"Bastards everywhere!"

My wife and I are on a brief holiday, driving north from Dunedin, NZ, eventually going to Wellington, doing the trip to catch up on two of our children and their families. We are in Christchurch . My back is playing up so I forced myself to go for a walk to see if I could free it up some more. I was walking down the footpath and suddenly realised that there was an elderly man riding a mobility scooter wanting to pass me. He began asking questions as I fell in line with his scooter. I told him I had a sore back and was going for a walk to try to improve things. “How did you hurt your back?” he asked. “Well early last year I was fencing (as in fixing a fence) and in the process overstrained it.” “Fencing!” he said, “Yeah that would do it!” Then he launched into telling me some of his life story. “I’ve been a bloody shearer most of my life. By God, you can do your back in in that game!” I recognised him as one who lived in a caravan at the camp ground we were staying in. As he got faster and faster on his scooter he talked and talked about working on farms in NZ and Australia. I was getting hot just trying to keep up.

Among other things, he talked of industrial clashes between farmers and shearers in both countries, and the evil leadership that there was in the NZ Federated farmers. He said, “There were some bloody nasty bastards in the leadership of the Federated Farmers. How do the nasty ones get to the top? They were bastards!” he repeated. Then he chuckled, “Mind you there were some real nasty bastards leading the shearers in those days too! How does that happen? Where ever you are there are nasty bastards causing problems!” “I guess,” I blurted out, “Those are the people who like to hang on to power!” … I nearly said, “It even happens in Church circles.” But he had talked about “those religious bastards” earlier and I had not admitted that I was a Church Minister. “Yeah you’re right." he said, "Bastards love power whoever they are!”

….. Looking at the world today and the weird things happening, this elderly sheep shearer perhaps sums up the problem… “There are bastards everywhere!” Thankfully that is not the full picture, but just now you begin to wonder?

Contemporaries dying!

This is a group from the Church Youth Group on Stewart Island (Southern most Island of NZ) We had gone on an excursion by train and ferry from Dunedin.  We were there the weekend that President Kennedy got shot in November 1963. I recall an elderly lady coming out of her wee Stewart Island cottage and telling us the news. I am on the right in the front and Graham is sitting next to me.  

Graeme died...
Last week I had a text from my sister that an old school mate of mine had been found dead at his back door in a town about an hour and a half's drive away. My sister was a school mate of his sister, so we knew the family quite well when we were young. 
I was in Standard three, about 8/9 years old when I first met Graeme. His father ran a grocery store almost next to the school. You could describe Graeme as a bit of a nerd, and I was always about half way between the nerds and the popular kids at school. I loved sport but did not have the coordination nor confidence to be good at it. Graeme and I got on together. Graeme had two sisters, one older and one younger. He once had a still older sister, but sadly she had died not long before I got to know the family. They were richer than we were, but I think they were still quite sad because of their loss. Graeme's mum and dad seemed to be fairly serious. The Grocery shop had an old stables out the back and all sorts of things were stored there. Graeme and I would explore that building often after school. I think his parents liked that he had a male friend, so seemed to encourage me to spend time there. I sometimes got into trouble at home because I stayed there too long. I recall my mum scolding me once, saying, "I guess you would rather live at their house! Is that what you think?" 
Sometimes on Sunday afternoon's Graeme's family would visit his grandparents down the Otago peninsula, and I was invited for the ride. They had a Vanguard car and I recall sitting in the back seat in awe of this machine. We only had a two cylinder Bradford van! Down there there was a public playground, an old artillery gun and the shore line to explore. Graeme was in my class from Primary School, through intermediate school and for the first two years of High School. Even when he wasn't in my class we would meet up at lunch time with others, and chat, play cricket and generally hang around together. He came to our Church Youth Group and became part of the gang. He was more scholarly than I was, more refined and almost effeminate in his manner. I left high school and went on to serve a plumbing apprenticeship, while he went to university, and I think studied English/journalism. We saw each other spasmodically for a while, then he moved North, we both got married (though I don't think his lasted long) so that by the time I got to university, he was well gone. 

