Day 6 (Sat, 30 September 2017)

Day 6 (Sat, 30 September 2017)

Today we were up about 7 a.m. we had some brekkie we're staying in this caravan park so we didn't have to pack up. Then Katrina drove us to Stoney Creek and walked with us up to Meeniyan, where we all had a coffee together in a coffee shop, and we left her to return to the car at her leisure. We walked on to Leongatha, & our Caravan Park (21km) most of it along the Great Southern Rail Trail (the old now-abandoned railway line to Port Welshpool, set up for walking, push-bike & horse riding).

(see pics of the trail going between cuttings, under main road, beside breathtaking farmland and crossing country lanes that criss-cross it. There was a heard of black cattle with name tags in their ears... Grego said something like "They're having trouble with their colours"... can you read the nametag?)

Greg and I walked on from there. We had our 1 hour of solitude and then we had a cuppa tea, looked at Mach 6 together - that was pretty big, there were 8 little story-let's to do the last 2 in chapter 5 and is 6 in chapter 6.

My shoes were breaking so we went and bought some synthetic (to my disgust, but the best fit and size) hiking boots from Target (who else would be open at 4:30 pm on a Saturday arvo), then some chicken for dinner. Yum... sate' chicken. Katrina cooked, so we do the washing up.

Greg: I spent an hour listening to Genesis and the first half of the talk by Zac Poonen, and spent the day freezing.

Katrina: I went to the lighthouse near Walkerville at Cape Liptrap. It was beautiful but so windy that I couldn't even hold my phone up to take a photo.

Tomorrow is a rest day... 8 am breaky.

A PILGRIM'S REFLECTIONS

Some of my reflections on yesterday's meditation on Jesus' disciples' (students/apprentices) panic & lack of a living faith in God,  during a  storm when their boat was  going down in lake Galilee - as they did a job for Jesus. Combined with reflecting a bit on Jesus' example in Mark 6 (feeding five thousand hungry families).

..........,,,,,,,,,,; ********** ;,,,,,,,,,,..........

I see within the mirror of that tale
of Jesus' apprentices on lake,
their dutifull use of their ship at sail,
& "generous" not waking him to take

a part in all the bailing of what "waved
in", making children scared (for they forgot
that they were loved and cared for, so behaved),
quite panic-ey; & blamed him for the lot!

When I've been under pressure doing work
(I thought was what was given for this while),
my faith has shrunk, & disappeared & shirked
and left a hole instead of a broad smile.

I see that I have been quite faithless, Lord.
I watch your students learn to trust in God
but as they "prove their worth" their faith is flawed -
that's even when they go where you have trod.

For when, like them, we do the things you ask,
it can be just a shell without the heart,
I want to learn from their, and my own, past
to grow a living faith - though  "knowing PART".

For "brother Wind" and "sister Wave" did come.

He speaks to them, & tells them of God's will,
and straight away do they obey - and some!
The heir of fam'ly life tells them "Be still!"...

and like a loyal hound, or old grey mare
they stop their jumping and their blustering,
(for though it may be just they're glad he's there,
the younger children are quite flustering).

So though I know I don't know very much,
the other kind of knowing knows the one
who knows all things,  so if I am in touch,
it can be like a father and his son.

My job (to help this kind of knowing grow)
is not to think I have to  "Tell you what!"...
or check you're doing right, from what I know;
but ask for help, be glad for "spanks" I've got!

In other words there's one who knows better,
and I can learn from you. I am lucky!
But knowing you is more of a treasure;
I've found the door, & now I've found the key!

And as the son said "My father is great-
er. He knows things I do not,  but will when
he tells me them. It's he who works till late-
-er,  looking back, we see what he's done then!

I want to learn to quickly share my needs,
& then look out to learn my lessons well,
look up and thank the one who quiets, and feeds,
& smile, because I know I'll live to tell.

I see oh Lord my treasure is often
the smaller things that are your gifts to me
like food and drink and warm clothes that soften
the many storms and harsh realities

But you are treasure greater than your gifts
the focus of my hopes and dreams will be
on you and seeing your goodness that lifts
or stills, as needs, for more reality.

