Please, see me!

In a week's time will be Senior's week in Australia. Various activities are planned to celebrate this time. For 18 years as part of my ministry I was involved with a retirement village and nursing home. From out of that came a devotional book 'Dynamic Ageing' (available in Christian book shops or from me).

The following poem embodies a little of what I learnt.

What do you see,

When you look at me

Confined though I be

Through age and frailty?

 Look not on my decrepit form                                       

Pity not my senility

Peer beneath my wrinkled brow

Discover my true identity.

A passer-by sees but ‘the outer’

Unaware of the real ‘inner’.

Hidden within are many stories

Of love, loss, faith and glory

Friendships, family, my history

All which moulded me

Though they, you will not see,

Made me, me!

                To see only my frailty

                Cheapens my humanity.

                Un-mendable,

                I’m expendable,

Come, let me share my history,

Listen as I share my journey, 
Those difficult turbulent years

Of upheaval, triumph, joys, tears

Forgotten now in easier years.

We had community, we belonged

Life was tough, friendships strong,

Things for which I do so long.

                Now our importunity 

                Is your opportunity

                To give us dignity

                By compassion’s sincerity

You, like I, must walk from youth to age

Each step you’ll write upon life’s page,

Face it with faith in the God who cares.

Through His word, in times of despair

Find wisdom and hope for you to endure

And His grace to help you, to Him, be true.

Then, when our life’s race and battles end

We’ll be received by our Lord as His friend.

Copyright Ray Hawkins October 2017.
Ray is author of 8 themed devotionals. His latest 'The Warrior Lord's Triumph has just been released.
Blog site. http://rayhawkinsauthor.blodspot.com.au

Book Review Broken Melody by Trudy Adams

Broken Melody by Trudy Adams

 Cover blurb     Seventeen year-old Danae Blackburn has never known love. After being fostered out at two, the family that chose her gradually reduced her to brokenness and a life of fear. For a long time there is only one thing she can turn to – the piano, at which she is amazingly gifted. Torn between a dysfunctional past and a promising future, Danae struggles against everything that threatens her identity –the love of a friend, the challenge of a competition, the possibility of change. At first, the only thing that helps to weaken her defenses is the beauty in music …

My review

I found this a truly moving story about a young woman’s battle with abandonment, abuse, the search for love and a sense of self-worth. Written in the first person, Danae’s journey is told in a very real and moving manner. Her character is well developed, believable and engaging. The characters around her; friends, mentors, those who believe in her, as well as those who torment and abuse her, are equally engaging and real, even though the reader has nothing of their POV. I thought this was very well accomplished.

Danae’s relationship with music, through the learning process, the discovery of her giftedness, its healing power, is beautifully presented and authentic. It suggests Trudy Adams has a good knowledge of music or has done her research well.  A quote from the book that I loved was; Music’s not meant to be understood, only relished. It is its beauty, not its mechanics, that heals.

I also thought the journey in relationships, both with her friend, Kristin and with her step sibling, Kirra-lea, was sensitively written with a genuine understanding of the struggle to trust, to love and to be loved, that would be present in the life of girl so damaged in childhood.

Trudy has written in a way that arouses deep feeling in the reader. The story hides none of what should outrage us about the mistreatment of children, but also leads the reader towards the hope of good coming out of bad, and the place faith in God plays in such a journey. The genuine ups and downs of this journey are gripping and give the story intrigue and tension that keeps the reader turning the pages.

I believe this story is one that will challenge and move any reader, but would be particularly  inspiring for anyone who has experienced foster parenting or mistreatment as a child. The Christian message is authentically present but not forced or overdone and I believe a non-Christian reader would benefit equally from the message from this book without feeling preached at.

Broken Melody is available on Kindle through Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Broken-Melody-Trudy-Adams-ebook/dp/B00DRQZAPY/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1394580379&sr=1-3&keywords=broken+melody

From Even Before Publishing

http://www.evenbeforepublishing.com/index.php/our-books/fiction-books/104-broken-melody

And all good book stores.

Carol writes historical novels based on her family history, set in the early colonial days of Australia. You can see more about Carol and her novels on her website, Amazon page or FB page. 

www.carolpreston.com.au

www.amazon.com/author/carolpreston

www.facebook.com/writingtoreach

Mates Matter

Among the things I like to consider when writing historical fiction are the cultural idioms and colloquialisms of a particular era. One of the great ones for Australians has surely been ‘mateship’.  Although ‘mate’ is a term which has been used for centuries in working-class British english, it surely came into its own in Australian culture during the World War 1, and depicted the bonds that were forged between those who served together in battle. Jack Simpson Kirkpatrick, the stretcher bearer during the Gallipoli campaign, who used a donkey to carry wounded soldiers from the front lines, exemplifies the spirit of mateship. John Howard, as Prime Minister in 1999, used the term in a Draft Constitutional Preamble … We value excellence as well as fairness, independence as dearly as mateship.

'Mateship' denotes equality, loyalty and friendship.

I’m wondering if this is a word that may be losing some of its earlier meaning as Australian society  becomes more and more diverse, with many different cultural backgrounds. Perhaps there is less sense of common ground, or less that brings about the bonding which occurred between those in the trenches of war. Although I’m sure the value of friendship has not decreased, it may be changing in quality.

As I look back on my own writing, I’m aware that my stories have almost always included close relationships between friends, and highlighted the value of loyal, trusted, dependable mateship, even though I haven’t always used the term ‘mate’ in reference to these relationships. I find such friendships deeply moving to write about, and at least as inspiring as romantic relationships. I think love, in the context of friendship, can have beautiful, profoundly meaningful significance in a character’s life. I believe in the early days of Australian history, mateship was necessary for survival, as so many people were without family, or any familiar source of support. But no matter the situation or era, I believe through characterisation of such relationships we can portray many Godly qualities that we would want our readers to aspire to.

In thinking about this I have come to realise that a source of mateship for me recently has been amongst the community of Christian writers in Australia and further afield. While many family members and friends have encouraged me in my writing, very few have a real understanding of the process that begins with an idea and ends with a printed book. It is those who are on the same journey who can identify with the agony and the ecstasy, the sense of calling, the vulnerability, the pleasure of immersing oneself in an emerging story, the awesomeness of the birth of a publication.

Having self-published my first four books, I am extremely grateful now to be part of a writing community; people who not only understand my journey, but are willing to give advice and feedback, who can offer constructive criticism, who are willing to mutually promote, and who participate in a non-competitive network of writers who are as excited about the success of others as they are about their own. Of course this includes those who offer their professional services in editing, publishing, design and marketing. Even with those I have not met in person, but have connected with on-line, or at one of the writer’s conferences on one or two occasions, there is such a strong sense of ‘mateship’, and mutual good will.

I pray this will continue,  and see us all further our dreams.

Mates matter because they affirm who we are as individuals, and what we are about. They test our dreams and give us a safe place to express our ideas and grow, to be challenged without fear of consequences often present in family relationships. They give us the opportunity to reflect honestly on our understanding of what God is calling us to, and whether we are getting side-tracked or seduced by lesser motives.

I pray that our valuable network of writers will never be soured by success, competiveness, busyness or loss of interest. And I pray that any writers out there who do not feel part of this wonderful network will contact the groups on Facebook and blogs; Australiasian Christian Writers, Omega Writers, or any of our authors individually. You’ll receive a warm welcome, and valuable encouragement and support.

Mateship really does matter. Long may it be part of our Australian culture!  

Carol Preston   

www.carolpreston.com.au

www.amazon.com/author/carolpreston

www.facebook.com/writingtoreach