I moved to Australia and our paths never crossed for many years. I occasionally heard about him through my sister who was still in touch with his sister. About six years ago his sister came into my office and asked me if I would conduct her husband's funeral. So once again I was involved with the family. Graeme lived about one and a half hours away, and I saw him at the funeral. We chatted after, and seemed to fall into the same level of conversation as when we were at school. He was single and living alone. He had recently written a book and it was going to be launched. I was interested in that whole process. We swapped email addresses, but unfortunately we never made contact again. I was sad and felt guilty when I heard that he had died. He was a little younger than I, still in his seventieth year.

Another class mate died...
I picked up the paper this morning and read of the death of another guy who was in my class at school. He had gone on to be a really good and well known cricket player, and a teacher with a fine reputation for going the extra mile with his pupils. I recall that he once coached two of my boys for basket ball. He was the same age as I am.  Once again I was shocked to read of a contemporary dying. 

I guess we are lucky to get to the age we have and such news will become quite frequent. It does make you reflect on how you have spent your life. It doesn't seem long ago that we were teenagers, hanging around together! Where did that time go?

Post Christmas reflections.

My old Macbook Pro... so much good work... but like me, now old. 

I met a man today. Many years ago here I am helping his mum move into the Habitat for Humanity House we built when he was just a shy boy. 

Pre-Christmas weekend
Last weekend was really busy. At the little local Presbyterian Church we decided to reach out into our community at Christmas. We are a little Church with most people older than I am. On a good Sunday we would get a congregation in the early 20's - but we have been adding to that number - slowly. In the last year or so we have been making attempts to serve our community with a couple of programs geared for families. On Saturday the 22nd December we held a community BBQ in the evening. It rained but we moved inside, and with me cooking the sausages, we had a great time. We had somewhere between 60 - 70 people come through. I led a fairly small Sunday service, but on Christmas Eve we held a family orientated service which we had advertised well. There were 70 - 80 people there, mostly young families. I led that. On Christmas Day we as a family had a quiet day. Our out of town families were visiting in-laws so we only had our local daughter and son-in-law and our foster daughter who copes with severe disabilities. We contacted all our family via phone or Skype. It was, however, a very busy few days. I hope, dear reader, that you had a great Christmas Day too. 
Health
I have been getting over my surgery, but having a difficult time. I have felt tired. I seem to have had indigestion and times of nausea, especially at night. It has distressed me because I was looking forward to leaving illness and health issues behind. I even worried that I was beginning to have heart problems. Last night I woke with world war three happening in my stomach. I got up and found comfort trying to sleep in the lazy-boy chair in the lounge. I got to thinking about my experience, feeling quite depressed. Then a penny dropped. Since my back problems and whenever I had renewed back or muscle pain I had been taking a prescribed pill for damaged nerves, that helped me relax. In the wee small hours of the morning I determined to look up the side effects of that pill. So after breakfast I went on the internet and found the appropriate sites. Apart from one or two symptoms, it was an exact description of what I had been experiencing! So I will stop using that medication and look forward to 2019 with more hope. It has got to be an improvement on 2018!
Today a day of nostalgia. 
A man now - We visited a hardware store and were searching for the right purchase at the right price. I was on the other side of a fixture than my wife when I heard her being greeted warmly by a man. They engaged in warm conversation and I wondered who he could be? "David's around the other side." I heard my wife say. A fully bearded young man came around the corner. I had not talked with him for years. I first knew him as a young shy boy, the son of a woman whose house we built through Habitat for Humanity. I am a facebook friend with his mum, so I recognised him from recent photos. He is now a student, working over the holidays at the hardware store. He lives with his partner and seemed very outgoing, warm and friendly. My mind went over the journey we had been on with his mum, him and his younger sister. We have kept in touch with mum often. I felt good once again about the energy I had poured into building the house for this family. His mum and his sister, also a student, still live in the house.
A fire chief - We were visiting the hardware store before lunch today and coming out we bumped into one of the local fire chiefs. He is high in the regional rankings. He greeted me warmly and his wife joined us. We chatted briefly and moved on. My mind went over our journey. I knew him as a new firefighter years ago, when he started in the midst of industrial unrest in the fire service. I have taken naming ceremonies for his teenage children when they were new born babies. I have taken his Dad's funeral. As I drove away I was having another warm trip down memory lane. 
Changing computer - My old Macbook Pro is old! It is so old that I cannot get updates for applications and modern stuff does not work on it, though it still does a good job. I have eventually been convinced that since I use it for powerpoint presentations, videos and music in Church, I ought to update it. So this afternoon I have purchased a flash new apple laptop, and with the help of my daughter and son-in-law, managed to set it up. There is sadness, the other one had travelled around the world and has done a lot of work for Habitat for Humanity, Churches and for the Night Shelter. It opened up a whole new world for me. I kind of suspect this new one will see me out. 