PW

Day 5 (Friday 29 September 2017)

I was up for sunrise(see pic), then snuck back to bed. We slept in till 7:15 then had brekkie, packed up our tents & camper trailer and left Yanakie Caravan Park. Katrina dropped us where we finished yesterday, about 7 km south of Fish Creek and we walked,  through lush grazing countryside (see pic) into Fish Creek where we met Katrina for morning tea at about 11:20am then she walked with us for a couple of km up the  Great Southern Rail Trail. We saw a koals clearly snoozing in a gum tree overhead (but without throwing stones at it couldn't get it to show on the ohoto (see pic), then Grego & I walked on towards Stony Creek. We found sn enormous wombat hole (see pic), and loved wslking in the seclusion, out of the wind and traffic (see pic) with only occasional walkers/riders passing. We made it to 1 km short of Stony Creek. Katrina met us where the dirt road came near the old railway line which we were wslking on, and then that we headed off to  Leongatha Caravan Park where we are now, setup for the night, about to have some sausages, and try for an early night and an early start tomorrow to see if we can make it to the northern end of the Great Southern Rail Trail tomorrow and then have a day off on Sunday.Grego & I walked and talked together on the way to Fish Creek in the morning and covered the first "half"  of "Mark 5" (actually the last story-let of chaper 4 & all of chapter 5) - taking in the storylet (s) we were about to tell (by listenimg to someone read it, or reading it ourselves), then telling it to the other(s) in our own words, before we got to  Fish Creek; and we finished off Mark 5 on the Great Southern Rail Trail when Katrina had gone. Then had our hour of solitude & stopped for lunch,  and got going again to make it to Stony Creek in time, by about 4:15pm.Today brought us 4 stories of impossible situations where Jesus is finally brought into them at the end of people's tethers, when they've done all they can & have not been able to handle it. Firstly there was the disciples about to drown doing a job for Jesus,  (the last story-let of chapter 4) and then the man imprisoned in his body by a legion of demons,  & finally the stories of 2 "daughters" [- one with 12 yr suffering and disgrace, & one with 12 years of promise & priviledge cut off] Once we'd finished ch 5, we had some time thinking of those 4 situations considering whether any of them are similar situations to what we have ecperienced. Grego could think of two of them that were similar to him, I thought of the first one - a time I felt like one of the disciples doing the job Jesus sent them to do (to go to the other side of Lake) and then it looks like they're about to drown and he is asleep. Initially there was a  slowness to get him involved until the very end, because they are trying to handle it themselves, but when they can't,  they end blaming him for the problem they were in. His response was "Do you still have no faith?" A friend (Brad) has reminded me of how good that made him feel - Apostles of Jesus had no faith by that time! It made me think I'm often like that. I wondered "How can I be less like that?" - I want to get Jesus involved earlier rather than later! I also realised how much God the father wanted the disciples to see something of Jesus, to learn something of their place in God's world - as they watched him speak to the wind and waves "Brother Wind" and "Sisters Waves" we named them, taking our impetus from the last story-let of  chapter 3 (where Jesus said those who do  God's will, -who actually act on it - were his brother and sister and mother. Then yesterday we heard this story at the end of chapter 4 (a mob of stories on God's will, and God's reign, and what it's like). Then there's this little scenario at the end of ch 4, with the wind and waves immediately doing what Jesus commands them (in God's name).

Day 4 (Thursday 28 September 2017)

Well, after a late night the night before (going to a couple of hospitals with a bite of some description on my middle toe of the left foot; spreading a red swelling) we slept until about 9 o'clock.

We breakfasted checked the washing & left by about 10:30am to arrive at our Finishing Point from yesterday (about maybe a hundred metres South of the gates of the Wilsons Promontory National Park). Katrina  left and went off to explore for the day we started the walk, about 10:50am, had 10 minutes together till 11am, then had our 1hr. of solitude. I walked ahead singing out loud etc with the trangia & metho to setup morning tea. When the hour was up I could just see the outskirts of a little village ahead of us Yanakie. It had been raining on and off with gusty cold winds so I thought that if we could make it to a warm coffee shop that might be nice. It is Greg's birthday, today he turns 43 so I ordered two cappuccino's and a pizza. They said they would make the Grego's coffee when he arrived. I texted him to tell him where we were and 10 minutes later he sauntered  in & we had our coffees & half a pizza together. We kept the other half for lunch, said thank you and moved on. The antibiotics I have for my toe have to be taken half an hour before a meal, so at 2:15 I had one and then we stopped for lunch at 2:45. Then we walked on until 4-ish and rang Katrina. She picked us up on the corner of Savage Road and the road we were on to Fishcreek. Then we drove into Fishcreek and had a coffee and cake to celebrate Greg's birthday and drove back to the Yanakie caravan park where we're spending the night again.

