How to get more than 24 hours in a day! For Real!

So I've finally figured out how to get more than 24 hours into a day! I'm writing this as I sit in San Francisco airport waiting for my next flight to leave at the end of a 12 day, 9 flight trip.

It is truly magic associated with travel. Today is September 17, 2008 and this morning I woke up in Canberra, Australia. I left Canberra at 10:10 am aboard a Qantas flight for Sydney and I arrived there at 11:00 am. It was a short 50 minute flight.

Then at about 3PM I left Sydney aboard a United Airlines 747 for San Francisco. It was a 13 hour flight over the Pacific Ocean. I arrived in San Francisco at 11:10 am -- on the same date--September 17th. I arrived before I left. It was kinda funny, when they announced the local San Fran time of 11:10 am Sept 17th--someone (it may have been me) piped up and said you mean--still Sept 17th. Lots of laughs ensued in the cabin.

OK--but the day doesn't end there! No--another flight leaving San Fran at about 3 PM for Baltimore (and thankfully home) which arrives shortly after 11 PM.

So if you add it all up. I think that from midnight the start of the 17th, to midnight the start of the 18th, I will have experiences about a 37 hour day. And of that, I will have had an airplane strapped to my bottom for about 19 hours. That leaves 10 hours at the start of the day till the airport in Canberra, plus about 3 hours in Sydney waiting, plus 4 in San Fran, and then one to finish the day in Baltimore. I think it all adds up. With actual times it may be closer to 38 hours.

But-- the point is--when someone says that it is impossible to get more than 24 hours in a day--now you know the truth!

I'm hopeful of getting some reviews of hotels and restaurants completed in the next couple weeks. There are some definitely good places to stay if you are contemplating a trip to Australia--and the eating is really good.

A couple more songs to consider--The Grip of Christ that won't let go!

I’ve been listening to two songs recently which are over a decade apart in age, but both speak to the same concept. That idea is that God is never too far away and that he has a firm grip on us.

The first is Sometimes by Step written by Rich Mullins in the early 1990's. One of the key lines near the end of the song is: “I may falter in my steps, but never beyond your reach.” He then goes on to write and sing: “O God you are my God and I will ever praise you.” (BTW--click on the link to listen to the song.)


The second verse contains these words:

Sometimes I think of Abraham

How one star he saw had been lit for me

He was a stranger in this land

And I am that, no less than he

And on this road to righteousness

Sometimes the climb can be so steep

I may falter in my steps

But never beyond Your reach

CHORUS:

Oh God, You are my God

And I will ever praise You

Oh God, You are my God

And I will ever praise You

I will seek You in the morning

And I will learn to walk in Your ways

And step by step You'll lead me

And I will follow You all of my days

The other song, written by the Desperation Band in about 2007 is Promises. One key line in this song goes; “All of your promises won’t let go of me.” Later the song goes “I couldn’t walk away if I tried ‘cause your love is better than life.”

Singin' all your promises wont let go of me

Singin' all your promises wont let go of me

Singin' all your promises wont let go of me

Singin' ll your promises wont let go of me

I surrendered my life to your ways

I have learned what it means to obey

Jesus my heart has been changed by you

I am walking the path you have made

I am seeking the truth every day

Jesus my heart has been changed by you

I couldn’t walk away if I tried

'Cause your love is better than life

Now the suns shining bright

And it just won’t set

'Cause your love is a light and it lights my step

My heart is amazed every day to the next

Your joy overtakes and I can’t Forget about it

What is it about these two songs that keeps me listening to them? The whole concept that God’s grip on me is sure and he won’t let me go--no matter what. They both go along with the David Crowder song: Never Let Go that I wrote about last week. I guess I am just marveling in the firm grip that God has on me and each one of us.

The deep understanding of God’s love for us--that love that sent His Son to die for us--before we even realized we needed Him. They both continue the theme of Romans 8:35-39 which reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. No matter how hard we try!

These can be hard words to accept--and perhaps that is why there are songs written about that strong grip on each of us.

So what is the bottom line, in terms of promises? I think Romans 5:6 kinda says it all: "For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly." (NET Bible)


What time is it? The right time. When is it? The right time. No matter when it is--and it is different for each of us, the grip of Christ on each of us is at exactly the right time.

We all falter in our steps on the path of righteousness. Get up! Look at Christ and follow Him and keep your eyes on Him. So when you falter--remember the promises of God--He dies for us at just the right time and nothing (and I mean nothing) can separate us from the love of Christ and all of His promises!