Change is inevitable, life has its uncertainties, but good warm memories enrich the journey and help bring significance to it all.  Happy New Year, all the best for you and yours, and all of us on planet earth, in 2019. 

Friendship - Generosity - Surgery at last.

Dunedin Night Shelter

Mercy Hospital Dunedin NZ

Friendship experience - On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, a week ago I got to spend nearly three working days with a friend from Alaska.  He is a fisherman, a year younger than I, who I met years ago when I was involved with Habitat for Humanity. He used to escape Alaskan winters by visiting NZ, surfing NZ waves, tramping NZ hills and fishing in NZ waters.(when he had a one man boat here.)  He would time his visits to be in various parts of the country so that he could work on Habitat for Humanity sites.  With a brief NZ visit this year he rang me to see if there was any handyman work required at the Night Shelter. Over the years he has donated many thousands of dollars to the Dunedin night shelter cause. The funny thing is, I do not think he is poor, but if you saw him walking down the street or in the old van he drives (older than mine!) you would suspect he was some sort of homeless tramp.  He does not have email or use the internet, (which I find frustrating) and when he visits he insists on sleeping in a tent at the camping ground. It was great, however, to spend three days doing some roof repair work with him at the Night Shelter, I was back at my old trade of being a plumber and he was my “apprentice”. We had elongated interesting lunch hour discussions - Donald Trump - The Church - American democracy –climate change – NZ politics - Christian faith – getting old - and the future. He is a pleasant quietly spoken man, but I have learned over the years, that when we are together working or walking he is relaxed and not backward in sharing his beliefs and opinions.  He came to our place for morning tea on Tuesday before he headed out of town and we both admitted to being a bit sore and tired from our efforts. My friend summed up the conversation with “’Gettin’ old ain’t for sissies!’ is what they say in America”.  I just love how service to great causes builds bridges of friendship between people of different backgrounds. I also value the friends my involvements have brought into my life. 

Generosity - We spent three working days at the Night Shelter and during those hours there were no staff working. Each day we were there we encountered at least three visits from people giving donations for the shelter! A young couple that had just started running a café in town came with left over baking they had at the end of the day.  A woman who is the best forklift driver at the brewery I visit as chaplain came on the Saturday with her family. She delivered a heap of delicious left over food from the workers’ Christmas party. A man who had heard a talk about the night shelter brought a quantity of shampoo and cleaning products. Some mysterious person dropped a bag of good clothing. These were just some examples. With each visit I felt compelled to welcome and thank them. I would then proudly show them through the shelter and answer questions. I was thankful I had an “apprentice” who just kept working. I love the generosity and empathy somehow built into the hearts of so many people.

Surgery at last - I have grumped about my “prostate issues” in blog posts recently. I have had two stays in hospital with infections, and frustrations living with a catheter while New Zealand’s Accident Compensation Corporation make a decision whether or not to pay for surgery. I got a letter saying they would pay, so I rang the reception office of the specialist a couple of weeks ago. To my surprise the voice on the phone asked, “What date would you like?” So today I went into a private hospital, had my surgery and late in the afternoon returned home. I hope it all works out fine. The actual procedure turned out being more extensive than what they thought was necessary, but the specialist came to visit me and satisfied himself that I was fit to go home.  I will not be doing much tomorrow, but I am thankful that it has happened.  I am looking forward to a more comfortable healthy, normal life again.  The nurse who looked after me in the hospital was great. She was friendly, caring, with a sense of humour that kept me smiling and she accepted my weird sense of humour.  