Katrina: today was very touristy: I saw some waterfalls, a Museum (on the history of Foster - it was very interesting) and Port Welshpool.

3rd Day Wed 27 September 2017

3rd Day Wed 27 September 2017

We packed up the tent and trailer and left Tidal River to head to Yanaki Caravan Park. On the way Katrina decided she could do without having a van for the day-time, so she dropped us at the Darby River carpark and drove off to find a coffee shop, & Grego & i started walking. We had red guideposts telling us how many km to the main National Park Gate. We started just after the 19 sign.

We decided to do our time of solitude first up from 10:10am -11:20am.

Paul found a couple of malaleuca walking sticks one of which was wonderfully springy, & powered ahead with the high viz vest on, & had a wonderful time making up songs etc., Greg listened to some reading on his phone.

We stopped for morning tea at the 13 post, and apportioned our storylets from Mark 3 for the day... then as we walked we took turns telling through parts of that first Century record of the "on the road & around the countryside" life and teaching of that revolutionary  Jewish prophet Yeshua BarYoseph. And then asked each other which (1or 2) of the 14 or 15 different groups or kinds of people in those 5 stories we most identified with, and why. Very interesting. What would forward advancement look like for us?

Then stopped at 1:30pm for lunch at the Sou West Corner track entrance after we passed the 7 post.

Day 2 (Tues 26 Sept 2017)

Pics to follow (when I learn how to upload)

Day 2 (Tues 26 Sept 2017)
Grego & I were joined by Katrina for the first few km from Tidal River around to Squeaky Beach. Then she turned back to the van,  coffee & catching up on texts, shut-eye, & was about to do some work when I called her to see if she could collect us from Darby River Car Park at 3:15-ish. She came, we returned, checked about the possibility of adding Wed night to our powered site (No cancelations, yet!). We had a cuppa and an icecream then Tim rang to say he was in Melbourne with my bag... but he didn't understand how far it was.... we said we'd  drive towards him and he could text us where we could meet. We ended up meeting at Ray's Pizzas at Tooradin, shared pizza with Tim & his children (Jodie was busy), collected my bag and Katrina drove back (again), so I could write up this blog."Home" around 9:15pm. Into shower and bed... hope to sleep in again then work out what camp site the van and Katrina stays in tomorrow, & once again hit the road...

Day 1 (Mon 25 September 2017)

Day 1 (Mon 25 September 2017)

9am, I (Paul) put my right foot into the Saltwater of the tasmanian bite,

then we (Greg Harkness, Katrina & Paul Walker) started from the Southernmost tip of Australia to Melbourne and the Northern tip of Ausralia - Cape York.

Katrina: There was some beautiful scenery.Pics to follow (when I learn how to upload)The vegetation kept changing. It rained off and on. We had to keep a fast-pace to beat the high tide at a little river across the beach. In some places we walked in tunnels under the trees.I rescued the neighbours camper trailer from a scavenging wombat, then we finished the day with a meal in in the van in the middle of wind and rain and a with a welcome hot shower in a powered campsite.

The day before we started

Grego: "We trekked to Halfway Hut, got wet and froze"

Paul: "The Godfreys put us up Saturday night. Sunday, we had a late start with them in Castlemaine, then we traveled to Wilsons Promontory - Tidal River National Park office (where we arrived just before they closed @ 4). On the way we found that I had left my small day backpack at the Godfreys - when they texted us. They might be able to bring it down this week we'll see. Then we drove to the telegraph station car park, left the car and campertrailer, & trekked
(see pic)

 (with sleeping bags, tent and some food) the 7.4km to Halfway Hut, it rained on and off all night. We started telling each other the Backstory to Mark, starting with Genesis 1, (Day 0, 1, 2, 3 etc.). Through the first son of Adam (whom Eve thought would fix up the curse and do battle with snakey), the line of Seth including Enoch (who walked with God for 300 yrs), Noah, the Flood, Babel, Abraham, Isaac etc... Daniel's prophecy. We shared Grego's tent (borrowed from the Flemmings) between the three of us and  then the next morning  left our tent and slightly damp sleeping bags at Halfway Hut and walked relatively freely with just water, the 8.2km to Southpoint where we arrived a bit before 9am.

