Having received a few cards in the last week, I am reminded that I have not put fingers to computer keys yet, to let you know about our year at Glenburnie Homestead.
One the whole it has been a quiet year, or so I thought until I starting going through my diary.
It got off to a wonderful start in February, as Ken, Myself, William and Evie enjoyed 10 days in Tasmania. The trip was a 60th birthday gift from my children. William and Evie joined us as driver/accommodation officer. It also served as their claytons’ honeymoon. They will have been married four years come February. It wasn’t as green as I expected but the weather was wonderfully warm, while everyone else at home sweltered through the hottest heat wave experienced in their lifetimes. I was also able to catch up with southern family members and friends during this trip.
Early May saw me visiting dad again and spending a week in Brisbane. I was able to visit a cousin who had become housebound. Little did either of us know that it would be the last time we would be together here on earth as in late August she went home to be with her Lord. The importance of not putting off something you should do, being brought home vividly.
July, saw me travel to Sydney for this year’s Presbyterian Women’s Association (PWA) Conference. I really enjoyed the fellowship with the ladies from around the state.
November, saw me again travel to Brisbane to help Wendy, as she had been sick. I visited dad again for a week as well as having a go at being a Radio Interviewer with the Gympie Christian Radio station
http://www.cooloolachristianradio.com.au. Lionel did a After publishing 365 Glasses of Wine, I promised Ken that I wouldn’t publish another book until all the stock I have has been sold but that hasn’t stopped me writing. I contribute regularly to an international blog http://www.heartwingsblog.com/
I have another book; Still More Water into Wine being proofread by a friend, I have also attempted a novel and some material for the second volume of Conversations with Myself. As there are still over 200 copies in the spare bedroom I think it will be a long time before any more books hit the shelves/internet. Please feel free to help out by visiting my website, http://hbrown1956.wixsite.com/helenjeanbrown
The timing of all the sales and publishing are in God’s hands. I have completed my 3 years as our local PWA President and will be finishing as Presbytery Group Representative in April. I am looking forward to seeing where God takes me in 2018.
Ken has spent the year, dealing with the usual farming dramas that happen as a matter of course. Plenty of rain over the previous 12 months has meant that we have been very blessed with feed and water however, we have also been inundated with flies. So, much of his time has been spent trying to keep them at bay. The rain stopped during winter but the flies didn’t. He had two trips to Sydney this year, one to test his heart function which for some reason has dropped to 38% but he still feels reasonably well and is working just as hard as ever. We have also had a trip to Kingaroy and MacLean for Poultry Auctions.
So, apart from all the travelling, this year has been just a very regular year. The children are all getting on with their lives, apart from some health issues for Wendy and Jennifer they are managing their lives with strength and energy.
2018 will see us as a family with plenty to celebrate. Ken and I have our 40th Wedding Anniversary in January and William and Evie are expecting their first child in March. Ken also turns 60 in March and is looking forward to celebrating that milestone in style, as he should, given that only 8 years ago he was not expected to be here.
“Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:30-31.
From our family to yours, may 2018 be one of focusing on Jesus Christ, the plans that He has for your lives, the spreading of His gospel and a deeper relationship with Him.
God Bless you all
Helen & Ken Brown