Adjusting along this Journey

 

Where are we now …?

We are still in Esk. Enjoying our walks along the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail more than anything else. Getting out into nature along the trail is the highlight of every second morning.

We have 6 weeks to go before the owners return from their trip, and before we head back to Gympie for a month-long housesit there.

After 8 weeks in Esk, we’ve experienced all four seasons in rapid succession. Currently, we’re in spring conditions, but it’s technically still only autumn. At the start of this house sitting, in March, we had such hot days that we closed up the house, drew the curtains against the outside heat and put all the fans on to try and cool the house down. We sweltered, showering twice a day to wash off the sticky sweat. 

That changed after a few weeks as cooler temps arrived. Ah, we thought, relief! It was short-lived. We endured (apparently) uncharacteristically low temps for this time of year, shivering in our boots.  The flimsy clothing we misguidedly brought along (thinking they would be warm enough) was simply not sufficient. We rushed off to the op-shops (second-hand shops garnering funds for charities) and searched for (and found, gratefully!) some warmer items we could put on at a quarter of the cost of new ones. After a few days of low temps, Black Frost came calling. Overnight, all that was green around us turned to yellow, then brown.

And then the rain came. For 3 days and nights on and off, a soft persistent rain has been falling. With warmer temps, the grass is beginning to turn green again. I noticed the lemon tree shooting new growth. All of nature is thoroughly confused.

Adjusting, adjusting ... 

Our emotions have been much like the weather … up and down, warm, happy and fuzzy one day, confused the next. We sink into the cold fear of anxiety and restlessness at the slightest bad/sad/adverse news. Besides constantly hearing promises from our Father – lately, it has been Isaiah 41 v 10 – we have allowed the unseen fingers of insecurity and fear to grip our throats.

‘Do not fear [anything], for I am with you;
Do not be afraid, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, be assured I will help you;
I will certainly take hold of you with My righteous right hand [a hand of justice, of power, of victory, of salvation].’  Isaiah 41 v10 AMP Bible

We did not stand firm. Consequently, the fingers began to squeeze after a few weeks of individually battling depression, fear, restless uncertainty, and  recrimination, sometimes at ourselves and at each other. Mentally confused, with a straining relationship, desperate because our thinking tended towards doom and gloom, we needed help. The Bible verses within devotional after devotional were crying for us to take note. And still, I was caving, and AJ was questioning more and more. We stopped having a devotional time together. We began to avoid each other, easily accomplished in a large house.

One morning, hiding in the warmth of the van, I was listening to a local Christian radio station. Out of the blue, there was a discussion on depression and anxiety. It was as if that person was talking straight at me, as I was reminded quite pointedly that I should request prayer for us from someone. Not wanting to alert friends and family to our struggles – we can all be so proud in low moments, can’t we? – I approached only one dear person, rock-solid in her faith, who has the very ear of our God, to pray for us.

Within 24 hours there was a significant change. Without going into detail, let me just say that suddenly (and not due to our efforts) we were able to have a civil conversation which we had not had for a few weeks without descending into a quarrel; I recall thinking, wow, that was different. We didn't argue. We began to have a more positive outlook; hope began to creep in. With each passing day our spirits were more lifted, and the Word of God finally came alive again in our hearts and minds. Even the sun seemed brighter and the clouds didn’t matter.

Getting back in the van

AJ had a week of no training commitment, so we took the van and fled off-grid for two days to a beautiful spot 40 mins away, next to a lake. 

It was soul-refreshing and healing. No internet. No mobile signal. No power. Our water only just lasted for the two days, but then, we didn’t go sparingly on the tanks as we knew we were there for only a short time.

We could only watch nature…

... or chat … or sit in silence ... and contemplate. The sunrises were awe-inspiring.

We had taken our devotional Bible to read, and the readings we were on delivered a poignant reminder.

Based on Chapter 2 verses 17 and 18 of Hebrews: "Therefore, it was necessary for Him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then He could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since He himself has gone through suffering and testing, He is able to help us when we are being tested."

 ""What do you know about it? Persons in great pain and misery sometimes throw this question in the face of those who are trying to console them. The rejection is especially acute if the one offering solace has never been through similar misery [them]self. "How can you tell me 'Everything is going to be all right' or 'It's not really as bad as it seems'? You don't know anything about this!"

"On the other hand, someone who has actually experienced the situation the sufferer is presently enduring innately senses what needs to be done or said – or left unsaid. That is exactly what kind of person, what kind of comforter, Jesus is. He was made "in every respect like us" (2v17). He himself suffered, just as we do; He Himself was tempted, just as we are. This is why He is able to help us so effectively – He has been through and understands whatever painful, dreadful situation we may face. He is able to minister as "our merciful and faithful High Priest" (2v17) precisely because He went through suffering and temptation and therefore understands both those afflictions and us. So, says the writer, He is able to help us when we are being tempted, and He offers a perfect sacrifice that obliterates sin when we fall."  (from The Travellers Devotional Bible.)

Coincidence? I think not. As believers, we know there is no such thing as coincidence. 

We returned refreshed and renewed. Being in the van for two days had also reminded us of how much we enjoy living that lifestyle. We have decided to limit house sitting after our current commitments end in January ‘24. Thereafter, we will house-sit only when we feel it is necessary. There is a constant insatiable demand for house sitters. We're trusting God on that decision because it will cost us more and increase our towing times as we travel from location to location. Not only that, but we also trust that, at the right time, God will provide a house sitting for us as the need arises.