Alice Springs--Oasis in the desert

I was reviewing my blog this morning and realized that while I had included a restaurant review while in Alice Springs, I didn't provide any pictures or review the city. So here goes.

Alice Springs, or Alice as it is referred to is the largest city in the region. It is a central point for transshipment of goods and is a cultural and arts center. It is also small--less than 26,000 people.

There is a lot of natural beauty in the region. But on this trip I did not get a chance to go to the gorges and chasms that dot the region.  I am told the area looks a lot like the U.S. desert southwest--except no cactus.

The city of Alice has a central walking mall--called the Todd Mall after the Todd River which is nearby--don't get too excited about water sports the river is dry for most of the year. So no tubing.

At on end of the town is ANZAC Hill, the war memorial, at the other is Bojangles. Total walking time--about 15 minutes. That is from the base not the top of ANZAC Hill.

There are a lot of cool shops on the walking mall and the newest addition is a Target Store, which was not yet open--but was expected to open within a week. 

So there isn't a lot of places people can hide on the mall. I was a bit distressed on this trip with the number of unoccupied shops on the mall.  It seems that economic hard times have made their way to Alice as well.

I ma told that Alice and the area are great for families and for those who especially love outdoor activities--hiking and camping and going "bush."

The mall is generally not crowded--but there are lots of tourists. Alice is a tourist town and there are attractions and activities for the tourists to do while in town. While I was there,  an auto race across the desert was beginning and the contestants were arriving at the local race track for the start of the race. So it seems there is always something happening.

Alice has been called the oasis in the outback--and once you fly into the city, you will definitely understand. Three hours of flying over the Simpson Desert and then landing at Alice. But the city is very welcoming.

Canberra Arrival

After safely arriving in Canberra, I realized that I had looked at the maps, and I'm pretty good with maps, but I was totally unprepared for what I found in this unique city. Lots of open space right around the the government buildings in the ACT--Australian Capital Territory. Very unlike London or Washington D.C.

This shot is looking back at the city from a lookout atop another hill--it is nearing dusk, but the vegetation and open areas are readily noticeable. Hopefully, I'll get some better pictures the fading light really hampered the ability to get a nice "put it on the wall" shot.

But we had gone hunting for kangaroos--right in the ACT region as a park around the lake in the foreground. These are Grey Kangaroos and they were keeping their distance--so I maxed out the zoom on the camera, hence, the shake and bit of fuzz.

There were about six of the kangaroos, but they were a bit shy and were keeping in the shadows along the treeline, making it though to pull them out of the background in photography. OK--I wish I had brought Chris' really good camera no rather than my older less capable camera.

While walking across the open area to get to the kangaroos, we spotted these birds. They are Sulphur-crested Cockatoos. And they were also resting high in the trees.



They were fun to watch and to photograph.





I also spotted this Australian King Parrot (I think, I'm still trying to sort it out) Which was fun to see--but he only kept his back to me.

It has been a fun start to the last portion of my trip. The green forests and open spaces are a contrast to the hustle and bustle of Adelaide and the desert view of Alice springs.

Well a few more days to go on this adventure and I'll be winging my way home. Who knows what other adventures I will have.

Adelaide -- City Down South

OK--so it is a whirlwind visit, only two nights and a couple very busy days.  But on first blush this is one fun city. It is alive and full of things to see and do. And as an added bonus, the drive from the airport is mercifully short.This is the view out my hotel window. In the very far distance, if you look hard you can see the ocean.

There is a China Town, where I ate dinner one night. It is was also bustling and full of life.

I was lucky enough to get an abbreviated afternoon in the city on Friday so I was able to walk to two attractions--the National Wine Center and the Botanic Gardens. This was about a mile from my hotel, but the walk through the central business district of the city was fascinating--especially the sculpture I found on the maing walking mall of a pig in the garbage.  I'm not too sure what that was all about.  But it was cute.

The National Wine Center is a nice museum/educational center spondored by the University of Adelaide. It lays out Australian winemaking history and procedures. The map shows all of the winemaking regions in Australia--and yes there is one intrepid vineyard in Alice Springs in the center of the country.

After my educational romp, I was able to get educated up close and personal with a tasting. Yup--good Australian wines. I would have bought a couple bottles except the walk back was so far. This place though, is a must see on a trip to Adelaide. And, I highly recommend Adelaide as a stop.