Dunedin hospital/ACC "poor me" gripe.

Background
A few months ago I got referred to the urology department at Dunedin hospital, NZ because I was retaining fluid. A cystoscopy (which caused a scary infection) revealed it was caused by scar tissue from previous TURP operations. It would be fair to say that New Zealand's public health system is not in good shape, it has not received sufficient funding. (The Political Party that has been in for nearly a decade before the current party favoured private health options.) Dunedin hospital's Urology department seems to have gained a reputation for its waiting lists of patients. In New Zealand we have the "Accident Compensation Corporation" which administers the country's no-fault accidental injury scheme. The scheme provides financial compensation and support to citizens, residents, and temporary visitors who have suffered personal injury. The specialist who checked the cystoscopy suggested that since it was scar tissue, ACC might fund the needed operation, so that maybe I would get the operation earlier. An application was lodged. I am waiting for the result of that while a catheter is in place. I had another four day spell in hospital recently with an infection - it happens while wearing a catheter. The ACC wrote to me recently asking if I would sign a form to allow them to have more time to make a decision. If I did not sign the form they would make a decision on the information that they had. I agreed, thinking that I am more likely to get a positive result if they had the time they need. But I am pretty desperate, I HATE having a catheter in place.
Reaching out in frustration!
In frustration, I wrote an open letter to ACC which went in with the return form, with a copy to the Dunedin Hospital Urology department.
Here is what I wrote...

An open note to those involved in ACC and to the Urology Dept. Dunedin Hospital.

My NHI number (XXXXX.)   ACC claim number (XXXXXX)

Dear people,

I am signing the form from ACC agreeing to more time being taken to assess my case for surgery. However, I do want to make a plea for as much speed as possible in making the decision.  I am waiting for surgery, wearing a catheter with a whole heap of consequences for life. I am used to waiting.  Since 2012 I have spent a lot of time waiting.

·      I waited almost a year with a catheter prior to my unsuccessful surgery in March 2013.

·      I waited almost another year while self-catheterising before I had successful surgery in Invercargill late February 2014.

·      In 2017 I waited for 8 months of uncertainty for a biopsy after a digital examination.

I was referred to Urology after a back injury and an ED doctor noted that I was retaining fluid late February 2018. I have had appointments with continence nurses and the Urology nurse, but apart from the cystoscopy, which involved the briefest communication of the results and need for surgery, I have not had a “real consultation/conversation” with a urologist. (Except helpful conversations with the Wellington team after I was admitted there via the ED because of a klebsiella pneumonia infection a few days after the Dunedin cystoscopy. – this was an extremely distressing episode because I had been asked to be celebrant for a friend’s funeral, and the bereaved family had to find somebody else at the last moment)

The “waiting” experience…

Wearing a catheter is not much fun for someone who is trying to keep active and doing things.

·      Infections are always possible and this tends to limit what you can do. I have found that when you have a catheter in place, if you do hard physical activity it often leads to blood clots in the urine, and the possibility of infections. I was admitted to Dunedin hospital on October 5^th for four days because of an infection. (again that prevented me leading a Church service.) I have a big vege garden to plant and enjoy exercise.

·      It knocks your confidence in mixing with people. I am retired but am still doing chaplaincy at Fire Service, St John Ambulance and Speights brewery, leading two services a month at the local Church and volunteer in the community.  So I am mixing with people, lead services, funerals, etc.  I once had a catheter system come apart while browsing in a crowded hardware store. I was peeing uncontrollably!  For me the uncertainty involved in wearing a catheter in such circumstances increases the stresses involved incredibly.

