived.  I was pleased ‘M’ had found other friends to help, as previously, someone had come to pick up some things I had for ‘M’ and when dropping them at the hospital for ‘M’, she was offended and never came back.   Oh dear!  ‘M’ you really need to watch your language and temper.

On one occasion not long after ‘M’s’ operation, I had felt the Lord impressing me that I needed to say something.  I’m not one for confrontation so this took a lot of will power.  I prayed for an opportunity.  ‘M’ had requested I bring in the laptop so that it could be synced to the phone to download songs. I had forgotten to bring in a special adaptor, although I didn’t see the need as I had another one which I thought would work.  It did.  I waited for ‘M’ to wake up before we started but this didn’t seem to help.  I was greeted with a mouthful of abuse for forgetting the adaptor.  I suggested I leave and excused myself till the nursing staff had finished helped with the sync.  On returning to the bedside, I politely let ‘M’ know how I felt about the behaviour.  Of course there was the excuse “I have just woken up and I’m in constant pain”.  I said that this was no excuse for how she treated the staff, me or anyone else.

Six weeks and two days later ‘M’ was discharged for the last time and arrived home.  After two nights at mothers, ‘M’ moved back home.  I called in on route home and together we did some shopping.  I could hardly believe it, ‘M’ had already been swimming (still with catheter), and gardening, erecting a large shade cloth, and lifting heavy pots!

While overseas villas, where I live, had all the flexi plumbing pipes fitted with safety valves, but since my return home I had constant problems with the kitchen taps automatically turning off.  When the plumber came back to check them, I realise he had neglected to put the reducer on.  This stoppes the water gushing out of the tap which triggered the safety valve to shut off.  Praise God it was an easy fix, as I was considering having the valves removed, which meant if the flexi pipe bust, it could flood the kitchen cupboards, destroying them, which was what had happened in my neighbours villa.

Before going on my travels I had been selling stuff on Marketplace and had been contacted by Denise who asked if I might be the Sally Hall from MLC.  What a surprise!  Yes, I was.  Through her I was able to ask about another MLC friend, Jenny, who I had tried to contact since becoming a Christian.  I had given Jenny a hard time while at MLC when she had tried to witness to me about the things of God.  Now that I knew her surname, I went online to see if I could find her family, whom I knew came from Harvey, a country town south of Perth.  There were two names, I called one and left a message on the answering machine.

It was some time later that Jenny messaged me, but by then I was overseas.  I called when I got back, but she was on a cruise.  It wasn’t till 25^th November that we finally met up for lunch, 48 years since we had last seen each other.  Wow! What a lot of news to catch up on.  Jenny said the message I had left was on her father’s phone but he had moved into residential care and no one lived at his house anymore and she now lived in Perth.  It was amazing that she had even seen it.  When she heard the message she jumped for joy to hear that her witnessing and prayers had born fruit.  She was delighted to hear that God’s word had finally taken root after all those years.  Don’t give up on witnessing, you never know what the Lord can do with the seeds you plant.

Many of you already know about the devastation of the bush fires and drought we are experiencing here in Australia, especially in the eastern states.  It’s not only the physical but the spiritual drought that Aust is experiencing.  There have been many hindrances to the Gospel and our Christian way of life.  Persecution of this kind will either make you stronger or you will walk away and deny Christ.  Stand firm and light the fires of revival.

I attended a Christian conference this month, which helped to fan the fire within many of its attendees, who were encouraged to go out on the streets to witness of God’s great love.  It was good to be amongst so many enthusiastic Christians and to celebrate as one before the Lord.

With flights booked for Melbourne and accommodation for the first 4 nights kindly offered to me by Mindy’s parents in Torque I am just about ready for my next adventure.  For years I have been participating in online surveys to earn a little cash.  I was surprised to receive in my inbox an email claiming I had earned a $100 gift card.  At first I was very wary that it might be a scam.  But when I was able to download a card of my choice (a Woolies shopping voucher) I was delighted, as I can use this while I am in Torque.   Thank you Lord.

I have also been looking into banking products which I can use abroad.  Having done quite a bit of research and hearing some good things from friends, I found a debit card I can use, which doesn’t have transaction fees for using the card or for cash withdrawals and no banking fees and has reasonable exchange rates.   I’m now set up for the next chapter of my life in Thailand.

My garden is looking good.  I took a trip to Mum’s and my favourite native nursery to replace a plant that died while I was away.  I came back with four!  It was a challenge to find where to put them.  Mum’s neighbour, Jan, who I have stayed in touch with as she now attends my church, came with me for the ride.  On route I stopped for a $10 haircut in preparation for the hot summer days.  Short, short, short with a bit of a fringe to hide my receding hair line.

I have been a bit concerned about leaving my garden, possibly for a few years, when I go to Phuket.  I’d like to see if I can find someone who loves gardening who would like to move into the master bedroom, pay a little rent to cover my rates etc and look after my garden.  Do you know of anyone who might fit this criteria?

Just before the close of this month, my youngest sister Kat called me with some upsetting news.  She was told she had cancer.   The good news is that is has not spread but is contained within her uterus which will be removed before commencing treatment.  Please pray for her that there will be no spreading of this dreadful disease and that she will come to know the Lord through this difficult time and that His peace will sustain her.

Closing on a happier note, I attended the Ladies Christmas Event on the evening of Saturday 30 November.  What a wonderful way to usher in the festive month of December. There was a nativity play ‘Christmas by the Book’ put on by the Girls Brigade and leaders which was very well done.  We made an origami bookmark and fellowshipped around supper.  It was after eating these snacks that I felt my body clock saying it was time to turn out the lights.  I made a quick departure, walking home to crash by 9:15pm.  I’m really not a night person, I think it’s something to do with waking at 4am!

Next week I am heading off to Ocean Grove, Victoria for my sister, Jen’s 60^th birthday celebrations.  Stay tuned to hear all about this new adventure.

Till next update I pray you all have a very blessed Christmas either with family or friends who appreciate you.  Remember Jesus is the reason for the Season!

Photos:    1. Vine in ‘M’s garden     2. Can you spot the Bobtail lizard?     3. Hair cut     4. 48 years ago     5. Jenny     6. Hydrangea in my garden     7. ‘Christmas by the Book’

Prayer & Praise Points:
Praise the Lord for His strength, wisdom and guidance through this challenging month.

Please keep Kat in your prayers during this difficult time.  For speedy recovery from her pending operation and treatment and of course for her salvation.

Please pray for my friend ‘M’, for a speedy recovery and return to the Lord during this time.

Please continue to pray for the salvation of my three sisters, Tricia, Jen and Kat and especially for reconciliation and forgiveness between Tricia and the rest of us.  Praise the Lord for the communication that has occurred between Kat and Trish.

Please continue to pray for the Lord’s leading, guidance and provision as I seek Him in preparations for my return to Phuket in April 2020.   Especially in the area of accommodation.

Please continue to pray for the success of the business, Senior’s Benefits and Rewards.  We are at a crucial time and pray that our trademark will be approved this second time around.  There has also been a huge shift in developing the app which will now operate with something called a progressive web application enabling us to have our own personalised map and not just the generic one.  Please pray for Grace as she develops this and for our pending launch.  If any seniors would like to volunteer to trial our product please let me know.  We will launch firstly in Perth and Sydney as this is where Grace and I have contacts.

Thank you to all my supportive friends and prayer partners; it’s reassuring and encouraging to know you are all standing with me in prayer.