As the National Wine Center abuts the Botanic Gardens, I was able to wander around the gardens for a few minutes. As it was getting late, though, I was unable to spend as much time there as I would have liked. But it was a nice stroll.

 

Who Are You Working For?

Well who? Consider this.

An elected representative believes they are working for the electorate. They enact legislation and develop bills to bring money and government support to their district. On the surface this seems to be good thinking. The representative wants to get reelected and by showing concern and support for the electorate it would seem that that is why the people elected them in the first place. But wait--if each elected representative is doing the same thing, then who is working for the greater good of the country and the world. It could be postulated that this is one of the problems that our government currently has--the elected representatives are thinking and working at too low a level--hence all of the "pork barrel" projects that plague our budget.

A couple weeks ago as our pastor was finishing a sermon series on Proverbs he posed this question to the congregation. He had discussed a number of important verses in Proverbs about work ethic (Prov 10:4, 6:10-11 and 21:21) and ideas about working first and playing later (Prov 24:27). It was the closing idea of the message and he only briefly addressed it--because the reference isn't from Proverbs at all, but rather Colossians. He referenced Colossians 3:23-24:

3:23 Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people, 3:24 because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ. (NET Bible)

This is an important issue for leaders. So I'm going to dig into the concept a bit deeper.

Knowing who are we working for is important because it is in knowing who we are working for that we will be able to determine what decisions and actions we should be taking.

There are a few answers to the question "Who am I working for?" Some of the answers could be: my boss, my country, myself, the stockholders, the electorate. How leaders answer the question is critical in evaluating success and in providing a context for decision making.

As in the case of the elected representative, the belief of who we are working for influences our on-the-job decision making.

So in answer to the question: "Who are we working for?" we draw from Colossians--we are working for the Lord. That, as they say, changes everything. The whole reason we go to work, the decisions we make at work and in leading our team, even the standards we use to evaluate success are cast in a different view when we accept and understand who we are working for in reality.

This may put us at odds with our earthly bosses as we make morally correct and consistent decisions.

But the up side is--we will be consistent and understandable--by our peers, our subordinates and our earthly bosses. Making decisions consistent with God's values, while not often easy, is why God called us to be in the professions he called each of us to be in. We are there to contribute in the manner God has called us. Sometimes that means we make correct decisions which may be unpopular with those who think they are our bosses.

But then--we'll be able to cut out the pork!

Bojangles Saloon, Alice Springs - A Review

An evening at Bojangles in Alice Springs, Australia is a great way to relax and unwind. You should check out their website and if you like log into their in saloon cameras to enjoy the nightlife vicariously.While at the saloon/restaurant call friends and have them log in an monitor your activity.  Could be interesting.

They say it is authentic Australian, and the interior is a visually stimulating and rustic place to enjoy just looking around at the displays on the walls and some which even coming out of the ceiling. Don't miss the big snake in the Bat Out of Hell display case.  Also--the restrooms are not to be missed. If you've been drinking a bit much, the placement of handles and knobs could become a problem.

Ah the food. Well, the portions are big and filling--just as you would expect from authentic Australian. The food was cooked very well. I had the mixed grill which featured five Australian meats: buffalo medallion, emu sausage, kangaroo fillet, camel kabobs, and crocodile rissoles.  Each of the meats has a different texture and taste and was cooked very nicely. The only one I didn't enjoy was the croc, as it was mushy and somewhat tasteless.  I don't think it cooked quite long enough. No, it didn't taste like chicken. The other diners, some who had eaten at Bo's before relayed that everything on the menu was good except for the barramundi fillet. Seems they tend to overcook fish a bit. However, the barramundi fish and chips, enjoyed by one of the other diners in my group, was excellent.

The service was extremely quick and the food was served piping hot. Everyone in our party of six got served at the same time and the orders were correct.

The restaurant has an adequate wine selection, but I enjoyed a Victoria Bitter (a/k/a/ VB) beer with my meal.

Recommendation: A must visit and enjoy while in Alice Springs. Check out the website to get a feel for the rustic interior of the saloon. The food is tasty and not expensive. Bojangles is located at one end of the town and is easy to find as it is right off the Todd Mall.  Bo's is an icon in Alice Springs and with good reason.

Wallaby Feeding Stop -- Nature Up Close

In terms of trip highlights, feeding the ragged group of Wallaby's near a resort ranks up there as a unique aspect of my trip. They are small and cute marsupials who have very soft fur--yup. I got to pet a couple.