·      It limits travel/holidays.  We have grandchildren in Wellington, Christchurch and Edinburgh. We cannot make plans to visit for two reasons. (1) We don’t know when surgery might be possible. (2) Once in the night as I tossed and turned in my sleep, I pulled out the connection to my night bag and woke up in a pool of pee. Imagine if that happened in a motel bed?  Summer visits can’t happen this year it seems!

·      It does nothing for your sex life! (enough said)

So while I am happy to sign the form agreeing to an extension of time, I plead for as much haste as possible. My wife has been phoning ACC and hospitals (She is aware of my state of mind) and disappointing delays in communication seem apparent. I know there are many in worse situations, but still feel compelled to ask for sensitivity to the depressing experience of waiting while wearing a catheter and trying still to lead a useful life.

Yours sincerely,  ....

Depression

I have to admit that this period of wearing a catheter has had a bigger impact on my "mental health" than my earlier experiences. I have a flip-flo valve so am not carrying a leg bag, but I plug in to a night bag over night. I have simply felt depressed. I find I feel like I am on the verge of tears, and watching TV, hearing a sad story, seeing a sad or challenging film, reading the newspaper will often bring tears to my eyes. (Today I watched a clip from the "Scully" film - the plane landing on the Hudson River- and my eyes filled with tears) Twice while leading church services recently I have had to "take a moment" to control my emotions, to  be able to carry on. This cannot be all blamed on the catheter. With my back problems earlier in the year and the re-emergence of prostate issues, I realise I am no longer "bullet proof".  But I am finding that more than ever, I tend to want to avoid mixing with people.  Sometimes the slightest anti-reaction from a person will throw me more than ever. e.g. the fire fighters have teased me for years. It is just part of the good natured banter of the place and a fire chief once told me, "They only do it to people they love." But these days I find I sometimes come away thinking I wished they wouldn't.  People want my opinion or involvement in something, and my first thought is, "Bugger off", where as I would generally welcome the challenge. My wife has been hounding both hospital and ACC and there seems to be some discrepancy in answers given, which is disappointing. 

Dig deep and keep going...

In it all I am learning to dig deep and keep going. I keep successfully leading Church services, I keep on mixing with and listening to people in my chaplaincies, and keep doing things. But I do choose on occasion to step back just to protect myself. 

UPDATE
The day after I posted this blog I received a letter from the Accident Compensation Corporation saying that they would fund my operation. There's light at the end of the tunnel! :-)

This is a photo a guy took during an Armistice Day Centenary Sunday service we held. We advertised and nearly doubled the size of the little congregation. There was a good response.

These photos are of a Command Unit dedication ceremony that followed a St John Ambulance Church parade I led.

Jack died at 93

"Well done good and faithful servant."

I led a funeral for a man who has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. His name was Jack Botting, he was an Electrician and died at the age of 93 a week and a half ago. I led his wife's funeral 20 months ago. Sadly I led his daughter's funeral after her untimely death, in January of this year. He had always wanted me to take his funeral, and asked for me when he knew he was getting toward the end. I was relatively close to him, and where as I usually hold it together leading funerals of people I know, this time as I talked of him I started to choke up and had to apologise and "take a moment". I share some bits out of the funeral and eulogy I used at the funeral. In many ways he was so different than I am, but I owe him a lot. He modeled integrity, Christian generosity, hospitality and good humour.

"Jack has been like a close Uncle in my life. He was 10 years younger than my father, but a close friend of his. I think tradesmen are often drawn to each other because they value each other’s work and experiences in a way they are not valued in society at large. Jack and Dad were tradesmen in the same Church congregation and simply good mates. .They spent hours talking through life together, and Jack supported my dad and our family during some pretty tough times. Since then Jack has always been a supportive presence in my life.  So I need to say, I come as a mourner as well as the celebrant today. Since last Friday I have felt a sadness and deep loss happening in my life."