House sitting is a privilege and a saving. However, it comes with huge responsibilities. On a few occasions, we’ve had to spring clean a home before we felt comfortable about unpacking our bags. And truth be told, I am no longer partial to cleaning a large home on an ongoing basis. And when you hand it back to the owners it needs to be better than you found it. Owners are forgetful.

Likewise, AJ is no longer partial to maintaining a large expanse of lawn. Water is always scarce. Gardens need water. Most homes depend on rainwater tanks for a water supply. Each time you use water you feel stressed … will it rain to replace what we have used? At one home the water ran out while we house-sat. It was not a pleasant feeling. Luckily there was water in the van’s tanks, which we turned to. The owner had not kept track of the water tank’s level as it was underground. There was an insinuation that we had used too much water. We knew we hadn’t. It had only been a week, after all, with no garden requiring water. The current house we are in uses town and rainwater tanks. But even in using town water, you are constantly aware that it costs the owner. After a long stay, we leave an amount for the water bill. 

The house we are in is large and while it is full of furniture and packed bookshelves, display cabinets and rugs, it manages to still feel hollow. Designed to be optimally cool in summer heat, its open plan is cold and its tinted windows make it dark on cloudy days. It is constructed, as many are in Australia, raised from the ground with an open space beneath the floor of the house and the ground below. Consequently, it seeps cold from below. Most houses here are  built from wood, or composite material of some sort, and they creak, groan and whistle as the weather conditions change.

Being in a large home, one is more easily inclined to live separate lives. In the van, we are constantly engaged and dependent upon one another to make each day a success. No, give me my small happy van any day. AJ feels the same.  

“Why”, I hear you say, “are you depressed, anxious?”

“You’re in a good place. In a safe place.”

“You have your heart’s desire”, one person said to me.

“You're living the dream, which few people can!” said another.

“You aren’t going through what we are going through. You’re lucky you aren’t enduring what we have to endure.”

Well, please allow a reply … you too, aren’t enduring what we are. You aren’t in the circumstances that we are in. None of us really know what the other is ‘enduring’. None of us have perfect security. None have total safety. We have all made choices and decisions that affect our lives whether for the good or the bad. And we must live with those choices or the consequences of those choices/decisions. Some were made a long, long time ago, such is the effect of each decision upon life’s journey. (Young people take note.)

Personally, we have had to adjust to a new lifestyle, in a new country. In doing so, we face struggles that no one knows of. AJ has had his fluctuating work hours reduced. I’m working hard at getting a side hustle off the ground. We are presently on a temporary visa, with our permanent visa currently being processed. Our children here, as our sponsors, have just had their interviews with the immigration dept. We were all reminded that, for the next ten years, we are expected to be self-sufficient … if we aren’t, our children will need to carry the responsibility; regardless of whether or not we are accepted as citizens after 4 years, should we apply. Daily we wait for the next step, which is not an automatic ‘yes you can stay’.

Allow me to say, never judge, never compare. Never point … three fingers are pointing back at you.

So many clichés are thrown about by those who are supposedly managing their lives – “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”, etc. We all know the struggles: the economic mess causing an endless rise in the cost of living; political upheaval; gender ideology confusing so many; social and community struggles, with lack of support from those that govern; poor infrastructure, deteriorating further day by day; broken individuals that get themselves into endless trouble; a rise in youth crime; a rise in hopelessness. There are wars. Rumours of wars. Apart from all this, we all have struggles with income and expenditure. Dire needs within our closest families. Medical needs and health fears.

And then, worst of all, there is the relentlessness of social media, drawing us down the proverbial rabbit hole of an algorithm-fed diet of covetousness, anxiety, doom, delusions, and false fads. A diet that is designed to tap every bit of strength from your bones, reduce your brain cells, and deplete your system of life-sustaining hope.

We have learned ...

We have learned one thing in this last month … take your eyes off the One who provides all hope, and you begin to drown in the mess around you. Focus more on the news (or social media) and your heart begins to shrink. Focus more on the Word of God and the glimmer of hope springs alive. Read more of His Word than the news, and faith is fanned into flame. Praise Him for what you have, and your heart responds by beating stronger. Find a way to assist/encourage someone else and your bones begin to heal. A dry spirit begins to produce living streams that allow you to pass on hope to a hopeless world.

The purpose of this blog post? 

Firstly, of course, to answer the question so many are asking … where are you now?  😀

Secondly, to encourage you, wherever you are, to keep your eyes on the One who gives all life. Read His Word. If you don’t know where to start, John 1 verse 1 is a good beginning. Play the book of Psalms while driving in your car. You do know, don’t you, that there are many Bible apps free to use.  We love the YouVersion Bible App.

For every hour of TV propaganda you watch, resolve to read/listen to one hour of God’s word or a Christian Radio Station. If you don’t have one that you know of, and you have a smartphone, why not download the TuneIn Radio App, which has an option for free use. There, you can find radio stations from around the world. Search for the Vision Christian Radio Station in Australia. Pure Soul Food.

On the above screen capture of my TuneIn app, you can see Vision Christian Radio from Australia, Radio Sonder Grense from South Africa, FM Pretoria, Coast Radio from New Zealand (when I need to dance 😄) and Smooth Jazz Global from California when we need a calm atmosphere. (Another of our favourites, Classic 1027 from Johannesburg, is not on offer on TuneIn.)  

I’m not saying you mustn’t remain abreast of the news. Of course, you must. Know what the contemporary world is touting. Be aware. But ensure that you are reading from/listening to a wide variety of sources, not only one. Remember that algorithm diet … ?

Until the next catch-up, thanks for stopping by.

Thank you for your support. We love and appreciate you.

Blessings.🌼

Social media graphic by Image by 巻（Maki） from Pixabay.

Newspaper image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.