February 2010 – Rain, Rain, Rain.
Well, Hello! Another month another story. Here in Queensland, Australia we have experienced one of the most humid and wet months of the calendar year. February has come and gone and with it the end of the drought.
It seems as if it has been raining all month. Our combined Dam levels have reached over 96% capacity, That is a 20% + increase in one month which is remarkable. This time last year the total combined Dam levels for the whole of south east Queensland was less than 20% capacity.
As I write this, Western Queensland is receiving a drenching and has received record rainfalls exceeding the deluge of 120 years ago. All the rivers are in flood. Country towns like Charleville, Roma and St George are inundated with flood water. Hundreds of homes have been flooded, yet the typical Australian spirit shines through. Farmers rejoice , seeing beyond the hardship of the flooding rains to the future prosperity that the deluge brings in its wake.
Here at home our swimming pool has overflowed a number of times during the month. The Lawns and garden are green and the forest is alive with birds singing and flora & fauna coming to life. What a difference it makes when the earth is bountifully watered with life!
Its wonderful to be able to enjoy nature in all its power and beauty yet at the same time it can cause enormous havoc such as we have seen in Haiti and now in Chile. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those who are suffering.
During the month I had the joy of catching up with some old friends again such as my old mate and colleague during the Klemzig revival, Evangelist Tim Hall.
Tim was holding some special evangelistic meetings here in Brisbane and I caught up with him over a cup of coffee at my favoroite eatery “The Coffee Club”. As usual Tim “let his hair down” and scribbled a caricature of me while we were talking.
Tim has remained faithful to his calling as a pentecostal evangelist who has a passion to see the manifest power of God bringing new life to people of all ages.
His gifting as one of Australia’s finest artists is worthy of note and if you are interested in his works of art they can be found on his web site under Tim Hall Ministries.com Tim funds many of his overseas crusades in poorer countries through the sale of his art. His greatest love however is clearly that of an Evangelist. I commend him to you.
Ian Parker and I also had the privilege of visiting a great pentecostal veteran preacher, Pastor Lloyd Averill (96 years) at the Bethany Christian care facility. He will go down in history as a great preacher and one of Australia’s most respected Assemblies of God ministers. Ps. Averill pioneered in many centres around Queenslad and pastored some large churches in Australia and New Zealand.
As we concluded our visit, Brother Averill requested that we sing together “The Old Rugged Cross”. He sang it heartily and word perfect. It was indeed a privilege to visit this great old man of God.
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Someone else whom we visited was Ps. Roy & Dawn Short. Roy of course was a former missionary to Papua New Guinea and also served as a pastor in a number of churches in Australia. He served on the Executive of the Assemblies of God in Australia as the National Secretary. Roy has a wonderful pastoral gift and at 84 years is still caring for the Seniors at the Oasis Church at Taigum. Roy had just returned from surgery having suffered a mild heart attack. He was feeling a bit tired but is recovering well.
On the church news front, a new Senior Pastor elect has been appointed to succeed Pastor Ian & Jan Parker at the Albany Hills Christian Church. Pastor Mark & Nina Elmendorp were apponted the new leaders receiving a 96.4% of the vote. Congratulations Mark & Nina!
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On the family front, Betty & I had a surprise visit from some of our relatives from North Queensland. Betty’s cousin Beryl Watson (the sister of Ps. Tim Spoor) and her husband Peter called in for a couple of days. They own and operate an organic Banana farm at Murray Upper, Nth Qld. If you are into eating “organic” products the chances are that the bananas came from their farm. Beryl is the daughter of Home Missionary Pastor Con Spoor who gave his life in christian pioneer work in Queensland for many years. He died in Gympie, Qld. 1962.
Two of his great grand daughters Rachel & Sally Bola also visited us.
They are delightfully beautiful young women, friendly and a credit to their parents and their christian upbringing.
I have just been interrupted by a little girl who is standing beside me. She is the cutest child I have ever seen and one of my favourites. She has been observing me adding pictures to this “post”. She says “Me too Grandpa” pointing to herself. So here it is the latest photo of Lydia Elizabeth Farrell, Mary & Dan’s youngest, just 3 yrs old and wanting my attention.
When I was a young man my favourite quote which was usually taken out of context, was the first part of Acts 20:24. “But none of these things move me“……. Well, looking at Lydia I find myself melting! With that I rest my case. 