"...for me Jack’s faith was best seen in his generosity and love of others. His cheeky grin and wink warmed your heart. He was just so generous, accepting and friendly toward all types of people. Some body new to Church, Jack would be the one to initiate conversation. Through facilitating Sunday lunches in various restaurants and pubs, Jack would keep the NEV members together, and in time the Sunday lunch group grew to include others. Jack with other men looked after the kitchen for monthly women’s dinners. He often provided vegetable soup for the Friday night drop in centre. At Christmas time some precious new potatoes from his garden would be on the menu for our Community Christmas dinners. He helped transport to and from the Christmas dinner and at times took meals to people unable to come.

Jack loved his vege garden and was a good gardener, generous with his vegetables.

Jack with Roy Martin were inventors and explored various projects together. There were draught stops for doors, little flow restrictors that go in by ball valves in plumbing installations and of course the pumps which he continued to explore and develop.

Jack loved his family. He loved Florence. His nickname for her was often “Pet”… “Do you want a cup of tea Pet?” He was proud of her for her work with the elderly, her energy and intellect. He loved Paula and Anne and their families. He often said, “We are so lucky, the girls keep an eye on us. They are so good.” You could see in his eyes love and pride whenever he talked of his family, and as he got older he so appreciated their support. This has been so true over these last few years.

Pictures of Jack…

1.   Coming home from school when I was about 8 and finding Jack wiring in a flash new electric range. Mum had very inadequate cooking facilities, and Jack had decided to gift this to our family. Mum was in tears of appreciation.

2.   My father had a Bradford plumbers van. The motor blew up. Jack financed dad into a new van which dad could pay off as and when he was able.

3.   When my father died in 1964, kids were excluded from funeral preparation discussions. On that day Jack took us boys to the cricket at Carisbrook, fed us on icecreams and pies. If one of us began to tear up, he would just move beside us and put his arm around us.

4.   After Dad died, mum had five kids to keep and raise. Jack would often just turn up every now and then with veges, have a cup of tea, and check how things were going. He would ask us kids about school and sport.

5.   When I was in ministry at St Andrew Street Jack so often expressed his support in a simple, yet effective way. During the first hymn, when I would be nervously standing there, our eyes would lock, he would simply grin and wink. When he was serving at the communion table, as he returned the trays, he would often give a quick wink. After Church, when I would be emotionally drained, he would place his hand on my shoulder as he passed by, and simply say, “you’re doin’ so good, I’m proud of you.” and rush out the door with a wave and a wink.

6.   About ten years ago I had a van which had a motor that blew up. History repeated itself. I had a phone call from Jack. “You do so much good with your van, if you don’t tell anyone about it, I can give you $3000 toward a new van.” I turned him down, but I so appreciated the generosity and support expressed.

I’ll stop there for now and let others speak. On Monday while Anne took a brief break, I sat by Jack’s bed holding his hand, while he struggled to breathe, and memories flooded my mind. My heart was so full of appreciation for all this cheeky smiling man has brought into my life."

Need to change the heading.