I scrambled down and touched the water there with my right foot and right hand at about 9am Monday 25 September. And, this leg of the walk began

change meant some arrangements are adjusted

We're driving down to start the walk a-gain,

Paul's Missus' coming with us to help us.

Ol' Grego traveled to us on a plane,

and yet we try to minimise the fuss.

It started spitting rain, a friend has bailed;

we could be disappointed if it was

unknown that "creativity" when hailed,

is more likely to pick up then because...

...'cos we are not in charge, but working with

creative forces bigger than ourselves,

we're learning to respond (with kin and kith),

to seek out hidden treasure as one delves

about and sifts through soil or sand that holds

some hidden treasure from quite long ago...

& more's the wonder when silvers and golds

discovered by our perseverance show...

unlike the secret seed that must stay hid

& undisturbed by prying little eyes,

if they're to grow and make a crop as did

the seed in passing fields which brought surprise.

It seems we're on a pilgrimage of sorts,

traversing this great land from South to North,

it's not that there are very many "oughts.."

or "ought nots" to be followed; we'll walk forth

& look for creativity and truth

(I mean by that a realness, that extends)

among both older people and the youth,

& hope that we can stay & grow as friends!

dislexic learning tricks from an old doG..

Oh will I ever learn to keep first things..

at first .. "place" in this journey - Growing Up.

O God! I'm such a baby and that brings

much that will fall away - as with a pup!

The puppy chews the shoes left there with it,

and leaves its "doggy do's" around the place,

& must be trained with "pain" as well as "treat",

to move into the gains where life is "Ace"!

Pups are mostly concrete in their thinking.

It's true some kinds can meet the twist and turn,

like Pointers who can point out to their king, 

the things they are appointed to, & learn.

Sometimes I seem less able than a pup!

To think, a human babe is just a blob,

we're made to learn more as we're growing up,

our culture's more, unless your Uncle's Bob.

But even if it's true, & Bob's your Unc.

- & everything for you is set in place,

it must depend on who's power is defunct,

& which culture "in lieu of" is embraced.

Which fam'lies on this Earth are tuned to life? -

for timely is our birth in history!

The culture of eternity is rife,

it's roots are those which were in you and me

and deeper down in darkness and alone

they may wake up and harken to the call;

but just for now (as dog returns to bone),

I want my father(God)'s culture installed.

G ' d a y !

Creator, good morning! - & I love you!

I want for that to be my stance right through

this day ahead of me to open to

the open-est "One/We" (who's more a "who"

than anyone who's met by anyone

tho' on this day we'll get closer to some).

I'm still a bit tir-ed - but I'm not numb.

Thanks for the sleep in bed - & dreams that come.

(The unconscious re-hash of yesterday:

hopes we had that were dashed along the way,

or else desires that clashed. What else to say?

Or futures, unabashed - for which we'd pay)

Sometimes I see where I am at just now,

by all these dreams that fly through me somehow,

or I am warned to try... a different bow,

or posture in my life, for this I'm "Wow! -"

"- and thank you!" - The Cre-a-tive One who sees
and get's involved each day as it does please

an artist who's not paid (tho' not dis-eased!)

with gold God can't be swayed, but love is "seized".

And so, I know, as you read this today,

not just some dust or view gets in your way,

if you decided to you'd help me say

what's loving and is true, & then to pay

the price (of saccrifice), that turns these words,

the things that sound so nice, to not be turds,

but living breathing mice, or beasts, or birds

that populate and slice through other worlds.

... chairos moments ...

Some walkers walk,
while marking time,
so not to baulk
at the sublime.

They hope to learn
from Mark, to see
Life (not to spearn
Community)

in common-place
things like walking
(not power paced)
& too talking.

Here's that there link,
might help you think...
- least be knowing
how we're going:

yvalker.blogspot.com.au

Anyone know
how to jig-jog
some audio
onto a blog

-new recordings
of folk we meet
in our minings,
on road & street

(people's pictures
are straight forward;
seems more strictures
with sound recorded).