They do have some social issues, however, as there was some fighting over the food that I was feeding a couple of them. Seems the dominate males like to remind others who is in charge.

They were very friendly and the resort sold bags of special Wallaby food--some dietary formulated stuff I guess, for crazy tourists to feed to the animals.

One of the Wallaby's has a Joey in her pouch--and I was able to get some pictures of them together.

As it was nearing dusk and the area was a bit dark, the flash wanted to go off--but it made their eyes red. Turning the flash off though meant that that I was unable to freeze motion --so here are the two extremes in pictures.

For the purists in the crowd--these are Rock Wallaby's, that is according to the sign at near where I had the opportunity to feed them. I guess, according to Wikipedia, there are some 30 species of Wallaby's. In Wikipedia they are listed as the Short-eared Rock Wallaby.

And yes--some of them are really scruffy. These are animals living in the wild--not in cages. Sadly, I forgot to image the hillside where they are living so you could see their preferred environment. It was a vert steep, rocky, arid area.

Enjoy the pictures though--and it's OK--they are cute!

You Never Let Go

I listened to a song on the plane the other day which made me stop. I listened to it many times and really had a Jesus moment right there in the middle of a 747 at 38,000 feet over the Pacific Ocean some 15 hours from home.

The song is: You Never Let Go by David Crowder Band. The lyrics were written by Mike Hogan, David Crowder, and Mike Dodson. According to GodTube.com "this song was written when the United States and world were watching the news after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, LA on August 29, 2005. In response to seeing those images and in prayer of thanks to God, David wrote these words because 'Ever faithful, ever true... in joy and pain, in sun and rain, [God's] the same. Oh, [He] never let[s] go.'"

I've added a You Tube clip so you can listen to the lyrics--but they really hit me square between the eyes as I was winging above the earth.

When clouds veil sun
And disaster comes
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
When waters rise
And hope takes flight
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul

Ever faithful
Ever true
You I know
You never let go
You never let go
You never let go
You never let go

And I realized that even though these words were written about a natural disaster they also applied to the disasters in my life. I was comforted and humbled realizing that no matter how hard I may try to let go of Christ and to hide in something else, or blame someone else for whatever is happening, that Jesus never lets me go. His grip on me is tighter than I ever could imagine. He knows my weakness and even before I start to release my grip on Him, He is tightening His hold on me. So that I will not fall.

When I rebel--Jesus never lets go. And despite my rebellion, when I try to separate myself from Him, when I try to hide or drown in the rising waters--He never lets me go. Nothing can make Him let go of me--no matter how hard I try.

The words of Paul written to the Romans comes to mind:

8:35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 8:36 As it is written, “For your sake we encounter death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 8:37 No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us! 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, 8:39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NET Bible)

And so, as the song ends--it remains and so does His love for me.

When clouds brought rain
And disaster came
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
When waters rose
And hope had flown
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul
Oh, my soul

Oh, my soul
Overflows
Oh, what love, oh, what love
Oh, my soul
Fills hope
Perfect love that never lets go

Oh, what love, oh, what love
Oh, what love, oh, what love
In joy and pain
In sun and rain
You're the same
Oh, You never let go

Biking the Baltimore and Annapolis Trail

Chris and I, accompanied by friends biked part of the B&A Trail, twice, within a couple days over Labor Day weekend. It is a beautiful trail as it follows and old railroad roadbed--it is also relatively flat allowing for a very enjoyable ride.

The section we have been riding is seven miles long. Since we ride out and back it is a 14 mile round trip. Although the ride is relatively easy--its length adds a real workout to the entire endeavor. So it is not easy. But it is fun and at times relaxing.

I have been amazed at the number of different people we find along the trail. All kinds of people take advantage of this trail--and not just bikers either.

We have also learned that biking is not about how fast or how far you ride--it is all about the experience and especially the experience of being together. We have seen teams of riders riding together, and they stay together in a pack. Or maybe in a school like fish.

Similarly, when we ride together we stay together and enjoy each others company. It is nice to be able to comment on the small animals along the side of the trail--or even the suicidal rabbits who like to dart directly in out path to see if we will crash trying to avoid them. Of course, it is a little worrisome to ride along the trail and have the turkey vultures circling overhead. Kinda makes you wonder who the next road kill will be.

But the biking is good and company is great. It is definitely something to do and to look forward to.