I needed to change the heading of my blog. The heading referred to "an over 60 year old...", but that "over 60 year old" is now an over 70 year old. I have just had my "three score and ten" birthday, which is quite a landmark. Unintentionally I have been celebrating my birthday for about a week. It was on a Thursday and my wife presented me with a few personal presents such as a coat, a book and a wallet.  On that day we travelled 3 hours north of Dunedin and stayed the night in a "boutique apartment" with a spa bath and four poster bed. The next day we headed north again to the resort town of Hanmer Springs. My New Zealand based children had rented two houses next to one another and our daughter and son-in-law from Dunedin went up; our son and his family from Christchurch travelled about an hour and a half to Hanmer; and our son and family from Wellington caught the ferry across Cook Strait, and traveled a few hours south to Hanmer. There were twelve of us, including four active grandchildren. (We missed our son and family in Edinburgh) We stayed Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday night enjoying the scenery, forest walks and hot springs of Hanmer. It was a special family time. On the Monday we all went in various directions to our homes again. My wife and I drove the nearly 500k back to our house in Dunedin on the Monday.
I was aware that my older brother and his wife, who live in Australia, were traveling through NZ and were planning to be paying a quick visit to Dunedin during the week. With phone calls backwards and forwards, my youngest brother and his wife invited us to join them, and my older brother, for an evening at their new house about three quarters of an hour north of Dunedin. On the Tuesday evening we drove North again to go to this "pot luck" meal. When I got there I found that my sister and her partner had traveled about four hours from Christchurch, and another brother and his wife had traveled two hours to be there. All of my siblings in one place to celebrate my seventieth birthday! It is very seldom we can all be together. We had a great night of memories, laughter and generally catching up.
At the meal we got to talking about "my" Mount Cargill, a hill that overlooks Dunedin. We shared memories, and my older brother said something like, "Of course you will not be walking up it these days, Dave." It was a statement, not a question. I felt stunned, and was going to object, but remembered that because of injury, sickness, busyness and perhaps laziness, it had been a long time since I had climbed my mountain. While I have had more than my share of various sicknesses lately, and still have artificial plumbing in place, it never occurred to me that my climbing days would be over. At 4 p.m. on the Wednesday I climbed my mountain. I saw it as a fitting end to my week long birthday celebrations. I loved doing it, and in spite of my lack of practice, I climbed it easily, perhaps only 3 minutes longer than my average time. My birthday celebrations were not over. We run a games night at the local Church on Friday night and a young 6 year old and her little brother came up to me. They both had made Birthday cards for me and presented me with a cake of chocolate.
Reflection on turning 70.
I had started writing this post in Hanmer, and it was going to be a reflection on "Have I wasted my life by investing it in the Church?" It was likely to be a bit of a negative perspective. That may come, but while walking my mountain I decided to change it. At 70 years of age I am simply thankful.
I am thankful for my parents and the people around me as I grew up. I had people who were good role models and built a good foundation for my life. Looking back as an adult, each of them were flawed and if I sat with them now, I perhaps would want to argue with them on some of their perspectives. But they essentially loved me and guided me, to enable me to be equipped to handle life.
I am thankful for the various experiences I had growing up. I had experiences of living in a full house, with four siblings and often a boarder or two thrown in. I had experiences of farm life during holidays. We often took part in DIY projects around the house. I enjoyed being a plumbing apprentice and learning a trade. Working on cars as a teenager was an incredible problem-solving learning experience. Being part of youth groups and taking leadership roles. Even the bad experiences, I am thankful for. We were a relatively poor family and had to learn to "make-do" and enjoy life without access to lots of material pleasures. My father died when I was a young teenager. It was a traumatic experience, but looking back, an incredibly maturing, growing time in my life.
I am thankful for my theological training, the colleagues I came to know, the teachers and the challenges involved. I am thankful for the experience of living in another country, learning to appreciate it, but growing in my appreciation of my home country also.
I am thankful for my wife and family, and the journey so far. There have certainly been challenges, but also there have been lots of achievements. We have had a good partnership and journey together. I have enjoyed being part of groups - the drop-in centre we ran, Habitat for Humanity, the Night Shelter group. I have enjoyed nearly 25 years of workplace chaplaincy, enjoying fire fighters, paramedics and brewery workers.
I have enjoyed heaps of personal growth, changing perspective and deepening understandings. I find that even at my age, I still feel young and appreciate the adventure of growing as a person, looking at new perspectives and trying new things.
As people say, "long story short" - my 70 years have been pretty enriching, fulfilling and worthwhile living and for that I am deeply, deeply thankful. If you have been part of that..... THANKYOU.

Snow capped mountains encircle Hanmer Springs.

We drove up the centre of the South Island, the scenery is beautiful. 

Our youngest grandchild enjoys clambering on a statue of a dog, shaped out of a tree stump.
We enjoyed two bush walks with the grandchildren.

"Nan" (my wife) joins her to discuss the dog. 

Our second bush walk - NZ is a beautiful country.

Family members meandering through the parklands.

My son and three grandchildren explore a creek.

The five Brown kids and their partners. The men on the left and head of the table are the four brothers. The lady at the front on the right is our sister.

I love the bush on "my" Mount Cargill.

The cairn on top of my mountain 

Some parts are rather steep, but I am pleased to be able to walk them.

My second birthday cake.